UFC 191 preview and predictions

UFC 191 will be a firecracker of an eventUFC 191 takes place this Sunday. The main event is a flyweight championship bout between long time champion Demetrious Johnson and his most high profile competitor, John Dodson.The co-main event features a highly anticipated heavyweight fight between two legends, Frank Mir and Andrei Arlovski. Mir is experiencing a career renaissance while Arlovski is on the cusp of a title shot.Rising strawweight star Paige VanZant also has a fight against Alex Chambers. Anthony Johnson will look to put his recent troubles behind him as he takes on Jimi Manuwa and Jan Blachowicz will face off against Corey Anderson to round off a stacked card. This promises to be an exciting fight with tonnes of heart stopping action.

#1 Demetrious Johnson vs. John Dodson

DJ will defend his title against John Dodson

DJ is a bit of a paradox. On one hand, he is the UFC’s least popular champion. Low attendance figures and PPV buy rates normally accompany his name at the head of a card. On the other hand, he is arguably the best fighter in the world.

Much like Jose Aldo needed Conor McGregor to elevate him in the eyes of the casual fan, DJ needs an adversary to help his stock rise. The UFC hopes that John Dodson is that man. Unlike the quite, down to earth champion, John Dodson is a flamboyant trash talker who isn’t afraid to run his mouth. He hasn’t been holding back in the lead up to the fight, constantly saying he’s going to kill DJ.

Dodson is an explosive striker, capable of devastating knockouts. Dodson made his UFC debut by beating current bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw at the finale of TUF 14. Since then, his only defeat in the UFC has been against Demetrious Johnson some 2 and a half years ago. Dodson will have to be ready to defend takedowns and scramble as often as required to prevent DJ from getting the dominant position in the fight. Keeping the fight standing and forcing DJ to exchange with him is his best bet to win this fight.

The champion, on the other hand, will want this fight to go anywhere but on the feet. There is no question that Dodson packs a meaner punch and DJ would be foolish to stand toe to toe with him. However, DJ is probably the most well-rounded fighter in the UFC. He has outwrestled all of his previous opponents and will be confident of putting on a similar show against Dodson. It is perhaps the lack of excitement in his fights that makes

DJ so unpopular but any true fan of MMA appreciates just how great he is. After all, a lot of people thought Royce Gracie was boring back in the nineties. The greatness of Johnson will perhaps only be truly recognised once he has retired.

Prediction: - Demetrious Johnson via Unanimous Decision

#2 Andrei Arlovski vs. Frank Mir

Andrei Arlovski is on the cusp of a title shot

Had this fight happened 2 years ago, it would have been seen as a bit of a farewell tour. The renaissance both men have experienced since then cannot be understated.

Arlovski was resigned by the UFC in 2013 and has been on a three-fight win streak. His most recent win was against his close friend Travis Browne. The fight against Browne is rated as one of the best fights this year. Arlovski has firmly placed himself in the title picture and should he get past Mir, he could very well find himself fighting the winner of Werdum and Velasquez.

Arlovski is a proficient practitioner of Sambo and kickboxing. He has the ability to outwrestle and outstrike his opponent. His big weakness, however. is his Jiu Jitsu, especially against someone like Mir. He is only a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and will have to avoid surrendering top position during the fight.

Frank Mir is a black belt in Jiu Jitsu and has famous submission wins over some of the best heavyweights in the game including Brock Lesnar. After being beaten by Alistair Overeem in February last year, Mir was on the verge of retirement. The loss to Overeem was his 4th in succession. It would be 12 months before he would enter the octagon again, to face fellow legend Antonio Silva.

Mir knocked Silva out in the first round breathing new life into his fading career. Last month, he beat up and comer Todd Duffee via TKO in the first round to turn his career around completely. From writing obituaries, people are now penning lyrics to his resurgence.

The question remains, however, how will Mir’s ageing body handle the stress of two fights within a month and a half of each other. He isn’t a spring chicken anymore and the miles are beginning to tell. The fact that Arlovski is a wrestler only hurts him. It will be interesting to see if he has one last hurrah left in him. A win for Mir could propel him back in the title mix for a shot at the gold, one last time. A win for Arlovski almost guarantees him a title shot.

Prediction: - Andrei Arlovski via TKO, Round 2

#3 Anthony Johnson vs. Jimi Manuwa

Rumble will look to put his recent problems behind him

This fight couldn’t have come at a better time for Anthony Johnson. His latest domestic issues have once again led to questions about his character and whether he deserves to have a spot in the UFC, let alone a high ranking one.

Johnson is the heavy favourite coming into this fight. His knockout power is second to none and it was only in May that he was facing Daniel Cormier for the light heavyweight championship. Despite being outwrestled by Cormier, Johnson showed signs of maturity inside the octagon, even though the same maturity may be lacking outside of it. The quick turn around and expected win will push Johnson back to making another run for the title.

Alexander Gustafsson is the only man to have beaten Jimi Manuwa. Manuwa’s last fight was against Jan Blachowicz, a fight he won via unanimous decision. Despite having an impressive 15-1 record, Anthony Johnson is a step up in competition. Manuwa may not be ready for such a step.

The 35 year old has also had a lot of wear and tear inflicted on his body and lacks the energy of Johnson. While this may be a high profile fight for Manuwa, expect it to end in similar fashion to his fight against Gustafsson

Prediction: - Anthony Johnson via TKO, Round 2

#4 Jan Blachowicz vs. Corey Anderson

Jan Blachowicz will have to have his wrestling defenses up on Sunday

The second Light heavyweight fight on this card, Jan and Corey face off hoping to rise above the underwhelming build up to their fight. It’s pretty obvious that this is the least interesting card on the card with no big name attached and no real implications for either fighter going into the fight. There is still a possibility that this could turn out to be a great fight.

Jan is a good fighter, who, despite his age, has a decent career ahead of him and has the potential to become even better. He was beaten by fellow UFC 191 fighter Jimi Manuwa in his last fight and will be looking to rebound against Corey Anderson. Jan packs a mean left hand and can switch stances at will. He has the ability to open up angles for himself to work his striking game to its best end result.

Corey Anderson, on the other hand has a solid CV. A former amateur wrestler, Corey fine-tuned his grappling under the tutelage of the legendary Renzo Gracie. Despite his poor showings on TUF, Corey is a lot better than most people make him out to be. While Corey is slow in scoring takedowns, once he has you down, it is very difficult to get free. He has raw power and can throw combinations that will have his opponents seeing stars.

Corey needs to score a takedown and grind out a decision. Jan, on the other hand, will look to backpedal from the slow takedowns and unleash his hands.

Prediction: - Jan Blachowicz via Split Decision.

#5 Paige VanZant vs. Alex Chambers

Paige VanZant will look to continue her rise against Alex Chambers

Out of all the fighters on this card, none is more highly favoured to win than Paige VanZant. The 21-year-old is a budding superstar who has said repeatedly she wants a slow climb to the top rather than an immediate title shot.

Despite not being ranked in the top 5, after the champion Joanna, VanZant is the most recognisable strawweight in the UFC. Her potential is limitless and though comparisons to Ronda Rousey might be a tad premature, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if that is how far VanZant does rise.

Alex Chambers isn’t a ranked fighter. None the less, Chambers will go out on Sunday believing she can win and derail the VanZant hype train. Chambers has beaten Kailin Curran, the woman VanZant struggled against and despite struggling during the Ultimate fighter, she has a very respectable 5-2 record.

Paige VanZant’s most recent victory over Felice Herrig showcased her ability to pressurise her opponent. Despite being physically smaller than Herrig, VanZant dominated her at will, forcing her to the ground when she wanted and forcing her to exchange on the feet when she pleased. Her energy levels rival that of Diego Sanchez and she does an excellent job of mixing her grappling and striking together.

Chamber’s cardio isn’t the best and that will be her undoing here. VanZant will set and maintain a high pace throughout the fight and Chambers will struggle to keep up.

Prediction: - Paige VanZant via TKO, Round 2