WRITTEN BY MMA GENIUS
A blockbuster clash emanating from the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas will pit two established Featherweights up against one another for an opportunity to propel into the title picture once again, as UFC Fight Night 57 rolls on this Saturday night.
With a mouth-watering card also featuring a striking masterclass and Flyweight war, it will be yet another fight card not to miss. Here, we gear you up for the event with the take on who has advantages on the feet and ground, fight breakdowns and finally the predictions for the outcome of each fight.
Matt Wiman vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg
Standup Advantage: I give the advantage to Wiman in this fight. Striking is neither of these guys' specialty. Vallie-Flagg is more of a brawler and his strikes are basic and rudimentary, but Vallie-Flagg has a chin from hell and has never been knockedout in his career. Wiman has 2 KO victories in his UFC career, but has not had one since 2008. His strikes are mainly used to set up his takedowns.
Grappling Advantage: I also give the advantage to Wiman here. Wiman is a very underrated grappler. Let's not forget Wiman submitted submission specialist Paul Sass with an armbar, giving Sass his first loss. He also held his own with BJJ expert Thiago Tavares, and he has 3 sub victories in the UFC. We haven't really seen to much of Vallie-Flagg on the ground in the UFC, but he was outgrappled by Elias Silverio .
Breakdown: We haven't seen Wiman in a while since the brutal KO loss to TJ Grant. Wiman was arguably on a 6 fight winning streak before that loss, disregarding the loss to Dennis Siver, in which Dana White and most fans thought he won. Vallie-Flagg is going into this fight desperate for a W. Another loss would make 3 in a row and could possibly put him on the verge of getting cut.
Prediction: Im going to take Wiman in this fight. I think Wiman is better than Ike everywhere. The only question will be ring rust play a factor in Wiman's return. I assume Vallie-Flag will try to brawl as usual and take Wiman into deep waters. I'm sure Wiman will look to stand up a bit and eventually get this fight to the ground, and get his fighting rhythym back. I expect this to be a real ugly, sloppy fight. I like Wiman in a unanimous decision due to Vallie-Flagg being tough as nails. This should be a good fight though.
Joseph Benavidez vs Dustin Ortiz
Striking Advantage: I definitely give the edge to Benavidez here. His striking isn't the best but it is steadily improving. Ortiz is your typical wresler who looks to take the fight to the ground any chance he can get. Grappling is both of these guys' fortes.
Grappling Advantage: I also give it to Benavidez here. Benavidez has great chockes, and that was proven recently with the nasty guillotine choke on Tim Elliot. Benavidez is great at transitioning from one position to another. Ortiz is also a good grappler, but as I watch his fights, he has a tendency to give up his back alot, which is definitely not a good thing when fighting Benavidez. Ray Borg was able to take advantage of this in their fight, even though Ortiz edged the victory out.
Breakdown: Benavidez has a lot to loose in this fight. Benavidez in my opinion is the #2 guy at 125 without any question. Basically he is stuck fighting lower ranked guys for awhile due to him loosing to Mighty Mouse twice. Although Benavidez is better everywhere, I think this fight is closer than the experts think. Ortiz is tough as nails and never quits. His transition game is really good as well, he'll just have to watch his neck against Benavidez. I assume Ortiz will try to pressure Benavidez against the fence and look for any takedowns he can get. Benavidez probably wont have a specific gameplan since he's better everywhere.
Prediction: I like Benavidez by Unanimous Decision. I think this fight will be closer than people think. Ortiz is a game opponent, and will not quit no matter the situation. I was very impressed in his last fight when he didn't tap to an armbar Justin Scoggins had locked in fully. I think Ortiz is gonna be too tough to finish, but I think Bennavidez should outclass him in this fight.
Jared Rosholt vs Oleksiy Oliynyk
Striking Advantage: The striking is about even in this fight. Rosholt is primarily a wrestler, and Oliynyk is primarily a submission guy. Both guys look to grapple immediately, and I expect this fight, for the most part to take part on the floor.
Grappling Advantage: This is where the fight gets interesting: Rosholt is a All-American Wrestler from the great wrestling program at Oklahoma State. He is also the most winning Heavyweight in that school's history. He has shown great wrestling ability in his UFC fights, as no one really has been able to stop his wrestling. Now Oliynyk is a submission guy with a deadly neck crank choke. He is also a 2 time world champion in Sambo, and 40 out of 49 wins have come by way of submission. So I also think the grappling will be even.
Breakdown: Rosholt is tough grinding wrestler with alot of heart. Oliynyk had alot of hype for a guy who is 37 years old coming into the UFC. The real question is will Rosholt try to implement his improving standup in this fight, considering Oliynyk's deadly submission game. Oliynyk will try to look for any opportunities to get on top to apply his trademarked neck crank submission. Oliynyk's standup is very rudimentary, as he uses it to set up takedowns. I assume Rosholt will look to pressure Oliynyk against the fence and get him tired before initially looking to shoot.
Prediction: I am going to go with an upset pick here and take Oliynyk by submission. I think Rosholt will be so confident in his wrestling and up getting reversed with Oliynyk getting on top. A lot of wrestlers aren't very good off their backs and I assume Rosholt does not train very much off his back. The only question on Oliynyk is his standup game is any good. If Oliynyk gets on top, I think this fight will be over really quickly, with him getting that neck crank. If you are betting on this fight, don't be afraid to put money on Oliynyk.
Brad Pickett vs Chico Camus
Standup Advantage: Pickett definitely takes the edge here. Chico's standup is basic, as he uses it to set up his takedowns. Picket has one punch KO power, and throws cleaner strikes.
Grappling Advantage: I give the edge to Chico here. Chico is a grinder with decent takedowns. Pickett has struggled at times in his career with being taken down. Pickett does have submission ability, but not so much off his back. Chico is your typical lay and pray wreslter that wants to grind out his fights.
Breakdown: This is the typical striker vs wrestler matchup. Pickett really needs this win to stay relevant at flyweight. Chico is dropping down from 135 for the 1st time. Pickett will look for the KO on the feet, and Chico will look to wrestle and grind out a decision.
Prediction: Im going to take Pickett by unanimous decision. I think Pickett will be able to stop Chico's takedowns and pick him apart on the feet rather easily. This should be an easy fight for Pickett and he has to take care of business.
Bobby Green vs Edson Barboza
Striking Advantage: Both guys are very good strikers, but I will give the edge to Edson. Edson is one of the most dynamic strikers in the UFC. He has vicious kicks that can take anyone out. Green is definitely no slouch on the feet. In my opinion, Green has the best head movement in the game right now. So many guys have failed trying to land clean shots on him. Although Edson is one of the best strikers in the UFC, some questions have been raised about his chin. Bobby Green's chin is very good as it seems he is impervious to pain.
Grappling Advantage: I give a slight edge to Green in the grappling. Green definitely has the better takedowns, and I think overall green has the better ground game. Edson is very hard to hold down and uses his buttergly guard very well. Green has a submission victory over a great grappler in Jacob Volkmann.
Breakdown: This fight is a tough one to pick. Green is undefeated in the UFC at 4-0 even though he has gone through alot of obstacles outside the cage. Green has hinted at a possible retirement after this fight, and this may come to affect him in this fight. I think Edson's gameplan will be the same as usual as he will try to strike with Green and look for a KO. I think Green will not be afraid to stand with Barboza, but I do think he will look to take him down at some point.
Prediction: I am going to take Bobby Green by TKO. I think Barboza's chin is a little bit suspect as hes been rocked by Jamie Varner, Danny Castillo, and Donald Cerrone. Although Barboza's strikes are heavy, I think Green will have no problem taking them. I think Green will catch him on the feet and take him out with punches or even catch him in some type of choke.
Cub Swanson vs Frankie Edgar
Striking Advantage: The striking is very close in this fight, but I give a slight advantage to Swanson. Swanson is a very slick,creative, and powerful boxer that throws strikes from all angles and even some cartwheel kicks. Frankie is no slouch on the feet either, but his strikes for the most part don't have much behind them. Frankie is really good at staying ahead on the scorecards by landing jabs and weak leg kicks.
Grappling Advantage: I give a slight edge to Edgar in the grappling due to rarely seeing him on his back. Edgar is definitely the better wrestler as well. Although Swanson is a bjj blackbelt, he is rather predictable on the ground. He does the same 1..2 misdirection guillotine in every fight, and Ricardo Lamas was able to catch him in arm triangle due to that. He will have to be very careful there, as I am sure Edgar's coaches are aware of that.
Breakdown: This is the moment of truth for Swanson, if he wins this fight he will be getting his rematch with Jose Aldo. In my opinion, Swanson should have had his title shot since the Siver fight was over. Edgar is looking to steal all of Swanson's momentum with a big win. I really hope Swanson can take care of business. I expect Swanson to stand up with Edgar for the most part. Edgar will do the same, but I assume he will look to wrestle when he can.
Prediction: I am going to take Cub by Split Decision. I think this fight is extremely tough to pick and can see it go many different ways. Edgar is a warrior with endless heart and the same goes for Swanson. Honestly this fight is so close and could go either way. If I had to bet on this fight, I probably wouldn't.
So roll on the night. All eyes will be on Edgar and Swanson but the other fights have potential to thrill the masses. Also stay tuned on fight night as we will provide you with live coverage.
 |
| Seasoned veteran Frankie Edgar will make up one half of the night's main event. Image: Fightland |
With a mouth-watering card also featuring a striking masterclass and Flyweight war, it will be yet another fight card not to miss. Here, we gear you up for the event with the take on who has advantages on the feet and ground, fight breakdowns and finally the predictions for the outcome of each fight.
Matt Wiman vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg
Standup Advantage: I give the advantage to Wiman in this fight. Striking is neither of these guys' specialty. Vallie-Flagg is more of a brawler and his strikes are basic and rudimentary, but Vallie-Flagg has a chin from hell and has never been knockedout in his career. Wiman has 2 KO victories in his UFC career, but has not had one since 2008. His strikes are mainly used to set up his takedowns.
Grappling Advantage: I also give the advantage to Wiman here. Wiman is a very underrated grappler. Let's not forget Wiman submitted submission specialist Paul Sass with an armbar, giving Sass his first loss. He also held his own with BJJ expert Thiago Tavares, and he has 3 sub victories in the UFC. We haven't really seen to much of Vallie-Flagg on the ground in the UFC, but he was outgrappled by Elias Silverio .
Breakdown: We haven't seen Wiman in a while since the brutal KO loss to TJ Grant. Wiman was arguably on a 6 fight winning streak before that loss, disregarding the loss to Dennis Siver, in which Dana White and most fans thought he won. Vallie-Flagg is going into this fight desperate for a W. Another loss would make 3 in a row and could possibly put him on the verge of getting cut.
Prediction: Im going to take Wiman in this fight. I think Wiman is better than Ike everywhere. The only question will be ring rust play a factor in Wiman's return. I assume Vallie-Flag will try to brawl as usual and take Wiman into deep waters. I'm sure Wiman will look to stand up a bit and eventually get this fight to the ground, and get his fighting rhythym back. I expect this to be a real ugly, sloppy fight. I like Wiman in a unanimous decision due to Vallie-Flagg being tough as nails. This should be a good fight though.
Joseph Benavidez vs Dustin Ortiz
Striking Advantage: I definitely give the edge to Benavidez here. His striking isn't the best but it is steadily improving. Ortiz is your typical wresler who looks to take the fight to the ground any chance he can get. Grappling is both of these guys' fortes.
Grappling Advantage: I also give it to Benavidez here. Benavidez has great chockes, and that was proven recently with the nasty guillotine choke on Tim Elliot. Benavidez is great at transitioning from one position to another. Ortiz is also a good grappler, but as I watch his fights, he has a tendency to give up his back alot, which is definitely not a good thing when fighting Benavidez. Ray Borg was able to take advantage of this in their fight, even though Ortiz edged the victory out.
Breakdown: Benavidez has a lot to loose in this fight. Benavidez in my opinion is the #2 guy at 125 without any question. Basically he is stuck fighting lower ranked guys for awhile due to him loosing to Mighty Mouse twice. Although Benavidez is better everywhere, I think this fight is closer than the experts think. Ortiz is tough as nails and never quits. His transition game is really good as well, he'll just have to watch his neck against Benavidez. I assume Ortiz will try to pressure Benavidez against the fence and look for any takedowns he can get. Benavidez probably wont have a specific gameplan since he's better everywhere.
Prediction: I like Benavidez by Unanimous Decision. I think this fight will be closer than people think. Ortiz is a game opponent, and will not quit no matter the situation. I was very impressed in his last fight when he didn't tap to an armbar Justin Scoggins had locked in fully. I think Ortiz is gonna be too tough to finish, but I think Bennavidez should outclass him in this fight.
Jared Rosholt vs Oleksiy Oliynyk
Striking Advantage: The striking is about even in this fight. Rosholt is primarily a wrestler, and Oliynyk is primarily a submission guy. Both guys look to grapple immediately, and I expect this fight, for the most part to take part on the floor.
Grappling Advantage: This is where the fight gets interesting: Rosholt is a All-American Wrestler from the great wrestling program at Oklahoma State. He is also the most winning Heavyweight in that school's history. He has shown great wrestling ability in his UFC fights, as no one really has been able to stop his wrestling. Now Oliynyk is a submission guy with a deadly neck crank choke. He is also a 2 time world champion in Sambo, and 40 out of 49 wins have come by way of submission. So I also think the grappling will be even.
Breakdown: Rosholt is tough grinding wrestler with alot of heart. Oliynyk had alot of hype for a guy who is 37 years old coming into the UFC. The real question is will Rosholt try to implement his improving standup in this fight, considering Oliynyk's deadly submission game. Oliynyk will try to look for any opportunities to get on top to apply his trademarked neck crank submission. Oliynyk's standup is very rudimentary, as he uses it to set up takedowns. I assume Rosholt will look to pressure Oliynyk against the fence and get him tired before initially looking to shoot.
Prediction: I am going to go with an upset pick here and take Oliynyk by submission. I think Rosholt will be so confident in his wrestling and up getting reversed with Oliynyk getting on top. A lot of wrestlers aren't very good off their backs and I assume Rosholt does not train very much off his back. The only question on Oliynyk is his standup game is any good. If Oliynyk gets on top, I think this fight will be over really quickly, with him getting that neck crank. If you are betting on this fight, don't be afraid to put money on Oliynyk.
Brad Pickett vs Chico Camus
Standup Advantage: Pickett definitely takes the edge here. Chico's standup is basic, as he uses it to set up his takedowns. Picket has one punch KO power, and throws cleaner strikes.
Grappling Advantage: I give the edge to Chico here. Chico is a grinder with decent takedowns. Pickett has struggled at times in his career with being taken down. Pickett does have submission ability, but not so much off his back. Chico is your typical lay and pray wreslter that wants to grind out his fights.
Breakdown: This is the typical striker vs wrestler matchup. Pickett really needs this win to stay relevant at flyweight. Chico is dropping down from 135 for the 1st time. Pickett will look for the KO on the feet, and Chico will look to wrestle and grind out a decision.
Prediction: Im going to take Pickett by unanimous decision. I think Pickett will be able to stop Chico's takedowns and pick him apart on the feet rather easily. This should be an easy fight for Pickett and he has to take care of business.
Bobby Green vs Edson Barboza
Striking Advantage: Both guys are very good strikers, but I will give the edge to Edson. Edson is one of the most dynamic strikers in the UFC. He has vicious kicks that can take anyone out. Green is definitely no slouch on the feet. In my opinion, Green has the best head movement in the game right now. So many guys have failed trying to land clean shots on him. Although Edson is one of the best strikers in the UFC, some questions have been raised about his chin. Bobby Green's chin is very good as it seems he is impervious to pain.
Grappling Advantage: I give a slight edge to Green in the grappling. Green definitely has the better takedowns, and I think overall green has the better ground game. Edson is very hard to hold down and uses his buttergly guard very well. Green has a submission victory over a great grappler in Jacob Volkmann.
Breakdown: This fight is a tough one to pick. Green is undefeated in the UFC at 4-0 even though he has gone through alot of obstacles outside the cage. Green has hinted at a possible retirement after this fight, and this may come to affect him in this fight. I think Edson's gameplan will be the same as usual as he will try to strike with Green and look for a KO. I think Green will not be afraid to stand with Barboza, but I do think he will look to take him down at some point.
Prediction: I am going to take Bobby Green by TKO. I think Barboza's chin is a little bit suspect as hes been rocked by Jamie Varner, Danny Castillo, and Donald Cerrone. Although Barboza's strikes are heavy, I think Green will have no problem taking them. I think Green will catch him on the feet and take him out with punches or even catch him in some type of choke.
Cub Swanson vs Frankie Edgar
Striking Advantage: The striking is very close in this fight, but I give a slight advantage to Swanson. Swanson is a very slick,creative, and powerful boxer that throws strikes from all angles and even some cartwheel kicks. Frankie is no slouch on the feet either, but his strikes for the most part don't have much behind them. Frankie is really good at staying ahead on the scorecards by landing jabs and weak leg kicks.
Grappling Advantage: I give a slight edge to Edgar in the grappling due to rarely seeing him on his back. Edgar is definitely the better wrestler as well. Although Swanson is a bjj blackbelt, he is rather predictable on the ground. He does the same 1..2 misdirection guillotine in every fight, and Ricardo Lamas was able to catch him in arm triangle due to that. He will have to be very careful there, as I am sure Edgar's coaches are aware of that.
Breakdown: This is the moment of truth for Swanson, if he wins this fight he will be getting his rematch with Jose Aldo. In my opinion, Swanson should have had his title shot since the Siver fight was over. Edgar is looking to steal all of Swanson's momentum with a big win. I really hope Swanson can take care of business. I expect Swanson to stand up with Edgar for the most part. Edgar will do the same, but I assume he will look to wrestle when he can.
Prediction: I am going to take Cub by Split Decision. I think this fight is extremely tough to pick and can see it go many different ways. Edgar is a warrior with endless heart and the same goes for Swanson. Honestly this fight is so close and could go either way. If I had to bet on this fight, I probably wouldn't.
So roll on the night. All eyes will be on Edgar and Swanson but the other fights have potential to thrill the masses. Also stay tuned on fight night as we will provide you with live coverage.
COMMENTS