Douglas Vegas Bets

Two title rematches headline this weekend's stacked UFC 277 PPV card from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, with Amanda Nunes -263 looking to get her Bantamweight belt back from Julianna Pena +230 and Brandon Moreno -208 and Kai Kara-France +185 will look to show their evolution as they run back their 2019 battle with much higher stakes.

**All Odds Provided by Stake.com Accurate as of 2:00 AM EST 7/29/2022**

## Julianna Pena +230 Amanda Nunes -263

Our main event features a rematch of a fight that saw one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. Julianna Pena showed up in the last fight and put on the best performance of her career when she needed it most to get the finish over Nunes. Amanda Nunes is the greatest female fighter of all time; we know this; the question is, what happened last fight and how can she bounce back?

I am taking Nunes here, and I will bet her to win inside the distance. This is the best price we have had on Nunes in years, and I believe there is a good chance she looks as dominant as many expected in the first fight, as a loss can often be the best thing for a fighter. 

Pick: Amanda Nunes O/U: Under 2.5 -118

## Brandon Moreno -208 Kai Kara-France +185

I can't wait for this matchup at Flyweight, as both men have gotten much better since their first matchup, which already resulted in a great fight. Brandon Moreno has grown in the UFC and is now a well-rounded fighter who can strike or grapple with anyone in the division for five rounds. Kai Kara-France cashed big for me as an underdog against Askar Askarov earlier this year, showing his evolved grappling defense and powerful boxing combinations to get the win. 

I like Moreno here, as he should have a volume advantage, and I do not see him getting finished. I will bet on this fight to go the distance as Brandon Moreno is near impossible to finish, and Kai Kara-France has shown his submission defense on his current streak, which I believe is the most likely way this fight ends. 

Pick: Brandon Moreno O/U: Over 4.5 -179

## Derrick Lewis +108 Sergei Pavlovich -122

This is going to be a fun one as two powerful Heavyweights meet here. Derrick Lewis is known for his power, and I have criticized his lack of volume at times, but I thought he looked great against Tai Tuivasa before the stoppage as he showed his sneaky fight IQ using different techniques to close distance. Sergei Pavlovich has yet to see the second round in his UFC run, displaying his power and willingness to strike.

This is the kind of fight I like to avoid betting on, as it feels like betting either side of a coin flip at a favorite price. I will lean Pavlovich as he has the physical advantages and youth on his side. 

Pick: Sergei Pavlovich O/U: Over 1.5 +121

## Alexandre Pantoja -182 Alex Perez +160

A Flyweight matchup with profound title implications here as Alexandre Pantoja looks to continue his win streak against former title challenger Alex Perez. Alexandre Pantoja is a top-tier grappler who can strike with anyone and has beaten the division's big names. Alex Perez is a high pace contender series product coming off a quick loss to the champion Deiveson Figueiredo.

I'm taking Pantoja here as I think he is one of the best Flyweights in the world, and I don't believe Alex Perez can beat him anywhere. Perez has been submitted several times in his career, and with Pantoja's ground skills, I will bet him by submission, which is +330 on Stake.com. 

Pick: Alexandre Pantoja O/U: Under 2.5 +113

## Magomed Ankalaev -526 Anthony Smith +420

Here we get a top tier Lightheavyweight matchup to open the main card. Magomed Ankalaev has shown a rare combination of striking and wrestling for his division, although he is very patient, which could cost him. Anthony Smith is also very well rounded, having used his submission skills to get two first-round finishes in his last three fights. 

I believe Magomed Ankalaev is the best Lightheavyweight there is right now, but I see little value in betting a favorite of his size in this spot. I have cashed on Ankalaev to go the distance before, but I will make this fight even easier and go with the over 2.5. 

Pick: Magomed Ankalaev O/U: Over 2.5 -172

## Alex Morono +137 Matt Semelsberger -154

This is a good matchup between two talented strikers at Welterweight. Alex Morono is a solid veteran with good standup who has put together three straight wins. Matt Semelsberger, or Semi the Jedi, has some quick knockouts in his UFC career but has also shown the ability to go three hard rounds.

I am going to lean with Morono as the underdog here, as I think if this one gets to the scorecards, he can do what needs to be done to steal rounds away from Semelsberger. 

Pick: Alex Morono O/U: Over 2.5 -192

## Drew Dober -196 Rafael Alves +175

This should be a fun clash at Lightweight. Drew Dober has only lost to high-level competition since 2016 and showed his toughness in a wild last outing against Terrance McKinney. Rafael Alves is a dangerous submission artist coming off an impressive first-round win over Marc Diakiese. 

I will pick Dober, as he has become easy to trust in spots like this over the last few years. No bet from me, though, as this number is relatively wide, and we have seen Dober submitted before. 

Pick: Drew Dober O/U: Over 2.5 +128

## Don'Tale Mayes -185 Hamdy Abdelwahab +160

Here we get a good grappling matchup at Heavyweight. Don'Tale Mayes was given some tough matchups early in his UFC career but has had success since taking a step down in competition. Hamdy Abdelwahab has Olympic-level wrestling; however, his caliber of opponents is very low tier, with him having fought a man he knocked out in bare knuckle MMA in under twenty seconds again in MMA less than a year later, which raises huge red flags for me. 

I made a play on Don'Tale Mayes early in the week, which has shifted since people have looked into Abdelwahab's competition thus far. I am still picking Mayes, but I would recommend more caution if playing him at this number. 

Pick: Don'Tale Mayes O/U: Over 1.5 -182

## Drakkar Klose -217 Rafa Garcia +190

This is a good matchup between two experienced Lightweights. Drakkar Klose looked fantastic last time, dominating the fight until a second-round stoppage victory. Rafa Garcia has found some traction in the UFC with back-to-back wins after a tough start to his run with the promotion. 

I've got Klose in this one, as with the improvements he had made before his last fight, I am excited to see him again against better competition. Tough to bet this one as Rafa Garcia burned me in his last fight, and this is a steep price. 

Pick: Drakkar Klose O/U: Over 2.5 -244

## Micheal Morales -588 Adam Fugitt +480

Here we see the second outing of twenty-three-year-old Micheal Morales against short-notice replacement Adam Fugitt. Morales is an explosive striker with a long reach for a Welterweight. Adam Fugitt comes in with four finishes in a row outside of the UFC. 

I've got Morales here as I have been very impressed by him so far, and I do not see how Fugitt wins, especially on short notice. I do have my hesitations about betting a number like this on a twenty-three-year-old, though, as there is a lot to be said for experience.  

Pick: Micheal Morales O/U: Under 1.5 -118

## Ji Yeon Kim +105 Joselyne Edwards -119

This is a Bantamweight matchup between two veterans who have been very active in the past year. Joselyne Edwards makes a quick turnaround after her win over Ramona Pascual, where she was able to defend the takedowns and outstrike her at a distance. Ji Yeon Kim is looking to break a three-fight skid with her wins before that coming by split decision. 

I will lean Joselyne Edwards as we have seen her come out with wins more recently, but I don't see any value in betting on this matchup. 

Pick: Joselyne Edwards O/U: Over 2.5 -417

## Nick Negumereanu -108 Ihor Potieria -104

This is a Lightheavyweight matchup where we see the debut of Ihor Potieria off Dana White's Contender Series. Nick Negumereanu has had a solid UFC run thus far, earning some tough decision wins. Ihor Potieria has a confusing record to track as there are amateur and pro results mixed together, although he has clear finishing ability, having ended most of his wins inside the distance. 

This line has flipped over the week as questions have been raised about Potieria's record, and I agree with where it has settled now, with Negumereanu as the favorite. Although I agree with the line movement, I feel like I missed the value on this one but I will make a small play on Negumereanu. 

Pick: Nick Negumereanu O/U: Over 2.5 +105

## Orion Cosce -182 Blood Diamond +160

Here we see the night open with the first City Kickboxing product on the card, taking on Orion Cosce. Cosce is a finisher who has never gone the distance in his professional career. Blood Diamond is known for receiving high praise from Israel Adesanya, yet we have not seen much of him in the octagon thus far to back this up.

I am going to pick Orion Cosce here as I think the lack of ground game shown by Blood Diamond in his last fight is very concerning. No bet here, as although I like Cosce, I am not sold enough on his skills to lay this price.

Pick: Orion Cosce O/U: Over 1.5 -141

## DougLasVegasBets.net Plays

Don'Tale Mayes ML -185

Nick Negumereanu -108

Amanda Nunes Inside The Distance -125

Brandon Moreno Kai Kara-France Fight Goes The Distance -179

Alexandre Pantoja Submission +330

Magomed Ankalaev Anthony Smith Over 2.5 Rounds -172

UFC 277 Betting Preview 

Abdullah Ouazri

One of the most anticipated women's MMA rematches is taking place tomorrow between Julianna Pena and Amanda Nunes at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The card will showcase another rematch between all action Flyweight, this time with UFC gold on the line. The Knockout King Derrick Lewis makes his return against Sergei Pavlovich. Let's see how the fighters weighed in.

## Main Card (10:00 PM EST on PPV)

- Julianna Peña (134.5) vs. Amanda Nunes (135) 

- Brandon Moreno (124.5) vs. Kai Kara-France (124.5) 

- Derrick Lewis (264.5) vs. Sergei Pavlovich (254.5)

- Alexandre Pantoja (125.5) vs. Alex Perez (125.5)

- Magomed Ankalaev (206) vs. Anthony Smith (206)

## Prelims (8:00 PM EST on ABC, ESPN, ESPN+)

- Alex Morono (171) vs. Matthew Semelsberger (171)

- Rafael Alves (155.5) vs. Drew Dober (155.5)

- Hamdy Abdelwahab (264.5) vs. Don’Tale Mayes (255)

- Rafa Garcia (155) vs. Drakkar Klose (155.5)

## Early Prelims (6:00 PM EST on ESPN+)

- Adam Fugitt (171) vs. Michael Morales (170.5)

- Joselyne Edwards (137.5)* vs. Ji Yeon Kim (135)

- Nicolae Negumereanu (205) vs. Ihor Potieria (204)

- Orion Cosce (172.5)* vs. Blood Diamond (169.5)


*Cosce and Edwards missed weight by 1.5 lbs and will be fined 20% of their purses.*

UFC 277 Weigh-in Results

Jack MacCool

Capturing a UFC title is no easy feat.  To do it not once but twice is as impressive as accolades in MMA get, and with UFC 277: Pena vs. Nunes 2 fast approaching, there’s a chance Amanda Nunes could add her name to an exclusive list of fighters who have captured the same UFC title more than once.  The event will take place in Dallas, Texas and features a pair of title fights as well as some other appointment viewing up and down the card.  But it is the main event that will be drawing the most eyes as Nunes looks to right the ship after losing her UFC Women’s Bantamweight title to Julianna Pena last December in what many are calling the biggest upset in MMA history to this point.  If Amanda can get it done, she’ll become the third two-time champion in UFC women’s history and the prospect of her regaining the throne was the inspiration for this list; 7 fighters who won a UFC championship more than once.  

## Jon Jones

![Jon Jones Machida.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/1a7a0c89-e58a-4927-dcf4-93491f7ed900/pub "Jon Jones roars as he steps on the scale at the UFC 235 weigh ins. Credits to: Esther Lin-MMAFighting.")

One cannot examine the career of Jon ‘Bones’ Jones without being aware of his extracurricular activity which saw him get stripped of his UFC Light Heavyweight title twice, and an Interim Light Heavyweight title once.  Now in order for a champion to be stripped of the title twice, it means they would have had to win the title twice as well, which is why Jon Jones begins this list.  Jones’ first title reign began at UFC 128, where he defeated Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua by knockout in an incredible performance that also saw him become the youngest champion in the promotion’s history–a record that still stands today.  He then rattled off eight consecutive title defences, including wins over four former champions.  That brought him to mid-2015 when he was involved in a felony hit-and-run.  As a result, the UFC stripped him of the title, leaving Daniel Cormier to scoop it up in Jones’ absence.  Jon would return from his hiatus in 2015 and defeat Ovince Saint Preux for the interim title after Cormier pulled out due to injury, however he was then stripped of his interim title after failing a pre-fight drug test.  Finally Jones would face off with Cormier for a second time and he would stop his biggest rival via strikes stemming from a gorgeous left high kick.  Unfortunately for Jones, the win would be overturned to a no-contest due to yet another failed pre-fight drug test, meaning he would have to wait if he wanted to be a two-time champ.  Cormier was reinstated as champion but would vacate the title 174 days after becoming a double champ, opening the door for Jones to win the title again.  On December 29, 2018, Jon would face Alexander Gustafsson for a second time for the vacant championship.  Jones stopped the Swede and reclaimed the title he had never lost in the Octagon.

## Dominick Cruz

![Dom Cruz.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d9660329-d9f1-491c-8e08-d723c2a73700/pub "Dominick Cruz raising his UFC Championship after defeating TJ Dillashaw. Credits to: Bob Chiara-USA TODAY Sports.")

Dominick Cruz’s career is a story of perseverance and overcoming adversity.  He first began his time as a titleholder in World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC), where he was their Bantamweight champion.  Prior to the UFC-WEC merger, Cruz defeated Scott Jorgensen to retain his belt, and was then awarded the inaugural UFC Bantamweight title as a result.  From there he defended the title twice, avenging his only career loss to that point by beating Urijah Faber by unanimous decision at UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber.  His second defence in his first stint as champion came against Demetrious Johnson in October of 2011, a loss that would age incredibly nicely as time went on.  Unfortunately for Dominick and fans alike, he would not return to the Octagon for nearly three full years due to a plethora of injuries.  Cruz vacated the title in the midst of his injury woes due to not being able to compete.  When Cruz returned in late 2014, he defeated Takeya Mizugaki by KO in one minute, vaulting him right back into title contention for the belt he never lost. During Cruz’s absence, TJ Dillashaw had become the staple of the UFC Bantamweight division, defeating Renan Barão twice as well as defending the belt against Joe Soto as well. Cruz would face Dillashaw at the height of his powers in January of 2016, where he would come away with a razor thin split decision victory to recapture the belt.  After so many trials and tribulations, Dominick Cruz was a champion once more.  

## Rose Namajunas

![Thug Rose.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/52458000-cc52-48ab-eeac-8d46d12f0700/pub "Rose Namajunas after her rematch against Jessica Andrade. Credits to: Jeff Bottari-Zuffa LLC.")

In the words of the great Daniel Cormier, “when Rose Namajunus wins titles, she does it in spectacular fashion”, and boy is that quote accurate. Rose began her career in the UFC fighting for the inaugural Strawweight Championship against Carla Esparza (man does this division ever come full circle).  Unfortunately for ‘Thug’ Rose, she would lose to Esparza via choke in the third round.  She would then make her way back to the title conversation with wins over Angela Hill, Paige Vanzant, Tecia Torres, and Michelle Waterson-Gomez.  However by this time, Esparza had given her belt up to the boogeywoman of the division, Joanna Jedrzejczyk.  Entering UFC 217 Joanna was a -700 favourite to defeat Rose, and much to the shock of the MMA world, Rose dethroned Joanna Champion in just over three minutes via KO.  Sadly for Rose, she loses titles in spectacular fashion as well, as in her second title defence she was spiked on her head and knocked out by Jessica Andrade, leaving her in disarray about where to go next.  Thankfully for MMA fans, Rose returned just over a year later and avenged her loss to Andrade in a rematch on Fight Island, propelling her into another title shot against Weili Zhang who had defeated Andrade to win the belt.  Her fight with Weili was just getting started when Namajunas split Weili’s guard with a head kick, knocking the champion out with one of the most exhilarating knockouts of the year.  ‘Thug’ Rose had done it again.  Since then, she defended the title against Weili, then lost it to Esparza–eight years after their first encounter.  With Rose’s ability to overcome obstacles physically and mentally, she very well could be a three-time champion in the future.

## Stipe Miocic

![Stipe.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/c5038996-645e-4d28-57b4-db2838ac6d00/pub "Stipe Miocic waiting to defend his UFC Heavyweight title. Credits to: Esther Lin-MMAFighting.")

Stipe Miocic is widely regarded as the greatest Heavyweight in UFC history and a lot of it stems from how he was able to win his belt back.  Miocic first grabbed UFC gold in 2016 when he knocked out Fabricio Werdum in the first round at UFC 198.  From there he defended the belt three times, defeating Junior Dos Santos, Allistair Overeem, and Francis Ngannou, before running into a recurring name on this list, Daniel Cormier.  The two would face off for the first of three meetings in mid-2018.  Cormier would get the better of the Croatian-American, knocking him out in the very first round.  Miocic would sit out a full year before returning to rematch ‘DC’ in 2019.  The fight was wildly different from the first with each man seeing great success in the first three rounds.  However in the fourth, Stipe would find the mark on what felt like 30 consecutive liver shots before hurting Cormier to the head and finishing him on the ground.  Instantly, Miocic had solidified himself as an all time great, and he would defeat Cormier for a second time in their rubber match in 2020, before losing the belt to Francis Ngannou in March of 2021.  

## Georges St. Pierre

![GSP.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/9b7f8b17-91c1-4e29-54b0-5491c5dc2b00/pub "Georges St-Pierre after finshing Michael Bisping to become the UFC Middleweight Champion. Credits to: Jeff Bottari-Zuffa LLC.")

‘GSP’ is one of the single greatest fighters in the history of the sport, but without an upset loss that would see him lose his belt, he may have never known the success he knows today.  However, before he could ever lose his Welterweight title, he had to win it first.  This takes us back all the way to UFC 65: Bad Intentions, where St. Pierre faced the champion Matt Hughes for the Welterweight strap.  Georges had shared the cage with Hughes once prior, a first round armbar loss, but this time would be far different as St. Pierre thrashed the champion, finishing him via headkick just 1:25 into the second round.  He was finally a world champion, although it wouldn’t last long as challenger Matt Serra arrived in town in April of 2007.  Serra had won the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter, with the grand prize being a title shot against the dominant St. Pierre.  Nobody expected Serra to make it out of the first round, let alone defeat ‘GSP’.  But as we've learned many times as MMA fans, MMA math doesn’t work, and Serra beat Georges by first round knockout, claiming the title.  Serra’s first title defence would be a rematch against St. Pierre who had beaten Josh Kosheck and Matt Hughes to get himself another crack at the Long Islander.  This time, Georges would not be denied and nearly one year to the date later, he stopped Serra with vicious knees to the body in the second round.  From then on ‘GSP’ wouldn’t lose another fight, defending his title nine times before taking a four-year break from MMA.  He’d return in 2017 and capture the Middleweight title, solidifying himself as the greatest Welterweight the sport had ever seen.

## Deivison Figueiredo

![Figgy.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/113c92f2-62dc-4a5d-5058-77a712c7f200/pub "Deiveson Figueiredo after finally defeating Brandon Moreno. Credits to: Josh Hedges-Zuffa LLC.")

The most recent entry that made this list is the incumbent Flyweight Champion, Deiveson Figueiredo.  Figueiredo’s championship history began in just 2020, but he had produced one of the most exciting eras in sometime.  He first captured the belt against Joseph Benavidez in July of 2020 with a devastating first round rear naked choke.  Then, in November he defeated Alex Perez via first round guillotine choke.  On the same card, Brandon Moreno defeated Brandon Royval via TKO due to an injury.  With both fighters hardly winded or injured, the two decided to fight less than one month later at UFC 256 for the title.  The two Flyweights would put on what was a fight of the year contender, ending in a majority draw.  Naturally, the UFC would run it right back in June of the following year, only this time Moreno would be too much for ‘Figgy’ as he put him away with a third round submission.  With the score at 1-0-1 for Moreno, the UFC decided to go with the trilogy bout in January of this year, with many expecting the younger Moreno to make even shorter work of the Brazilian former champ.  The fight would go the full five rounds with each fighter having their moments.  Figueiredo would land less volume but overwhelm Moreno with his power shots, scoring three knockdowns.  When the fight was over, nobody knew who would get the nod from the judges, but as the scores were read it was ‘Deus da Guerra’ who would get the victory–48-47 across the board.  Figueiredo became the first Flyweight UFC fighter to recapture the title and become a two-time champion, but Moreno could join him shortly if he gets by Kai Kara-France this weekend and sees Figueiredo for a fourth time.

## Randy Couture

![Randy C.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/2becbdce-b04f-4e9d-556a-93973dd33700/public "Randy Couture after making weight at his final fight at Heavyweight. Credits to: Jon Kapaloff-Zuffa LLC.")

Randy Couture is the only fighter on this list to become a multiple time champion in multiple weight classes–a feat that may never be accomplished again.  Not only that, but Couture is a three-time Heavyweight Champion, another feat that may never be accomplished again.  His first UFC championship reign began at UFC - Ultimate Japan after he defeated Maurice Smith by majority decision to claim the belt.  He was then stripped of the title after he failed to defend the belt against who the UFC wanted.  He returned to the UFC after a short stint in Japan when he fought Kevin Randleman in November of 2000 for the UFC Heavyweight Championship.  Couture was controlled for the first two rounds but turned the tide late, getting the TKO victory and his second UFC Heavyweight title.  Couture would defend the title twice against Pedro Rizzo, with the first being a razor thin decision, and the second being a third round TKO.  Unfortunately for Couture, his second stint as champion would come to a violent end at the hands of Josh Barnett  in March 2002.  However, Barnett was subsequently stripped of the title after testing positive for anabolic steroids and was cut from the UFC.  Couture would get another crack at the title after Barnett’s release, but he came up short, losing to Ricco Rodriguez.  After consecutive losses, Couture decided to move down to Light Heavyweight where he faced Chuck Liddell for the UFC Interim Light Heavyweight Championship.  He beat Liddell by TKO to become the first UFC fighter ever to win titles in two weight classes.  With the interim strap in hand, Couture faced Tito Ortiz for the undisputed title.  He won the fight by unanimous decision to become the undisputed champion.  His first defence would come against Vitor Belfort, a man who Couture had beaten at Heavyweight years prior.  The fight would end unceremoniously when Belfort cut Couture’s eye with his glove, leading the cageside physician to stop the fight.  The two would fight for the third time later in the year and Couture dominated.  He won all three rounds before the doctor stopped the fight due to a cut on Belfort, becoming a two-time champion for the second time.  Randy would lose his next contest by knockout in a rematch with Chuck Liddell, followed by a win over Mike van Arsdale before losing a third fight with Liddell.  Immediately after the third fight with the ‘Iceman’ Couture would announce his retirement from MMA.  However, in early 2007 he announced he would be making a return to competitive MMA against the menacing Tim Sylvia for the UFC Heavyweight Championship.  At the ripe age of 43, Couture beat Sylvia by unanimous decision to become the UFC Heavyweight Champion for a third and final time.  Couture is a legend of the sport and his reigns at Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight should be remembered forever.  


7 UFC Fighters Won the Same Championship More than Once

Julianna Pena will attempt to shock the world again as she takes on Amanda Nunes for the second time this weekend from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, at UFC 277. The first meeting produced the biggest upset in Verdict history, with 92% of the community picking Nunes to win going into the matchup. Julianna Pena would go on to win by submission in the second round, leaving her the Bantamweight champion and setting up this epic rematch. 

![Group 7.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/4adb6779-9dac-4021-f15f-7d734f97a900/pub "This result still stands as the biggest upset in the history of Verdict.")

The first meeting was one of the most unpredictable and shocking outcomes in UFC history; with Amanda Nunes closing at a -1125 betting favorite with a roughly 92% implied win rate, she was one of the largest favorites in UFC history. Amanda Nunes came into this fight having nine title victories in a row against some of the biggest names in the history of the sport, like Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, and Holly Holm, earning stoppages in six of those victories. Julianna Pena made it clear during fight week that she would not roll over despite her underdog status by going at Nunes during a press conference which many were not expecting. Pena was coming into this matchup, having gone just two and two over her last four fights with wins over Sara McMann and Nicco Montano; however, she was finished in each of the two losses leaving many to question if she could handle Nunes resulting in her being a +700 underdog. 

![Group 8.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/9cfad133-9726-41c5-b2c9-d86a68fc3200/pub "The pre-fight data headed into the rematch between Julianna Pena and Amanda Nunes.")

This time there is much more intrigue going into the fight as we have seen that Julianna Pena can pull off the upset, and many are wondering how Amanda Nunes will respond to her first loss in so long. Despite the last result, Amanda Nunes still sits as a heavy favorite at -275, with 66.5% of the Verdict community predicting her to win, showing that despite the last result, the public still has a lot of respect for what Nunes has done. Julianna Pena has shown she is not one to shy away from the underdog role, which she will be in again at +230. This is an interesting scenario where we see a fighter who was finished in a dominant fashion still be such a large favorite; however, in this case, it is impossible to ignore Nunes' past record when evaluating the fight.

Going into the first fight, it was known that if Julianna Pena were to beat Nunes, she would need to do it twice, and here we are with their second clash just ahead. It is clear that most believe Amanda Nunes is the better fighter in the rivalry; however, Julianna Pena is here because of her ability to prove people wrong, and she will have a chance to prove the first fight was not a fluke at UFC 277. 

Comparing The Pre-Fight Data From Pena/Nunes 1 & 2 

On The MMA Hour, Khamzat Chiamaev revealed that he would move to 185 lbs after his scheduled bout vs. Nate Diaz at UFC 279 if the winner of the upcoming Welterweight title fight between Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards wishes to sit out for an extended period. 

Chimaev joined the UFC in 2020 and got in an instant roll through the 170 and 185 lbs divisions. Scoring 3 wins in 2 months, Chimaev seemed unstoppable and on a fast track to a UFC title shot. These ideas were put on hold though as 
Chimaev contracted a severe case of COVID-19, and at one point briefly retired. 

The illness wasn't enough to keep him away from the sport for long though as he made a full recovery and returned to action the next year at UFC 267 where he quickly dispatched number 11 in the world, Li Jingliang, with a 1st round rear-naked choke. He then picked up a unanimous decision win over 2nd ranked Welterweight contender Gilbert Burns at UFC 273 in a potential Fight of The Year winner. 

![F165E68C-5BF0-4AA8-9E6C-5E2000FF311E.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/8f039470-6f12-43f8-a9a0-3151c8c46c00/pub "Khamzat Chimaev holds his opponent in the air as he converses with Dana White. Credits to: Craig Kidwell.")

He now finds himself matched up against one of the biggest stars in the sport, Nate Diaz. They will headline UFC 279 at the T-mobile Arena in LAs Vegas, Nevada. Chimaev is expected to make quick work of his opponent as he opened as a greater than 10 to 1 favorite over the Stockton Native.

 A win here could set him up for a title shot against the winner of Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards which takes place at UFC 278 on August 20th at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The last 4 fighters to defeat Nate Diaz have received immediate title shots after, could Khamzat Chimaev join that list? 

Khamzat Chimaev wants a Middleweight fight after Nate Diaz if the wait for a Welterweight title shot is too long

> I think you're going to hear some fight news pretty soon, and it could be me and Dustin Poirier. - Michael Chandler to media at UFC London.

Chandler revealed to media at UFC London that he has some fight news coming soon and that it may be who the fans have been asking for.

Michael Chandler's UFC run has been full of fan-friendly bouts and exciting moments on the mic. He has produced memorable moments such as his fight of the year in 2021 vs. Justin Gaethje and most recently his leading contender for knockout of the year, a spectacular front kick KO over Tony Ferguson at UFC 274. 

Poirier's last fight was for the UFC Lightweight title against former champion Charles Oliveira in December of 2021 at UFC 269. Poirier started strong but would lose the fight via 3rd round submission to a standing rear-naked choke. 

![05D65F05-3869-4CBF-BFFD-39F88B710569.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/4d86b379-41fa-4eef-7528-948a8bd4b100/pub "Charles Oliveria chokes out Dustin Poirier to retain his title at UFC 269. Credits to: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC")

Chandler's history with Dustin Poirier stems from his first UFC fight at UFC 257 where in his post-fight interview he mentioned Poirier's name among others in a series of callouts. Their fight would never come to be though as Poirier would chase money fights and Chandler was offered to fight for the title. 

A year and some change later it is now Dustin that has been calling Chandler out at every turn and even initiating a verbal altercation in the stands at UFC 276. Chandler spoke on the matter, saying it was 'the opposite way to get a fight with me.' 

Although he said this, it seems that a fight between the two may come sooner than we expected. 

Michael Chandler Teases Potential Dustin Poirier Fight

Jordan Lopez

The UFC returned to London, England with a fantastic main card headlined by Tom Aspinall and Curtis Blaydes at the O2 Arena. The fans brought the energy like always as the atmosphere in London was electric. Even though the main event did not go according to plan, the main card had some nice finishes with some impressive wins along the way. Let's take a look on how the main card shaped out at UFC London. 

## Curtis Blaydes defeats Tom Aspinall via Injury TKO

![Blaydes.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e9c77597-33fb-42be-f7bf-6814ddc6da00/pub "Curtis Blaydes lands a straight-right on Tom Aspinall. Credits to: Julian Finney-Zuffa LLC.")

Another unfortunate injury occured in back-to-back UFC main events as Tom Aspinall injures his right knee at UFC London against Curtis Blaydes. In what was appearing to be a great fight, it all ended when Aspinall landed a leg kick on Blaydes. After landing the kick, Aspinall's right leg tries to plant on the ground and gives out. Aspinall immediately grabs his right knee and the fight is over. Fans only got to see 15 seconds of action between the two in the main event. They started at a very high pace in the beginning of the fight and then it came to an unfortunate stop due to the injury. For Blaydes, it still counts as a win and it makes it three in-a-row. It'll be interesting to see what the UFC does with Blaydes as he has shown that he is ready to get back into the title picture. 

## Jack Hermansson defeats Chris Curtis via Unamious Decision

![Hermansson.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/f6031b7b-d3b9-4d6c-e9b8-549c8e2f9d00/pub "Jack Hermansson throws a head kick against Chris Curtis. Credits to: Jeff Bottari-Zuffa LLC.")

In a interesting fight in the Middleweight division, Chris Curtis and Jack Hermansson battled it out for 15 minutes. In the first round, Hermansson was giving multiple looks to Curtis on the feet. Between switching his striking levels to the body kick, Curtis couldn't get anything going offensively. Hermansson took a kickboxing approach in this fight and it showed in the second round. Curtis absorbed a lot of body kicks and was visibly fustrated. Hermansson appeared to have hurt Curtis a bit while following up with an abundance of elbows but Curtis had a high tight guard that blocked the majority of the strikes. In the third round, Curtis started to pick it up yet still couldn't get anything going. Hermansson kept his composure throughout the fight and continued to pour on volume with his strikes. He landed 57 more signifcant strikes than Curtis and it led him to the decision win. Hermansson gets a much needed win in the Middleweight division and will be interesting to see who he gets next. Nonetheless, Hermansson looked great on the feet and earned himself a great win at UFC London. 

## Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett rocks the O2 Arena with a Submission Victory over Jordan Leavitt

![Paddy.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/09f08ab4-f6f4-46e7-c2ea-c32966f2a500/pub "Paddy Pimblett celebrating after defeating Jordan Leavitt. Credits to: Julian Finney-Zuffa LLC.") 

Fan-favorite Paddy Pimblett gets another finish in his UFC career when he submits Jordan Leavitt in the second round. The fight got interesting in the first round when Leavitt initated the first takedown. Leavitt had Pimblett pressed up in the clinch for the majority of the first round, presenting some problems for Pimblett. Through the adversity, Pimblett managed to attempt a submission towards the end of the round and managed to finish the round on top. With a strong finish to the first round, Pimblett carried the momentum into the second. Leavitt engaged in the clinch again but this time, Pimblett made adjustments. Leavitt left an opening for a submission attempt and Pimblett jumped on it. What looked to be a modified head choke, Pimblett had Leavitt in trouble with the attempt in the clinch but it led to a knee to the head that dropped Leavitt. Pimblett would follow up that knee by taking the back and getting the rear naked choke win. Pimblett is 3-0 in the UFC and is arguably on the rise to become a UFC star.

## Nikita Krylov Silences the Crowd with KO over Alexander Gustafsson

![Krylov.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/9d7041d2-d9d0-400d-2e21-6308605cee00/pub "Nikita Krylov walking away after KO win over Alexander Gustafsson. Credits to: Jeff Bottari-Zuffa LLC.") 

With the fans going crazy over Molly McCann the fight before, Nikita Krylov silenced the O2 Arena with a finish over Alexander Gustafsson in round one. The fight starts off with Krylov scoring a knockdown in the first 20 seconds of the fight. He had Gustafsson hurt on the feet but, they will scramble into the clinch as Gustafsson tries to recover. Krylov disengages from the clinch and gets right back to work with forward pressure. Krylov hurts him again and gets the knockout finish he wanted. After the win, Krylov called out Volkan Oezdemir for a potential future matchup in Abu Dhabi later this year. The UFC should entertain this fight as it is the next fight to make in the Light Heavyweight division. 

## Molly McCann Does it Again; Finishes Hannah Goldy in Round 1

![MollyMcCann.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/4bd8f44f-8ae3-41c9-d0fa-b31ee238c700/pub "Molly McCann getting her hand raised after defeating Hannah Goldy. Credits to: Jeff Bottari-Zuffa LLC.") 

Molly McCann put the O2 Arena into a frenzy after finishing Hannah Goldy in the first round. The relentless pressure of McCann was overwhelming Goldy. The striking differential was not even close as Goldy only landed nine strikes to the 24 that McCann landed. McCann defended all five takedowns and that is when it started to pick up. McCann pressured Goldy to the back of the cage and landed a spinning elbow that stunned Goldy. She would finish the fight on the feet while hurting Goldy until Herb Dean stepped in. McCann is now on a three-fight winning streak with back-to-back finishes. The future continues to look bright as she might have a number next to her name soon in the Flyweight division. 

## Volkan Oezdemir earns the decision victory over Paul Craig

![volkanOezdemir.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/30092103-13ac-4221-324e-3f2139e3f600/pub "Volkan Oezdemir getting his hand raised after his win over Paul Craig. Credits to: Jeff Bottari-Zuffa LLC.") 

A fun one between Paul Craig and Volkan Oezdemir opened up the main card at UFC London. In the first round, Craig pulled gaurd the majority of the fight to negate the forward pressure of Oezdemir. The dangerous submission game of Craig was on full display as he was looking for several leg locks in the first round. In the second round, Oezdemir started to play into his own game and become a bit more patient. Whenever Craig pulled gaurd, Oezdemir will successfully get up and get the fight back onto the feet. The same sequence would happen in the third round as Oezdemir was getting the better of the exchanges on the feet. Oezdemir landed double of the amount of signifcant strikes landed as Craig did and the judges rewarded Oezdemir with a unamious decision win at the end. After suffering back-to-back losses, this is a huge win for Oezdemir at UFC London and is primed for another top ten opponent. 

UFC London Post-Fight Review

Evan Montgomery 

The UFC touched down in London for the second time in 2022, delivering a high-paced Fight Night card. In the main event, Curtis Blaydes came away with the TKO victory after Apinall suffered a knee injury in the opening seconds. 

The Heavyweight division is fairly laid out right now outside of the title picture. Next week, #5-ranked Derrick Lewis will take on the rising Sergey Pavlovich. In August, #10 Marcin Tybura meets #13 Alexandr Romanov, while Augusto Sakai looks to defend his #14 ranking against Sergey Spivak. The top five meets in Paris on September 3rd when #1 contender Ciryl Gane faces fan favorite and #3-ranked Tai Tuivasa.

Champion Francis Ngannou is currently out dealing with a knee injury, and though there were talks of an interim title bout between Stipe Miocic and Jon Jones, nothing has materialized yet. There are still plenty of hot matchups to book at 265 pounds after the wild London event with a contender looking to get back to the title.

## Curtis Blaydes vs. Winner of Lewis/Pavlovich

Although it was not the decisive victory he was looking for, Curtis Blaydes still got his hand raised in London. He is seated at #4 in the division and will likely hold that ranking come Monday. He is now on a three-fight win streak, but will need to string together another win or two to get back into the title picture. Up next should be a clash with the winner of the upcoming fight between Derrick Lewis and Sergei Pavlovich. The pair are set to fight next weekend at UFC 277 and either one could be seated just outside the top five with a win. In addition,Pavlovich has not fought Blaydes before, prompting an intruiging stylistic battle.

## Tom Aspinall vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik

The main event could not have gone worse for Tom Aspinall, who hardly had any time to fight before suffering the injury. He will likely be out for some time recuperating, though the next few days will give us more information. Upon his return, I like a bout with Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Rozenstruik is ranked at #8 and coming off two losses, recently suffering a knockout defeat to Alexander Volkov. Aspinall will need to regain some of the hype surrounding him, while Rozenstruik is looking to get back on the winning track.

## Alexander Volkov vs. Loser of Gane/Tuivasa

Alexander Volkov rebounded from his loss to Tom Aspinall with a knockout over Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Seated at #5, he is just outside the top of the pack. Ciryl Gane and Tai Tuivasa are slated to meet in September with the winner likely moving towards a title bout. The loser will need to get back to the grindstone and defend their position. Volkov remains a top-ranked opponent with elite striking, making a tough challenge for whoever loses in Paris.

## Chris Daukaus vs. Winner of Tybura/Romanov

Chris Daukaus surged into the Heavyweight rankings with a string of knockout victories. He then suffered knockout defeats to Derrick Lewis and Curtis Blaydes, now finding himself ranked at #9. He needs a win to defend his place in the top 10, and I like a match with the winner of Marcin Tybura and Alexandr Romanov. The pair are set to face off in August, with the #10 ranking on the line for the winner.The winner will deserve a chance to move up, while Daukaus desperately needs to get back on the right track.

## Blagoy Ivanov vs. Andrei Arlovski

Blagoy Ivanov got back in the win column in May with a decision vic tory over Marcos Rogerio de Lima. Currently seated at #15, he will need to turn away a rising name to recreate a win streak. Although a long-time veteran, Andrei Arlovski has been on a tear as of late. He is currently riding a four-fight win streak and holds six wins in his last seven fights. Arlovski deserves a shot to get a number next to his name once again, while Ivanov needs to prove he deserves his spot in the top 15.

Five Fights To Make In The UFC Heavyweight Division

Is this the end for Alexander Gustaffson?

Alexander Gustaffson is a fan favorite Light Heavyweight title challenger that has produced some of the greatest fights in UFC history, including his Hall of Fame bout vs. Jon Jones. He returned tonight on the main card of UFC London against Nikita Krylov. Krylov would spoil this return, though, knocking him out in just over a minute.

This was Gustaffson's first fight since a brief move to Heavyweight in July of 2020, just 2 days shy of a 2-year layoff. He would face former UFC champion Fabricio Werdum in his move up to 265 lbs and be submitted in round 1 via armbar. 

![FECE7CC6-26AD-4ABD-ABE9-5DE75DC9983B.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/38bc8e3c-784d-4184-64d9-e0b24af80400/pub "Fabricio Werdum taps out Alexander Gustaffson with an armbar. Credits to: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC")

Gustaffson would enter retirement in 2019 after losing to Anthony Smith by submission. This fight came after suffering a 2nd loss to Jon Jones in a vacant title bout the year prior. He left his gloves in the octagon and told his fans that the show was over.

Though it may be coming to a close, the career of Gustaffson was an incredible ride for all who watched it. He was the first man to truly test Jon Jones in their Fight of The Year bout in 2013 and would give another all-time great Daniel Cormier what he always describes as the hardest fight of his life. He even defeated the last two UFC Light Heavyweight champions Jan Blachowicz and Glover Teixeira during his career, putting a masterclass performance on the latter.

Firmly cemented as one of the greatest 205'ers to ever do it, regardless of his lack of a UFC title, perhaps this is the end of the road for Gustassfon and may lead to a final retirement with his most recent defeat marking the 4th in a row. 

Alexander Gustaffson is Knocked Out at UFC London

Collin Quarles


UFC returned to ABC on the 16th of July with an event that took place at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. The card was headlined by two all-action fighters looking to climb the rankings of the UFC's stacked Featherweight division. Let's take a look at how the card panned out.

## Yair Rodriguez Defeats Brian Ortega via Injury TKO

![20220716050922_GettyImages1409173533.JPG](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/96ee7e15-7a2e-45b1-af5c-46b66898b800/public "Yair lands strike on Ortega. Credits to: Getty/UFC.")

It was an unfortunate ending to this highly anticipated Featherweight clash when late into the first round Brian Ortega dislocated his right shoulder. The bout was action-packed from the word go, with Rodriguez landing a variety of strikes at a fairly high rate. Ortega's legendary chin was holding up well though, as he looked to put the pressure on the Mexican striking standout. Around the four-minute mark of round one, "T-City" finally secured the takedown that he had been looking for. As soon as "El Pantera" hit the canvas, he cinched up a semi-tight armbar. Ortega quickly addressed the submission attempt by yanking out his trapped arm, however, after escaping he immediately collapsed back to the ground in agony while holding his right shoulder. Rodriguez, seeing the defenseless Ortega wincing in pain, withheld any follow-up strikes and the contest was mercifully called off.

## Amanda Lemos Submits Michelle Waterson

![amanda-lemos-michelle-waterson-ufc-on-abc-3-9.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6c718c72-bae9-4cfc-a3e8-fe606961d800/pub "Lemos submits Waterson. Credits to: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports.")

It was smooth sailing for Amanda Lemos when she snatched up her first submission victory since 2019. After struggling to find her range on the feet, Waterson managed to secure a takedown late into round one. Waterson seemed to have some good top pressure, but eventually, Lemos was able to get the fight back to the standing position. Once back up, the feeling-out process began to fade and Lemos started putting together some good boxing combinations that seemed to be flustering "The Karate Hottie". In round two, Waterson again went to the well for a takedown attempt, only this time she was met with a tight arm-in guillotine choke. After a few moments of struggle, Lemos felt a tap and released the choke. The bout ended one minute and forty-eight seconds into round number two.

## The Leech scores TKO Finish over Muslim Salikhov

![ca9d7208-5bbc-4baf-8b75-392ecd0f65bd_01393744.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/7bbca779-43d2-4b8a-abaa-bc1b1c742c00/pub "Jingliang punches Salikhov. Credits to: Zuffa LLC.")

Li Jingliang made a triumphant return to the octagon by scoring an impressive KO/TKO finish over "The King of Kung Fu". Round one was a little bit rocky for "The Leech", as Salikhov landed a couple of beautiful slams by catching the kicks of Jingliang. After spending much of the first round on the defense, Jingliang was much more aggressive and seemingly confident in the second stanza. Eventually, "The Leech" landed a well-timed right hand that hurt the Salikhov. Jingliang wasted no time and polished off the Russian with some vicious elbows to score a late second-round finish. This finish marks eight KO/TKO stoppage victories for the Chinese Welterweight under the UFC's banner.

## Matt Schnell Stops Su Mudaerji in Incredible Comeback Performance

![matt-schnell-su-mudaerji-ufc-on-abc-3-15.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/54b3210f-9906-4538-c8a3-3f4aa4463200/pub "Schnell puts Mudaerji to sleep. Credits to: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports.")

Matt Schnell displayed an indescribable amount of grit and determination to pull off a come-from-behind victory. The fight started off fairly typical, with Schnell walking down Mudaerji and looking to take the fight to the ground. The second round, however, was far from conventional. Su Mudaerji seemed like he couldn't miss, as he wobbled Matt Schnell an astonishing six times with a series of left hands and elbows on the feet. "Danger" couldn't be bothered though, as he lived up to his nickname by staying in the fight, never letting off the gas, and showcasing the inner "dog" within him. Mudaerji eventually started to look a little worse for the wear, as he gassed himself out trying to put away his inhumanly tough opponent and eventually Schnell landed a double leg takedown to get the fight to the ground. From there, Schnell passed to mount and Mudaerji rolled into a deep triangle choke that sealed his fate four minutes and twenty-four seconds into round number two.

## Shane Burgos Edges Out Charles Jourdain

![shane-burgos-charles-jourdain-ufc-on-abc-3.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/adb0a238-06cb-4749-3b57-61c912926e00/pub "Burgos and Jourdain celebrate after close fight. Credits to: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports.")

Fans were excited when these two fan-friendly Featherweights were paired together and they did not disappoint. The bout was extremely closely contested, with Burgos seemingly having the edge in the grappling department and Jourdain having a slight edge in the striking. Large portions of this contest were spent with "Hurricane" on the back of Jourdain with a fully locked body triangle. On the feet, Jourdain tried to even out the rounds as much as possible with his boxing. Ultimately, rounds two and three were pretty clear cut, and who you scored the fight for came down to the first round. At the end of the day, Shane Burgos walked away with a Majority Decision Victory.

## Lauren Murphy Dominates Meisha Tate

![lauren-murphy-miesha-tate-ufc-on-espn-3-16.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/43961d3b-355d-4506-eed0-dfaa234eae00/public "Murphy bloodies Tate. Credits to: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports.")

Lauren Murphy made a statement with her victory over former Bantamweight Champion Meisha Tate. From the start of the fight, it seemed like Murphy was always one step ahead of Tate. On the feet, Murphy landed more often and with more authority. In the clinch, Tate had some success, however, it was short-lived as Murphy looked to disengage and even wrestle with Tate. "Lucky" surprisingly landed several takedowns on the former wrestling stand-out. By the second round, Tate was bruised and bloody, and that was only exacerbated as the clock ran down. At the end of the bout, Lauren Murphy was rewarded with a clear-cut unanimous decision victory on all three judges' scorecards.

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