MAIN CARD
DONALD CERRONE v. JUSTIN GAETHJE
I remember giggling in anticipation when this fight was announced. There is a 0% chance this fight is boring. There is a 0% chance this fight won’t be electric. This is a fight you should not look away from. Cerrone has the most wins, finishes, and bonuses in UFC history. Cerrone has stepped into the octagon with some of the best fighters in lightweight history, and several great welterweights too. Cerrone’s insane activity, this will be his 4th fight of 2019, has made him a huge fan favorite. He is one of my favorite fighters of all time. It’s impossible to not love Cerrone.
In comparison, Gaethje is still relatively new to the UFC. He has only made 5 walks to the octagon in the 2+ years since he joined the UFC. All 5 of those fights did not reach the judge’s scorecards. He also won a bonus for each of those 5 fights. He was a World Series of Fighting lightweight champion. Seventeen of his twenty wins come by way of TKO/KO. Gaethje has quickly become a fan favorite too. This has fight of the night and fight of the year potential.
Cerrone being so active tends to work against him. This is his 3rd fight in 4 months. Those fights were brutal. He beat Raging Al, but it was a 5 round decision and he ate some good shots. Then Tony Ferguson beat him up so badly in 2 rounds that doctor stopped it before round 3 because his eye was shut. Taking this fight shortly after that battle is a decision I would not have made for him. I am a little worried for Cerrone here.This is a tricky matchup for Cerrone. Cerrone is a notorious slow starter, and doesn’t always handle pressure fighters to the best of his ability. Gaethje is a fast starting pressure fighter. If it gets past the second round, Cerrone will have the advantage. I don’t think it will go past the second round.
Justin Gaethje by 1st round TKO
GLOVER TEXEIRA v. NIKITA KRYLOV
Glover has been fighting a lot smarter his last couple of fights. He realized his chin isn’t what it used to be and has been taking fights to the ground more often and lets his strong grappling and wrestling do the talking. He still has the knockout power, but uses it to open up a takedown. Krylov is a young fighter to watch. He is a fun fighter to watch, all of his fights, win or lose, have been finished. He has won a lot more than lost those finishes. His style can be a bit reckless, which may not work against experienced and more technical fighters. This fight should be an exciting one.
Glover Texeira by decision
TODD DUFFEE v. JEFF HUGHES
Todd Duffee hasn’t fought since losing to Frank Mir in 2015. At one point Duffee was one of the most hyped up prospects in the heavyweight division. He was pushed to the top too quickly. He faced Alistair Overeem in his 8th fight. He fought Mir 4 fights later and hasn’t fought since. He comes back to face Jeff Hughes. Hughes is a Dana White Contender Series alumni and lost his UFC debut to Maurice Greene in March 2019. Duffee had sick knockout power. Hughes isn’t great at anything, but is solid at everything. He trains with Stipe Miocic so he does train with the best of the best.
Jeff Hughes by decision
MICHEL PEREIRA v. TRISTAN CONNELLY
This fight is weird. Tristan Connelly took this fight on a week’s notice. He usually fights at lightweight but took this fight at welterweight. Pereira is a big welterweight, that walks around at 200 lbs. Pereira missed weight. He is going to be a lot bigger than Connelly. Connelly is a submission specialist and is a great grappler. Pereira is an insane striker that got a UFC contract by getting on UFC’s radar with crazy striking in a win. He jumped and flipped off the cage. Flip strikes. Calling Pereira’s striking unorthodox would be a massive understatement. I think size will matter in this fight.
Michel Pereira by 1st round KO
URIAH HALL v. ANTONIO CARLOS JR.
This is a classic striker v. grappler matchup. Uriah Hall was one of the most dynamic strikers when he joined the UFC roster. He had electric knockouts on his season of The Ultimate Fighter. Eleven of Uriah’s fourteen wins come by way of TKO. He has faced some of the better middleweights in the UFC. He hasn’t been able to beat the top of the top. He has been able to beat the mid tier middleweights. Antonio Carlos Jr. is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu specialist. Eight of his ten wins come by submission, with other two wins being by decision. Uriah Hall is in almost no danger to be knocked out. Hall has never been submitted either, so Carlos Jr. is going to be trying to do something that has not been done before.
Uriah Hall by 2nd round TKO
MISHA CIRKUNOV v. JIM CRUTE
Misha Cirkunov is coming in losing 3 of his last 4 fights. Those losses were to tough competition, Volkan Oezdemir, Glover Texeira, and Johnny Walker. Those aren’t losses to be embarrassed about. But, he was finished in all 3 of those losses. That is not good. He has to feel pressure to get a win here or he might be released. Jim Crute is an undefeated prospect from Australia. He got a contract from Dana White Contender Series, and has gone 2-0 in his first two UFC fights. Getting a decision win over Paul Craig, then followed that up by TKOing Sam Alvey. Crute has impressive power. Can he keep Cirkunov’s strong grappling game at bay? I think Cirkunov might succumb to pressure and try to get a big win here. That could play into Crute’s strengths.
Jim Crute by decision
PRELIMS
MARCIN TYBURA v. AUGUSTO SAKAI
Marcin Tybura by 2nd round TKO
COLE SMITH v. MILES JOHNS
Miles Johns by decision
BRAD KATONA v. HUNTER AZURE
Brad Katona by 2nd round submission
CHAS SKELLY v. JORDAN GRIFFIN
Jordan Griffin by decision
LOUS SMOLKA v. RYAN MACDONALD
Louis Smolka by decision
AUSTIN HUBBARD v. KYLE PREPOLEC
Austin Hubbard by decision
FIGHT OF THE NIGHT
DONALD CERRONE v. JUSTIN GAETHJE