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The UFC and Bellator once again shared a combat sports Saturday, yet each card had completely different themes going on. Bellator was an out-to-pasture type of card for some older yet well-known fighters, while the UFC was Benjamin Button for some hall of famers.
Saturday 7pm ET, UFC Fight Night 195
• HIT Norma Dumont wins (+120) via Decision (+220) over Aspen Ladd
After much speculation about what the UFC had planned for Aspen Ladd, who missed weight for a second time in her career a few weeks ago, the organization decided it was perfect timing to replace Ladd for an injured Holly Holm against Norma Dumont as the UFC Fight Night 195 main event. Trying to rev the engine back up to competition mode and compete at a higher weight class was hard enough, as Ladd was very gun-shy, allowing Dumont to completely control the fight. Ladd is a talented fighter, but she couldn’t get any momentum started as the bigger, stronger and more prepared Dumont put on a dominant performance over five rounds.
• HIT Andrei Arlovski wins (-109) via Decision (+150) over Carlos Felipe
It’s sheerly amazing that former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski is still fighting. The 42-year-old Russian has been through multiple eras of the UFC. He’s trained alongside some of the most elite fighters the sport has ever seen. Many times the UFC has used his name as a platform for younger lions like Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou to grow their brand off of. Outside of heavyweight elites, Arlovski is still out here beating lesser competition and showing consistent improvement in his boxing and footwork – it’s truly incredible. Arlovski put on another typical performance for this stage in his career. He floated around the outside of Carlos Felipe’s dangerous power shots and landed piercing punch after punch. It got a little dicey for Arlovski in the third round when his gas tank emptied. Felipe was able to land a couple of buzzing right hands, but the Russian “Pitbull” was able to weather the storm and get his hand raised.
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• MISS Jim Miller wins (-280) via 2nd round Knockout (+800) over Erick Gonzalez
In one of the most unlikely outcomes, longtime UFC vet Jim Miller knocked out Erick Gonzalez and added just his third knockout in the past decade. Holding many records inside the UFC connected to his longevity in the sport (most UFC fights: 38), Miller continues to keep a sharp blade as he welcomed the role of veteran gatekeeper for up-and-coming UFC lightweights. Typically known as a submission artist (tied for third-most UFC subs), the New Jersey native’s hands looked fantastic as he was finding a home for his overhand left on Gonzalez’s chin time after time. The accumulated damage done by Miller’s boxing led to a beautiful knockout. It’s always refreshing to see an older fighter show growth in their skillset and not become a division’s punching bag.
• MISS Nate Landwehr wins (+280) via 3rd round Submission (+2200) over Ludovit Klein
One of the biggest recent upsets in MMA came from Nate Landwehr who was in full control of the fight in the striking and grappling exchanges once he found his confidence. After a second-round slugfest that led to Landwehr attempting an anaconda choke, Landwehr finally cinched up that same choke on Klein in the next round for his first career submission. It was a huge win for Landwehr and every bettor who put money on the decently-sized underdog.
Saturday 10pm ET, Bellator 268
• HIT Vadim Nemkov wins (-700) via 4th round Submission (+550) over Julius Anglickas
The highly-dangerous Russian native, Vadim Nemkov, represented his country and his team in a big way by absolutely dominating the fight for every second of action. The former World Combat Sambo champ has all the tools and decided to use his strong wrestling and grappling to shut down Julius Anglickus and ragdoll him on the floor. Credit to Anglickas for lasting as long as he did, but it was just a matter of time for Nemkov’s pressure to force an opening for a submission. Now, Nemkov has his sights set on the $1 million prize and winning the Bellator light-heavyweight Grand Prix if he were to get past fellow Bellator 268 winner Corey Anderson.
• HIT Corey Anderson wins (-185) via 1st round Knockout (+165) over Ryan Bader
As previously mentioned, Corey Anderson won his fight and won it in impressive fashion against Ryan Bader. Both men are former UFC contenders, but only Anderson came out firing looking to inflict damage and silence the haters. Anderson is on a tear. Over his last eight fights he’s won seven of them and is on a three-fight finish streak. Anderson’s only loss during this period was against current UFC champion Jan Blachowicz. The New Jersey native will be facing one of the toughest tests of his career against Vadim Nemkov. It will be a heck of a fight as both men have a wide array of skills and will have extra motivation with that $1 million carrot dangling in front of these two warriors.
• MISS Brent Primus wins (-115) via Decision (+220) over Benson Henderson
Former world champion Benson Henderson is nearing the 19th hole of his MMA career, as he was outplayed by Brent Primus who won by unanimous decision. Both fighters possess all the tools and sport very muscular physiques, but Primus caught Henderson snoozing as it had been many years since the combat sports star was consistently dangerous. Henderson has now lost three fights in a row, a career-worst. For Primus, he moves the chains and looks to get another crack at becoming a Bellator lightweight champion once again.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Dana White’s Contenders Series week 8 preview and picks!
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