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UFC Winnipeg is here, and brings fans a clash of two former UFC Champions.
Ex-UFC Welterweight titlist Robbie Lawler headlines the event against former UFC Lightweight kingpin Rafael Dos Anjos. Veterans such as Ricardo Lamas and Glover Teixeira return to action, while another marquee matchup on the main card is Mike Perry vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio.
Additionally, the undercard also features several notable matchups. So, without further ado, here are the predictions & preview for UFC on FOX: Lawler vs. Dos Anjos—
Indian fans can watch UFC on FOX: Lawler vs. Dos Anjos Live & Exclusive from 6:30 am, Sunday, December 17th
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Main Card (FOX)
#1 Robbie Lawler vs. Rafael Dos Anjos
Lawler has a career worthy of the UFC Hall of Fame, however, the current version of the Ruthless one is incredibly battle-worn. Lawler is the better striker of the two in this fight, with significantly better boxing and incredible one-punch KO power.
Nevertheless, Dos Anjos is the fresher fighter here and has less miles on his body. In both their respective primes, Lawler would’ve likely demolished RDA, but after the insane wars he’s been in with the likes of Johny Hendricks, Rory Macdonald, Carlos Condit and others, Lawler’s durability seems to have taken a huge hit.
Look for Lawler to have his moments on the feet in this matchup, particularly at boxing range. Regardless, RDA is likely to outpoint Lawler with his high-volume style of striking, and eventually overwhelm Lawler by catching the latter with a crisp combination to the Ruthless one’s dome.
Prediction: Rafael Dos Anjos def. Robbie Lawler via TKO
#2 Ricardo Lamas vs. Josh Emmett
Ricardo Lamas is one of the top Featherweights in the world today.
Lamas is leagues better as regards being a well-rounded Mixed Martial Artist, as compared to Emmett. Look for Lamas to control the pace of this matchup—both out-striking and out-grappling Emmett.
Lamas could very well finish this fight, however, Emmett is tough as nails and could survive until the final bell.
Prediction: Ricardo Lamas def. Josh Emmett via Decision
#3 Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Mike Perry
Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Mike Perry will probably be the best fight of this card—the most competitive one, to be specific.
Mike Perry is one of the best strikers in the UFC today, and is criminally underrated owing to his antics outside the Octagon. Perry’s timing and distance is what really sets him apart from the rest of the pack in the UFC 170-pound division.
He’s likely to use Round 1 in order to gauge his foe’s distance management patterns and get his timing down. Following which, he’ll time Ponzinibbio coming into boxing range; countering the latter with a trademark ‘Platinum’ Perry left hook.
Prediction: Mike Perry def. Santiago Ponzinibbio via KO
#4 Glover Teixeira vs. Misha Cirkunov
Glover Teixeira has only been beaten by the top Light-Heavyweights in the world, while Cirkunov is somewhat of the same.
Teixeira is older and has a ton of MMA miles on his body, but can still finish any fighter on a given night. On the other hand, Cirkunov suffered a brutal KO loss to Volkan Oezdemir, and will look to get back on track to a UFC title shot, by besting Teixeira.
Look for Teixeira to keep his distance from the younger fighter, gradually frustrating the latter. Teixeira is then likely to take this fight to the ground, by hitting a snatch single leg, following which, he’ll submit Cirkunov with ease.
Prediction: Glover Teixeira def. Misha Cirkunov via Submission
Preliminary Card (FOX Sports 1)
#1 Jared Cannonier vs. Jan Blachowicz
Jared Cannonier is a great athlete, and although his striking may not be as technical as Blachowicz, the former can indeed finish a fight on the feet just as he could on the mat.
Look for both fighters to play safe in the early going. Cannonier is likely to sway the judges in his favour with his impressive grappling skills against the relatively lacklustre wrestling of the European Blachowicz.
Cannonier will do enough to walk away with the victory across the scorecards.
Prediction: Jared Cannonier def. Jan Blachowicz via Decision
#2 Julian Marquez vs. Darren Stewart
Julian Marquez is a good fighter, however, the individual departments of his MMA skill-set are a tad rough around the edges, so to speak.
On the other hand, Darren Stewart is the typical run-of-the-mill MMA scrapper, who’s decent at every aspect of combat but doesn’t really specialize in a specific striking or grappling art.
Stewart just seems to have it together, as regards maintaining and executing a game-plan during the chaotic situation that is a fight. Stewart is likely to keep his feisty foe at the end of his straights, and run away with this one on the scorecards. Make no mistake about it, Marquez is no pushover either, but presently, Stewart seems to be slightly better at maintaining a good balance of his overall MMA skills.
Prediction: Darren Stewart def. Julian Marquez via Decision
#3 Chad Laprise vs. Galore Bofando
Chad Laprise is a decent technical brawler, so to speak, and is considerably efficient both on the feet as well as on the mat. On the other hand, Bofando is still relatively unproven against top-tier competition in MMA.
Laprise is likely to take this one; putting on a striking clinic on Bofando. The former could realistically stun Bofando, before likely choking him on the mat.
Nevertheless, Bofando is a considerably tough fighter, and is difficult to put away. Laprise likely wins this fight by way of a clear-cut decision.
Prediction: Chad Laprise def. Galore Bofando via Decision
#4 Nordine Taleb vs. Danny Roberts
Nordine Taleb has criminally underrated KO power in his hands.
On the other hand, Danny Roberts is one of the more steadily improving fighters, albeit still not on Taleb’s level. The latter will control this matchup; dinging Roberts from long range.
This fight could very well go into the latter half of Round 3, but Taleb’s accurate striking and consistent boxing combinations will help him find that kill-shot late in the fight.
Prediction: Nordine Taleb def. Danny Roberts via KO
#5 John Makdessi vs. Abel Trujillo
Makdessi tends to plant his feet and swing for the fences in almost every fight. On the other hand, Trujillo may do the same, but does have the acumen to pull out of range if he finds himself getting tagged in the pocket.
Trujillo also has a vastly underrated grappling game, while Makdessi is somewhat of a rudimentary striker and grappler. Trujillo will push the pace in this matchup, and tag Makdessi at will.
Look for Trujillo to overwhelm Makdessi on the feet; rock the latter and finish him by way of submission on the mat.
Prediction: Abel Trujillo def. John Makdessi via Submission
#6 Alessio Di Chirico vs. Oluwale Bamgbose
Every Oluwale Bamgbose fight either has him winning in violent fashion or him getting schooled after gassing hard.
Di Chirico doesn’t have the defensive striking in order to weather the early storm and make Bamgbose gas. Look for the latter to overwhelm Di Chirico early, and finish the Italian with a barrage of strikes.
Prediction: Oluwale Bamgbose def. Alessio Di Chirico via TKO
Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)
#1 Jordan Mein vs. Erick Silva
Jordan Mein and Erick Silva were once viewed as future UFC Champions.
Nevertheless, both fighters have fallen on hard times in recent years, and Silva seems to have regressed more than Mein. The Canadian has always more technical and disciplined with his striking than Silva, and on fight night, it’ll show.
Look for Mein to pick Silva apart at a distance, and out-strike the latter, frustrating Silva early and often. Mein is likely to put on a kickboxing clinic in this matchup, en route to a vicious TKO over Erick Silva.
Prediction: Jordan Mein def. Erick Silva via TKO
