UFC Vegas 102 Preview
Cannonier vs. Rodrigues - 5 rounds of pure violence. The matchmakers did a good thing with this fight. Although this is a very entertaining fight, I have my doubts that it will really move the needle for either of these guys if they get a finish. "The Killa Gorilla" is coming off back-to-back losses against, more than likely, two future title challengers, while "RoboCop" has won three straight, even though the level of competition wasn't as high as Cannonier's. I wouldn't expect much on the ground for these two. So, I would bet on this fight to go under 3.5 rounds.
Kattar vs. Zalal - We have another striker's delight on our hands for this one. There's some sparring tape out there of Zalal and Justin Gaethje, and he was looking very good. Calvin has been a mainstay in the rankings for the last few years and is one of those few guys who's down to fight anyone at any time, anywhere; he's a fighter's fighter.
Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Dylan Budka - Once highly touted prospect Edmen Shahbazyan looks to build a winning streak, as he's been alternating wins and losses for the last three years. He has all the tools to give anyone in the division a hard time, but it seems like he just struggles with consistency. Dylan Budka is coming into this fight with his back against the wall, losing his first two fights coming off of Dana White's Contender Series.
smael Bonfim vs. Nazim Sadykhov - Ismael and his brother are both fighting on this card in the same corner. Part of me wishes there was going to be a crowd for them, but at the end of the day, they have to clock in and work. This is a very high-level fight compared to the hype and name value. Both of these guys are good everywhere. I would say Nazim does tend to take a little bit more damage than he needs to, and Ismael does have the power to put him out if he gets reckless.
Rodolfo Vieira vs. Andre Petroski - I see this fight either ending in a submission or going the distance. We have a BJJ ace and a very good wrestler going at it.
Connor Matthews vs. Jose Delgado - Jose Delgado has finished all of his wins, with four coming by KO and the other four via submission. I think that he will get this one done via submission. Matthews has been submitted five times, so I think he's a little prone.
Angela Hill vs. Ketlen Souza - Angela Hill has been a mainstay in the UFC for the better part of a decade. The 40-year-old doesn't have many more trips into the Octagon; no bet for this one—I'll just be a fan.
Rafael Estevam vs. Jesus Aguilar - I don't know much about these guys, but I do know that when Aguilar wins, he normally does so by finish; he also has a 20-second knockout, and at flyweight, that's rare power to have.
Gabriel Bonfim vs. Khaos Williams - I think that this fight is a little bit too low on the card. Both of these dudes are a treat to watch and normally bring non-stop action when they get into the Octagon. I would give the edge on the ground to Bonfim, but in the striking, I would lean towards Khaos. I do not expect this fight to hear the final bell, with both of these men's finishing prowess.
Vince Morales vs. Elijah Smith - Smith is making his UFC debut after a unanimous decision victory on the Dana White Contender Series.
Julia Avila vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti - Cavalcanti is 3-0 in the UFC so far, with all of them going the distance. She is fighting Avila, who is coming off a rather long layoff that was over 12 months long after a loss to MMA legend Meisha Tate. Julia Avila's strength of schedule doesn't really match up to the line, in my opinion.
