UFC Fight Night 59: B/R Main Card Staff Predictions
With all the hype surrounding Conor McGregor and a potential meeting with featherweight king Jose Aldo, we could forgive you for thinking that the Irishman is headlining against a punching bag at UFC Fight Night 59 in Boston.
No one has given poor old Dennis Siver hasn’t much of a chance. The German is headlining his first UFC event, yet his coverage in the build-up has been so comically sparse that some fans might only get their first glimpse of him on Sunday night.
While the main event has the potential to be a short affair, there are plenty of other reasons to tune in. We can look forward to Benson Henderson taking on Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone for the third time, Uriah Hall taking on short-notice replacement Ron Stallings and the ever-improving Norman Parke versus UFC veteran and human fire hydrant Gleison Tibau.
Realising that you good people might need some guidance on fight night, I called up my crew and asked for their thoughts on Sunday night’s event. Read on for the views of Scott “Ginger Luke Thomas” Harris, Riley “Kobra” Kontek, Craig “Famous” Amos, Sean “The Salmon” Smith and yours truly, James “Jimmy MacDaddy” MacDonald.
2015 Staff Records
1 of 5
The year is young, but the first event of 2015 picked up where 2014 left off. Craig Amos, Riley Kontek and James MacDonald share the top spot after a flawless UFC 182.
Sean Smith and Scott Harris, risk-takers that they are, are in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
Here are the current standings:
Craig Amos: 5-0-0
Riley Kontek: 5-0-0
James MacDonald: 5-0-0
Sean Smith: 4-1-0
Scott Harris: 3-2-0
Norman Parke vs. Gleison Tibau
2 of 5
Harris
Tibau likes getting his hands on guys and power-grinding them to ribbons. Will he be able to do it against Parke? I’m guessing no. Parke weathers the storm and then wears Tibau down with good movement and strikes from range. The Hulk gets a taste of his own medicine.
Parke, Unanimous decision
Smith
Parke has shown some flashes of brilliance in his short UFC career and will have a chance to take a big step forward at UFC Fight Night 59. Unfortunately for him, that chance comes against Tibau. While the Brazilian has had trouble reaching elite lightweight status, he's been a prototypical lightweight gatekeeper for years. These are the types of fights against up-and-coming prospects that Tibau seems to almost never lose.
Tibau, Unanimous decision
Amos
Parke has been really good lately, but does he have it in him to overcome the UFC's ultimate gatekeeper? I have faith in him, actually. I expect Tibau to make trouble for Parke early on, but ultimately he'll overcome that and cruise to the biggest victory of his career.
Parke, Unanimous decision
Kontek
Gleison Tibau is the guy the UFC puts out there to test top prospects. If you win, you belong in the top tier. If you lose, you may be a pretender. While Norman Parke is a great fighter and a staple that the UFC will hold onto for a while, he doesn't have anything Tibau hasn't seen before. Tibau's size, strength and striking will be the difference here.
Tibau, Unanimous decision
MacDonald
Parke has shown the potential to be a real force at lightweight. He has excellent grappling, and his striking continues to improve. But perhaps more than anything else, the Diaz-like pace he is able to set could be the difference against the cartoonishly muscular Tibau.
Parke, Unanimous decision
Uriah Hall vs. Ron Stallings
3 of 5
Harris
Stallings earns a victory just by getting into the UFC as a late replacement for our old friend, the injury bug. He has talent, but not on such short notice and not against a competitor as dynamic (and underrated) as Hall.
Hall, TKO, Rd. 2
Smith
I guess taking a bout with Hall on really late notice is one way to get onto the UFC roster, but it can't be good for one's health. Stallings has some work to do to prove he belongs inside the Octagon, while Hall has the skill to be one of the best in the middleweight division. This could get ugly in a hurry.
Hall, TKO, Rd. 1
Amos
Hall seems like he may finally be on the right track after a disappointing start to his UFC career. He takes on a late replace in Stallings, who has posted mixed results against Tier 2 competition. There is potential for an upset here, but it isn't too likely.
Hall, TKO, Rd. 2
Kontek
Uriah Hall could not hold onto an opponent in the lead-up to this bout. On very late notice, he gets Strikeforce vet Ronald Stallings, a guy who until his last performance against Tim Williams looked like a great middleweight prospect for the UFC. When he's on, he's on. When he's off, he's off. Whatever the case, taking on Hall on less than a week's notice will not do Stallings any favors.
Hall, TKO, Rd. 2
MacDonald
There’s not much for Hall to gain here and plenty to lose against Stallings. This isn’t a gimme for The Ultimate Fighter veteran, but I would be surprised if he slips up here. He has too many tools for Stallings to deal with.
Hall, TKO, Rd. 2
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Benson Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone
4 of 5
Harris
I keep picking against Cerrone, and I keep getting burned. Why, Myles Jury upset pick? Why! But where Bendo used to be able to neutralize Cerrone and control the pace with power and athleticism, I don't see that happening any more. I see Cerrone using his aggression to make Bendo uncomfortable. That's right: Someone is putting Bendo in a corner.
Cerrone, TKO, Rd. 2
Smith
I have to admire Cerrone's willingness to compete seemingly all 365 days per year, but being overactive has taken its toll on him in the past. He competed six times within one year when he saw a six-bout winning streak come to an end against Nate Diaz in 2011, and he'll be looking to prevent the exact same thing from happening on Sunday in a sixth appearance within the past year. Given that and the fact that Henderson has already beaten Cerrone twice, I have to lean toward the former champion.
Henderson, Unanimous decision
Amos
A cursory look at recent results will show that the momentum lies firmly in the corner of Cerrone. History, on the other hand, shows that Cowboy tends to struggle when he has an opportunity to become a primary contender. It's a tough one to pick, but I'll take the former champ in a close 15-minute match.
Henderson, Unanimous decision
Kontek
You're telling me that Donald Cerrone has 15 days to prepare for the former UFC lightweight champion after competing against top prospect Myles Jury at UFC 182? That's rough. Benson Henderson already owns two victories over Cerrone, the first of which was an all-time classic. Henderson is likely the heavy favorite, but I like Cerrone here for some reason. He's streaking, and Henderson has regressed a bit.
Cerrone, Unanimous decision
MacDonald
If Cerrone had time to prepare, I would have no trouble picking him over Henderson here. He has improved beyond measure since the pair last fought—particularly his defensive wrestling. In contrast, Henderson has stalled recently and arguably hasn’t shown improvement since he stole the show versus Clay Guida back in 2011. So, despite it being short notice, I’m leaning toward Cerrone to edge out a decision.
Cerrone, Unanimous decision
Conor McGregor vs. Dennis Siver
5 of 5
Harris
Siver tried his best to talk some smack back, but it's like shouting into a tsunami at this point. The fight will go the same way. McGregor will be too quick and sharp, and his left hand will be too surgical for Siver to mount anything consistent.
McGregor, TKO, Rd. 1
Smith
There's a reason McGregor is stealing all the headlines heading into this matchup. It's a showcase bout, and one would have to be blind not to notice it. Simply by virtue of being tougher to finish than some of McGregor's recent opponents, Siver might take the Irishman into the later rounds, but the hype train is going to keep on rolling one way or another.
McGregor, TKO, Rd. 3
Amos
Siver is good fighter, but this matchup does not play in his favor. McGregor is quicker and hits harder, and while Siver isn't a bad wrestler, he probably won't be able to stifle McGregor for enough of the match for it to matter all that much. Put another tick in the win column for Notorious.
McGregor, TKO, Rd. 2
Kontek
Yes, folks, I have bought into the Conor McGregor show. Do I think he can beat Jose Aldo? No. Do I think he can beat Dennis Siver Sunday night and be a staple at the top of the division? Yes. Siver is good and will give McGregor troubles for his effort, but the Irishman's on-the-feet prowess, should he avoid a spinning back kick to the liver, will win the night.
McGregor, TKO, Rd. 2
MacDonald
Perhaps I’m guilty of buying into the hype, but I can see this fight being every bit as short as McGregor has predicted. Siver simply doesn’t pose any real matchup challenges for the Irishman. As good as the German is on the feet, McGregor is that much better and should end the fight within a round.
McGregor, TKO, Rd. 1
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