Are you going to catch the fight card airing this Sunday (yes, Sunday, not Saturday!)? Be sure to start out with the UFC Fight Pass card. I’ll be breaking the card down from the bottom up, starting with the prelims on UFC Fight Pass. Planting down in Boston, Massachussetts, UFC Fight Night: Dillashaw vs. Cruz will be headlined by a pivotal bantamweight title fight between rivals TJ Dillashaw and Dominick Cruz. This is a fight you do NOT want to miss, and what’s even better is if you can put some money down on these fight odds.
Rob Font (-200) vs. Joey Gomez (+170)
Starting off the UFC Fight Pass card is an entertaining scrap in the bantamweight division. Some things to note here is that Rob Font has not fought since he debuted in the promtion, knocking out staplemate George Roop in the first round back in July of 2014. Ring rust has definitely plagued other fighters, but considering Rob Font is young and in his prime, the long lay-off have present him with more advantages than disadvantages. That being said, being out for so long has crippled the momentum he scored of his KO victory, and he meets a very intriguing test in UFC newcomer Joey Gomez. “War Machine” is 6-0 professionally, with all 6 wins coming by TKO in the first round. Furthermore, 5 of those 6 came in less than two minutes. It’s safe to say that Gomez is an early starter, and a very potent striker. That being said, I was really impressed with what I saw from Rob Font in his debut, and I’m picking him to win here by TKO in the second round. However, don’t be surprised if the underdog Joey Gomez captures another first round finish.
Ilir Latifi (-245) vs. Sean O’Connell (+205)
Coming to us next is a bout in the light-heavyweight division between Swedish fighter Ilir Latifi and “The Real OC” Sean O’Connell. This bout will take place on the lower end of the light-heavyweight spectrum, but is a pretty evenly matched bout. Latifi has a short, stocky figure so look for him to try and close the distance against the taller, longer fighter in O’Connell. Latifi loves the overhand right, and he throws it regularly – this could pay off for him and score him the knockout finish, or it could to him getting countered by O’Connell. The wrestling department is Latifi’s bread-and-butter however, so look for him to try and take O’Connell down. “The Real OC” is a scrappy, durable fighter so I expect him to be willing to stand toe-to-toe with Latifi, but I don’t think he’ll be able to stop Latifi’s explosive power double. Look for Latifi to take him down, and take him down regularly off of his overhand right. I’m predicting Latifi to win a unanimous decision as he makes it an ugly fight for O’Connell, bu not the ugly type of fight that O’Connell usually finds himself in.
Tim Boetsch (-215) vs. Ed Herman (+180)
With 36 UFC bouts between them, two of the UFC’s most vetted members will meet for the first time as Tim “The Barbarian” Boetsch takes on Ed “Short Fuse” Herman. Boetsch was last seen getting starched in the first round as he attempted to rush the heavy-handed Dan Henderson, and paid for it with his consciousness. He won’t have the same troubles here against Ed Herman, who will most likely want to capitalize on a potential grappling advantage. Boetsch has been caught on the ground via submission by Thales Leites and Luke Rockhold. While I don’t put Ed Herman quite on that level, I do think Herman has a chance of catching Boetsch especially considering Boetsch may be on the tail end of a long career. Herman was last seen getting knocked out in just 36 seconds by Derek Brunson. The same could happen here against Tim Boetsch, and I think it will. Expect Boetsch to come out strong and hard in the first round, ultimately trying to wrap the fight up in the first few minutes as to avoid the long 3-round come-from-behind bouts that Boetsch has been a part of in the past. I think Boetsch’s punching power is still a viable weapon for him, so look for it to present Boetsch with the opportunity to pick up the first round win.
Paul Felder (-245) vs. Daron Cruickshank (+205)
Headlining the Fight Pass card is a very intriguing match up in the lightweight division as two of the division’s most exciting strikers will do battle in what should be an action-packed striking affair. Both Felder and Cruickshank are in desperate need of a win here as they are both coming off of two consecutive losses. Felder dropped decision victories to Edson Barboza and Ross Pearson while Daron Cruickshank was choked out by Beneil Dariush and James Krause. Felder finds himself as the big favorite in these UFC odds, and for good reason – he has looked more consistent in his performances than Cruickshank has, and has shown to be more versatile in his approach. Felder strings beautiful boxing combinations together which are accented by full-power kicks to the head and body. Cruickshank has a bit more finesse and flash to his approach, but pays for it in his the defensive area of striking. Felder has shown to be rock-solid when it comes to absorbing punishment – look for him to continually walk Cruickshank down and batter him with his muay thai arsenal. I think a second round finish is in store for Felder as he picks up a much-needed win and gets back into the win column. Cruickshank is a dangerous striker, but Felder is just too much to handle.
*Stay tuned for more predictions!
