UFC Fight Night 55 Preliminary Card Predictions
The UFC returns from a weekend off to give you a Fight Night doubleheader. On Friday night, we kick things off in Australia before heading to Brazil on Saturday night.
The card in Australia will be headlined by bitter rivals Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold, who look to notch a big win to inch closer toward a middleweight title shot. Both men are Top 10 fighters who are looking to shut each other up once and for all.
My picks from UFC 179 were strong, keeping my winning record at a pretty high percentage. We look to keep that trend going forward during this busy weekend.
Without further ado, here are the preliminary card predictions for UFC Fight Night 55.
2014 Riley's Record: 148-87
Last Event: UFC 179 (4-2)
Tuerxun Jumabieke vs. Marcus Brimage
1 of 7
We start at 135 pounds, as Chinese fighter Tuerxun Jumabieke looks for his first UFC win against physical specimen Marcus Brimage.
Jumabieke was an undefeated top prospect of China before entering the UFC, holding an impressive 14-0 record. However, since stepping up to the big leagues, he has fallen to Mark Eddiva and Leandro Issa, the latter of whom submitted The Wild Wolf.
His striking looks like his best weapon; before Issa submitted him, he was outstriking the Brazilian. That means he will need to keep this fight off the mat against Brimage, who will likely have no problem with that.
Brimage finds himself in a must-win situation, as he has dropped two straight in the Octagon. That reversed a three-fight win streak with the company, where The Bama Beast earned wins over Stephen Bass, Maximo Blanco and Jimy Hettes.
He is physically strong and incredibly athletic. That will be a huge advantage for him against his Chinese counterpart. Look for him to hurt Jumabieke, finishing him early on.
Prediction: Brimage def. Jumabieke via TKO
Luke Zachrich vs. Dan Kelly
2 of 7
The middleweights are due to the cage next, as Luke Zachrich looks to build on his most recent outing when he takes on The Ultimate Fighter: Nations veteran Dan Kelly.
Kelly is a multiple-time Olympic judoka with a 7-0 professional record. In those seven bouts, he finished six of his opponents with his devastating submission skills, as well as notching a couple of TKOs.
On TUF: Nations, Kelly failed to make it out of the quarterfinals in his respective bracket. He was quickly slammed and choked out by Sheldon Westcott of Team Canada, which eliminated him from the tournament.
He gets his debut against Zachrich, another TUF veteran who earned his way into the UFC after a failed run on the show and regional success. Zachrich is well-rounded, though one would assume he'll try to avoid a ground war with the Australian grappler.
He entered the UFC on a bad note, falling in less than a minute to Caio Magalhaes, albeit on short notice. However, he stormed back in his most recent fight in dominant fashion, besting Guilherme Vasconcelos in a mostly one-sided affair.
Kelly has the takedowns and aggression to catch Zachrich early in the fight. However, Zachrich is strong and big, which should keep him at a distance as he strikes his way to victory.
Prediction: Zachrich def. Kelly via decision
Richie Vaculik vs. Louis Smolka
3 of 7
Next up are the flyweights, as Australia's own Richie Vaculik looks to take out young Hawaiian Louis Smolka. Smolka takes the fight on late notice for Neil Seery, who originally took the fight as a replacement for Ray Borg.
Smolka is a Pacific MMA regional vet who amassed an impressive record before making the UFC his home. Since signing with the company, he dominated Alptekin Ozkilic in his debut before dropping a close split decision to Chris Cariaso.
Smolka is a striker who mixes his strikes up with head shots and punishment to the body. That's not to say he's one-dimensional, as he also has a tight submission game, as seen in his four tapout wins.
Vaculik is a veteran of TUF Smashes, where he fought three weight classes up at lightweight. He was not successful on that show and had to get a win on the regional circuit to return to the UFC.
He was destroyed in his UFC debut against Justin Scoggins but came back strong in a follow-up bout with Roldan Sangcha-an. He will want to avoid striking with Smolka, though, as it could spell the end of his night quickly.
Vaculik's takedowns are not proficient enough to consistently put Smolka in danger. Because of that, Smolka will tag Vaculik on the feet throughout the fight, earning a stoppage in the process.
Prediction: Smolka def. Vaculik via TKO
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Vik Grujic vs. Chris Clements
4 of 7
Next up are the welterweights, as Australian Vik Grujic looks to defend his home country against Canadian invader Chris Clements.
Grujic, a semifinalist of TUF Nations, has seen mixed results since coming up to the UFC. His debut was a one-sided loss, where the Aussie was completely dominated by Nordine Taleb. However, he followed that up with a balanced win over Chris Indich, earning a TKO stoppage.
As for Clements, we have not seen the Canadian in more than a year. His last bout was in September of 2013, when he was blistered by surging striker Stephen Thompson.
He also lost to Matt Riddle, though that decision was overturned from a hot drug test. Those two blemishes overshadowed a successful debut, where Clements outpointed scrappy vet Keith Wisniewski.
On the feet, Clements is superior. However, Grujic is scrappy and has the ability to put him on his back, which is where he will shine.
Prediction: Grujic def. Clements via decision
Dylan Andrews vs. Sam Alvey
5 of 7
The middleweight division is the setting of the next fight, as New Zealand fighter Dylan Andrews takes the cage against another TUF veteran in Sam Alvey.
Andrews is a vet of TUF 17, where he went from the last pick to a feared competitor. That has carried over to the UFC, as the powerful striker has gone 2-1 with the company.
Despite a slip-up in his most recent fight against Clint Hester in December of last year, Andrews has been impressive. He opened his UFC career with a knockout of Jimmy Quinlan and followed that up with a hellish KO of Papy Abedi.
Alvey is a Bellator and MFC veteran who got a chance in the UFC after success on the regional circuit. The well-rounded fighter was a part of the TUF 16 cast that mostly got the ax after a lackluster season.
Alvey is a tough grinder who possesses great natural power. His UFC debut did not go as planned, though, as Tom Watson outpointed the chipper warrior with more precise striking.
Alvey is a tough out for anyone. He is gritty and aggressive, which makes him dangerous. That should be enough for him to outlast a game, aggressive Andrews here.
Prediction: Alvey def. Andrews via decision
Anthony Perosh vs. Guto Inocente
6 of 7
The light heavyweights get the call to the cage next, as Aussie veteran Anthony Perosh welcomes Brazilian banger Guto Inocente to the 205-pound ranks.
At age 42, Perosh is definitely not a rookie anymore. In fact, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has many miles on him—something that will always make me unsure of his ability when he steps in the cage. That said, he has surprised us in the past.
His best work is done from top position on the mat. He is heavy from the top and has solid ground-and-pound, which opens up his submission game.
He takes on Inocente, who is looking to erase the sting of his UFC debut, a knockout loss at heavyweight to Derrick Lewis. Injuries have really slowed down Inocente's career, who has fought just twice since 2010.
He is a strong striker with good knees and kicks. He will need to use kicks to soften up Perosh's takedown attempts but be careful to not get a leg caught in Perosh's grip.
Inocente is looking for a coming-out party and may get one here. His youth and all-around athleticism will carry him here, as he batters The Hippo to a decision.
Prediction: Inocente def. Perosh via decision
Jake Matthews vs. Vagner Rocha
7 of 7
Capping off the prelims is a featherweight bout, as top Australian prospect Jake Matthews takes on a serious test in the form of Brazil's Vagner Rocha.
Matthews is just 20 years old and already has a 7-0 record as a pro. Not only that, but he is a finisher, putting away six of his victims by either knockout or submission.
After failing to win TUF Nations, Matthews went back to the Australian regional circuit and scored a win, earning him a spot back in the UFC. In his official debut, he completely demolished Dashon Johnson, eventually finishing the American via triangle choke.
Rocha is now in his second stint with the company, as the Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace has gone 4-0 since leaving the world's largest MMA promotion. Not only that, but he has finished three of those four men in the process.
He was 1-2 in his first UFC stint, submitting Cody McKenzie while falling to Donald Cerrone and Jonathan Brookins. His striking is still pretty green, as he relies mostly on takedowns and grappling.
Matthews is a very bright prospect but gets a dangerous submission artist in Rocha. If the Australian keeps this bout upright, he should be able to thwart Rocha's attempt at gaining a warm welcome back to the UFC.
Prediction: Matthews def. Rocha via decision
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