Flyweight Bout
#19 Tatsuro Taira vs #UR Edgar "Pitbull" Chairez - This fight was put together on short notice as Taira was supposed to fight back two weeks ago at UFC on ABC 5 against Kleydson Rodrigues but Rodrigues forced to withdraw and Taira was rescheduled here. He will be facing UFC newcomer Chairez, an Entram Gym product, coming off back-to-back victories and looking to pull off a big upset in his debut.
Taira is the former Shooto Flyweight champ, he's undefeated through 10 amateur fights as well as 13 pro fights so far, and he's a dangerous grappler. He's finished 10 of his 13 pro wins with 3 KO/TKOs and 7 submissions.
Chairez is the former Combate Global Flyweight champ and he's got a great team behind him at Entram Gym. He's finished all 10 of his pro wins with 4 KO/TKOs and 6 submissions.
If Chairez name sounds familiar to you, you likely saw him on the Contender Series back in August of 2022. He fought Clayton Carpenter, put on an entertaining fight, but lost the unanimous decision. He's obviously a dangerous opponent as he's an all or nothing type of fighter will to take the risks to look for the finish, but that also has led to 2 of his 4 pro losses being by submission. He's mainly a submission threat himself and going against a more technical and skilled grappler. Taira should be able to handle Chairez, maintain top control, and lock up a submission to end the fight.
Pick: Tatsuro Taira by Submission RD 1
Lightweight Bout
#41FW Kamuela "The Jawaiian" Kirk vs #69 Esteban "El Gringo" Ribovics - An interesting match-up here between two Lightweight prospects looking to get back in the win column and back on track to being future contenders. Kirk debuted in the UFC in June of 2021 and took a decision victory over Makwan Amirkhani, which was a huge win for him. He didn't fight again until 9 months later in March of 2022 and choked out by Damon Jackson. Now, over a year later, he's moving up to Lightweight and taking on Ribovics. Ribovics earned his UFC contract on the Contender Series with a knockout win, but was matched in his UFC debut against Loik Radzhabov. Yes we just saw Radzhabov take a loss, but he's a great fighter with much more high level experience than Ribovics had and Ribovics managed to hang around until the final bell. Both of these fighters need a win in this outing to avoid being on the chopping block.
Kirk is a 2-time IBJJF world champion and a black belt in BJJ. He's finished 11 of his 12 pro wins with 5 KO/TKOs and 6 submissions.
Ribovics is the former FFC champ, the former SFH champ, and has spent time training at Killcliff FC. He's finished all 11 of his pro wins with 6 KO/TKOs and 5 submissions.
Both fighters are well rounded and both are finishers as their records show, so this should be a fun fight for however long it lasts. I would give the edge on the feet to Ribovics and the edge on the floor to Kirk, so whoever can impose their game and make the other fight their fight should be able to come out with a win. In that equation, I like Ribovics. His takedown defense is a bit worrying, but he's a competent enough grappler to stay out of danger, and Kirk's takedown offense isn't the best either. Trapped on the feet, Ribovics should be able to get the better of the striking exchanges and when he smells blood in the water, he swarms for the stoppage. Ribovics should be able to put Kirk away within two. Kirk is also coming off that long layoff, so if he suffers from any ring rust, Ribovics is a fast starter and should be able to make this a short night.
Pick: Esteban Ribovics by KO/TKO RD 1
Flyweight Bout
#42 Shannon "The Turkish Delight" Ross vs #40 Jesus Aguilar - This is a fight between two bottom of the barrel Flyweights that are in need of a win to avoid being on the chopping block. Aguilar earned his UFC contract on the Contender Series with a submission win over Erisson Ferreira but came up short in his octagon debut, getting submitted by Tatsuro Taira. Ross also had a chance on the Contender Series but was knocked out by Vinicius Salvador. He ended up getting a chance in the big leagues anyway and got knocked out again by Kleydson Rodrigues.
Ross is the former EMMA champ, the former Nitro MMA champ, and he's a purple belt in BJJ. He's finished 8 of his 13 pro wins with 7 KO/TKOs and 1 submission.
Aguilar is the former UWC champ and he's mainly a grappler. He's finished 6 of his 8 pro wins, all by submission.
Ross looks like the more well-rounded fighter between these two, but he doesn't look like he's UFC caliber. Aguilar has shown more potential, he's younger, he's shorter which should help him get underneath and land the takedowns, and he's better defensively. Ross is too wild for his own good and while that makes for entertaining fights, he's very likely going to score a finish or get finished. Aguilar seems like a well composed grappler who should be able to take advantage of that style, put Ross on the mat, and lock up a submission.
Pick: Jesus Aguilar by Submission RD 1
Bantamweight Bout
#41 Cameron "MSP" Saaiman vs #UR Terrence Mitchell - Mitchell is stepping in here on somewhat short notice for Christian Rodriguez who was forced to withdraw from the fight. If Mitchell's name seems familiar to you, you likely saw him on TUF 24 where he was knocked out by Kai-Kara France in just 30 seconds. Since then, he's had some time off but he's won 4 straight fights and moved up a weight class. Saaiman earned his UFC contract on the Contender Series and has since gone 2-0 in the octagon. Mitchell is getting a huge opportunity here to come in on short notice, upset Saaiman, hand him his first loss, and establish himself in the UFC. Saaiman needs this win to keep his undefeated streak alive and prove why he's the favorite in this pairing.
Saaiman is undefeated, he's the former EFC Bantamweight champ, and he's got a solid team behind him at Team CIT who has also produced Dricus Du Plessis. He's finished 6 of his 8 pro wins with 5 KO/TKOs and 1 submission.
Mitchell is the former AFC Flyweight champ, the former ACE Bantamweight champ, he was a contestant on TUF 24, and he's a very exciting fighter to watch. He's finished all 15 of his pro wins with 6 KO/TKOs, 8 submissions and a disqualification.
This is a fun fight, better than the original pairing in my opinion. After being knocked out on TUF, Mitchell went back and defended his AFC Flyweight title before taking 4 years off. He returned to action in 2022 and has picked up 3 straight wins now as a Bantamweight and win or lose, this guy is going to put on a show. Against an opponent like Saaiman, that should mean a finish is highly likely and this will be exciting for the fans. I'm interested to see how Mitchell will look in the big leagues as the level of competition he has been facing hasn't been great, with the last 3 opponents he faced having a combined record of 12-7. Saaiman is just 22 years old, so Mitchell has the experience edge and could use that the longer the fight goes on, but Saaiman looks like a killer and I don't think this fight will go very long. Saaiman should be able to use his speed and striking to close the distance, land some heavy shots, and put Mitchell away within two.
Pick: Cameron Saaiman by KO/TKO RD 1
Light Heavyweight Bout
#31 Vitor "Icao" Petrino vs #24 Marcin Prachnio - This is an interesting match-up and a big test for Petrino as he is looking to keep his undefeated record intact. Petrino earned his UFC contract on the Contender Series and he's a great prospect for this shallow division. He knocked out the current interim LFA champ Rodolfo Bellato, who I just recently featured in my "Best of the Rest: May 2023" article, on the Contender Series but was a bit underwhelming in his UFC debut against Anton Turkalj. If Petrino wants to keep his record unblemished and take a step towards being a real contender in this division, he needs to show up here in a big way. For Prachnio, he entered the UFC with some hype back in 2018, but he he opened his octagon career with 3 straight losses. He's 3-1 since then and has settled into a bit of a gatekeeper role in the middle of the division. If he wants to be anything more than that, he'll need to hold off the rising prospect.
Petrino is undefeated and he has a great team behind him at CM System with coaches like Cristiano Marcello and Felipe Silva, and training partners like Elizeu Zaleski. He's finished 6 of his 8 pro wins, all by knockout.
Prachnio is the former FFC champ, a black belt in Kyokushinkai Karate, and a blue belt in BJJ. He's finished 12 of his 16 pro wins with 11 KO/TKOs and 1 submission.
While this is definitely a step up in competition and a solid test for Petrino, it's a style of fight that should suit him well and allow him to get a showcase win. Prachnio is going to stand and trade with Petrino which is exactly what he wants. 4 of Prachnio's 6 losses as a pro have been by KO/TKO. Fighting a striker like Petrino who's younger, faster, hits hard, and has the reach advantage spells disaster. Petrino gets it done early and scores the biggest win of his career in impressive fashion.
Pick: Vitor Petrino by KO/TKO RD 1
Light Heavyweight Bout
#14 Jimmy Crute vs #16 "Atomic" Alonzo Menifield II - These two are going to run it back after they fought at UFC 284 back on February 11. I didn't think a rematch was exactly necessary, but both fighters seemed to agree to it on the night and here we are. The fight was scored a draw as Menifield won the first two rounds, but then got a point deduction in the third for grabbing the fence when Crute attempted to take him down. Crute won the third round meaning it was a 10-8 round and 2 of the judges cage-side scored the fight an even 28-28 with the third judge somehow actually scoring the fight in Crute's favor as he had also given him round 2.
Crute started training in Karate at the age of four and has moved on to multiple disciplines since then. He's a black belt in BJJ, a green belt in Judo and he's the former Hex Fight Series Light Heavyweight champ. He's finished 9 of his 12 pro wins with 5 KO/TKOs and 4 submissions.
Menifield is a devastating striker with brutal one-shot knockout power and an explosive athlete all around. He's finished 12 of his 13 pro wins with 10 KO/TKOs and 2 submissions.
The first time this fight was scheduled I was picking Menifield to win by first round knockout, but had some worries about how he'd fare the longer the fight went. Besides the foul in the third, he showed improvements and won the second round in the eyes of just about everyone except Derek Cleary, who if you aren't familiar with, has a track record of terribly controversial decisions. This honestly just gives me even more confidence picking him again here as I still feel he can land the big shots to put Crute away early but if he doesn't, he's shown he can still find success.
Pick: Alonzo Menifield by KO/TKO RD 1
Women's Strawweight Bout
#28 Yazmin Jauregui vs #31 Denise "Dee" Gomes - Two young prospects looking to continue to climb the ladder will face off here. Jauregui has been phenomenal since joining the UFC and looks like she could be the next big star for Mexican MMA. She's 2-0 in the UFC so far with wins over Iasmin Lucindo and Istela Nunes and she holds a perfect record of 10-0. Gomes earned her UFC contract on the Contender Series but opened up her octagon career with a loss to Loma Lookboonmee. She has since rebounded with a big upset win over Bruna Brasil and is looking to make lightning strike twice here as she is the underdog in this one as well.
Jauregui is undefeated, the former Combate Cup tournament winner, and the former UWC champ. She's finished 7 of her 10 pro wins, all by knockout.
Gomes is very dangerous and has solid knockout power for a Strawweight. She's finished 5 of her 7 pro wins, all by knockout.
This should be a decently entertaining scrap as both fighters are strikers who are going to be willing to throw down with each other. Jauregui has a slight height and reach advantage, and is the more technical striker between the two. Gomes is aggressive and has the power to turn the tide, but Jauregui is tough as nails and should be able to pick her apart.
Pick: Yazmin Jauregui by Decision
Welterweight Bout
#14 Jack Della Maddalena vs #UR Josiah "Muscle Hamster" Harrell - Sean Brady was forced to withdraw from this fight due to a staph infection on his elbow and now Harrell is stepping up on short notice to make his UFC debut against a top 15 Welterweight. Harrell just fought a couple weeks ago under the LFA banner and caused a viral video to go around when someone forgot to lock the cage and he and his opponent blasted through the cage door landing outside the ring. Harrell ended up winning that fight by TKO and now gets an absolutely massive opportunity to not only establish himself in the UFC, but do so by taking out a top ranked contender. Maddalena should be given props as well for accepting the last minute change of opponent, especially facing a young and dangerous prospect like Harrell with really nothing to gain.
Maddalena is the former EMMA champ, the former RF champ, and he's a brown belt in BJJ. He's finished 13 of his 14 pro wins with 11 KO/TKOs and 2 submissions.
Harrell is the former OCL champ, he's undefeated, he has a foundation in wrestling, and has finished all 7 of his pro fights with 4 KO/TKOs and 3 submissions.
I see a lot of people defending the choice for Harrell to get this fight instead of the others like Chris Curtis, Joaquim Buckley, and Kevin Holland who all offered to take it instead, but I'm not sure I entirely agree. Harrell is a young and dangerous prospect and we've seen a string of last minute replacements come up with big wins and upsets recently, but I don't see that happening here. Harrell weighed in last at 162lbs, he's 5'7" and at a 6" reach disadvantage in this fight. He does have a foundation in wrestling and being the shorter fighter can help him get underneath for the takedowns, but he's going to be walking into a buzzsaw. Maddalena is a very talented striker with deadly combinations and he's a brown belt in BJJ, so even if Harrell manages to grapple in this fight, it's not going to be a walk in the park. I see Harrell being overwhelmed and this being too big of a step up for him as the last opponent he just faced was 9-8-1 overall. Maddalena starts landing his shots and keeps pouring it on until Harrell can't take anymore and the stoppage comes within two.
Pick: Jack Della Maddalena by KO/TKO RD 1
Welterweight Bout
#35 "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler vs #39 Niko "The Hybrid" Price - This will be the final fight in the career of the legendary former champ and future Hall of Famer, Robbie Lawler. Lawler is now 41 years old and has 1 win in the last 6 years and that was over Nick Diaz in a fight that Diaz shouldn't have been in. Price is 1-3-1 over his last 5 so he needs this win as well and he's type of fighter that's going to be willing to throw down with Lawler in a wild brawl so this should be fun.
Lawler is the former UFC Welterweight champ, the former EliteXC Middleweight champ, the former ICON Sport Middleweight champ, the former Superbrawl Middleweight champ, and has one of the best teams in the world behind him at Kill Cliff FC. He's finished 22 of his 29 pro wins with 21 KO/TKOs and 1 submission.
Price is the former Fight Time Welterweight champ and he's a brown belt in BJJ. He's finished 13 of his 15 pro wins with 10 KO/TKOs and 3 submissions.
If this was Lawler from 2016, this would be a no brainer pick for the former champ, but he's far from his prime at this point. How often do we get a happy ending in MMA and when a fighter announces it will be their final fight, we get to see them go out with a triumphant win? The answer is almost never. I'd love to see Lawler score a vintage knockout or even go through one last war and come out with a win, but the most likely scenario is that we see the younger fighter drive home the final nail in the coffin. Lawler was knocked out by Bryan Barberena in his last outing and Price hits harder than him and is just as durable. We could see a flash of vintage Lawler when these two start trading shots, but it should also signal the beginning of the end as Price will be able to absorb the damage and Lawler won't.
Pick: Niko Price by KO/TKO RD 2
Cancelled Bouts
Welterweight Bout
Sean Brady vs Jack Della Maddalena - CANCELLED - This is a massively important fight for both of these fighters and for the Welterweight division. Brady is coming off the first loss of his career and it was in a pretty high profile spot against Belal Muhammad. Getting stopped by Belal was a bad look for Brady as he was the favorite and Belal isn't a fighter known to be a finisher. It's going to be interesting to see how Brady responds after losing for the first time, especially in that fashion and now coming back against a highly touted rising prospect. Maddalena started his career 0-2, but has since rattled off 14 straight wins, earned a UFC contract on the Contender Series, and is now 4-0 in the octagon with his last one being a submission victory over Randy Brown.
Brady is the former CFFC Welterweight champ, he's a black belt in BJJ, and he's got a solid team behind him at Renzo Gracie Philly. He's finished 7 of his 15 pro wins with 3 KO/TKOs and 4 submissions.
Maddalena is the former EMMA champ, the former RF champ, and he's a brown belt in BJJ. He's finished 13 of his 14 pro wins with 11 KO/TKOs and 2 submissions.
This boils down to a striker vs grappler pairing as Brady is a high level black belt and dangerous submission specialist while Maddalena is a crisp boxer with great combinations and knockout power. I'm going to be honest, that last loss for Brady has completely diminished any faith I have in picking him against just about anyone in the top 20, let alone an extremely dangerous rising prospect with a ton of momentum like Maddalena. After that loss, Brady said he felt relieved to no longer have his undefeated record and it took a lot of pressure off of him. In a way that could be good for him, but you never want to hear a fighter say they were relieved or happy to lose. Maddalena is an animal, he's a relentless striker who throws great in combination, he's a brown belt in BJJ so he's a competent grappler and while we haven't seen his takedown defense really be tested yet, I still have enough faith to pick him. He should be able to put Brady on the back foot, pressure him with volume striking, and then break him with a few well placed shots.
Pick: Jack Della Maddalena by KO/TKO RD 1 UPDATE: CANCELLED
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