UFC 218 looks to be an incredible card.
The return to Pay Per View for the UFC happens on Saturday night, and it features a rematch for the UFC’s Featherweight Title. In a card that has quietly become stacked with matchups, UFC 218 should be in the top 5 as far as Pay Per Views go for 2017. Even with the original opponent for Max “Blessed” Holloway (18-3 Featherweight Champion) falling out the replacement former champion Jose Aldo (26-3 #1 Ranked Featherweight) makes for a very intriguing story here. We have the former champion looking to regain his crown from the guy who took it. That matchup alone should excite UFC fans, but the Co-Main event of Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem (43-15 1NC #1 Ranked Heavyweight) and rising Heavyweight contender Francis “The Predator” Ngannou (10-1 #4 Ranked Heavyweight). Plus if you look at the main card there is not one fighter below the #6 ranking in their respective weight class. This card is just so good and should cap off an action-packed weekend of fights for the UFC.
We kick off the night in the Women’s Strawweight Division with Amanda “ABC” Cooper (3-3) going up against Angela “Your Majesty” Magana (11-8). Season 23 of The Ultimate Fighter Finalist Amanda Cooper has gone 1-2 in the UFC and is coming off a loss back in March. She is going to need to use her ground game to her advantage in this one and wrestle her way to the victory. Cooper has shown improvement since leaving the Ultimate Fighter, and at 26 has a chance to keep getting better each time she enters the Octagon. While Angela Magana has made more headlines outside of the Octagon in the past 2 years she finally makes her return. She has lost 4 straight fights including her 2 UFC fights, and you can probably even add in the internet turned real-world fight with Cris Cyborg (18-1 Women’s Featherweight Champion). Magana needs to find a way to get back to the time where she was out there submitting people in the first round and getting victories. With a loss here her time with the UFC could come to an end. Prediction: Amanda Cooper via Decision.
We jump into the Welterweight Division as Sabah “The Problem” Homasi (11-6) takes on Abdul Razak Alhassan (7-1). Sabah Homasi suffered a TKO loss in his first foray into the UFC in August of last year. Prior to that 3 straight knockout victories led his way to the UFC. Homasi has 8 career knockouts, and will be looking to end this fight quickly against a very dangerous and powerful opponent. Homasi needs to avoid the pressure of Alhassan to make sure he keeps himself in this fight. Abdul Razak Alhassan suffered his first career loss in a split decision back in May, after bursting on to the scene with a 53 second knockout in late November of last year in his UFC debut. Alhassan is a knockout artist having only been out of the first minute of the first round 3 times in 8 fights. He starts fast and throws with full power on every punch. If he is able to find the chin of Homasi this one could done very early. Prediction: Abdul Razak Alhassan via TKO.
Jumping into the Light Heavyweight division Jeremy “Grizzly” Kimball (15-6) looks to stop the momentum of Dominick “The Devastator” Reyes (7-0). Jeremy Kimball got his first UFC victory in his last appearance in June with a 1st round TKO. He was able to add that to his record and pushed his career number to 11 knockout victories. Kimball is going to look to stop this one early and get a win streak going in the UFC. Dominick Reyes made his jump from internet viral knockout to 29-second UFC debut knockout victory almost seamlessly. He showed that he has serious power not only in his legs, but his hands must be acknowledged. Now with a full camp behind him, he has a chance to continue to build off that momentum. He has a good matchup in a guy like Kimball who is going to want to stand with him. Expect some fireworks in this one. Prediction: Dominick Reyes via TKO.
We close out the Fight Pass Prelims with the Heavyweight division as Justin “Big Pretty” Willis (5-1) is set to take on the debuting Allen “Pretty Boy” Crowder (9-2 1NC). Justin Willis debuted back in July and worked his way through a somewhat boring decision victory. Willis will be looking to take that experience into this one and now that the UFC first time jitters are out of the way he may be able to do that. With 4 knockout victories, he has the power, but the question is will he be able to use it in this fight when he wasn’t the last time out. Allen Crowder came into the UFC world back in August as a contract winner from Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. He scored a 3rd round TKO victory after a very impressive fight. Crowder will look to use his clinch game and grappling+ to exhaust his opponent and then uncork his big shots. He has a shot to make a mark in his debut in a Heavyweight division that is just begging for new fighters to emerge. Prediction: Allen Crowder via TKO.
The FS1 Prelims launch with a Top 15 Women’s Strawweight matchup as Felice “Lil Bulldog” Herrig (13-6 #9 Ranked Women’s Strawweight) and Cortney “Cast Iron” Casey (7-4 #11 Ranked Women’s Strawweight) meet. Since her loss to “12 Gauge” Paige Vanzant (7-3 #12 Ranked Women’s Strawweight) in 2015, Felice Herrig has been on a mission. A quick submission victory’s followed by 2 just dominating decisions has her riding high on a 3 fight win streak. Herrig has quietly climbed her way into being probably 2 wins away from a title shot. Her well rounded striking and grappling has her in a great position heading into Saturday. Cortney Casey is a somewhat unheralded Women’s Strawweight fighter. Her 3 and 3 record in the UFC isn’t indicative of how much she has improved since coming aboard in 2015. Casey was dominant her last time out in May and probably had one of her best performances under the UFC banner. Casey’s wrestling is a legit problem for almost every competitor that is out there in that 115lb division. This should be a really good scrap to kick off the prelims. Prediction: Felice Herring via Decision.
In what could be a sneaky shot at fight of the night David Teymur (6-1) will be taking on Drakkar Klose (8-0-1). David Teymur had an outstanding win his last time out over Lando “Groovy” Vannata (9-2-1). Teymur is a heavy-handed guy who has 4 knockouts in his 6 wins. Teymur likes to mix it up on the feet and has a very solid chin. He will try to get in close against Klose and land the big shots. He also keeps a very fast pace which will make this fight very interesting. Drakkar Klose moved to 2-0 in the UFC with a razor-thin split decision vs. Marc “Bonecrusher” Diakiese (12-1). Drakkar is a very talented striker who is willing to throw with every single guy on the roster. Expect him to try and keep this on the feet and let the bombs fly. Klose is very talented and has a big upside, but he will most certainly be tested with this matchup. We have yet to see the knockouts that peppered his pre UFC career, but this is the type of matchup that may be able to put that on display. If this isn’t fight of the night we could most certainly see a performance bonus from it. Prediction: Drakkar Klose via Decision.
Alex “Cowboy” Oliveira (17-3-1 2NC) has broken into the Top 15 of the 170lb division and he will take on Yancy Medeiros (14-4 1NC) who is looking to take that spot. Alex Oliveira has rattled off 4 straight victories with one no contest mixed in. His vicious knockout of Ryan LaFlare (13-2) in July was unbelievably impressive. Oliveira has a chance to beat an up and coming guy in this fight ad if he does a Top 15 opponent is right on the doorstep. If Oliveira continues on this path his power makes him a problem for almost all of the 170lb fighters. Yancy Medeiros has 2 straight finishes in his last 2 fights including a 2nd round TKO of Erick Silva (19-8 1NC). Medeiros is an interesting case since joining the UFC in 2013 he has jumped up and down with strings of wins and losses. He has started to put things together it seems, and there is a chance we may have the best of Yancy Medeiros to come. The punching power that has got him 7 knockout wins has to be paid attention to. The pressure game is the way to go at Oliveira, and Medeiros certainly has the ability to do that. Prediction: Alex Oliveira via TKO.
In another fight that makes these prelims just absolutely fantastic Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira (22-7 1NC) is set to take on Paul “The Irish Dragon” Felder (14-3). Charles Oliveira is a fantastic Jiu Jitsu player who has been in the UFC since 2010. He has fought multiple Champions, and just hasn’t been able to get over that hump. With 14 career submissions the game plan is very much the same in every fight, get the fight to the ground and get the tap as quickly as possible. His submission win over former Bellator Champion Will “Ill Will” Brooks (18-4) was a very good way to get back in the winner’s circle, but he will need to deal with the striking of Felder. Paul Felder brought back his elbows in his last two fights with back to back first round knockouts. Felder is a very talented and heavy-handed guy who’s striking and spinning means he can compete with anyone in the division. A potential 3rd straight victory over a guy like Oliveira could see Felder on the verge of entering the Top 15. With 9 knockouts to his name it is safe to say that Felder has a shot to end this fight at very quickly. This fight is probably the best option to close out the prelims leading into the main card. Prediction: Paul Felder via TKO.
The Pay Per View card kicks off with a Top 6 Women’s Strawweight matchup between Tecia “Tiny Tornado” Torres (9-1 #5 Ranked Women’s Strawweight) and Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson (14-5 #6 Ranked Women’s Featherweight). Tecia Torres got her first career finish her last time out with a submission victory in July. The Season 20 of The Ultimate Fighter alum only has 1 professional loss and it is to “Thug” Rose Namajunas (8-3 Women’s Strawweight Champion). Torres striking and cardio is her biggest strong hold, and she will need to keep her motor going and use her pressure and clinch game to close the distance and make sure that leaves with her hand raised. Michelle Waterson was on the verge of a title shot before dropping her last fight to Rose Namajunas. The former Invicta Atomweight Champion will be looking get her name right back in the conversation for future title challengers. Michelle Waterson may have Karate in her nickname, but her submission game is on point. That is going to give her an excellent shot in this fight and dealing with the grappling and clinch with Torres. This is an exciting fight to kick off the Pay Per View card. Prediction: Michelle Waterson via Decision.
The conclusion of The Ultimate Fighter Season 26 is the coaches doing battle as Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez (28-5 1NC #4 Ranked Lightweight) and the undefeated Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje (18-0 #5 Ranked Lightweight). Former Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez return to the Octagon ended in a no contest his last time out after he threw an illegal knee. Throwing that out and looking at the body of work Eddie Alvarez has in his career, he could be the guy to give Gaethje a loss. Alvarez has 15 career knockouts and been involved in wars over his time as both a Bellator Champion and his ascent to the title in the UFC. Alvarez will need to stay out of that type of fight with Gaethje or he could find himself on the wrong end of fight. If Alvarez is able to slow this fight down and dictate the pace we could see a huge win for Alvarez. Justin Gaehtje stayed undefeated in his career by winning his UFC debut with a 2nd round TKO knockout in what was an unbelievably fun fight. Gaethje made his way to the UFC after spending several years as the 155lb World Series of Fighting Champion and his style is come forward and throw hands. Gaethje is full of heart and is willing to come forward no matter what is on the other side. Gaethje does have underestimated wrestling, but we don’t see it very often. Alvarez may be able to get him to show it off, or this is going to be a brawl. Prediction: Justin Gaethje via TKO.
A Top 5 Flyweight battle is up next as Henry “The Messenger” Cejudo (11-2 #2 Ranked Flyweight) is set to take on Sergio Pettis (16-2 #4 Ranked Flyweight). Henry Cejudo looked like a completely different striker his last times out where a second-round knockout sent him one step closer to another title shot. The former Olympic gold medalist in wrestling was much faster on the feet and more precise with his punches. He will need to do the exact same thing in this fight, because Pettis is a much different striker than Wilson Reis (22-8 #6 Ranked Flyweight). The wrestling advantage will be Cejudo’s but Pettis is also a very good wrestler. Cejudo with a win here can get him back to another shot at the title. Sergio Pettis won a brilliant 5 round decision over Brandon “The Assassin Baby” Moreno (14-4 #7 Ranked Flyweight) for his 4th straight victory. At 24 years old his meteoric rise up the rankings has been very impressive. Clearly watching the rise of his brother has paid dividends for the Flyweight. Pettis is able to grind away his wins, and he will need to do the same in this matchup if he expects to take this and make it 5 in a row. This is a potential title shot eliminator and the pressure will be on Pettis in easily his highest profile fight so far. Prediction: Henry Cejudo via Decision.
A potential changing of the guard could be upon us at heavyweight as The Demolition Man” Overeem (43-15 1NC #1 Ranked Heavyweight) and rising Heavyweight contender Francis “The Predator” Ngannou (10-1 #4 Ranked Heavyweight) go at it. What else can you say about Alistair Overeem that hasn’t already been said? He is one of the most prolific strikers the Heavyweight Division has seen. A multi-time world champion through multiple organizations and a K1 Grand Prix winner. He has fought and defeated the who’s who in MMA in his 20 year career. The one thing that eludes him is a UFC title. He has challenged for it only to come up short. This is his chance to get back to that title shot all that stands in his way is a rising star with devastating power. Overeem will need to stay out of range as he has been stopped on multiple occasions. If he can avoid that he can potentially eek out that veteran win. Francis Ngannou is one of the hardest hitting Heavyweights in the world. He has 5 fights in the UFC 4 knockouts and 1 submission in that time. He is a scary puncher who is so young in his MMA career that the question of too much too soon is certainly applicable. However his power is very different than most guys. His move to Las Vegas to change up his training has helped as well. This could be a huge jumping off point if he collects a victory here. Prediction: Francis Ngannou via TKO.
The main event is next and Max “Blessed” Holloway (18-3 Featherweight Champion) will look to defend his belt for the first time against Jose Aldo (26-3 #1 Ranked Featherweight). Max Holloway has won 11 fights in a row and ripped the belt right out of Jose Aldo’s hands just 6 months ago. Holloway is a dynamic striker whose long limbs make a huge difference in his fights. He is able to keep his opponent at a distance and pick them apart with his striking. He hasn’t lost since 2013, and the way he beat Aldo was very impressive in June battering and TKO’ing the former champ. There is a real shot that this win could be the launch to super stardom for the 145lb Hawaii native. At one time Jose Aldo was one of the scariest fighters in the MMA world. An 18 fight win streak from 2006-2014 came crashing to a halt with a 13 second knockout loss. An interim title win in 2016 saw the champ regain his crown only to lose it to Holloway 11 months later. Aldo will need to utilize his leg kicks in this as they are one of his most devastating weapons. The Brazilian also has a ground game that is world class that we almost never see. He has a chance to get his hands on UFC gold for a third time which almost never comes around. The biggest thing will be if he changes up his strategy of attack on Holloway to make it a much different fight. Either way this is an exciting rematch that has a ton of story lines and is a super exciting big fight to cap off an excellent card. Prediction: Max Holloway via Decision
UFC 218 only 2 months ago looked like a hot mess, but since then we have gotten nothing but great fights put on it and it is an excellent second to last Pay Per View card of 2017. The main card is arguably in the top 3 of cards of the year prior to them happening. Expect some real fireworks with the potential for fight of the night almost impossible to predict. The UFC can right this through the last month of the year and enter 2018 with a lot of hype.
