Our Sunday night will once again be filled with hard-hitting, blood-gushing action, as the UFC is back with another Fight Night card. Michael Chiesa and Kevin Lee, who had an intense moment at the press conference last month, will headline the event. It’s bound to be a war and we should see its supporting bouts be as action-packed as well.
Read on and see which fighters are great to bet on!
Michael Chiesa (EVEN) vs Kevin Lee (-130)
Lightweight
Chiesa (14-2) is that classic tough dude. He has an iron chin, the energy for a ground-and-pound fight or an all-out-war type of bout, and a wrestling and grappling expertise that can dominate opponents. The 29-year-old has 10 submission wins, all of which were via triangle or rear-naked chokes.
Lee (15-2), meanwhile, thanks to being one of the best conditioned fighters today, will be coming in red-hot. He has won four straight, and eight of his last nine. Additionally, four of his last five victories were stoppages.
Though similar to Chiesa in being tough as nails with a knack for making foes tap, it could be better for Lee to use his advantage on speed and striking, rather than go mano y mano on wrestling, as Chiesa is considered a master of trapping necks.
WRITER’S PREDICTION: Chiesa (EVEN) earns another submission win.
Tim Boetsch (+180) vs Johny Hendricks (-240)
Middleweight
Boetsch (20-11) only has a pair of wins in his last five fights, but he should still be seen as dangerous. He’s a well-rounded fighter who’s been around the block; the man is a certified veteran of the game.
Hendricks (18-6), on the other hand, the former champion of the welterweight division, has dropped three of his last five, which was a stretch that began after he lost his title to Robbie Lawler at UFC 181.
What makes this fight interesting is that Boetsch’s style of being more of an outside attacker is a perfect fit to how he should approach Hendricks, who is quite dangerous when at close range. Despite the recent struggles, Hendricks is still a headache, as he is a very balanced fighter that can punish you with his striking and wrestling – his left hand is just a bomb waiting to explode.
WRITER’S PREDICTION: This fight will end in a TKO. I’m leaning towards Hendricks (-240), who is hopeful that he can return to form.
Felice Herrig (-120) vs Justine Kish (-110)
Women’s Strawweight
Herrig (12-6) has won three of her last four matches, two of which were via submissions. Her arsenal, however, also includes good kickboxing and Muay Thai, which we can easily expect to see. Herrig is also sure to showcase a bullying vibe that can usually bring great pressure to her opponents.
Kish (6-0), who has the confidence of an undefeated fighter, is a great foil to Herrig, especially since she also likes to throw her presence around. The 29-year-old Kish is well-conditioned for any fight, and it allows her to bring in aggression and athleticism.
WRITER’S PREDICTION: Kish (-110) wins via unanimous decision.
Joachim Christensen (+220) vs Dominick Reyes (-300)
Light Heavyweight
The 38-year-old Christensen (14-5) obviously doesn’t have very much upside anymore, but he is still a very balanced fighter. We can expect him to be relaxed and comfortable fighting standing up or on the mat, as evidenced by his punching power that resulted in five TKO/KO wins and a ground game that made opponents tap five times (three armbars and two chokes).
The unbeaten Reyes (6-0), meanwhile, will counter Christensen with speed, quickness, athleticism, footwork, and striking power, which was on full display in his last two victories, wherein he won via high-kick knockouts. He should prove to be a big hurdle for his over-the-hill foe.
Tim Means (-250) vs Alex Garcia (+190)
Welterweight
Means (26-8-1), as seen in his record, has been into loads of fights, which could always be helpful in his ability to read opponents’ gameplan. “The Dirty Bird” is a certified hard-nosed dude who has dangerous punching power, one that can put guys to sleep in a snap. He has 22 finishes – 18 TKO/KOs and four submissions.
Garcia (14-3), who owns a balanced skillset, should be very competitive with Means in any area. Along with six knockouts and five submissions, he also has 20 successful takedowns in his 17 pro fights. He will exchange well standing up, and has an advantage if ever they go to the ground.
WRITER’S PREDICTION: The more versatile Garcia (+190) should take this one.
BJ Penn (+165) vs Dennis Siver (-210)
Featherweight
Penn (16-11-2), a living legend of the sport who’s now 38, is on his last legs. Gone are days when you know he will bring an exciting performance. Based on his recent matches, his body conditioning is just becoming worse, which tells you that it might be ideal for him to finish opponents as quick as possible. Unfortunately, though, it’s a big question mark if he can still TKO his way to a victory.
Siver (23-11) and Penn share the same age, and he’s also at the twilight of his career, as seen in the losses he’s been taking lately. The German, though, has a balanced fighting style, as he can give a flurry of attacks (particularly with his feet) or be a counter fighter that will patiently wait and set up takedowns or combinations.
