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UFC Fight Night: This event marks the first time the UFC will be on the road for a non pay-per-view event in two long years. The UFC fans of Columbus, Ohio, will surely be rocking as they are getting a card filled with both young blood and savvy vets.
-240 Alexa Grasso (13-3: 4 KOs) vs. +195 Joanne Wood (15-7: 5 KOs, 1 SUB)
With title shot implications surrounding this fight, both of these women are well aware that a great performance is key to separating themselves from the pack. Both fighters sport nearly identical skill sets with average grappling ability and crisp boxing skills with a willingness to stay in the pocket and trade shots. The boxing exchanges will make this an intriguing fight to observe. While Wood lands more strikes per minute and has higher accuracy in her strikes, Grasso has more pop on her shots. I like Grasso’s momentum and though it’s only slightly, her ability to land more damaging strikes.
Selection: Grasso wins via Decision
-455 Askar Askarov (14-0-1: 4 KOs, 7 SUBs) vs. +290 Kai Kara-France (23-9: 11 KOs, 3 SUBs)
Hot off his spectacular performance in his last fight against a former champion in Cody Garbrandt, Kai Kara-France is keeping his momentum going by facing the dangerous Askar Askarov. Known as a volume fighter, Kai Kara-France proved he’s got some pop in his hands when he dropped Garbrandt several times back in December. As for Askarov, he is extremely well-rounded and only has the title on his mind. This fight will determine the #1 contender spot in the UFC’s flyweight division. Askarov will be picked by many bettors, but his year layoff and Kara-France’s momentum are worth paying attention to. Though it’d be magical to see another huge win from Kara-France, Askarov seems to be on another level.
Selection: Askarov wins via Decision
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-115 Matt Brown (23-18: 15 KOs, 6 SUBs) vs. -105 Bryan Barberena (16-8: 10 KOs, 2 SUBs)
This fight has a great chance of being entertaining. Barberena has proven his toughness and grit and is facing a man in Matt Brown who in his own right redefined the meaning of gamer. In his prime, Brown would be a tough fight for anyone in the welterweight division, but now on hole 18, the tough-as-nails fighter is in the passing-the-torch phase of his career. Barberena will show his respect to a war-torn savage like Brown by bringing his “A game.” It’s a tough call as both men aren’t going away with any single strike. While Brown will have the power advantage, Barberena will have the speed advantage and speed will kill in this matchup.
Selection: Barberena wins via Decision
-195 Ilir Latifi (15-8: 6 KOs, 4 SUBs) vs. +160 Aleksei Oleinik (59-16-1: 8 KOs, 48 SUBs)
The matchup of two veteran brutes with the Swedish sledgehammer Latifi and the Russian bear Oleinik clashing. A few years ago this fight would’ve been a closer call, but since May of 2018, Oleinik, 44, has doubled the amount of fights Latifi has taken. Oleinik’s main weapon is getting a hold of his opponents by any means necessary to eventually squeeze the life out of them from nearly any grappling position both advantageous and disadvantageous. I like the fresher and younger Latifi to have more gas in the tank in the second and third rounds en route to a late takeover.
Selection: Latifi wins via 3rd-Round TKO
-240 Neil Magny (25-8 7 KOs, 3 SUBs) vs.+195 Max Griffin (18-8: 9 KOs, 2 SUBs)
A hugely underrated fight on this card is between one of the most successful UFC welterweights of all-time in Neil Magny and the increasingly consistent Max Griffin. The slight edge in skills on the feet goes to Griffin, but everything else leans toward the extremely well-rounded and always evolving Magny. If Magny makes this a dirty fight with grinding clinch work and heavy grappling topped off with consistent ground and pound, it could be a very long night at the office for Griffin. When he gets his hand raised on Saturday, Magny will tie the greatest welterweight of all-time, Georges St. Pierre, with 19 wins.
Selection: Magny wins via Decision
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