UFC Fight Night 153 Gustafsson vs Smith: Fight Card, Prognostications + Odds

June 1, 2019

Ericsson Globe

Stockholm, Sweden

Oh, let us herald the coming of another shit card by the complacent and money whores who are the UFC brass. Most of this is garbage and we'll appropriately skip over the crap but there are some hidden gems and our Bea is a lovely "must-see" if you catch our sexist drift.

Main Card:

#3 Alexander Gustafsson (18-5) -330 vs. #4 Anthony Smith (31-14) +270

MMAFO is just gonna say it, we've seen the best of Gustafsson. No lies, no bullshit. The Swede peaked in 2013 in a heroic effort against Jon Jones that still came up just short of the title. "The Mauler" is a good fighter make no mistake. In fact, one of the best in the game at 205 but he's never going to be a champion. These are just the cold facts. Alex is in his prime at 32 but his ground game can and has been exploited and though he may remain near the top of the division for quite some time, the ceiling is obvious. Gusty is the gatekeeper of Light Heavy.

"Lionheart" found new life at 205 wrecking two former champs and a Swiss before finding a cold hard truth against Jon Jones. Smith isn't elite. Anthony is a good solid fighter and a really interesting, good human, but he's not gonna wear gold either. The Nebraskan, as his nickname portends, is a durable fighter who will give you every damn thing he has, and that's pretty great.

And so, MMAFO has just rained sadness all over these two good fighters but all is not lost. Both of these dudes are great to watch and this is a bout to determine who remains in the title race, but that is all and that is okay. It's still high level MMA as long as we are honest with what is at hand. 

Finally, the pressure is on in the homeland hero as Gusty returns to try and not get annihilated as he did when he faced Anthony "Domestic Abuser" Johnson who treated him like one of his ladies. Couple that with Alex mentioning in passing the thoughts of retirement that signal a loss of focus and desire which is fatal in MMA, and you've got a recipe for "Lionheart" taking down and mauling "The Mauler" for an Upset win. Luke Rockhold beware.

Upset Pick WiNNER-Anthony Smith by Rd.2 TKO

Ilir Latifi versus Volkan Oezdemir is CANCELLED!

A late back injury to the "Sledgehammer" has scrapped this bout. Oez lives another day. 

Jimi Manuwa (17-5) -230 vs. Aleksandar Rakic (11-1) +190

The "Poster Boy" for middle-age has lost 3 in a row and at this point he needs to start thinking about the concussions he is suffering in these hard losses. 

Austrain Aleks has won 11 in a row (only losing his pro debut) and is 3-0 in the promotion. He's got promise for sure but this is a definite step up in competition. Rakic is pretty well rounded but not exceptional.

The clock is ticking for old Jimi but he's still a dynamic striker and he can land some nasty shit that will, at the very least, have Sandar on the back foot if'n he doesn't put him away.

WiNNER-Jimi Manuwa by Decision

Makwan Amirkhani (14-3) +105 vs. Chris Fishgold (18-2-1) -125

"Mr. Finland" had all the hype in '15 but then he took his foot off the gas, slowed his roll, and took time out to hone his craft, we expected good things from someone smart enough to not get caught up in their own print. However, the results have been mixed with Makwan only fighting a single time each year which resulted in a loss and some very narrow wins. 

This is going to be a grapple heavy fight (yup, we're skipping right past Chris' breakdown and we think you know why) which may disappoint some casual fans. For the smart marks, there will be some really interesting exchanges but Amir will win the day.

Upset Pick WiNNER-Makwan Amirkhani by Decision

Damir Hadzovic (13-4) -175 vs. Christos Giagos (16-7) +155

WiNNER-Damir Hadzovic 

Daniel Teymur (6-3) +130 vs. Sung Bin Jo (9-0) -150

WiNNER-Sung Bin Jo

Prelims:

#9 Tonya Evinger (19-7) -265 vs. Lina Lansberg (8-4) +225

The former Invicta FC champ has gone 0-2 in her UFC stint, but she's faced murderer Cristiane Justino and young undefeated contender Aspen Ladd, so a little understanding is necessary. The worry, is that at 37 and after a couple of TKO losses, is the end nigh for Tonya? 

MMAFO has a soft spot for the "Elbow Queen" and she is tough as shit, but she doesn't have all the necessary skills to compete at the highest level in MMA. 

"Evil" Evinger can "get-right" here using her superior grappling to get a much needed win even if it requires the blanket treatment.

WiNNER-Tonya Evinger by Decision

Rostem Akman (5-0) +135 vs. Sergey Khandozhko (25-5-1) -175

WiNNER-Sergey Khandozhko

Steven Ray (22-8) +215 vs. Leonardo Santos (16-3-1) -255

MMAFO didn't understand when Ray got the nice re-up from the UFC as we find nothing special here.

We haven't seen Santos since 2016 so what exactly is going on with him?

We have some interest in Leo returning and possibly being something, but that's about it.

WiNNER-Leonardo Santos by Decision

Nick Hein (14-4) -110 vs. Frank Camacho (21-7) -110

WiNNER-Nick Hein

Bea Malecki (2-0) -120 vs. Duda Santanna (3-0) 

MMAFO has decided to be brutally honest and here we go. Bea is a beautiful babe and this dude scares us. We're not trying to be mean but Leslie Jones over here is gonna man up on Malecki only "Bad News Barbie" has the Muay Thai skills to employ range and collect points.

WiNNER-Bea Malecki by Decision

Darko Stosic (13-1) -140 vs. Devin Clark (9-3) +120

WiNNER-Darko Stosic

Joel Alvarez (15-2) -130 vs. Danilo Belluardo (12-3) +110

Upset Pick WiNNER-Danilo Belluardo 

MMAFO PiCKS Results:

Bellator 221 3-1
UFC 237 10-2
UFC, Bellator, ONE, PFL, Invicta May 4th Weekend
11-1

Total
24-4

Bellator 221 Chandler vs. Freire: Picks & Prognostications

Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler (19-4) vs. Patricio Freire (28-4)

There is a lot of real hatred between these men. It's a rather one sided feud as Mike has owned big brother Patrick Freire while Patricio screamed from the sidelines that Chandler is on PED's. The American has never failed a drug test and he's going to wreck smaller "Pitbull" no matter how angry the Brazilian gets. 

WINNER-Michael Chandler by Rd.2 TKO

Bellator Welterweight Tournament Bout
Douglas Lima (30-7) vs. Michael Page (14-0)

Well, if you are still wanting "MVP" to face "real" competition, the time is now. We've enjoyed everything "Venom" has done to date but with the caveat that there is a ceiling to game. Douglas Lima is that ceiling and Page ain't breaking through. Doug may be the most underrated fighter in the damn game today. Mark our words, Mike is going to be running a lot but he's getting his 1st MMA loss one way or another.

WINNER-Douglas Lima by Decision

AJ McKee (13-0) vs. Pat Curran (23-7)

It's the unheralded return of former Bellator Lightweight Champion "Paddy Mike." Curran lost the belt back in '14 and then went 3-1 only to disappear. Pat has struggled with some injuries and been unable to get any momentum going. Curran is only 31 and the time away, becoming a Dad and healing up, may have made the difference.

This is easily the toughest test of the young "Mercenary's" career. The 24 year old junior has been besting everyone in front of himself in a litany of ways. Young McKee is good in every aspect of the sport.

I tell ya, if Pat had been more active we'd pick him here. The multiple periods of inactivity make us wonder if he wants to do this anymore and doing the damn thing against the youth of the day is a heavy task. There's a lot to learn from this bout and we are fascinated.

WINNER-AJ McKee by Decision

Jake Hager (1-0) vs. TJ Jones (1-1) 

This is some guy who was "Jack Swagger" in the WWE. MMAFO doesn't care but he'll win.

WINNER-Jake Hager by Rd.1 TKO

UFC 237 Namajunas vs. Andrade: Fight Card, Half-Assed Musings + Odds

May 11, 2019

Jeunesse Arena 

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The UFC is continuing to ruin MMA into the ground putting out worthless card after worthless card. UFC 237 is no different. It's a shit show from Brazil with two good fights and a ton of filler (Only 4 world ranked fighters on a card with 26 pro fighters!). The UFC has also allowed BJ Penn to stay on this card despite being hit with a restraining order from his girlfriend and the investigation into terrorist threats while wielding a machete at a farmer last year. Classy UFC. 

Main Card on PPV (9pm/CT):

UFC Strawweight Champion #1 Rose Namajunas (8-3) +110 vs. #2 Jessica Andrade (19-6) -130

"Thug" Rose returns after a year off to recover from that vicious bus attack (sarcasm). It's fine she took a break and all just say what it is. Anywho, the UFC 115 lb. champ has bested Joanna Jedrzejczyk twice but the contenders are getting nastier. 

"Bate Estaca" is a damned tank. Back when she was fighting up a few weight classes, we didn't think much of Andrade but down here, she's become a killer. Very hard to keep in check, Jessica comes in non-stop brawling and enacting war. Andrade is stronger than everyone at this weight showing scary improvement.

Namajunas has also grown in leaps under the tutelage of Trevor Wittman and has many different looks she can provide as well as myriad of attacks. Rose has become technically solid and focused. So why don't we think she'll win?

MMAFO won't lie, it's the body type. "Thug" is long and lean which would be great against the smaller "Bate Estaca" if it stopped her coming forward but it won't. You just can't keep Andrade honest and thus, she'll be bulldozing her way through Namajunas. We see Jessica hurting Rose but if she doesn't get the finish, she can take 3 of the 5 rounds.

WINNER-Jessica Andrade by Decision

Anderson Silva (34-9) +110 vs. Jared Cannonier (11-4) -130

Silva is in the twilight of his career as he returns to perform in front of his beloved Brazil. So why the fuck would you book this nothing fight? It's not a showcase for the "Spider" because "The Killa Gorilla" is dangerous. It's not a "big name" so it really doesn't help Anderson there. Basically, this is the classic "trap fight" that doesn't do much for Silva if he wins, and is devastating if he loses. Makes no sense.

"Cannon" eventually squishes "The Spider." 

WINNER-Jared Cannonier by Rd.2 TKO

#2 Jose Aldo (28-4) -135 vs. #5 Alex Volkanovski (19-1) +115

"Ya'll must of forgot," but MMAFO has told ya all along, "Scarface" ain't done yet and a lot of Featherweights should be afraid. The world left Aldo for dead after the Conor MeGregor fiasco, but we knew "Junior" wasn't done by a long shot. Then, time and a bad matchup led to double losses to Max Holloway (which is nothing to be ashamed of) and the proclamations that Jose should retire were heard. MMAFO disagreed. Now, an older, wiser Jose Aldo is back dispatching the savage Jeremy Stephens before stopping up-and-comer Renato Carneiro in February. 

Alexander "The Great" has won 16 in a row (6-0 in the UFC) and is entering his prime while knocking on the door of title contention. Volkan is the rare Australian wrestler who can crack as well. Dude has all the tools to be a real shot to be the next champion. He's got all Jose has with more power and youth.

Upset Pick WINNER-Alex Volkanovski by Decision

Thiago Alves (23-13) -120 vs. Laureano Staropoli (8-1) -110

Alves lost his prime 10 years ago but has managed to hang around due to technical muscle memory and some of the best leg kicks ever, in the game.

"El Matador" got signed for the Argentina event and we doubt he lasts long in the UFC.

If there was ever a time for the "Pitbull" to get a win, it's now. Avoid the gong & dash and then Alves pulls away chopping down Staropoli.

WINNER-Thiago Alves by Rd.2 TKO

Carlos Diego Ferreira versus Francisco Trinaldo has been CANCELLED.

Ferreira never attempted to make weight and thus this bout is scrapped.

Prelims on ESPN (7pm/CT):

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (23-8) +115 vs. Ryan Spann (15-5) -135

Man, "Roger" old as fucking hell. If he's going to continue fighting, an event in Brazil against an unknown is the way to go but damn. 

WINNER-Ryan Spann by Decision

Kurt Holobaugh (17-5) +100 vs. Thiago Moises (11-3) -120

Don't care.

WINNER-Thiago Moises by Decision

Irene Aldana (9-4) -300 vs. Bethe Correia (10-3-1) +250

Jesus, we thought Bethe "The Bitch" had retired or something. Lady has been gone for 2 years which leads to a why? Dunno but we side with the "Lobo" to outwork her.

* Bethe badly missed weight by 5 lbs. but this bout is still on.

WINNER-Irene Aldana by Decision

Clay Guida (34-18) -750 vs. B.J. Penn (16-13-2) +525

Fuck BJ Penn. Seriously. Fuck this dude right in the ass. MMAFO has never understood the adulation placed upon this overrated cunt. This consistent underachiever had 2 years where he was atop the sport and people act like he is on par with Georges St. Pierre, Fedor Emelianenko, etc. 

The argument always is, “but he’s so talented if he can just…” Just show up in shape. Just show up focused. Just show up without allegedly threatening his neighbor with a machete. He rarely put it all together and YOU DON’T GET CREDIT FOR ALL THE TALENTS YOU SQUANDERED. 1-8-1 in his last 10 bouts! A professional record of 16-13-1. Dude is the epitome of unearned praise based upon what he could have done, but didn’t. It makes no fucking sense! 

Now we learn that Shealen Uaiwa (BJ's girlfriend) has been granted a restraining order against Penn citing years of physical and sexual abuse! And MMAFO will say what other sites will not. The rumor has long been that BJ has a drug problem in his life, especially when he is not in camp, and that is why he is still (pathetically) fighting at age 40 after loss after loss. 

Not enough? Penn is also accused of threatening a farmer with a machete in January of 2018. BJ went to the mans property and "started to strike the ground with the machete and state that he was going to kill him.”

All of this, and the UFC keeps him on the UFC 237 card and doesn't bat an eye. The UFC is tone deaf as they come. It's all about the almighty dollar and fuck everything else.  

MMAFO's prediction, BJ Penn will continue to be a shitty human with MMA fans defending him for no apparent reason.

WINNER-Clay Guida by Humanity

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MMAFO loves us some dogs!

Prelims on Fight Pass (5:15PM/CT):

Luana Carolina (5-1) -170 vs. Priscila Cachoeira (8-2) +150

WINNER-Luana Carolina by Decision

Warlley Alves (12-3) -135 vs. Sergio Moraes (14-4-1) +115

WINNER-Warlley Alves by Decision

Raoni Barcelos (13-1) -1100 vs. Carlos Huachin (10-3) +700

WINNER-Raoni Barcelos by Rd.1 Submission

Talita Bernardo (6-3) -325 vs. Viviane Araujo (6-1) 

WINNER-Talita Bernardo by Decision

Best MMA Fights of The Weekend! UFC, Bellator, ONE, Invicta, & PFL Picks!

UFC Fight Night 151 

Al Iaquinta (14-4-1) vs. Donald Cerrone (35-11)

Our beloved "Long Island Idiot" has won 5 of his last 6 with the lone loss being a decent effort to champ Khabib Nurmagomedov. Al is solid as they come and one of the greatest interviews in the game today.

"Cowboy" has proven he ain't ready to be put out to pasture just yet. Cerrone is a new father and reborn in MMA. Okay, maybe not, but he's always a fun watch even if he can't take punishment anymore. Donnie is talented everywhere but he has had 48 professional fights so, ya know.

We like "Ragin' Al" to do enough work to win 3 rounds at the least in what should be "Fight of the Weekend!"

WINNER-Al Iaquinta by Decision

Derek Brunson (18-7) vs. Elias Theodorou (16-2)

Are you fucking kidding me? This is what passes for a UFC Co-Main Event? Derek is dumb as fuck and Elias is boring as fuck. Garbage.

WINNER-Derek Brunson by Decision

Kevin Swanson (25-10) vs. Shane Burgos (11-1)

Geez, we don't like to see "Cub" go down like this after all the great years of MMA he gave us. Swanson has lost his last 3 but more than that, dude is now 35 and has been through a lot of wars. Burgos meanwhile is on the come up and boasting a healthy 4-1 UFC record.

It's just too much at this point. Much like Ross Pearson recently, ya gotta know when to go.

WINNER-Shane Burgos by Decision

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Sarah Moras (5-4) vs. Macy Chiasson (4-0)

We're not just sayin' it because she blew out Gina Mazany in her last outing, but Macy Chiasson could be something special. Not much experience but she seems like a natural. Macy will eat "Cheesecake" easily.

WINNER-Macy Chiasson by Rd.2 TKO

Bellator 

Brent Primus (8-1) vs. Tim Wilde (12-3)

Primus lost his belt last out to Michael Chandler, but gained a lot of respect in the effort. "The Experiment" is coming in from England on a 3-fight bounce and has a nice opportunity here. Ya gotta favor the American to hold the homeland in a fun fight.

WINNER-Brent Primus by Decision

Derek Campos (19-8) vs. Pedro Carvalho (9-3)

Not to be a dick but Campos is on his way out. "We all are, act accordingly." Portugal by way of SBG Ireland coming in young and hungry.

WINNER-Pedro Carvalho by Rd.2 TKO

ONE Championship

Kiamrian Abbasov (20-4) vs. Yushin Okami (35-12)

Aw, cmon man. Why ya gotta do this shit to Okami? "Thunder" doesn't make much noise anymore and Abby is made to fuck him up.

WINNER-Kaimrian Abbasov by Rd.1 TKO

Tetsuya Yamada (26-6) vs. Marat Gafurov (16-2)

Yamada repping Tiger May Thai and coming into his prime. "Cobra" can't tap Tetsuya and thus loses on the cards.

WINNER-Tetsuya Yamada by Decision

Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol (6-4) vs. Nou Srey Pov (1-1)

"That" is an interesting watch and deserves a look here as she gains experience.

WINNER-Priscilla Gaol by Decision

Invicta FC Phoenix Rising 1

Kailin Curran (4-6) vs. Sunna Rannveig Davidsdottir (3-0) 

We're a bit confused as to how this tournament thingy works here but we love the Angel Curran and have seen improvement in her game. Kailin gets a much needed win here over the insanely athletic Icelandic namesake of the famous line of Davidsdottir's.

WINNER-Kailin Curran by Decision

PFL 2019: Regular Season

Kayla Harrison (3-0) vs. Svetlana Khautova (2-0)

There is no competition out there for ATT's Olympian at this point, but you should still tune in and watch her do the damn thing. She has so much talent it will be interesting to see how she grow in the sport.

WINNER-Kayla Harrison by Rd.1 Submission

Ray Cooper III (17-5) vs. Zane Kamaka (13-3)

"Bradda Boy" really opened our eyes in the last season of the PFL. Dude is awesome, only 26, and his father Ray Cooper Jr.  was a professional fighter for 11 years!

WINNER-Ray Cooper III by Rd.2 TKO

Sarah Kaufman (20-4) vs. Morgan Frier (4-1) 

Women are afraid to fire Sarah. These are facts. Too bad if you don't like her style, she's an underrated talent that gets wins. Run game girl!

WINNER-Sarah Kaufman by Decision