Written by: Bonnie-Jill Laflin. The first and only female NBA scout.
We’re just a few days away from the landmark UFC 300. This event had been hit with so many matchmaking challenges and promises of blockbuster matches. Instead of one or two blockbusters, we have an extremely stacked card from the prelims to the top. Because of that we do have some potentially incredible fight of the year candidates in the making on the card. Provided everyone makes weight and no one slips in the sauna, we should be set for a memorable night.
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Let’s take a look at some of the notable prelims and main card fights:
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Cody Garbrandt
Figueiredo is the favorite to win this one and has declared that he wants to win by KO. Although both are former champions, Garbrandt just doesn’t seem to be the same fighter as he was at his peak when he fought Dominick Cruz. That fight was a masterpiece but Cody has had consistency issues and his chin has become a bit suspect. There’s a chance Figueiredo comes out too aggressive with intentions to knock his opponent out. That may be Cody’s biggest chance to maybe get some good shots in and stun him. The most likely scenario is that Cody gets hit with pestering shots and lets his emotions get the better of him. If that happens, he may expose himself to a KO. If you’re a Cody fan, it is encouraging that he may be more focused than he’s been in quite a while and has trended back upward the last few fights.
Bobby Green vs. Jim Miller
With two very established veterans of the sport, this fight promises to be extremely entertaining. Green is explosive and quick with great counters. Meanwhile Miller has found striking power and success late in his career. The man can tank damage all day long and it may be his greatest asset. He’ll need that time to find his opportunities. This one should have a decent chance at seeing a decision with 2 very battered veterans at the end. If there’s a stoppage it’ll be late on the 3rd.
Calvin Kattar vs. Aljamain Sterling
This one should be another banger. Kattar is an excellent striker as is Sterling but look for Sterling to take it to the ground where he has a clear advantage. Look for Sterling to make this a “statement” win.
Charles Olivera vs Arman Tsarukyan
This one is starting to brew a bit of animosity between the two fighters. This fight could go either way. Your best bet is to predict a finish here. There’s a lot on the line with a possible title shot for the winner.
The BMF Title: Justin Gaethje vs Max Holloway
The BMF belt was a fun gimmick to start but now has become the mark of the fighter with the most peer cred as a master of violence in one of the toughest divisions. This will not be a fight for the weak stomached. These guys are built for absolute striking violence. Gaethje is tremendously strong and Holloway has been a mainstay in some of the UFC’s most memorable battles. No one can forget Max declaring that he’s the best boxer in the UFC to the announce table while his opponent was helpless to land on him. Although this should be a KO in the making, both fighters are capable of absorbing a ton of punishment. There’s no quit out of either of these two and it makes prop bets extremely difficult. Go with your gut, it’s just as scientific as anything else here.
UFC Light Heavyweight Title Fight: Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill
And here we are. The main event of UFC 300. Jamahal Hill is taking on the boogie man of the UFC, Alex “Poatan” Pereira. He’s an elite, yet underrated striker and a very dangerous fighter in his own right. Hill has been taking some high-level advice on fighting Poatan but does anybody really have a clear roadmap on how to even fight with this man? It took Izzy several tries to finally get a win over Alex and even then he had to risk taking a concussion in order to pull it off. Jamahal Hill is focused and seems to truly believe that he’s going to pull back the veil of mystery surrounding Pereira. He truly believes his striking is elite enough to hang with Poatan. Most people aren’t so sure.
The scariest part of Pereira is that it is doubtful that we’ve seen anywhere near his whole bag of tricks. Fighters simply go to sleep before he has to get creative. He’s big, and strong and as technical as they come. Plus, there’s an added bonus with him being able to get revenge for his coach and friend Glover Teixeira who lost to Hill early last year. Hill is confident, and he should be but all signs point to Pereira sending Hill to the shadow realm with a brutal KO. Will it be an interesting fight? Absolutely…for a little bit, and the striking should be at a really high level. Will Hill pull a surprise? Unlikely…but that’s the fun of betting. If you win, you look like a genius.
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