UFC Fight Night 150 Staff Picks: Predictions for Jacare vs. Hermansson
The UFC heads to the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida, on Saturday for a middleweight showdown between No. 4-ranked contender Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza and No. 10-ranked Jack Hermansson.
The main event was originally slated to be a rematch between Jacare and Yoel Romero, but an injury forced Romero off the card. Subsequently, the event was moved from ESPN to the new ESPN+ streaming service. Still, per ESPN.com's Brett Okamoto, Jacare is guaranteed a title shot with a win.
The evening's co-main event will put the controversial Greg Hardy back in the spotlight as he meets Dmitrii Smoliakov.
How will those bouts shake out? And what about the other four main card attractions?
The Bleacher Report staff is back at the prognostication game for each and every bout. Scott Harris, Nathan McCarter and Jonathan Snowden take a stab at predicting how the main card fights will go down. The experts are ready, are you?
Here are the staff predictions heading into UFC Fight Night 150's middleweight showcase.
Ronaldo Souza vs. Jack Hermansson
1 of 6
Nathan McCarter
Hermansson has been riding a nice little streak, but this jump up in competition will be little more than a fight to show fans there are levels to the fight game. Jacare is a level above. Or two. Hermansson likes to grapple, and that's a terrible style to have here.
Jacare gets his mitts around Hermansson's body, drags him to the mat and chokes him to claim his title shot.
Souza, submission, Rd. 1
Scott Harris
Hats off to Hermansson, a European fan favorite going back to his championship tenure with Britain's well-regarded Cage Warriors promotion. I have to agree with Nathan, though, in that he has bitten off more than he can chew against Jacare, and a motivated Souza's going to eat him alive as a result.
Souza, submission, Rd. 2
Jonathan Snowden
It's been remarkable to watch Hermansson progress over the years. At one point he was the hyped European prospect who got bounced out of Bellator after losing consecutive bouts. Those losses could have easily defined his career. Instead, he's built himself into a fighter capable of winning three in a row inside the UFC Octagon. That's worth noting, but it's a streak that's about to come to an end.
Souza, submission, Rd. 1
Greg Hardy vs. Dmitrii Smoliakov
2 of 6
McCarter
Hardy is a better athlete, but that's about all I can say. He looked dreadful in his UFC debut. Still, is Smoliakov that much better to avoid Hardy's pressure and power? Doubtful. And that's why the UFC chose him.
Hardy, TKO, Rd. 1
Harris
Allen Crowder was too much for the troubled former NFL player. It was pretty embarrassing for every stakeholder not named Allen Crowder. Good thing, then, that this is a pretty shameless crowd we're talking about.
Are you concerned about watching Hardy jump around the cage shouting about how he silenced the haters and so forth, against a guy who lost to Cyril Asker in his last UFC fight two years ago? Well, don't be concerned. It's going to happen again. Hardy's going to dive into something when the action hits the mat.
Smoliakov, submission, Rd. 1
Snowden
These guys are both bad at fighting, and Hardy shouldn't be featured by the UFC and ESPN. They should be ashamed of themselves.
Hardy, TKO, Rd. 1
Alex Oliveira vs. Mike Perry
3 of 6
McCarter
There is only one word to describe this matchup: donnybrook.
I like Oliveira's overall abilities when breaking down the two fighters, but I like Perry's chances better in a pure slugfest. Oliveira's penchant for getting wreckless will likely end up with him in an unconscious heap on the canvas.
Perry, KO, Rd. 1
Harris
Batten down the hatches for this one. Perry's wrestling will be a combo-breaker against the fury of Oliveira's attack. But "The Other Cowboy" has shown he’s more than some mindless berserker.
Oliveira, TKO, Rd. 2
Snowden
One of these guys is going to get knocked out. Oliveira's style almost guarantees it, and Perry can easily be convinced to eschew his wrestling advantage to engage in a tit-for-tat slugfest. As tough as Perry is, Oliveira recently survived a grenade attack. If he can walk away from something like that, I think he can handle whatever Mike can toss his way.
Oliveira, TKO, Rd. 3
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Glover Teixeira vs. Ion Cutelaba
4 of 6
McCarter
I've tried writing off Teixeira before, but he keeps plugging away. Cutelaba may be able to squeeze through that gate that Teixeira is keeping, but I'm not bold enough to pick him to do so. I'm expecting this to be a rather plodding affair until Teixeira can get the fight to the mat.
Teixeira, submission, Rd. 2
Harris
Like watching two potatoes come to life. Glover's the bigger name here, but Cutelaba is the better fighter. I guess.
Cutelaba, split decision
Snowden
Very evenly matched fight that will look like it's being contested in a vat of molasses. There's an off chance that one of these big fellas clubs the other one hard with a haymaker, but we're more likely looking at a dreadful slog that ends in a decision.
Teixeira, unanimous decision
John Lineker vs. Cory Sandhagen
5 of 6
McCarter
Lineker has only one loss at bantamweight since moving up and that was to TJ Dillashaw. Knowing what we know now—as he serves a two-year suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs—that loss doesn't seem as bad. Maybe Lineker should be getting talked about as a title threat? He'll jump into the thick of that conversation once he wrecks Sandhagen's body on Saturday.
Sandhagen crumples, and the referee has to pull Lineker off of his broken body.
Lineker, TKO, Rd. 2
Harris
I thought Sandhagen was a golfer. Aren’t people named Sandhagen required by law to be golfers? I’m not sure, but he certainly looks to be set on a tee, lol, for Mr. Lineker.
Lineker, KO, Rd. 1
Snowden
There's nothing like watching Lineker fight, just this tiny blur, fists flying with reckless regard at his opponent's body and head. These are the kind of fighters hardcore fans treasure. I will ride with him to the end, inevitable with age, time and wear. But I don't think Sandhagen, despite being a super competent fighter, is the guy to start him on a downward slide. This should be a shellacking.
Lineker, TKO, Rd. 2
Roosevelt Roberts vs. Thomas Gifford
6 of 6
McCarter
Roberts is a 7-0 prospect with wins on Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series and a The Ultimate Fighter Finale event. Gifford comes in for his promotional debut. It's difficult not to come to the conclusion he has been brought in to do the job. Roberts moves to 8-0 after some favorable booking by the UFC brass.
Roberts, TKO, Rd. 1
Harris
Who in the hell are these people? Another Dana White pet project gets his shot. And who am I to blow against the wind?
Roberts, KO, Rd. 1
Snowden
There is no safer bet in MMA than one of Dana White's hand-chosen prospects in their promotional debut. Every thing is set up for Roberts to win. He just needs to show up.
Roberts, TKO, Rd. 1
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