UFC Fight Night 67: B/R Main Card Staff Predictions

After the breathless excitement of UFC 187’s stacked main card, it’s time for MMA fans to come crashing back down to earth with the relatively bulimic UFC Fight Night 67 on Saturday.

That’s not to say the event is terrible, of course. But when you get a taste of pre-2012-style UFC booking, it’s tough to get the adrenaline pumping for the malnourished modern product.

Let’s remain positive, though. UFC Fight Night 67 has some bright spots, particularly the mouth-watering main event between Carlos Condit and Thiago Alves. The card also features Nik Lentz vs. Charles Oliveira, K.J. Noons vs Alex Oliveira, Francimar Barroso vs. Ryan Jimmo, Norman Parke vs. Francisco Trinaldo and Wendell Oliveira vs. Darren Till—winner gets a Wikipedia page.

As ever, Bleacher Report MMA’s panel of precogs—or dummies, depending on the event—are here to offer their thoughts on the weekend’s action. So, read on for the learned sentiments of Scott Harris, Riley Kontek, Craig Amos, Sean Smith and yours truly, James MacDonald.

2015 Staff Records

Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Now that I occupy top spot on the prediction team leaderboard, it seems only fitting that I’m on publishing duty this week and get to gloat.

The once-dominant Riley Kontek isn’t taking his drop to second spot well. Now tied with the remarkably consistent Sean Smith, Kontek could be heard muttering something about dealing with neck surgeries, a la Tito Ortiz.

The enigmatic Craig Amos and the mercurial Scott Harris continue to battle it out in fourth and fifth place, respectively. In many ways, theirs is a more compelling battle than that of the top three. The readers have been gripped by the pair’s back-and-forth tussle.

Here are the current standings:

James MacDonald: 54-26-0

Riley Kontek: 52-28-0

Sean Smith: 52-28-0

Craig Amos: 45-35-0

Scott Harris: 44-36-0

Wendell Oliveira vs. Darren Till

Riley Kontek

Don't sleep on Darren Till. He is a Brit who trains in Brazil and has established a good record with Astra Fight Team. On the other hand, Wendell Oliveira has shown to be a tough veteran from the country as well. I just think that Till, despite the short notice, has the skill to score here.

Till, unanimous decision

Sean Smith

Originally scheduled to compete against T.J. Waldburger, Oliveira was preparing to meet an opponent who only would have threatened him on the ground. Till is also a solid submission artist, but he has some knockout power as well, having recorded seven knockout wins. Taking this bout on short notice, Till has nothing to lose and might catch the Brazilian unprepared for a stand-up bout. 

Till, KO, Rd. 1

Craig Amos

Get used to the name Oliveira. You'll be seeing it a lot while reading these predictions. This Oliveira got off to a rough start in the UFC, suffering a first-round knockout loss last September. He may suffer a similar fate this time out when he takes on the hard-hitting Till.

Till, KO, Rd. 1

Scott Harris

Till should not be trifled with here, as he has legit knockout power, while Oliveira has shown he can be knocked out. But Oliveira is a bona fide berserker. You know how every fighter says he's just going to go in there and push forward and let the hands go and blah blah? Oliveira actually does that. 

Oliveira, TKO, Rd. 2

James MacDonald

This is a tough fight to call. I’m not sure how much potential either man has, but they appear to match up well. Oliveira is a little more fragile, though, and Till has the power to put him to sleep. For that reason, I’m leaning toward the Brit.

Till, TKO, Rd. 3

Norman Parke vs. Francisco Trinaldo

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Riley Kontek

Norman Parke is a stylistic nightmare for many fighters at 155 pounds. The same can’t be said for Francisco Trinaldo, especially since he took this bout on short notice. Expect a healthy dose of takedowns and top-position control from the Northern Irishman. 

Parke, unanimous decision

Sean Smith

These two are tough grinders who aren't going to let the other pull away. I expect this one to be a back-and-forth struggle that should take place mostly on the ground. Nine years younger than Trinaldo, Parke has been showing steady improvement and should gain an edge on the scorecards.

Parke, unanimous decision

Craig Amos

These two The Ultimate Fighters products both entered the UFC with a reputation as dangerous fighters, but Parke has grown more since his debut. Trinaldo remains dangerous, but Parke has advanced his striking to the point where he will hold an edge on the feet, plus his grappling is adequate to withstand the sharpest tool of his opponent.

Parke, unanimous decision

Scott Harris

Trinaldo could really get this done...if he wasn't a late replacement. But a late replacement he is and will be controlled by the younger, stronger, more athletic grappling specialist.  

Parke, unanimous decision

James MacDonald

Parke has so much promise, but he hasn’t been living up to it recently. I keep going back to his fight with Jon Tuck and wondering why he doesn’t use his cardio as a weapon every time out. His loss to Gleison Tibau was a big step backward for the Northern Irishman. This might have been a pretty competitive fight if Trinaldo hadn’t taken it on such short notice. With that in mind, look for Parke to outgrapple and wear down his Brazilian foe.

Parke, unanimous decision

Francimar Barroso vs. Ryan Jimmo

Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

Riley Kontek

This should be a bout where Francimar Barroso snags his pink slip. This is not a good matchup for him at all. Ryan Jimmo is a physical striker with a chip on his shoulder. Expect big punches that send the Brazilian into a slumber.

Jimmo, TKO, Rd. 2

Sean Smith

Although he hasn't been able to break through and become a contender in the light heavyweight division, there's a reason Jimmo has never lost two in a row. With a matchup against Barroso, who has a middling 1-1 UFC record, Jimmo should again avoid a second straight loss.

With knockout wins against Anthony Perosh and Sean O'Connell since joining the UFC roster, Jimmo has been more entertaining than he used to be, but he plays it safe here with some wall-and-stall tactics to get back into the win column. 

Jimmo, unanimous decision

Craig Amos

Barroso has labored to a 1-1 record inside the Octagon, and he hasn't beaten anyone as good as Jimmo yet. The Canadian has struggled against tougher competition, but he tends to take care of business against the Barroso types. He'll continue that trend Saturday night.

Jimmo, TKO, Rd. 2

Scott Harris

Oh, man. This could be really boring. Two control grinders, and not only that, but two large control grinders. Here's guessing Jimmo lands enough clinch knees to net the win. Pop-and-lock incoming.

Jimmo, unanimous decision

James MacDonald

Barroso hasn’t exactly set the world on fire since debuting in the UFC, and he’s probably out of his depth against Jimmo. The Canadian can sometimes flatter to deceive, but he should secure another win here. Don’t be surprised if it’s in highlight fashion, either.

Jimmo, TKO, Rd. 1

K.J. Noons vs. Alex Oliveira

Andrew Richardson-USA TODAY Sports

Riley Kontek

Don't sleep on Alex Oliveira. He gave Gilbert Burns a run for his money on short notice in his last bout. That said, Noons is well-traveled and has fought some of the best in the business. This is his fight to lose.

Noons, unanimous decision

Sean Smith

This is a big opportunity for Oliveira, but it's not one he's earned. The Brazilian lost via submission to Gilbert Burns in his UFC debut and now finds himself competing against Noons as a replacement opponent. Oliveira will gain some brownie points with the UFC brass by stepping up on short notice, but Noons should take care of business.

Noons, KO, Rd. 1

Craig Amos

Oliveira was doing well against Gilbert Burns until he was submitted with less than a minute remaining in the fight. Noons won't submit him. He brings other tools to the table, but Oliveira is better equipped to handle those tools and should notch his first UFC victory.

Oliveira, unanimous decision

Scott Harris

I'm not expecting Noons to streak to the title anytime soon. He has the name recognition advantage here but doesn't have the complete game to overwhelm Oliveira, a solid and high-octane prospect. Expect a fun fight with a slight twist at the end.

Oliveira, unanimous decision

James MacDonald

This might be more competitive than you think. Oliveira isn’t a gimme by any stretch of the imagination. However, Noons is probably a little too good and experienced for the Brazilian.

Noons, unanimous decision

Nik Lentz vs. Charles Oliveira

Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

Riley Kontek

I don't see this being much different than their first encounter. Had Oliveira not been disqualified, he would have won via knockout. I see that happening again. If you want further breakdown, see Harris, MacDonald, Amos or Smith.

Oliveira, TKO, Rd. 2

Sean Smith

Although Lentz has only suffered one submission loss in 33 career bouts, this is a tough matchup for him. No matter the opponent, he usually depends on his wrestling to pick up wins. Against Oliveira, one of the more dangerous grapplers in the 145-pound division, Lentz could wrestle himself into his first submission defeat inside the Octagon.

Oliveira, submission, Rd. 1

Craig Amos

Lentz is the better wrestler, so he should be able to determine whether the fight takes place mostly on the feet or on the mat. Unfortunately, both arenas are losing propositions for him. Oliveira could win by knockout or submission, but Lentz is a grinder who can will his way to the final bell. He probably won't win, though.

Oliveira, unanimous decision

Scott Harris

Oliveira is a doggone underrated fighter. This, and not the main event, is my favorite for Fight of the Night. Lentz is tough enough to weather punishment in this rematch but not skilled enough to mitigate said punishment. Oliveira will have a particular advantage in striking.

Oliveira, unanimous decision

James MacDonald

Let’s be honest: This isn’t the most compelling co-main event we’re ever likely to see. Lentz is decent everywhere, but he doesn’t possess any weapons. His wrestling has gotten him so far, but Oliveira is legitimately a dangerous fighter who can end fights from anywhere.

I expect the Brazilian to get the result he was on his way to achieving in the pair’s first fight. One a side note, this event boasts far too many Oliveiras. Is it a family reunion?

Oliveira, submission, Rd. 2

Carlos Condit vs. Thiago Alves

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Riley Kontek

A knee injury and fighting one of the most ferocious leg kickers in the game concern me for Carlos Condit. In fact, it's downright terrifying. That said, he is longer and rangier than the Brazilian, which could allow him to stick and move from the outside. At some point, he can achieve a takedown of some sort and grab a submission. That's his best bet.

Condit, submission, Rd. 3

Sean Smith

It is tough to say how Condit will look in a return from a 14-month hiatus. Without a knee problem, I'd consider him a huge favorite against Alves, even though the Brazilian has been getting back to his old form. Still, even with his knee being a question mark, Condit should utilize his reach effectively when standing and steal a round or two with takedowns.

Condit, unanimous decision

Craig Amos

Condit has been out for more than a year, while Alves has fought only twice since 2012. That means there are a lot of question marks coming into this one. Assuming Condit is back at full-strength, he is the more well-rounded fighter and should outduel his Brazilian counterpart. He may even be able to get the stoppage.

Condit, submission, Rd. 4

Scott Harris

This was an amazing fight in 2009. It's still promising today, but thanks to the ravages of time it's hard to know what we'll actually see. It won't quite be the bloodbath some might anticipate. Instead, Condit, cage rust and all, will outmaneuver Alves, landing enough combinations to score the win.

Condit, unanimous decision

James MacDonald

It will be interesting to see how Condit looks after being out for more than a year. Athletes don’t always recover their peak after suffering a knee injury, so it’s hard to root against him here.

Alves is a decent stylistic matchup for him. Both men prefer to ply their trade on the feet, and neither likes to take a backward step. This fight is likely to be fast-paced and violent. With the pace The Natural Born Killer sets, Alves may have a tough time hanging in for five rounds, so look for Condit to earn a late stoppage.

Condit, TKO, Rd. 4