UFC Fight Night 73 Preliminary Card Predictions
The summer of UFC continues to roll along this weekend, as the UFC touches down in Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday.
UFC Fight Night 73 will be headlined by light heavyweight contenders Ovince St. Preux and Glover Teixeira, who look to move into title contention with a victory. It also features names like Michael Johnson, Sam Alvey and a host of up-and-coming fighters looking to push their stock through the roof.
Before those bouts, we have the prelims. We are coming off a big weekend in Brazil at UFC 190, where the picks on the Fox Sports portion of the prelims overcame a bad UFC Fight Pass showing.
With that, let's examine the prelims for UFC Fight Night 73 and make some picks.
2015 Riley's Record: 97-60
Last Event: UFC 190 (4-2)
Scott Holtzman vs. Anthony Christodoulou
1 of 7Kicking off the prelims is a bout in the lightweight division, as Tennessee native Scott Holtzman gets welcomed to the UFC by Greek fighter Anthony Christodoulou.
Holtzman is a newcomer to the UFC from the XFC organization, where he was the lightweight champion. He is undefeated at 7-0, has good hands and is a well-rounded fighter.
Four of his wins came via finish, most of which were via stoppage from strikes. He has good power, too, which is why he should try and bang on the feet with Christodoulou.
As for Christodoulou, he is a ground fighter who employs ground-and-pound and submissions. He runs with Renzo Gracie's team, so you know he's educated on the mat and would prefer to fight there.
His debut came on late notice at UFC on Fox 14, where he was matched up with Mairbek Taisumov. It was one he won't want to remember, as he was brutally knocked out in highlight-reel fashion.
Plain and simple, Christodoulou does not belong in the UFC and Holtzman does. Holtzman will prove this by finishing the Greek, announcing his arrival to a crowded 155-pound division.
Prediction: Holtzman def. Christodoulou via TKO
Roman Salazar vs. Marlon Vera
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Next up are the bantamweights, as Ecuadoran Marlon Vera looks to get himself in the win column when he takes on Roman Salazar.
Salazar is a grappler with a good guillotine choke that he's used in three of his victories. He has not had a keynote victory yet in his career, as he is still a raw prospect.
He is 0-1 with a no-contest in the UFC so far. He was choked out by Mitch Gagnon in his UFC debut before fighting to said no-contest with Kid Yamamoto, where he was losing until an eye poke.
As for Vera, he is a Greg Jackson pupil who is improving from fight to fight. His best work is done on the mat, where most of his wins take place via submission.
After a run on The Ultimate Fighter Latin America, where he dropped out of the competition after beating Henry Briones due to a skin infection, he showed back up at the finale to fight. There, he dropped an entertaining decision to Marco Beltran, with the entertainment value likely being the reason he is still on the roster.
Salazar got out of his last fight with a no-contest, but he was really getting beat by Yamamoto. He may not be a world beater, but Vera is the stronger fighter and will run a decision to prove it.
Prediction: Vera def. Salazar via decision
Chris Dempsey vs. Jonathan Wilson
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Jonathan Wilson has finally found a fighter to settle on in his UFC debut, as middleweight Chris Dempsey steps up a weight class in relief of both Matt Van Buren and Jared Cannonier. Both dropped out due to injury.
Dempsey is a wrestler who thrives when in top position. He goes to decision a lot; however, he does own submission skills that have seen him put away three men via tapout.
His debut saw him take on Ilir Latifi, where he was brutally knocked out. He came back strong in his latest offering, though, when he earned a decision over TUF 19 winner Eddie Gordon.
As for Wilson, he is an athletic, explosive light heavyweight who is known for his striking acumen. All but one of his victories came via knockout, showing that he has the killer instinct and power to end opponents' nights quickly.
He has spent most of his time in the Gladiator Challenge promotion, where he hasn't fought the highest of competition. This will be a good test for Wilson to see if he can swim in the UFC's shark-infested water.
Wilson is an intriguing prospect, and this will be a nice measuring-stick match for him in the UFC. Dempsey will put up some resistance, but Johnny Bravo will hurt him with his powerful hands.
Prediction: Wilson def. Dempsey via TKO
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Frankie Saenz vs. Sirwan Kakai
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The bantamweights will make their way to the cage next, as Sweden's Sirwan Kakai looks for his second UFC win in less than two months against the gritty Frankie Saenz.
Kakai is a much-improved fighter from Sweden who has made leaps in his game since going to American Top Team. Most of his wins have come via submission, though he has made strides in the striking department.
After failing to make it into the house of TUF 18, Kakai went back to the regional scene to recover. He then got a late-notice bout for his UFC debut against Danny Martinez, besting him via unanimous decision.
Then there is Saenz, a wrestler who is known for his takedowns and top position. His striking is basic, but he is explosive enough and closes the distance well, allowing him to hit takedowns with ease.
He is 2-0 in the UFC, showing that he's making a beeline up the bantamweight ladder. After besting Nolan Ticman in his debut, he scored a massive upset over Iuri Alcantara in his last fight to really put him in the spotlight.
Kakai surprised us in his UFC debut, but Saenz surprised us even more in his most recent bout. Expect takedowns and positions to carry Saenz to another decision, whether it's fun to watch or not.
Prediction: Saenz def. Kakai via decision
Dustin Ortiz vs. Willie Gates
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A pair of exciting flyweights are set to do battle next, as Dustin Ortiz meets the explosive Willie Gates. Gates steps up on short notice for Ian McCall, who dropped out of the bout late in training.
Ortiz is a grinder who is well-rounded and underrated. He has improved his striking big time under Duke Roufus, which goes well with his solid clinch work and takedown ability.
He is 3-2 in the UFC, and most of his fights have come against the division's top fighters. His two biggest wins in the UFC are over surging prospect Ray Borg and the exciting Justin Scoggins, showing that Ortiz can hang with some heavy hitters.
As for Gates, he is an explosive striker known for his aggression, power and fast starts out of the gate (no pun intended). Most of his wins have come via knockout, showing that he is a headhunter whom you have to weather the storm with.
After dropping a close bout via submission to John Moraga in his debut, Gates came back strong in his most recent bout on July 12. In that bout, he violently ended the night of Darrell Montague in quick fashion.
Gates needs to strike early, but Ortiz is tough and has the style to beat him. Styles make fights, and this fight favors Ortiz in a Fight of the Night contender.
Prediction: Ortiz def. Gates via decision
Sara McMann vs. Amanda Nunes
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The ladies are up next, as Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann looks to march back toward the title picture against Amanda Nunes.
McMann is an athletic wrestler who closes the distance quickly in an attempt to drag the fight to the mat. Her striking is still coming along, so expect her not to play into the stand-up of Nunes.
She has shuffled between wins and losses in the UFC. Though she has fallen to the top two fighters in the division (Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate), she has earned victories over Sheila Gaff and Lauren Murphy, showing she can compete with some strong competition.
As for Nunes, she is more of a striker, though she has been known to fish for takedowns and punish opponents from top position. She has heavy kicks and knees, which combine nicely when she lets her hands go.
She is 3-1 in the UFC, and other than a loss to Cat Zingano, she has looked extremely impressive. All three of her UFC wins came via stoppage from strikes, putting down Gaff, Germaine de Randamie and Shayna Baszler.
Nunes needs to strike and strike early. If she can defend the shot, she's in good shape, but McMann and her takedowns will steal the show here.
Prediction: McMann def. Nunes via decision
Uriah Hall vs. Oluwale Bamgbose
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Capping off the prelims are the middleweights, as late replacement Oluwale Bamgbose looks to make a successful debut against Uriah Hall. Bamgbose steps up for Joe Riggs, who suffered an injury late in training camp.
Hall is notorious for his freakish athleticism, explosive striking and flashiness with his techniques. He is also a good defender of takedowns, which allows him to stand up and look to decapitate opponents.
He should be on a four-fight winning streak, but he dropped a controversial decision to Rafael Natal in his most recent affair. Before said loss, he was a wrecking machine, besting the likes of Chris Leben, Thiago Santos and Ron Stallings.
As for Bamgbose, he is a power striker as well, though he does not have the technical gifts or athleticism of Hall. He is a headhunter who constantly goes for the knockout, making him a feared opponent when he enters the cage.
Bamgbose can knock anybody out, but he's not superior athletically or technically to Hall. Hall will avoid the aggressive bombs early to wear on Bamgbose and finish him down the stretch.
Prediction: Hall def. Bamgbose via TKO
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