We breakdown and give our picks for the card top to bottom for #UFC256.
UFC 256 Fight Picks
- Early Prelims:
- Featherweight – Chase Hooper vs Peter Barrett
- Prelims:
- Women’s Strawweight – Tecia Torres vs Sam Hughes
- Featherweight – Gavin Tucker vs Billy Quarantillo
- Lightweight – Renato Moicano vs Rafael Fiziev
- Featherweight – Cub Swanson vs Daniel Pineda
- Main Card:
- Heavyweight – Junior dos Santos vs Ciryl Gane
- Middleweight – Kevin Holland vs Ronaldo Souza
- Women’s Strawweight – Mackenzie Dern vs Virna Jandiroba
- Lightweight – Tony Ferguson vs Charles Oliveira
- Flyweight – (c) Deiveson Figueiredo vs Brandon Moreno
Transcript
Mason Shatwell: All right, we are back with another pix video um. We are joined by a familiar face now he’s been on before mason chatwell um. He is the uh, the co-host of the sport sports podcast. He interviews lots of fighters um up and coming fighters and ufc fighters. He’S interviewed guys like sam alvey, we’ve talked about him before, but uh, but yeah. If you haven’t check out his stuff, very, very good interviews and uh and yeah we’ll jump right into it. Um we are here for the ufc, 256 figure, arrow versus moreno, picks, um. We are doing all 10 fights um, we lost another one and who knows by the time this video goes out. We might lose a couple more or less hope. No, it’s a it’s a decent card, though like overall, i think it’s one of the better ones top to bottom that we’ve seen in a little while, assuming we don’t lose any more uh, the main event or the main card, especially there’s a lot of really good Talent on there, i, like it, um man your thoughts on the card as a whole. I agree with you that i’m really looking forward to this card top to bottom. I think e we’ve got the upcoming stars in chase hooper fighting and then we’ve from the top we’ve got devinson figuerado and at the moment he’s on a tear at the moment and i’m sure we’ll get on to well we’ll get on swim towards the end. But yeah i’m really looking forward to this card. Did you get that poster recently and did you attend that event? Um i’ve had it for a while. I didn’t attend the event. Unfortunately, but i, when the ufc next comes over to the uk, i’m gon na be making sure i’m there yeah have you have you ever attended an event? Um, not ufc. No, oh man. It’S i’ve attended two both in uh, canada and uh. Obviously fight nights. I’M not from one of the bigger cities in canada, but it is uh. It’S something special man it just the the feel for it at the arena is is different. I really really like i still like watching them at home, because i like dissecting it being able to see every individual punch um as fans, though i think i think it is important to kind of get out there and at least attend one event. But there’s nothing like watching it at home. I really don’t like watching an arena. I don’t like watching a bar, i like being home alone, with a glass of of whatever i’m drinking that night and just sitting down and dissecting it yeah. You can’t. You can’t be being at home and watching the fires, like you say you can sit there and enjoy the fights, but also pay close attention to them, see what fighters weaknesses are and obviously like. The shows like we’re doing now, adjust your picks in the future. Yeah yeah definitely all right, we’ll jump right into it. Um. This is a guy i’ve spoken to before um and pete barrett um. I like him. A lot he’s got a lot of experience um. I know his only have he only has 15 fights, but the guy’s been around he’s he’s fought on the new england regional scene for a very, very long time. He trains with guys like joe lozan and that whole gym is, i mean stacked. Obviously, we know what joe lauzon is capable of and chase hooper who has a lot of hype. He didn’t look amazing last time out, but uh, that being said, man, the guy, is so young and and he’s got a bright future ahead of him. Well, who do you have winning this fight? Well, first of all, as you said, trains with the guys like joe lowe’s on and as you say, we know what joe can do. We’Ve seen it over the years and anyone that’s training in his company and the guys he trains with they’ve got to be very talented, to say the least, but with chase hooper. I really do enjoy watching this young guy he’s well, unfortunately, last time out it didn’t go his way. He didn’t look great, but i’ve got a feeling now he’s lost his first fight, he’s gon na be more determined than ever to get back in there get the win and get a dominant performance as we’ve seen in his fights before he can submit. You can tkill you, you can finish the fight, how he pleases and i think it’s going to be quite a competitive fight. I think it’s gon na be quite technical. I think, but i’m going for a chase super decision. Yeah, it’s it’s a close one. It’S really hard to pick this one, because i really feel like we haven’t seen either one of them fight, elite level, competition, obviously barrett lost to zalal um. But given the circumstances around that fight – and we know how good zalala is it’s kind of like yeah – he lost a he lost to a good good opponent, but um we haven’t seen them in the ufc long enough to know what they’re capable of they both lost. Last time out, chase hooper’s win, obviously, is against um uh tamer, who for me, isn’t a ufc level level fighter um, and this is the younger tamer. The featherweight tamer is not very good um, but anyway, um yeah, i don’t know uh. This is a this. Is a tough fight, but i i what i do know is: if you can go the distance with a guy like youssef, solal uh, there’s a good chance, you can go the distance with chase hooper, so i do think pete barrett’s gon na win this. I think he’s gon na be able to to keep chase hooper off the ground, be able to to jab him stay at range. The one thing about chase hooper is: if it goes to the ground, you know he’s got the ability to put you away. The problem is pete barrett’s training with joe lozan. You know and there’s not much that that chase hooper can offer him on the ground that joe lozan can’t. So i think uh just based on the fact that he’s training with joe lowe’s on specifically for this camp. I think he’s gon na go in having the right game plan he’s going to have the good looks he’s going he’s going to be able to say you know what i’ve i’ve trained with guys better than chase chase hooper on the ground, which gives him a lot Of confidence um, so i do think pete barrett’s gon na win it. I think he’s gon na win by decision yeah. I wouldn’t i wouldn’t be surprised. If that happens, i think this fight could could go either way. Obviously, as you say on the ground, naturally chase will have the edge but pete’s training, with the guys like joe loweson, so obviously he’s gon na be well prepared in that sense, but yeah i wouldn’t be surprised if barrett pulls out a decision. Yeah, that’s the thing about these. These these um, these main fights like the the pay-per-view fights uh opposed to fight nights. I find fight nights are often lopsided like you look at it. You’Re, like okay, this guy is going to win like it’s almost obvious, but with with pay-per-views, it’s usually very competitive fights from top to bottom and it starts right away. That’S a very competitive fight and it’s a hard it’s a hard one to pick um and then we’ll jump right into this next one tasha torres um, obviously angela hill test positive for kobe. She is out, and sam hughes steps up on like less than a week’s notice uh to face one of the best fighters at 115.. Um your thoughts on first off her taking the fight tisha, accepting it and then obviously the the matchup well, the map well go. First, the match up. My prediction is going to be a bit wild because i i i always fancy an underdog on both women, except in the fight you you got ta give the credit to some for accepting a fight against someone like t shir on short notice, but many people forget The other person is also accepted to the fight on short notice. Whether or not there was training before sam hughes is a different fighter to the woman see she was supposed to be fighting and, as we know, fights can go either way. I i’ve got huge respect for both women for taking a fight on short notice, and i would like to say i’m looking forward to this, but the other women’s fight on the card. I’M looking forward to it quite quite a bit more, but i think this it’s got the ability to be as full out war, but it also does have the ability to be a 15-minute lackluster, no disrespect to the women. But i think it’s got the ingredients to go more towards the lackluster, just because it’s short notice that both women won’t be fully prepared for each other and i’ve just thrown the name. I’Ve just gone for sam hughes decision just for as a betting perspective as a betting for the underdog yeah, i think from a betting perspective. This may be one that you know might be worth throwing sam hughes’s way, because you know it is a different opponent. How many times have we seen guys or girls, accept a fight on short notice and lose because of the style stylistic differences um, however, because of um, because of the fact that sam hasn’t been training, i guess maybe she’s probably been training, but not for a fight. Yeah, i do feel like if she’s gon na she’s gon na get it done it’s gon na be early. I mean a lot of like justin james, for example. He went in there and won within the first 30 seconds and i think that’s the the key for these people. Stepping up on short notices is get it done, early um, so cardio isn’t tested and what not? That being said, tasha torres has never been finished and she’s fought jessica, andraz, johanna, jean jack weylie, zhang, marina rodriguez. That was her four fight losing streak like those those women are all killers and uh. She wasn’t finished in one of those fights, she’s never been finished and i think that’s going to favor tasha. I think the way for sam hughes to get it done is to to finish tisha, and i don’t think you can so i do think tisha is gon na she’s gon na do what she does and she’s gon na grind it out and she’s to win a Decision, i don’t think she’s going to be able to finish sam hughes, just given the fact that she hasn’t had time to prep for, but i do think tisha’s experience is going to go a long way and i think she’s going to win that fight with a Decision 100 i’ve, i’ve. I just went for sam hughes from a betting perspective. I just i just don’t think this is going to be one of the best fights on the card just based on the fact. It’S a really short notice fight. I do, i do believe t-shirt went, but i’ve gone first, some just from a betting perspective. Yeah i mean we have to commend tisha win or lose because she had so much to lose. Going accepting this fight. She just had a huge win over brianna van buren she’s, one of the the best 115 in the world, and she could be fighting anyone from amanda ribas, michelle waterson any of these girls that are ranked that could move her up the ladder and in fact she Accepted a short notice, fight against someone who’s, not even in the organization, so a lot of props to her. She has everything to lose in this fight um, so i i hope she gets it done just based on the fact that i don’t want to see her lose that you know you ha. I respect the fact that she took the fight, and for that reason i you know, i’m rooting for i’ve always been a fan of her um, but uh. It’S it’s a tough fight, though, like any time you take a fight on short notice. You could lose it’s. We’Ve seen it so many times like luke rock holds the best example of it. You know anybody doesn’t matter if you’re the champion of the world, you accept the fight on short notice, even if you’re better than the fighter anything can happen, um and uh. I i don’t know it’s a close one, and this is a this is one that might be worth betting on the underdog for 100, like, like you say, luke rock code’s, a prime example of being a bet, no disrespects bisping, but he was a bet, but he Is a better technical fighter than michael bisping, but coming in on short note, is both guys but preparing for some, like rock holders preparing for someone like weidman. He then faces completely different fighter in bisping and it doesn’t always pay off your way. Yeah absolutely um, then we’re going to jump into the one that i’m dying to watch. I think this is fight of the night for sure um, partially, because gavin tucker, i say it every time i have an interview and i mention gavin tucker. He lives like across the street from me. Um i’ve had the invite to go train at this gym every time. I look at him. I i’m like okay, i can’t go to the gym like it’s just like he scares me so much like. I would not want to spare that man um. That being said, i got to get over it and just go out there and train with gavin tucker, but gavin tucker versus billy uh they’ve been asking to fight each other for what seems to be like two or three years now, and they finally get it. So, who do you have winning this one? Well, i’m i’m really looking forward to this fight. I i do i do like watching billy, i think he’s gon na eight fight win streak he’s not lost, obviously in eight fights i think his last fight was on the contender series, or i think i think it was the contender series but gavin tucker. I do really like watching him he’s very, very powerful guy, very fast, very technical. I think on the night it it comes down to who comes out better. Both guys have the ability to defeat each other um again, i’m rick. I do. I do think this is going to be. I agree it’s going to be fight of the night. In my opinion, i i just think it’s i think it’s going to be an all-out brawl. I’Ve gone for gavin took a third round, tko yeah, i’m it’s such a hard fight like it’s such a hard fight to pay. Billy quarantillo has so much momentum right now he’s on a he’s on a tear he um. He looked unbelievable. I thought against spike carlisle um gavin tucker, for me he’s just one of those guys. That’S always there like it doesn’t matter you could be. I saw it like when you fought rick glenn. I’Ve never seen someone get beat so bad, but he didn’t go away. He was always there he’s always in the fight he’s, so tough, mental, mentally and physically, and that’s the hardest thing to teach. You can’t coach that, and it makes me proud to be – you know, even mentioned in the same sentence as him from the same community when that a guy like that is across the street from me um. This is one where i’m 100 biased. Obviously, i’m rooting for kevin tucker um. That being said, billy quarantillo is very, very good and i think um you saw it against justin james for gavin tucker. He got caught, he gets caught early um, but he can power his way through it and you can get it done late. So i do think that’s the the key here is weather that early storm and turn it on later in the second round and then the third. I do have gavin tucker via decision um, but i wouldn’t be surprised if corantillo got it done either um. So it’s it’s a close one. This one for me is a toss-up, but because of bias, i’m going gavin tucker yeah, like you say i would. I wouldn’t be surprised if billy gets this one, but i do believe tucker has the grit and the determination to pull it out. I think i think it will go far. That’S why i’ve gone for the further on tko and then we have a almost the opposite match up. So we had two people who are very, very good on the feet very, very um, solid boxing, and then we have two two girls who are unbelievable on the ground. I think the two best in the division – um uh, verna, gandy robo, looked unbelievable last time out. Um when she finished it was felice herring, right, yeah, felice, herring, um and mackenzie dern. Obviously we we know what her credentials are in jiu, jitsu, she’s rolled with gabby garcia who’s got what a hundred and almost 200 pounds on yeah. So so that we’re not even joking, if you don’t know who gabby garcia, is uh. Look her up. She’S, like 265 pounds, um and very, very good um and mackenzie dern weighs less than half of that and rolled with her so um. This is exciting. One um, but i do think mackenzie durns stand up, has improved drastically. She’S, looked very, very good on the feet. Her only loss is to amanda ribas who’s, also very dangerous on the ground, so this could be very similar where jandy roba’s submission defense may be able to nullify mackenzie dern’s offense on the ground and vice versa. So i think this one might actually end up playing out a lot more on the feet and i do think mackenzie dern has a slight advantage there and i think she’s going to win. I don’t think she’s going to be able to put away jaundy robot, but i think this is going to be like a very sloppy uh three-round fight on the feet and i do think mckenzie during gets it done. Well, i i agree with the result. I think mckenzie then gets it done by the decision, but i think both women are gon na go go for it on the ground, unlike the other women’s fight. This is the one i’m really looking forward to both both women, great jiu, jitsu artists and, i think they’re. Both black belts, i think, and whenever you get too talented, jiu jitsu artists can go either two ways: it’s a masterclass on the ground or sloppy on the feet, depending on the striking skills but yeah. I think, like, like you say, each woman’s defense and offense on the ground may throw each other off and make it a sloppy fight on the feet. But i think i think both women will go for it on the ground and i agree with the result with you. That’S why i’ve gone for a mackenzie by decision yeah. I think this is going to look a lot like um ben askren and damian maya on the feet. It’S just going to be not not amazing, on the feet, but when it goes to the ground, it’s going to be exciting um. The only thing is, i think both these girls are more talented than been asking on the ground in terms of jiu jitsu, so i think they aren’t going to be able to submit each other, and i think that’s what makes this very fun um it’s like. If, if you love jiu jitsu, this is as exciting uh as a francis in ghana, derrick lewis type fight like this, it really is um. These are two of the best of the best on the ground um. So i’m really looking forward to this one. I think this one um, whether or not it’s exciting, like it doesn’t matter. It’S always like i’m gon na look back at it afterwards and i’m gon na be like. Oh, that was not. That was an ugly fight, but while i’m watching it, i’m gon na be so entertained because you don’t know, what’s gon na happen when two girls are this good on the on the ground, it really only takes one little mistake to have an arm snatched up or A neck, who knows so, it is really exciting. I’M really looking forward to this, just because the abilities of it potentially go into a master class on the floor and, as you say, i think both of them are more talented in the jiu jitsu sense than ben ascarin. And i do really think it’s going to be a really exciting fight again agree with you during the fight, we’re probably going to think it’s a really good fight. Looking back on it we’re going to think we’re as good as before, but either way as long as we enjoy it during the fights happening. That’S all that matters yeah yeah absolutely, and then we have the the uh the headliner there in the for the prelims – and this is unbelievable – i mean the records cub swanson has and the fact that guy’s still fighting says so much about him is his mental toughness. Um and daniel pineda man i mean the guy – is a veteran um. Obviously he was competing outside the ufc had a very, very good performance. Last time out and now he’s back and getting thrown at cub swanson. How many times have we had people like? Oh go ahead: fight, cub swanson, you beat cub swans and you’re in the top 15. artem lobobob do ho choy. The list goes on and on um gracie, like all they do, uh is throw them at cub swanson and he continues to put them away. Um. You know your thoughts on cub swanson and then the match up i’ll. I love cub swanson, but i do think he’s past his prime as we know but yeah. I i’m i’m glad that he well. I want to say the words glad, but i’m still happy to see his name on a card. I think for the better of him. It’S probably one or two more fights, and then it could be the end. But as a fans perspective, i think it’s great that we’re still seeing a legend in the sport fighting but again the guy’s fighting, daniel pineda he’s legend and he’s alright sure this is his second stint with the ufc and he’s he’s first fought in the ufc. A long time ago and yeah, i think, daniel’s on a five five fight win streak. Both guys have the ability to play each other away this one. I don’t know it’s a bit: i’ve thrown a spanner in the works here. I’Ve gone with a daniel pineda second round submission, but i would not be surprised at all if cub swanson gets the win yeah this one, this one’s hard um, because we know what cub swanson is capable of doing on any given night i mean the guy is A warrior in every sense of the word he hasn’t had the best six fights. I think he’s lost five of his last six, but i mean the guys he’s faced have been warriors. Like i mean you look at the let’s look at the list. Here i mean jake shields who injured him in that grappling match. He beat chrome gracie before that shane burgos, and not to my condo frankie edgar and brian ortega. Like those four guys, there are unbelievable um, hinata moicano also competing on this car, but that was at a time when hanako mykano was a threat for the belt at 145, so and he he lost to burgos via split. So it is a. It is a very, very competitive, matchup, daniel pineda, i mean in his own right since leaving the ufc. His only losses are to emmanuel sanchez via split and georgie karakaian uh, dr stoppage, because i cut so it’s it’s a hard one man and i i really do think daniel pineda had he not been cub swanson could have he could be. I think he could be a top 15 fighter and i i think cub swanson as well – and i just it sucks – to see two veterans like this fight, because one of them is going to lose so much steam um. But i don’t know my heart’s, leaning, cub swanson, my brain’s saying daniel pineda and uh. I got ta, stop trusting my heart and i’m going daniel pineda. I do think he gets it done. I don’t think he’s gon na be able to finish cub um. I think when you fight a guy like cub, swanson or frankie edgar, one of these guys, one of the hardest things to do is to to not to not respect them and that’s what i think it takes to finish these guys. If you have cub swanson hurt, but you respect them, you’re not going to go in for the kill, and so many guys respect cub swanson, and i do think that uh, it’s gon na be a decision and i think daniel pineda will win it um. I think it’s gon na be like he’s gon na win. It comfortably like two rounds to one, but it’s gon na be obvious uh that he won so um yeah. So i have daniel pineda uh, be a decision um, but i love cubs yeah. I wouldn’t be surprised if cub does pull out a decision win. I just think both guys think they both have the ability to be top 15 fighters, but i think they both passed. The prime, i don’t think they’re getting title contention, but i do agree with you saying top 15 more than a possibility, but the guys the both fought in the past just shows the caliber of fighters. They are and, as she said, about cubs losing five out of these last six, the guys he lost against nothing to be ashamed of brian ortega, the likes of that it’s nothing to be ashamed of, but it’s fine, i’m looking forward to, but at the same time I’M not because it’s going to be ashamed, as you say, one of the fighters lose so much steam yep and then we’ll jump right into the main card. This is where the fun fun begins here. I really think this main card is probably one of the better main cards of the year altogether um and we’re starting off with junior dos santos, obviously a legend in his own right future hall of famer. The guys he’s faced his finish over fabricio over doom probably still gives verdu nightmares like the guy is, has a hell of a win streak he’s, but right now he’s struggling. He really is he’s he’s going through a rough patch, but he’s faced three killers. Um opposite him: we’ve got cyril gaine who’s. Only six fights into his career looks unbelievable every time he fights, but his junior dos santos too much for him. What do you think? I think, as you said, junior de santos he’s a legend in the sport. I do think it’s his time now to hang up the gloves, he’s that said a great career for former champion the wars with kane the fight with fabrizio all all the fights is that even the ones he’s lost. A lot of them are great fights, and i am looking forward to this, but on the part of cyril gaine, because i always love seeing new up-and-coming prospects come through. But it is a shame to see him fight. Someone like junior de santos, just because, if he loses it will be hard to watch because i’ve i’ve loved growing up watching junior santos. He in the heavyweight division he’s one of the many names that will be remain remembered for the for a long time. Hall of famer definitely but cyril, gaines, six and oh he’s, obviously one off all fans. He can submit you and he can knock you out. I’M i’m really. I am quite worried for the santos in this one because i just think the power of game is going to be quite quite a lot for him. I don’t think he’s going to be able to handle it, i’m going for a several game. First round, tko yeah. This one’s a hard one, because when you have an undefeated fighter, even though he’s only 6-0 he’s never faced, anybody like jds, it’s kind of like a hamza chamaya right, like he’s, got so much hype. We’Ve never seen a flaw in his game like um. So how do you, how do you say he’s gon na lose like? I can’t give you a reason like the only way i can think of is jds knocking him out, but he’s never been knocked out, so it’s so hard to uh to kind of root it. I’M not root against him but predict against him, and for that reason i have serial gain winning. That being said, i wouldn’t be surprised if jds went out there and started like i wouldn’t um, because we know what jds is capable of and we’d just be like. Okay, cereal gain too much too soon, but without knowing where his limit is it’s so hard to pick against him and uh. For that reason, i have serial gain. I think that uh he’s got he’s, got more tools right now, jds has is struggling and as soon as you hit that point and you start going downhill, usually you don’t come back up. I know andre arlovski just had that win. Uh kind of they’re, both kind of in a very similar spot. I think, where they’re, both struggling but um, if they get the right match up, they can pull out a win. I don’t think serial games that match up. I think cyril gaine is very, very talented. I thought he looked unbelievable against tanner bowser wasn’t able to get bozer out of there, but nobody does toughest canadian outside of gavin tucker. I think so um so yeah. I i really do think cyril gaine gets it done. I think he’s gon na be able to finish jds just like everybody else, but like i said i wouldn’t be surprised if jds was able to do it. No, and as you know it, whenever anyone’s fighting a heavyweight, the weight behind them is going to be converted into a lot of power. Both guys do have the ability to knock each other out. That saying that i do think serial gain is going to be the guy to do it, but, as you say, i’m i would not be surprised at all. If jds pulls out a stature and then we have a middleweight uh fight. That is, i might this one’s really really exciting: um kevin holland versus jacare, so obviously the they switched opponents. So this is a relatively recent matchup, only a few weeks old, so not a whole lot of time to for either opponent to kind of study the others game plan. I guess and build a strategy around it, so i like that more it just it makes it makes for a more exciting matchup, usually kevin holland, arguably fighter of the year. If he gets this um he’s looked unbelievable he’s calling out everybody he’s fighting guys that hasn’t have no business even being there with him. What he did to buckley was unbelievable, obviously charlie on tavaros. Last time but jacare i mean legend of the sport. We talked about the jiu jitsu master class of mackenzie dern and john diroba nobody’s got better jiu jitsu in the ufc other than maybe damian maya than jacare uh, the guy’s a fourth degree black belt. I mean the list goes on and on on the feed. He has so much power your thoughts on this one um. I can’t wait for this one to be honest with you, i’m a big fan of kevin holland this year, four fights so far. Four wins: three finishes. The only fact that’s been questionable is his fight against daniel stewart, which a lot of people thought darren won, but the only matter only thought that mattered on the night was the three judges and it did go to kevin holland’s way. So now we got ta look past that fight he’s. He look. He looked good in his last fight against charlie antaveros. I can’t wait for this. Like you say, jack ray legend in the sport, probably like say apart from damien meyer, the best jiu jitsu artist in the hall of the ufc fourth degree back black belt. I i love watching both guys. I do think it’s coming to the end of jacare as well, because i just think he’s had that many fights i just don’t know how he’s going to be able to keep it up this year, he’s been quite unfortunate. I’M sure he’s had two fights with uriah hall canceled due to the kobe pandemic, and i would have loved to see them fights up materialized. Hopefully it does before jacquarie ends up retiring, but this fight. I think i think it’s got ta go kevin. Holland’S way. I don’t see jack. The only way i see zachary pulling out is potentially a submission, but i don’t know if he’s going to be able to get kevin in there. Just i think kevin’s power is going to be really on point in this one and i’m going for a kevin holland, third round tko, just because uh, just how we’ve seen him this year, a lonely very powerful guy, so yeah i’m going for the third tko. It’S hard, this one’s a difficult one because um we don’t know where jacare is at he’s taking so much time off. It’S been over a year. Obviously the fight fell through with briar hall. Then the marvin matory mix up now he’s got kevin. Holland um. But you look at his last. I mean he’s very similar to uh, who was that we talked about that was on a losing streak. Just talked about them. Um jds, yeah with a level of opposition, is crazy. I mean he lost a split to jan blakovich. Last time out – and we saw what yon can do, yon is now the light heavyweight champion um jack hermansen before that kelvin gastelum split, but he beat chris weidman. He beat derrick brunson tim boach. The only time he’s been finished recently was against robert whittaker. Back in 2017 and robert whitaker finishes everybody not named israel, sonia romero, essentially so he’s facing the best guys in the world. That’S um. It’S bound to happen that he’s going to lose some of these fights and they’re close kevin holland with all due respect to kevin holland. He hasn’t he doesn’t have the resume of a chris weidman or a jack manson or blahovich. Yet so i don’t it’s hard for me to kind of say you know what kevin holland is going to go out there and win his last two fights were charlie ontavaros and buckley. The buckley one now looks impressive, but uh. The level of opposition for me doesn’t doesn’t give me enough reason to think he can beat jack right. I do think jacare um wins it on the ground. He’S got more power. I think the problem is: will kevin holland frustrate him with his antics right? If he can keep him at range, get him frustrated uh. He might be able to win this fight um, but i i really think jacare is gon na be able to get it to the ground. It’S three rounds he’s got time to get him to the ground. All it takes. Is he hurts kevin holland once it’s? You know it’s over on the ground, i think so i have jacques ray sosa, winning it um and i do think this is do do or die for him. I mean you saw what they did with yol romero like doesn’t matter how good you are if you’re 44 you’re out, like so um. I do think this is due for do or die, and i think he’s going to go out there and and get it done. Well, as as you mentioned romero, if, if you’re that age, it doesn’t matter how good you are you’re gon na get caught and, as we know, dana’s said, there’s around 60 fighters being caught and i’m sure that’s happening quite soon, and no one, no one’s safe from This really there’s a lot of talk to the likes tyron woodley going robbie lawler, but jack ray that, like you say, this is do or die if he if he doesn’t win. I do believe this is the end of the ufc career for him and then, if he loses the us, if he loses and then he’s out of the ufc, i don’t. I don’t even see someone like bellator, i think maybe bellator, but i don’t know if jack ray will want to continue after the ufc, but if, if he loses, i think this will be his last fight yeah. I do too. I really think this is one that he has to win um, but it’s not his fault, i mean he’s tried to fight just other stuff has happened and cancellations and he hasn’t been able to so um man. I i really hope he gets it done, because i i think he’s one he’s been one of the scariest middleweights the past five six years. No one’s wanted to fight jock right before yo. Well, it was chakra. Chakra was a guy. No one wanted anything to do with and uh to see him end his career like this, like a long layoff after a split decision to yawn and then losing to kevin holland, i think it would it would suck um and i don’t think he deserves it. I think he really is a very talented fighter still and hopefully uh. Hopefully he gets it down and gets to stick around 100. Then we have hinata moikano, who we’ve mentioned a little bit before um he’s facing rafael, fizzyev physique. I don’t know as i have. I don’t know how to pronounce his name striker versus grappler, exciting um, who do you have one in this one? I’Ve actually got physio. I just think he’s very powerful, multiple stopping tricks where he’s quite but quite fast, puncher as well. I like both guys, but i think this is going to be one of those where physio is going to pull it out, i’m going for a physio second round tko. I just think you can be too powerful and too quick for it. I have it the exact same way. I i really do like my kano. I think if it goes to the ground, my khano can win. Uh, physios or physio’s only losses to a spinning back fist, early and hinata moicano is not going to do that. So um not only does rafael fazia train at tiger muay thai, which is one of the best striking gyms in all of mma, he’s a head coach right. So he’s the head coach of striking for uh, valentino shovchenko peorian, alexander volkanovsky man. I mean, if he’s their head coach and we know what they can do on the feet. Um he saw what he did against mark diacy. He like practically did the limbo to avoid a kick like. It was ridiculous um. So i think, on the feet, there’s only one fighter winning this and all fights start on the feet. So i have i have his eye of winning it agreement. As you say, he’s the head coach tiger thai the the likes of valentine’s chevrenko, petty on alexander volkowski training there and, as we’ve seen that then people are great some of the best strikers in the game. So if you’ve got their head coach in that gym fighting, then you just know he’s going to be a talented guy, yeah yeah, his striking is next level. I think he’s there as a striking coach, which just says so much i mean if you, if you’re the striking coach at the best muay thai gym. It says a lot about what you can do on the feet and i don’t think he’s been able to kind of fully display is what he’s capable of doing. I mean the guys he’s faced mark there. Casey is very, very good on the feet as well um. So when he’s facing someone who may not be at that level on the feet, i think we’re gon na really see what he’s capable of, and i think he’s gon na put on a master class and get it done. I couldn’t agree with you all right and then the most exciting fight um i’ve seen in a while um charles oliveira. We know how exciting he is the second. It goes at the ground. He’S uh he’s a ninja down on the feet, they’re on the ground and his striking has improved incredibly and he is facing probably the most exciting lightweight uh. Ever in uh tony ferguson, i think i like his style a little bit more than justin gaichy, the early justin gaiji. I just think the fact that he’s so good his scrambles he’s uh he’s so much fun to watch um. So tony ferguson, charles oliveira, who do you have one in this one? Well, i can’t wait for this fight. Obviously, the return of kakui tony ferguson last time out did take one hell of a beating from genji but yeah. Whether that’s gon na affect his performance. Now i don’t know, i’m not gon na lie at the start of the week. I had charles oliveira winning this, but after seeing tony throughout the week on on the videos and interviews, i can’t i can’t back against him. I just think a guy. That’S that confident and how well he doesn’t even have a head coach, so he must be confident in his own abilities. He seen today on the ufc embedded series uh. Today’S episode he’s he’s gone to a trampoline place and gone jumping about so, if you’re doing stuff like that on fire week, you must be more than prepared. So i i can’t wait for this one. I think it’s. I think this. This has the potential to be fight tonight also, but it also does have the ability to be a free round slugfest, but i don’t think it’s gon na be like that. I think it goes to the ground. Charles oliveira will have the advantage, but on the feet tony does, but i think it’s gon na be a mix-up of both. I think it’s gon na be. I do think it’s gon na be close, but i think tony ferguson is gon na get the decision. I was charles oliveira like you, but i was charles over all week up until about i don’t know noon today and i was i had a. I had a light bulb moment like tony ferguson’s been hurt in so many fights right like kevin lee adam and mount anthony, pattis uh lando vanada, like he’s been in so many vulnerable, vulnerable positions where, if he gets there, charles oliveira wins. I think charles oliveira, if he has tony ferguson, hurt he’s going to submit him um and, like he said, charles oliveira on the ground, is no slouch either he’s got the advantage there, where i gained a lot of respect for tony ferguson was the justin gaichy loss, Like if he can go through that amount of abuse for that long against a guy like justin gaiji and the referee jumped in there, he didn’t go down. It ended with tony er, with tony essentially just on his feet, turning the other way because he couldn’t take any more damage, but he didn’t go down and i think that says a lot about how tough he is um. So i don’t, i don’t think he’s gon na get hurt. I don’t think he’s gon na get rocked and charles oliveira on the feet is not as skilled as as tony tony’s gon na go in there and throw elbows he’s gon na cut charles up uh. If it goes to the ground and tony’s on top he’s gon na throw elbows the whole time like so if charles alvarez gets them to the ground and charles alvarez on top, i think charles is all available to submit him, but other than that. I think tony tony will be able to get it done. I i think tony will be able to finish him um. So i have second round tko tony um. Charles oliveira’s streak is very, very impressive, but i think the only fight on there of note is kevin. Lee i mean as much respect as i have for jerry, gordon i i don’t. I don’t see them as quite the level of of a tony ferguson, so i just i think tony will get it done. I really do, but it’s it’s a tough one. Whoever the underdog is can take my money because i think this one could go either way, but i just have tony yeah. I agree with you. I think i wouldn’t be surprised if charles oliveira could submit tony, but i think with that, if tony does lose this fight, i don’t know what’ll be next for him, but if charles oliveira does submit him, i don’t think antonio tap yeah. I don’t think that’s all tony o’tap, but i just think i think we’re in for a war here, no matter what, if it goes to the ground or if it’s on the feet it obviously we know charles oliveira has got the advantage on the floor, but tony Fixes no slouch on the ground. He will be able to give a good fight on the floor, but charles oliveira will have the advantage, but yeah i’m going for the tony decision and then last fight. Um, quickest turnaround for a title fight says a lot about davison. It’S like, i don’t care about the belt. Just let me fight – and you know guys like that are scary, but someone else who has that exact same mentality is brandon moreno, um. I’Ve been back and forth on this one too um. Who do you have for this? One well um. I can’t again. I can’t wait for this one, just because it’s well three weeks since both guys last box, they both fought on the last show i was on ufc 255 and spoke about. I think i think i predicted against barry and i won that one. I didn’t think he was going to get past robot but yeah, so he did it in great fashion and now he’s got the title fight. He deserves dana riva said on the night. They’Re gon na keep both guys over here and they’re gon na fight in december, and this is what’s happening so far. Hopefully, the fight stays on and doesn’t fall due to covey, but i don’t think that will, but i’m just hoping for a full-out war, denison figuredo, what one of the best fighters in the flyweight division we’ve seen in a hell of a long time. This will be his fourth fight this year, he’s had the two fights against benavidez and now alex perez, and now he’s fighting alex brandon mourinho. I just think it’s going to be a really good fight, mourinho’s going to bring the fight to him as well, but i just think the speed and the power of figure out it was going to be too much. I’M going for a third round tko for defensive figuring yeah! It’S it’s a hard one, because i think it goes one of two ways where it’s the first two and a half rounds. I think favor davidson um, he’s so explosive um. You saw it against alex perez like all right, i’m just gon na shoot for your leg, like that thing like it’s, it’s ridiculous, like one second he’ll be completely still and then we’ll just lunge out and and finish a guy. That being said, brandon mourinho uh, not to mention the guy, is from, i think the country with this toughest people, mexico um, he’s never been finished as a professional. His only fit has only lost via stoppage was on the contender series uh. He has losses to pantoja and sergio pettis, but they were decisions and i think the longer this goes, the more it favors brandon moreno um. He doesn’t seem to have cardio issues, guys who are explosive tend to um and i think uh. I do think the fact that brenda moreno doesn’t usually get finished has a hard time being finished, isn’t going to favor davidson. So i wouldn’t be surprised if brandon moreno wins us, i have brandon mourinho. I had brandon mourinho all week. I’Ve said it yesterday on a call with vince morales. As i said, brandon moreno is gon na upset or i guess uh come in here and and uh and get the upset win. So i have to stick with it. Um, but davidson figueroa is a monster uh. The guy is unbelievable um, i think he’s the best champion they’ve had since um demetrius johnson. I really do. I think he beats henry cejudo, which is a crazy statement um, but i do believe that brandon moreno can weather the early storm and i think he’ll get it done yeah. I agree with you there. It’S a bold statement, but i do believe figaretto is better than henry cejudo, but brandon moreno and i agree. I wouldn’t be surprised if he pulls off a decision when based on his cardio, and these two losses was to sergio and then the other guy, and they were both fire decisions. So he’s got no problem with growing the full distance. I know they would have been 15 minutes wrong, but a guy that’s training for a world title fight. He shouldn’t have any problem with going an extra 10 minutes, but i just believe the power and the speed is going to be too much for brandon. But again, i would not be surprised at all if brandon pulled off the victory yeah and what i like about it is neither one took much damage last time out like they were both quick finishes, so they’re fresh right like um. I know the weight cut. Isn’T an issue for brandon it may be for davidson, so i’m also throwing that in there davison’s a lot bigger um, he has more weight to cut um. The quick turnaround may not favor him as well. So, taking all those things into consideration, i do have brand moreno winning and usually when title holders have quick turnaround, it doesn’t usually end well. So i have brandon um, but it’s it’s one of these man. It’S it’s really is a toss-up um, because it all depends on what happens early. In my opinion, i don’t think figgy wins it by decision. I don’t think he went. I think if it goes to decisions, it’s brandon, but the question with guys like this kind of like francis and ganu like if francis and ghana were to fight stipe, i have stipe winning because i think he can weather the early storm. But if you can’t it’s no question um, so that’s it! It really comes down to whether or not it’s an early fight or a late fight um. But i have brandon moreno 100 and again. I know i’ve said it a minute ago, but i wouldn’t be surprised. If brandon pulls it off just just basically his cardio alone and the comparison you made with stipe and then ghana is perfect. If stephen was able to weather the early storm, i believe steve he’d win it by decision, but if not obviously we know how that one would go. But yeah said my prediction: i do believe davidson’s gon na get it done, but i i just think i’m just hoping for a great fight all right, perfect. I’M gon na ask one last question before i let you go. I know you’re over in the uk. So it’s it’s a lot later there i think it’s like 11. Isn’T it it’s just on 10. 15. 10. 15.. So if you had one fight to pick as fight of the night uh, which do you think it is which i want and which i think can be two different things – i i think the gavin tucker fight is gon na be fighting out. But i want that tony ferguson fight to be fighting tonight. Yeah. I think if the tony one is like, if tony and charles both come out to fight, there’s no question: that’s going to be a war for, however long it lasts, but i do have the gavin tucker one. I i don’t think either. One of those guys gets finished easily. So that’s why i think it’s. I think that one has a better chance of going the full three rounds than the tony one does but yeah i like it. Man um yeah. So if you haven’t be sure to check out his stuff, um he’s got some really good interviews, um, it’s the the sports sesh right on youtube. Yes, the sports ship fast, yes and you’re. At what 38 and 38 interviews. No we’ve got we’re doing two more this year and then we’ll be on 30 30, so 28 yeah. Who do you have lined up? Can you share that or um we we’ve we’ve got a uk journalist over here for the 30th, but for the 29th one. I think it’s going to be myself and james speaking, but we’ve got some decent guests lined up for the next year that hopefully pull through. I’M not gon na name drop any names, but all i’m gon na say is the early days of the ufc i like it. I like it um. I always like listening to the interviews with the guys like the palmetto titches and the ken shamrocks anytime. Those guys are on a show, it’s it’s always fun. So i i can’t wait to watch the man now yeah. I really like your stuff and if you haven’t make sure you follow him, mma mason on twitter, uh, very good stuff, and thank you guys for watching and uh we’ll be back for ufc 257, which is conor mcgregor versus dustin poirier. I can’t believe that’s next month. I can’t i can’t wait for that. One uh um i’ve well i’ll, give my predictions close to the time and hopefully i’ll be on this show again soon all right! Thank you guys for watching and we’ll see you guys next time.
