UFC 186 Preliminary Card Predictions
The busy UFC schedule continues this weekend and marks the promotion's return to Montreal. UFC 186 comes live Saturday night with a title bout and several other intriguing feature bouts.
Dominant flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson headlines the card against surging contender Kyoji Horiguchi. Then, Michael Bisping and CB Dollaway get down in the co-main event in a pivotal middleweight bout.
Before that we have the preliminary card. Last week was a rough one for me, whether it was a call-out from Tim Means or a dismal 2-5 run. We look to improve drastically this time around.
With that, let's take a look the preliminary card and make some picks.
2015 Riley's Record: 46-28
Last Event: UFC on Fox 15 (2-5)
Randa Markos vs. Aisling Daly
1 of 7We kick things off in the women's strawweight division, as Ireland's Aisling Daly invades Canada to take on home-country fighter Randa Markos.
Daly is a grappler with awkward, developing striking and a wealth of experience. She has taken on some of the sport's best as a pioneer of Irish MMA.
She was a member of The Ultimate Fighter 20, where she failed to make the finals after a decent showing. However, she gained a measure of redemption in the finale, as she tapped out Alex Chambers to gain a win in her official UFC debut.
Then you have Markos, a powerful wrestler who has good skills from top position. Her striking is also developing, though she uses it well as a means to get the fight to the canvas.
She was the surprise of TUF 20, as she was a semifinalist after being seeded 14th overall. At the finale, she was given the tall task of fighting Jessica Penne, and in a close affair, Markos lost in an admirable outing.
This fight will come down to who can grind better. Markos has proved her wrestling is a valuable asset, and Daly cannot submit her off her back. The Canadian should reign supreme here.
Prediction: Markos defeats Daly via decision
Jessica Rakoczy vs. Valerie Letourneau
2 of 7
For the next bout, we stay in the women's strawweight division, as fellow Canadians Jessica Rakoczy and Valerie Letourneau lock horns with a chance to move up the 115-pound ladder.
Rakoczy is a high-level boxer who has had a tough transition to MMA. She has spent time working on her grappling, which she showcased on her surprising run on TUF 18. She is athletic as well, which helps cover up some of the holes in her game.
After making the finals on her season of TUF, Rakoczy lost in the finals bout to Julianna Pena. She has taken a long time off since to recover from injuries and continue to improve her game, so we will see if ring rust is a factor.
As for Letourneau, she makes the drop from the 135-pound division for this bout. A striker, she does well when she's using kicks and staying upright, employing a stick-and-move method.
She started her UFC career off on the right foot, as she debuted in victorious fashion over Elizabeth Phillips. That win put her on the right track after she failed to make the TUF 18 cast that Rakoczy was a part of.
I can go either way on this fight. Rakoczy looked much improved during her time on TUF, while Letourneau has been consistent. It's an upset that favors the former boxing champion.
Prediction: Rakoczy defeats Letourneau via decision.
Nordine Taleb vs. Chris Clements
3 of 7
The Fight Pass prelims are capped off by the welterweights, as Quebec-based Nordine Taleb takes on late-replacement Chris Clements of Ontario. Clements fills in for Claudio Silva, who fell off the card with an injury in training.
Taleb is a kickboxer and clinch fighter, owning good strength and a tremendous chin. He was a member of both TUF 19 and TUF Nations, where he showed a warrior spirit and undeniable toughness.
His UFC career thus far has been a successful one. He is 2-0 with the company, having earned hard-fought decisions over Vik Grujic and Jianliang Li.
Clements is a striker who possesses good kicks and menacing punches. He should try to stay off his back against Taleb, who has been known to grind guys, especially strikers like Clements.
Clements is 2-1 in the UFC thus far, with his only blemish coming at the hands of rising star Stephen Thompson. Other than that, he has decisioned Keith Wisniewski and brutally knocked out Grujic in Australia.
Clements has surprised in the past, so a victory here is not out of the question. However, the toughness and grinding attack, especially in the clinch, should give Taleb the slight nod.
Prediction: Taleb defeats Clements via decision.
Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. David Michaud
4 of 7
The lightweights will get things started on the Fox Sports prelims, as Quebec native Olivier Aubin-Mercier takes on American grinder David Michaud.
Aubin-Mercier is a judo fighter with tremendous grappling ability and suffocating submissions. His specialty is the back mount, as he owns all but one of his wins via rear-naked choke.
After a good showing on TUF Nations, Aubin-Mercier lost to Chad Laprise in the finals. However, he came back strong in his sophomore outing, tapping out Jake Lindsey with a tremendous inverted triangle kimura that had MMA fans buzzing.
As for Michaud, he is a wrestler and a grinder who is known for his ground-and-pound. He can get stoppages from those ground strikes, and they also open up submission opportunities for him.
He is 1-1 in the UFC thus far. After dropping a contentious decision to Jianliang Li in his premiere bout with the company, he came back strong in his second fight to beat Garett Whiteley in convincing fashion.
Michaud is as tough as they come, but Aubin-Mercier is the kind of prospect who has big payoff. His grappling and submissions will be too much for the American.
Prediction: Aubin-Mercier defeats Michaud via submission.
Chad Laprise vs. Bryan Barberena
5 of 7
We stay in the lightweight division for our next bout, as TUF Nations winner Chad Laprise takes on Bryan Barberena.
Laprise is a kickboxer who often keeps the fight on the feet with his excellent takedown defense. He is undefeated at 9-0 in his career thus far, showing his massive potential in this sport.
Laprise won TUF Nations after an impressive run in the tournament, capped off by the finale win over teammate Olivier Aubin-Mercier. He followed that up with a decision win over fellow striker Yosdenis Cedeno in his second UFC bout.
As for Barberena, the MMA Lab rep has grown leaps and bounds since moving to that camp, as the gritty fighter is a tough customer. He is riding a seven-fight winning streak right now, which he hopes to extend on Saturday.
After mowing guys down in the regional scene, Barberena got the call from the UFC to take on touted prospect Joe Ellenberger. Barberena showed his continued development in that fight, setting a wicked pace and finishing Ellenberger with strikes in Round 3.
Laprise is a gifted athlete and has all the tools to be a star in Canada. Barberena will be no pushover, but Laprise has the stylistic integrity in this match to score a win.
Prediction: Laprise defeats Barberena via decision.
Alexis Davis vs. Sarah Kaufman
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The ladies are up next, as Canadian bantamweight contenders Alexis Davis and Sarah Kaufman look to jump into title talks.
Kaufman is a boxer with good takedown defense, which has led her to her outstanding record in MMA thus far. She is really the unheralded 135er in the division, as she should be closer to a title shot than it seems.
Her first bout in the UFC was a split-decision loss, though it was later turned to a no-contest. She won her next scrap, easily defeating Leslie Smith in a rematch from Invicta.
As for Davis, she is a jiu-jitsu black belt with solid stand-up in her own right. She has good kicks and clinch, which is usually a set up for her ground attack.
She ran a 3-0 record to start off her UFC tenure, besting Rosi Sexton, Liz Carmouche and Jessica Eye. That earned her a title shot, though champion Ronda Rousey quickly decimated her in that bout.
Kaufman has shown good enough takedown defense in the past that she should ward off any shot from Davis. On the feet, Kaufman is technically superior, which should lead to a convincing decision victory.
Prediction: Kaufman defeats Davis via decision.
Patrick Cote vs. Joe Riggs
7 of 7
A pair of seasoned veterans cap off the prelims, as Canada's Patrick Cote looks to repel the attack of jack-of-all-trades combatant Joe Riggs.
Cote is a kickboxer who has added some good takedowns and top-game grappling to his arsenal. He is athletic and quick as well, something he will need to employ against the slower Riggs.
Although he took a loss to Stephen Thompson in his most recent offering, the iron-chinned Predator had a three-fight winning streak going into that fight. Those came against Alessio Sakara, Bobby Voelker and Kyle Noke, showing Cote still has some gas in the tank.
Then there's Riggs, a well-traveled veteran who has seemingly fought everyone. He excels everywhere but doesn't really stand out in one aspect, though his toughness is commendable.
He rode a six-fight winning streak to finally get back to the UFC, which saw a great resurgence for Diesel. However, his return to the UFC saw him hit a bump in the road, as Ben Saunders finished him after Riggs suffered an injury in the bout.
This fight is closer than you're led to believe. Both men know all the tricks of the trade and will be applying them in a tactical chess match. Cote just has more in his tank at this point than Riggs does.
Prediction: Cote defeats Riggs via decision.
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