UFC on Fox 19 - Saturday 4/16 - Info / Predictions / Odds / Chatter

Amalie Arena - Tampa, Florida
Saturday, April 16, 2016




The official UFC on FOX 19 card:



MAIN CARD (FOX, 8 p.m. ET)

• Rashad Evans vs. Glover Teixeira
• Dan Henderson vs. Lyoto Machida
• Darrell Horcher vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov
• Rose Namajunas vs. Tecia Torres

PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX, 6 p.m. ET)

• Michael Chiesa vs. Beneil Dariush
• Bethe Correia vs. Raquel Pennington
• Court McGee vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio
• Hacran Dias vs. Cub Swanson

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 4 p.m. ET)

• John Dodson vs. Manny Gamburyan
• Randy Brown vs. Michael Graves
• Drew Dober vs. Islam Makhachev
• Oluwale Bamgbose vs. Cezar Ferreira
• Omari Akhmedov vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos

Oluwale Bamgbose in for Caio Magalhaes against Cezar Ferreira at UFC on FOX 19




Caio Magalhaes is injured and out of his UFC on FOX 19 bout with Cezar Ferreira. Heavy hitting Oluwale Bamgbose will step in to face Ferreira on the prelims of the card.

Bamgbose (6-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) will look to build on his recent 60-second knockout of Daniel Sarafian at UFC Fight Night 83. He debuted in the octagon with a short notice loss to Uriah Hall at UFC Fight Night 73, the first defeat of his career. All six of his professional victories have come by way of knockout.

“TUF Brazil 1” winner “Mutante” Ferreira (8-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) is on a two-fight losing skid, suffering knockout losses to Sam Alvey and Jorge Masvidal in his two trips to the octagon in 2015. He is 1-3 after a three-fight winning streak to kick off his UFC career.

The Early Look: Rashad Evans vs. Glover Teixeira at UFC Fight Night
By Elias Cepeda - Fox Sports



This Saturday two of the best light heavyweights in the world face-off for the right to move close to another title fight.




This Saturday's FS1 UFC Fight Night main event Rashad Evans between Glover Teixeira is a great fight of similar ages who are solid grapplers but who also have dynamite in their fists. Moreover, it is a match up that offers each man real incentive. Teixeira may be the hotter contender, right now, but a win over Evans, who hasn't won a fight in two and a half years, will still mean something since he is a former world champion.

As he campaigns for another title shot, every win over a former world champ like Evans will count for a lot because it proves that, at his best, Glover can beat world-beaters. For Evans, this fight is a chance to prove that he's still elite.

After all, the Brazilian has won two-straight, and bother over top young contenders. He's finished Patrick Cummins and Ovince Saint Preux in back-to-back bouts, and suddenly looks like he's a win or two away from competing for gold, again.

So, how do these two great fighters match up against one another? Quite evenly, actually.

Glover is the bigger man, here, and that could help with striking range on the feet and with muscling-out of takedown attempts from the former NCAA Division I wrestler Evans. Evans has the quicker feet but they may be close to equal when it comes to hand speed.

If Evans fights conservatively and concentrates on trying to get Glover to his back, mixing in short-range strikes from the clinch on separation, he could frustrate Teixeira's offense. Evans rarely turns down opportunities to trade strikes on the feet, however, and often doesn't even look for takedowns. If he decides to stand and trade with Glover, he'd better throw in combination and hit angles.

I think Glover wins a one-at-a-time punch battle. If Evans does look to grappler, I think Glover will be tough to take down and even tougher to keep there.

Teixeira has the ability to win off of his back, or get to the cage wall and walk his way back to his feet like his friend and mentor Chuck Liddell. Also, if Evans over-extends himself on strikes, I believe Glover can also get under his hips and take him down.

If Glover gives Rashad reason to fear his takedowns, the complexion of this fight may change, as a hesitant Evans on the feet won't be a very productive one. In the end, I think either man has the ability to knock the other out, but Teixeira has been fighting more often, and fighting more effectively, of late.

This fight will show if Teixeira deserves another title shot and it will also give Evans a chance to find out if his last loss to Ryan Bader was more a matter of him needing to shake rust off after two years of inactivity, than anything else.



Prediction: Teixiera by decision

UFC on FOX 19 predictions: 'Tampa' Fight Pass 'Prelims' undercard preview, Pt. 1
By Patrick L Strumberg - MMA Mania




135 lbs.: John Dodson vs. Manny Gamburyan

Following his close loss to Demetrius Johnson, John Dodson (17-7) battled his way back into title contention with three straight victories, setting up a rematch with "Mighty Mouse" in Sept. 2015. "The Magician" wound up struggling mightily with his ever-adaptive opponent and ultimately lost by a much wider margin than before.

He returns to Bantamweight for the first time since his 2011 knockout of T.J. Dillashaw.

The final challenger to Jose Aldo’s crown in World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC), Manny Gamburyan (15-8) has gone 4-1 (1 NC) since a winless (0-2) start to his UFC career. "The Anvil" dropped to Bantamweight two Septembers ago, where he’s beaten Cody Gibson and Scott Jorgensen.


He stands two inches taller than Dodson at 5’5."

Dodson's biggest problem is that he relies too heavily on his speed to close the distance. He doesn’t have any real set ups for his power shots, instead just rushing in and, at times, getting countered in the process. This is nowhere near as big an issue for him at 135 pounds, were you can count the number of fighters capable of keeping up with him on one hand.

Gamburyan is not among them.

The judoka is strong and hits damn hard, but the massive speed difference is just too much for him to overcome. Combine that with Dodson’s ridiculous takedown defense and things lok grim for "The Anvil." Dodson sparks him out sometime in the first round.


Prediction: Dodson via first-round technical knockout



170 lbs.: Randy Brown vs. Mike Graves

Randy Brown (7-0) entered UFC as a product of Dana White’s "Looking for a Fight" series and drew tough-as-nails Canadian Matt Dwyer for his January debut. Solid striking and fancy throws carried Brown to victory, although he had to see the judges for the first time to do so.
His six stoppage wins include four submissions.

Mike Graves (5-0) stepped up to the plate for the very first bout on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 21, losing a majority decision to top prospect Kamaru Usman over two rounds. He righted the ship with a clutch comeback victory over Jason Jackson in the later rounds, then took a decision over Vicente Luque on the Finale.

He was originally set to face Danny Roberts in Dec. 2015 before pulling out because of injury.

Brown did better than I expected against Matt Dwyer, I’ll admit. I still think he’s too raw to go far in the Welterweight division, a fact I expect Graves to clearly demonstrate. While Dwyer was just an okay striker, the American Top Team (ATT)-trained product is extremely durable and a very solid grappler
Despite the improvements he showed against Dwyer, I highly doubt Brown’s ground game has evolved sufficiently to win this. Graves ground him early and either taps him or puts him out with punches.


Prediction: Graves via first-round submission




155 lbs.: Drew Dober vs. Islam Makhachev

Drew Dober's (16-7) bogus submission loss to Leandro Silva may have been overturned, but the guillotine Efrain Escudero put him in afterward was all too real, causing the first true submission loss of Dober’s career. He managed to re-enter the win column in January with an upset decision over Scott Holtzman at UFC 195.

At 5’8", he is two inches shorter than Islam Makhachev (12-1).

Makhachev, a training partner of Khabib Nurmagomedov, showed off the terrific grappling that made him a blue-chip prospect in his debut win over Leo Kuntz. Unfortunately for him, his aggressive style came back to bit him against Adriano Martins, who timed him coming in with a brutal check hook knockout in Oct. 2015.

He has submitted six of his 13 opponents.

Makhachev is still an elite prospect in my book, while Martins is an absolute monster and one of the more underrated fighters in the division. Sure, the Dagestani grappler has some holes in his striking defense, but his Sambo stylings seem well-suited to taking out the light-punching Dober.

Dober’s a good, well-rounded fighter. He just doesn’t have the takedown defense to stay on his feet against Makhachev, nor the power to spark him out on the counter. Makhachev rides to victory on a steady diet of takedowns.


Prediction: Makhachev via unanimous decision



185 lbs.: Cezar Ferreira vs. Oluwale Bamgbose

Cezar Ferreira (8-5) built on his TUF: "Brazil" win to start his UFC career with three straight wins, including a decision over castmate Daniel Sarafian in 2013. He’s just 1-3 since, all three losses coming via brutal first-round knockout.

He returns to Middleweight after a one-fight stint at 170 pounds.

Oluwale Bamgbose (6-0) entered UFC on the heels of five straight first-round knockouts, only to bite off more than he could chew in his short-notice debut against Uriah Hall. He returned to his winning ways two months ago with a brutal head kick knockout of Daniel Sarafian just 60 seconds into the fight.
He replaces the injured Caio Magalhaes on one week’s notice.

The single greatest piece of MMA media ever created is and always will be Seanbaby’s history of Kazuyuki Fujita’s ever-abused skull. In it, he discussed a notion that’s stuck with me: The idea that a result can be so blindingly obvious that you actually don’t expect it to happen. This is how I feel here.

On one side, you have Ferreira, a glass-chinned fighter with porous defense. On the other, you have the gigaton punches of Bamgbose. Things point to a brutal Bamgbose knockout victory so clearly that all I can do is wait for the other shoe to drop.

I don’t think there is one. Bamgbose smash.


Prediction: Bamgbose via first-round knockout



170 lbs.: Omari Akhmedov vs. Elizeu Zaleski

Omari Akhmedov (15-3) entered his Dec. 2015 bout with Sergio Moraes on a two-fight winning streak and looked on track to make it three against the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace. Partway through the third round, however, Akhmedov fell victim to a comeback knockout loss that dropped his UFC record to 3-2.
He has just one decision among his last 11 victories.

Elizeu Zaleski (14-5) joined UFC with the Jungle Fight welterweight title and one successful defense under his belt. In his debut against Danish prospect Nicolas Dalby, "Capoeira" put forth a tremendous effort, but ultimately lost the split decision.
He has knocked out 11 opponents and submitted another two.

Akhmedov has some serious power and solid wrestling. That said, he also has a tendency to fade late and managed to get knocked out by Sergio Moraes of all people. Zaleski has some fast and powerful striking in his own right and, unlike Akhmedov, can maintain his offense for all three rounds.

Akhmedov should find success in the early going, but the fight will favor Zaleski more and more as it progresses. "Capoeira" lands something brutal late in

the second or partway through the third.


Prediction: Zaleski via second-round technical knockout

Friday’s UFC Tampa Weigh-Ins will air live on FS2 at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT.


Pre-Fight Show on Saturday will also be on FS2

Dominick Cruz and Brian Stann will be the analysts working with Curt Menefee on Saturday on FOX

Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan will be calling the fights

UFC on Fox 19 Picks
from Lootmeister




Glover Teixeira, (-220), 24-4 (14 KOs, 7 Submissions) vs. Rashad Evans, (+180), 19-4 (7 KOs, 2 Submissions)

In the main event, light heavyweights Rashad Evans and Glover Teixeira engage in a 3-round light heavyweight bout. The winner can breathe some much-needed wind into his career. Evans, the former UFC champion, was originally slated to fight another ex-champ in Shogun Rua, who pulled out with an injury. The 36-year old may have an even tougher fight in store against the more prime Teixeira, also 36, who still appears to have a lot fight in him.

The Brazilian Teixeira made a big push from 2006 to 2013, not losing a fight and getting a shot at Jon Jones for the title. He lost that bout and a subsequent fight with Phil Davis, killing some momentum. But in his last two fights, he submitted contender Ovince St. Preux and TKO'd Patrick Cummins, rebuilding some good momentum. A win here could put him in a position to contend again for a title shot. Opponents to Teixeira are forced to deal with a complete MMA product—a fighter who has any number of routes to victory. Teixeira is ungodly strong with an instinctive understanding of the game.

Evans, 36, has not been terribly active in recent years, with 6 fights since 2011. His last fight saw him lose in an upset decision to Ryan Bader in October of last year. That was his first bout in over two years. In total, he has lost 3 of his last 5 fights. And since losing a lopsided decision to Jon Jones in 2012, he really hasn't been a factor in the 205-pound division. He really needs a positive development and it seemed like he could get one with the well-worn Rua, but he gets a tougher test with Teixeira instead.

Both fighters are getting up there in age—both chronologically and in terms of overall mileage and wear and tear. But it might be fair to say that Teixeira is more viable as an overall threat in 2016. You can never underestimate an ex-champion like Evans when his back is against the wall, as it is now. He could surprise with the added urgency and give Teixeira a good go. But in terms of skills and overall hunger, Evans might be in for a tough night. I'm taking Teixeira.


Loot's Pick to Win the Match: I'm betting on Glover Teixeira at -220





Khabib Nurmagomedov, (-700), 22-0 (7 KOs, 7 Submissions) vs. Darrell Horcher, (+500), 12-1 (6 KOs, 1 Submission)

The co-main event of UFC on Fox 19 features a lightweight bout, with unbeaten Khabib Nurmagomedov taking on streaking UFC contender Darrell Horcher. The 27-year old Nurmagomedov is 22-0 and one of the fiercest competitors in the sport. His last win saw him dominate the current champion in this division—Rafael dos Anjos. But injuries have forced him to the sidelines for two years. His welcome back to the octagon was to be a harsh one with perhaps the hottest lightweight in the business in Tony Ferguson, who pulled out with an injury,making this a more-doable return bout.

The one hang in the fence is Nurmagomedov's health. This is a fighter who could be very well be champion if not for a litany of injuries to his knee and back and beyond. We often look at a fighter's speed, power, ground-game, etc. But the ability to hold up physically through the rigors of an MMA career is also a measurable asset and Nurmagomedov has a lot to prove in that area. This fight should go a way towards proving that if he comes through in one piece.

This is a really tough entrance exam for Horcher, 28. This is first UFC fight and having to take on a guy who could be champion for all we know is a tough debut. His only defeat was a decision loss in a Bellator bout in 2013. And no one on his resume really indicates that he will be ready to tangle with a top 155-pounder like Nurmagomedov.

Nurmagomedov has been off for two years and how bankable of a commodity is he with all the injuries? They at least eased him back a little with an organizational newcomer who looks to be a few clear notches underneath the elite level. It's understandable that they want to expedite Nurmagomedov's return to relevancy and this is an easy re-entrance exam for the swarming Nurmagomedov. I see the greater strength, wrestling, and experience of Nurmagomedov getting the job done, likely inside the distance.


Loot's Pick to Win the Match: I'm betting on Khabib Nurmagomedov at -700

UFC on Fox 19 Predictions
from Cage Rank




Evans - Decision
Nurmagomedov - Decision
Machida - Decision
Torres - Decision
Chiesa - Submission Round 2
Swanson - Decision
Dodson - KO Round 3
Correia - Decision
McGee - Decision
Graves - KO Round 2
Ferreira - Decision
Makhachev - Decision
Akhmedov - Submission Round 2

Predictions for UFC on Fox
from The MMA Way




James Picks

Teixeira - Decision
Machida - TKO Round 3
Nurmagomedov - TKO Round 1
Torres - Decision
Dariush - Decision
Swanson - Decision
Dodson - TKO Round 1
Pennington - Decision
McGee - Decision
Makhachev - Decision
Ferreira - Decision
Akhmedov - Decision
Brown - TKO Round 2


Marks Picks

Evans - Decision
Machida - Decision
Torres - Decision
Dariush - Decision
Swanson - Decision
Dodson - TKO Round 2
Pennington - Decision
Ponzinibbio - Decision
Makhachev - Decision
Akhmedov - Decision
Graves - TKO Round 2

Rashad Evans makes his 20th UFC appearance on Saturday.


He's been the main or co-main event in 18 of those fights.

UFC Fight Pass Spotlight: Dodson vs Gamburyan Breakdown
from Dan Tom - MMA Latest News




The UFC returns to Florida as Fight Pass comes strong with five preliminary matches, including a featured fight between John Dodson and Manny Gamburyan. Coming off his second failed bid for the Flyweight Title, John “The Magician” Dodson will be returning to Bantamweight as the TUF 14 winner will have a fresh start in a new division. Looking to halt the magician’s ascension is a man who has fought in many weight classes, as Manny “The Anvil” Gamburyan is currently riding a two-fight unbeaten streak since moving to his new home of 135-pounds.

In a fun stylistic matchup, I expect much of this fight to be contested standing. Starting off on the feet, we have to two power punchers with vastly different approaches. Since debuting with the organization back in 2007, Manny has made clear efforts in tightening up his boxing with the Glendale Fight Club. Instead of wildly throwing right-hand haymakers, Gamburyan will now set up his big punches with feints and improved movement.

The Anvil also has an underrated kicking game that could serve him well in this fight given Dodson’s defensive tendencies. Comfortable with his speed advantage amongst most, John keeps his hands at a slightly lower level. With this being especially apparent upon his exits, we have seen this tendency cost Dodson in his fights with the Champion, and particularly against Zach Machovsky, who landed multiple head kicks in their bout. Although Gamburyan primarily kicks to the legs, he has shown the ability to go high with effect in his match with Michihiro Omigawa.

That said, I feel Dodson should have the on-paper edge in the striking department. Though the magician should have a clear speed advantage, I feel it will be his movement that makes the difference. Demonstrating deceptively efficient footwork, Dodson manages and adapts to distance exceptionally well. Despite wielding explosively dynamic attacks on the offensive, John has developed into more of a counter fighter throughout the years.

Similarly to a smaller version of Chuck Liddell, Dodson will play on the outside along the inner black octagon lines, baiting opponents into exchanges and counter strikes. Looking to land his left hand, in particular, John thrives off of his opposition’s mistakes and eagerness. For this reason, I see Dodson having a stylistic edge over the aggressive Armenian. Although Manny shows improved defensive hand positioning, he still tends to keep his head on center quite often. Traditionally opening up counter opportunities, this habit has gotten Gamburyan hurt and or dropped in 4 of 5 of his last outings.

I feel Manny’s best chances in this fight will be by using his pressure style to make Dodson grapple. Though Gamburyan has a strong clinch game, grabbing a hold of Dodson is much easier said than done. Manny will likely have to lean on his reactive shot to enter space against the speedy magician. Should Gamburyan ground John, the Armenian has tremendous grappling chops & submission skills that could test Dodson. Ultimately, I see John’s notorious takedown defense holding up, as his speed & footwork will likely funnel this fight into his favor.


Official Pick: Dodson – Decision



Preliminary Card Predictions

Dariush def. Chiesa
Pennington def. Correia
Ponzinibbio def. McGee
Swanson def. Dias
Dodson def. Gamburyan
Brown def. Graves
Makhachev def. Dober
Bamgbose def. Ferreira
Akhmedov def. Zaleski dos Santos

UFC on FOX 19 Prediction
from Jack Bratcher - Pro MMA Now



Notes:
Rashad lost a decision to Ryan Bader last October. It was Rashad’s first fight in two years. This fight will give us a better glimpse if the 36-year-old TUF 2 winner still has something left in the tank and if fighting is something he still wants to do or if he’s on his way out. Henderson and Machida both suffered KO losses in their last outings. Hendo can always land the H-Bomb but it’s going to be hard for him to catch the elusive Dragon.


Prediction:

Apparently oddsmakers seem to think Rose Namajunas’s submission game has improved enough that she might actually submit Tecia Torres in their scheduled strawweight rematch. The two first tangled back in Invicta in 2013 and Torres took the unanimous decision. Tecia has won four straight since then, all decisions, while Rose has gone 2-1, with both wins coming via submission. In fact all four of Rose’s wins have been by submission — and all seven of Tecia’s wins have been by unanimous decision.

Tecia is extremely strong and powerful and remains unbeaten at 7-0 and she might just have what it takes to grind out another win over Rose.

UFC on FOX 19 pre-fight facts





Main event

Teixeira has earned six of his seven UFC victories by stoppage.

Teixeira’s three submission victories in UFC light-heavyweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Jon Jones (five) and Renato Sobral (four).

Teixeira has landed 88 percent of his significant strikes in UFC light-heavyweight competition to his opponent’s head, the largest proportion among active fighters in the division.

Evans competes in a main or co-main event matchup for the 18th time in 20 UFC appearances.

Evans competes in his 19th UFC light-heavyweight bout, tied with Jones and Chuck Liddell for most appearances in divisional history.

Evans’ total fight time of 4:00:55 in UFC light-heavyweight competition is most in divisional history.

Evans’ 13 victories UFC light-heavyweight competition are tied with Liddell for second most in divisional history behind Jones (15).

Evans’ six knockout victories in UFC light-heavyweight competition are tied for second most in divisional history behind Liddell (nine).

Evans’ 50 takedowns landed in UFC light-heavyweight competition are the most in divisional history.

Evans’ four split-decision victories in UFC competition are tied with John Howard for second most in company history behind Gleison Tibau (five).




Co-main event


Lyoto Machida (22-7 MMA, 14-7 UFC) is 3-3 since he dropped to the UFC middleweight division in October 2013.

Machida is the only fighter in UFC history to absorb zero strikes in two main events. He accomplished the feat against C.B. Dollaway at UFC Fight Night 58 and Mark Munoz at UFC Fight Night 31.

Machida has earned eight career victories against fighters who once held a title in UFC, Strikeforce or PRIDE.

Machida’s 13 knockdowns landed in UFC competition are tied with Melvin Guillard for third most in company history behind Anderson Silva (17) and Liddell (14).

Machida is one of five fighters in UFC history to earn three or more knockout victories stemming from a kick. Vitor Belfort, Donald Cerrone, Edson Barboza and Daron Cruickshank are the others to accomplish the feat.

Machida has earned a fight-night bonus in four of his six UFC middleweight appearances.

Dan Henderson (31-14 MMA, 8-8 UFC), 45, is the oldest active fighter on the UFC roster.

Henderson is 1-2 since he returned to the UFC middleweight division in January. Overall, he’s 3-3 in the UFC at 185 pounds.

Henderson is just 2-6 in his past eight UFC appearances.

Henderson, at 44, became the oldest fighter in UFC history to earn a knockout victory when he stopped Tim Boetsch at UFC Fight Night 68 in June.

Henderson is the only fighter in UFC/PRIDE/Strikeforce history to hold two titles simultaneously, once reigning as the PRIDE welterweight (183-pound) and middleweight (205-pound) champion.

Henderson has beaten 11 former UFC/PRIDE/Strikeforce champions throughout his MMA career.

Henderson’s 24 victories in UFC/PRIDE/Strikeforce/WEC competition are the second most in the combined history of the four organizations behind Wanderlei Silva (27).

Henderson’s 14 knockout victories in UFC/PRIDE/Strikeforce/WEC history are the fourth most in the combined history of the four organizations behind W. Silva (19), Mirko Filipovic (16) and Mauricio Rua (15).

Henderson has earned 19 knockdowns in UFC/PRIDE/Strikeforce competition, the second most in the combined history of the three organizations behind W. Silva (27).

Henderson lands 87.5 percent of his takedowns from the clinch in UFC/PRIDE/Strikeforce competition. His 48 takedowns landed in the three promotions are fourth most in history by a fighter competing at 183 pounds or heavier.

Henderson’s 31 takedowns landed in his PRIDE career are second most in the now-defunct promotion’s history behind Kazushi Sakuraba (40).

Henderson has suffered 15 knockdowns in UFC/PRIDE/Strikeforce/WEC competition, the most in the combined history of the four organizations.




Remaining main card


Khabib Nurmagomedov (22-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since April 19, 2014. The 728-day layoff is the longest of his more than seven-year career.

Nurmagomedov’s six-fight UFC winning streak in lightweight competition is second longest in the division behind Tony Ferguson (seven).

Nurmagomedov’s 22-fight winning streak in MMA competition is longest among active UFC fighters.

Nurmagomedov’s 21 takedowns landed against Abel Trujillo at UFC 160 are a single-fight UFC record.

Nurmagomedov takedown rate of 7.09 per 15 minutes of fighting is second highest in UFC history behind Patrick Cummins (7.42).

Darrell Horcher (12-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his UFC debut on less than two weeks’ notice against Nurmagomedov.

Tecia Torres (7-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) competes in her fourth UFC women’s strawweight bout, tied for second most appearances in divisional history behind Joanna Jedrzejczyk (five).

Torres three-fight UFC winning streak in strawweight competition is the second longest active streak in the division behind Jedrzejczyk (five)

Torres has earned all seven of her career victories by decision.

Rose Namajunas (4-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) two-fight UFC winning streak in strawweight competition is tied for the third longest active streak in the division behind champion Jedrzejczyk (five) and Torres (three).

Namajunas’ submission of Paige VanZant at the 2:25 mark of Round 5 at UFC Fight Night 80 marked the latest stoppage in UFC strawweight history and the latest stoppage ever in a women’s UFC fight.

Namajunas has earned all four of her career victories by submission.

Namajunas’ two stoppages victories in UFC competition are tied with Jedrzejczyk and VanZant for most in divisional history.

Namajunas’ two submission victories in UFC strawweight competition are the most in divisional history.

Namajunas’ eight takedowns landed against VanZant at UFC Fight Night 80 are single-fight record for a women’s UFC bout.

Namajunas’ 14 successful guard passes against VanZant at UFC Fight Night 80 are a single-fight record for a women’s UFC bout.




Preliminary Card



Beneil Dariush's (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak in lightweight competition is tied for the third longest active streak in the division behind Ferguson (seven) and Nurmagomedov (six).

Michael Chiesa (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) has earned four of his six UFC victories by submission.

Chiesa is one of four fighters in UFC history to earn four or more submission victories via rear-naked choke.

Chiesa’s four submission victories via rear-naked choke in UFC competition are tied with B.J. Penn for third most in company history behind Kenny Florian (seven) and Demian Maia (five).

Bethe Correia (9-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has earned seven of her nine career victories by decision.

Raquel Pennington’s (6-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) two submission victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Ronda Rousey (four).

Pennington has suffered four of her five career losses by decision. Both her UFC defeats are by split decision.

Pennington is one of four fighters in UFC history to earn a submission via bulldog-choke. She accomplished the feat against Ashlee-Evans Smith at UFC 181.

Court McGee (17-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) is 3-1 since he dropped to the welterweight division in February 2013.

McGee is one of three fighters in UFC history to land 100-plus significant strikes in a single fight in two separate weight classes. Nam Phan and Valerie Letourneau also accomplished the feat.

McGee has earned four of his six UFC victories by decision.

Santiago Ponzinibbio (21-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has earned 18 of his 21 career victories by stoppage. He has earned 14 of those finishes in the first round.

Cub Swanson (21-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC) competes in his 18th UFC/WEC featherweight bout, the most appearances in combined divisional history.

Swanson’s 11 victories in UFC/WEC featherweight competition are the third most in combined divisional history behind Jose Aldo (15) and Chad Mendes (12).

Swanson’s six stoppage victories in UFC/WEC featherweight competition are tied for third most in the combined divisional history behind Aldo (nine) and Urijah Faber (seven).

Swanson’s four knockout victories in UFC featherweight competition are third most in divisional history behind Conor McGregor (six) and Mendes (five).

Swanson has been awarded eight fight-night bonuses in his UFC/WEC career, the most of any featherweight in the combined history of the weight class.

Hacran Dias (23-3-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has earned all three of his UFC victories by decision. He’s gone the distance in all five of his UFC appearances.

John Dodson (17-7 MMA, 6-2 UFC) returns to the UFC bantamweight division after a seven-fight stint at flyweight in which he twice failed to capture the title.

Dodson has suffered all six of his career losses by decision.

Manny Gamburyan (15-9 MMA, 6-7 UFC) is to 2-0 since he dropped to the UFC bantamweight division in September.

Gamburyan is one of six fighters in UFC history to earn victories with the promotion in three different weight classes. George Roop, Diego Sanchez, Kenny Florian,

Lucas Martins and Ildemar Alcantara also accomplished the feat.

Cezar Ferreira (8-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) returns to the UFC middleweight division after an unsuccessful one-fight stint at welterweight.

Oluwale Bamgbose (6-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has earned all of his career victories by first-round knockout.

UFC on Fox 19: Preview and Predictions
from Riley Kontek - FanSided






Glover Teixeira vs. Rashad Evans Lyoto Machida vs. Dan Henderson Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Darrell Horcher Rose Namajunas vs. Tecia Torres Beneil Dariush vs. Michael Chiesa Bethe Correia vs. Raquel Pennington Court McGee vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio Cub Swanson vs. Hacran Dias John Dodson vs. Manvel Gamburyan Randy Brown vs. Michael Graves Drew Dober vs. Islam Makhachev Cezar Ferreira vs. Oluwale Bamgbose
Elizeu Zaleski vs. Omari Akhmedov

UFC on Fox 19 Predictions: Tampa Fox 'Prelims' undercard preview, Pt. 2
by Patrick L. Strumberg - MMA Mania




155 lbs.: Beneil Dariush vs. Michael Chiesa

A knockout loss to Ramsey Nijem two fights into Beneil Dariush's (12-1) UFC career gave way to four consecutive victories, setting up a fight with fellow fast-riser Michael Johnson. Dariush ultimately got the nod in controversial fashion, but had to pull out of a January bout with Mairbek Taisumov because of an injury.


He will give up three inches of height to the 6’1" Michael Chiesa (13-2).

In April 2015, Chiesa rebounded from a stoppage loss to Joe Lauzon with a decision over Mitch Clarke, his fifth UFC victory. Eight months later, he squared off with Jim Miller and became just the second man to submit the venerable Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.

Nine of his 13 wins have come by submission, six of them via rear-naked choke.

While I was quite disappointed that Dariush never got to throw down with Taisumov, this is a very intriguing fight. Chiesa’s a deceptively good wrestler and has phenomenal back control, while Dariush has been improving by leaps and bounds under the tutelage of Rafael Cordeiro and the Kings MMA staff.

However, I give the edge to Dariush’s striking and takedown defense.

Chiesa remains a bit slow and awkward on the feet, posing nowhere near the threat that Johnson did. In addition, Dariush ought to have the jiu-jitsu prowess to keep Chiesa off his back until he manages to scramble up. Expect three fun, competitive rounds that see Dariush in enough exchanges and shrug off enough takedowns for the decision win.

Prediction: Dariush via unanimous decision





135 lbs.: Bethe Correia vs. Raquel Pennington

Three straight UFC victories, capped off by a knockout of Shayna Baszler, worked in tandem with persistent trash talk to put Bethe Correia (9-1) on a collision course with Ronda Rousey for the UFC women's Bantamweight title. Talk wasn’t enough, however, and Correia suffered her first-ever loss just 34 seconds into the first round.

She will give up three inches of height to the 5’7" Raquel Pennington (6-5).

A former Invicta and The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 18 competitor, Pennington has alternated wins and losses in UFC, beginning with a decision over Roxanne Modaferri on the show’s Finale. Her 2015 campaign saw her drop a decision to Holly Holm before avenging a loss to Jessica Andrade via second-round submission.

Three of her six victories are by form of choke.

Correia has massively overachieved in her UFC career; even her bread-and-butter (her boxing) lacks any real impact standout technical acumen. Pennington really should have the edge anywhere the fight goes but especially on the ground, where Correia has yet to demonstrate any real aptitude.

Pennington has the size and the grappling to make this a long night for "Pitbull," whom I do not expect to ever reach the heights she has again. "Rocky" puts together her first two-fight win streak since 2012 with a decision victory.

Prediction: Pennington via unanimous decision





170 lbs.: Court McGee vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio

Court McGee's (17-4) two-fight streak at Welterweight came to an end at the hands of Ryan LaFlare, who soundly outwrestled TUF 11 winner for a unanimous decision win in Dec. 2013. Various circumstances kept "The Crusher" out of the cage for almost exactly two years, after which he picked up a decision over Marcio Alexandre Jr.

He has submitted seven opponents and knocked out another three.

Santiago Ponzinibbio (21-3)" reached the finals of TUF: "Brazil 2" before suffering a hand injury, then went on to lose a decision to LaFlare in his promotional debut. "Gente Boa" has since gone 3-1, rebounding from his knockout loss to Lorenz Larkin with a first-round stoppage of Andreas Stahl in Dec. 2015.

He has stopped 18 professional opponents, 12 of them via knockout.

McGee is badly outgunned here -- Ponzinibbio packs some nasty power in those hands of his, has quality takedown defense and can put together some lovely combinations. Then again, this isn’t exactly unfamiliar territory for McGee, who has overwhelmed bigger hitters in the past through his furious pace.

He’s going to struggle to do the same to Ponzinibbio.

In his fight with Sean Strickland, the Argentinian showed that he can stay dangerous and do damage for all three rounds. At the same time, McGee’s style isn’t as debilitating on his opponent as it could be. I simply don’t believe "The Crusher" can slow Ponzinibbio’s assault fast enough or significantly enough to take the decision. Power punching carries the day for Argentina.

Prediction: Ponzinibbio via unanimous decision





145 lbs.: Cub Swanson vs. Hacran Dias

From 2012 to 2014, Cub Swanson (21-7) tore through the featherweight division with furious abandon, scoring four knockouts among six consecutive victories. He’s since fallen into an 0-2 slump courtesy of Frankie Edgar and Max Holloway, both of whom scored final-round submissions on the Greg Jackson-trained product.

This will be his first fight in one year ... almost to the day.

Injuries on both his and opponents’ parts slowed the UFC career of Hacran Dias (23-3-1) to a crawl following his debut victory over Iuri Alcantara, causing him to miss all of 2013. He returned to action in May 2014 with a narrow loss to Ricardo Lamas, followed by consecutive victories over Darren Elkins and Levan Makashvili.

He has stopped 12 opponents overall, nine via knockout.

This fight really boils down to whether Swanson can regain the form he had during his rampage. He’s got a considerable speed and striking edge over Dias, who poses nowhere near the threat that Edgar and Holloway do on the feet. The problem is that Swanson looked worryingly vulnerable to the takedown in those fights and offered little from his back.

This is a toss up, really. Dias is a very capable grinder whom I do not believe Swanson can dislodge should the Brazilian wind up on top. Still, it’s hard to ignore Swanson’s history of violence against less-adept strikers. I say he returns to form with a late stoppage once Dias slows.

Prediction: Swanson via third-round technical knockout

Main Card Odds ... Bovada



Glover Teixeira -210

Rashad Evans +170



Lyoto Machida -335

Dan Henderson +255



Rose Namajunas -205

Tecia Torres +165



Beneil Dariush -165

Michael Chiesa +135



Raquel Pennington -175

Bethe Correia +145



John Dodson -500

Manny Gamburyan +350



Cub Swanson -135

Hacran Dias +105

UFC on Fox Betting Preview
by Justin Hartling - Odds Shark




Glover Teixeira vs Rashad Evans

Both Glover Teixeira and Rashad Evans are looking to remain relevant in a suddenly clogged Light Heavyweight division.

Teixeira is 7-2 since joining the UFC with those two losses coming against Jon Jones and Phil Davis. The Brazilian enters the bout in Tampa coming off two stoppage victories, and a third win will get him one step closer to passing the status of being a gatekeeper. Evans has only fought once since 2013, as he dealt with injuries, and that bout was a largely convincing loss to Ryan Bader.

Teixeira would prefer to keep the fight standing and use his boxing skills. He has one punch knockout power in his hands, but is at his best when he can work his jab and keep his distance. Teixeira also has underrated wrestling skills, but tends to use them more defensively to keep it on his feet. That’s not to say he is uncomfortable on the ground, as Teixeira has a second-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and. Though he is far from flashy, his choke-based submission game is better than most give him credit for.

Evans has always been somewhat underrated, especially with so few fights over the past two years. He has black belts in Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu and gaidojutsu to accompany his Division I wrestling credentials. Those skills combine to make Evans a great fighter at going the distance, with 10 of his 19 career victories coming from the judges.

‘Suga’ had been away from the Octagon for an extended period of time prior to his last bout and it showed. Evans seemed hesitant to pull the trigger in that match and seemingly chose to wait for openings that never materialized instead of creating his own in the striking game.

The biggest wild card is the length of the fight. This fight was originally scheduled to be three-rounds, but injuries changed it to a five-round main event. Both men are good, but spending your camp training for 15 minutes and suddenly needing to be ready for 25 minutes could be difficult.

This fight is going to largely depend on which Rashad Evans shows up. If Evans enters the Octagon looking confident than he can realistically win this fight in most aspects of the game. However, if Evans shows up looking pensive and tentative like he did versus Bader, then Teixeira should easily pick him apart in the standup game.




Rest of Main Card


The co-main event will feature two veterans at the crossroads in their careers. Lyoto Machida has lost three of his past four fights and has been stopped in his last two outings. Dan Henderson is just 2-6 in his past eight fights with his past four losses coming via stoppage. Machida’s karate-based striking is so based on elusiveness that you can see it starting to slow down as he has aged. Henderson is going into the Octagon looking to throw bombs, but his chin has been crumbling for years. These two met back at UFC 157 in what was a largely forgettable bout that saw Machida win an underwhelming split decision victory.



Khabib Nurmagomedov makes his long awaited return to the Octagon by facing UFC newcomer Darrell Horcher. Khabib, who is a perfect 22-0 in his career, is one of the best wrestlers on planet. Khabib’s ability to pressure and suffocate fighters is almost unparalleled. Horcher is better than most people on the internet are giving him credit for. Horcher was probably going to get a call from the UFC soon even if he didn’t get the last minute call up for this fight, as the 28-year-old is 12-1 and is the CFFC lightweight champion. That being said, this should be nothing more than a tune-up fight for Khabib with anything but a complete domination by ‘The Eagle’ being a shock.



Rose Namajunas and Tecia Torres will meet for the second time in their young careers with the winner in prime position for a strawweight title shot. Torres has remained undefeated in her professional career with her aggressive, high volume striking causing fits for opponents. However, Torres did lose twice during her run on TUF when she was suffocated against the cage and on the ground. ‘Thug’ completely reinvented herself when she returned and decimated Paige VanZant in her last fight. Namajunas has grown by leaps and bounds through her young career and has learned how to use her length advantage properly. These two met back in Invicta in 2013 in an exciting fight Torres ultimately won by decision.

Cub Swanson looks to make “beautiful violence” against Hacran Dias
from Nick Strickland - MMA Latest News




Cub Swanson is one of the UFC’s brightest and most dangerous stars but recently has found himself on the wrong side of a two fight skid for the first time in his illustrious fighting career.

Swanson (21-7) will be in action against Hacran Dias (23-3-1) this Saturday night (April 16) in Tampa, Florida and will look to make a statement that will announce he is back and nowhere done with his MMA career.

An 18 fight WEC/UFC veteran Swanson has been involved in some of the most brutal and beautiful fights inside the world famous octagon and has been awarded seven post fight bonuses thanks to his killer instinct. The featherweight standout was on the cusp of a title shot but after back-to-back losses to Frankie Edgar back in November 2014 and Max Holloway in April last year the 32-year old Palm Springs native is looking to start his climb back to the top all over again.

The win streak that includes six of the toughest names in the UFC was no fluke. Swanson has some the most brutal stand up skills in the division and his wins over George Roop, Charles Oliveira, Ross Pearson and Dennis Siver are perfect examples of that. With 15 of his 21 professional wins coming by way of stoppage, Swanson is no slouch on the ground either.

It has been nearly a full year since we last saw the exciting fighter duke it out inside the octagon thanks to a mixture of injury rehabilitation and personal growth. He suffered a both a broken thumb and a broken jaw in the loss to Holloway. Now seemingly fully recovered all eyes are on Hacran Dias and creating what Cub calls “Beautiful violence” to ensure his victory over a tough well known opponent.

“I’m just going to go out there and try to be the best me possible – try to get back to being creative, striking and striking hard,” Swanson told mmajunkie, “I’ve been working a ton on my wrestling.

“With the last two fights, it just made me want to get back to either stopping fighting or evolving to be a better fighter – and that’s always been my goal from Day One. I think he’s a great opponent for me to do that. I think I’m the better man, and I just have to show it.”

UFC on Fox 19 Newcomer Breakdown: Darrell Horcher
from MMA Odds Breaker


Prior to each UFC card, Jay Primetown takes a close look at debuting fighters. In the latest installment, we look at lightweight Darrell Horcher as he makes his UFC debut welcoming back undefeated title contender Khabib Nurmagomedov to the UFC after nearly a two year absence from the Octagon.



Darrell “The Saint” Horcher
Hometown: Shermansdale, Pennsylvania
Age: 28
Height: 5’10”
Reach: 72”
Weight Class: Lightweight
Camp: Unrivaled Athletics
Career Record: 12-1
Key Wins: None
Key Losses: Phillipe Nover



Background
The former high school wrestler turned MMA fighter enters the UFC on the back of a fight winning streak. The Pennsylvania bred Horcher is the current CFFC Lightweight Champion.


Strengths

• Aggressive, action first fighter
• Throws with volume and decent pop
• Underrated counter striker
• Good overhand left

Weaknesses

• Striking defense needs work
• Takedown defense is decent, but will struggle against strong wrestlers
• Not able to do much when put on his back

Match-up against Khabib Nurmagomedov
There’s no easy entrance into the UFC, but this is certainly as difficult as debut fight as there is. Horcher has shown to be a good counter striker with above average power in his hands. Horcher’s best chance in this fight to land in the very opening exchanges and stun his undefeated opponent. Horcher has hurt opponents quickly in fights before, but as he’s moved his way up the regional ladder that’s become increasingly difficult. The last seven fights he’s been in have all seen a third round. That’s not a good sign against one of the best lightweights in the world in Khabib Nurmagomedov. The Dagestani fighter returns to the UFC after nearly a two year layoff in the cage. While it’s tough to tell just how dominant “The Eagle” will be in his first fight back, one thing we do know is that he’s an excellent MMA wrestler with so much variety in his takedowns. In top control he’s relentless and smothers opponents. If Horcher is unable to clip Nurmagomedov in the opening seconds of the fight, it won’t be long before the American is on his back with Nurmagomedov smothering him on the mat. Even with a less than 100% Nurmagomedov, look for one way traffic in this bout for either a wide decision or a late stoppage.


UFC Ceiling
While Darrell Horcher’s debut match-up is as difficult as it gets inside the Octagon, there are certainly things to be optimistic about in terms of his Octagon viability. Being a southpaw creates a few extra wrinkles for opponents, so that’s an advantage right off the bat. Combine that with being a solid counter striker with good pop in his left hand and he has the ability to be a tricky match-up for a lot of opponents in the lightweight division. He will need to improve his defensive wrestling, but there’s reason to believe he’ll stick around in the UFC.