UFC On ESPN 38 + Weekly MMA Report
UFC on ESPN 37 was one of the best cards in the history of the sport. With so many violent stoppages and very entertaining fights, this one will be remembered for a long time. Dana White was impressed by finishers, and every single fighter who finished his opponent got an extra 50k paycheck.
Roman Dolidze’s knee sent Kyle Daukaus to another dimension, while Phil Hawes showed that he worked on his striking skills.
Roman Dolidze put Kyle Daukaus down with a NASTY knee for the finish 😰 #UFCAustin
(via @espnmma) pic.twitter.com/lvdDPBEH29
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) June 18, 2022
Phil Hawes dominates Deron Winn before finding the finish in Round 2 😤 #UFCAustin
(via @espnmma) pic.twitter.com/r2rWl4VKF4
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) June 18, 2022
Cody Stamann finished Eddie Wineland in 59 seconds, while Ricardo Ramos scored amazing spinning back elbow knockout against tough Danny Chavez.
Cody Stamann was relentless when he sensed the finish against Eddie Wineland 💯 #UFCAustin
(via @espnmma) pic.twitter.com/MenbjxpFKd
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) June 18, 2022
SPINNING ELBOW GOT IT DONE 😳 #UFCAustin pic.twitter.com/G4zzs6Zq8t
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 18, 2022
Jeremiah Wells destroyed Court McGee with a surprising first-round knockout, while Adrian Yanez silenced loudmouth Tony Kelley with a perfectly-timed punch.
Left hook shut the lights off 😱 @Jeremiahwellsm2 #UFCAustin
(via @espnmma) pic.twitter.com/gdjfqQsS6h
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) June 18, 2022
A STATEMENT IN HIS HOME STATE 😤@yanezmma was determined to get the finish at #UFCAustin pic.twitter.com/XZOB45HOqi
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 18, 2022
“Robocop” Rodrigues floored Julien Marquez in the first in a great toe-to-toe brawl, while Joaquin Buckley bludgeoned Albert Duraev’s eye, which led to a doctor stoppage at the end of round 2. Kevin Holland’s submission skills rock, he finished Tim Means via a tricky choke.
WHAT IS IN THE WATER IN TEXAS?! 😱 #UFCAustin pic.twitter.com/Fl1qvGZNa2
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 18, 2022
🚨 HOLLAND BY SUBMISSION, WE REPEAT, HOLLAND BY SUBMISSION 🚨 #UFCAustin pic.twitter.com/zbFsUEvOdE
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 19, 2022
Damir Ismagulov edged out Guram Kutateladze in a razor-close three-round stand-up fight, while Josh Emmet outworked Calvin Kattar for a split decision win in the main event of the evening.
Image source: official @ufc Twitter
The upcoming UFC on ESPN 38 card is made of solid names, but fight night cards are sometimes better than PPVs. UFC travels back to the Apex Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, for another “Sin City” event on June 25, 2022.
The Armenian wrestling phenom and decorated striker Arman Tsarukyan meets the former KSW champion Mateusz “The Gamer” Gamrot in the main event of the evening. Tsarukyan’s worldwide known for his excellent takedowns, great top control, and a lot of gym drills. Gamrot is an all-around fighter with tremendous cardio. This is a five-round fight, so anything is possible.
Prediction: over 3.5 rounds (-125)
The long-range striking expert Neil Magny meets an undefeated clinch fighter and grappler Shavkat Rakhmonov in the co-main event of the evening. As long as Magny keeps the fight standing, he should be fine. But Shavkat sticks like glue, this is a stylistically very hard match for Neal.
Prediction: Shavkat to win (-365)
Here is the full UFC on ESPN 38 fight card, but last-minute changes are possible, so please check this link too. https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/87971-ufc-fight-night
Main Card (ESPN+, UFC on Fight Pass, 3 AM UK time, 10 PM ET)
Lightweight: Arman Tsarukyan (18-2-0) vs. Mateusz Gamrot (20-1-0)
Welterweight: Neil Magny (26-8-0) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov (15-0-0)
Heavyweight: Josh Parisian (14-5-0) vs. Alan Baudot (8-3-0)
Lightweight: Thiago Moisés (15-6-0) vs. Christos Giagos (19-9-0)
Bantamweight: Umar Nurmagomedov (14-0-0) vs. Nate Maness (14-1-0)
Middleweight: Chris Curtis (28-8-0) vs. Rodolfo Vieira (8-1-0)
Prelims (ESPN 2, ESPN+, UFC on Fight Pass, midnight UK time, 7 PM ET)
Light Heavyweight: Tafon Nchukwi (6-2-0) vs. Carlos Ulberg (4-1-0)
Featherweight: TJ Brown (16-8-0) vs. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke (36-10-0)
Bantamweight: Raulian Paiva (21-4-0) vs. Sergey Morozov (17-5-0)
Flyweight: Cody Durden (12-4-1) vs. JP Buys (9-4-0)
Bantamweight: Mario Bautista (9-2-0) vs. Brian Kelleher (24-13-0)
Strawweight: Jinh Yu Frey (11-6-0) vs. Vanessa Demopoulos (7-4-0)
Take a look at my predictions for UFC on ESPN 38 fight card.
But that’s not all. Bellator 282 takes place in Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut, on Friday, June 24, 2022. You can watch the main card on Showtime, it kicks off at 9 PM ET (2 AM UK time). The preliminary card airs on MMAJunkie’s official YouTube channel (6 PM ET, 11 PM UK time).
Image source: @BellatorMMA official website
The title-holder from the Netherlands, Judo black belt and fearsome striker Gegard “The Dream Catcher” Mousasi is going to meet an undefeated wrestler Johnny Eblen in the 185-pound title bout. Mousasi battered Austin Vanderford in his previous belt defense. It seems undefeated opponents are a piece of cake for him.
Prediction: Mousasi to win (-300)
The 135-pound Bellator Bantamweight Grand Prix kicks off this Friday. The co-main event is set for the battle between BJJ black belt Leandro Higo and American Top Team prospect Danny “The Italian Gangster” Sabatello.
Odds are a bit off here, Sabatello is a massive underdog, but he’s a well-rounded fighter. Don’t underestimate his potential!
Prediction: Sabatello to win (+375) or fight goes the distance (-110)
Take a look at my predictions for the Bellator main card event:
Let’s hope for more superb finishes and top-notch battles, the previous weekend was magnificent!
[…] Austin two weekends ago was one of the best cards in the history of the promotion. Last weekend, UFC on ESPN 38 had a lot of decision fights, but real fans of the greatest sport in the world enjoyed it for sure. […]