Evan Montgomery

Daniel Cormier applauded UFC matchmakers on Alex Pereira's rise to the title picture.

On his show "DC and RC", the former champ stated, "The UFC matchmaking [is] perfect with this guy. Because they never really let him fight a Marvin Vettori or anyone that can, like, stymie him and hold him against the side of the Octagon, and now you get him and Izzy". 

Alex Pereira debuted at 4-1 in the UFC, starching Andreas Michailidis with a flying knee and overwhelming Bruno "Blindado" Silva in a decision. He finished Sean Strickland in the first round at [UFC 276](https://verdictmma.com/news/ufc-276-post-fight-review/122) this past weekend in a title eliminator. 

Primarily faced with strikers in his ascent to the title, Michailidis remains the most credentialed grappler Pereira has faced to this point. With a division of killers like Marvin Vettori, Derek Brunson, and Andre Muniz, it seems more than likely Pereira is getting preferential treatment.

The push for Pereira makes clear sense from a promotional standpoint. The Brazilian powerhouse holds two victories over Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in kickboxing, including a stunning knockout. With Adesanya's continued dominance, Pereira remains an explosive test and compelling rematch for the Middleweight kingpin.

Daniel Cormier Calls Out 'Perfect UFC Matchmaking' For Alex Pereira

Douglas Vegas Bets

Last night saw the final fight night of the year and it was an action-packed card that saw many fighters raise their stock and some lower theirs alike. With that now comes the question, what's next? I went over a few possible matchups that I would like to see next for the fighters we saw compete last night.

## Joaquin Buckley vs. Ian Garry

I know Buckley made a great callout of Kamaru Usman in his post-fight interview but with rumors of him being matched up with Jack Della Maddalena, I thought why not give this matchup another try with a little added backstory now? I get that the circumstances have changed since this fight was first booked with Buckley winning and Garry losing but I think it important to consider Garry was fighting down to begin with and his stock is also at an all-time high despite the loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov with how close that fight played out.

![1471304275.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/4a30c2f6-998a-4820-cf3e-32ed21380200/public "Ian Garry Hits the Griddy. Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images")

## Cub Swanson vs. Sodiq Yusuff

Swanson has reached a stage in his career where he should just get fun striking matches and that is exactly what this one is as Yusuff is a dangerous striker who has had some incredible battles in the past including his Dana White's Contender Series fight with Mike Davis. This matchup would be a guaranteed fight-of-the-night contender on any card and is a slam dunk booking.

## Manel Kape vs. Brandon Royval

Last night felt like we finally got to see Kape live up to his potential although it was a considerable step down in competition which gives me hesitation about giving him a title shot. Royval meanwhile holds the number one contender spot but with two previous losses to the champ Alexandre Pantoja, he needs another big win to make himself undeniable for another chance at the title making this fight a perfect fight to determine a new challenger.

![230419royval1.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6472205d-a669-4739-2737-b443bd76d900/public "Brandon Royval lands a knee that knocks out Matheus Nicolau. Credit: Zuffa LLC via Getty Images")

## Daniel Marcos vs. Jonathan Martinez

Marcos maintained his undefeated record and showed a bit more offensive grappling than he has in the past last night but I still want to see him against another striker and with Martinez in a position where he will likely need to defend his ranking I like this matchup a lot. Also worth noting that Martinez earned his shot at the rankings with his win over Martinez which could now be the case for Marcos.

## Navajo Stirling vs. Devin Clark

It wasn't the dream debut that Stirling hoped for last night but with his lack of experience, it is to be expected that there is some work to do on his skillset. It may be a bit early to test him against someone as experienced as Clark but if he wants to make a push anytime soon this is the type of matchup I would like to see him take to prove he can handle high pace wrestling.

## Michael Johnson vs. Matt Frevola

Johnson proved he is still as dangerous as ever last night with a highlight knockout against an opponent who Frevola knocked out faster some time ago. So with these two having been booked earlier this year before an injury caused it to be canceled, I'd like to see them rebook this one as both men are dangerous and fun strikers who are sure to put on a show.

![matt-frevola-ottman-azaitar-ufc-281-5.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/22af604b-f0d5-4d7c-6f5b-3f04f90fb800/public "Matt Frevola knocking out Ottman Azaitar Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports")

## Joel Alvarez vs. Benoit Saint-Denis

It is time Alvarez got a ranked opponent and coming off a pair of stoppage losses the once very hyped Saint-Denis needs a big win to turn things back around making this matchup of pure violence a logical next move for both men. This matchup would also test the striking defense of Saint-Denis and the takedown defense of Alvarez both of which have proven questionable at times. 

What would you like to see next for last night's winners? Let us know in the comments!

Fights To Make After UFC Tampa

It was all Joaquin Buckley for most of the final main event of the year as he dominated Colby Covington on his way to a TKO win in the final main event of the year from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.

## Result: Joaquin Buckley def. Colby Covington via 3rd Round TKO (4:42)

The first round saw Buckley land a nice right hand early that left a cut above the eye of Covington that clearly had an immediate effect with Covington repeatedly wiping at it for the rest of the fight. At the end of the first round, Buckley saw another big moment as he landed a big shot that sat Covington down and put him clearly in the driver's seat. The second and third rounds saw Covington have some wrestling success in spots but was mostly more of Buckley doing damage on the feet with the eye becoming more of an issue until the doctor eventually had to step in.

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

Joaquin Buckley Forces a Doctor Stoppage Against Colby Covington at UFC Tampa

Dana White posted a video this morning officially announcing the UFC is returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 1st with a stacked fight night card. The card will be headlined by former Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya taking on streaking contender Nassourdine Imavov.

![r1343535_1296x518_5-2 (1).jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6cc5c0e6-4faf-487c-ca62-21e758b3b100/public "Nassourdine Imaov celebrates after a knockout win against Jared Cannonier. Credit: Getty Images")

The matchup has been rumored for some time with Adesanya having posted a video of himself watching Imavov's fight with Jared Cannonier earlier this year. This will be Adesanya's first non-title fight since 2019 when he faced Anderson Silva. For Imavov this will be his fourth top-ten opponent in a calendar year with him having won each of the previous three matchups with Roman Dolidze, Jared Cannonier, and Brendan Allen.

![mvp-ufc-entrance (1).jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/eec1425d-3c86-461c-e0d5-79c59e5b7800/public "Michael Venom Page does his signature entrance. Credit: Getty Images") 

The co-main event for the card was also announced to be a Middleweight bout between Shara "Bullet" Magomedov and Michael "Venom" Page in a clash of flashy strikers with impressive highlight reels. Magomedov enters this matchup coming off his impressive knockout win over Armen Petrosyan at UFC 308. This will be Page's first UFC fight at Middleweight after losing his last fight in a close decision against Ian Machado Garry.

What do you think of these big-time matchups? Let us know in the comments!

Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov Set to Headline UFC Event in Saudi Arabia

The UFC heads to sunny Tampa, Florida for an action-packed fight night from the Amalie Arena headlined by Welterweight contenders Colby Covington and Joaquin Buckley going head to head. I went over that fight and every other matchup on the card to give my predictions and best bets so let's get into it.

**Odds provided by Duelbits accurate as of 12/12/2024**

## Colby Covington +215 vs. Joaquin Buckley -278

Short notice swap added some chaos to this Welterweight main event. Colby Covington looks to get back on track here after failing for a third time to capture the title last year when he lost to Leon Edwards in a rough performance where he was unable to push his usual pace. However, at his best, he has shown some of the best cardio and wrestling in the UFC. Joaquin Buckley has been on a roll since moving down in weight with his most recent win being a knockout against Stephen Thompson where he showed his explosive power although he was outstruck by Thompson for most of the fight.

It's tough to back Covington with his recent performance and layoff but I'll pick him at this price against a much less proven opponent and I'll bet the over as Covington has proven durable with his main path to victory also being a decision.

Prediction: Covington by Decision

## Cub Swanson +132 vs. Billy Quarantillo -161

Two men known for putting on must-see action collide here in the co-main event at Featherweight. Cub Swanson is a slick striker with crisp and powerful boxing that he has used to go to close decisions against solid and younger opponents in his last two fights. Billy Quarantillo is a high pace striker with great cardio and a solid ground game although he is very hittable and coming off a rough loss to Youssef Zalal.

I lean towards Swanson here as I feel he is the more effective striker who has proven to still have some left in the tank.

Prediction: Swanson by Split-Decision

## Manel Kape -370 vs. Bruno Silva +280

Flyweights looking to enter the title conversation in a division desperate for a contender clash here. Manel Kape is an explosive counterstriker with good ground skills as well my only issue with his game is he is very hesitant at times when I feel if he was more aggressive he would have success. Bruno Silva gets a big fight here after finishing his last four opponents when it seemed like he was on the verge of being cut after not getting his hand raised through three fights with the promotion.

I'm taking Kape here as I give him the edge wherever the fight may take place and he is very difficult to finish which has proven to be Silva's path to victory.

Prediction: Kape by Decision

## Dustin Jacoby +245 vs. Vitor Petrino -313

Two men looking to get back in the win column after rough performances clash here at Light Heavyweight. Dustin Jacoby is a solid kickboxer with good volume although his durability has been an issue in recent fights with Alonzo Menifield knocking him down several times and Dominick Reyes knocking him out in the first round. Vitor Petrino is an athletic and powerful guy although he has shown some technical deficiencies that make me hesitate before getting excited about him.

I'll go with Petrino here as he has the explosive power to finish this fight on the feet along with a significant advantage if the fight hits the ground.

Prediction: Petrino by 1st Round Submission

## Daniel Marcos -208 vs. Adrian Yanez +165

Bantamweight strikers square off here in what should be a fun matchup. Daniel Marcos is an unbeaten striker who has consistently improved over his time with the UFC showing a career-best form against John Castaneda his last time out. Adrian Yanez is a good boxer coming off a strong bounce-back performance after several tough outcomes when he stepped up in competition.

I like Marcos here as he is the more diverse striker who's easier to trust from a defense and durability standpoint.

Prediction: Marcos by 3rd Round TKO

## Navajo Stirling -769 vs. Tuco Tokkos +500

An intriguing Light Heavyweight prospect makes his debut here in the main card opener. Navajo Stirling enters this one off an impressive win on this season of Dana White's Contender Series where the City Kickboxing product moved to five wins with no losses showing his striking skills are already at UFC level with very little in cage time. Tuco Tokkos looks to bounce back after an unsuccessful debut where he was submitted showing against Oumar Sy although he has had some solid wins in the past like a finish over former PFL fighter Ty Flores.

This seems like a setup fight to get Stirling a win and maybe a nice highlight which I expect him to get by cruising through Tokkos here who is not on his level of striking.

Prediction: Stirling by 1st Round KO

## Michael Johnson -208 vs. Ottman Azaitar +165

Knockout punchers collide here in this Lightweight matchup. Michael Johnson is a veteran with fast hands although he has become known for his inconsistency with some performances having him look like a world-beater and others seeing him finished out of nowhere. Ottman Azaitar is a big knockout puncher although his last few fights have shown he is not much else as he has lacked speed and technique resulting in two first-round knockout losses.

I'll pick Johnson here as his speed advantage will be massive although I would advise against laying this price on him based on his age and history.

Prediction: Johnson by 2nd Round TKO

## Drakkar Klose +320 vs. Joel Alvarez -435

Lightweights just outside of the rankings face off here in a pivotal clash. Drakkar Klose is a well-rounded fighter with a strong ground game and basic striking skills although he does look stiff in the stand up and his durability is a concern. Joel Alvarez is a huge finisher with dangerous punching power that helped him become the first man to finish Elves Brenner in his last fight and a nasty submission game that he used to finish Marc Diakiese after hurting him.

I like Alvarez to get another finish here as he has big power and Klose reacts poorly to big punches which I believe Alvarez will capitalize on early.

Prediction: Alvarez by 1st Round KO (Best Bet)

## Sean Woodson -159 vs. Fernando Padilla +129

Tall and long Featherweights collide in this semi-mirror matchup. Sean Woodson is a freakishly tall fighter for this weight and he uses his length well to keep opponents away with his straight shots although his durability is questionable and Alex Caceres gave him trouble when blitzing in. Fernando Padilla is a dangerous and durable fighter with knockout power that he showed against Julian Erosa and submission skills that he showed in his last fight against Luis Pajuelo.

I'll take Padilla as the underdog here mainly because he has all the finishing upside with him having never been finished and Woodson having been submitted by Erosa and hurt badly by Luis Saldana.

Prediction: Padilla by 2nd Round TKO

## Miles Johns +205 vs. Felipe Lima -256

Bantamweights looking to keep their momentum square off here. Miles Johns is a stocky wrestler with solid power in his hands who comes in on a four-fight unbeaten streak with all wins coming by decision. Felipe Lima impressed many when he came in for his UFC debut and showed urgency in the third round of a close fight helping him secure the submission finish over Muhammad Naimov who had previously never been stopped before.

I lean towards Lima here as I feel he will be the more active fighter on the feet with an advantage on the ground as well.

Prediction: Lima by Decision

## Miranda Maverick -556 vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth +390

Flyweights looking to build moment go head to head here. Miranda Maverick has shown the potential to be one of the best in the division with her strong wrestling game and improving striking although she has had issues stringing together consistent performances. Jamey-Lyn Horth enters this one having had two close fights to start her UFC career where she showed a very basic skillset and failed to separate herself.

I don't see Horth being able to keep this one competitive as Maverick is just on a much higher level than her and still improving at just twenty-seven years old.

Prediction: Maverick by Decision

## Davey Grant -106 vs. Ramon Taveras -114

Veteran and prospect square off at Bantamweight in this solid prelim matchup. Davey Grant is a tough-as-nails striker who has earned some gritty wins and proven he can hang with up-and-comers like he did against Daniel Marcos in their close fight. Ramon Taveras is a powerful puncher coming off a wild debut where he won a close decision after hurting and dropping Serhiy Sidey several times over three rounds.

I lean towards Taveras here as he is the younger and more powerful guy.

Prediction: Taveras by 1st Round TKO

UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Buckley Odds Breakdown

UFC Fight Night Covington vs. Buckley goes down tomorrow night from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Here are the results from today's weigh-ins.

## Main Card, 10 PM EST

**Welterweight:** Colby Covington (171) vs. Joaquin Buckley (171)

**Featherweight:** Cub Swanson (146) vs. Billy Quarantillo (146)

**Flyweight:** Manel Kape (125) vs. Bruno SIlva (126)

**Light Heavyweight:** Dustin Jacoby (205.5) vs. Vitor Petrino (204.5)

**Bantamweight:** Daniel Marcos (136) vs. Adrian Yanez (136)

**Light Heavyweight:** Navajo Stirling (206) vs. Tuco Tokkos (206)

## Prelims, 7 PM EST

**Lightweight:** Ottman Azaitar (156) vs. Michael Johnson (156)

**Lightweight:** Joel Alvarez (156) vs. Drakkar Klose (156)

**Featherweight:** Fernando Padilla (145.5) vs. Sean Woodson (145.5)

**Featherweight:** Miles Johns (146) vs. Felipe Lima (146)

**Flyweight:** Jamey-Lyn Horth (126) vs. Miranda Maverick (126)

**Bantamweight:** Davey Grant (136) vs. Ramon Taveras (136)

**Strawweight:** Josefine Knutsson (116) vs. Piera Rodriguez (116)

UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Buckley Weigh-In Results

After saying he was planning a move up to Lightweight earlier in the week, Ilia Topuria's head coach Jorge Climent has now also stated that the plan is to move up and vacate the Featherweight title rather than defend it in what was expected to be a rematch with the former champion Alexander Volkanovski.

Topuria has targeted Charles Oliveira for his return in April or May although his coach also threw the name Dustin Poirier out as a potential opponent. Poirier has shown some interest having shared a post about the matchup on his X account.

![image_2024-12-12_101113425.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/32f5e2ba-c886-48ed-311b-29089de2e300/public "Dustin Poirier's X Account sharing a post about a fight with Ilia Topuria")

Coach Jorge Climent stated to Submission Radio that the reason for the move was due to an increasingly difficult weight cut, with Topuria weighing around 190 lbs outside of camp.

![download (8) (1).jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/36a73b17-fafb-4dd3-2cd1-a817d7ff9300/public "Ilia Topuria lands a right hand against Max Holloway at UFC 308. Credit: AP Photo/ Altaf Qadri")

Topuria will end his time as Featherweight champion with one title defense coming against Max Holloway at UFC 308 where Topuria won via knockout. He won the title at UFC 298 earlier this year with a knockout win over Alexander Volkanovski.

What do you think of this move from Topuria? Let us know in the comments.

Ilia Topuria Planning Full Time Move to Lightweight.

It was a fantastic performance from the UFC Flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja as he defended his title with a second-round submission win over Kai Asakura at UFC 310.

## Result: Alexandre Pantoja def. Kai Asakura via 2nd Round Submission/Rear-Naked-Choke (2:05)

From the very beginning of the fight, Pantoja was putting pressure on getting right in the face of Asakura, who nearly landed a flying knee very early but ended up on his back for most of the first round. The second round saw more pressure from Panoja, who eventually jumped on the back and quickly locked up the choke that ended the fight.


>"That's the UFC level" - Alexandre Pantoja

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

Alexandre Pantoja Dominates Kai Asakura at UFC 310 to Defend Title

In a battle of undefeated Welterweights, Shavkat Rakhomonov came out on top after five rounds against Ian Machado Garry in the UFC 310 co-main event.

## Result: Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Ian Machado Garry via Unanimous Decision (48-47 x 3)

The first few rounds saw a lot of clinching, with very few significant strikes landing, although it was clear Rakhmonov was getting the better of the exchanges. The third round saw Garry have success striking from range, landing a lot of hard kicks on Rakhmonov's legs and body. In the fourth round, Rakhmonov secured a takedown for the first time in the fight, where he would go on to control most of the round and land some shots from the top. The final round saw Garry take the back and nearly lock in a rear naked choke several times before Rakhmonov escaped and forced a clinch until the final bell.


>"Belal, come here and face off" - Shavkat Rakhmonov

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

Shavkat Rakhmonov Wins Close Fight With Ian Garry at UFC 310

It was a controversial decision in the rematch between top-ranked Heavyweights as Ciryl Gane got the split-decision victory over Alexander Volkov on the main card of UFC 310.

## Result: Ciryl Gane def. Alexander Volkov via Split-Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

The first round saw back-and-forth action, with each man having some striking success and getting some time on top, although some submission attempts may have swung the round to Gane. Early in the second round, Volkov landed a huge spinning back fist that rocked Gane in the standout moment of a relatively close round. The final round saw Volkov take top position after Gane attempted a kimura and refused to let go, seemingly costing him the fight.


>"I am not happy with this fight" - Ciryl Gane

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

Ciryl Gane Wins Controversial Decision at UFC 310

It was announced on the broadcast of UFC 310 that the headliners for UFC 312 from Sydney, Australia, will be a Middleweight title fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland in a rematch of their split decision clash from UFC 297. The co-main event will be a Strawweight title fight between Zhang Weili and undefeated Tatiana Suarez.

This will be the second title defense for Dricus Du Plessis, who submitted Israel Adesanya in Australia with a rear naked choke in the fourth round of his last fight. Sean Strickland enters this one off a split-decision win over former title challenger Paulo Costa, which was enough to earn him a rematch here, with the first fight being so close.

As for the other title fight on the card, Zhang Weili will look to continue to dominate the division, with her last defense coming against Yan Xioanan at UFC 300. She will take on the undefeated Tatiana Suarez, who earned this shot with a second-round submission of former champion Jessica Andrade.

What do you think of these matchups? Let us know in the comments!