I don’t know what we did to deserve some random free fights on a Wednesday night, but I’m always down for some mid-week UFC on Fox Sports 1 Fight Night action. See, Fox Sports 1? Give the people some free fights – with a pretty good if not great non-title main event – and the ratings will follow. After that, we can start incorporating the UFC into all of the network’s shows, culminating with a show devoted to Chael Sonnen delivering all New York Yankees news. I think that would actually break the Earth.
Tonight’s main event features Carlos Condit and Martin Kampmann in a rematch of their 2009 UFC Fight Night match, in which Kampmann emerged victorious with a split decision. Condit’s been on a bit of a slide, after he lost his title fight against Georges St-Pierre at UFC 154 last November and his No. 1 contender fight against Johny Hendricks at UFC 158 in March. Still the No. 2 ranked welterweight, Condit could jump back into the title conversation with a win over Kampmann, who is currently ranked No. 6.
Like Condit, Kampmann is also coming off a loss to Hendricks, so both of these men will be looking to reestablish themselves as the potential next contender to the winner of the GSP/Hendricks title fight at UFC 167 in November. As for the rest of the card, check out our good friend Lobster Mobster’s predictions and fight primer, and my own after the jump.
Then make sure to join us for the online fights starting at 5 PM ET, followed by the preliminary fights on Fox Sports 2 and then the main show at 8 PM ET on Fox Sports 1.
Prediction: Abel Trujillo looks like the kind of athletic fighter that could kick pretty much everyone’s ass, what with his collection of manly tats and serious scowl. But until he fulfills that destiny that I’ve unfairly created for him, I have to pick him as a winner with caution and concern. He gave me concern after his loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov, but I think he turns it around here with a big, convincing win over Bowling.
Prediction: Both of these guys look like they’re meeting over a disagreement that started inside a Buffalo Wild Wings, so I’m not expecting a Fight of the Year contender. I’m going with Alloway, because I’ve admittedly never heard of Cummings.
Prediction: Come on, you always take Head.
Prediction: Darren Elkins looks like he could win the UFC’s Ashton Kutcher lookalike contest every year. That said, I’ll take him over Hioki.
Prediction: I’m taking Thatch with the even bolder prediction that this will be the Fight of the Night. That’s just my Cheez-It filled gut talking right there.
Prediction: While I truly appreciate a good rhyming nickname like “Dylan the Villain,” my imaginary money is on Papy in this fight.
Prediction: Bubba Watson has kind of soured me on the name, so I’m going with Tavares for purely superficial reasons.
Prediction: I’ll take Goyito all day long in this one.
Prediction: While Whittaker has momentum in his favor coming off two consecutive wins, Court McGee has two other things going for him – an awesome beard and no star tattoos. Why I’m not on TV offering analysis, I still don’t know.
Prediction: I’m a big fan of Gastelum, the winner of The Ultimate Fighter 17, so I’m going to keep picking him until he lets me down, which I hope is never. Unlike Uriah Hall, who I will never pick to win again.
Prediction: Cerrone made a huge fan out of me last year, when he defeated Melvin Guillard at UFC 150 and earned both Knockout of the Night and Fight of the Night honors in the process. Of course, he then lost to Anthony Pettis on kicks, but I predict he bounces back here and takes the W.
Prediction: Again, both guys are coming off losses to Johny Hendricks, which is like losing to a Super Bowl contender, so this fight is up for grabs. However, because I’ve now put myself in the position of recklessly making predictions, I’m going with the underdog in Kampmann.
