Welcome, fight fans! UFC on Fox 21 is here with some fun bouts, including a main event that should jam up the top of the welterweight division. Bouts kick off at 4:30 p.m. ET on Fight Pass, but we’re only predicting the main card, which starts at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
2016 Important Results:
Jessica: 142-116-4 (55 percent)
Burnsy: 104-105-3 (49 percent)
Ryan: 5-1 (83 percent)
Jason: 55-42-1 (57 percent)
Bill: 31-20 (61 percent)
Jared: 24-21 (53 percent)
Jackman: 7-5 (58 percent)
Enrique: 7-5 (58 percent)
Jamie: 16-13-1 (55 percent)
Justin: 13-4 (76 percent)
Marty: 20-12-1 (62 percent)
Parker: 3-4 (43 percent)
Team Davis: 75-58-3 (56 percent)
Dan: 4-1 (80 percent)
Lightweight – Jim Miller vs. Joe “J-Lau” Lauzon
Jessica: Ohhhh dang! These two are throwing down again? Heck to the yes, thank you, Joe Silva! Both guys are in gatekeeper status, but they’re still capable of putting on rad performances. I think Lauzon will be a little sharper, a little more on point with his kickboxing, forcing this into a more grappling-heavy fight. Lauzon will get the edge in some scrambles, and cinch up a fight-ending submission late. Lauzon wins by third round submission.
Jason: Oh hi, pleasant surprise. These are the type of fights these two should be in now. We know they’re no longer contenders, so why not just put on a show. They’re beloved fighters and we just want to see them get bloody. I’m going with J-Lau again, but I’m fine with a trilogy.
Bill: Yeah, I think Lauzon is taking this one, but I’m just happy this is happening. Maybe we’d get more good fights like this if there were fewer events good lord.
Strawweight – “12 Gauge” Paige VanZant vs. “Rowdy” Bec Rawlings
Jessica: I hope, hope, hope that Paige has been training as much as she’s been dancing as of late. I’m not a huge fan of Rawlings since she seems kind of dumb in a lot of what she says (Feminism is bad because it means I have to kill my sons!). VanZant wins by decision.
Jason: I don’t like either of these ladies, but I like this fight. I will take Bec because I keep thinking Paige is going to get overpowered. We know she rarely does, but I think she will here. Bec by decision?
Bill: UFC is hoping and praying VanZant wins here, and I sort of think that’s what’s going to happen. Things have never backfired on UFC when they were trying to build a new superstar, right?
Featherweight – Anthony “Showtime” Pettis vs. Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira
Jessica: Pretty Tony has got to be desperate. He’s on a three-fight losing skid and has dropped a weight class. Other than a freak neck injury, Oliveira has won his last five, so Pettis has a tough test ahead of him. Oliveira is good enough standing to not get decimated by Pettis, and his grappling is super slick. I’m thinking there’s some solid kickboxing between the two before “Do Bronx” gets the fight to the ground and roughs up Pettis. Oliveira wins by second round submission.
Jason: This is kind of an awesome main card, eh? Who knew? I don’t ever like fighters dropping weight in order to kickstart their career (this isn’t like Robbie Lawler who was fighting up in weight for so long) and from what we’ve seen, this cut has been brutal for Pettis, so I’ll go with Oliveira in a KICK FIGHT.
Bill: I don’t care HOW much Bronx this guy does; I’ll go against my colleagues and say Pettis overcomes the cut and starts airing it out in a new division.
Welterweight – Carlos “The Natural Born Killer” Condit vs. Demian Maia
Jessica: Damn you, Joe Silva! You can’t be making me choose between these guys. Maia has been down right beastly at welterweight, except for, y’know, round five and sometimes round four. Carlos Condit is always rad, and he’s rad all the time. Condit doesn’t have the greatest take down defense, and while his guard is usually good enough to keep him in the fight, I’m pretty sure Maia will just obliterate Condit on the ground. However, Condit is rangey and super dangerous on the feet, so Maia should have some difficulty closing in enough to actually get the fight down. While I wouldn’t be surprised (motherf*ckers) if Maia submitted Condit, I see Carlos landing consistently throughout the fight, Maia getting gassed and then Condit just pouring it on for the finish. Condit wins by TKO very late in the third round.
Jason: I couldn’t agree with Jessica more — I don’t want to pick between these two, but I am, and I pick Condit via early KO/TKO. I think Maia can win, and I won’t be surprised if he did win, but my money is on the Natural Born Killer inciting violence like the old days (all while having the most tweaked nipples).
Bill: Yep, Condit is winning this one. This card is sneakily awesome and on paper, it’s putting the last two pay-per-views to shame. So it’s probably going to be a terrible event. That’s true MMAth for you.
Performance of the Night
Jessica: Alvey, Oliveira
Jason: Condit, VanZant
Bill: Condit, Pettis
Fight of the Night
Jessica: Miller vs. Lauzon
Jason: Miller vs. Lauzon
Bill: Miller vs. Lauzon