It’s been four long days since International Fight Week, and as we gear up fo UFC Fight Night: Mcdonald vs. Lineker, let’s delve into each main card fight a little bit closer.
Starting the main card off will be a flyweight battle between Louis Smolka and Ben Nguyen.
Louis Smolka vs. Ben Nguyen
In a surefire Fight of the Night contender, Louis Smolka takes on up and comer Ben Nguyen.
Before entering the Octagon, 12th ranked Smolka was 6-0 and had won the Pacific Xtreme Combat Flyweight Championship and after suffering the only loss in his professional career against Chris Cariaso, Smolka rebounded by racking up three straight victories, including his most recent, a submission win over Paddy Holohan.
Nguyen is undefeated since 2011 and is riding a nine fight win streak, going 2-0 in his first 2 UFC appearances.
Before entering the UFC, Nguyen was fighting in the Bantamweight Division and won the Nitro MMA Bantamweight Title. Nguyen is most known for his fight with Julian Wallace that went viral, amassing over 18 million views on YouTube.
PREDICTION: Nguyen wins VIA TKO in Round 3
Kyle Noke vs. Keita Nakamura
Six-year veteran Kyle Noke is looking to get back in the win column against Nakamura, after losing a split decision to Alex Morono at UFC 195.
A former XFC Middleweight Champion, Noke got his UFC start on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz. After going 3-2 in the UFC middleweight division, Noke dropped down to welterweight in 2012, where he is currently 3-2 as well.
Former Shooto Pacific Rim middleweight (167 lb) champion, Sengoku Raiden champion, and deep welterweight champion, Keita Nakamura, is also looking to get back in that win column, after dropping a decision to Tom Breese at UFC Fight Night: Silva vs. Bispin, which stopped his five-fight win streak,that included a victory over Yuta Watanabe to become the Deep welterweight champion.
PREDICTION: Nakamura wins VIA Unanimous Decision
Daniel Omielanzuk vs. Oleksiy Oliynyk
Omielanzuk is riding a two-fight win streak into this fight, with his last win over Jarjis Danho coming by a technical decision, after a groin strike rendered Danho unable to continue.
Almost a twenty-year veteran, Oleksiy Oliynyk hasn’t lost since 2012. He’s picked up victories his last eleven fights, his last win coming in 2014 when he knocked out Jared Rosholt in the first round at UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Swanson.
PREDICTION: Oliynyk wins VIA KO in Round 1
Tim Boetsch vs. Josh Samman
Moving back to middleweight after stepping up to the light heavyweight division to face Ed Herman at UFC Fight Night: Dillashaw vs. Cruz, Tim Boetsch looks to erase his three-fight losing streak taking on rising prospect Josh Samman.
Boetsch looked like the real deal in his first 9 bouts, defeating the likes of Kendall Grove, Hector Lombard, and Yushin Okami, and only losing to now Bellator top contender Phil Davis, but has since lost 6 of his last 8 bouts.
28-year-old Josh Samman is coming off a submission loss to Tamdan McCrory at UFC on Fox: dos Anjos vs. Cerrone 2 that halted his four-fight win streak.
Getting his start in the UFC on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen, Samman made it all the way to the semifinals, before being eliminated by now Welterweight Title contender, Kelvin Gastelum.
Samman has looked impressive so far in the UFC, going 4-1, and is catching Tim Boetsch at the backside of his career, which could give him an edge in this one.
PREDICTION: Josh Samman wins VIA TKO in the Round 2
Tony Ferguson vs. Landon Vannata
Originally slated for the main event, before an injury forced Michael Chiesa out, and Tony Ferguson into the Co-Main Event, we have “El Cucuy” taking on the debuting Landon Vannata.
#3 Ranked Tony Ferguson has been on a tear after his loss to Michael Johnson at UFC on Fox: Diaz vs. Miller, winning seven straight victories, with his last an impressive victory over Edson Barboza via D’Arce choke.
To Vannata’s credit, he is 8-0 so far in his career and finished all but one of his opponents. His last victory was at TSE – Rocky Mountain Rubicon 2 earlier this year, where he got a first round TKO over Ramico Blackmo, but will face a steep step up in competition getting red hot fighter on the verge of title contention in Ferguson.
With Alvarez as champ, and Khabib Nurmagomedov also facing a newcomer in his last fight, Ferguson and Nurmagomedov could both make their claim to the next shot at the lightweight gold, should Ferguson win this fight.
PREDICTION: Tony Ferguson wins VIA KO in Round 1
Main Event: Michael McDonald vs. John Lineker
The main event of the evening brings the winner closer to title contention in the bantamweight division, as #5 ranked Michael McDonald takes on #8 ranked John Lineker.
After losing to Urijah Faber in 2013, Michael McDonald didn’t fight for three years due to injuries suffered in training, eventually making his return to the octagon last year when he took out Masasnori Kanehara in the second round at UFC 195.
McDonald is 6-2 in the octagon with his only two losses in the UFC coming from top ranked bantamweights Renan Barao, and the aforementioned Urijah Faber.
Lineker had a tough time making the 125 pound limit at flyweight moved back to the bantamweight division in 2015. Since returning to the division he has gone 2-0, with a submission victory over Francisco Rivera and a decision victory against Rob Font.
PREDICTION: Jon Lineker wins VIA Submission in Round 3
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