Hill TKO – Round 1 Santos remains a tricky counter-puncher, certainly wily enough to lay traps that a green Hill could walk into. The power hasn’t exactly left either, it is more than Santos’ taste for a lethal finish seems missing. Having lost a spring to his step after blowing both his knees against Jon Jones, it has led to a dull, conservative approach from the Brazilian.
Red flags remain over Hill. Despite being an athletic freak, most of his highlight reel wins have come across fighters tailor-made to lose wild 50/50 exchanges. Hill tends to plod forward upright with his chin up, yet Santos has regularly backed himself onto the fence in his most recent contests. With free reign over position and pace, Hill’s offence is too potent to overlook.
Luque – Submission Round 3 Luque is a far more varied striker than Geoff Neal. Add in the fact that Neal’s power is unlikely to leave a mark on Luque’s granite chin and it seems like a foregone conclusion. Still, Neal is a pressure fighter who can string together extended combinations that will entice the judges. If it weren’t for Neal’s tendency to head-hunt, instead opting to target often Luque’s static body, this could be a razor-close affair.
Pauga – Decision Despite the impressive physique of Usman, he lacks the urgency or initiative to gameplan a heavy-clinching affair against Pauga. The Ripper is a surprisingly technical boxer – one of the few Heavyweights who can hook off the jab. At this level, even Usman’s straightforward plodding could force Pauga against the cage, but I’m backing the better technical fighter.
Walker – Decision A far more consummate striker and proven plus athlete, Walker won’t struggle to land clean work on a very hittable Miller. Miller is a ball of aggression that will chase the fight in any area, yet it’s often a coinflip whether Miller gets the upper hand. Again, at this lowly level of MMA, Miller’s relentless pressure may just be enough to bridge the gap.
Spivak – TKO Round 3 Sakai’s durability has been waning since a five-round brutalisation at the hands of Alistair Overeem. When you operate with a volume-pocket punching style, you cannot afford to have your chin checked three fights in a row. Sakai lacks the defensive wrestling to consistently stop Spivak’s chain-wrestling. Add in noticeable adjustments by Spivak to use his length and strike at length, I’m backing my boy.
Lipski – Decision Lipski has matured since her humbling to Joanne Wood. Against Bohm, Lipski was far more confident in setting a methodical pace and denying Bohm the attempt to go strike-for-strike. The same gameplan has to be utilised against Cachoeira, a heavy-handed yet technically devoid striker. The only worry is Lipski’s career inconsistency – Cachoeira, for all her flaws, is one of the most consistent fighters on the books.
Oleksiejczuk – Decision Over his long losing streak, Alvey remains a tricky fighter to pressure due to his powerful left hand, solid TDD and a canny knack for keeping opponents somewhat quiet on the outside. Oleksiejczuk is hardly blessed with technical talent, but his attention to the body is a solid game plan for toppling Smilin’ Sam.
McKinney – TKO Round 1 T-Wrecks can time opponents from the opening bell which spells danger for Gonzalez’s propensity to sit at striking distance. Miller’s hands were enough to break Gonzalez by the second round; McKinney’s full-blooded kicking game is a far more potent threat. Gonzalez is scrappy enough that he is a live dog in the later rounds against a flailing McKinney, yet it is difficult to see McKinney not ending it very early.
Battle – Decision Battle is a plucky craftsman that can pick holes in an opponent’s defence through probing combinations. Sato is a clean enough counter-puncher to rough up Battle, but he lacks the power to prevent Battle from settling into his preferred fight. Battle could be close to hitting an athletic wall, however, as he climbs the rankings.
McKenna – Decision Granger represents a large opponent, yet the American struggles to utilise her size to her advantage. Although Granger has a list of submission victories in the amateurs, she will face a sizeable disadvantage on the mat against McKenna. The Welshwoman appeared gun-shy against Elise Reed in her last outing, yet it had the hallmarks of a learning bump in the career of a young prospect.
Silva Decision – Decision Too much of Egger’s game relies on opponents walking themselves onto the mat. Even with Silva’s poor decision-making, the Brazilian’s strong scrambles will ensure she doesn’t meet a fate similar to Jessica-Rose Clark.
0 Comments