Mike Perry

Mike Perry badly misses weight for UFC 255

by

Tomorrow night, one of the more interesting characters in MMA is returning to fight at UFC 255. That character would be Mike Perry (14-6) who is set to take on Tim Means (30-12-1) on the main card tomorrow night.

Perry was originally supposed to face Robbie Lawler tomorrow night. However, Lawler had to pull out of UFC 255 with an injury and Means stepped in on short notice to take the fight against Perry.

Very early this morning, Perry started tweeting out issues about his weight cut for UFC 255. In one tweet, Perry even said, “Maybe I should just lay the gloves down. I don’t want it. I’m just in over my head with this weight.”

All morning there have been questions on whether Perry was being serious or if he was faking. However, we learned today at the weigh ins that Perry’s struggle were obviously very real.

Perry stepped to the scale today and told the commissioner, “Baby, we not even close.” While standing on the scale, Perry’s weight was called out at a staggering 175.5 which is 4.5 pounds over the welterweight limit. As of now, the fight is still on for tomorrow night.

UFC 255 Prediction

For what it’s worth, Tim Means did successfully weigh in for UFC 255. Going on the assumption that the fight is still going to take place tomorrow night, it just got even more difficult for Mike Perry.

For Perry to be successful in this fight, I figured he would have to use his wrestling. I really don’t see him outstriking Means over three rounds unless he’s able to land something massive and finish Means.

I was leaning towards Means before this weight cut issue at UFC 255. Factoring this in really doesn’t help Mike Perry in my eyes. Perry was trying to win his second fight in a row and Means was also looking to win his second fight in a row.

I think when the cage door closes, Mike Perry is going to show his toughness tomorrow. He’s going to try to come forward, but I don’t think his cardio is going to hold. I think Means picks him apart over the final two rounds and takes a decision or a finish in this one.

Prediction: Tim Means by Unanimous Decision

UFC books Mike Perry – Tim Means

by

It’s been quite the year for Platinum Mike Perry (14-6). In terms of his UFC career, Perry got a big win over Mickey Gall back in June to get his career back on the right path. However, things outside the cage of made it tough on Perry.

One of the notable things that have occurred outside the UFC octagon was his bar fight with an elderly man. Then on top of that, he’s been accused of domestic violence. He also made headlines by having his girlfriend be his only corner member in his last UFC fight.

Previously, Perry was supposed to take on former UFC champion, Robbie Lawler. The fight was supposed to take place on the main card of UFC 255. However, last week, Lawler had to pull out of the fight with an injury. 

Perry is itching to get back into the cage and he started calling fighters out including Khamzat Chimaev. However, the UFC has settled on an opponent for Perry at UFC 255. Per ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, Perry will be taking on The Dirty Bird, Tim Means (30-12-1, 1 NC).

Solid replacement from the UFC

Means is coming off of a win back in August against Laureano Staropoli. Means is 3-3 in his last six fights, but he usually puts up a good fight whenever he’s in the cage. He should give Perry a very good matchup at UFC 255.

Both men will be coming into this contest looking to win their second consecutive fight in the UFC. If Perry is able to win, I think the UFC could look at re-booking the fight between him and Lawler. Perhaps someone else on the fringe top 15.

Given the striking skills of Tim Means, I would think Perry will likely try to lean on his wrestling skills in this matchup. Although, we know that Perry loves to stand in trade. However, the much longer and precise Means could edge him on striking for points. Should be a pretty good matchup.

UFC: Robbie Lawler – Mike Perry fight is off

by
Robbie Lawler

One of the more exciting bouts on the UFC 255 card is off. Per the official Twitter account of Mike Perry (14-6), Robbie Lawler (28-15, 1 NC) has pulled out of their fight with an undisclosed injury. This report was then confirmed by MMA Fighting.

This was expected to be a fun fight for UFC fans. Lawler has long been a fan favorite and Mike Perry is one to always bring the fight. The former UFC welterweight champion was looking to snap his current four fight losing streak.

While Perry on the other hand was looking to win his second fight in a row this year. A win over Lawler would have been the biggest win in the career of Platinum. There is no word yet on how long Lawler will be out due to his injury.

Mike Perry has made it known that he would still like to fight on the November card. He called out Khamzat Chimaev for a fight at UFC 255. Chimaev of course was just booked to headline a fight night against Leon Edwards on December 19th. 

The UFC’s Options

In addition to Chimaev, Perry also called out Darren Till who is scheduled to face Jack Hermansson on December 5th. It’s clear that Perry is itching to get back into the UFC with all of the negative press going on around him.

I think that the UFC will look at potential opponents that make sense for Perry. Assuming that Lawler is going to be out for an extended period of time. If Lawler can bounce back quick, the UFC could always look to book the fight at a later date, perhaps in December.

However, if the promotion needs to find a new opponent, they’ll need to find one that will generate some interest. Potentially a good matchup would be with Niko Price (14-4-1, 1 NC). Price is an exciting fighter who is coming off of a draw against Cowboy Cerrone.

Not sure what the UFC is going to do with Perry, but Price could be an option. I would again advise that the promotion looks for someone who would make a fun fight with Perry to keep the energy level the same for his spot on the card.

UFC: Is Carlos Condit – Nick Diaz 2 the fight to make?

by
Carlos Condit

This past weekend at UFC Fight Island 4, former interim champion, Carlos Condit (31-13), got back in the win column after a five fight losing streak. The former champion hadn’t won since 2015, and his back was against the wall.

However, Condit came out with a dominant performance over former Ultimate Fighter winning, Court McGee (19-10). Condit dropped McGee in the first round and cruised to a decision. A massive UFC victory for the Natural Born Killer.

Earlier in the week, Condit expressed interest in fighting Nick Diaz (26-9, 2 NC) if he were to win on Saturday night. The two men have some history that dates back to UFC 143 which was almost nine years ago.

That night, Diaz and Condit fought to a decision for the UFC interim welterweight title. The decision was razor close, and a lot of people felt that Diaz won the fight. In the end, Condit walked away with the decision and the interim title.

Diaz recently announced that he was training and getting ready for a UFC comeback. There has not been any progressive talks between him and the UFC on who he would face upon his return in 2021. However, Condit is ready to throw his name into the mix.

Should the UFC book it?

When Diaz’s team announced that he would be returning, they said he had his eyes on some of the top fights in the division. One of those fights did not include what happened Saturday night between Condit and Court McGee.

Diaz looked to be more interested in the guys at the top of the division. However, a fight with Condit could be a good way for the UFC to reintroduce Diaz to competition. It’s a winnable fight for Diaz, and there is some name recognition there.

Not too mention the fact that Diaz could get his revenge in that matchup. We already know that Condit is down for the rematch. I’m not sure that Diaz would sign up for this, but if I’m the UFC, it’s worth offering out to both parties.

If Condit doesn’t get the fight against Diaz, I think the next reasonable fight to look at is the Robbie Lawler – Mike Perry fight taking place in November. Condit had a Fight of the Year with Lawler so that would make for an excellent rematch. A fight against Matt Brown could also be a possibility.

UFC Books Robbie Lawler – Mike Perry (Report)

by
Robbie Lawler

The UFC is close to finalizing a banger of a welterweight contest. Per ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, the promotion is getting close to finalizing Robbie Lawler (28-15, 1 NC) – Mike Perry (14-6) for UFC 255. That event takes place on November 21st.

For the former UFC welterweight champion, he’s looking to get back into the cage after losing to Neil Magny at UFC Vegas 8. Lawler was dominated in that fight. The loss continued the losing streak Lawler has that dates back to 2017.

It was the fourth straight loss for Lawler. With the former UFC champion losing four in a row, there weren’t a ton of options for him. One of the options I thought of was Carlos Condit. However, the promotion has moved in a different direction.

I will be very curious to see what kind of Robbie Lawler we get at UFC 255. Lawler has been in fantastic shape over his last few fights, but he couldn’t get going. He’s just 1-5 in his last six trips inside in the octagon.

UFC redemption for Platinum Mike Perry

We haven’t seen or heard much from Mike Perry since his incident back in July. He was seen knocking an old man out and screaming out a racial slur just a little over a week after his victory at UFC on ESPN 12.

Perry said that he would take some time to get himself right after the incident. Now, Perry has a fight at UFC 255 and you hope that his mind is right leading up to this fight. He has been seen training with Yoel Romero in the past few months.

Perry will come into this contest after snapping his two fight losing streak back in June. Perry dominated Mickey Gall at UFC on ESPN 12. A win over Robbie Lawler would be the biggest win of Mike Perry’s career.

UFC: Mike Perry Trains With Yoel Romero After Dropping Coaches

by

UFC star Mike Perry is rather unconventional. He’s no stranger to controversy outside the Octagon, he has a ‘knockout or be knocked out’ fighting style, and he’s become famous for having his girlfriend in his corner at his fights. He also currently doesn’t belong to any team, believing he can do better on his own than under a head coach.

That’s raised some questions, of course, about how Perry intends to handle fight camps going forward. Most fighters hold camp with their teammates and the coaches at their gym, but in the current era of the sport, fighters are more connected than ever and training partners can be flown in from elsewhere.

While some fighters bring in outsiders to help add to their camp, Perry’s camp will by its nature be entirely made of outsiders. That doesn’t mean Perry will be without high level training partners, though.

Perry shows off training with Yoel Romero

View this post on Instagram

Yolo Romero ! Terrorizing workouts.

A post shared by Platinum Mike Perry (@platinummikeperry) on

Yoel Romero has had a rough year so far, having picked up his third loss in a row back in March against Israel Adesanya, but was recently seen again on Instagram training with Perry.

As a high level fighter in the welterweight division, it’s not hard to imagine that Perry will be able to train with some pretty good fighters in the buildup to his next fight, which likely won’t be for a while after his unanimous decision victory against Mickey Gall.

The victory brought him to a 2-2 record in his last four fights, which isn’t good enough to get into the top fifteen in a tough division like this one but should be enough to start launching Perry in that direction again. After all, there’s only so many players that bring the same kind of action to the octagon.

UFC: Mike Perry knocks out older man during a restaurant altercation

by

UFC welterweight, “Platinum” Mike Perry, is in the news this evening. The unique fighter was filmed in an altercation at a Lubbock, Texas restaurant. Perry and his girlfriend were leaving the bar as things began to escalate. Warning, the video is NSFW.

No word from the UFC

With this just coming out, there has been no word from the UFC. The staff is in Abu Dhabi prepping for the first event on Fight Island. As you can see in the above video, Perry is going back and forth with a number of folks at the restaurant. The UFC welterweight seemingly got annoyed when a patron made fun of the way he said the word “police”.

Following some brief words the two men ended up in a physical altercation where Perry dropped the man. Following more chaos, you can hear Perry repeatedly dropping the n-bomb, but it should be noted that it was not directed towards any black individuals at the restaurant.

“Platinum” needs to breathe

Perry has always seemed like he’s had a screw loose. He’s incredibly talented, but he’s interesting to say the least. Now, we don’t know exactly what happened leading up to this, but the UFC welterweight needed to have more self-control. It’s not the first time that Perry’s had a public scuffle. He recently told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani about a fight he got into with a couple of bouncers.

Perry is coming off of a very impressive win over Mickey Gall last month at UFC on ESPN 12. The win snapped a two-fight losing streak and Perry was looking forward to setting up a new camp for himself. No word on how this will effect him moving forward, but it’s not a good look at all.

UFC on ESPN 12 Recap: Dustin Poirier edges Dan Hooker in instant classic

by
Dustin Poirier, UFC

UFC on ESPN 12 was the final card on US soil before the UFC takes it’s talents to Fight Island in July. The main event of the evening featured a big-time lightweight contest between Dustin Poirier (25-6, 1 NC) and Dan Hooker (20-8). The card had six main card fights, and the card was filled with action from start to finish.

Poirier & Hooker put on an instant classic

The main event of the evening was one of the more anticipated fights of the summer. The winner of the Poirier/Hooker fight might be the next person in-line of the UFC title shot if Conor McGregor stays retired. Hooker called out Poirier because he felt that Poirier would be a good style matchup for him, and he felt he would be the perfect opponent to vault him towards a title shot. Poirier, who was coming off of the longest layoff of his career, was looking to get back on track after losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov last September.

Both men came out of the gate with big kicks. Hooker continued to throw nice leg kicks throughout the first minute of the round. Hooker was doing a really good job early at fighting from range. Hooker’s jab looked sharp early on. With about 90 seconds left in the round, both men exchanged in close quarters. Both men landed some massive shots, but neither man seemed hurt. Razor close round in the first, but I might lean towards Hooker in the first.

In the second round, Hooker came out immediately with range strikes. Poirier seemingly rocked Hooker for just a second, but then Hooker landed some massive counters which seemed to hurt Poirier. The two men got in close quarters again, and both men unloaded massive shots on the other. Both men landed clean shots, but again, neither man seemed seriously hurt. The rest of the round both men continued to land bombs. With about 30 seconds left in the round, Hooker unleashed an insane combination that rocked Poirier. Poirier was able to stay on his feet, but Hooker landed some serious shots at the end of the round.

The paced slowed as the third round started. Both men kept an insane pace in the first couple of rounds. However, with about three minutes left in the round, Poirier landed some massive shots. Hooker shot in for a takedown, but he shot right into a guillotine choke. The choke was incredibly tight, but Hooker fought out of it. Hooker stayed on top, but with a minute left, the two men ended up back on their feet. Once they were, Poirier landed a few massive shots, but Hooker just ate them. The round ended with both men exchanging.

The pace slowed significantly entering the fourth round. Both men plotted around the cage for the first minute. After Poirier landed a couple of solid straight shots, Hooker was able to get a brief takedown. Poirier got back up to his feet, but Hooker shot immediately for another takedown. However, Poirier was the one who was able to get a takedown. Once on the ground, Poirier landed some big shots then came close to securing an armbar. With 30 seconds left, Poirier tried to get another guillotine, but couldn’t lock it up. Incredible fight that I had 2-2 going into the fifth round.

Both men looked incredibly exhausted as the fifth round started. Both men started flat footed just plotting forward. Poirier was landing some clean shots throughout the first half of the round. With about three minutes left, Poirier landed some big shots. However, Hooker was able to shoot in and secure a takedown. Poirier did get back up to his feet shortly after. Poirier landed some clean shots and Hooker continued to look for the takedown. With about thirty seconds left, Poirier was able to transition a choke attempt into a takedown. Poirier spent the rest of the round in top position. An instant classic that I gave to Poirier 48-47. In the end the judges agreed giving the fight to Poirier (48-47, 48-47, 48-46). Poirier looks primed for another shot at the UFC lightweight title.

Mike Perry dominates Mickey Gall

The co-main event of the evening was contested between Mike Perry (13-6) and Mickey Gall (6-2). This fight was one of the more anticipated matchups on the card not just because of the fight, but because of the fact that the only person in Perry’s corner was his girlfriend.

When the fight started, Perry immediately came forward with big shots. Gall did a pretty good job early of staying on his bicycle, but Perry was just walking him down. However, about halfway through the first, Gall landed some big shots which changed the momentum. Gall did a really good job of landing some straight shots while Perry was looping with hooks. Late in the round, Perry landed a massive takedown, and he controlled the rest of the round from the top position.

As the second round started, Gall looked to continue landing some good shots from the outside. After landing a couple of good shots, Gall shot in for a takedown, but Perry was able to use his strength to fight it off. Perry was then able to land a takedown of his own. Gall was able to use a kimura attempt to get back to his feet. Once the two men got back to their feet, Gall tried again for a takedown, but he wasn’t able to land it. With about 20 seconds left in the round, Perry was able to land a massive right hand which put Gall down. The round ended with Perry landing a massive elbow from the top.

In the third round, Perry started by throwing some bigger combinations. Gall was still moving good, but Perry seemed to sense Gall slowing down. Perry landed some nice jabs throughout the first half of the final round. Gall was visibly tired in the third round often backing away from exchanges with deep breaths. With about two minutes left in the round, Perry was able to get another takedown. With a minute left, Perry was able to get to the mount position. Perry landed some nasty elbows. After a scramble, Gall had a triangle choke locked in, but didn’t have the strength to finish it. I gave Perry all three rounds in what was a dominant performance. The judges gave Perry the unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

Greene submits Villante after being dropped in the 3rd

One of the more interesting fights of the main card featured heavyweights Gian Villante (17-12) and Maurice Greene (9-4). Villante was making his UFC heavyweight debut after spending years in the light heavyweight division. Early on in the first round, Greene was fully using is 80-inch reach. Greene was also landing some nice kicks as Villante was trying to gauge the range. Villante was able to land some decent leg kicks, but struggled to get much going in the first. Greene was able to land at a much higher rate throughout the round. However, Villante did land a nasty body kick near the end of the first which looked to hurt Greene.

In the second round, Greene continued to be more aggressive in the standup. Greene came out throwing combination after combination while Villante seemed to be looking for one big shot. There was no question that Villante was throwing with more power, but Greene had such a higher output in the first half of the second round. Villante did do a good job of landing some solid shots in the second. While Greene had the higher output, the judges might give the second to Villante due to the pop that was on the shots that he landed.

Villante came right out and landed two massive right hands to begin the round. Right when Villante was starting to get some momentum, he caught an accidental eye poke which paused the action. When they resumed the fight, Greene missed a superman punch, and Villante countered with a massive left that floored Greene. Villante followed-up with some vicious elbows. Greene did a good job of catching Villante’s wrist and defending which held off Villante from finishing the fight. Out of nowhere from his back, Greene was able to lock up a head and arm choke. The choke didn’t look tight, but Villante tapped giving Greene the impressive and odd submission victory.

Allen edges Daukaus in entertaining scrap

The third fight of the main card featured middleweights Brendan Allen (15-3) and Kyle Daukaus (9-1). Allen was supposed to take on Ian Heinisch, but due to an injury, Daukaus was able to get the opportunity in his UFC debut. Right out of the gate Daukaus landed a massive body kick and left hook. Daukaus then tried to shoot in for a takedown, but Allen was able to keep it standing. Shortly after, Allen landed a massive knee that floored Daukaus. After having Daukaus’ back for about a minute, Allen was reversed. Daukaus took Allen’s back, and then Allen was able to reverse the position again. Once back on top, Allen landed a massive elbow that cut Daukaus as the round ended.

In the second round, Daukaus was actually getting the better of the stand up landing some really clean shots. Daukaus shot in for a takedown, but Allen was able to use a guillotine choke to reverse the position to get back on top. Both men were showing excellent grappling throughout the fight. Halfway through the second round, Daukaus reversed the position again to get back on top of Allen. However, Allen was able to reverse the position again with about a minute left in the round, and he held the top position the rest of the round.

In the third round, Daukaus came out again looking sharp on his feet. After landing a couple of shots, Daukaus was able to land a takedown. Daukaus was able to land some solid elbows before getting to Allen’s back. After having back control for most of the final round, Daukaus lost the position late, and Allen was able to get off some solid shots. Despite those, the last round was a clear round for Daukaus and I scored the fight 29-28 for Brendan Allen. The judges were unanimous in giving the decision to Allen (29-28, 29-27, 30-27).

Takashi Sato stops Jason Witt in the 1st round

The second fight of the main card featured two talented welterweights as Takashi Sato (16-3) took on UFC newcomer, Jason Witt (17-6). Early on in the first round, Witt took the center of the octagon. However, Sato landed a massive 1-2 which floored the UFC newcomer. Witt tried to shoot in for a takedown as Sato rushed him, but Sato landed a few more clean shots which ended the fight. A big bounce back win for Sato after losing his last fight to Belal Muhammad.

Erosa gets dropped then submits Woodson in the 3rd

The opening fight of the UFC on ESPN 12 main card was a catchweight contest between the undefeated Sean Woodson (7-1) and Julian Erosa (23-8). Erosa came into the fight with his back against the wall losing his last three fights, while Woodson was looking to remain unbeaten. When the first round started, Woodson immediately took the center of the octagon. Woodson has an astonishing 78 inch reach advantage which was giving Erosa a lot of problems in the first round. Erosa was able to land some solid leg kicks, but the first round belonged to Woodson who was constantly touching Erosa with some solid straight shots.

To start the second round, Erosa tried to put more pressure on Woodson to neutralize the range. Erosa even shot in for a takedown. Erosa continued throughout the round trying to add a ton of pressure on Woodson. However, Woodson did a really good shot at continuing to land straight shots. Woodson doesn’t hit with a lot of pop, but he is consistent with his contact. Erosa’s pressure along with some timely clean shots made the round extremely competitive. Woodson landed his shots, but the round really could have gone to either man.

In the third round, Erosa continued to pressure Woodson. However, when rushing forward, Erosa was clipped with a massive left hook from Woodson which floored him. Erosa immediately got to his feet, and went back to pressuring Woodson. Despite the pressure, Woodson did a really good job of landing straights and check hooks. Halfway through the round, Erosa was able to secure a takedown. Woodson worked his way up to his feet, but got caught in a D’Arce choke. Erosa was able to lock it up and finish the fight. An incredible performance for Erosa who was the biggest underdog on the card this evening.

Final Takeaways from UFC on ESPN 12

The main event was one of the best fights that I have ever seen. Both men exchanged massive shots throughout, but neither man hit the canvas. Dustin Poirier looks like he’s ready for another shot at the title. I think a fight with Conor McGregor would be perfect, but we will see what the UFC decides to do. From here, we go onto Fight Island for an insane month of July.

UFC on ESPN 12 Preview: Dustin Poirier & Dan Hooker battle for a potential lightweight title shot

by
Dustin Poirier, UFC

UFC on ESPN 12 is the last event that we will see on US soil until August. The UFC is leaving the US on a high night with a main event that features two lightweight contenders battling it out for a potential title shot. Former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier (25-6, 1 NC), will be taking on Dan Hooker (20-8). The card is really solid this weekend, and fight fans should be getting excited. With that, let’s dive into the main card and breakdown this Saturday’s action.

Dustin Poirier vs Dan Hooker

In the main event of the evening, you have one of the more anticipated matchups of the summer. Dustin Poirier is returning for the first time since he lost to the champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, back at UFC 242. Prior to the loss, nobody in the UFC was hotter than Poirier. Taking out the no contest against Eddie Alvarez, Poirier had won five fights in a row including wins over Max Holloway, Alvarez, and Justin Gaethje. Poirier proved that he was definitely one of the best fighters in the world. Poirier has all the makings of a champion, but he ran into a Russian Bear last September. Poirier is looking to get back into the win column Saturday night, but he’s got another tall order on his hands.

Dan Hooker has completely turned his career around since moving to lightweight. After a 3-3 start to his UFC career, Hooker is 7-1 since moving to 155 pounds. Hooker has wins over guys like Paul Felder, Al Iaquinta, and Gilbert Burns. Hooker is looking to use this fight to springboard himself into lightweight contention. If he’s able to defeat Dustin Poirier, there is no denying Hooker any longer.

When it comes to the fight, I see this fight taking place on the feet. Both guys are going to look to trade. Early on, I really like Hooker to establish his jab and range. I think you’re going to see Hooker have some early success in this fight. However, one thing that concerns me is Hooker’s ability to get hit. Dustin Poirier is a better and faster striker than Paul Felder. Poirier also has more power in his hands than Felder. Felder was able to land some bombs on Hooker in their razor close fight. While I think Hooker will have his moments, I think Poirier is going to be too much for him. I think in the middle rounds, Poirier is going to land something big, and I think Poirier is going to get the finish in this one.

Prediction: Dustin Poirier by TKO – Round 4

Mike Perry vs Mickey Gall

The co-main event of the evening features a welterweight contest between “Platinum” Mike Perry (13-6) and Mickey Gall (6-2). There are not a lot of tougher guys in the UFC than Mike Perry. He’s truly a unique guy with a pretty good all around skillset. Perry has good wrestling, and he has really good power on his feet. Yes he’s lost three of his last four, but they are to some top notch guys like Cowboy Cerrone and Geoff Neal. Perry is making headlines in this fight because the only corner member he will have on Saturday night will be his girlfriend. He is out to prove that he doesn’t need any coaches to fight and look good doing it.

Mickey Gall is a very interesting story. He became famous after calling out and defeating CM Punk in the UFC. After beating CM Punk, Gall was able to defeat Sage Northcutt. It seemed like Gall was on the rise. However, Gall has since gone 2-2, and even in the wins, he hasn’t looked impressive. His lst fight against Salim Touahri was troubling. Gall didn’t look fluid on his feet, and his cardio was not there. In the fight before, Gall was completed dominated by an old Diego Sanchez. This is a really tough matchup for Mickey Gall, and I’m having a hard time seeing how he wins this fight. Even with no one besides his girlfriend in his corner, I think Perry runs away with this one.

Prediction: Mike Perry by TKO – Round 2

Brendan Allen vs Kyle Daukaus

The next fight of the main card is a middleweight contest between Brendan Allen (14-3) and UFC newcomer, Kyle Daukaus (9-0). Allen comes into this fight as one of the more talked about prospects in the UFC’s middleweight division. He’s come right out of the gate with two strong wins in the UFC with neither going to the scorecards. Allen has good striking, good wrestling, and very good decisions. He’s very strong for this weight class, and there are not a ton of weaknesses in his game. It’s a very tough draw for Daukaus who is going to be making his UFC debut.

Originally, Ian Heinisch was supposed to be fighting Brendan Allen in a battle of top fifteen middleweights. However, injury pulled Heinisch off the cards which gave Daukaus the golden opportunity. Daukaus has fought on the Contender Series, but this fight will be his UFC debut. His Contender fight is still the only fight that has gone the distance in his professional career. Daukaus has nine submissions wins, and he’s extremely slick on the ground. If the fight ends up on the ground, he’s got a great chance at pulling the upset. The problem for Daukaus is he’s not as good of a striker or wrestler as Allen. He’s also not as strong as Allen. It’s going to be very difficult for Daukaus to get this fight on the ground. As a result, I think Allen is going to cruise to victory, and look to get that fight with Heinisch rescheduled.

Prediction: Brendan Allen by TKO – Round 3

Gian Villante vs Maurice Greene

In the second fight on the main card we have Gian Villante (17-11) moving up to heavyweight to take on Maurice Greene (8-4). Villante is one of the more seasoned guys on the UFC roster. Villante has been in the UFC for over seven years. He’s had highlights such as his knockout win over Corey Anderson, but he’s also had some low moments like getting knocked out by Michal Oleksiejczuk in the first round. Villante is a sprawl and brawl kind of fighter. He wants to stand and trade with anyone standing across from him. His striking skills are not bad, but they are also not elite in any way.

After winning his first three UFC fights, Maurce Greene has lost his last two fights. He was stopped in one fight and submitted in the other. Greene has a decent overall game, and he trains with one of the best gyms in the world, Jackson’s MMA, alongside Jon Jones. Greene has the big size advantage in this fight, and I think fighting off his jab is going to be key. Greene has shown at times that he does possess a very solid jab. Both of these men don’t have the best gas tanks in the world. As of today, I’m leaning towards this fight going the distance. I think Villante is going to have his moments, but I think ultimately Maurice Greene is going to score more leading to a victory.

Prediction: Maurice Greene by Unanimous Decision

Sean Woodson vs Julian Erosa

The main card on ESPN kicks off with a catchweight contest between Sean Woodson (7-0) and Julian Erosa (22-8). Woodson is one of the more interesting fighters in the UFC’s lower weight classes. While he fights at featherweight, Woodson stands an astonishing 6’3. There has been a lot said about how brutal the weight cut is for him. However, the size advantage comes into play nicely for him at 145 pounds. Woodson is a pretty good kick-boxer who likes to strike from range. It’s hard for anyone in the UFC’s featherweight division to get near him when he’s sporting a 78 inch range.

Julian Erosa is in his second stent in the UFC. Erosa is a guy who likes to use his striking, and he’s pretty aggressive in the octagon. Erosa got his second opportunity in the UFC after he knocked out Jamall Emmers on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. After getting back into the UFC, Erosa is 0-3 getting stopped twice. While Erosa fights at a high pace, I think he’s going to have a ton of trouble overcoming the four inch reach disadvantage. Woodson is not a finisher, and I don’t think a finish is coming in this fight, but I think Woodson’s ability to strike from range is going to be the deciding factor in this one.

Prediction: Sean Woodson by Unanimous Decision

UFC on ESPN 12 Outlook

I’m really excited about this weekend’s card. I’m very interested in the main event, but there are fights throughout the evening I’m excited about. I’m very anxious to watch Jinh Yu Frey and Kay Hansen fight it out. That is a fight that I would prefer to see on the main card over a couple of those fights. Ultimately folks are going to tune in for the Poirier/Hooker fight, and I don’t blame them. It should be a good fight, and one that you won’t want to turn away from.

UFC: Mike Perry’s interesting corner choice for UFC on ESPN 12

by

The UFC‘s Mike Perry (13-6) is definitely an interesting character. Whether it’s faking out opponents at the weigh in hand shakes or just saying outlandish stuff, Perry is always fascinating to watch. In addition to being a very unique person, Perry is as tough as they come. He doesn’t shy away from any fight, and if you need more proof of his toughness, just take a look at the picture for this article. Perry has been in there with some of the best guys in the world. He’s got great skills overall, and he always puts on a show. However, there is something outside of his fighting that a lot of people are talking about leading into Saturday’s fight against Mickey Gall (6-2). That’s Mike Perry’s corner choice. He went on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show to discuss his choice for UFC on ESPN 12.

Perry’s Girlfriend will corner him for UFC on ESPN 12

That’s right, “Platinum” will only have one corner member for Saturday, and it will be his girlfriend. Now to his credit, he does say that she has boxing and wrestling experience which helps her, but her job is not to give him advice. Perry told Helwani that he doesn’t need any coaching for his UFC fights. Perry claims to have envisioned every scenario, and a coaches input can only throw him off. Perry has trained with some of the best trainers in the world, but he’s out to prove that he doesn’t need coaching to win in the UFC. Perry did clarify his coaching future to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto later in the day:

As you can see, the plan in the future is to bring coaches back into the fold. Perry is out to prove a point at UFC on ESPN 12. It’s going to be extremely fascinating to watch a main card fighter essentially have no one in his corner. Yes, his girlfriend will be there, but she’s been instructed to only cheer him on when he wins. I’ll give Perry this, he’s always entertaining.