UFC Fight Night 82 Predictions: Main Card Staff Picks
UFC Fight Night 82, formerly known as UFC 196, will take place Saturday.
Originally supposed to be the latest in a growing contingent of high-profile Super Bowl Weekend fight cards, Fight Night 82 lost a fair bit of luster when its main event and then replacement main event were scuttled because of injuries.
The event's new headliner is a welterweight title eliminator between former champion Johny Hendricks and rising star Stephen Thompson.
Upgraded in status, the heavyweight contest between Roy Nelson and Jared Rosholt now serves as the co-main attraction.
The full main card for Fight Night 82 looks like this:
- Johny Hendricks vs. Stephen Thompson
- Roy Nelson vs. Jared Rosholt
- Ovince Saint Preux vs. Rafael Cavalcante
- Joseph Benavidez vs. Zach Makovsky
- Misha Cirkunov vs. Alex Nicholson
- Mike Pyle vs. Sean Spencer
Want to know who your Bleacher Report staff picks team is taking? Of course, you do. After all, you did choose to come here and read this.
Stay the course for forecasts by "Sokka" Scott Harris, "Suki" Sydnie Jones, Nathan "Cabbage Merchant" McCarter, Steven "Roku" Rondina and Craig "Appa" Amos.
2016 Rankings
1 of 7
2016 hasn't been great for predictions. Sydnie is out to an early lead, owing to the fact she's the only one among us to be more than a game over .500. I'd make excuses, but really, her defense has just set the tone thus far.
I do feel we're collectively poised for a breakthrough, though. I'd even go so far as to venture that every one of us is going to pick every fight correctly this time through, even the ones we don't agree on. Because optimism.
Here are the records thus far:
- Sydnie Jones: 8-5
- Steven Rondina: 7-6
- Craig Amos: 7-6
- Scott Harris: 6-7
- Nathan McCarter: 5-8
Now on to the picks.
Mike Pyle vs. Sean Spencer
2 of 7
Scott Harris
Spencer is a heavy striker. There was a time when Pyle would be a clear favorite here, but this is not that time. Can you believe Pyle is 40 years old? Well, he is. This would be his third straight UFC defeat. Pyle has put together a respectable MMA career, but he might be getting to the end of the line.
Spencer, knockout, Rd. 1
Nathan McCarter
I'm going against my better judgment in picking Pyle here. I was high on Spencer as a prospect entering the UFC, but I haven't seen the progression I thought I would see in the past few years. Pyle has all the tools to make this a difficult fight and steal a decision.
Pyle, unanimous decision
Sydnie Jones
If Spencer had demonstrated a strong upward trajectory, I might pick him, particularly given Pyle's 2-3 showing in his last five fights. But he hasn't, and unless he's progressed in leaps and bounds since his loss to Cathal Pendred a year ago, Pyle's experience and versatility will prove too much.
Pyle, submission, Rd. 2
Steven Rondina
I'm a big fan of Mr. Mullet, but his best days are behind him. Sean Spencer isn't great, but he should be good enough to tag Pyle and either score a late knockout or take this one with the judges.
Spencer, unanimous decision
Craig Amos
Remember when Spencer "lost" to Pendred? Saturday's performance should be just as good for him, though hopefully the judges won't mix up the two fighters again. Maybe he should just earn the finish.
Spencer, TKO, Rd. 2
Misha Cirkunov vs. Alex Nicholson
3 of 7
Scott Harris
Cirkunov is a hot light heavyweight prospect for the UFC. He debuted last summer and got a first-round knockout. Nicholson is a solid fighter but probably not on Cirkunov's level. Sometimes, it's just as simple as that.
Cirkunov, TKO, Rd. 2
Nathan McCarter
Who? Well, Cirkunov is almost a minus-1000 favorite on the books, per Odds Shark, so it's probably wise to pick him.
Cirkunov, TKO, Rd. 1
Sydnie Jones
I looked at their records. Cirkunov's is longer and more varied and includes a UFC debut with a KO, so...I'm going with him.
Cirkunov, TKO, Rd. 1
Steven Rondina
This is a lopsided matchup according to the bookies, and for good reason. Cirkunov should pick up the win without much trouble.
Cirkunov, TKO, Rd. 1
Craig Amos
Nicholson makes his UFC debut while riding a five-fight win streak, but that's about to come to a halt. Potentially a quick, violent halt.
Cirkunov, TKO, Rd. 1
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Joseph Benavidez vs. Zach Makovsky
4 of 7
Scott Harris
This is a hidden gem buried on a damaged card. Some bloom is off the Team Alpha Male rose, but Benavidez is still a magnificent athlete and well-rounded fighter. Makovsky is good but not good enough for Benavidez.
Benavidez, unanimous decision
Nathan McCarter
Makovsky is a good fighter, but Benavidez is a better one. Makovsky is tough enough to avoid being stopped, but I don't foresee him taking a single round on the scorecards.
Benavidez, unanimous decision
Sydnie Jones
Benavidez loses to champions, and that's not Makovsky.
Benavidez, submission, Rd. 3
Steven Rondina
Makovsky is good, but Benavidez is great. The soon-to-be-former Alpha Male will be able to bottle up Makovsky, and control him en route to a handy-dandy decision.
Benavidez, unanimous decision
Craig Amos
Especially since the departure of John Dodson to bantamweight, Benavidez is the No. 2 man at 125 pounds. Makovsky, while a good fighter, is of course not No. 1.
Benavidez, unanimous decision
Ovince Saint Preux vs. Rafael Cavalcante
5 of 7
Scott Harris
This could be fun. Striking exchanges, and so forth. I still haven't figured OSP out, but he should have the physical tools to dispatch the free-swinging, free-wheeling Cavalcante.
Saint Preux, unanimous decision
Nathan McCarter
Cavalcante is a scary fighter to pick or pick against. You never know what he will give you in any given fight. OSP is on the rise and only getting better. He'll finish this in the third round after Feijao fades.
Saint Preux, TKO, Rd. 3
Sydnie Jones
I'd love to root for the guy who knocked out Yoel Romero, but Saint Preux is tough and finishes fights, and we'll get to see that take Cavalcante's losing streak to three. Cavalcante has gone 1-3 in the UFC, with his lone win coming over Igor Pokrajac. And he doesn't seem to be on the upswing.
Saint Preux, TKO, Rd. 1
Steven Rondina
It may not sound nice to say, but this is basically a tune-up fight for Ovince Saint Preux. I'm 100-percent expecting him to unceremoniously knock out the aging former Strikeforce champ.
Saint Preux, TKO, Rd. 2
Craig Amos
Saint Preux is at his most vulnerable when his opponents put him on his back, but that's not what Cavalcante will do to him. In fact, I wouldn't rule out that Saint Preux will be looking to use some takedowns of his own en route to the W.
Saint Preux, TKO, Rd. 2
Roy Nelson vs. Jared Rosholt
6 of 7
Scott Harris
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the worst co-main event I can remember in UFC history. Not even Nelson's charisma can save this. It's going to be a lot of plodding and a lot of clinching. Maybe a haymaker or two, but nothing that will stop or even substantially alter the course of the fight, which is a Rosholt win. He fights like a glacier, and I mean that in any way you want it to mean.
Rosholt, unanimous decision
Nathan McCarter
Rosholt has silently moved up the ladder in the putrid heavyweight division. Can he take the next step by beating Nelson? Possibly. To do so he'll have to put together a standard, boring Rosholt-type fight without getting hit in his noggin. I don't think he can do that successfully for three rounds. Nelson gets a KO win.
Nelson, knockout, Rd. 2
Sydnie Jones
Nelson has been having a rough go of it, going 1-4 in his last five with no wins in almost two years. Even so, when he does win, it's rarely by decision, and I don't think Rosholt can stave Nelson off to get there. Big Country is probably in the twilight of his MMA career, but he's still powerful and dangerous.
Nelson, TKO, Rd. 2
Steven Rondina
Jared Rosholt is still incredibly green, but this fight is tailor made for him. Nelson has deceptively good takedown defense but Rosholt should be able to stay close, tire him out and take this one cleanly on the scorecards.
Rosholt, unanimous decision
Craig Amos
I've never been less impressed with anyone starting his UFC career with wins in six of seven fights as I am with Rosholt. When he starts to tire, which he tends to do, Nelson is going to make him pay.
Nelson, knockout, Rd. 3
Johny Hendricks vs. Stephen Thompson
7 of 7
Scott Harris
Hendricks, unanimous decision
Nathan McCarter
As I said in the head-to-toe breakdown, I side with Hendricks because of his proven ability to eat shots to get inside. Inside, Hendricks will control Thompson without much issue. Thompson doesn't have the defensive grappling to compete in a five-round fight. Give me the former champion in the deep waters.
Hendricks, TKO, Rd. 5
Sydnie Jones
Feel however you want about Hendricks vs. Lawler I, but Hendricks has a long career of beating top-ranked fighters. His most recent win over tough dude Matt Brown is a testament to his durability. Thompson hasn't faced the same level of competition, and I doubt he'll be able to dominate Hendricks to a decision win, let alone stop him.
Hendricks, TKO, Rd. 3
Steven Rondina
Unless Thompson can manage to clip Hendricks with a kick or punch, I don't see how things break in his favor. I'm expecting this to look very similar to Hendricks vs. Brown.
Hendricks, unanimous decision
Craig Amos
Thompson vs. Lawler would be an incredible matchup, but I'm guessing Hendricks isn't interested in seeing it. He'll go back to his wrestling in this one. He better.
Hendricks, unanimous decision
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