UFC Fight Night 60 Preliminary Card Predictions
The UFC returns this weekend with another Fight Night card, as the company returns to Colorado on Saturday. UFC Fight Night 60 airs live on Fox with a welterweight headliner.
Benson Henderson, the former UFC lightweight champion, moves up to 170 on short notice when he takes on rising prospect Brandon Thatch. It's an interesting fight that will either put the former champ back in the win column or shoot Thatch to stardom.
The year has started off well for me, so let's hope we can continue the strong start to 2015.
Here are the predictions for UFC Fight Night 60.
2015 Riley's Record: 19-9
Last Event: UFC 183 (4-2)
James Moontasri vs. Cody Pfister
1 of 5
Kicking off the card are the lightweights. RFA veteran James Moontasri looks for his first UFC win in his sophomore effort against late-notice replacement Cody Pfister.
Pfister is actually a veteran of The Ultimate Fighter 15 show but was eliminated before he could make it into the house by a Vinc Pichel submission. He has not lost in eight straight bouts, looking solid in the southern U.S. regional scene in both MMA and muay thai.
He is more of a striker, as two of his three losses came via submission (plus the sub loss to Pichel on TUF). That's why this won't be a great matchup for him, as Moontasri is the vastly superior striker.
As for Moontasri, the taekwondo-based striker has fought at a high level in that sport but has transitioned nicely to a career in MMA under the tutelage of the Black House gym. His ground game is still somewhat limited, but his athleticism and quickness make him tough to get to the ground.
The elite striker slipped up in a short-notice UFC debut opposite Joe Ellenberger in a bout many believed he should have won via decision. The RFA veteran, who is a finisher, will be looking for his first UFC win here and hopes that the judges don't have a say in it.
Pfister's best bet is to get Moontasri to the ground, but I don't see that happening. Moontasri will dissect him on the feet and put him to sleep in a most horrific fashion.
Prediction: Moontasri def. Pfister via KO
Zach Makovsky vs. Tim Elliott
2 of 5
The flyweights do battle next, as former Bellator bantamweight champion Zach Makovsky looks to jump back into contention against the scrappy and tough Tim Elliott.
Elliott is a scrapper who puts on his work boots, loads up his lunch pail and works hard in every fight. He isn't the most technical, and his fights aren't the prettiest, but the well-rounded, tough-as-nails Elliott is always in a fight and can put an opponent in trouble with his striking or wrestling.
He has seen mixed results since entering the UFC. While he does own wins over Jared Papazian and Louis Gaudinot in his tenure, a loss to John Dodson and consecutive defeats to Ali Bagautinov and Joseph Benavidez in his most recent outings have him likely fighting for his job here, despite how entertaining he is.
As for Makovsky, he is a wrestler who has done a diligent job of trying to improve his striking. He is powerful for his size, closing distance and bullying opponents to the mat with his strong takedowns.
He is looking to reverse the fortunes of his last fight, where Jussier da Silva outworked him. That loss reversed two straight wins to open his UFC career against Scott Jorgensen and Josh Sampo.
Elliott is a scrapper and is going to give Makovsky all he can handle. However, the will and fortitude of Makovsky, especially when going for takedowns, will make this a long 15 minutes for the Missouri native.
Prediction: Makovsky def. Elliott via decision
Chas Skelly vs. Jim Alers
3 of 5
The next bout features the featherweights, as Jim Alers takes his second UFC fight opposite Chas Skelly.
Alers, a top fighter with Cage Warriors before entering the UFC, is a grappler who possesses a wide variety of submission techniques and wins on the ground. In fact, nine of his 13 wins thus far in his career have come on the ground in impressive fashion.
He entered the UFC in Abu Dhabi in a tough fight with the underrated Alan Omer. In a close fight that saw his triumphs and faults, Alers sneaked out with a split-decision win to keep his impressive win streak alive.
As for Skelly, he is a teammate of former UFC champ Johny Hendricks at Team Takedown, which makes sense since Skelly is a fantastic wrestler. He will use his hands to set up takedowns, push you up against the cage and grind on you from top position.
Despite falling in his debut to Mirsad Bektic, Skelly has come back strong in his last two bouts against Tom Niinimaki and Sean Soriano, with both of those fights taking place two weeks apart. Skelly is a good talent who could have longevity in the UFC.
This is a matchup of power wrestler versus submission grappler. If Skelly can stay away from the submission arsenal of Alers on the ground, his top position and clinch will overwhelm Alers. Who has the better striking may be the deciding factor here, and I am not sure of the answer.
Skelly wins the coin toss.
Prediction: Skelly def. Alers via decision
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Efrain Escudero vs. Rodrigo De Lima
4 of 5
Lightweight competitors get the call to the cage next, as TUF 8 winner Efrain Escudero gets yet another chance to prove he belongs in the UFC cage against little-known Brazilian Rodrigo de Lima.
It seems almost like the UFC is desperate for Escudero to succeed, seeing as this is his third stint with the company and he holds just a 3-5 record against middling talent. Not only that, but the grinder has seen mixed results in the regional scene as well, going 4-3 before rejoining the UFC.
The TUF 8 winner relies heavily on the takedown, something that opponents usually have scouted out. However, his opponent, de Lima, is not known for his wrestling ability, so Escudero should be able to expose the Brazilian's weakness in that area.
As for de Lima, the 22-year-old Brazilian is a submission specialist who usually thrives from top position. A veteran of Jungle Fights, he does show some promise, but he is not ready for the UFC level yet. He should be in the near future, but now is too soon for him to make a mark in the world's biggest MMA promotion.
His UFC debut came on late notice against a bigger, more experienced opponent in Neil Magny. That fight saw him get trounced, as his striking needs improvement, among other things.
This is a tailor-made matchup for Escudero, who again seems to be on the UFC's wish list for success. He should handle this easily, avoiding a submission or two along the way.
Prediction: Escudero def. de Lima via decision
Nik Lentz vs. Levan Makashvili
5 of 5
Capping off the prelims will be the featherweights, as longtime UFC vet Nik Lentz looks to get back into title contention against top prospect Levan Makashvili. Makashvili fills in on short notice for Thiago Tavares, who pulled out a couple of weeks before the card.
Lentz is a wrestler through and through, though the improvements in his striking are evident. He is best when he is putting fighters against the cage and dropping them to the mat, using ground-and-pound and position to outhustle opponents.
His drop from lightweight has been successful thus far, as he has gone 4-1 since the move. He had a hiccup against Chad Mendes recently but does own featherweight wins over Manny Gamburyan, Hacran Dias and Diego Nunes.
As for Makashvili, he is a Ring of Combat and CFFC veteran; both organizations feature top talent on the East Coast. He is a strong and powerful 145er, as seen in the way he achieves takedowns and lands punches.
His resume thus far has been exemplary, despite a decision loss to Alexandre Bezerra. However, he has since gotten revenge on Bezerra and has beaten Scott Heckman and Jordan Stiner, as well.
Makashvili has a chance to be a good featherweight in the UFC. He also has the ability to beat Lentz and surprise fans (think of Charles Rosa vs. Dennis Siver). However, on such short notice against a guy like Lentz who does what Makashvili does just as well, the UFC newcomer will have a tough time.
Prediction: Lentz def. Makashvili via decision
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