UFC ~ Paris (Noon start)
- Thread starter mrpickem
- Start date
mrpickem
SDQL Badass Stat Boss
UFC Paris: Prelims
- Egger ITD ...Egger’s pressure and physical advantage should be plenty to bowl over Perez. It won’t be pretty, but Egger’s confidence in her chin will see her walk down the undersized Perez and bully the Argentinian debutant. The armbar specialist may well seize another underwhelming highlight reel.
- Taha KO ...DWCS winner, Quiñonez, has the tools to beat Taha. Quiñonez’s range and accuracy could pepper Taha’s head which sits firmly on the center. Unfortunately, Quiñonez likely lacks the fight-IQ to keep the fight on the outside. We're likely to see a battle on the inside, with Taha’s superior durability and comfort in the pocket eventually finding the light switch.
- Saint-Denis Early Sub ...Mr Durable, Benoit Saint-Denis gets a very winnable match-up. On the feet, Miranda cannot crack Saint-Denis’ chin nor consistently out-strike. There is more of a toss-up on the mat as both men are willing to throw caution to the wind in pursuit of a sub, but the Frenchman is cleaner in all areas.
- Imavov KO ...An explosive striker, Buckley's a physical beast beset with technical flaws- of particular note, is his penchant for eating head kicks. Buckley may struggle to pin Imavov on the inside, owing to Buckley’s leaky TDD and Imavov’s shrewd decision-making. Considering Buckley’s flailing gas tank late and predictable striking patterns, Imavov has to be favored to eventually find the finish.
- Ziam ...Figlak leans heavily on boxing and will face an uphill battle getting inside Ziam’s length. The undefeated Pole carries substantial power and could punish Ziam on the rare occurrence that Figlak sneaks inside, but not ‘one-shot’ proven quality. Figlak’s higher volume and tempo could swing the judges, but Ziam feels safer to back with cleaner, less risky work from the outside.
- Magomedov Decision ...Magomedov is a bit slow for Middleweight, but compared to Stoltzfus, he's greased lightning. With his imposing size, experience, and strong wrestling base, he should get a debut victory. Stoltzfus is well-rounded however and should prove resilient to the end.
mrpickem
SDQL Badass Stat Boss
Not sure why they changed the card and moved this one up to prelims, will be next after Ziam fight
Almost a year and a half out of the octagon since his last victory over Ignacio Bahamondes, the clock is ticking Makdessi. At 37, and entering the octagon cold against a notably faster opponent, don’t be surprised if this is finished brutally in the opening exchanges. Makdessi has proven slick defensively and may pose the same puzzle as Bobby Green, which Haqparast failed enormously to crack. Age and ring rust appear too glaring to avoid, imho.
- 2/4.50 NASRAT HAQPARAST KO,TKO,DQ,SUB +225
- 2/0.82 NASRAT HAQPARAST -244
Almost a year and a half out of the octagon since his last victory over Ignacio Bahamondes, the clock is ticking Makdessi. At 37, and entering the octagon cold against a notably faster opponent, don’t be surprised if this is finished brutally in the opening exchanges. Makdessi has proven slick defensively and may pose the same puzzle as Bobby Green, which Haqparast failed enormously to crack. Age and ring rust appear too glaring to avoid, imho.
mrpickem
SDQL Badass Stat Boss
UFC Paris: Main Card...
CHARLES JOURDAIN(13-5-1) VS NATHANIEL WOOD(18-5) ~ Featherweight (145)
- Wood ...The move to Featherweight was necessary for Wood, yet it may well still prove an athletic bridge too much to handle. Jourdain is an immensely dangerous striker, owing to his unorthodox strike selection and furious aggression. Wood’s pressure should keep Jourdain uncomfortable in the opening round, but there's always be an underlying danger that Jourdain finds the big shot. Although distant, the loss to Andre Fili and the draw to Joshua Culibao remains stark in memory.
- Gomis ...A powerful, exciting kicker, Gomis’ movement will cause Errens major issues. If Errens waits for Gomis to fall into the pocket with a wild combination, the Dutchman will be offered ample opportunities to wrestle, but Gomis has shown solid grappling chops as well. A closely-matched bout with two high-octane prospects that should descend into madness, basically a coin flip.
- Kopylov Decision ...Kopylov excelled on the regional scene as a volume striker who thrives as the naturally larger physical competitor in the cage. Now that the athletic gap has been bridged since he arrived at the UFC, Kopylov is far more gun-shy in the face of return damage. Di Chirico represents a decent tactician and attempts to work opponents on to kill shots, yet the Italian rarely leads a fight. Kopylov is best set to push blistering early pace, leaning on high volume, preventing Di Chirico from gaining a foothold in the fight.
- Imavov KO
- Whittaker ...Vettori has added a layer of slips, angled entries and educated combos to his striking. That isn’t to say Vettori should rely on his new tools, yet it does mean he can hang around with most MW’s – especially considering his granite chin. Marvin may well provide enough of an early puzzle to threaten a split decision W. But, I'll still back The Reaper, although I do expect a tough series of trades with Whittaker opening and closing exchanges, yet Vettori catching the former champion with clean single-shots in between.
mrpickem
SDQL Badass Stat Boss
UFC Paris: Main Event
CIRYL GANE(10-1) VS TAI TUIVASA(15-3) ~ Heavyweight (265)- Gane ITD ...Gane won’t have to fear a wrestling threat from Tai Tuivasa. Instead, the major worry will spring from Tuivasa’s knack for lulling opponents into big strikes. Greg Hardy walked with a naked chin onto a heavy counter, yet Derrick Lewis was broken down in a toe-to-toe striking affair. Gane should prove too masterful with his use of angles and strike selection to be troubled by Tuivasa on the outside, yet Bom Gamin can linger at striking distance once he has an opponent pressed to the cage. The clinch may be an area that is exploited by Bom Gamin. Tai enjoyed great success in the clinch during his early UFC run, bullying Cyril Asker and Rashad Coulter with knees and elbows. Against Gane, an athletic specimen who is extremely wily in the clinch, it's an area that Tuivasa may fail to avoid. It is also difficult to see Tuivasa effectively cut off the cage against the fleet feet of Gane. On the outside, peppering away with kicks, Tuivasa’s fleshy body provides a clear target leading to a probable late finish.
mrpickem
SDQL Badass Stat Boss
[9-6 +8.14u]
Even though Gane is the prudent play, I'll back Tai at these odds as even Gane ITD is -200. This way I can root for the crazy Aussie and be guaranteed a decent return on the day. Tai isn't very technical but still has a puncher's chance and a granite chin to help him. If Cyryl gets the finish I can't see it early, probably 4 or 5 but Tai can't win at any time with a big shot. Let's go...should be fun.
- 1.15/5 TAI TUIVASA +433
Even though Gane is the prudent play, I'll back Tai at these odds as even Gane ITD is -200. This way I can root for the crazy Aussie and be guaranteed a decent return on the day. Tai isn't very technical but still has a puncher's chance and a granite chin to help him. If Cyryl gets the finish I can't see it early, probably 4 or 5 but Tai can't win at any time with a big shot. Let's go...should be fun.
