UFC Fight Night 119 Preview
On October 28th, UFC is returning to Sao Paulo, Brazil with Fight Night: Brunson vs Machida, or UFN 119 (but who’s counting?). It’s not a star-studded card by any means, but a solid line-up in terms of rankings and competitive matchmaking. As is usual for Brazilian UFC events, all of the main card fights feature a Brazilian taking on a foreigner. The close rankings make it a difficult card to predict, and I am not very good at fight predictions to begin with, so if you’re interested in UFC betting for the next Fight Night, use your own prognostication skills instead of taking my word for it. That disclaimer aside, here are my picks for the main card:
[#10 MW] Derek Brunson vs [NR] Lyoto Machida
It’s been over two years since we saw former Light Heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida in action, and almost three since we’ve seen his hand raised in the Octagon. Machida is coming back from an 18 month suspension for a positive PED test, and was finished by Yoel Romero and Luke Rockhold in back-to-back fights prior to the suspension. His opponent Derek Brunson has been going through a minor slump of his own – after winning five fights in a row, he was stopped by the now interim Middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, then lost a controversial decision to the former champ Anderson Silva – but has rebounded by knocking out Daniel Kelly at UFC Fight Night 110 and is now looking to build up another win streak.
Can 39-year-old Machida make a triumphant return to action in his home country against an opponent in his physical prime? Lyoto looked like a shadow of his former self in his recent outings, and the long layoff is not likely to do him any favors. Then again, Brunson has shown a tendency to make mistakes in his fights, which could be costly against a counter-striker like Machida. After running face-first into Whittaker’s punches, Brunson looked gun-shy against Silva, giving away the decision that he could have easily won if he was more active. My guess is that he won’t be pushing the action with Machida for the same reasons he did not push it with Silva, which could cost him the fight on the scorecards and will likely make for a lackluster main event.
Prediction: Lyoto Machida by decision.
Featured Upcoming Bouts (Outside of UFC)
| Monday, November 3rd 2025: Rizin FF - Landmark Vol. 12 | |||
 [#1 W105] Seika Izawa | [#4 W105] Saori Oshima | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 7/27/2025 [Rizin Fighting Federation] Last Opponent: [#24 W105] Yu Jin Shin Last 5: W W W W W | Last Fight Date: 9/15/2025 [DEEP] Last Opponent: [#7 W105] Moeri Suda Last 5: W W L L W | ||
| Friday, October 3rd 2025: Professional Fighters League PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series 3: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 | |||
 [#4 LHW] Corey Anderson |  [#10 LHW] Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 7/19/2025 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#13 HW] Denis Goltsov Last 5: NC L W W W | Last Fight Date: 11/29/2024 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#21 MW] Impa Kasanganay Last 5: W W W W W | ||
| Friday, October 3rd 2025: Professional Fighters League PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series 3: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 | |||
 [#9 LW] Usman Nurmagomedov (-164) |  [#14 LW] Paul Hughes (+128) | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 1/25/2025 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#14 LW] Paul Hughes Last 5: W W NC W W | Last Fight Date: 5/10/2025 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#51 LW] Bruno Miranda Last 5: W W W L W | ||
Featured Fighters
| [#1 LW] | Islam Makhachev | [NR] | Matt Brown | |
| [#4 LW] |  Charles Oliveira | [#2 LW] |  Ilia Topuria | |
| [NR] | Chris Lytle | [#3 FW] | Diego Lopes | |
| [NR] |  Conor McGregor | [NR] | Raja Jackson | |
| [#1 MW] |  Khamzat Chimaev | [#91 WW] |  Daniil Donchenko |
Fight Matrix Program – UFC Fight Night 119: Brunson/Machida (10-28-2017)
Middleweight (185)
[#10] Derek Brunson (17-5-0) vs. [*] Lyoto Machida (22-7-0)
Lyoto Machida is the All-Time #36 ranked Middleweight and #17 ranked Absolute fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Derek Brunson (1-2-0)
2017-06-10: W vs. [#26MW] Daniel Kelly (13-2-0) via KO (Punch) in 1:16 of round 1
2017-02-11: L vs. [#8MW] Anderson Silva (34-8-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
2016-11-26: L vs. [#2MW/#9DD/#9P4P] Robert Whittaker (19-4-0) via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) in 4:07 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Lyoto Machida (1-2-0)
2015-06-27: L vs. [#5MW] Yoel Romero (12-2-0) via KO (Elbows) in 1:38 of round 3
2015-04-18: L vs. [#3MW] Luke Rockhold (16-3-0) via SUB in 2:31 of round 2
2014-12-20: W vs. [#21LHW] C.B. Dollaway (16-8-0) via TKO (Kick to the Body and Punches) in 1:02 of round 1
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Derek Brunson 140, Lyoto Machida 854
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)
[#4] Demian Maia (25-7-0) vs. [#21] Colby Covington (12-1-0)
Demian Maia is the All-Time #15 ranked Welterweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Demian Maia (2-1-0)
2017-07-29: L vs. [#1WW/#5DD/#6P4P] Tyron Woodley (18-3-1) via UD (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
2017-05-13: W vs. [#6WW] Jorge Masvidal (32-12-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2016-08-27: W vs. [#17WW] Carlos Condit (30-10-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:52 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Colby Covington (3-0-0)
2017-06-17: W vs. [#26WW] Dong Hyun Kim (22-4-1) via UD (30-26, 30-27, 30-25)
2016-12-17: W vs. [#53WW] Bryan Barberena (13-5-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2016-08-20: W vs. [#87WW] Max Griffin (13-3-0) via TKO in 2:18 of round 3
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Demian Maia 91, Colby Covington 133
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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Middleweight (185)
[#24] Thiago Santos (15-5-0) vs. [#36] Jack Hermansson (16-3-0)
Last 3 Fights: Thiago Santos (2-1-0)
2017-07-08: W vs. [#55MW] Gerald Meerschaert (26-9-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:04 of round 2
2017-02-19: W vs. [#50MW] Jack Marshman (22-6-0) via TKO (Spinning Wheel Kick and Punches) in 2:21 of round 2
2016-09-24: L vs. [#39MW] Eric Spicely (10-2-0) via SUB in 2:58 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Jack Hermansson (2-1-0)
2017-08-05: W vs. [#93MW] Bradley Scott (11-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:50 of round 1
2017-05-28: W vs. [#75HW+] Alex Nicholson (9-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:00 of round 1
2016-11-19: L vs. [#33MW] Cezar Ferreira (11-6-0) via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 2:11 of round 2
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Thiago Santos 112, Jack Hermansson 84
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 118: Cerrone/Till (10-21-2017)
Welterweight (170)
[#9] Donald Cerrone (32-9-0, -153) vs. [#55] Darren Till (15-0-1, +126)
Last 3 Fights: Donald Cerrone (1-2-0)
2017-07-29: L vs. [#3WW] Robbie Lawler (28-11-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2017-01-28: L vs. [#6WW] Jorge Masvidal (32-12-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:00 of round 2
2016-12-10: W vs. [#43WW] Matt Brown (20-16-0) via KO (Head Kick) in 0:34 of round 3
Last 3 Fights: Darren Till (2-0-1)
2017-09-02: W vs. [#102WW] Bojan Velickovic (15-5-1) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2017-05-28: W vs. [#130WW] Jessin Ayari (16-4-0) via UD (30-27, 29-27, 30-27)
2015-10-24: D vs. [#175WW] Nicolas Dalby (14-2-1) via Draw (Majority) in 5:00 of round 3
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Donald Cerrone 84, Darren Till 49
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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Women Strawweight (115)
[#9] Karolina Kowalkiewicz (10-2-0, -456) vs. [#23] Jodie Esquibel (6-2-0, +342)
Last 3 Fights: Karolina Kowalkiewicz (1-2-0)
2017-06-03: L vs. [#4SW/#9DD] Claudia Gadelha (15-3-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:03 of round 1
2016-11-12: L vs. [#1SW/#2DD/#1P4P] Joanna Jedrzejczyk (14-0-0) via UD (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
2016-07-30: W vs. [#5SW] Rose Namajunas (6-3-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Last 3 Fights: Jodie Esquibel (2-1-0)
2017-03-25: W vs. [#15FLY] DeAnna Bennett (8-3-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2016-07-29: L vs. [#16SW] Alexa Grasso (10-1-0) via UD (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-11-01: W vs. [#53AW] Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc (8-10-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Karolina Kowalkiewicz 140, Jodie Esquibel 210
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)
[#39] Jan Blachowicz (19-7-0, +124) vs. [#45] Devin Clark (8-1-0, -150)
Last 3 Fights: Jan Blachowicz (1-2-0)
2017-04-08: L vs. [#24LHW] Patrick Cummins (10-4-0) via MD (29-28, 29-28, 28-28)
2016-09-03: L vs. [#5LHW] Alexander Gustafsson (18-4-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2016-04-10: W vs. [*] Igor Pokrajac (28-13-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Last 3 Fights: Devin Clark (2-1-0)
2017-04-15: W vs. [#156LHW] Jake Collier (10-4-0) via UD (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
2016-12-03: W vs. [#128LHW] Josh Stansbury (8-4-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
2016-07-13: L vs. [#84HW+] Alex Nicholson (8-4-0) via KO (Punch) in 4:57 of round 1
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Jan Blachowicz 196, Devin Clark 189
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 – Bellator 185: Mousasi/Shlemenko (10-20-2017)
Middleweight (185)
[#4] Gegard Mousasi (42-6-2) vs. [#17] Alexander Shlemenko (56-9-0)
Gegard Mousasi is the All-Time #10 ranked Middleweight fighter.
Alexander Shlemenko is the All-Time #44 ranked Middleweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Gegard Mousasi (3-0-0)
2017-04-08: W vs. [#6MW] Chris Weidman (14-3-0) via TKO (Knees) in 3:13 of round 2
2016-11-19: W vs. [#14MW] Uriah Hall (13-8-0) via TKO in 4:37 of round 1
2016-10-08: W vs. [#9MW] Vitor Belfort (26-13-0) via TKO in 2:43 of round 2
Last 3 Fights: Alexander Shlemenko (3-0-0)
2017-06-01: W vs. [#56LHW] Brandon Halsey (10-3-0) via TKO (Kick to the Body and Punches) in 0:25 of round 1
2017-03-03: W vs. [#71WW] Paul Bradley (23-8-0) via UD ()
2016-10-21: W vs. [#57MW] Kendall Grove (23-17-0) via TKO in of round 2
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Gegard Mousasi 195, Alexander Shlemenko 141
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Gegard Mousasi leads 2-1
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Welterweight (170)
[#75MW] Brennan Ward (14-6-0) vs. [#149] David Rickels (18-4-0)
Last 3 Fights: Brennan Ward (1-2-0)
2017-08-25: L vs. [#43MW] Fernando Gonzalez (27-14-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 1:02 of round 3
2017-01-21: L vs. [#19WW] Paul Daley (40-15-2) via KO (Flying Knee) in 2:27 of round 1
2016-11-04: W vs. [#124LW] Saad Awad (20-9-0) via KO (Punch) in 1:26 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: David Rickels (2-0-0, 1 NC)
2017-01-27: W vs. [#664WW] Aaron Derrow (14-9-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:44 of round 3
2016-07-22: NC vs. [#218MW] Melvin Guillard (32-19-2)
2016-02-26: W vs. [#379WW] Bobby Cooper (12-7-0) via TKO (Knees and Punches) in 3:49 of round 1
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Brennan Ward 56, David Rickels 266
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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Women Flyweight (125)
[#97] Heather Hardy (1-0-0) vs. [NA] Kristina Williams (DEBUT)
Last 3 Fights: Heather Hardy (1-0-0)
2017-06-24: W vs. [NA] Alice Yauger (4-6-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:47 of round 3
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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Rankings Impact of Rizin Fighting World Grand Prix 2017 Autumn: Aki no Jin
The following chart shows the change in ranking following this past weekend’s Rizin event. Gabriel Oliveira was the biggest winner from the event. He moved up 69 spots in the bantamweight rankings thanks to his victory over veteran Tatsuya Kawajiri. The chart only includes fighters who were previously ranked in the same weight class.
Four Wrestling Moves in MMA after Jonno Mears’ Walls of Jericho
Manchester native Jonno Mears recently stole the sporting headlines in his latest MMA outing by finishing a fight with a well-known wrestling move. With MMA being known more for its brutal one-punch finishes or choke-outs in the cage, the Englishman secured a stunning stoppage success in his last bout.
Mears’ original opponent, Jay Moogan, had to withdraw from their scheduled fight, leaving the eventual winner with a stand-in foe by the name of Aaron Jones, whom he knew he’d have a better chance of overcoming. It was against Jones that Mears produced the first-ever Walls of Jericho, or Boston Crab, wrestling finishing move to actually earn a proper professional MMA victory and take his record to 2-0.
Current MMA Rankings Updated (10-15-2017)
Notable Info
- Featherweight rankings expanded by 50, from 500 to 550.
Ranking Points for the 2017 Rizin Bantamweight Grand Prix
Rizin Fighting Federation returns on Sunday with their ninth event. The card features, among other things, three more first round bouts for the 2017 Rizin Bantamweight Grand Prix as well as a “wild card qualification bout.” There were three bouts on the April show with #41FW Kyoji Horiguchi, #83BW Khalid Taha and #74BW Takafumi Otsuka advancing to the second round. The follow chart shows the ranking points for all tournament competitors over the last two years.
As you can see the two standouts from a rankings perspective are Horiguchi and #18BW Shintaro Ishiwatari. Horiguchi’s ranking dipped recently due mostly to inactivity, but he is still the odds on favorite to take the tournament. Ishiwatari is currently riding a four-fight winning streak with wins over Ostuka, #55BW Victor Henry, #258 FW Jonathan Brookins and #35BW Rafael Silva. The reigning bantamweight King of Pancrase also has the highest Rankings Momentum of all the competitors at +8.04.
Fight Matrix Program – UFC 216: Ferguson/Lee (10-07-2017)
Lightweight Championship (155)
[#3] Tony Ferguson (22-3-0, -219) vs. [#7] Kevin Lee (16-2-0, +176)
Tony Ferguson is the All-Time #27 ranked Lightweight fighter.
Kevin Lee is the All-Time #42 ranked Lightweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Tony Ferguson (3-0-0)
2016-11-05: W vs. [#5WW] Rafael dos Anjos (27-9-0) via UD (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
2016-07-13: W vs. [#117LW] Lando Vannata (9-2-0) via Submission (Brabo Choke) in 2:22 of round 2
2015-12-11: W vs. [#4LW] Edson Barboza (19-4-0) via Submission (Brabo Choke) in 2:54 of round 2
Last 3 Fights: Kevin Lee (3-0-0)
2017-06-25: W vs. [#21LW] Michael Chiesa (14-3-0) via Technical Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:37 of round 1
2017-03-11: W vs. [#22LW] Francisco Trinaldo (21-5-0) via SUB in 3:12 of round 2
2016-11-19: W vs. [#80LW] Magomed Mustafaev (13-3-0) via SUB in 4:31 of round 2
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Tony Ferguson 336, Kevin Lee 104
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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Flyweight Championship (125)
[#1/#4DD/#1P4P] Demetrious Johnson (26-2-1, -1185) vs. [#4] Ray Borg (11-2-0, +720)
Demetrious Johnson is the All-Time #1 ranked Flyweight and #17 ranked Absolute fighter.
Ray Borg is the All-Time #16 ranked Flyweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Demetrious Johnson (3-0-0)
2017-04-15: W vs. [#11FLY] Wilson Reis (22-8-0) via Submission (Armbar) in 4:49 of round 3
2016-12-03: W vs. [#10FLY] Tim Elliott (14-8-1) via UD (49-45, 49-46, 49-46)
2016-04-23: W vs. [#3FLY] Henry Cejudo (11-2-0) via TKO in 2:49 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Ray Borg (2-1-0)
2017-03-11: W vs. [#5FLY] Jussier da Silva (20-5-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2016-12-30: W vs. [#22FLY] Louis Smolka (11-4-0) via UD (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
2016-02-06: L vs. [#42FLY] Justin Scoggins (11-4-0) via UD (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Demetrious Johnson 175, Ray Borg 210
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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Heavyweight (265)
[#3] Fabricio Werdum (21-7-1, -250) vs. [#10] Derrick Lewis (18-5-0, +201)
Fabricio Werdum is the All-Time #4 ranked Heavyweight and #16 ranked Absolute fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Fabricio Werdum (1-2-0)
2017-07-08: L vs. [#2HW+] Alistair Overeem (43-15-0) via MD (28-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2016-09-10: W vs. [#14HW+] Travis Browne (18-7-1) via UD (30-27, 29-27, 29-28)
2016-05-14: L vs. [#1HW+/#3DD/#3P4P] Stipe Miocic (17-2-0) via KO (Punch) in 2:47 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Derrick Lewis (2-1-0)
2017-06-10: L vs. [#6HW+] Mark Hunt (13-11-1) via TKO (Punches) in 3:51 of round 4
2017-02-19: W vs. [#14HW+] Travis Browne (18-7-1) via KO (Punches) in 3:12 of round 2
2016-12-09: W vs. [#46HW+] Shamil Abdurakhimov (17-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:42 of round 4
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Fabricio Werdum 91, Derrick Lewis 119
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Fabricio Werdum leads 6-3
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Current MMA Rankings Updated (10-01-2017)
Notable Info
- Women’s Flyweight expanded from Top 20 to Top 30.
All-Time MMA Rankings Updated (09-29-2017)
Notable Info
- All lists expanded from Top 25 to Top 35. More expansion coming soon.