🥊 The UFC Info and Prediction Thread

[notblox1]

Unfortunately, for Dana White; Paddy doesn't have the same sort of persona or skill set as Conor. Conor was so popular because of his loud mouth, but also he backed it up. He usually put people to sleep in the first or second round. If you can last longer than that with Conor you'll probably beat him.

Paddy is maybe not on Conor level of popularity but he is interesting with his figthting style and body transformations pre and post fights.
Only guy that was more popular than Conor globally for Khabib, but only after he beat everyone in his divison including Conor and retired from MMA

[Smack That Ace]

Agreed that Paddy the baddy has Dana White privleges similar to Conor, also agreed that Paddy lost the fight. However, blaming the judges' decision on Dana might be incorrect. Those judges are not employed by the UFC. They are sent by the athletic commission from the state of Nevada, similar to the referees. Dana does not have control on the officiating that occurs in the octagon.

I speculate the next opponent for Paddy might be a dead body and the oddsmakers will list him as an underdog hehehe.

UFC fans understand the robbery when they see one. Obviously, Jared made Paddy back away after significant strikes and in the 3rd round, most of the control comes from Jared. Paddy still cocky in the fight interview when he knew he didn't get the fight and everybody shouts boo at him.

But what else can be done, the judges decide and it could end the hype if Paddy loses and Dana wouldn't make anything out of it if Jared wins. Something Dana would have to think about later to give Paddy an opponent that wouldn't box.

@bbc.reporter, I know that in a perfect world, the judges should not be under any influence, and they should score the fight as they see fit. But I just am not ready to believe there was no influence from anyone, especially Dana White, in the result of the Paddy Pimblett fight.

@cabron, I agree with you that UFC fans are not so stupid that they don’t even understand which way the Paddy Pimblett fight turned out. Anyone who is even a modicum of knowledge about the UFC can say that this should not have been the result. I think we all agree that Paddy Pimblett is getting privileged by licking Dana White’s ASS.


Duke Khan

[Welsh]

Paddy is maybe not on Conor level of popularity but he is interesting with his figthting style and body transformations pre and post fights.
Only guy that was more popular than Conor globally for Khabib, but only after he beat everyone in his divison including Conor and retired from MMA

As much as I hate to admit it, Khabib is only so well known due to the antics between him, and Conor. That got a lot of eyes on the sport, despite it being very WWE like. Khabib hasn't got the exciting style that typically entertains the fans. I mean, I've grown a little tired of the crowds booing every time there's a grappling exchange etc.

Conor did a lot for Khabib's image, and he got to come out of that little exchange on the moral high ground. I think this was around the time I was getting into the sport myself, I'm not one of these die hard fans that have been here from the start. The UFC is generally quite new. I for one, hadn't seen much of Khabib before then. Obviously, I've gone back, and watched them now.

[TopTort777]

Lets get back talking about next ufc event. I see we got Bobby Green fighting. His previous fight was a replacement in Makhachev vs Darioush. Green replaced Darioush with a 10day notice. I would not pay much attention to Green, but he was caught by USADA and suspended from fights until November 2022.

I dont like when athletes get caught and return back. 6 months suspention - this is not a punishment, this is time to get cleaned. Why in some cases USADA give bans, but in some just 6-12 month vacation? Fighters did not learn a lesson from that. Why not be same as in Olympics - once caught, you are banned forever.

[tokeweed]

^  Yup exactly.  The thread is better for it if we focus on the events and talk about stuff from a betting perspective and learn from each other so we could make better bets.  And I didn't know that Green was caught be USADA.  Thanks for the tip, that kind of stuff is useful if you're betting these matches.  Kape was caught by USADA too but I got him at my too ticket.  Pie shitter?  :/

Anyway, here are the weigh in vids and the results.  Marquez vs Winn was canceled due to Winn fainting before he went to the scale.  One fighter missed weight. 

UFC Vegas 66:  Weigh In
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b5x-19X2u4

UFC Vegas 66:  Face Off
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlgj5Q1mAPQ

Jared Cannonier (185.5) vs Sean Strickland (186)
Damir Ismagulov (156) vs Arman Tsarukyan (155.5)
Amir Albazi (125.5) vs Alessandro Costa (125.5)
Alex Caceres (145) vs  Julian Erosa (145.5)
Drew Dober (156) vs Bobby Green (156)
Cody Brundage (185) vs Michal Oleksiejczuk (186)
Cory McKenna (115.5) vs Cheyanne Vlismas (115.5)
Jake Matthews (171) vs Matt Semelsberger (171)
Saidyokub Kakhramonov (136) vs Said Nurmagomedov (136)
Rafa Garcia (155) vs Hayisaer Maheshate (158.5)*
Bryan Battle (170) vs Rinat Fakhretdinov (171)
David Dvorak (125.5) vs Manel Kape (126)
Sergey Morozov (136) vs Journey Newson (135.5)

*Missed weight

[Iranus]

Lets get back talking about next ufc event. I see we got Bobby Green fighting. His previous fight was a replacement in Makhachev vs Darioush. Green replaced Darioush with a 10day notice. I would not pay much attention to Green, but he was caught by USADA and suspended from fights until November 2022.

I dont like when athletes get caught and return back. 6 months suspention - this is not a punishment, this is time to get cleaned. Why in some cases USADA give bans, but in some just 6-12 month vacation? Fighters did not learn a lesson from that. Why not be same as in Olympics - once caught, you are banned forever.

I think there should be a much more severe punishment for the fighters who are caught being on the “juice.” Because this is a fighting game. I want to emphasize that this is not just another bodybuilding competition where you take some "things" and you just look bigger afterwards. 

You are trying to fight against a person and in my opinion, this is basically like an attempt to murder because you are trying to achieve an advantage over the other person by illegal means. The punishment should be at least for years. They just banned him for 6 months and I absolutely agree that this is basically just like a vacation for him.

A few moments later, Bobby Green is going to fight Drew Dober. I will obviously back Drew to win this fight.

[OgNasty]

Lets get back talking about next ufc event. I see we got Bobby Green fighting. His previous fight was a replacement in Makhachev vs Darioush. Green replaced Darioush with a 10day notice. I would not pay much attention to Green, but he was caught by USADA and suspended from fights until November 2022.

I dont like when athletes get caught and return back. 6 months suspention - this is not a punishment, this is time to get cleaned. Why in some cases USADA give bans, but in some just 6-12 month vacation? Fighters did not learn a lesson from that. Why not be same as in Olympics - once caught, you are banned forever.

I think there should be a much more severe punishment for the fighters who are caught being on the “juice.” Because this is a fighting game. I want to emphasize that this is not just another bodybuilding competition where you take some "things" and you just look bigger afterwards. 

You are trying to fight against a person and in my opinion, this is basically like an attempt to murder because you are trying to achieve an advantage over the other person by illegal means. The punishment should be at least for years. They just banned him for 6 months and I absolutely agree that this is basically just like a vacation for him.

A few moments later, Bobby Green is going to fight Drew Dober. I will obviously back Drew to win this fight.

I don't know the specifics but I'm assuming whatever he was caught with wasn't so bad if he was only gone for six months.  For a fighter though, that can be devastating.  A lot of these guys are spending all their money on their training, and to miss the opportunity to fight can be life changing or even force them into retirement. 

In the case of McGregor though, a lot of guys "juice" when recovering from major injuries to help them speed things along and keep their body in peak condition while they recover.  McGregor looks like an absolute beast right now.  I wonder what he'll look like in another 5 months.

[YuginKadoya]

Yup, Tsarukyan vs Ismagulov will def be good.  I got Tsarukyan but I have him at the fourth tier of my parlay lottery ticket.  An argument could be made for Ismagulov as a straight up value bet as he's a live dog. 

As it's close to a pickem, I got Nurmagomedov but just like Tsarukyan vs Ismagulov, I wouldn't blame you guys if you went for the other guy.  Lol.  And for the ladies, Vlismas straight up for me.  McKenna is just too small and doesn't have any pop in her strikes, Vlismas does.  I fancy Vlismas finishing her late in the match. 

Official weigh ins in 1.5 hours.

UFC Vegas 66:  Official Weigh Ins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke0xoJ-rYt0

Yup! he is sure good and will do pretty well against Damir Ismagulov in my opinion, and it will be a banger to watch I am pretty much excited to see this fight and Arman Tsarukyan has decent kicks and can take his opponent to the ground, but surely both have good striking, Jui Jitsu, and Sambo in my opinion,


So here is my late pick for the fights today and because I was late I will just give my opinion on just 2 fights,

Jared Cannonier VS Sean Strickland

The stake odds for this fight are 1.83 for Cannonier and 1.99 for Strickland, for this fight, I am seeing Cannonier has the most power output of the two he can surely knockout Strickland with that power, while Sean Strickland doesn't punch more, and if Cannonier can see that opening he can snipe you, and that leg kick he has is really superb and I know Sean Strickland can go with the takedown when it can be dangerous on the standing he can surely go with takedowns which Cannonier can defend easily just like we see with Brunson, and if Sean Strickland is not successful with his takedown he would likely abandon takedowns, which Derek Brunson's as keep on doing the entire fight until he was successful in taking it, but surely Jared Cannonier can be a pain in don't takedown defense, so I will go with Jared Cannonier,

Arman Tsarukyan VS Damir Ismagulov

The stake odds for this fight are 1.49 for Tsarukyan and 2.65 for Ismagulov, for this fight, Ismagulov has good striking and is great at preserving his energy in pulling his strike in the most open way, and Arman Tsarukyan has a problem with the standing he surely wants to finish the fight with a KO by giving a good overhand punch out of nowhere I think that will not going to work with Damir but Arman Tsarukyan has a ground game and I haven't seen Damir Ismagulov defending some takedowns because he doesn't have any opponent that does that and this is the 1st time he may do that and I really don't know if he has good Jui-Jitsu and I am kind of curious with Damir Ismaglov actually I know the fair wrestling of Tsarukyan and I really love the guy, but after seeing that great technical striking of Damir Ismagulov it was outstanding and for me he hasn't shown anything yet, and I might go with the underdog, for this fight so I would go with Damir Ismagulov,

[Iranus]

I don't know the specifics but I'm assuming whatever he was caught with wasn't so bad if he was only gone for six months.  For a fighter though, that can be devastating.  A lot of these guys are spending all their money on their training, and to miss the opportunity to fight can be life changing or even force them into retirement. 

In the case of McGregor though, a lot of guys "juice" when recovering from major injuries to help them speed things along and keep their body in peak condition while they recover.  McGregor looks like an absolute beast right now.  I wonder what he'll look like in another 5 months.

I believe that whatever Bobby Green was caught with is not USADA-approved. If it was, he wouldn’t have been banned anyway. And I have no problem as long as “the juice” is used for medical purposes. But if it is used to gain an advantage over the opponent, I will always have a problem with that.

It's quite sure that Bobby Green did not take it for medical purposes. If he did, he would not have been banned for sure. Because we have seen fighters taking inhalers during the break in the middle of a fight. I believe someone did that at the start of the second round in the UFC. He did not get banned because he didn’t know. So, I don’t think UFC will do that type of injustice.

Actually, the way Conor McGregor is bulking up, I am actually very suspicious of him. And I honestly do not know if he is qualified to pass all the tests. I am also quite sure that he is going to become really huge. More than what he already is right now.

[YuginKadoya]

Here is what happens with the UFC Vegas 66 fight and the results of my picks

Jared Cannonier VS Sean Strickland ROUND 5 DECISION - WIN

Surely even though the judges have scored much for Cannonier it was really not dominating for Jared Cannonier there are rounds in which Sean Strickland got the better of him or could have won those rounds, but again the judges have tried to score the fight a little close on those close matches, but surely the good thing about Jared Cannonier here he is listening to his corners, when they say to go to the body Cannonier would go to the body, he is surely listening carefully on his corner, while Sean Strickland is not really listening, he kind of just doing what he like towards the fight and for me even though there are rounds that likely a win for Strickland it will still end on Jared Cannonier winning again,

Arman Tsarukyan VS Damir Ismagulov ROUND 3 DECISION - LOST

Damir Ismagulov had great striking but man Arman Tsarukyan has made a great impression with his striking aswell, but again those takedowns from Arman Tsarukyan were phenomenal and he nearly choked Ismagulov, and Damir Ismagulov surely is feeling the pressure in battling Tsarukyan, every angle of the fight Tsarukyan really won the fight,

Said Nurmagomedov VS Saidyokub Kakhramonov  ROUND 2 SUBMISSION - WIN

I haven't made a pick about this and prediction but I have bet on this fight for Nurmagomedov, and now Said Nurmagomedov is dominating the whole fight guillotine by guillotine he is always pressuring Kakhramonov is every angle of the fight in every direction you would look at the fight it is all pertaining to the Submission win of Said Nurmagomedov, and it is not new that he wins in the same fashion because he is carrying the Nurmagomedov's names,

[Welsh]

I missed the event, I've missed a lot of them this year. Hopefully, get to watch a little more next year. Anyway, what was the event like? I saw some highlights of the fights I was interested in, but it seems it was a rather messy affair in some of those fights?

Said showed a lot of weaknesses in the highlights I saw. Maybe, hype derailed a little? Strickland always talks a big game, but he's so timid in the cage. It's almost like he's a cat pawing out with that jab at times. Obviously, scores him points, but it doesn't really go with his pre fight words.

I understand that this was the last event of the year too, so I guess we'll be seeing each other in the new year. I haven't checked the dates yet.

[Balmain]

I missed the event, I've missed a lot of them this year. Hopefully, get to watch a little more next year. Anyway, what was the event like? I saw some highlights of the fights I was interested in, but it seems it was a rather messy affair in some of those fights?

Said showed a lot of weaknesses in the highlights I saw. Maybe, hype derailed a little? Strickland always talks a big game, but he's so timid in the cage. It's almost like he's a cat pawing out with that jab at times. Obviously, scores him points, but it doesn't really go with his pre fight words.

I understand that this was the last event of the year too, so I guess we'll be seeing each other in the new year. I haven't checked the dates yet.

This year is over, we will be deprived of the UFC for a month. I only watched the main game on this card. I don't know, I don't want to be condescending, he didn't even kick the whole game, he just hit the left post, he does it every game, I know a lot of fighters who can do better than that. In the 7th place in the ranking, this man is not hard, but if he were hard, I could speak a little softer. Anyway, I'm glad I chose Cannonier. Cannonier was speaking in this match. Strickland could not open his mouth and could not even answer in the match.

[YuginKadoya]

I missed the event, I've missed a lot of them this year. Hopefully, get to watch a little more next year. Anyway, what was the event like? I saw some highlights of the fights I was interested in, but it seems it was a rather messy affair in some of those fights?

Said showed a lot of weaknesses in the highlights I saw. Maybe, hype derailed a little? Strickland always talks a big game, but he's so timid in the cage. It's almost like he's a cat pawing out with that jab at times. Obviously, scores him points, but it doesn't really go with his pre fight words.

I understand that this was the last event of the year too, so I guess we'll be seeing each other in the new year. I haven't checked the dates yet.

Well you may have missed some of the fights this near end of the year but next year will be juicier, and I wish you will not missed the Champion VS Champion event of the UFC, and a chance for Alexander Volkanovski to get the Lightweight Championship and I think it will have a juicier first for us in that event,

who's Said? is it Said Nurmagomedov or Saidyokub Kakhramonov? but if Said Nurmagomedov, his 1st guillotine is not successful with the 2nd attempt in round 2 it was very crucial to Saidyokub Kakhramonov that he did not know what happen, it was pretty fast that he is not aware of it,

well next event will be next year on January 14, 2023, and it will be the UFC Fight Night: Imavov vs. Gastelum but for me, the real main event will be the Geoff Neal VS Shavkat Rakhmonov, fight and Umar Nurmagomedov VS Raoni Barcelos will be quite a fight that I am anticipating to see,

[owengtam09]

I have missed the event as well, been pretty much busy this holiday season, but watching the main matches the Main and Co-Main have ended with a decision, but Amir Albazi VS Alessandro Costa, Alex Caceres  VS Julian Erosa, Drew Dober VS Bobby Green, Michał Oleksiejczuk VS Cody Brundage, and Said Nurmagomedov VS Saidyokub Kakhramonov was the fight that I think is the most interested, in this event, I was truly amazed at Amir Albazi Effort in getting Costa to the ground, in Alex Caceres power on striking, Drew Dober's left hook finish, Michał Oleksiejczuk strength, and Said Nurmagomedov grappling strength was I think the highlights for this fight,

[Apocollapse]

I have missed the event as well, been pretty much busy this holiday season, but watching the main matches the Main and Co-Main have ended with a decision, but Amir Albazi VS Alessandro Costa, Alex Caceres  VS Julian Erosa, Drew Dober VS Bobby Green, Michał Oleksiejczuk VS Cody Brundage, and Said Nurmagomedov VS Saidyokub Kakhramonov was the fight that I think is the most interested, in this event, I was truly amazed at Amir Albazi Effort in getting Costa to the ground, in Alex Caceres power on striking, Drew Dober's left hook finish, Michał Oleksiejczuk strength, and Said Nurmagomedov grappling strength was I think the highlights for this fight,

For me when a huge favorite win against huge underdog isn't really that exciting even though the fight usually end with huge knockout or great submission. I think Said Nurmagomedov has a chance to climb up from his current position 15th to top 5 since he has able to fight with these fighters. However I'm surprised Sean O'Malley already in the top 1 position on bantamweight, I've remember he's still in rank 11th-15th at that time, especially before beat Petr Yan.

[TopTort777]

I believe that whatever Bobby Green was caught with is not USADA-approved. If it was, he wouldn’t have been banned anyway. And I have no problem as long as “the juice” is used for medical purposes. But if it is used to gain an advantage over the opponent, I will always have a problem with that.

It's quite sure that Bobby Green did not take it for medical purposes. If he did, he would not have been banned for sure. Because we have seen fighters taking inhalers during the break in the middle of a fight. I believe someone did that at the start of the second round in the UFC. He did not get banned because he didn’t know. So, I don’t think UFC will do that type of injustice.

Dehydroepiandrosterone - that is what USADA found in him. I am not a doc, but that does not look like harmless protein shake ingredient The more medical and chemistry abbreviation I seen in the article, the more dirty that stuff looks to me. That crap does not look like a pill that you take once once you have a headache. You take it constantly to gain advantage. 6 month ban was truly a vacation for Green, specially if in their contract it is said that UFC are obliged to give a fighter 2-3 fights per year. I think 1 year ban + a fine from UFC is a minimum what a fighter that gets caught should get.

[tokeweed]

I missed the event, I've missed a lot of them this year. Hopefully, get to watch a little more next year. Anyway, what was the event like? I saw some highlights of the fights I was interested in, but it seems it was a rather messy affair in some of those fights?

Said showed a lot of weaknesses in the highlights I saw. Maybe, hype derailed a little? Strickland always talks a big game, but he's so timid in the cage. It's almost like he's a cat pawing out with that jab at times. Obviously, scores him points, but it doesn't really go with his pre fight words.

I understand that this was the last event of the year too, so I guess we'll be seeing each other in the new year. I haven't checked the dates yet.

It was a decent event overall for a Fight Night but nothing outstanding.  I guess it's better than nothing.  And I was kinda bored with the main event tbh.

Here are the results in case you want to see them.

https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/92365-ufc-fight-night

So yeah...  Pie shitter of the event for me is Jake Matthews.  I really thought that what Semelsberger did to him, he would do to Semelsberger.  Serves me right for placing a UFC noob at my top ticket.  But we live to learn, but then again been making the same mistake over and over.  Lol.  Makes me mad and I can't wait for the next event which is still a month or so off. 

[YuginKadoya]

I have missed the event as well, been pretty much busy this holiday season, but watching the main matches the Main and Co-Main have ended with a decision, but Amir Albazi VS Alessandro Costa, Alex Caceres  VS Julian Erosa, Drew Dober VS Bobby Green, Michał Oleksiejczuk VS Cody Brundage, and Said Nurmagomedov VS Saidyokub Kakhramonov was the fight that I think is the most interested, in this event, I was truly amazed at Amir Albazi Effort in getting Costa to the ground, in Alex Caceres power on striking, Drew Dober's left hook finish, Michał Oleksiejczuk strength, and Said Nurmagomedov grappling strength was I think the highlights for this fight,

I have missed some fights because I am not really interested in them but after rewatching those fights it was really a great card and very likely impressive to watch surely not all in this event are awed by many you can say they don't like the heavy favorites pounding the underdog so much would be a spectacle to them, but for me, those underdogs have their chance in giving the favorites a good fight but surely their gap in skills was shown to the fight, I think Said Nurmagomenodov would likely to build up his strength, even more, he really got Saidyokub Kakhramonov in the 1st round with the Guillotine but he escapes,

For me when a huge favorite win against huge underdog isn't really that exciting even though the fight usually end with huge knockout or great submission. I think Said Nurmagomedov has a chance to climb up from his current position 15th to top 5 since he has able to fight with these fighters. However I'm surprised Sean O'Malley already in the top 1 position on bantamweight, I've remember he's still in rank 11th-15th at that time, especially before beat Petr Yan.

Those Underdogs got their chance to prove their selves but their effort was naught and didn't show a lot in the fight, and likely the difference in skill and strength was pretty much shown when they got beaten, Said Nurmagomedov just needs to start stacking up muscle and strength to improve his grappling even more, for me I think his 1-year leave in the UFC should have been a better year for him but again he got 3 fights this year, so I think he is Pursuing and catching up to that 1-year loss

[Maidak]

I missed the event, I've missed a lot of them this year. Hopefully, get to watch a little more next year. Anyway, what was the event like? I saw some highlights of the fights I was interested in, but it seems it was a rather messy affair in some of those fights?
Said showed a lot of weaknesses in the highlights I saw. Maybe, hype derailed a little? Strickland always talks a big game, but he's so timid in the cage. It's almost like he's a cat pawing out with that jab at times. Obviously, scores him points, but it doesn't really go with his pre fight words.
I understand that this was the last event of the year too, so I guess we'll be seeing each other in the new year. I haven't checked the dates yet.

It was a decent event overall for a Fight Night but nothing outstanding.  I guess it's better than nothing.  And I was kinda bored with the main event tbh.

Here are the results in case you want to see them.
https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/92365-ufc-fight-night

So yeah...  Pie shitter of the event for me is Jake Matthews.  I really thought that what Semelsberger did to him, he would do to Semelsberger.  Serves me right for placing a UFC noob at my top ticket.  But we live to learn, but then again been making the same mistake over and over.  Lol.  Makes me mad and I can't wait for the next event which is still a month or so off. 

I think in mixed martial art, a fighter will always need experience. If either of them have talent, he will always need to have some experience to actually be good.

Just look at Max Holloway. He was not so good at first. But after he had his first child, he became a new man altogether. It is never a good idea to trust a new fighter unless he has talent like Khabib Nurmagomedov or someone like that.

[notblox1]

It was a decent event overall for a Fight Night but nothing outstanding.  I guess it's better than nothing.  And I was kinda bored with the main event tbh.

Judges didn't find this fight boring because Jared Cannonier won by split decision, but I think he was slightly better and he deserved to win.
Cannonier had better percentage of significant strikes in that fight, but Strickland had more strikes and one takedown, so I can understand why someone saw him as a winner.
Since this was last UFC event in this year I expected to see much better fight car, but world cup drama was more than enough for me