MMA writers’ 2016 records
Darragh The Quizmaster Murphy: 76-47
Bourbon Ben Kiely: 72-51
Yair Rodriguez (8-1) vs. Alex Caceres (12-8-1NC)
DM: What Alex Caceres is good at, Yair Rodriguez is better and more aggressive at.
Cynics might have raised an eyebrow at the sight of this featherweight clash receiving top billing at a UFC event but, in all fairness, we should be in for an absolute treat in terms of entertainment value.
A tornado of inventive stand-up is to be expected and I just see Rodriguez enjoying a significant power advantage. He’s the more aggressive man on the feet and I see him landing the harder shots on Saturday night.
Plus, I’m never picking against a guy who’s landed a rabona to the calf in a fight.
Rodriguez by knockout (round one)
BK: This promises to be the fighting equivalent to free form jazz. It should be wild, unpredictable, massively creative, entertaining, occasionally a bit difficult to look at and it will probably only be fully understood by a select few snobs who can recite the Art of War by heart.
Good match-making, but I think Pantera’s going to walk this one.
Rodriguez by submission (round two)
Dennis Bermudez (15-5) vs. Rony Jason (14-5-1NC)
DM: This is Dennis Bermudez’s fight to lose.
Hard to know what to expect from Rony Jason, given the fact that we’ve not seen him for over a year, and his guard will cause some threats for Bermudez but I think the TUF 14 runner-up has too polished a top game to get caught with a triangle or armbar.
If he wants to entertain, Bermudez can engage in a war with Jason but I reckon he’s smart enough to know that he has the ability to just wear on the Brazilian en route to a unanimous decision.
Bermudez by decision
BK: I’m reminded of the Tyron Woodley’s title-winning performance at UFC 201. We haven’t seen Rony Jason in so long (on account of his failed drug test) that we don’t really know what improvements he’s made behind closed doors.
This could end up being a case of who lands first, but I get the feeling that Bermudez learned an awful lot from the Stephens loss. I don’t think he learned a bit more about when to pick his moments in a fire-fight and that kind of experience could give him the edge here.
Bermudez by TKO (round two)
Thales Leites (25-6) vs. Chris Camozzi (24-10)
DM: Camozzi is actually decent on the mat in non-threatening positions but once he gets in any danger, he tends to panic and fails to defend correctly.
Leites is an accomplished grappler and I can see him squeezing the life out of Camozzi with an arm triangle.
Leites via submission (round one)
BK: Recent records be damned, if this goes to the mat there’s only going to be one winner.
Leites via submission (round three)
Santiago Ponzinibbio (22-3) vs. Zak Cummings (19-4)
DM: I love watching Santiago Ponzinibbio’s boxing. He should have a power and technique advantage with his hands over Cummings who, to be fair, will test the Argentine. It won’t be smooth sailing but I do fancy Ponzinibbio connecting and getting his third consecutive finish.
Ponzinibbio by TKO (round one)
BK: Both these fighters seem to be perpetually underestimated. Cummings need to grind, Santi needs to scrap. Whoever controls where the fight takes place will win. Eeny, meeny, miny…
Cummings by decision
Trevor Smith (13-6) vs. Joseph Gigliotti (7-0)
DM: Smith is 35 and a pretty decent welcome present for a fighter like Joe Gigliotti.
As happens to every fighter eventually, Smith’s chin is looking a little bit shaky of late and Gigliotti is an absolute powerhouse.
Gigliotti by TKO (round one)
BK: As much as I like Smith, I think Gigliotti’s superior striking is just going to overwhelm him.
Gigliotti by TKO (round two)
Maryna Moroz (7-1) vs. Danielle Taylor (7-1)
DM: Danielle Taylor undoubtedly has knockout power but there’s a reason that the women’s strawweight division sees so few knockouts.
At 115 lbs, the fighters are lightning quick on the feet and in scrambles so there’s not really any chance that Moroz will be a static target for the heavyhanded, tiny human being that is Taylor.
I can see ‘Dynamite’ pouring it on early but failing to put Moroz away before the Ukrainian works her grappling on a presumably fatiguing fighter.
Moroz via submission (round three)
BK: Taylor is 5 ft tall and she’s coming in as a late replacement to make her promotional debut. She’s an underdog in every sense of the word.
However, she packs some power in her punches and her wild striking style means she’ll be really dangerous against the young, but experienced Moroz. It’s the Ukranian’s fight to lose, but I wouldn’t rule anything out.
Moroz via submission (round two)
