This fight card is entirely and solely on UFC Fightpass, the prelims will start at 6:30 Pm and the main card will start at 10 PM (these times are eastern time). The main event will be a battle in the lightweight division for the belt. Dos Anjos is coming off an injury and looks to defend his title and will do so against a guy who has just been dominating everyone he has run into as of late. There is no doubt the main event will be worth the 9.99 a month for Fight Pass alone. The picks at the end will include who I have winning the main event on Friday between Joanna and Claudia.
Vicente Luque (8-5-1) vs. Alvaro Herrera (9-3): I think Vicente will pick up the win via a 2nd round submission in the opening fight of the night.
Marco Beltran (7-4) vs. Reginaldo Vieira (14-3): This fight could go the distance and I believe we will see Vieira be the more complete fighter and pick up the win by unanimous decision.
Gilbert Burns (10-1) vs. Lukasz Sajewski (13-1): In a battle of one loss fighters I think that Gilbert Burns will pick up the submission win in the opening round of this fight.
Felipe Arantes (17-7-1, 2NC) vs. Jerrod Sanders (15-3): This bantamweight brawl will be exactly that, a brawl and will most likely go to the judges score card. I believe Sanders will pick up a split decision victory.
Russell Doane (14-5) vs. Pedro Munhoz (11-2, 1NC): Another fight in the bantamweight division but I think this will see a different ending as I believe this fight will not last 10 minutes as I see Doane winning via an early 2nd round TKO.
Anthony Birchak (12-3) vs. Dileno Lopes (19-2): Here is a great fight for this card and should draw a lot of chatter because this two guys can really dominate a fight. I guarantee this fight goes to the mat a few times as both fighters are dominant on the mat. I am going to go with Lopes to pick up the win here in the 3rd round via a submission.
John Makdessi (12-5) vs. Mehdi Baghdad (11-3): This fight will not go the distance as these two will both come at it fast paced and go for the stoppage. Mehdi has never gone to stoppage in a victory and I don’t believe he will let this fight go there either. I see Medhi grabbing a 2nd round KO victory.
Mike Pyle (27-11-1) vs. Alberto Mina (12-0): In this fight we will see 39 fight vet Mike Pyle take on Alberto Mina who is currently undefeated in his 12 fight professional career. I believe it’s going to start slow paced as they try to figure each other out and the fight will pick up pace as it goes on. In the end I believe we will see Mina remain undefeated as he picks up a unanimous decision.
Joe Duffy (14-2) vs. Mitch Clarke (11-3): Joe Duffy was the only guy in the world to beat McGregor until Nate Diaz did so. Mitch is a good fighter but I think he will be in over his head here and will show signs of brilliance. It will be a moot point and I think Duffy will grab a 2nd round submission victory.
Alan Jouban (13-4) vs. Belel Muhammad (9-0): I am excited to see the debut of Belal in the UFC but I think against UFC vet Jouban he will be tested. I think Muhammad goes out a little too slow and I don’t think it will go well for him in this fight. I have Jouban winning this one through a 1st round TKO.
#10 (10) Roy Nelson (22-12) vs. #12 (11) Derrick Lewis (15-4, 1NC): This fight was called for by Derrick Lewis when he grabbed his last win and he was given it. This will be a complete blood bath. These two guys love to just stand and throw hands. I am looking forward to one of these big fellas hit the mat with their lights turned out. The question is which one picks up the win? Both of these guys have the ability and power to end any fight in one shot but when it comes down to it I think Roy Nelson will grab the 2nd round KO.
(C) Rafael Dos Anjos (24-7) vs. #2 (1) Eddie Alvarez (27-4): HERE WE GO!!!!!!!! The title fight of the week at this point with DC and Jon Jones off. This is the best title fight easily this weekend for a real title, because the interim title fight between Edgar and Aldo is the better fight but it’s for an interim title aka a number one contender. Eddie has looked like a savage over and over on his run for the title and Dos Anjos better do whatever it takes to get his ass to the mat because if he stands in front of Eddie he will be put asleep with his dominating hands. Now Dos Anjos can easily win this fight if he get this thing to the mat because I believe he is a much better fighter on the mat than Alvarez and will try so hard to get the fight there and keep it there. I love this fight and am so excited for this title fight and believe both fighters have a great shot at this belt and deserve this belt in their own right. That being said I have to pick up a winner and I will go with starting fight weeks fights with a new champion. Alvarez grabs a 4th round KO victory and shocks the doubters as he survives on the mat in 2 rounds of a brutal fight of the year candidate.
Friday Nights Main event: FSI 10PM Main Card Start time:
(C) Joanna Jedrzejczyk (11-0) vs. #1 (1) Claudia Gadelha (13-1): These two women despise each other. I think the only rivalry right now in the UFC that is more heated is the one between DC and Jon Jones but that might have sizzled off now. These girls will talk I believe even during the fight and will do whatever it takes to shut the other one up and I would be shocked if this fight goes into the championship rounds let alone a decision victory. Both girls are skilled and are without a doubt the top two women in the UFC overall. This fight was one we have all been waiting for and I think it will last about 2 rounds. Joanna right now is on a complete tear in the UFC strawweight division. Claudia is the only female in the world I think right now that has a shot at stopping her though and I normally would just pick Joanna no questions asked but I am really torn here on who will walk out the champ. I believe we will see the champ retain though in a great fight between two girls who just despise each other. Joanna will dominate the stand up too much for Claudia to survive and she will get a 2nd round KO victory and become one of the most dominant champions remaining in the UFC.
- Matt Koontz