UFC 186: TJ Dillashaw vs. Renan Barao 2 Full Main Card Preview and Predictions
With compelling fights from top to bottom, UFC 185 was an absolute treat for fans. The pay-per-view card with the unenviable task of following that act? UFC 186, of course!
The full card is as follows:
- TJ Dillashaw vs. Renan Barao
- Demetrious Johnson vs. Kyoji Horiguchi
- Quinton Jackson vs. Fabio Maldonado
- Michael Bisping vs. CB Dollaway
- Yves Jabouin vs. Thomas Almeida
- Patrick Cote vs. Joe Riggs
- Alexis Davis vs. Sarah Kaufman
- Chad Laprise vs. Bryan Barberena
- John Makdessi vs. Abel Trujillo
- Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. David Michaud
- Nordine Taleb vs. Claudio Silva
- Jessica Rakoczy vs. Valerie Letourneau
Like UFC 185, it sports not one but two title fights at the top of the card in the bantamweight rematch between TJ Dillashaw and Renan Barao and the flyweight tilt between Demetrious Johnson and Kyoji Horiguchi.
Past that is a wealth of veteran talent up and down the card, most notably the UFC return of a former light heavyweight champion, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Not only that, but the UFC stacked the card with interesting Canadian talent like Patrick Cote, Alexis Davis and Jessica Rakoczy.
So why not take a quick look at the UFC 186 main card? Read on for our previews and predictions for each fight!
Yves Jabouin vs. Thomas Almeida
1 of 5
Division: Bantamweight
Records: Yves Jabouin (20-9), Thomas Almeida (18-0)
Jabouin is a fighter who has failed to mount a sustained winning streak at any given point in his Zuffa career. Almeida, in spite of being an interesting prospect, has only fought in the UFC once (against the average-at-best Tim Gorman). I can't tell you why this fight is on the main card of this pay-per-view; I can only tell you how I see the fight panning out.
And how will this fight pan out, you ask? Well, in a rare turn, we can go to the statistics to make a prediction.
Jabouin is a humble 6-5 in his UFC and WEC career, and three of those losses have come via knockout. Almeida, by comparison, has a perfect 18-0 record, with 13 of his wins coming via knockout (and four by submission).
This is a battle of heavy hands vs. soft chin, and that traditionally isn't a great matchup for the chin.
Prediction: Thomas Almeida defeats Yves Jabouin by TKO in Round 2.
Michael Bisping vs. CB Dollaway
2 of 5
Division: Middleweight
Records: Michael Bisping (26-7), CB Dollaway (16-7)
Bisping has spent much of his career bouncing in and out of middleweight title relevance. Dollaway inspired fans by achieving that midtier prestige after five years of ho-humming on preliminary cards. With both men coming off devastating losses to potential contenders (Luke Rockhold and Lyoto Machida, respectively), however, they are now close to returning to midtier anonymity.
Fighting for continued relevance is a position Bisping has consistently thrived in. While the Brit has traditionally come up short against top competition, he also has never posted back-to-back losses. That's a trend that will likely continue.
While Dollaway has definitely shown himself to be better than the man who once got knocked out by Jared Hamman, he likely doesn't have the wrestling to consistently stifle Bisping. Watch for Bisping to out-point Dollaway standing between drawn-out clinch sessions.
Prediction: Michael Bisping defeats CB Dollaway by decision.
Quinton Jackson vs. Fabio Maldonado
3 of 5
Division: Light Heavyweight
Records: Quinton Jackson (32-10), Fabio Maldonado (22-7)
Excited for the UFC return of Rampage? Well, dial it back. There's a pretty good chance it won't happen.
That said, this is a brilliant bit of UFC matchmaking.
Quinton Jackson is one of MMA's few remaining name-brand stars. Like him or not, he is a man who can carry cards with his mere presence (which is precisely why he is sharing an event with two underappreciated champions). Keeping him near the top of cards and giving him winnable, exciting matchups is the best move the UFC has available.
While Fabio Maldonado has made a name for himself as a reasonably exciting slugger, he is still just a reasonably exciting slugger. For a veteran like Jackson who has made a career out of feasting on fighters with poor striking technique, this is an easy paycheck. Look for Rampage to post his first UFC win since 2011.
Prediction: Quinton Jackson defeats Fabio Maldonado by TKO in Round 2.
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Demetrious Johnson vs. Kyoji Horiguchi
4 of 5
Division: Flyweight
Records: Demetrious Johnson (21-2-1), Kyoji Horiguchi (15-1)
Johnson is the most dominant male champion in the sport today.
That isn't a hot take. He has deserved that label since his 2013 demolition of Joseph Benavidez.
That isn't an indictment of his competition, either. John Dodson and Benavidez are both deserving of Top 10 pound-for-pound consideration, and Ali Bagautinov is a formidable fighter.
No, Mighty Mouse is just that good.
Kyoji Horiguchi is an interesting prospect, sure. The Japanese hotshot has been picking apart opponents since joining the UFC, and he actually has a legitimately impressive body of work in Japan. With time, he can develop into a fighter capable of giving Johnson trouble.
As it stands, however, this is likely going to be another decisive win for the champ. Expect him to notch his sixth title defense without incident.
Prediction: Demetrious Johnson defeats Kyoji Horiguchi by submission in Round 3.
TJ Dillashaw vs. Renan Barao 2
5 of 5
Division: Bantamweight
Records: TJ Dillashaw (12-2), Renan Barao (35-2, 1 NC)
It took some time, it took some effort, and it took more than a little bit of luck, but Barao gets another crack at Dillashaw. For those who don't remember, Barao got the heck beaten out of him at UFC 173 by Dillashaw, getting battered for four rounds before getting finished in the fifth. Barao would get booked for an immediate rematch at UFC 177 but withdrew from the bout just hours in advance.
That knocked him to the back of the bantamweight contender line, but injuries to Raphael Assuncao and Dominick Cruz pushed his timetable for a title shot forward in a big way. However, while the stars aligned perfectly for him to get another crack at the title, it's going to take a lot for him to actually take the belt back.
Dillashaw's evolution has been a treat to watch. Step by step, he went from ho-hum wrestler to a high-workrate grappler to counterwrestler to one of the few fighters with the ability to seamlessly flow between striking and grappling. In spite of his youth and relative inexperience, he is one of the most well-rounded fighters in the game today.
That makes it tough to imagine Barao being able to knock off the champ. The Brazilian has absurd stopping power and is one of the most opportunistic finishers you'll ever see. Dillashaw, however, is simply the better all-around fighter and will likely walk away barring a lucky knockout.
Prediction: TJ Dillashaw defeats Renan Barao by decision.
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