Event Previews – Page 48

Fight Matrix Program: UFC 185 (03-14-2015)

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Jason

Lightweight Championship (155)
[#1/#5DD/#5P4P] Anthony Pettis (18-2-0, -433) vs. [#3] Rafael dos Anjos (23-7-0, +331)
Anthony Pettis is the All-Time #6 ranked Lightweight fighter.
Rafael dos Anjos is the All-Time #20 ranked Lightweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Anthony Pettis (3-0-0)
2014-12-06: W vs. [#6LW] Gilbert Melendez (22-4-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 1:53 of round 2
2013-08-31: W vs. [#7WW] Ben Henderson (22-5-0) via Submission (Armbar) in 4:31 of round 1
2013-01-26: W vs. [#2LW/#9DD/#9P4P] Donald Cerrone (27-6-0) via KO (Kick to the Body) in 2:35 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Rafael dos Anjos (3-0-0)
2014-12-13: W vs. [#13LW] Nate Diaz (17-10-0) via UD (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
2014-08-23: W vs. [#7WW] Ben Henderson (22-5-0) via KO (Punch) in 2:31 of round 1
2014-06-07: W vs. [#79LW] Jason High (18-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:36 of round 2

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Anthony Pettis 98, Rafael dos Anjos 91
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Anthony Pettis leads 4-2
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Women Strawweight Championship (115)
[#2/#9DD/#5P4P] Carla Esparza (10-2-0, -163) vs. [#3] Joanna Jedrzejczyk (8-0-0, +136)

Last 3 Fights: Carla Esparza (3-0-0)
2014-12-12: W vs. [#12SW] Rose Namajunas (2-2-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:26 of round 3
2013-01-05: W vs. [#94SW] Bec Rawlings (5-4-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
2012-10-06: W vs. [#34SW] Lynn Alvarez (6-3-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:53 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (3-0-0)
2014-12-13: W vs. [#5SW] Claudia Gadelha (12-1-0) via SD (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
2014-07-26: W vs. [#25SW] Juliana de Lima Carneiro (7-2-0) via UD (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
2014-06-07: W vs. [*] Rosi Sexton (13-5-0) via KO (Punch) in 2:36 of round 2

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Carla Esparza 92, Joanna Jedrzejczyk 91
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Welterweight (170)
[#3] Johny Hendricks (16-3-0, -345) vs. [#11] Matt Brown (19-12-0, +267)
Johny Hendricks is the All-Time #3 ranked Welterweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Johny Hendricks (1-2-0)
2014-12-06: L vs. [#1WW/#7DD/#8P4P] Robbie Lawler (25-10-0) via SD (47-48, 48-47, 49-46)
2014-03-15: W vs. [#1WW/#7DD/#8P4P] Robbie Lawler (25-10-0) via UD (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
2013-11-16: L vs. [*] Georges St. Pierre (25-2-0) via SD (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)

Last 3 Fights: Matt Brown (2-1-0)
2014-07-26: L vs. [#1WW/#7DD/#8P4P] Robbie Lawler (25-10-0) via UD (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
2014-05-10: W vs. [#25WW] Erick Silva (17-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:11 of round 3
2013-08-17: W vs. [#33WW] Mike Pyle (26-10-1) via KO (Punches) in 0:29 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Johny Hendricks 98, Matt Brown 231
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Johny Hendricks leads 1-0
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Bang for Your Buck: UFC 184

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Oleg

I’ll start off this blog by stating a brutally honest though likely unpopular opinion: I am still not totally sold on WMMA. I’ll admit that it is starting to slowly grow on me, and perhaps a day will come when I can value women in the UFC as much I appreciate as their male colleagues. That day is not likely to come soon – not until there is much more depth to the talent pool, and certainly not for as long as ‘UFC`s Womens Divisions’ is synonymous with ‘The Ronda Rousey Show’.

Needless to say, when the middleweight title fight between Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort which was slated to headline UFC 184 was cancelled for an umpteenth time, my interest in this event plummeted faster than ‘Bigfoot’ Silva hitting the canvas after eating a hook from Frank Mir. A PPV headlined by two women’s bouts is the start of a very weak card in my opinion, and it’s further weakened by the fact that in both of those fights one of the opponents is around a 10-1 favorite. It doesn’t help that the rest of the card is mostly filled with fighters way past their competitive primes, guys on losing streaks, and various nondescript non-contenders. All in all, this event just might receive the lowest valuation of any UFC PPV in 2015 (and I really hope I didn’t just jinx myself with that statement). Anyway, let’s get on with it:

Main Event: (C) [#1 W135] Ronda Rousey vs [#4 W135] Cat Zingano for UFC Women’s Bantamweight title

Worth: $10

Why: You have to give credit where it’s due. Not only is Ronda Rousey by far the best fighter in her division (and likely the best female MMA fighter in any weight class), her combination of skill, charisma, and looks single-handedly convinced Dana White to change his mind on women fighting in the UFC. Rousey’s performances in the Octagon are a work of art. Unfortunately she is an artist who only has a very small canvas to work with. Of course I am not talking about the literal canvas covering the cage floor, but rather the limited pool of competition available to challenge her.

On paper, this is a fairly close match-up. Both women are undefeated in professional bouts, and while Rousey has a perfect 100% finish rate in her 10 victories, Zingano stopped 8 out of 9 opponents. However there is a reason that Cat is a 10-to-1 underdog in this fight: she just hasn’t shown her athleticism or skillset to be on Ronda’s level. And while both women are finishers, the main difference is that all but one of Rousey’s fights were finished in the first round, while most of Zingano’s finishes came in the latter rounds. In this instance, I don’t think she will make it past round one. I love upsets and hope to be pleasantly surprised, but realistically it seems unlikely that Zingano will be able to pose a serious challenge, let alone dethrone Rousey.

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Fight Matrix Program – UFC 184 (02-28-2015)

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Jason

Women Bantamweight Championship (135)
[#1/#1DD/#1P4P] Ronda Rousey (10-0-0, -1038) vs. [#4/#6DD/#8P4P] Cat Zingano (9-0-0, +601)
Ronda Rousey is the All-Time #1 ranked Women’s fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Ronda Rousey (3-0-0)
2014-07-05: W vs. [#2BW/#5P4P] Alexis Davis (16-6-0) via KO (Punches) in 0:16 of round 1
2014-02-22: W vs. [#7BW] Sara McMann (8-2-0) via TKO (Knee to the Body) in 1:06 of round 1
2013-12-28: W vs. [#3BW/#5DD/#7P4P] Miesha Tate (16-5-0) via Submission (Armbar) in 0:58 of round 3

Last 3 Fights: Cat Zingano (3-0-0)
2014-09-27: W vs. [#19BW] Amanda Nunes (9-4-0) via TKO (Elbows and Punches) in 1:21 of round 3
2013-04-13: W vs. [#3BW/#5DD/#7P4P] Miesha Tate (16-5-0) via TKO (Knees and Elbow) in 2:55 of round 3
2012-10-06: W vs. [#13BW] Raquel Pennington (5-4-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:32 of round 2

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Ronda Rousey 238, Cat Zingano 154
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Ronda Rousey leads 2-1
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Women Bantamweight (135)
[#13] Raquel Pennington (5-4-0, +577) vs. [#14] Holly Holm (7-0-0, -926)

Last 3 Fights: Raquel Pennington (2-1-0)
2014-12-06: W vs. [#37BW] Ashlee Evans-Smith (3-1-0) via Technical Submission (Bulldog Choke) in 4:59 of round 1
2014-03-15: L vs. [#16BW] Jessica Andrade (12-4-0) via SD (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
2013-11-30: W vs. [#6FLY] Roxanne Modafferi (17-11-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Last 3 Fights: Holly Holm (3-0-0)
2014-04-04: W vs. [#8FLY] Juliana Werner (8-4-0) via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) in 1:50 of round 5
2013-12-06: W vs. [#99FLY] Angela Hayes (6-8-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-10-11: W vs. [NA] Nikki Knudsen (2-2-0) via TKO (Kick to the Body and Knees) in 1:18 of round 2

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Raquel Pennington 84, Holly Holm 330
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Welterweight (170)
[#19] Jake Ellenberger (29-9-0, -211) vs. [*] Josh Koscheck (17-8-0, +170)
Jake Ellenberger is the All-Time #19 ranked Welterweight fighter.
Josh Koscheck is the All-Time #13 ranked Welterweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Jake Ellenberger (0-3-0)
2014-11-15: L vs. [#11MW] Kelvin Gastelum (10-1-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:46 of round 1
2014-05-24: L vs. [#1WW/#7DD/#8P4P] Robbie Lawler (25-10-0) via TKO (Knee and Punches) in 3:06 of round 3
2013-07-27: L vs. [#2WW/#10DD/#10P4P] Rory MacDonald (18-2-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Last 3 Fights: Josh Koscheck (0-3-0)
2013-11-16: L vs. [#4WW] Tyron Woodley (15-3-0) via KO (Punches) in 4:38 of round 1
2013-02-23: L vs. [#1WW/#7DD/#8P4P] Robbie Lawler (25-10-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:57 of round 1
2012-05-05: L vs. [#3WW] Johny Hendricks (16-3-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Jake Ellenberger 105, Josh Koscheck 469
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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Fight Matrix Program: UFC Fight Night – Bigfoot vs. Mir (02-22-2015)

Posted on February 17, 2015 by Jason

Heavyweight (265)
[#6] Antonio Silva (18-6-1, -216) vs. [#55] Frank Mir (16-9-0, +167)
Antonio Silva is the All-Time #20 ranked Heavyweight fighter.
Frank Mir is the All-Time #11 ranked Heavyweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Antonio Silva (0-2-1)
2014-09-13: L vs. [#3HW+] Andrei Arlovski (23-10-0) via KO (Punches) in 2:59 of round 1
2013-12-07: D vs. [#5HW+] Mark Hunt (10-9-1) via Draw (Majority) in 5:00 of round 5
2013-05-25: L vs. [*] Cain Velasquez (13-1-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:21 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Frank Mir (0-3-0)
2014-02-01: L vs. [#8HW+] Alistair Overeem (38-14-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-08-31: L vs. [#11HW+] Josh Barnett (33-7-0) via TKO (Knee) in 1:56 of round 1
2013-04-20: L vs. [#3LHW] Daniel Cormier (15-1-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Antonio Silva 162, Frank Mir 386
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Antonio Silva leads 1-0
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Lightweight (155)
[#9] Edson Barboza (15-2-0) vs. [#13] Michael Johnson (15-8-0)

Last 3 Fights: Edson Barboza (2-1-0)
2014-11-22: W vs. [#16LW] Bobby Green (23-6-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-07-16: W vs. [#46LW] Evan Dunham (15-6-0) via TKO (Kick to the Body and Punches) in 3:06 of round 1
2014-04-19: L vs. [#2LW/#9DD/#9P4P] Donald Cerrone (27-6-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:15 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Michael Johnson (3-0-0)
2014-03-08: W vs. [#29LW] Melvin Guillard (32-14-2) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
2013-12-28: W vs. [#21LW] Gleison Tibau (32-10-0) via KO (Punches) in 1:32 of round 2
2013-08-17: W vs. [#27LW] Joe Lauzon (24-10-0) via UD (30-25, 30-27, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Edson Barboza 92, Michael Johnson 351
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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Welterweight (170)
[#117] William Macario (7-2-0) vs. [#271] Matt Dwyer (7-2-0)

Last 3 Fights: William Macario (1-2-0)
2014-10-25: L vs. [#26WW] Neil Magny (14-3-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:40 of round 3
2013-12-28: W vs. [#218WW] Bobby Voelker (25-12-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-06-08: L vs. [#45LW] Leonardo Santos (13-3-1) via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 4:43 of round 2

Last 3 Fights: Matt Dwyer (2-1-0)
2014-10-04: L vs. [#30WW] Albert Tumenov (15-2-0) via KO (Head Kick and Punches) in 1:03 of round 1
2014-05-23: W vs. [#312MW] DaMarques Johnson (16-14-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:39 of round 2
2014-01-18: W vs. [#617MW] Shonie Carter (51-30-7) via TKO (Retirement) in 5:00 of round 3

Days Since Last Pro Fight: William Macario 120, Matt Dwyer 141
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Fight Matrix Program: UFC Fight Night: Henderson/Thatch (02-14-2015)

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Jason

Welterweight (170)
[#4LW] Ben Henderson (21-5-0) vs. [*] Brandon Thatch (11-1-0)
Ben Henderson is the All-Time #23 ranked Absolute fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Ben Henderson (1-2-0)
2015-01-18: L vs. [#2LW/#9DD/#9P4P] Donald Cerrone (27-6-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2014-08-23: L vs. [#3LW] Rafael dos Anjos (23-7-0) via KO (Punch) in 2:31 of round 1
2014-06-07: W vs. [#25LW] Rustam Khabilov (17-2-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:16 of round 4

Last 3 Fights: Brandon Thatch (3-0-0)
2013-11-09: W vs. [#143WW] Paulo Thiago (15-8-0) via KO (Knee to the Body) in 2:10 of round 1
2013-08-28: W vs. [#270LW] Justin Edwards (8-4-0) via TKO (Knees and Punches) in 1:23 of round 1
2013-03-22: W vs. [#198WW] Mike Rhodes (5-4-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 2:22 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Ben Henderson 27, Brandon Thatch 462
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Featherweight (145)
[#15] Max Holloway (11-3-0) vs. [#29] Cole Miller (21-8-0)

Last 3 Fights: Max Holloway (3-0-0)
2014-10-04: W vs. [#66FW] Akira Corassani (12-6-0) via KO (Punches) in 3:11 of round 1
2014-08-23: W vs. [#37FW] Clay Collard (14-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:47 of round 3
2014-04-26: W vs. [#55FW] Andre Fili (14-2-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 3:39 of round 3

Last 3 Fights: Cole Miller (2-1-0)
2014-01-15: W vs. [#49FW] Sam Sicilia (14-5-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:54 of round 2
2013-10-26: W vs. [#229FW] Andy Ogle (9-6-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2013-08-17: L vs. [#10BW] Manny Gamburyan (14-8-0) via UD (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Max Holloway 133, Cole Miller 395
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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Welterweight (170)
[#28] Neil Magny (13-3-0) vs. [#103] Kiichi Kunimoto (18-5-2)

Last 3 Fights: Neil Magny (3-0-0)
2014-10-25: W vs. [#117WW] William Macario (7-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:40 of round 3
2014-08-23: W vs. [#99WW] Alex Garcia (12-2-0) via UD (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
2014-06-28: W vs. [#291WW] Rodrigo Goiana de Lima (8-2-1) via KO (Punches) in 2:32 of round 2

Last 3 Fights: Kiichi Kunimoto (3-0-0)
2014-09-20: W vs. [#316WW] Richard Walsh (8-2-0) via SD (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
2014-06-14: W vs. [#93MW] Daniel Sarafian (9-5-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 2:52 of round 1
2014-01-04: W vs. [#529WW] Luiz Jorge Dutra Jr. (11-3-1) via DQ (Elbows to Back of Head) in 2:57 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Neil Magny 112, Kiichi Kunimoto 147
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Bang for Your Buck: UFC 183

Posted on January 29, 2015 by Oleg

UFC 183: The return of Anderson Silva! Does anything else need to be said about this card? Frankly I would buy this Pay-Per-View for the main event alone. However I will stick to one of the ground rules I laid out when starting the ‘Bang for Your Buck‘ series: $25 is the ceiling for any single fight. Also, 183 features a very solid under-card. So is it worth $60? Let’s find out:

Main Event: [#6 MW] Anderson Silva vs [NR] Nick Diaz

Worth: $20

Why: Besides sticking to my ceiling of $25 per fight, I’ll also try to be objective and say that no matter how excited I am for Anderson’s return, this fight doesn’t quite measure up to Jones vs Cormier – the last and only fight so far that I valuated at the max price. Silva is 39, has not fought in over a year, has not won in two, and is returning after a crippling injury. These are the main reasons this fight is interesting: anything less than a spectacular finish for Silva would mean that one of the greatest fighters ever might as well call it a career.

Silva’s opponent Nick Diaz is almost a decade younger – and age is just about the only thing on his side in this bout. He has not fought in almost two years, has not won in over three, and is a primarily a welterweight who infrequently dabbles in 155 & 185 bouts. Stylistically, Nick’s plodding forward, volume striking style is perfect fodder fro Silva’s counter-striking. However Silva’s age, recent injury, and recent performances are begging the question: is Anderson Silva getting too old for this shit? If he somehow manages to lose to Nick Diaz, the answer is a resounding ‘Yes’.

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Bang for Your Buck: UFC on FOX 14

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Oleg

Good news, fight fans! This weekend’s UFC on FOX 14, live from Stockholm Sweden, will be broadcast on the Fox network (as if that wasn’t clear from the title…). That means this event is free – free as in free beer, no PPV cost, no need to estimate the cable prices or Fight Pass subscription rates. Any US fan with a TV can watch the main card for absolutely no charge. What’s even better is that UFC tends to stack the Fox cards, so that they are on par with most numbered PPV events (and better than some). There are even a couple of interesting fights on the prelims, but more on that later. For now, lets dive right in and try to figure out how much this card would be worth if it were on PPV instead of Fox.

Main Event: [#3 LHW] Anthony Johnson vs [#6 LHW] Alexander Gustafsson

Worth: $20

Why: Who would have ever thought that in 2015, Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson – the guy who lost to Rich Clementi and Josh Koscheck as a welterweight, and consistently struggled to make weight at 170 and 185 lbs alike – would be fighting in a top contender bout for a crack at Jon Jones’ light heavyweight title? Of course he would have to get past Alexander Gustafsson first – a tall task against Jones’ toughest opponent to date. This is an awesome fight, the only thing it’s missing is a title on the line, and that will be up next for the winner.

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Fight Matrix Program: UFC on Fox 14 (01-24-2015)

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Jason

Light Heavyweight (205)
[#3] Anthony Johnson (18-4-0, +185) vs. [#6] Alexander Gustafsson (16-2-0, -232)
Alexander Gustafsson is the All-Time #19 ranked Light Heavyweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Anthony Johnson (3-0-0)
2014-07-26: W vs. [#12LHW] Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (21-6-0) via KO (Punches) in 0:44 of round 1
2014-04-26: W vs. [#5LHW] Phil Davis (13-2-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-01-18: W vs. [#43HW+] Mike Kyle (20-12-1) via KO (Punches) in 2:03 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Alexander Gustafsson (2-1-0)
2014-03-08: W vs. [#18LHW] Jimi Manuwa (14-1-0) via TKO (Knee and Punches) in 1:18 of round 2
2013-09-21: L vs. [#1LHW/#2DD/#1P4P] Jon Jones (21-1-0) via UD (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
2012-12-08: W vs. [#14LHW] Mauricio Rua (22-10-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Anthony Johnson 182, Alexander Gustafsson 322
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Anthony Johnson leads 1-0
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Middleweight (185)
[#7LHW] Dan Henderson (30-12-0, +250) vs. [#8] Gegard Mousasi (35-5-2, -322)
Dan Henderson is the All-Time #5 ranked Middleweight and #10 ranked Absolute fighter.
Gegard Mousasi is the All-Time #17 ranked Middleweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Dan Henderson (1-2-0)
2014-05-24: L vs. [#2LHW] Daniel Cormier (15-1-0) via Technical Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:53 of round 3
2014-03-23: W vs. [#14LHW] Mauricio Rua (22-10-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:31 of round 3
2013-11-09: L vs. [#3MW] Vitor Belfort (24-10-0) via KO (Head Kick) in 1:17 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Gegard Mousasi (1-2-0)
2014-09-05: L vs. [#4MW] Ronaldo Souza (21-3-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 4:30 of round 3
2014-05-31: W vs. [#17MW] Mark Munoz (13-5-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:57 of round 1
2014-02-15: L vs. [#2MW/#8DD/#10P4P] Lyoto Machida (22-5-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 49-46)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Dan Henderson 245, Gegard Mousasi 141
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Dan Henderson leads 3-1
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Light Heavyweight (205)
[#5] Phil Davis (13-2-0, -246) vs. [#9] Ryan Bader (18-4-0, +191)
Phil Davis is the All-Time #16 ranked Light Heavyweight fighter.
Ryan Bader is the All-Time #21 ranked Light Heavyweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Phil Davis (2-1-0)
2014-10-25: W vs. [#8LHW] Glover Teixeira (22-4-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-04-26: L vs. [#3LHW] Anthony Johnson (18-4-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-08-03: W vs. [#2MW/#8DD/#10P4P] Lyoto Machida (22-5-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Last 3 Fights: Ryan Bader (3-0-0)
2014-08-16: W vs. [#11LHW] Ovince St. Preux (17-6-0) via UD (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
2014-06-14: W vs. [#24LHW] Rafael Cavalcante (12-5-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-12-07: W vs. [#28LHW] Anthony Perosh (15-8-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Phil Davis 91, Ryan Bader 161
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Phil Davis leads 5-3
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Bang for Your Buck: UFC Fight Night 59

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Oleg

My original intent for the ‘Bang for Your Buck’ series was to analyze upcoming UFC PPV events to determine whether the fight card is worth the asking price. However, even before I was done writing the first installment in this series (UFC 182), it became readily apparent that most events will not meet this threshold. A part of the reason for this is the ever-increasing PPV prices. The other part is the also ever-increasing number of UFC events: in addition to the numbered PPV events, UFC holds a plethora of fight cards broadcast on Fox, Fox Sports 1, and Fight Pass network. Inevitably this leaves some of the cards stretched very thin, especially after the “injury bug” gets through with them.

So is the UFC making it up to the fans for buying the frankly overpriced PPVs by broadcasting free cards on other networks? Of course, anything that isn’t aired on Fox is not completely free: cards such as the upcoming Fight Night 59 on Fox Sports 1 – a cable network that may require a premium package, depending on your cable/satellite provider. On the other hand, it’s highly unlikely that you are paying your cable bill exclusively to watch UFC on FS1. This makes the price point of an event rather difficult to estimate, but I’ll give it a shot anyway:

Dish Network charges me $69.99 per month for a package which includes Fox Sports 1. After the various fees, taxes, etc., my monthly bill comes out to be near $100. (My actual bill is quite a bit higher than that but the number of TVs with extra HD receivers, or other premium packages I subscribe to, are really not relevant to this discussion). So let’s say $100 it is, which averages out to $3.29 per day. Researchers claim that the average American watches around 5 hours of television a day. This number seems a bit high to me, and for the sake of making the math easier, let’s say that I spend exactly 3.29 hours per day staring at the TV screen. This gives us the price point of $1 per hour, or $5 for a 5-hour UFC event on Fox Sports 1. If you don’t agree with this valuation, feel free to provide a better one in the comments section! Otherwise, keep reading to find out how FN 59 stacks up compared to this generous (imaginary) price point of $5.

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Fight Matrix Program: UFC Fight Night (01-18-2015)

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Jason

Featherweight (145)
[#7] Conor McGregor (16-2-0) vs. [#19] Dennis Siver (22-9-0)

Last 3 Fights: Conor McGregor (3-0-0)
2014-09-27: W vs. [#18FW] Dustin Poirier (16-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:46 of round 1
2014-07-19: W vs. [#52FW] Diego Brandao (18-10-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:05 of round 1
2013-08-17: W vs. [#15FW] Max Holloway (11-3-0) via UD (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Last 3 Fights: Dennis Siver (1-1-0, 1 NC)
2014-10-04: W vs. [#131FW] Charles Rosa (9-1-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-12-28: NC vs. [#10BW] Manny Gamburyan (14-8-0)
2013-07-06: L vs. [#6FW] Cub Swanson (21-6-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:24 of round 3

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Conor McGregor 113, Dennis Siver 106
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Lightweight (155)
[#3] Donald Cerrone (26-6-0) vs. [#4] Ben Henderson (21-4-0)
Donald Cerrone is the All-Time #21 ranked Lightweight fighter.
Ben Henderson is the All-Time #4 ranked Lightweight and #23 ranked Absolute fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Donald Cerrone (3-0-0)
2015-01-03: W vs. [#12LW] Myles Jury (15-1-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-09-27: W vs. [#8LW] Eddie Alvarez (25-4-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2014-07-16: W vs. [#29LW] Jim Miller (24-5-0) via KO (Head Kick and Punches) in 3:31 of round 2

Last 3 Fights: Ben Henderson (2-1-0)
2014-08-23: L vs. [#2LW] Rafael dos Anjos (23-7-0) via KO (Punch) in 2:31 of round 1
2014-06-07: W vs. [#26LW] Rustam Khabilov (17-2-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:16 of round 4
2014-01-25: W vs. [#10LW] Josh Thomson (20-7-0) via SD (49-46, 47-48, 48-47)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Donald Cerrone 15, Ben Henderson 148
Previous Match-up Record: Ben Henderson leads 2-0-0
Wins Against Common Opposition: Ben Henderson leads 4-3
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Middleweight (185)
[#26] Uriah Hall (9-4-0) vs. [#165] Ronald Stallings (12-5-0)

Last 3 Fights: Uriah Hall (2-1-0)
2014-07-05: W vs. [#64MW] Thiago Santos (9-3-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
2013-12-28: W vs. [*] Chris Leben (22-11-0) via TKO (Retirement) in 5:00 of round 1
2013-08-17: L vs. [#50WW] John Howard (22-10-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

Last 3 Fights: Ronald Stallings (2-1-0)
2014-11-01: L vs. [#76MW] Tim Williams (10-1-0) via UD (49-46, 48-47, 48-47)
2014-06-20: W vs. [#761WW] Joshua Williams (2-1-0) via TKO (Punches) in ? of round 3
2012-09-14: W vs. [*] Mike Massenzio (13-9-0) via KO (Knee to the Body) in 4:03 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Uriah Hall 197, Ronald Stallings 78
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Bang for Your Buck: UFC 182

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Oleg

Happy New Year, readers!

It’s 2015, and after a somewhat lackluster year in MMA, UFC closed out 2014 with a bang, following up one of the better cards of the year in UFC 181 with an equally solid Fox event. 2015 also looks to be starting off on the right note, with four events slated just for the month of January: an Fox Sports 1 Fight Night and a ‘Big Fox’ event sandwiched between two major Pay-Per-Views.

Speaking of those pesky PPV’s… UFC has not had a good year in terms of buy rates. With an abundance of MMA events on network TV, basic cable, and internet streaming services, shelling out $60 or so for the numbered UFC fight cards seems like less of a necessity. Especially when you consider that with the sheer number of shows the UFC puts on, even their large fight roster is not enough from keeping the cards stretched thin, and the PPV events are often not that much better than the free cards.

All in all, being an MMA fan can be a rather expensive hobby. Just how expensive? I aim to find out, with the new series of articles that we’ll publish before each UFC event in 2015 – evaluating the value of the event (in my humble opinion) versus it’s monetary cost.

So here we go with the first event of the year: UFC 182. It’s headlined by a huge, highly anticipated and long awaited match-up between the Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones , and the challenger Daniel Cormier. Beyond the main even, the quality of the fights drops off significantly. But is the card worth the sticker price, at least on paper? Keep on reading to find out.

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Fight Matrix Program: UFC 182 (01-03-2015)

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Jason

Light Heavyweight Championship (205)
[#1/#4DD/#1P4P] Jon Jones (20-1-0, -164) vs. [#2/#10P4P] Daniel Cormier (15-0-0, +136)
Jon Jones is the All-Time #1 ranked Light Heavyweight and #6 ranked Absolute fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Jon Jones (3-0-0)
2014-04-26: W vs. [#8LHW] Glover Teixeira (22-4-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
2013-09-21: W vs. [#6LHW] Alexander Gustafsson (16-2-0) via UD (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
2013-04-27: W vs. [*] Chael Sonnen (28-14-1) via TKO (Elbows and Punches) in 4:33 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Daniel Cormier (3-0-0)
2014-05-24: W vs. [#7LHW] Dan Henderson (30-12-0) via Technical Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:53 of round 3
2014-02-22: W vs. [#49LHW] Patrick Cummins (7-1-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:19 of round 1
2013-10-19: W vs. [#13HW+] Roy Nelson (20-10-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Jon Jones 252, Daniel Cormier 224
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Lightweight (155)
[#3] Donald Cerrone (25-6-0, -200) vs. [#8] Myles Jury (15-0-0, +164)
Donald Cerrone is the All-Time #20 ranked Lightweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Donald Cerrone (3-0-0)
2014-09-27: W vs. [#9LW] Eddie Alvarez (25-4-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2014-07-16: W vs. [#29LW] Jim Miller (24-5-0) via KO (Head Kick and Punches) in 3:31 of round 2
2014-04-19: W vs. [#10LW] Edson Barboza (15-2-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:15 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Myles Jury (3-0-0)
2014-09-20: W vs. [#42LW] Takanori Gomi (35-10-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:32 of round 1
2014-03-15: W vs. [#22LW] Diego Sanchez (25-7-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-09-21: W vs. [#61LW] Mike Ricci (10-4-0) via SD (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Donald Cerrone 98, Myles Jury 105
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Middleweight (185)
[#22] Nate Marquardt (33-13-2, -136) vs. [#28] Brad Tavares (12-3-0, +111)
Nate Marquardt is the All-Time #3 ranked Middleweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Nate Marquardt (1-2-0)
2014-06-28: W vs. [#87MW] James Te Huna (16-8-0) via Submission (Armbar) in 4:34 of round 1
2013-10-19: L vs. [#5WW] Hector Lombard (34-4-1) via KO (Punches) in 1:48 of round 1
2013-03-16: L vs. [#19WW] Jake Ellenberger (29-9-0) via KO (Punches) in 3:00 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Brad Tavares (1-2-0)
2014-08-16: L vs. [#14MW] Tim Boetsch (18-7-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:18 of round 2
2014-04-19: L vs. [#7MW] Yoel Romero (9-1-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-01-15: W vs. [#39MW] Lorenz Larkin (14-4-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Nate Marquardt 189, Brad Tavares 140
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Fight Matrix Program: DEEP (12-31-2014)

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Jason

Lightweight (155)
[#82] Satoru Kitaoka (34-13-9) vs. [#89] Yoshiyuki Yoshida (17-6-0)

Last 3 Fights: Satoru Kitaoka (2-1-0)
2014-10-05: W vs. [#381LW] Richie Whitson (12-6-0) via UD ()
2014-04-29: W vs. [#228LW] Naoto Miyazaki (11-3-3) via UD ()
2013-12-31: L vs. [#74LW] Ramazan Esenbaev (7-1-1) via KO (Punches) in 0:19 of round 2

Last 3 Fights: Yoshiyuki Yoshida (3-0-0)
2014-03-22: W vs. [#173LW] Shigetoshi Iwase (14-16-4) via UD ()
2013-11-24: W vs. [#810LW] Won Sik Park (10-5-1) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:46 of round 2
2012-10-13: W vs. [#305LW] Niko Puhakka (28-17-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 0:00 of round 3

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Satoru Kitaoka 87, Yoshiyuki Yoshida 284
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Yoshiyuki Yoshida leads 1-0
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Bantamweight (135)
[#67] Takafumi Otsuka (18-12-1) vs. [#105] Shintaro Ishiwatari (18-6-4)

Last 3 Fights: Takafumi Otsuka (3-0-0)
2014-10-26: W vs. [#310BW] Toshinori Tsunemura (7-4-4) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 4:46 of round 3
2014-04-29: W vs. [#95BW] Kenji Osawa (20-11-2) via UD ()
2013-11-24: W vs. [#112BW] Toshiaki Kitada (17-7-4) via UD ()

Last 3 Fights: Shintaro Ishiwatari (2-1-0)
2014-11-02: L vs. [#56BW] Jonathan Brookins (15-7-0) via UD ()
2014-05-11: W vs. [#472BW] Trevor Ward (4-1-0) via TKO (Corner Stoppage) in 5:00 of round 1
2014-02-02: W vs. [#136BW] Yo Saito (15-10-3) via UD ()

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Takafumi Otsuka 66, Shintaro Ishiwatari 59
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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Featherweight (145)
[#38] Isao Kobayashi (16-1-4) vs. [#85] Kazunori Yokota (21-5-3)

Last 3 Fights: Isao Kobayashi (3-0-0)
2014-10-04: W vs. [#351FW] Takeshi Inoue (21-10-0) via UD ()
2014-03-30: W vs. [#133LW] Kuniyoshi Hironaka (23-9-0) via TKO (Punch and Soccer Kick) in 3:58 of round 3
2013-09-29: W vs. [#498LW] Yoshiaki Takahashi (10-5-2) via MD (29-28, 29-28, 28-28)

Last 3 Fights: Kazunori Yokota (3-0-0)
2014-08-23: W vs. [#413FW] Yusuke Kagiyama (16-10-2) via Submission (Kimura) in 2:38 of round 1
2014-04-29: W vs. [#345FW] Katsunori Tsuda (8-3-1) via UD ()
2013-11-24: W vs. [#1602FW] Doo Ri Song (1-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:00 of round 2

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Isao Kobayashi 88, Kazunori Yokota 130
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Fight Matrix Program: UFC Fight Night – Machida vs. Dollaway (12-20-2014)

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Jason

Middleweight (185)
[#2/#9DD] Lyoto Machida (21-5-0, -636) vs. [#12] C.B. Dollaway (15-5-0, +453)
Lyoto Machida is the All-Time #13 ranked Absolute fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Lyoto Machida (2-1-0)
2014-07-05: L vs. [#1MW/#1DD/#4P4P] Chris Weidman (12-0-0) via UD (49-45, 48-47, 49-46)
2014-02-15: W vs. [#8MW] Gegard Mousasi (35-5-2) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 49-46)
2013-10-26: W vs. [#15MW] Mark Munoz (13-5-0) via KO (Head Kick) in 3:10 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: C.B. Dollaway (2-1-0)
2014-05-31: W vs. [#21MW] Francis Carmont (22-10-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
2014-03-23: W vs. [#48MW] Cezar Ferreira (8-3-0) via KO (Punches) in 0:39 of round 1
2013-10-19: L vs. [#16MW] Tim Boetsch (18-7-0) via SD (30-26, 27-29, 30-26)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Lyoto Machida 168, C.B. Dollaway 203
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Lyoto Machida leads 1-0
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Bantamweight (135)
[#2] Renan Barao (32-2-0, -715) vs. [#18] Mitch Gagnon (12-2-0, +484)
Renan Barao is the All-Time #3 ranked Bantamweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Renan Barao (2-1-0)
2014-05-24: L vs. [#1BW] T.J. Dillashaw (11-2-0) via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) in 2:26 of round 5
2014-02-01: W vs. [#3BW] Urijah Faber (32-7-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:42 of round 1
2013-09-21: W vs. [#22BW] Eddie Wineland (21-10-1) via TKO (Spinning Back Kick and Punches) in 0:35 of round 2

Last 3 Fights: Mitch Gagnon (3-0-0)
2014-10-04: W vs. [#210BW] Roman Salazar (9-3-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 2:06 of round 1
2014-04-16: W vs. [#159BW] Tim Gorman (8-4-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-09-21: W vs. [#105BW] Dustin Kimura (11-3-0) via Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 4:05 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Renan Barao 210, Mitch Gagnon 77
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Light Heavyweight (205)
[#45HW+] Antonio Carlos Jr. (4-0-0, +133) vs. [#106] Patrick Cummins (6-1-0, -157)

Last 3 Fights: Antonio Carlos Jr. (3-0-0)
2014-05-31: W vs. [#138HW+] Vitor Miranda (9-4-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-10-26: W vs. [NA] Edinaldo Novaes (1-6-0) via Submission (Armbar) in 4:16 of round 1
2013-09-14: W vs. [NA] Geronimo Oliveira (0-2-0) via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 1:41 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Patrick Cummins (2-1-0)
2014-07-26: W vs. [#221LHW] Kyle Kingsbury (11-6-0) via UD (30-27, 30-25, 30-24)
2014-06-07: W vs. [#41MW] Roger Narvaez (7-1-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:28 of round 2
2014-02-22: L vs. [#2LHW/#10P4P] Daniel Cormier (15-0-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:19 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Antonio Carlos Jr. 203, Patrick Cummins 147
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Fight Matrix Program: UFC on Fox 13 (12-13-2014)

Posted on December 13, 2014 by Jason

Heavyweight (243)
[#3] Junior dos Santos (16-3-0, 242.0lb, -404) vs. [#9] Stipe Miocic (12-1-0, 243.0lb, +318)
Junior dos Santos is the All-Time #4 ranked Heavyweight and #20 ranked Absolute fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Junior dos Santos (1-2-0)
2013-10-19: L vs. [#1HW+/#2DD/#3P4P] Cain Velasquez (13-1-0) via TKO (Slam and Punch) in 3:09 of round 5
2013-05-25: W vs. [#6HW+] Mark Hunt (10-9-1) via KO (Spinning Hook Kick) in 4:18 of round 3
2012-12-29: L vs. [#1HW+/#2DD/#3P4P] Cain Velasquez (13-1-0) via UD (50-45, 50-44, 50-43)

Last 3 Fights: Stipe Miocic (3-0-0)
2014-05-31: W vs. [#29LHW] Fabio Maldonado (22-7-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:35 of round 1
2014-01-25: W vs. [#18HW+] Gabriel Gonzaga (16-8-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-06-15: W vs. [#13HW+] Roy Nelson (20-10-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Junior dos Santos 420, Stipe Miocic 196
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Junior dos Santos leads 3-2
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Lightweight (160)
[#2] Rafael dos Anjos (22-7-0, 156.0lb, -279) vs. [#10] Nate Diaz (17-9-0, 160.6lb, +225)
Rafael dos Anjos is the All-Time #18 ranked Lightweight fighter.
Nate Diaz is the All-Time #25 ranked Lightweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Rafael dos Anjos (2-1-0)
2014-08-23: W vs. [#4LW] Ben Henderson (21-4-0) via KO (Punch) in 2:31 of round 1
2014-06-07: W vs. [#69LW] Jason High (18-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:36 of round 2
2014-04-19: L vs. [#5LW] Khabib Nurmagomedov (22-0-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Last 3 Fights: Nate Diaz (1-2-0)
2013-11-30: W vs. [#43LW] Gray Maynard (11-4-1) via TKO (Punches) in 2:38 of round 1
2013-04-20: L vs. [#12LW] Josh Thomson (20-7-0) via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) in 3:44 of round 2
2012-12-08: L vs. [#4LW] Ben Henderson (21-4-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-43)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Rafael dos Anjos 112, Nate Diaz 378
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Rafael dos Anjos leads 2-1
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Heavyweight (254)
[#10] Alistair Overeem (37-14-0, 253.0lb, -237) vs. [*] Stefan Struve (25-6-0, 254.0lb, +194)
Alistair Overeem is the All-Time #13 ranked Heavyweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Alistair Overeem (1-2-0)
2014-09-05: L vs. [#8HW+] Ben Rothwell (34-9-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:19 of round 1
2014-02-01: W vs. [#42HW+] Frank Mir (16-9-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-08-17: L vs. [#5HW+] Travis Browne (17-2-1) via KO (Front Kick and Punches) in 4:08 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Stefan Struve (2-1-0)
2013-03-03: L vs. [#6HW+] Mark Hunt (10-9-1) via TKO (Punches) in 1:44 of round 3
2012-09-29: W vs. [#9HW+] Stipe Miocic (12-1-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:50 of round 2
2012-05-26: W vs. [#51HW+] Lavar Johnson (18-10-0) via Submission (Armbar) in 1:05 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Alistair Overeem 99, Stefan Struve 650
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Alistair Overeem leads 2-1
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