Junior Dos Santos vs. Blagoy Ivanov

Junior Dos Santos is the betting favorite at -168, while Blagoy Ivanov can be found at +158.

It’s been a while now since we’ve seen Junior Dos Santos enter the UFC’s Octagon, but here we are. After a six-month suspension from USADA kept Dos Santos on the sidelines ever since he fought Stipe Miocic at UFC 211, “JDS” now returns and will face a UFC newcomer in the main event here in Boise, Idaho.

Blagoy Ivanov is a former WSOF/PFL champion from Bulgaria, and has great plans to become the UFC’s heavyweight champion. There’s possibly no better way to test his abilities straight-up than a five-round war with Dos Santos, either. Don’t be fooled by his lack of experience in the UFC, because Ivanov is a monster who is capable of terrifying the heavyweight division.

While “JDS” has crisp, technical boxing, Ivanov has destructive power in his hands and will happily wait for an opportunity to launch some bombs. “JDS” should be too good for Ivanov, however.

Prediction: Junior Dos Santos to win inside the distance

Bet: Junior Dos Santos to win (-168).

Sage Northcutt vs. Zak Ottow

It seems like bookies and fans are expecting Sage Northcutt to get the job done against Zak Ottow. He’s currently the favorite at -127, while Ottow is +125.

It seems like every time we see Sage Northcutt lately he has improved greatly. Most recently, his move to Team Alpha Male has resulted in the creation of a very strategic and well-rounded fighter who used his striking techniques and well-timed takedowns to control the contest against Thibault Gouti at UFC Fight Night 126. While it wasn’t an impressive finish like we have seen from Northcutt previously, it’s clear that he is growing into a very talented mixed martial artist.

And for this fight, he’ll be moving up a weight class to the welterweight division to take on Zak Ottow. Ottow firmly believes that he’ll crush Northcutt with his sheer strength and size, and will be looking to slam Northcutt onto the mat and beat him up down there. While standing, it’s hard to see how Ottow can hang with Northcutt’s striking excellence.

Prediction: Sage Northcutt to win by decision

Bet: Sage Northcutt to win (-127)

Dennis Bermudez vs. Rick Glenn

Dennis Bermudez is the heavy favorite in this contest and is sitting at -258 during fight week. Rick Glenn’s odds are upward of +200 at the moment.

Dennis Bermudez is in desperate need of a victory. There’s no other way to say it. Bermudez has been on the losing end of three-straight fights, being defeated by Chan Sung Jung, Darren Elkins, and then Andre Fili. Our expectations of Bermudez have changed dramatically from his form of 2013, but he’s still certainly capable of defeating the likes of Rick Glenn.

Rick Glenn has accumulated at 2-2 record with the UFC since joining in 2016. After four fights with the promotion, he’s now going to be facing his toughest test when he steps into the cage with Bermudez. Yes, Glenn did score an impressive underdog victory against Gavin Tucker, but his efforts against Myles Jury prove that he might have difficult staying with Bermudez through three rounds.

Prediction: Dennis Bermudez to win by decision

Bet: Dennis Bermudez to win (-258)

Randy Brown vs. Niko Price

An interesting fight here if you are leaning either side. Randy Brown is -120 at the moment while Niko Price is the slight favorite at -104.

In a relatively insignificant main card matchup, Randy Brown will do battle with Niko Price. Brown was gaining some momentum after defeating Erick Montano and Brian Camozzi, but lost it all when he faced Belal Muhammad at UFC 208. However, he clawed back a victory by defeating the highly-regarded Mickey Gall in a pick-em’ match at UFC 217.

He’ll be facing Niko Price, who has experienced his own fair share of ups and downs recently. After defeating Alan Jouban at UFC Fight Night 114, Price then lost to Vicente Luque. It didn’t take long for him bounce back to winning ways, though, and he scored a second-round submission win over George Sullivan at UFC on FOX 27 earlier this year. That defeat to Luque remains the only blemish on Niko Price’s career so far.

Prediction: Niko Price to win inside the distance

Bet: Niko Price to win (-104)

Myles Jury vs. Chad Mendes

Myles Jury doesn’t bring the same name value that Chad Mendes does and is sitting as a moderate underdog at the moment (+212). Mendes can be had at -260.

Was it really that long ago when Myles Jury was considered one of the best prospects in the UFC? After Donald Cerrone dominated him and then Charles Oliveira submitted him in the first round, Jury took an extended break away from the sport. He fought twice in 2017, and looked impressive on both occasions by defeating Mike De La Torre and Rick Glenn consecutively. But now, he’s up against another of the top contenders in the featherweight division, Chad Mendes.

Mendes is returning from his own break of sorts. The featherweight was suspended for two years due to violating USADA’s drug testing policies. The sport has moved on since Mendes last entered the cage – a clash with Frankie Edgar – so it remains to be seen whether Mendes still has what it takes to hang in there through three rounds.

It won’t be easy, but Myles Jury stands a real chance to upset Mendes in this fight.

Prediction: Myles Jury to win by decision

Bet: Myles Jury to win (+212)

Cat Zingano vs. Marion Reneau

This seemingly close battle will open up the main card, as Cat Zingano is a very slight underdog (+101) against Reneau (-120).

Former UFC title challenger, Cat Zingano will collide with Marion Reneau in what should be a fascinating way to start the main card in Boise, Idaho.

While Zingano hasn’t been in the best of form, she provided a very tough challenge for a rising star in the division when she took Ketlen Vieira to a split decision at UFC 222. The defeat marked her third consecutive loss and she now will be looking to score her first win since she defeated Amanda Nunes in September 2014.

That momentum is much the opposite of Marlon Reneau who is appearing to have some sort of career resurgence right now. Reneau hasn’t lost since February 2016 and most recently defeated Talita Bernardo and Sara McMann.

Everyone seems to be all over the place when it comes to picking a winner here, but we’re going to side with Cat Zingano to return to form.

Prediction: Cat Zingano to win inside the distance

Bet: Cat Zingano to win (+101)

UFC Fight Night 133 fight card

UFC Fight Night 133 begins on UFC Fight Pass from 6:30 pm ET (10:30 pm GMT) on Saturday, July 14.

FS1 Main Card (10:00 pm ET / 2:00 am GMT)

• Junior Dos Santos [-168] vs. Blagoy Ivanov [+158]
• Sage Northcutt [-127] vs. Zak Ottow [+125]
• Dennis Bermudez [-258] vs. Rick Glenn [+205]
• Randy Brown [-104] vs. Niko Price [-120]
• Myles Jury [+212] vs. Chad Mendes [-260]
• Cat Zingano [+101] vs. Marion Reneau [-120]

FS1 Prelims (8:00 pm ET / 12:00 am GMT)

• Eddie Wineland vs. Alejandro Perez
• Darren Elkins vs. Alexander Volkanovski
• Justin Scoggins vs. Said Nurmagomedov
• Kurt Holbaugh vs. Raoni Barcelos

UFC Fight Pass Early Prelims (6:30 pm ET / 12:30 pm GMT)

• Liz Carmouche vs. Jennifer Maia
• Mark De La Rosa vs. Elias Garcia
• Jessica Aguilar vs. Jodie Esquibel

It’s International Fight Week, and that means the UFC will feature their biggest and best stars here in Las Vegas, Nevada. The UFC 226 main card is jam-packed with outstanding fights, and the preliminary card is good enough to be a main card on any other day!

Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier

Stipe Miocic is a moderate betting favorite at -240, while Daniel Cormier sits at +230.

Superfights don’t come around often in mixed martial arts. In fact, we might not have ever seen one of this quality before. The UFC heavyweight champion, Stipe Miocic, will defend his strap from the challenging Daniel Cormier, who currently reigns over the UFC’s light heavyweight division. It’s a winner-takes-all matchup for Daniel Cormier, who could go home as a two-division champion after UFC 226.

However, to say that Cormier is going to be tested is a vast understatement. Cormier is going to need to bring the very best version of himself if he wants to hang in there with Miocic, who is currently regarded by some as the best heavyweight mixed martial artist of all-time. Add to that, Miocic is running wild at the moment and steps into the cage this weekend on a six-fight winning streak that was most recently capped with a dominant five-round battering of Francis Ngannou. Before that, he defended his title successfully against heavyweight greats Alistair Overeem and Junior Dos Santos.

The challenger, Daniel Cormier, recently scored a significant victory of his own when he stopped Volkan Oezdemir inside two rounds. Cormier made sure to showcase his strengths and dismissed of Oezdemir with relative ease after grounding him and finishing the fight with many unanswered shots.

Now, at UFC 226, these two giants will collide. Will Cormier’s pressure and clinch work be effective against the heavyweight champion, or will Miocic’s strength and size prevail?

Prediction: Stipe Miocic to win by KO/TKO

Bet: Stipe Miocic to win

Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega

Max Holloway is a slight betting favorite at -145, and Brian Ortega is great value at +138.

Moreover, if that spectacular main event isn’t enough, it’s backed by a fantastic co-main event that will see featherweight champion Max Holloway defend his title from Brian Ortega. This matchup between two young stars who are just hitting their peak is likely to be one of the most anticipated title fights in UFC featherweight history.

Holloway earned his belt by defeating Jose Aldo, the greatest UFC featherweight of all-time. To cement his case as the best featherweight in 2018, he then defended the title from Aldo not long after. Holloway’s striking precision, power, and determination to finish fights before the final bell have proved to be not just incredibly exciting, but also very dangerous for his opponents.

At UFC 226, Holloway will be facing another entertaining fighter who has made a career out of finishing opponents. Brian Ortega, who trains under the renowned Rener Gracie, has possibly the most creative arsenal of submissions and jiu-jitsu techniques in the UFC. We’ve seen this on display when he wrapped up the neck of Cub Swanson and submitted him with ease. However, then, Ortega did something that none of us expected and flattened Frankie Edgar with a series of punches that was enough to earn him a shot at Holloway and the title.

Max Holloway is a remarkable athlete and a very dangerous featherweight, but it’s hard to see how he can contain the many weapons of Brian Ortega at UFC 226.

Prediction: Brian Ortega to win by submission

Bet: Brian Ortega to win

Francis Ngannou vs. Derrick Lewis

Francis Ngannou is a significant betting favorite (-345), while Derrick Lewis hasn’t been given much chance (+325).

Francis Ngannou, who might just be the hardest-hitting fighter in the UFC, will attempt to bounce back from a disappointing effort against Stipe Miocic earlier this year when he faces Derrick Lewis at UFC 226 this weekend.

You might have heard it before: “Francis Ngannou hits harder than a Ford Escort going at full speed…” Those were the words of UFC President Dana White in the build-up to that fight with Stipe Miocic, and while that is clearly an exaggeration, not many fighters would be willing to step in there after seeing what “The Predator” did to Alistair Overeem last year.

There is one man who has wanted to get his hands on Ngannou for a long time now, though, and that’s Derrick Lewis. Lewis has made a career out of crushing skulls with his hands and is not one to care for a grappling match.

So, it looks like Ngannou and Lewis will be operating in their desired territory and they’ll be able to exchange heavy punches for as long as they remain conscious. And although the blueprint to defeating Ngannou is out there for the world to see, we’re not sure whether Lewis is capable of meeting the requirements.

Prediction: Francis Ngannou to win by KO/TKO

Bet: Francis Ngannou to win

Michael Chiesa vs. Anthony Pettis

Michael Chiesa is the favorite in this one (-147), while Anthony Pettis comes in as the underdog (+150).

Michael Chiesa vs. Anthony Pettis is a lightweight fight that holds plenty of significance within the division. It’s a fight that was initially scheduled to take place a couple of months ago, but the impacts of Conor McGregor’s latest rampage forced Chiesa out of the event due to injury.

Now, these two will be able to step into the cage for the first time in 2018 as they lock horns in what could be the ‘Fight of the Night.’ Chiesa enters this contest after claiming to be robbed by referee Mario Yamasaki in his fight with Kevin Lee. The lightweight looked to be seconds away from being choked unconscious, but Yamasaki stepped in and stopped the bout before Chiesa had a chance to submit.

And Anthony Pettis, a former champion, desperately needs a win at UFC 226 to move past what has been a recent struggle for him. Having won just two of his last seven fights, Pettis has shown just glimpses of his potential and hasn’t managed to put together a complete performance.

Prediction: Michael Chiesa to win by submission

Bet: Michael Chiesa to win

Gokhan Saki vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.

Gokhan Saki is the favorite in this opening fight (-145), while Khalil Rountree Jr. sits at +138.

To get the UFC 226 main card started, Dutch-Turkish former kickboxer Gokhan Saki will stand toe-to-toe with Khalil Rountree Jr.

Saki, who is a former Glory Light Heavyweight Champion, has recently made the switch over to mixed martial arts and made a successful UFC debut in September last year by defeating Henrique da Silva in an entertaining scrap. Fans witnessed some of Saki’s high-level striking combined with fight-finishing power, as he ended Silva’s night with 15 seconds remaining in the first round.

He’ll be facing Rountree Jr, who made a name for himself during The Ultimate Fighter 23 and has recently been in decent form. Yes, his last contest was a unanimous decision defeat (later overturned to No Contest), but before then he had crushed Paul Craig and Daniel Jolly with his powerful strikes.

Although Rountree is the more experienced mixed martial artist, it’s difficult to see how he will have an advantage against Gokhan Saki for as long as this fight remains standing.

Prediction: Gokhan Saki by KO/TKO

Bet: Gokhan Saki to win

UFC 226 fight card

UFC 226 begins on UFC Fight Pass from 6:30 pm ET (10:30 pm GMT) on Saturday, July 7.

Pay-per-view (10:00 pm ET / 2:00 am GMT)

• Stipe Miocic [-240] vs. Daniel Cormier [+227]
• Max Holloway [-145] vs. Brian Ortega [+138]
• Francis Ngannou [-345] vs. Derrick Lewis [+325]
• Michael Chiesa [-147] vs. Anthony Pettis [+150]
• Gokhan Saki [-145] vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. [+138]

Fox Sports 1 Prelims (8:00 pm ET / 12:00 am GMT)

• Uriah Hall vs. Paulo Costa
• Paul Felder vs. Mike Perry
• Raphael Assuncao vs. Rob Font
• Curtis Millender vs. Max Griffin

UFC Fight Pass Prelims (6:30 pm ET / 10:30 pm GMT)

• Dan Hooker vs. Gilbert Burns
• Lando Vannata vs. Drakkar Klose
• Jamie Moyle vs. Emily Whitmire

After a thrilling event in Austin, Texas, last weekend, the UFC travels to Orlando for the third time.

This time, the organization will host an action-packed fight card ‘UFC on FOX 28’ that is headlined by Josh Emmett and Jeremy Stephens.

The event was originally supposed to have a featured bout between Yoel Romero and David Branch at the forefront, but Romero was forced to step away from this event to compete in Perth, Australia, against Luke Rockhold instead.

Josh Emmett vs. Jeremy Stephens

UFC on FOX 28 Betting Odds: Emmett (+135) / Stephens (-145)

The main event matchup is a fascinating featherweight scrap between a proven veteran in the division in Stephens against the fast-rising Emmett. Emmett jumped all the way to #4 in the featherweight rankings after he destroyed Ricardo Lamas with a knockout punch in the first round in December. Emmett stepped up to take the fight on short notice and proved the doubters wrong by ending the fight with conviction.

Stephens, on the other hand, has always been a contender in the division but has now strung together two impressive victories against talented opponents. Just last month, Stephens decisively beat down Doo Ho Choi in the second round, and that made it two wins in a row for Stephens after he chopped down the legs of Gilbert Melendez at UFC 215 not long before that.

The winner of this fight will be just outside title contention.

Prediction: Jeremy Stephens via KO/TKO

Jessica Andrade vs. Tecia Torres

UFC on FOX 28 Betting Odds: Andrade (-280) / Torres (+260)

In the co-main event, two of the very best women’s strawweights will compete in what seems like a title eliminator bout.

Tecia Torres was rumored to get the next shot at the new champion, Rose Namajunas, but the former champion in Joanna Jedrzejczyk got the call for a rematch instead. That means that Torres will now be competing against the insanely tough Jessica Andrade first if she wants a shot at that title.

Jessica Andrade broke through in a big way when she scored a decisive victory against Claudia Gadelha last year. It was a strong way to bounce back from losing to the then-champion, and now Andrade seems completely refreshed and ready to make another run for the title – no matter who the champion might be this time.

Torres is starting to turn heads in the division after she has scored three very impressive victories in a row. These victories mark a strong return to form after losing to Rose Namajunas in April 2016. Her and Namajunas are now 1-1 through their career, and a win against Andrade will set up a fascinating rubber match.

Prediction: Jessica Andrade via decision

Ovince Saint Preux vs. Ilir Latifi

UFC on FOX 28 Betting Odds: Saint Preux (-110) / Latifi (+105)

Ovince Saint Preux vs. Ilir Latifi will also feature on the main card of UFC on FOX 28.

After an entire career of being just another contender in the division, Saint Preux is quickly gaining fame for his impressive ability to finish fights with the Von Flue choke. After losing to Jon Jones, Jimi Manuwa, and Volkan Oezdemir, Saint Preux has now put together three consecutive wins, and this was all topped off with a big knockout victory of Corey Anderson at UFC 217 in November.

Just like “OSP,” Ilir Latifi has enjoyed a return to winning ways recently. Latifi lost devastatingly to Ryan Bader in September 2016 when he was on the wrong end of a powerful knee. But he picked up a mightily impressive victory when he outclassed Tyson Pedro at UFC 215 in September.

Prediction: Ovince Saint Preux via KO/TKO

Mike Perry vs. Max Griffin

UFC on FOX 28 Betting Odds: Perry (-275) / Griffin (+280)

Fan-favorite Mike Perry will face Max Griffin in what is expected to be a full-on battle between heavy punchers.

Perry has captured the attention of MMA fans around the world because of his amazingly aggressive fighting style and attitude. He arrived in a big way in 2016 when he knocked out Hyun Gyu Lim and Danny Roberts, but opponents have now started to work him out.

Most recently, Santiago Ponzinibbio solved the Perry puzzle and defeated him in December. It is Perry’s second loss in four fights. Regardless of whether opponents are finding ways to handle Perry easier, he is always a strong chance to knock someone out.

Perry will come up against Max Griffin, who has won just one of his first three bouts with the organization. Colby Covington defeated him in his UFC debut but he then went on to win against Erick Montano. In his last bout, Griffin lost a unanimous decision to Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos.

Prediction: Mike Perry via KO/TKO

UFC on FOX 28 fight card

UFC on FOX 28 begins on UFC Fight Pass from 4:00 pm ET (9:00 pm GMT) on Saturday, February 24.

Main Card

FOX (8:00 pm ET / 1:00 am GMT)

• Josh Emmett (+135) vs. Jeremy Stephens (-145)
• Jessica Andrade (-280) vs. Tecia Torres (+260)
• Ovince Saint Preux (-110) vs. Ilir Latifi (+105)
• Mike Perry (-275) vs. Max Griffin (+280)

Prelims

FS1 (6:00 pm ET / 11:00 pm GMT)

• Renan Barao vs. Brian Kelleher
• Sara McMann vs. Marion Reneau
• Angela Hill vs. Maryna Moroz
• Ben Saunders vs. Alan Jouban

Fight Pass Prelims

UFC Fight Pass (4:00 pm ET / 9:00 pm GMT)

• Gilbert Burns vs. Olivier Aubin-Mercier
• Sam Alvey vs. Marcin Prachnio
• Rani Yahya vs. Russell Doane
• Eric Shelton vs. Alex Perez
• Albert Morales vs. Manny Bermudez

Perth, Australia, will host the UFC’s second pay-per-view event of 2018.

The organization had hoped to showcase the UFC Middleweight Champion, Robert Whitaker, in front of his fans in Australia, but a list of injuries has forced Whittaker to withdraw. In his place, Luke Rockhold and Yoel Romero will now do battle for the UFC Interim Middleweight Champion and the winner will likely receive a shot at Whittaker sometime in 2018.

While the absence of Whittaker certainly impacts the Australian fans, the main event bout between Rockhold and Romero is truly world-class. Rockhold and Romero are two of the most physically superior athletes in mixed martial arts. Rockhold uses his strength and power combined with excellent technique to apply incredibly heavy top pressure to his opponent when the fight hits the ground. Romero, a former Olympic wrestler, is incredibly explosive and only narrowly lost to Whittaker in 2017.

Rockhold steps into this fight after defeating David Branch at UFC Fight Night 116. Rockhold showed some concerns while standing, but managed to get the fight to the ground before ground and pounding Branch into submission. For Romero, this will be his first fight since losing a unanimous decision to Robert Whittaker at UFC 213. Whittaker is the only man to have defeated Romero in the UFC.

Prediction: Yoel Romero by KO/TKO – Round 2

In the co-main event, Mark Hunt will take on Curtis Blaydes in a battle between two heavy-hitting heavyweight fighters. Hunt showed his wealth of experience and knowledge at UFC Fight Night 110 when he cruised past Derrick Lewis before securing a KO/TKO victory in the fourth round. The win helped him bounce back from two consecutive defeats and was his first win since he defeated Frank Mir at UFC Fight Night 85 in March 2016. Hunt is renowned for his walk-off KO’s.

Curtis Blaydes has jumped up the UFC’s heavyweight rankings after two consecutive victories. Since he lost to Francis Ngannou in April 2016, Blaydes has won three contests and been involved in one no contest. Blaydes is an excellent wrestler with heavy hands to go with his grappling ability.

Prediction: Mark Hunt by KO/TKO – Round 3

Moments before that co-main event, Tai Tuivasa will face Cyril Asker in another heavyweight matchup. Tuivasa bounced onto the scene after knocking out Rashad Coulter in 4:35 at UFC Fight Night 125 in November last year. His successful UFC debut also marked the eight victory in his undefeated career so far. Tuivasa will meet Cyril Asker, who is a relatively low-standard heavyweight in the UFC. Asker has traded wins and losses since joining the UFC in April 2016 and how has a 2-2 record in the organization. Most recently, he picked up a submission victory over Yaozong Hu in China.

Prediction: Tai Tuivasa by KO/TKO – Round 1

Jingliang Li, who is one of the rising stars of the UFC, will take on hometown favorite Jake Matthews in a welterweight bout. Li is riding a four-fight winning streak that includes a big win over Zak Ottow at UFC Fight Night 122 in Shanghai in November. The last time “The Leech” lost was in August 2015, when he was submitted by Keita Nakamura in Japan. He’ll be up against Jake Matthews who is experiencing somewhat of a bad stretch. Matthews lost to Kevin Lee and Andrew Holbrook before just scraping through for a split decision victory against Bojan Velickovic at UFC Fight Night 121 in November.

Prediction: Jingliang Li by unanimous decision

And to get the main card started, Tyson Pedro will look to rebound from his first-ever loss as he competes against Saparbek Safarov. Pedro was one of the fastest-rising stars in the light heavyweight division until he ran into Ilir Latifi at UFC 215. Latifi used his experience to slow the fight down and grind out a unanimous decision against Pedro. Safarov entered the UFC after managing an 8-0 professional career in Europe. However, he lost his debut in the organization in a “Fight of the Night” with Gian Villante at UFC Fight Night 102.

Prediction: Tyson Pedro by KO/TKO – Round 2

UFC 221 fight card

UFC 221 begins on UFC Fight Pass from 6:30 pm ET (11:30 pm GMT) on Saturday, February 10.

Main Card

Pay-per-view (10:00 pm ET / 3:00 am GMT)

• Yoel Romero [+125] vs. Luke Rockhold [-135]
• Mark Hunt [+140] vs. Curtis Blaydes [-160]
• Tai Tuivasa [-330] vs. Cyril Asker [+270]
• Jake Matthews [+180] vs. Li Jingliang [-220]
• Tyson Pedro [-260] vs. Saparbek Safarov [+220]

FS1 (8:00 pm ET / 1:00 am GMT)

• Damien Brown vs. Dong Hyun Kim
• Rob Wilkinson vs. Israel Adesanya
• Alexander Volkanovski vs. Jeremy Kennedy
• Jussier Formiga vs. Ben Nguyen

Fight Pass Prelims

UFC Fight Pass (6:00 pm ET / 11:30 am GMT)

• Ross Pearson vs. Mizuto Hirota
• Haruto Ishihara vs. Jose Quinonez

Luke Jumeau vs. Daichi Abe

The UFC travels to Belém, Brazil, this weekend for UFC Fight Night 125: Machida vs. Anders.

The event, which will be held on Saturday, February 3, will be headlined by a middleweight matchup between Lyoto Machida and Eryk Anders. Machida, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, will look to get things back on track in front of his Brazilian fans after a disappointing return to competition in October last year when he lost to Derek Brunson. Machida was stunned by Brunson early in the contest and the referee stopped the contest just 2:30 into the first round.

It does not get any easier for him at UFC Fight Night 125, either. Machida will be facing the undefeated Eryk Anders who has taken the UFC by storm since arriving in July last year. With consecutive wins over Rafael Natal and Markus Perez, Anders has quickly stood out and is now hoping to score a ‘big name’ win over Lyoto Machida in this main event.

Prediction: Eryk Anders by KO/TKO – Round 1

In the co-main event, two talented bantamweights will do battle as John Dodson meets Pedro Munhoz. Dodson is experiencing somewhat of a downward slide at the moment after recording two losses in his last three contests. After losing to John Lineker, Dodson would bounce back with a victory over Eddie Wineland at UFC Fight Night 108. However, in his most recent bout, Marlon Moraes outworked him over three rounds and defeated Dodson by split decision.

Dodson now faces the surging Pedro Munhoz, who has now recorded three straight victories after losing to Jimmie Rivera at UFC Fight Night 77. Three of Munhoz’s last four wins have come via way of “Performance of the Night” worthy submissions. Also of note is that Munhoz has recorded two underdog victories in his last three bouts and his most recent was a first-round submission of the highly-talented Rob Font in Brazil.

Prediction: John Dodson by unanimous decision

Moments before the co-main event, Valentina Shevchenko will battle UFC newcomer Priscila Cachoeira. Shevchenko, who was one of the best women’s strawweight fighters in the organization will make her debut in the women’s flyweight division at UFC Fight Night 125 after losing a championship bout with Amanda Nunes.

Despite the disparity in experience and level of opponents, Shevchenko will be up against the wall when facing Cachoeira in front of thousands of Brazilian fans. “Pedrita” has never fought outside of Brazil through her eight-fight career and has never suffered defeat. No matter the case, it’s going to be a fascinating matchup with significant outcomes for the newly created flyweight division.

Prediction: Valentina Shevchenko by unanimous decision

Also on the main card is what is sure to be an exciting scrap between Michel Prazeres and Des Green. The 36-year-old Michel Prazeres has risen to a new level after recording five-straight victories dating back to November 2015.

He’ll look to continue his streak against the ferocious Des Green. Green had his five-fight winning streak snapped by Rustam Khabilov in his last bout and now looks to break the momentum of another fighter when he meets Prazeres in Brazil.

Prediction: Michel Prazeres by unanimous decision

A heavyweight bout will feature on the main card of UFC Fight Night 125 as Timothy Johnson meets the undefeated Marcelo Golm.

Johnson was most recently beaten up by the striking capabilities of Junior Albini at UFC on FOX 25 in July last year. The defeat was his third in just five fights. Johnson will face 6-0 Marcelo Golm, who scored a first-round submission victory against Christian Colombo in his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night 119.

Prediction: Marcelo Golm by unanimous decision – Round 2

And to get the main card started, Thiago Santos will go to war with Anthony Smith in a middleweight contest. Santos has quickly got back on track after shockingly losing to Eric Spicely at UFC Fight Night 95. Since then, he’s scored wins over Jack Marshman, Gerald Meerschaert, and Jack Hermansson.

Santos will meet Anthony Smith who has also enjoyed a three-fight winning streak recently. With just one loss in the last 4 years and last 11 contests, Smith has now managed three KO/TKO victories in the past 13 months.

Prediction: Thiago Santos by unanimous decision

UFC Fight Night 125 Fight Card

UFC Fight Night 125 begins on UFC Fight Pass from 7:00 pm ET (12:00 am GMT) on Saturday, February 3.

Main Card

Pay-per-view (10:00 pm ET / 3:00 am GMT)

• Lyoto Machida vs. Eryk Anders
• John Dodson vs. Pedro Munhoz
• Valentina Shevchenko vs. Priscila Cachoeira
• Michel Prazeres vs. Desmond Green
• Timothy Johnson vs. Marcelo Golm
• Thiago Santos vs. Anthony Smith

Prelims

FS1 (8:00 pm ET / 1:00 am GMT)

• Sergio Moraes vs. Tim Means
• Alan Patrick vs. Damir Hadzovic
• Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Marlon Vera
• Iuri Alcantara vs. Joe Soto

Fight Pass Prelims

UFC Fight Pass (7:00 pm ET / 12:00 am GMT)

• Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Morales
• Maia Stevenson vs. Polyana Viena

UFC Fight Night 112, headlined by a fascinating bout between Michael Chiesa and Kevin Lee, will air live on June 25 from Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Many fans are eagerly anticipating Chiesa vs. Lee after the controversy that occurred at the UFC Summer Kickoff. Chiesa is on a three-win streak dating back to April 2015 and has defeated the likes of Beneil Dariush, Jim Miller and Mitch Clarke. Kevin Lee looks to continue his winning streak of four after beating Francisco Trinaldo via submission in March.

Tim Boetsch will meet Johny Hendricks in a middleweight bout for the co-main event. Boetsch looks to get back on the winning track after being quickly submitted by Jacare Souza back at UFC 208. Hendricks will look to make it two in a row after defeating Hector Lombard in February via unanimous decision.

The main card will also feature UFC and mixed martial arts legend, B.J. Penn, as he takes on Dennis Siver.

Kevin Lee showed some glaring weaknesses in his game against Francisco Trinaldo, despite winning the fight in the second round. Michael  Chiesa will enter this one with confidence knowing that he can likely defeat Kevin Lee standing up or on the mat. Look for Chiesa, who enters as the underdog, to come out victorious in Oklahoma.

Recommended Bet

Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Lee
Sunday 25th June – 11:30pm (ET)
Michael Chiesa to Win (+120, 6/5, $2.20) 

Main Card – 9pm ET / 1am GMT

Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Lee – Main Event

Tim Boetsch vs. Johny Hendricks – Co-Main Event

Felice Herrig vs. Justine Kish

Joachim Christensen vs. Dominick Reyes

Tim Means vs. Alex Garcia

B.J. Penn vs. Dennis Siver

Prelims –7pm ET / 11pm GMT

Clay Guida vs. Erik Koch

Carla Esparza vs. Maryna Moroz

Devin Powell vs. Darrell Horcher

Vitor Miranda vs. Marvin Vettori

Fight Pass Prelims –5:30pm ET / 9:30pm GMT

Jared Gordon vs. Michel Quinones

Josh Stansbury vs. Jeremy Kimball

Tony Martin vs. Johnny Case

Bellator moves to pay-per-view broadcasting this weekend with the action-packed Bellator NYC card, live from Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 24.

The main event features a bout with plenty of ‘bad blood’ as Chael Sonnen meets Wanderlei Silva inside the Bellator MMA cage. Silva, who despises Sonnen, reported this week that he ‘wants to feel Sonnen’s blood on the ground.’

The co-main event is special solely because it hosts the return of ‘The Last Emporer’ Fedor Emelianenko to our television screens as he makes his Bellator MMA debut against Matt Mitrione. The bookmakers believe that this is almost a perfectly even matchup between these star heavyweights.

If you’re not excited by two bouts between ageing mixed martial artists, don’t worry, the next three fights will surely catch your attention. Michael Chandler will defend the Bellator Lightweight title against the undefeated Brent Primus. Douglas Lima welcomes Lorenz Larkin to Bellator MMA from the UFC in a Bellator Welterweight Championship bout. Many hardcore MMA fans are also excited for the debut of Aaron Pico, a highly-touted 20-year-old potentially the greatest MMA prospect of all-time. Pico will kick-off the pay-per-view Bellator NYC card against 8-2 Zach Freeman.

The undercard for Bellator NYC is a Bellator 180 event, filled with some of Bellator’s best talent from start to finish. Bellator 180 airs on Spike TV and is headlined by a Bellator Light Heavyweight Championship bout between Phil Davis and Ryan Bader.

Recommended Bet

Chael Sonnen vs. Wanderlei Silva
Sunday 25th June – 12:30am (ET) / 04:30am (GMT)
Wanderlei Silva to Win (+110, 11/10, $2.10) 

Bellator NYC (Pay-per-view) – 10pm ET / 2am GMT

Chael Sonnen vs. Wanderlei Silva – Main Event

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Matt Mitrione – Co-Main Event

Douglas Lima vs. Lorenz Larkin – Bellator Welterweight Championship

Michael Chandler vs. Brent Primus – Bellator Lightweight Championship

Aaron Pico vs. Zach Freeman

Bellator 180 (Spike TV) – 8:00pm ET / 12am GMT

Phil Davis vs. Ryan Bader – Bellator Light Heavyweight Championship

James Gallagher vs. Chinzo Machida

Neiman Gracie vs. Dave Marfone

Heather Hardy vs. Alice Yauger

Bellator 180 Preliminary Card (Spike TV) – 5:30pm ET / 9:30pm GMT

Ryan Couture vs. Haim Gozali

Jerome Mickle vs. Anthony Giacchina

John Salgado vs. Hugh McKenna

Matt Rizzo vs. Sergio da Silva

Bradley Desire vs. Nate Grebb

The UFC continue their streak of overseas events when UFC Fight Night 111 hits Kallang, Singapore this weekend on June 17.

The event is headlined by a clash between Holly Holm, the former women’s bantamweight champion, and Bethe Correia. Holm looks to score a victory after experiencing a three-fight losing streak since famously defeating Ronda Rousey at UFC 193. Bethe Correia will be looking to cause a massive upset in Singapore after previously fighting out a majority draw against Marion Reneau at UFC Fight Night 106.

UFC Fight Night 111 contains some previous champions of the UFC, Pride and Strikeforce, including Andrei Arlovski, Rafael dos Anjos, Takanori Gomi, Tarec Saffiedine and the previously mentioned Holly Holm.

Andrei Arlovski will be hoping to snap a four-fight losing streak against rising star Marcin Tybura in a heavyweight contest.

The ‘Stun Gun’ Dong Hyun Kim will battle rising welterweight prospect, Colby Covington.

Tarec Saffiedine welcomes former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in his move up to the welterweight division.

Despite losing his last three fights, former Pride champion Takanori Gomi will provide stiff competition for Jon Tuck in a lightweight bout.

Recommended Bet

This fight is a perfect opportunity for Holly Holm to return to winning ways. However,  her odds are way too short for our liking. Bethe Correia has the power to stop Holm in her tracks. While I don’t recommend betting against Holm, we can account for some possible outcomes by betting on the total rounds market.

Holly Holm vs. Bethe Correia
Saturday 17th June – 10:00 (ET) / 14:00 (GMT)
Total Rounds – Under 4.5 (10/9  or +111) 

Main Card – 8am ET / 12pm GMT

Holly Holm vs. Bethe Correia – Main Event

Andrei Arlovski vs. Marcin Tybura – Co-Main Event

Dong Hyun Kim vs. Colby Covington

Tarec Saffiedine vs. Rafael dos Anjos

UFC Fight Pass Prelims – 4:30am ET / 8:30am GMT

Takanori Gomi vs. Jon Tuck

Walt Harris vs. Cyril Asker

Alex Caceres vs. Rolando Gabriel

Ulka Sasaki vs. Justin Scoggins

Li Jingliang vs. Frank Camacho

Kwan Ho Kwak vs. Russell Doane

Naoki Inoue vs. Carls John de Tomas

Kim Ji-Yeon vs. Lucie Pudilova

A featherweight championship unification bout between Jose Aldo and Max Holloway headlines the UFC’s return to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on June 3 for UFC 212.

Max Holloway earned the interim featherweight title after finishing elite striker Anthony Pettis at UFC 206 and now seeks to become the undisputed featherweight champion with a win over Jose Aldo. This is undoubtedly the biggest challenge of the 25-year-old Hawaiian’s career and he’ll not only be facing one of the best to have ever competed inside the octagon, but thousands of screaming fans in Rio de Janeiro, too.

Jose Aldo will be competing for the first time since dominating Frankie Edgar at UFC 200. If Aldo proves victorious and defends the featherweight title for the eighth time in his career, the only scar that remains on his record is the 13-second knockout loss to Conor McGregor. A truly dominant performance against Max Holloway at UFC 212 would help provide the momentum required in attempting to convince Conor McGregor into a rematch in the future, however unlikely.

The UFC 212 co-main event is an intriguing battle between two of the best women’s strawweights in the world, Claudia Gadelha (10-1) and Karolina Kowalkiewicz (13-2). These fighters and their respective records have just one thing in common; they have only ever lost to current UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejcyk. Gadelha has pushed Jedrzejcyk to the limits on two occasions now and a win over Kowalkiewicz should put her in line for a third shot at the champion.

Elsewhere on the card, Vitor Belfort competes for the last time in the UFC against Nate Marquardt. A highly anticipated bantamweight battle between former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) champion, Marlon Moraes, and Raphael Assuncao headlines the preliminary card.

Main Card – 10pm ET

Jose Aldo vs. Max Holloway

Co-Main Event

Claudia Gadelha vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Vitor Belfort vs. Nate Marquardt

Paulo Borrachinha vs. Oluwale Bamgbose

Erick Silva vs. Yancy Medeiros

Preliminary Card – 8pm ET

Raphael Assuncao vs. Marlon Moraes

Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Eric Spicely

Johnny Eduardo vs. Matthew Lopez

Iuri Alcantara vs. Brian Kelleher

UFC Fight Pass Prelims – 6:30pm ET

Viviane Pereira vs. Jamie Moyle

Luan Chagas vs. Jim Wallhead

Marco Antonio Beltran vs. Deiveson Alcantara

The ongoing debacles at Elland Road continued this week as it emerged that owner Massimo Cellino had failed the mandatory Owners’ and Directors’ Test, and will subsequently be told to vacate his spot among the Leeds directors. The Football League originally tried to block his first attempt to takeover in April 2014 but the move went ahead following Cellino’s appeal. Now, it appears he will have to take a step back until March 2015 at least.

The League’s board of directors arranged a meeting following the surfacing of tax evasion claims in Cellino’s native Italy. Having consulted the judge’s report the board were unanimous in their decision that Cellino be disqualified from carrying on in his current club role. What will now ensue is a tricky situation wherein he must immediately resign but has a fortnight to appeal. If the findings are upheld, which they very well could be, then he must steer clear of the club until March 18^th 2015 at the earliest. Confusingly, he would then be eligible to reclaim his position, meaning that even if the ban is upheld it is effectively a three month hiatus as opposed to a long-term exclusion.

The charges come due to Cellino failing to pay adequate taxes on his yacht in Italy. This prompted the League to convene and their decision was clear to all. In a statement, the Football league said: “At its meeting last week, the board considered the reasoned judgment of the Italian court against Mr Cellino, having successfully applied to the Italian courts for its full disclosure.

“The board considered detailed legal advice and agreed unanimously… that Mr Cellino is subject to a disqualifying condition under the terms of the [Owners’ and Directors’] Test.

“As the judgment of the Italian court has not been published in Italy, the Football League will not make any of its contents public.”

This definitive stand leaves little room for negotiation, although it is likely the passionate owner will attempt to stand his ground. It may prove fruitless, but Cellino is not afraid of speaking out if he feels something is awry, even at the risk of being mocked. His tenure at Leeds to date is a testament to this. The zany Italian has frequently hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons, implementing unconscionable ideologies that have left fans and staff alike bemused.

In an effort to save money earlier in the season, Cellino took the dramatic move of closing the club’s training ground and moving proceedings to Elland Road until the start of the season. For a Championship club that was top tier less than a decade ago this is an extremely counter-productive move that gives off an alarmingly bad impression to potential investors, players and competitors. Tampering with tried and tested traditions is nothing new to Cellino, though. In a move that was guaranteed to upset the players he remarkably told them that they would be required to bring their own lunches to work. This is particularly unbelievable in the modern age where diet has become such an important aspect of sport at the highest level, not to mention the huge dent in morale and bitter taste it would leave.

As if that wasn’t enough, Cellino publically took it upon himself to dictate where players can and can’t live. Stating previous lateness as a valid reason for relocation, the fiery owner claimed that every player would have to live in Leeds.

“Next season I do not want one single player who lives outside of Leeds, no way. That is mandatory” said the eccentric President of Leeds United. “Last year there were players who were coming late to games.

“Next year before a home game the players will stay together, have dinner together and go to the game together.”

This came on the back of Cellino cutting short the players’ summer holidays in order to have face-to-face talks before the beginning of the season. Whilst many criticise the lavish lifestyles of footballers given what some perceive to be an easy job, it is widely accepted that a summer break is a necessity to ensure an effective season as evidenced by players like Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling and Manchester United’s Robin van Persie already suffering from fatigue this year. This bullish decision will therefore have upset both the players and the fans, a recurring theme in Cellino’s rogue rulebook.

During his time in Italy when Massimo Cellino was in charge of Cagliari he earned himself the nickname ‘The Manager Eater’ after powering through 36 managers in two decades. This is a proud tradition he has continued at Elland Road, firing both David Hockaday and Darko Milanic after just six games apiece in the power seat. Not content with just sacking those in managerial positions, Cellino took it upon himself to wave goodbye to ex-Sheffield United goalie Paddy Kenny.

Having returned to the club for pre-season training in 2014 Kenny found that he had fallen out of favour with the owner and, if media rumours are to be believed, Kenny’s birthday may have something to do with it. Apparently, Cellino believes that the number 17 holds such bad luck that when he found out Kenny was born on the 17^th of May he axed him. Although this hasn’t been confirmed by Kenny’s agents, the fact that Cellino had the number 17 seat at former club Cagliari removed and replaced with 16B does add some credence to the story.

The League’s decision to remove Cellino from his position will be met with a fierce defence, particularly given the short-term nature of the ban and the huge repercussions. Looking at the overall picture, many fans will be in agreement that whilst it may rock the boat in the immediate future the removal of Cellino will put an end to the circus show that has become Leeds United, and eventually lead to long-term stability.