UFC Fight Night 53 and 54: B/R Staff Main Card Predictions
Hope you have some free time Saturday, because there are two cards the UFC will put on. You read that right, two cards.
Rory MacDonald fights Tarec Saffiedine in Canada, while Gunnar Nelson fights Rick Story in Sweden. Both fights are important to the welterweight division and should be interesting.
Our crack staff of pickers is here yet again to guide you through both of these cards. The metaphorical Bat Signal is up, and answering are Scott Harris, Craig Amos, Sean Smith, James MacDonald and myself, Riley Kontek.
Here are the picks for UFC Fight Night 53 and 54 on Saturday.
Staff Records
1 of 8
We are closing in on the finish line, and the race to the top has tightened. Craig Amos remains in the lead, but James MacDonald and I are nipping at his heels.
As for Scott Harris, he continues to struggle like a guy with a knife in a gun fight. Good luck, Harris—you're going to need it.
Craig Amos: 115-61-1
Riley Kontek: 113-63-1
James MacDonald: 112-64-1
Sean Smith: 108-68-1
Scott Harris: 104-62-1
UFC Fight Night 53 Quick PIcks
2 of 8
| Niklas Backstrom vs. Mike Wilkinson | Ilir Latifi vs. Jan Blachowicz | Max Holloway vs. Akira Corassani | Gunnar Nelson vs. Rick Story | |
| Kontek | Backstrom | Blachowicz | Holloway | Nelson |
| Amos | Backstrom | Latifi | Holloway | Nelson |
| MacDonald | Backstrom | Latifi | Holloway | Nelson |
| Smith | Backstrom | Latifi | Holloway | Nelson |
| Harris | Backstrom | Blachowicz | Holloway | Nelson |
Mitch Gagnon vs. Ramon Salazar
3 of 8
Kontek
I was stoked for Mitch Gagnon vs. Aljamain Sterling. Then I was stoked for Gagnon vs. Rob Font. Now, I am not stoked. Gagnon wins. That's my analysis.
Gagnon, Submission, Rd. 1
Smith
With bouts against two UFC veterans cancelled, Gagnon will now welcome Salazar to the Octagon. He might not be a contender, but Gagnon is a tough matchup for most 135-pounders, let alone an opponent with no experience at the highest level. Gagnon should be able to show up, pick up his win bonus and move on to bigger and better things.
Gagnon, Unanimous Decision
Harris
Well, now that Rob Font has (again) pulled out of a fight, how am I supposed to pick against Gagnon? I had him here anyway for his all-around game, so I'll just stick with him.
Gagnon, Unanimous Decision
MacDonald
Gagnon is a solid fighter who probably deserves more respect than he gets. It’s a tough first assignment for the debuting Salazar. Probably too tough, in my opinion. I’m going with Gagnon here.
Gagnon, Unanimous Decision
Amos
Gagnon doesn't get much recognition, but he's put together a nice UFC tenure to this point. He won't add the big name to his hit list that he needs to move up the rankings, but he should be able to at least keep things moving in the right direction. I'll guess he makes the newcomer Salazar tap in the second with a choke.
Gagnon, Submission, Rd. 2
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Nordine Taleb vs. Jingliang Li
4 of 8Kontek
Jingliang Li is likely the best Chinese fighter in the UFC right now. Unfortunately, given how shallow the talent pool is in China, that may not mean too much. Nordine Taleb has fought very tough guys throughout his MMA career and will likely not find this to be his most difficult task. He should thrive here.
Taleb, TKO, Rd. 2
Smith
Outside the two more meaningful fights at the top, the UFC Fight Night 54 main card seems to be filled with matchups designed to build up The Ultimate Fighter: Nations contestants from Canada. Taleb should control this bout against Jingliang in all areas en route to a win on the scorecards.
Taleb, Unanimous Decision
Harris
You know what? This may not be a barnburner. But give me the Tristar product over yet another relatively unproven competitor from China.
Taleb, Unanimous Decision
MacDonald
Taleb cuts an imposing figure. Unfortunately, his MMA game doesn’t quite match up to his looks. That being said, he should have the tools to best Jingliang.
Taleb, Unanimous Decision
Amos
The first of three TUF: Nations representatives from Canada, Taleb should get things started on the right foot by dispatching Jingliang. He'll have to be wary of the Chinese fighter's submissions, but there isn't too much that makes me fear for his chances.
Taleb, Unanimous Decision
Elias Theodorou vs. Bruno Santos
5 of 8
Kontek
Bruno Santos is a grinder who is not going to be able to hold Elias Theodorou for too long. Not only is Theodorou better at grinding guys down, but he's all-around better. He will outstrike Santos and wear out his questionable gas tank to force a late stoppage.
Theodorou, TKO, Rd. 3
Smith
Santos kept his UFC career going with an ugly, grinding win over Chris Camozzi in July. However, that victory has earned him a matchup with the very promising Theodorou. Santos is a pesky opponent, but Theodorou's athleticism should shine through in this matchup and allow him to overwhelm Santos at some point.
Theodorou, TKO, Rd. 2
Harris
Am I the only person in the world not entirely in love with Elias Theodorou? I mean, nothing against the guy, he's an exciting fighter to watch, but I don't see him being the physical superior here. Santos drags him down and keeps him there, much to the chagrin of the Canadian faithful. Sound those alarms, baby.
Santos, Unanimous Decision
MacDonald
Theodorou has a lot of potential. His striking needs some work, but his grappling and athleticism are outstanding. Unless Santos can take advantage of the Canadian’s limited striking, I only see one winner here.
Theodorou, Unanimous Decision
Amos
Theodorou weathered the early onslaught from Sheldon Westcott to become a TUF winner. In his second UFC bout, he'll take on an opponent from the other end of the spectrum in Santos, who has fought to a decision in 13 of 15 pro contests. He's smart enough to handle the challenge though, and he should come out the other side with a W.
Theodorou, Unanimous Decision
Chad Laprise vs. Yosdenis Cedeno
6 of 8
Kontek
The UFC found two gems from Canada during TUF: Nations in Elias Theodorou and Chad Laprise and is setting them up for success. Laprise is a striker who is taking on a less accomplished striker in Yosdenis Cedeno. He should be able to win a firefight and impress in the process.
Laprise, TKO, Rd. 2
Smith
This one promises to be a technical striking matchup. Having won the TUF: Nations welterweight tournament with essentially his striking alone, Laprise is a logical favorite over Cedeno. The Canadian should be able to pick Cedeno apart en route to a decision victory.
Laprise, Unanimous Decision
Harris
If you like exciting fights, watch this fight. Cedeno is always going for the finish, no matter the phase. But I think Laprise is the more finely tuned of the two, and that will make the difference down the stretch.
Laprise, Unanimous Decision
MacDonald
Laprise is an excellent prospect. I was very impressed with him during his stint on TUF. I’m looking for him to continue his winning ways with a big performance against Cedeno.
Laprise, TKO, Rd. 3
Amos
Another Canadian TUF winner, Laprise, will look to add to his unblemished record. He should hit more often than Cedeno, but I don't think he'll hit as hard. My inclination is that Laprise gets clipped early and never recovers.
Cedeno, TKO, Rd. 1
Raphael Assuncao vs. Bryan Caraway
7 of 8
Kontek
Something in me wants to take Bryan Caraway here. Then, I realized Raphael Assuncao is a better all-around fighter. Assuncao will have to wait for a title shot after his win, though, because this fella named Dominick Cruz is probably the next man up for T.J. Dillashaw.
Assuncao, Unanimous Decision
Smith
Caraway has risen through the bantamweight ranks almost solely with his grappling. Running into a more well-rounded jiu-jitsu black belt like Assuncao, Caraway could have his hands full on Saturday. I think the Brazilian keeps things even on the ground and pulls away on the scorecards with his striking.
Assuncao, Unanimous Decision
Harris
Assuncao can't catch a break. Now Dominick Cruz is cutting in line for the title? It's diabolical, I tells ya. Methinks Assuncao takes out his frustration on Bryan Caraway, who has the same grappling base as Assuncao but just isn't as good at it.
Assuncao, Submission, Rd. 2
MacDonald
Caraway’s success is a mystery to me. He is almost exclusively a grappler, which should be something that limits the prospects of an MMA fighter in this day and age. However, to his credit he has made the most of what he has to work with. Assuncao has many more tools, though. The Brazilian should take this one fairly easily.
Assuncao, Unanimous Decision
Amos
I'm tempted to take Caraway here, but Assuncao's win over Dillashaw gives me pause, as does his more recent victory over Pedro Munhoz, who is an unheralded but tough opponent. I guess after sitting on the fence long enough you eventually lose your balance and fall to one side or the other. I'll go with the more well-rounded Assuncao.
Assuncao, Unanimous Decision
Rory MacDonald vs. Tarec Saffiedine
8 of 8
Kontek
If Tarec Saffiedine can fire off his signature leg kicks and slow Rory MacDonald early, he has a good chance here. However, MacDonald is crafty and more well-rounded than Saffiedine. He should take the win and earn a crack at the welterweight strap.
MacDonald, Unanimous Decision
Smith
Saffiedine's leg kicks should be a concern for every welterweight he meets. With a strong team behind him at Tristar Gym, MacDonald will be prepared for them. The Canadian will counter with takedowns and win the matchup on the ground.
MacDonald, Unanimous Decision
Harris
MacDonald is just too big and too well-rounded for Saffiedine, who's a good striker but doesn't appear to have the grappling game to match up with the Canadian. MacDonald has his groove back and seems serious about making a run at the title.
MacDonald, Unanimous Decision
MacDonald
This fight may be closer than many think, depending on which version of MacDonald shows up. It wasn’t so long ago that Saffiedine emerged as a force at welterweight. He has plenty of talent. Unfortunately, he is a little bit one-paced. If MacDonald comes out with an aggressive mindset, I can see him earning a decision win at a canter.
MacDonald, Unanimous Decision
Amos
Saffiedine has established himself as a welterweight dark horse, but he has never faced anyone as good as MacDonald, so he is headed into uncharted waters. For his part, MacDonald seems to be reaching his potential and is but a stone's throw from a title shot. He's going to take that stone this Saturday night and put a massive gaping hole in the wall between Johny Hendricks and him.
MacDonald, TKO, Rd. 3
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