UFC 9/5/2020
PRELIM FIGHTS
De la Rosa vs Araujo - tough call, should be a good scrap, look for rosa to dominate in clinch and up against the cage.
ROSA - DECISION
Muniz vs Fabinski - another close one... look for the younger muniz to pus the action while fabinski looks to slow crawl his way to a decision.
MUNIZ - SUBMISSION - RD 1
Rogério de Lima vs Romanov - don't let the record of the younger fighter fool you, Romanov has not faced talent in his career... while Lima may have some losses stacked up, they're to elite fighters like Stefon Struve and Ovince St Preux... If Romanov gets the takedown it's lights out, but I expect to see Lima avoid the early onslaught before pummeling a gassed Romanov.
ROGERIO DE LIMA - KO RD 1
Cole Smith vs Hunter Azure - both fighters like to leave these fights in the judges hands and don't expect different here.
SMITH - DECISION
MAIN CARD
Alistair Overeem vs Augusto Sakai - not even difficult... Sakai simply is nowhere near the level of and has not earned a fight with a man who started fighting in 1997 and has been active since... this is a gift of an easy bounceback fight for overeem, who suffered an absolutely obliterated upper lip in the last second of a 25 minute fight his last time out.
OVEREEM - KO - RD 2
Ovince St Preux vs Alonzo Menifield - I like OSP but he is a 50/50 fighter... Menifield has wins in Bellator, Dana White's Contender Series, and the UFC, and he's still an up and comer... as the younger man, I expect Menifield to outlast OSP on the feet and frustrate his takedown attempts.
MENIFIELD - KO RD 2
Pereira vs Imadaev - both have back to back losses in the ufc, but for Imadaev those are his only ufc fights... I expect to see Pereira dominate on the feet with explosive action including flying knees, spinning elbows, and other unorthodox offense... don't blink!
PEREIRA - KO RD 1
Jalin Turner vs Thiago Moises - expect action in this one, at least from Turner... Moises will look to take this fight to the ground, even if it means pulling guard... if Turner can keep it on the feet, he'll score a tko victory, but he'll have to wisely avoid going to the ground with Moises at all costs.
TURNER - KO RD 2
Brian Kelleher vs Kevin Natividad - I see Kelleher exploited the inexperienced Natividad... anything could happen on this one, but I expect Kelleher to surprise and overwhelm Natividad with sheer explosiveness.
KELLEHER - KO RD 1