by UFC Fight Night On ESPN 3 Preview & Predictions!
The UFC will air its live show for free on the main ESPN tonight for only the third time. All other ESPN shows have been on the streaming app ESPN Plus. This, like the other two, should be a good one.
Here are some quick predictions for the night!
Maurice Greene loves to finish fights, with KO’s and Subs, look for him to knockout Junior Albini and grab some attention of even the most casual MMA fans tonight.
At 4-3, this is a make or break fight for Emily Whitmire however she is suspect to submission and tends to leave herself wide open. If she is not careful, Amanda Ribis will be waiting to choke her out and put her to sleep.
Dalcha Lungiambula can finish you with elbows and punches, the skill set is just that good. Look for Dequan Townsend to be the victim of just that tonight.
A loser in 4 of his last 5, the once promising Eryk Anders is in desperate need of a big win to get his career back on track. While Vinicius Moreira isn’t exactly a big name, a convincing knockout can get people talking about Anders once again. Maybe?
13 fights into his UFC career, Drew Dober looks to go from UFC journeyman to UFC contender once again. In his way is Marco Polo Reyes & should be easy competition, at 8-4 he either knocks you out, or gets knocked out. If he comes right at Dober, he will get put out.
Anthony Rocco Martin is 16-4 and a serious threat to win performance of the night every time he steps in that cage, but even with that, few have heard of him.
His opponent tonight, Demian Maia is one of the best of all time never to never wear UFC gold. He is like Diego Sanchez, Kenny Florian or even Chael Sonnen, a ton of wins, but no gold to show for it. With 27 UFC fights under his belt, his days as a top contender are over for good.
All that being said, I’d expect Anthony Rocco Martin to get his biggest win of his career tonight, as he grinds out a decision over Maia.
Jussier Formiga is 23-5, but one of those losses is against the man he faces tonight, Joseph Benavidez. In fact, all of his losses have come against either a current champion, former champion or a man who battled for a title. Those other losses against Ian McCall, John Dodson, Henry Cujedo and Ray Borg.
Benavidez is a mixed bag. So much talent and promise, but continues to underachieve. His losses are also against big names, Dominic Cruz twice, Demetrius Johnson twice, and Sergio Pettis most recently, about a year ago. I do see Benevidez winning the rematch tonight.
Francis Ngannou has no gas tank, little heart, and little style. That being said, the man touches you and it is all over. I honestly fear for JDS life tonight. However, JDS remains one of the classiest fighters of all time and is far from being done. I have nothing but faith in JDS and what he can do.
All that being accounted for, 3 of his last 4 losses have been by KO, and JDS as of late, has shown a bit of shaky chin. Factor that in with the brute strength of Ngannou and the possibilities are endless.
Official prediction, Ngannou by first round KO.
