Liam Lindsay

Another massive matchup for UFC 300 has now been confirmed. Per Dana White, Charles Oliveira will fight Arman Tsarukyan in a Lightweight title fight eliminator on April 13th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

**This fight occurs in the Lightweight (155 lbs) division.**

Charles Oliveira holds a professional record of 34-9-1NC (22-9-1NC UFC) and is ranked #1 in the Lightweight division. He holds noteworthy wins over Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, and Michael Chandler.

Arman Tsarukyan is ranked #4 in the Lightweight division and holds a professional record of 21-3 (8-2 UFC), with credible wins over Beneil Dariush, Damir Ismagulov, and Matt Frevola.

**Official betting odds: Charles Oliveira +170, Arman Tsarukyan -200.**

Charles Oliveira is a marauder in the Lightweight division right now. He's won twelve of his last thirteen fights and is coming off a massive TKO victory over Beneil Dariush at UFC 289. "Do Bronx" wants another title shot to reclaim his title and will have to go through Tsarukyan to get the title shot.

![oliwinner.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/1bd761f7-22ad-4781-ba03-91bf8eb84a00/pub "Charles Oliveira after beating Beneil Dariush at UFC 289. Credits to: Sergei Belski - USA TODAY Sports.")
  
Another man who wants a shot at revenge is Arman Tsarukyan. He lost to Islam Makhachev in his UFC debut, and since then, he has only dropped a decision loss to Mateusz Gamrot. "Ahalkalakets" is also coming off a KO victory over Beneil Dariush, and now he sets his sights on Charles Oliveira next.

![armanfinish.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/5d1b62e5-ef3b-4aaf-04ff-ae0992e69b00/pub "Arman Tsarukyan finishing Beneil Dariush. Credits to: Dustin Safranek - USA TODAY Sports.")

The battle for the next Lightweight contender is on. Who do you have winning? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan Booked For #1 Contender Fight at UFC 300

ROUNDHOUSE MMA

Despite last night's event beginning with six straight decisions, the UFC's return to Louisville delivered, as fans were treated to an excellent main card filled with action-packed fights and highlight-reel finishes. In the main event, Frenchman Nassourdine Imavov rallied to become the first man to finish Jared Cannonier at Middleweight and will break into the top five. 

Let's recap what went down last night, and discuss what each result could mean for the foreseeable future. 

## Nassourdine Imavov def Jared Cannonier by fourth-round TKO

Jared Cannonier was up two rounds to one on two-thirds of the judges' scorecards, before succumbing to Nassourdine Imavov early in the fourth round. While Cannonier was expected to have the advantage as the fight went into the championship rounds, it was Imavov who hurt Cannonier badly and poor body language from the former title challenger led referee Jason Herzog to put a halt to the action. Cannonier's two-fight win streak came to an abrupt end, while Imavov looks like a future title contender as he is now 6-1 with one NC in his last eight fights. Imavov will jump into the top five and will immediately look for a title eliminator bout, while the 40-year-old Cannonier will look to rebound and get back on track. 

## Dominick Reyes def Dustin Jacoby by first-round TKO

It has been over 1,700 days since Dominick Reyes' last UFC win, which came back in 2019 against a 205 lb Chris Weidman. Things have not come easy for the former title challenger, but after a feeling-out process, Reyes sparked Jacoby and finished him off with strikes. It will be interesting to see how the UFC handles Reyes going forward, but it is surely great to see the man who gave Jon Jones his toughest test to date, back in the win column. 

## Raul Rosas Jr. def Ricky Turcios by second-round SUB

Little reminder that Raul Rosas Jr. is still only nineteen years old, but has three finishes in the UFC. His latest, a second-round rear naked choke over the former TUF veteran Ricky Turcios, was an impressive showing of young experience. Rosas desperately has a goal of becoming the youngest champion in UFC history, and if he keeps passing the tests the UFC gives him, he may have a shot to do just that. 

## Brunno Ferreira def Dustin Stoltzfus by first-round TKO

Brunno Ferreira improves his impressive record to 12-1 after another first-round finish over Dustin Stoltzfus. Ferreira's 100% finish rate remains intact, and he looked very sharp against the UFC veteran. Dustin surely had his moments early on in the fight, but the Brazilian persevered and landed a flush spinning back elbow and followed up with some more shots and the referee stopped the fight. Ferreira has rebounded from his first professional loss nicely, with two first-round finishes over experienced UFC veterans, and seems like a threat to the Middleweight top fifteen. 

## Zachary Reese def Julian Marquez by first-round TKO

It's safe to say Zachary Reese wanted to get back on track after a strange UFC debut that saw him get dumped on his head and finished for his first professional loss. Reese wasted no time and finished Julian Marquez in only 20 seconds after a hard kick to the body followed up with an uppercut that sent Marquez crashing to the octagon floor. A few more follow-up shots and that was that. Reese has had eight fights in his young career, and none of them have reached the second round. Reese's 100% finish rate includes finishes of 20, 33, 50, 52, and 1:14 seconds, and he always guarantees fireworks inside the octagon, win or lose. 

## Punahele Soriano def Miguel Baeza by Unanimous Decision

It was all domination from Punahele Soriano in his UFC Welterweight debut. From the opening bell, Soriano found success in the wrestling and control, compared to his trademark striking. Soriano outlanded Baeza 331-22, and landed five of six takedowns, with an eleven-minute control time being the telltale of this bout. Soriano had recently fallen on hard times, as he had lost four of his last five, but 170 lbs sure looks great on him, and he hopes to find similar success that saw him begin his UFC career with two straight wins. 

What was your favorite fight of UFC Louisville? Let us know in the comments down below. 


UFC Louisville Results

Douglas Vegas Bets

**Name:** Nassourdine Imavov

**Record:** 13-4

**Date of Birth:** March 1st, 1996

**Weight:** 185 Ib (84kg) 

**Height:** 6'3" (191 cm)

**Reach:** 75.0" (191 cm)

**Nationality:** Russian

**Fighting out of:** Salon-de-Provence, France

**Next Fight:** Jared Cannonier

Nassourdine Imavov is a rising Middleweight contender who has made himself a familiar name for fans, having headlined three events in his young career. Now, at age twenty-eight, he will look to use his unique skillset to push closer to his goal of the UFC title. 

## Early Career

Imavov's professional debut in 2016 was a learning experience, resulting in a first-round submission loss, which remains his only career stoppage loss. He fought very often to start, having six fights in 2016-17 before taking a year away in 2018 before what would end up being the biggest of his career. He returned to the cage in 2019, fighting frequently and winning all four fights, three of which were first-round finishes. These impressive performances paved the way for his entry into the UFC.

![082522-nassourdine-imavov-trains-MMA-Factory-30 (1).jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e4ef52b8-7497-4825-9ae8-da110b31b700/public "Credits to: Zac Pacleb/Zuffa LLC")

## UFC Career

It was clear from the start that the MMA Factory product Imavov had the physical traits to succeed in the UFC with a similar style to that of a gym mate and fellow rising contender, Heavyweight Ciryl Gane. He is a very large Middleweight with phenomenal movement, which helped him win a unanimous decision over Jordan Williams in his debut. However, Phil Hawes showed some holes in his game in his second fight. Despite having tremendous success striking, he was outwrestled, which cost him a majority decision. It was after this fight that Imavov began to show his evolution and become a real threat to the division, dominating his next two opponents, earning knockout wins over Ian Heinisch and Edmen Shahbazyan, having used the ground game as a weapon of his own against Shabazyan. 

## UFC Paris

With the UFC set to hold an event in Paris for the first time in September 2022, it was an obvious choice to showcase Imavov on the card, with him representing France and training there. He would take on the always dangerous Joaquin Buckley, who had won five of his last six fights entering the contest. It was clear early in the contest that Imavov was the superior striker, landing hard shots from range in the first two rounds. The third round saw Buckley push the pace and steal the round, although it was not enough, with Imavov having done enough work early to claim the unanimous decision win.

![1420583526 (1) (1).jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/69ff0cc0-fbfb-4c0b-1b73-4bd4b68e5200/public "Credits to: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC")

## First Main Event

Imavov was then set for his first Main Event spotlight against former title challenger Kelvin Gastelum in a big step up in competition. Gastelum would pull out just weeks before the fight, leaving Sean Strickland to step in on short notice and take the main event. The pressure of Strickland proved too much for Imavov, as he would go on to win a high-paced striking match between the two and set the seed for a rivalry that has yet to come to a close. 

## Xtreme Couture Rematch

Imavov's next booking would come against a close friend and training partner of Strickland, Chris Curtis. The fight was a great showing for Imavov, as through two rounds, he displayed better striking and mixed-in grappling to put himself clearly ahead before an accidental clash of heads would end the contest in a disappointing fashion. However, this was not the end of the rivalry with Curtis, as Curtis would corner Imavov's next opponent, Roman Dolidze. Imavov was en route to a dominant win when a stoppage in the action resulted in a verbal altercation between Imavov and Curtis from the corner, which ended with Herb Dean threatening to disqualify Imavov. Action resumed, and Imavov would pick up the biggest win of his career with a majority decision over Dolidze. 

![Chris-Curtis-vs.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/611027dc-3ae9-44c7-dd53-4cd2363f4a00/public "Credits to: Sergei Belski, USA TODAY Sports")

## Current Status

Imavov now heads into his third main event in his last four fights, with this being his biggest test yet against former title challenger Jared Cannonier, who holds a win over Sean Strickland and enters this fight off a record-breaking performance in terms of strikes landed against Marvin Vettori. A win here will enter Imavov into the title discussion and prove to fans that he is ready to be talked about among the world's best Middleweights.

Fighter Spotlight: Nassourdine Imavov

The UFC is in Louisville, Kentucky, at the KFC YUM Center this weekend! headlined by Middleweight contenders Jared Cannonier and Nassourdine Imavov going head to head. 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 6/5/2024**

## Jared Cannonier +103 vs. Nassourdine Imavov -125

Top-ranked Middleweights clash in this high-stakes main event. Jared Cannonier returns from a year away due to a torn MCL. He is a high-volume power puncher with great cardio, although he is now forty years old and has been rocked several times against guys not known for punching power, like Derek Brunson and Marvin Vettori. Nassordine Imavov is a very slick kickboxer coming off an impressive five-round domination against Roman Dolidze earlier this year, during which he showed his dangerous power and gained more experience going the distance.

I've got the younger guy on his way up in Imavov, and I believe he will find a finish in this one as well, with Cannonier being as old as he is and coming off a serious injury.

Pick: Imavov O/U: Under 4.5 +119

## Dominick Reyes +190 vs. Dustin Jacoby -238

A former title challenger returns here in a must-win fight at Light Heavyweight. Dominick Reyes is looking to regain form here, having brutally lost his last three fights, all ending by knockout. Over his career, he has proven to be a high-level and dangerous striker with the power to finish early and keep a solid pace. Dustin Jacoby is a solid veteran with a kickboxing style who has been on the wrong end of three of his last four fights, having shown a decline in durability by being dropped several times over those matchups.

I'm taking Reyes as the underdog here as I don't believe Jacoby is as dangerous as the past opponents who were able to finish him. If he can return to anything close to what he was when he fought Jon Jones, I see Reyes dominating to a stoppage win.

Pick: Reyes O/U: Under 2.5 -147

## Raul Rosas Jr. -244 vs. Ricky Turcios +190

Bantamweights will finally meet after a fight day cancellation pushed this matchup back. Raul Rosas Jr. made headlines for breaking into the UFC at a young age, and he has shown why with his dangerous finishing ability early in fights, although when extended, there are still questions, as was shown when he faced Christian Rodriguez. Ricky Turcios returns here after over a year off; he made it to the UFC by winning the Ultimate Fighter, although he has struggled to impress in two fights with the promotion showing a very raw skillset.

I see Rosas Jr. having a significant advantage on the ground in this matchup, and I'll pick him to use that advantage to either find an early finish or control Turcios to a clear decision win.

Pick: Rosas Jr. O/U: Over 2.5 -149

## Brunno Ferreira -270 vs. Dustin Stoltzfus +215

Middleweight finishers coming off impressive victories match up in this one. Brunno Ferreira is a powerhouse with dangerous punches that helped him pull off the upset over Gregory Rodrigues, though his durability is a concern as well, having been knocked out early by Nursulton Ruziboev. Dustin Stoltzfus is a solid submission grappler coming off a good performance against Punahele Soriano, in which he was very measured before finding the finish in the second round.

Ferreira is likely to get a finish early in this one, as he can handle the grappling and will dominate the striking with little fear of the power coming back his way.

Pick: Ferreira O/U: Under 1.5 -137

## Julian Marquez -137 vs. Zach Reese +111

Middleweights who look for the finish from the first bell meet in this must-see matchup. Julian Marquez is a brawler with good hands and a solid submission game that he has used to finish three UFC opponents as well; he comes in off two knockout losses, although they were against rather tough competition in Marc-Andre Barriault and Gregory Rodrigues. Zach Reese is a big and athletic guy with solid power and submission skills, although he lacks much experience against top competition and past the first round, which causes big concerns.

I've got Marquez here as I see him being able to handle any early threat that Reese may have to take over and earn a finish in the later rounds.

Pick: Marquez O/U: Under 1.5 -159

## Punahele Soriano +155 vs. Miguel Baeza -196

Welterweight knockout artists collide here to open the main card. Punahele Soriano moves down in weight here after struggling his last few at Middleweight; he is a powerful striker, although he is very hittable and has yet to show much ability to adapt during fights despite having a strong coach behind him in Eric Nicksick. Miguel Baeza returns from a long layoff here after losing his last three, with the most recent two being knockouts; he has well-rounded finishing skills, although his defense has proven to be an issue as he struggles to move his head or deal with leg kicks. 

At this price, I lean toward Soriano as he still has big power despite his recent struggles, which is a massive factor with both men having durability issues.

Pick: Soriano O/U: Over 1.5 -119

## Thiago Moises +103 vs. Ludovit Klein -127

Battle-tested Lightweights looking to push into the rankings, go at it here. Thiago Moises is a tough veteran with a good ground game as his base, although he has shown solid striking using the leg kick to control his last fight against Mitch Ramirez. Ludovit Klein is a fast striker who has made clear improvements since moving up to Lightweight, showing that his wrestling is much better, having used it to earn big wins over Mason Jones and Ignacio Bahamondes.

I've got Klein here. He will have a massive speed advantage that will help him dominate the striking, and he has shown clear improvement in his grappling, which will help him defend Moises's attack.

Pick: Klein O/U: Under 2.5 +109

## Charles Radtke +185 vs. Carlos Prates -233

Welterweights to keep an eye on square off in this fantastic prelim matchup. Charles Radtke is a gritty fighter with solid wrestling and an improving standup that he used to get the upset over Gilbert Urbina in his last fight, knocking him out in round one with a powerful left hook. Carlos Prates is a very long kickboxer coming off an impressive debut knockout over Trevin Giles, although his grappling is still untested at this level of competition.

I'll pick Prates to find a knockout finish, but I have a hard time backing him at this price, given the many questions remaining.

Pick: Prates O/U: Over 1.5 -152

## Brad Katona -625 vs. Jesse Butler +440

Bantamweights both looking to get things on track go head to head here. Brad Katona is a very well-rounded and tough fighter who has shown solid boxing and a great wrestling game that helped him become the first to win The Ultimate Fighter twice. Jesse Butler looks to put his short-notice debut loss to Jim Miller behind him here; he is a good grappler who can finish fights on the ground, having eight submissions on his record. 

This price is a lot, but I have to pick Katona, as he has proven he can compete at this level, and Butler, who has been off for a year, moving down two weight classes from his debut.

Pick: Katona O/U: Under 2.5 +190

## Andrea Lee -152 vs. Montana De La Rosa +123

Flyweights, each looking to end lengthy losing streaks, will meet in this rematch. Andrea Lee has consistently faced very high-level competition over her career, showing a solid ground game when she has the physicality advantage, although stronger wrestlers have been able to control her. Montana De La Rosa will look for redemption after losing the first matchup five years ago, and she will likely need to get her grappling going to do so, with most of her wins having come from her submission game.

I'll go with Lee to get the job done again. She has kept some of her fights close with highly ranked women and has proven tough to submit on the ground, where most of De La Rosa's wins have come from.

Pick: Lee O/U: Over 2.5 -385

## Daniel Marcos -102 vs. John Castaneda -119

Bantamweights will face off here in a clash of styles with the classic striker vs. grappler matchup. Daniel Marcos is a kickboxer with solid power, although he can be low-volume at times, which showed up as a problem against Davey Grant in a fight in which he was lucky to get the decision. John Castaneda is a high-paced grappler with good cardio that he uses to pressure his opponents, which has helped him secure several late finishes.

I lean towards Castaneda here as he is the more active fighter with the grappling upside.

Pick: Castaneda O/U: Over 2.5 -250

## Eduarda Moura -169 vs. Denise Gomes +137

Strawweight finishers square off here early on the card. Eduarda Moura has shown a dominant ground game so far, helping her collect an undefeated record with ten wins, including nine inside the distance, most coming via her strong ground and pound or rear-naked-choke. Denise Gomes is a powerful puncher who proved she is live against anyone in her fast upset win over Yazmin Jauregui, although she has been taken down and controlled or out volumed in the striking in fights like the Angela Hill and Loma Lookboonmee losses.

I'm picking Moura to get her ground game going and take a dominant decision here.

Pick: Moura O/U: Over 2.5 -135

## Cody Stamann +215 vs. Taylor Lapilus -278

Bantamweight veterans meet in a clash of styles. Cody Stamann is a tough wrestler who has competed with some of the best in the division, showing solid boxing to go with his high-pressure grappling attack. Taylor Lapilus is a kickboxer with good kicks at range, although he has been controlled on the ground before by less experienced opponents.

At this price, I'm taking Stamann as I see this coming down to a close decision, and when that is the case, I would much rather have the underdog with the grappling upside.

Pick: Stamann O/U: Over 2.5 -385

## Puja Tomar +235 vs. Rayanne Amanda -303

Strawweights, each looking for their first UFC win battle, are here to open the card. Puja Tomar makes her debut here, coming in with a very high finish rate that includes finishing her last three opponents; however, she has suffered several submission losses in her young career, which is cause for concern. Rayanne Amanda enters this off a close split decision loss in her first UFC bout, although before that, she had won three straight to earn her spot in the promotion, having shown a solid ground game with a good submission attack, including an armbar that has finished seven of her pro wins.

I'll pick Amanda to get a submission finish here as I see her as a much better grappler, eventually forcing a mistake from Tomar.

Pick: Amanda O/U: Under 2.5 +143

## [DougLasVegasBets.net](https://douglasvegasbets.net) Plays

Nassourdine Imavov -125 

Dominick Reyes +187 

Julian Marquez -110 

Ludovit Klein -125 

Cody Stamann +210

UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Imavov Odds Breakdown

Bubba "Bad Man" Jenkins is preparing for his much-anticipated return to the octagon against fellow Featherweight contender Gabriel Alves Braga at PFL 6 on June 28th from the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Jenkins took the time to talk with me about this season and what's ahead for him.

Jenkins is known for being an entertaining character with the skills to back it up. He entered MMA as a national champion wrestler at Arizona State and has been working with renowned coach Dewey Cooper to help his constantly improving striking attack. 


>"I pride myself on being a complete mixed martial artist. I get points for a knockout or a submission." - Bubba Jenkins

His last fight ended in a decision loss against Kai Kamaka, and Jenkins is eager to move on. The fight was a closely contested decision that saw both fighters have success although the judges gave the win to Kamaka.


>"What I learned is if you have an opportunity to really step on the gas and finish a guy, it's important to leave it out of the judge's hands." - Bubba Jenkins

Looking ahead to his next fight, Jenkins has no animosity towards Gabriel Braga and spoke highly of him, making it clear this fight is about getting the finish and the points that come with that.


>"Love everything that Braga has done and who he represents. This is strictly business, I gotta get these points." - Bubba Jenkins

The result of his previous fight has left Jenkins in a position where he needs a finish to make the playoffs this season. Several fighters are ahead of him in the current standings, and Jenkins made it clear that getting that finish to earn a playoff spot is all that matters to him.


>"I kinda like being in that position. I believe I'm the type of fighter to get it done." - Bubba Jenkins

Jenkins has had an impressive career in MMA and is still working on adding to his list of accolades. He is also very well prepared for when his time in the cage ends, having spent time working on other careers, such as commentating, working in the cannabis industry, and having a passion for food.


>"I'm not gonna fight forever. I gotta prepare myself for that." - Bubba Jenkins

Jenkins will next be in action against Gabriel Alves Braga at PFL 6 on June 28th; make sure to tune in!


Bubba Jenkins Talks PFL Season and Future Outside of MMA

Islam Makhachev scores a submission win over Dustin Poirier in the final round of the main event at UFC 302.

Makhachev had some early grappling success but relied on his striking for much of the fight. After relentless attempts to get the fight to the ground, Makhachev secured a d'arce choke in the fifth and final round.


>"Doesn't matter I tired I can get this choke all night" - Islam Makhachev

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

Islam Makhachev Submits Dustin Poirier in Final Round at UFC 302

Sean Strickland dominated Paulo Costa over five rounds to earn a decision win in the co-main event at UFC 302.

From the start of the fight, Strickland applied his signature pressure, and despite some good low kicks from Costa, Strickland landed more shots and controlled the octagon.


>"I thought we were gonna have a war" - Sean Strickland

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

Sean Strickland Dominates Paulo Costa in UFC 302 Co-Main Event

Kevin Holland is back! "Trailblazer" pulls off the armbar submission in the first round over Michal Oleksiejczuk.

The Pole started strong, knocking Holland down in the first minute of the round, but the jiujitsu of "Bigmouth" is nothing to be slept on, as Holland quickly snatched up the armbar.

What's next for Kevin Holland? Let us know with a comment down below.

Kevin Holland Submits Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC 302

Niko Price couldn't get the finish this time, but now he has an official win over Alex Morono following his UD victory over "The Great White".

The fight was a back and forth stand-up affair, with Price being able to outwork Morono and find the more eye-catching shots, leading to his clear victory.

Let us know what you thought of the fight in the comments below.

Niko Price Gets Second Victory Over Alex Morono at UFC 302

Randy Brown kicks off the UFC 302 main card with a unanimous decision victory over Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos.

Randy Brown was by far the more confident striker on the feet, flying a myriad of punches and hard shots, including a knee at the end of round one. However, in the second, dos Santos rocked Brown with a barrage of shots and secured a lot of control time while working for a submission. The third was the closest round of the fight, with both men finding success with the striking, and dos Santos taking the back of Brown.

Whats next for "Rudeboy?" Let us know with a comment down below.

Randy Brown Wins at UFC 302

Roman Kopylov secured a unanimous decision victory over Cesar Almeida at UFC 302.

The first round was a clear one for Roman Kopylov, who dropped Almeida straight left hand, nearly finishing the fight with ground and pound. Kopylov also secured a takedown.

In the second round. Almeida found more success on the feet but was stifled in the latter half of the round with more wrestling.

The third round followed a similar trend, with Kopylov landing a crucial takedown which allowed him to control the fight on top.

What is next for Kopylov? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your thoughts in the comments below. 