UFC Fight Night 182 Post-Fight Analysis

We had a decent card this weekend. Lot of decisions in the prelims, but once the main card rolled around, the fights got more intense and we got couple of good KOs and back-and-forth main event. Gambling-vice it was also a good card with lots of value, as fights were largely straightforward but with decent odds. 

Main Card

Although RDA won clearly (despite one judge being on drugs), I still kinda felt like Felder was the one whose stock went up more from this. He had nothing to lose coming with a short notice and was still hanging in tight there with one of the best fighters in the world who also happens to be pretty bad stylistic match-up for him. 

So RDA was always going to win this fight, and to that end lot of people would agree he did win almost every round. Still it was very competitive fight from start to finish, with both of them exchanging damage on the feet evenly, but with RDA's grappling giving him the advantage. 

RDA is still world class, but it's hard to see him making another run at the title. Felder is highly ranked guy but you would think RDA needs at least a couple more impressive performances against top contenders. As for Felder he said he is not still done with the sport, so guess we get couple more fun performances out of these two veterans.

The co-main was always trending for a 1st round finish, and it did not really take long Kalinn Williams to absolutely crack Abdul Razak Alhassan into oblivion. 30 second KO was the first time Alhassan was finished and Kalinn now has two fast finishes in his UFC career, this time against reputable opposition. This should see him getting much tougher matchup next time.

Ashley Yoder and Miranda Granger grinded into a decision in a typical low-level women's MMA fight, where little things like grappling transitions made all the difference. In the end Yoder pulled ahead in that realm and with couple minutes more, could have perhaps even gotten a finish. 

Sean Strickland seemed hardly concerned with Brendan Allen's grappling, and although he did take few clean shots, was much the better striker, ending the fight with multiple clean shots in the second round. That is two dominant victories in a very short timespan and Strickland is gonna be rising up the rankings thanks to this. 

Cory McKenna and Kay Hansen had a typical women's MMA bout, where little grappling transitions made all the difference. I don't know, it was kinda tight fight with not that much damage dealt from either side, but myself included almost everyone seemed to agree with was 29-28 Hansen, but somehow the 3 people deciding the winner all agreed 29-28 the other way. Would not call it robbery as it was a close fight... just odd. 

Prelims

Kanako Murata showed that she isn't really a low-level fighter, but instead a very solid wrestler with suffocating top control. Markos couldn't do anything to stop her taking her down and in the end it was a wide victory for Murata. As for Markos, although she has fought solid competition, perhaps at 35 with three losses back-to-back, her time in UFC has come to an end? We will see I suppose.

Top control was the difference-maker for Tony Gravely as well against Geraldo De Freitas. De Freitas was dealing lot of damage on the feet and threatening with submissions on the ground as well, but ultimately laying on your back for most of the fight isn't gonna win you decisions in UFC. He still did managed to pull a split decision, but I think with the way fights are scored you have to give it to Gravely. 

Alex Morono chose to stand and bang with Rhys McKee, which was the riskier option, but in the end the veteran still dominated the fight with his superior striking. Morono did score a takedown or two in that fight too as well, showing that he could have also taken the path of least resistance and just control McKee on the ground, but guess it was more fun for him to just strike. Either way shows his chin is not gone yet.

Speaking of chins, Mr. KFC Champion Roque Martinez took some solid shots but never even seemed rocked as Don'Tale Mayes easily struck his way to victory. I guess DC's method of being fat 5 feet something fat guy just doesn't cut it for everyone at heavyweight. Still it was really kind of poor fight, when Don'Tale could not put Martinez out despite having over 9 inches in both reach and height. 

Martinez could actually be a great fighter if he learned some takedown defence and actually got on a diet and fought in his real weight class, which might be all the way down at welterweight. Powerful, tough guy with some speedy striking, just ruined by being big tub of fat. Anyway, enough fat shaming for today.

My picks

It was another winning night after getting 6 picks out of 9 right with 2.5 bets worth of winnings. If I did this well every week, I would be perfectly happy with it. My best pick was clearly the Yoder pick, although I didn't feel that confident about it, she was a big enough underdog and I correctly surmised her grappling would give trouble to Granger - even if I was wrong that she would need a finish. 

Worst pick was easily Markos, though it's always hard to pick these newcomers as major favorites against veterans. Still obviously in hindsight Murata was much the better fighter and with the lack of film study I did for that fight, I should have at least been smaller on Markos if not outright change my pick. Markos just isn't someone you can rely on for a bet of decent size.

As for other wrong picks, the Williams vs. Alhassan was always gonna be very volatile fight with two powerful guys throwing hands. In hindsight you could say Williams had more ways to win and as such would have been better bet as an underdog, but I don't really feel too bad about my pick. As for Hansen vs. McKenna, it was lowest possible confidence I had, smallest bet I made, and dodgy decision, so it's just one of those things that happen - kind of unavoidable. 

Next weekend it's again one of the big PPV events, though I expect it to do extremely poor numbers cause the name value on the card is just practically non-existent. Seriously there's been better fight nights. Guess they really believe Mike Perry is that much of a draw.