Liam Lindsay

The scheduled main card matchup between Khalil Rountree Jr and Azamat Murzakanov is off the UFC Austin Texas card on December 2dn, headlined by Beniel Dariush and Arman Tsarukyan. This news comes directly from Dana White, who announced via Instagram that Murzakanov has pneumonia.

In his place, Anthony "Lionheart" Smith will step in on short notice to face Rountree one week later on December 9th. It will serve as the three-round co-main event at UFC Fight Night 233, headlined by Song Yadong vs. Chris Gutierrez.

Rountree Jr is riding a four-fight win streak, with three of those four victories coming via KO/TKO. He made quick work of Chris Daukaus in his last bout, securing a knockout victory in the first round. 
Anthony Smith is also coming off a victory against Ryan Spann. Smith and Spann had their rematch at UFC Singapore in August, where Smith won a competitive fight via split-decision. He now looks to build another win streak in the division.

So, who do you have winning? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know with a comment down below.

Murzakanov OUT, Anthony Smith Steps In On Short Notice For New Date

Douglas Vegas Bets

The UFC is back in the Apex this weekend with a solid card of action headlined by former Strawweight title challenger Amanda Lemos taking on fast-rising Virna Jandiroba in the main event. I went over that matchup and every other fight on the main card, so let's get into it.

**Odds provided by DuelBits accurate as of 7/19/2024**

## Amanda Lemos +110 vs. Virna Jandiroba -135

Strawweights looking to enter the conversation to be next in line for the title will battle it out in our main event. Amanda Lemos is a powerful striker who throws big shots in all fights and also has a solid submission attack; however, she has been controlled on the ground before, as she was much of her last fight against Mackenzie Dern and her title fight with Weili Zhang, Virna Jandiroba is a very strong grappler who has worked to improve her wrestling a lot recently which has helped her dominate three straight matchups including a win over another good wrestler in Loopy Godinez although her striking has remained a weak point throughout her career having struggled when unable to grapple consistently.

I've got Jandiroba here. Although she is at a large striking disadvantage, I see her getting this to the ground early, often with little resistance, and not allowing Lemos back to her feet.

Pick: Jandiroba by Decision

## Brad Tavares +134 vs. Jun Yong Park -164

Veterans with plenty left in the tank will go head-to-head in our Middleweight co-main. Brad Tavares has battled with the best the division offers, having had a competitive fight with champion Dricus Du Plessis, showing his solid pace, durability, and overall striking ability to go with his renowned takedown defense. Jun Yong Park has quietly risen the ranks with three finishes in his last four fights, showing a well-rounded game with solid boxing and strong wrestling, although he has been fighting relatively low-level competition.

I'm taking Tavares as the underdog in this one, as I see it as a very close fight. Park is unlikely to succeed with grappling, and the striking is very even, maybe giving Tavares a slight edge.

Pick: Tavares by Decision

## Steve Garcia -152 vs. Seung Woo Choi +123

Featherweights who like to get into wild firefights clash in what should be an incredible matchup. Steve Garcia is a hard-hitting brawler who enters this one off three straight knockout wins, showing his aggressive style. Seung Woo Choi is a tough veteran who has had some wild fights, including his back-and-forth battle with Mike Trizano, which saw both simultaneously knocked down early, showing he has power, but he is very hittable and has been finished before on several occasions.

I lean towards Garcia to get a knockout as I trust his durability slightly more in what will be a wild matchup where both men are live to get the finish at any point.

Pick: Steve Garcia by 1st Round TKO

## Kurt Holobaugh +111 vs. Kayan Kruschewsky -135

Lightweights looking to establish their place in a very deep division square off here. Kurt Holobaugh looks to get back on track after losing his first fight back with the UFC after winning his season of The Ultimate Fighter, where he showed a brawling striking style and some submission skills, finishing two of the three fights on the show via sub. Kayan Kruschewsky is a dangerous finisher looking to get his first UFC win here after drawing a tough debut against Elves Brener, where he was finished in the first round, showing some concerns about his durability, although, outside the UFC, he showed a good finishing ability, having earned many knockouts and submissions, along with solid cardio having gone into a fifth round and scored a finish. 

I'll pick Kruschewsky here as I see him as the much more dangerous fighter who will be pushing the pace.

Pick: Kruschewsky by Decision

## Cody Durden -109 vs. Bruno Silva -112

This is a closely lined matchup between two Flyweights looking to earn their place in the rankings with a win. Cody Durden is a fast-paced wrestler who has proven to be a tough out for anyone in the division, although he has been caught in several submissions throughout his career. Bruno Silva enters this one with three straight finishes, having shown he has real fight-ending power in his hands and that his submission game can also prove dangerous, although he did struggle earlier in his UFC run against stronger grapplers. 

I like Durden here as I feel he will win the minutes in this one with his wrestling-heavy attack, although Silva does have the finishing edge, which is a concern.

Pick: Durden by Decision

## Doo Ho Choi +134 vs. Bill Algeo -167

We have a banger to open the main card as two Featherweights with fan-friendly styles meet in this one. Doo Ho Choi returns once again looking to show off his powerful boxing in the cage once again as he has many times in the past, including his hall-of-fame war with Cub Swanson, where he was able to display his toughness and power against the gritty veteran Swanson despite coming up short in the end. Bill Algeo will look to bounce back here after being stopped by TKO for the first time in his career, the last time out against Kyle Nelson, where he showed that his style of pressure and volume comes with risks as his chin is often very exposed.

I see Choi taking this one as he is the cleaner and harder-hitting striker, which will be a problem for Alego, whose durability may be fading.

Pick: Choi by 2nd Round TKO

UFC Fight Night: Lemos vs. Jandiroba Odds Breakdown

The UFC heads to Denver, Colorado, this weekend with Flyweight contenders Rose Namajunas and Tracy Cortez going head-to-head in the main event from the Ball Arena. I went over that matchup and every other fight on the card to give my predictions and best bets, so let's get into it.

**Odds provided by DuelBits accurate as of 7/10/2024**

## Rose Namajunas -217 vs. Tracy Cortez +175

Flyweights looking to enter the title conversation headline in this high-stakes clash. Rose Namajunas has been a fan favorite for years since her title-winning knockout over Joanna Jedrzejczyk, where she proved her striking was as good as dangerous as anyone in the division; she has since continued to evolve her game, showing solid wrestling while maintaining her striking dominance. Tracy Cortez steps in here in a big jump in competition; she has shown a strong ground game with great wrestling, and in her last outing against Jasmine Jasudavicius, she showed much-improved boxing.

I lean towards the former champ in Namajunas. She has proven that her striking is up there with the best in the world, a step above Cortez, who may have trouble implementing a heavy grappling attack.

Pick: Namajunas by Decision

## Santiago Ponzinibbio -196 vs. Muslim Salikhov +160

Veteran Welterweight strikers square off in this one. Santiago Ponzinibbio returns here looking to show he still has something left in the tank; he is a crafty and dangerous striker, although he is less explosive than he once was. Muslim Salikhov is an old kickboxer looking to get back on track after losing three of his last four; he has trouble keeping a high pace but has power in his strikes when he lands.

I'll pick Ponzinibbio here as he has shown that he still has some effective striking tactics that can steal him rounds and do more damage.

Pick: Ponzinibbio by 3rd Round TKO

## Gabriel Bonfim -345 vs. Ange Loosa +260

Up-and-coming welterweights look to make a statement in this pivotal matchup. Gabriel Bonfim is a very dangerous submission artist with a nasty choke attack early in fights, although he has shown problems when forced to go deeper in fights like Nicolas Dalby forced him to. Ange Loosa is a stocky, well-rounded fighter with solid power in his hands and a decent ground game that he has used when he has that advantage.

I believe Bonfim will get back on track here and use his dangerous submission game to win, as Loosa has never faced a threat like him on the ground.

Pick: Bonfim by 1st Round Submission

## Cody Brundage +141 vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan -175

Middleweight finishers go head to head in this must-see clash. Cody Brundage is a hard-hitting wrestler who has had some inconsistent performances, having been finished three times in the UFC. Abdul Razak Alhassan is a dangerous knockout artist, with all his wins coming inside two rounds; he has developed his wrestling since joining the UFC, but that and his cardio remain issues.

This is a tough fight to trust either guy too much but I'll pick Alhassan to get an early knockout as Brundage can get wild early but if the fight goes past round one Brundage could take over.

Pick: Alhassan by 1st Round KO

## Christian Rodriguez -222 vs. Julian Erosa +180

Featherweights known for putting on fun fights face off to open the main card here. Christian Rodriguez has been on the rise of late with impressive victories over Cameron Saaiman and Isaac Dulgarian where he showed his toughness along with a mix of good boxing and a good defensive grappling game. Julian Erosa is a wild brawler with a crazy pace and good submission attack although his durability is a massive concern at this point with him being hurt badly in each of his last three fights.

I'm taking Rodriguez to get a knockout here, as he has solid hands, and Erosa's chin has shown to be a massive issue for him lately.

Pick: Rodriguez by 2nd Round TKO

## Drew Dober -110 vs. Jean Silva -111

Lightweight power punchers collide here in this short-notice clash. Drew Dober has as many knockouts as anyone at Lightweight, with big power in his hands and a brawling style with his strong chin. Jean Silva steps up here for his second fight in just a few weeks after knocking out Charles Jourdain at UFC 303, showing his big power very recently, although I still have questions about his ability to go deeper into high-volume fights.

I like Dober here as he is the more natural Lightweight with more experience both going deep in fights and against tough competition.

Pick: Dober by Decision

## Luana Santos -385 vs. Mariya Agapova +290

Flyweight grapplers square off in this intriguing matchup. Luana Santos is a solid grappler who has also shown some power in her hands with her early finish of Juliana Miller. Mariya Agapova is a submission artist with an up-and-down run in the UFC, showing issues with her submission defence.

Santos should dominate this matchup as she has clear striking, grappling and cardio advantages.

Pick: Santos 2nd Round Submission

## Josh Fremd -111 vs. Andre Petroski -110

Middleweight finishers, looking to bounce back from tough losses, face off in this fun clash. Josh Fremd is a big athletic puncher with decent wrestling, although he has sometimes shown questionable cardio. Andre Petroski is a strong grappler with dangerous chokes early in fights although he doesn't have very good striking and has shown cardio issues in the past.

I lean towards Petroski as he is dangerous when hunting submissions early and although his cardio issues may come into play, Fremd may also be tired late.

Pick: Petroski by 1st Round Submission

## Joshua Van -213 vs. Charles Johnson +170

Fan favorite Flyweights square off here. Joshua Van is a young prospect that has caught the eye of many with his powerful striking attack although he has been a bit of a slow starter he has made up for it with strong finishes to all his fights. Charles Johnson is a high volume striker who builds his attack as the fight goes on with his best round often being the third which he usually see's with his impressive durability and lack of finishing threat.

I like Van to win this one by decision. He is the more impactful striker, and I see that swaying the judges' favor in a fight that is likely to go the distance. 

Pick: Van by Decision

## Montel Jackson -149 vs. Da'Mon Blackshear +121

One of several matchups that came together on short notice goes down here at Bantamweight. Montel Jackson is a very tall fighter for the division, and he uses his length well with powerful straight punches. Da'Mon Blackshear is a tricky grappler who uses his tremendous athleticism to get opponents down and submit them; he has also been working on his striking to round out his game.

I'll take Blackshear as the underdog in this one. He should have a clear advantage in the grappling and has prepared for and beaten a taller fighter before, Jose Johnson.

Pick: Blackshear by Decision

## Jasmine Jasudavicius -109 vs. Fatima Kline -112

Short notice debut for a top Flyweight prospect here, and it comes against a tough veteran. Jasmine Jasudavicius is a high pace grappler coming off an amazing performance against Priscila Cachoeira where she showed off her ground and pound. Fatima Kline is a very impressive prospect making her UFC debut on short notice here with a dominant and well rounded attack that includes technical striking and physical grappling.

I lean towards Kline as I believe she can live up to the hype she has and will have a striking edge here with the ability to defend much of the grappling.

Pick: Kline by Decision

## Evan Elder vs. Darrius Flowers

A Fun Welterweight fight that was a last-minute addition to the card goes down here. Evan Elder is a tough, high-volume striker coming off two strong showings against Nazim Sadykhov and Genaro Valdez. Darrius Flowers is a decent striker who has been out grappled in each of his UFC fights and also shown questionable cardio.

I like Elder in this one as I see him having a striking and massive cardio advantages.

Pick: Elder by 3rd Round TKO

UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs. Cortez Odds Breakdown

The odds have been released for the highly anticipated clash between Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and former multiple-time champ Israel Adesanya, and some are surprised by the favorite. This matchup is set for August 18th at UFC 305 from the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.

**Odds provided by DuelBits accurate as of 7/7/2024**

## Current Odds: Dricus Du Plessis +102, Israel Adesanya -125

This will be Du Plessis' first title defense after claiming the title earlier this year at UFC 297 with a split-decision win over Sean Strickland. Israel Adesanya returns to action for the first time since losing his title to Sean Strickland in Australia at UFC 293.

## Past Fight Odds: Dricus Du Plessis

*Odds provided by FightOdds.io*

Dricus Du Plessis (-110) vs. Sean Strickland (-110) UFC 297 - Win

Dricus Du Plessis (+262) vs. Robert Whittaker (-312) UFC 290 – Win

Dricus Du Plessis (-200) vs. Derek Brunson (+185) UFC 285 - Win

Dricus Du Plessis (-165) vs. Darren Till (+155) UFC 282 - Win

Dricus Du Plessis (-167) vs. Brad Tavares (+157) UFC 276 - Win

## Past Odds: Israel Adesanya

*Odds from FightOdds.io*

Israel Adesanya (-670) vs. Sean Strickland (+495) UFC 293 - Loss

Israel Adesanya (-130) vs. Alex Pereira (+120) UFC 287 – Win

Israel Adesanya (-215) vs. Alex Pereira (+195) UFC 281 – Loss

Israel Adesanya (-500) vs. Jared Cannonier (+435) UFC 276 – Win

Israel Adesanya (-260) vs. Robert Whittaker (+240) UFC 271 – Win

Who are you taking in this intense Middleweight matchup? Let us know in the comments!

Betting Odds: Israel Adesanya Favoured to Regain Title Against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305

The UFC ANZ Instagram page has just confirmed multiple matchups for UFC 305, which will take place in Perth, Australia, on August 17th. The card now has eight confirmed fights, so let's cover each of them.

## Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya

The main event of UFC 305 will be a Middleweight title fight between current Champion Dricus du Plessis and former title holder Israel Adesanya. Du Plessis will be looking to make the first title defence of his reign, whereas Adesanya will be aiming to become a 3x Champion after losing the title to Sean Strickland back in September.

## Main Card Fights

While not officially confirmed as main card fights, these bouts will likely feature on the Pay-Per-View of UFC 305. 

The first is Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik, which was first reported by Tuivasa himself. Rozenstruik is coming off an impressive fifth-round TKO over Shamil Gaziev and is looking to continue his win streak. Tuivasa, on the other hand, has suffered four straight TKO losses, which may be his last chance at the company.

Another confirmed matchup is an all-ANZAC Flyweight fight between Kai Kara-France and Steve Erceg. Kara-France is coming off a massively controversial decision loss to Amir Albazi in June 2023. Erceg is also coming off a controversial decision to current Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja. 

## Other Confirmed Bouts

Here are all the other confirmed bouts for UFC 305:

**- Justin Tafa vs. Valter Walker**

**- Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes**

**- Casey O'Neill vs. Tereza Bledá**

**-Josh Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos**

**-Jack Jenkins vs. Gavin Tucker**

What do you think of the card for UFC 305 so far, and what matchups would you add to it? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know with a comment down below.

Multiple UFC 305 Fights Confirmed, Including Main Event

Alex Pereira defended his Light Heavyweight title yet again with a second-round knockout over Jiri Prochazka in the main event at UFC 303.

The first round saw Pereira landing hard shots and dropping Prochazka badly at the end of the round with his signature left hook. Immediately in round two, Pereira landed a huge head kick that put Pereira down before pounding away to a finish.


>"I do think that's in my future" - Alex Pereira on Heavyweight move

What did you think of Pereira's performance? Let us know down in the comments.

Alex Pereira Scores Highlight Knockout In Rematch Against Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303

Diego Lopes got off to a strong start and survived a late push to take a decision win over Dan Ige in short notice co-main at UFC 303.

Lopes started strong, with much more volume on the feet and some submission attempts. In the second round, Ige landed a big head kick that ended with him being taken down and controlled for the rest of the round from the back, with more submission threats from Lopes. Round three was all Dan Ige, as he landed big power shots throughout the round and had Lopes holding on in guard until the final bell.


>"All the respect to Dan Ige" - Diego Lopes

What did you think of the fight? Let us know down in the comments.

Diego Lopes Survives to Win Decision Over Dan Ige at UFC 303

Roman Dolidze gets a unanimous decision win against Anthony Smith in a short-notice Light Heavyweight clash at UFC 303.

The fight was largely a low-paced kickboxing match until the late second round when Dolidze capitalized on a Smith slip and landed some big ground and pound. The third continued at a similar pace until the final bell.


>"I am top ten ranked in two weight classes" - Roman Dolidze

What did you think of the fight? Let us know down in the comments.

Roman Dolidze Beats Anthony Smith at UFC 303


Macy Chiasson got her hand raised in a wild fight, earning a doctor's stoppage victory in round two over Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 303.

In the first round, both girls landed big strikes, with Bueno Silva often getting the better of it. In round two, Chiasson landed a takedown and a huge elbow that cut Bueno Silva. When they returned to the standup, the referee elected to end the fight.


>"I was hoping we would continue" - Macy Chiasson

What did you think of the fight? Let us know down in the comments.

Macy Chiasson Gets Doctor Stoppage Over Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 303

Ian Garry got his hand raised yet again to maintain his perfect record with a unanimous decision (29-28 x 3) over Michael "Venom" Page at UFC 303.

The first round saw Garry take the back and threaten submissions that were very close to finishing. Round two was mostly a striking battle, with MVP landing big right hands to take the round. Round three saw MVP in top position early before he was able to take the back late and hold on until the final bell.

What did you think of Garry's performance? Let us know down in the comments.

Ian Garry Wins Close Decision Over Michael "Venom" Page at UFC 303

Joe Pyfer had an impressive performance tonight on the prelims at UFC 303, earning a first-round knockout win over Marc-Andre Barriault.

Pyfer was on the pressure from the start of the fight, and he landed a huge right hand and finished soon after by putting Barriault unconscious.


>"I had a chip on my shoulder" - Joe Pyfer

What did you think of Joe Pyfer's performance? Let us know down in the comments.