Machida vs. Romero: A Complete Guide to UFC Fight Night 70
UFC Fight Night 70 comes your way this Saturday with a compelling middleweight main event.
No. 4-ranked middleweight Lyoto Machida squares off against No. 6-ranked Yoel Romero. Machida is coming off a brutal loss to Luke Rockhold in April, while Romero returns for the first time since his controversial win over Tim Kennedy last September.
This event has undergone numerous changes that included visa troubles for several fighters including Erick Silva. This unfortunate shake-up has left the UFC with only nine fights for the weekend's card. Regardless, it should still be a fun night of fights.
The co-main event now will be Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Lorenz Larkin.
Seven of the nine bouts take place in the welterweight and middleweight divisions. There will be a lot of movement within those divisions on Saturday.
After all the shuffling, we can finally get this card under our belts in just a few short days. Let's take a look at the complete guide for the nine-fight card hitting Florida this weekend.
Danny Martinez (16-6) vs. Sirwan Kakai (11-2)
1 of 9
Division: Bantamweight
Where to watch: Fox Sports 2
Danny Martinez is 0-2 in the UFC, and this could be his final fight with the organization if he loses. It is worth noting that his two losses come to credible fighters in Chris Cariaso and Scott Jorgensen with a Fight of the Night for the latter contest. Regardless, his back is against the wall against the debuting Sirwan Kakai.
Kakai has won his last two professional contests by stoppage.
This is a late addition to the fight card that was only announced on Tuesday. On short notice, Martinez will move up to bantamweight for the contest.
I have to favor the UFC newcomer in this contest. He will be the larger man in the cage, and their skill differences are not so stark that Martinez will have a clear advantage. It will likely go to the scorecards, and Kakai will earn his first UFC victory. Coming in on short notice after two competitive fights, Martinez has a small chance to get a fourth UFC fight.
Prediction: Kakai defeats Martinez by decision.
Steve Montgomery (8-2) vs. Tony Sims (9-2)
2 of 9
Division: Welterweight
Where to watch: Fox Sports 2
Next on the card is a battle between two of the most boring fighter names. Steve Montgomery edges out Tony Sims with his nickname of "The Creepy Weasel."
Sims lost his professional debut but reeled off eight consecutive wins after that. He is 1-1 in his last two fights with his loss coming to Drew Dober by split decision. Montgomery enters the fight on a five-fight win streak. His last victory was a knockout over Brock Jardine on Titan Fighting Championship 31.
This could be a matchup to make Montgomery look good. The 24-year-old prospect fights out of American Top Team and is on a bit of a roll. Sims is a great opponent for him to debut against. The UFC is giving both men a chance to impress.
Montgomery will use his height and reach advantage to establish the range, and eventually he will tag Sims to end the fight.
Prediction: Montgomery defeats Sims by TKO in the second round.
Leandro Silva (17-2-1) vs. Lewis Gonzalez (10-1)
3 of 9
Division: Welterweight
Where to watch: Fox Sports 2
Leandro Silva returns to the cage after his match against Drew Dober. Silva was originally awarded the victory via submission when the incompetent referee stopped the fight without Dober being in danger. Later, the result became a no-contest. He will welcome UFC newcomer Lewis Gonzalez to the organization.
Gonzalez has some impressive wins under his belt outside of the UFC against Justin Buchholz and Antonio McKee, but entering the UFC is a different beast.
This will be a difficult fight for Silva, but he will edge it out on the scorecards. The experience of being in the Octagon will be the difference. Silva will pace himself better to take the third and deciding frame with a more well-rounded attack.
Silva gets a well-earned victory with a qualified referee at the helm.
Prediction: Silva defeats Gonzalez by decision.
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Alex Oliveira (11-2) vs. Joe Merritt (6-0)
4 of 9
Division: Welterweight
Where to watch: Fox Sports 2
Welcome back, Cowboy. Alex Oliveira returns for his third fight in four months.
He made his UFC debut against rising prospect Gilbert Burns but came out on the losing end in a fun fight. He came back against K.J. Noons two months later and made short work of the striker. He is an exciting fighter to have on the fight card.
Joe Merritt brings in a clean professional record, but he does not have a signature win to his credit.
Merritt didn't get any favors with this matchup. Oliveira is a better fighter. It's that simple. Merritt getting a win would be a sizable upset, and one that I cannot see happening.
Oliveira will end this in the first round by TKO. He will get his hands going early, and Merritt will not have an answer for the onslaught coming his way. It will be a bonus-winning performance for the Brazilian.
Prediction: Oliveira defeats Merritt by TKO in the first round.
Hacran Dias (22-3-1) vs. Levan Makashvili (7-1)
5 of 9
Division: Featherweight
Where to watch: Fox Sports 1
Levan Makashvili is a solid featherweight prospect, but this is a big step up in competition. He is 1-0 in the UFC after his May split decision against Mark Eddiva.
Dias got back in the win column last December with a decision win over Darren Elkins. Prior to that he had lost back-to-back fights to Ricardo Lamas and Nik Lentz. His level of competition far exceeds Makashvili's. Dias is attempting to work his way back into the thick of the 145-pound division.
Dias should have an easy night. Makashvili will push him in this fight, but that won't be a smart decision.
Dias will finish Makashvili. The method will be determined by Makashvili's game plan. Dias will either drop him in a striking exchange or catch him in a choke as Makashvili tries to work Dias to the mat. Either way, it ends up with Dias getting his hand raised in the opening main card bout.
This fight will highlight the difference between levels in the featherweight division.
Prediction: Dias defeats Makashvili via submission in the second round.
Thiago Santos (10-3) vs. Steve Bosse (10-1)
6 of 9
Division: Middleweight
Where to watch: Fox Sports 1
This fight will not get past the first five minutes. Thiago Santos and Steve Bosse will throw down, and someone will hit the floor.
Santos is 2-2 in the UFC, and Bosse makes his organizational debut. He enters with a great backstory with his hockey career, but he has several notable names on his professional MMA record. Both men love finishing by KO/TKO with a combined 14 finishes between them.
Santos is the more diverse striker. If he gets his body kicks started early, he can get Bosse out of this fight. He has more to his arsenal than Bosse dos, but can he handle Bosse's power?
Bosse will get the first-round KO win during a wild exchange. Santos will leave his chin out there, and Bosse will hit the button. He makes a statement in an exciting fight for his UFC debut.
Prediction: Bosse defeats Silva by KO in the first round.
Antonio Carlos Junior (4-1) vs. Eddie Gordon (7-3)
7 of 9
Division: Middleweight
Where to watch: Fox Sports 1
Antonio Carlos Junior returns to the cage after suffering his first professional loss to Patrick Cummins, and he will meet Eddie Gordon, who is 1-3 in the UFC and coming off back-to-back losses.
Gordon may be one of the most disappointing The Ultimate Fighter winners in history, and that is saying something. He has talent but has not been able to realize his potential. His fight against "Cara de Sapato," translated to lovably mean "Shoe Face," will be his do-or-die moment in the UFC.
As for Shoe Face, his last outing was a big learning experience against an All-American wrestler, which will pay off against Gordon. He will not be taken down as easily, and his cardio will be improved. These factors will get him the win against Gordon.
It will be a grinding type of fight that goes for 15 minutes. Do not expect fireworks.
Prediction: Carlos Juniors defeats Gordon by decision.
Santiago Ponzinibbio (20-2) vs. Lorenz Larkin (15-4, 1 NC)
8 of 9
Division: Welterweight
Where to watch: Fox Sports 1
Santiago Ponzinibbio has won back-to-back fights, and his decision win over Sean Strickland put him on the map in the welterweight division. Now, he takes another step up against Lorenz Larkin.
Larkin is a former Strikeforce standout who has faced some of the best competition. His bid at 205 pounds didn't go well, but he scored a win over Robbie Lawler at middleweight. After three straight losses in the UFC, he dropped even further to 170 pounds where he looked fantastic against John Howard.
This fight will prove if Larkin is finally hitting his stride, or if his performance against Howard was just an aberration.
I'm expecting a competitive fight for the first five minutes before Larkin starts to take over. He is going to pick up a clear-cut decision by taking the last two rounds without any issue. I would not be surprised if Larkin earns a TKO finish, but I'll give Ponzinibbio some credit in his ability to hang in there for 15 minutes.
Prediction: Larkin defeats Ponzinibbio by decision.
Lyoto Machida (22-6) vs. Yoel Romero (9-1)
9 of 9
Division: Middleweight
Where to watch: Fox Sports 1
This main event matchup is compelling.
If we were just talking about stylistic matchups, then this would be a no-brainer for Lyoto Machida. Yoel Romero is ultra-aggressive in the cage, and his MMA techniques are not as crisp as many of the elite. His style plays perfectly into Machida's.
However, Luke Rockhold just brutalized Machida two months ago. Should he be returning so soon? Can his chin hold up?
These questions loom large over Machida and could be the reason Romero upsets Machida.
Romero is an Olympic medalist in wrestling, but he has been taken down inside the cage. He doesn't use his wrestling like Daniel Cormier or Henry Cejudo. And he has gassed out in many of his fights. That is not a recipe for success in a five-round bout.
Even with questions surrounding Machida, the stylistic matchup is too important to ignore. Romero plays right into Machida's hand. If The Dragon is healthy, this should be a relatively easy fight for him. He will either catch Romero chasing him or trip him to the canvas to finish with a choke. And on the off-chance neither happens early, Romero will tire out quickly, leaving Machida ample opportunities to pick him apart in the later rounds.
Prediction: Machida defeats Romero by TKO in the second round.
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