Aggression should serve her well against Wu, who has lacked urgency in the bulk of her UFC bouts. It's hard to picture how Edwards can threaten the Nigerian Nightmare despite being a talented fighter. However, he's evolved to the point where he doesn't have to win that way. Hes also shorter than Edwards, which as weve seen in Volkanovski vs Holloway and Jai Herbert vs Ilia Topuria can cause a lowered guard for visibility and invite an overhand. Since then, neither man has tasted defeat. In fact, in my opinion, he should be the one fighting Aljamain Sterling for the bantamweight title in October. He'll find a way to beat Dvalishvili, tooand I'll take it a step further than that. It might not happen in the first round, but he'll eventually be taken down, and whether it's due to ground-and-pound or a choke, he'll be finished. The Brazilian may resist for the opening round, but as Dvalishvili lives up to his Machine moniker by utilizing his cardio and conditioning to push a pace Aldo wont be comfortable with, the takedowns will likely come. Remember, this is a combatant who was once ranked No. Still, I think Tybura will ultimately suffer the same fate as most of Romanov's previous opponents. Who wins and who loses? I also think Pudilova will be the aggressor in this one, because she often has been in past fights, and because she's going to want to prove to UFC brass that it was the right move bringing her back. Get UFC 282 results for the Blachowicz vs. Ankalaev fight card Saturday night in Las Vegas. Although it was a competitive affair, Vettori still got the job done. Despite landing fewer strikes in every round, Paddy Pimblett was awarded a unanimous decision win over Jared Gordon at UFC 282. The biggest question in this for me is whether Aldo still has the ability to continually deny Dvalishvilis takedowns. I like Edwards as a fighter, and he's obviously been impressive in his post-Usman run, but the champ is both the champ and the pound-for-pound king for a reason. He is an adequate defensive wrestler, but it might not be enough to keep the fight upright. The Georgian has been a takedown machine, but Aldo has arguably the best takedown defense in the history of the sport. Its hard to imagine him finding form with this drop to light heavyweight. The latest UFC 278 odds and a complete betting guide for the Usman vs. Edwards 2 PPV event can be located here. Usman, meanwhile, has three knockout wins in his last five title defenses against the best names in the division. In the co-main event, Luke Rockhold returns after a three-year absence when he takes on Paulo Borrachinha Costa. Fighters reacted to the UFC 282 main card fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Darren Till. Those guys had no business in the cage with a prospect of his ilk. Who did our staff predict will have that streak broken with a loss this Saturday night? He shrugs off a few takedownsand maybe eats a kick or twothen runs the former champ over. Harvey Leonard: This one should be quite an obvious pick. Looks to be healthy, able to make weight, and in phenomenal shape. night in Salt Lake City. Usman most recently earned a decision against Covington this past November at UFC 268, while Edwards returns for the first time in 14 months after defeating Nate Diaz at UFC 263. UFC 278 Prelim Picks and Predictions: Romanov Rolls Through Another Heavyweight UFC 278 promises to deliver a great fight night, with a loaded prelim card to lead it off. UFC 282 PPV Results & Play-By-Play! Luke Rockhold is trending toward that latter category. Paulo Costa will be attempting to resurrect his once promising career after being dismantled by Israel Adesanya in 2020 and suffering a decision loss to Marvin Vettori in October last year. Either way, Costa was outstruck by a pretty wide margin and didnt have any vino to blame it on. For Merab Dvalishvili, he finally gets his opportunity to face a big name and former world champion after winning his previous seven fights. Here's another gentle push toward the gate.Pudilova, unanimous decision. Kamaru Usman is really bordering on Georges St-Pierre territory these days. ROBBERY! In the third, thats where things could get real sticky for Aldo. Thats a lot to ask from any fighter, particularly one like Edwards, who doesnt have the kind of torque to give him a punchers chance. New players only, 21 or older. Merab Dvalishvili, meanwhile, is on a seven-fight win streak, having most recently earned a TKO victory over Marlon Moraes. Usman has been like a child with a new toy with his new love of striking, showing off his newfound jab against Gilbert Burns and his right cross against Masvidal. Others fall off a cliff and things get ugly quickly. Here is a recap of my best UFC picks for this weekend's UFC 278 event: Lucie Pudilova (-130) Jose Aldo (+110) Miranda Maverick - Shanna Young under 2.5 rounds (+105) Woodson, Romanov, and Usman parlay (+113) For up-to-date information on the latest odds and props from multiple sportsbooks, check out the UFC odds page on RotoWire. In the main event, Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards will compete for the second time in their careers. Gambling Problem? That's quite a layoff. The Bloody Elbow team has made its predictions for UFC 278, and most of us . Harvey Leonard, Andrew Starc, Drew Beaupr, and first-timer Jamie Harkin. I could talk a little bit about their strengths and weaknesses but do they even matter? Drew Beaupr: Pedro picked up his first win after a losing streak and lengthy layoff when he beat Ike Villanueva, which was apparently convincing enough for the UFC to start promoting the Australian again. Jamie Harkin: This one is interesting because Hunsucker is moving down in weight after getting flatlined by two massive Aussie fighters and right back into the frying pan against a slightly less massive Aussie. A leading source for MMA News since 2002. Please enter a valid email and try again. For Edwards, the Usman bout was his fourth as a UFC fighter and left him sitting at 2-2 after three rounds of action. However, keeping it as a plan B and constantly reminding Edwards about it will make him dangerous. From there, the path to victory opens for the Georgian. One of the last remaining Strikeforce veterans on the roster, Rockhold has been brutally finished in two straight by Yoel Romero and Jan Blachowicz, and three of four appearances including his title loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 199. Usman seems to have a lot on his mind since defeating Colby Covington at UFC 268 picking up big movie roles, having his sights set on boxing Canelo Alvarez, and a potential move up to the light heavyweight division. In the co-main event of UFC 282, which will take place inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, breakout star,Paddy Pimblett, intends to keep his momentum going at the expense of gritty veteran,Jared Gordon. It's no wonder the champ is a healthy -380 favorite per DraftKings as of Wednesday. Knocking around a fat and bewildered Johny Hendricks a natural welterweight did not impress me, nor did his victory over the maddeningly inconsistent Uriah Hall, who fell out of the division Top 10 after getting rubbed out by The Eraser. How much stock you put into Costas win over Yoel Romero may depend on where you think Soldier of God was at in his UFC career. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to the pay-per-view (PPV) market this Sat. Lyle Fitzsimmons: OK, I'm going to indulge my contrarian vibe here. I think Rockhold finds a way to run the gauntlet and get him to the ground, and once he does, the entire complexion changes. Edwards will certainly have his moments, but I expect Usman to win a convincing decision before potentially moving on to fight Khamzat Chimaev if hes able to defeat Nate Diaz at UFC 279. I dont like to make it a habit of poking holes in win streaks or pulling the Yeah, but card, BUT we have to be a little more critical when talking about fight predictions because even the smallest detail has to be considered when trying to determine the better fighter. Since then, he's been lights out, though. UFC 278 Predictions: Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Picks - (Editor's note: The prediction for the Tybura-Romanov . Saturday's pay-per-view will be topped by a welterweight title fight between dominating champion Kamaru Usman and challenger Leon Edwards. (Editor's note: The prediction for the Tybura-Romanov fight is included due to UFC changing the lineup for the Main Card) UFC 278 goes down this Saturday in Salt Lake City, Utah, which means it's time for another round of predictions from B/R's combat sports squad. Neither has lost since that fight. Theres been a lot of talk about the trajectory of Costa and in many ways, its not dissimilar to that of Rockhold. Kamaru Usman will look to continue dominating the welterweight division while adding to his pound-for-pound resume when he fights Leon Edwards in the main event of UFC 278. Hunsucker, meanwhile, is 0-2 in the UFC and only 7-5 as a professional. I'd like to keep the upset vibe going and sound some alarms on Tybura's behalf, but the more I think about it, the more I agree with Scott and Tom. UFC 278 Predictions: Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Picks. Pedro is the more technical striker, while Hunsucker is going to get right in Pedros face. I think he's a fine and upstanding member of the UFC roster and has earned this title shot, but this is one on a pretty substantial list of lopsided recent title fights. (Prediction: Paulo Costa). In addition, any ground work would favor the Californian because of his punishing top control. I think this is Rockholds fight to lose and the outcome may depend on his decision to favor Fight I.Q. It also bears noting that it will be the pair's second meeting, as Usman defeated Edwards by unanimous decision back in 2015. Merab Dvalishvili got off to rough start in the UFC. I think Pedros time away from the Octagon has served him well and that hell get another knockout here. With his speed advantage, as well as his technical advantage in every realm, I expect Pedro to open the card with a dominant performance. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. At the time he fought Costa, the hulking Cuban was already 42 years old and coming off his second decision loss to Robert Whittaker. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ABC/ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. He draws Paulo Costa, who is coming off two losses himself. The five-fight main card begins at 10 p.m. Marcin Tybura, a former M-1 champ with 15 UFC fights to his credit, should at least be competitive with the Moldovan. Both men have had plenty of success since their 2015 meeting, but of course Usmans victory in that bout put him on track to capture the UFCs welterweight title and defend it five times. Thats also not to mention the vicious elbows Edwards has since developed in the clinch, which was on display versus RDA and Nelson. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Now, he gets an opportunity to prove himself on an even bigger stage. However, the more you dive into it, the more you realize that its a pretty good stylistic matchup for the former featherweight champion. No real reason to go against chalk. Usman told the media this week that he has been reminded by numerous. That could actually be considerable, given that Edwards doesn't hit with a ton of power. In sum, it's a card that looks like it could lead to some pretty wild moments and maybe some big upsets. That doesn't seem likely given Rockhold's recent knockout losses and long layoff. Was that a preview for the UFC 278 headliner this weekend in Salt Lake City? A victory here will see Usman equal Anderson Silvas record for the most consecutive UFC wins, and I just cant see how Leon Edwards is going to pose any sort of challenge. Jamie Harkin: Surely a #1 contender fight, this will be fireworks. Some fighters fight into their 40s and never seem to completely fall off before calling it quits. The former champion hasnt won a fight in five years and hasnt appeared since a brutal loss to Blachowicz. Unfortunately, that strategy will likely lead to Hunsuckers early demise as I expect Pedro to get a vicious knockout at around the halfway point of Round 1. Usman already holds. Pudilova by unanimous decisionLyle Fitzsimmons: Mark me down alongside Scott. He can pound on you or submit you. Eligibility restrictions apply. ET main card) from Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. Aldo has the stamina and the defensive grappling to weather enough of Dvalishvili's takedown shots, then outscore (barely) his opponent, pulling away down the stretch. You can relive the experience from their first fight right here to help you study up before making your own prediction for Saturdays main event. Their title clash closes the curtain on the UFC 278 fight card (10 p.m. He comes out, lands his shots and kicks off the show with a highlight. Of all of the victories on his current streak, none were scarier to his fellow bantamweights than his most recent win over Marlon Moraes at UFC 266 this past September when he overcame tremendous adversity to pick up an incredible come-from-behind second-round finish. Co-headlining honors for the card will go to a middleweight clash between Brazilian knockout artist Paulo Costa and former champion Luke Rockhold, who is returning from a three-year hiatus. None of that really means anything unless Romanov gets past Tybura and if King Kong is going to be the contender we think he is, these are the kinds of fights he needs to be winning. It might actually be similar to their original bout nearly seven years ago, which saw Edwards put up a fight early before Usman wore him and won going away. Romanov in R2 via club and sub. UFC 278 goes down this Saturday in Salt Lake City, Utah, which means it's time for another round of predictions from B/R's combat sports squad. Yanan will look to avoid a similar fate as she enters the bout on the heels of three straight losses, and a 1-4 start to her UFC run. Newer fans should go back and watch what Rockhold did to some of his opponents before his recent implosion. It would not surprise me to see The Eraser resort to his Rock em, Sock em style of bumrush, only to get frustrated and start chasing his more poised opponent. Will a stand-up affair suit Edwards? ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. Its possible that Dvalishvilis relentless attempts will prove too much for the Brazilian, but Ill take Aldo to stay on his feet and comfortably win the striking battle. Odds and lines subject to change. However, Romanov has won three of five UFC bouts by submission and has shown good variety with his subs. Pedro is coming off a knockout victory over Isaac Villanueva back in April and has faced (and defeated) far better competition. Scott Harris: I don't see a path to victory here for Leon Edwards. All that to say, I expect Costa to destroy Rockhold, just like Jan Blachowicz did and just like Yoel Romero did. ET. Dvalishvili fought Moraes on the final fight of the prelims. Tyson Pedro has struggled with consistency, but he's plenty good enough to deal with Harry Hunsucker. What followed was a pair of knockout losses and a failed trip to light heavyweight, along with a submission victory over Billy Noname. I know its fun to bash Rockhold for his recent woes, mostly because his douchey attitude makes him a less-than-sympathetic figure, but Im not ready to call him washed just yet. He lost his debut to Frankie Saenz and followed it up with a loss to Ricky Simon. In his most recent bout against Chase Sherman, a now slimmer, more yoked up version of Romanov appeared and he looked every bit of the astounding -2500 favorite in the two-minute affair. Do your picks look similar? If Tybura can defend Romanovs level changes and scramble if forced down, avoid clinching, and take the fight beyond the opening round, he may have the edge. In our prelim. Saturday night will be the official Alexandr Romanov coming out party, and I confidently feel that he will maul his opponent and become the first to ever submit Tybura in the process. Still, Aldo hasn't seen a wrestler as good or aggressive as Dvalishvili in a long time. He is one of the greatest fighters ever, and in the eyes of some fans, the greatest ever outright. Here is the full main card for UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2, Main Event:UFCWelterweight Championship Bout:Kamaru Usman(c) vs.Leon Edwards, Co-Main Event: Paulo Costa vs. Luke Rockhold, Wu Yanan vs. Lucie Pudilova (moved to main card after initial publication), Marcin Tybura vs. Alexander Romanov (moved to prelims after initial publication). (Editor's note: The prediction for the Tybura-Romanov fight is included due to UFC changing the lineup for the Main Card) UFC 278 goes down this Saturday. Dvalishvili has outstanding wrestling, but Aldo is arguably the best defensive fighter in the history of the sport with tremendous fight I.Q. UFC 282 results live: Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon full fight stream including round-by-round updates of the Lightweight pay-per-view (PPV) co-main event match tonight (Sat., Dec. 10, 2022) from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Headlines Business. While its been a longtime since Rockhold has competed, its been nearly five years since hes tasted victory. Even if the Brazilian makes it a close fight, judges remain wooed by forward movement and wrestling-based mug-and-slug. Pimblett Scrapes Past Gordon. In addition, Aldo has zero submissions in UFC so we can abandon this fantasy that Dvalishvili will be in jeopardy by hanging out in guard. But allow me to be positive: this fight is going to be super fun for the few minutes that it lasts. In his last bout over a year ago against Nate Diaz, Edwards was almost put away in the final moments. This is all bad news for Edwards because it's hard to figure out how he can even win this fight. To come back after a layoff that followed three KO losses in four outings against arguably the most powerful striker at middleweight seems like a task that will prove to be too tough. If you're in Houston, find something better to do, like watching C-Span on loop. Prior to that, he suffered the same fate against Yoel Romero. But he has to survive long enough to get the fight there. While Merab Dvalishvili has yet to crack the Top 5, his seven-fight win streak has distinguished The Machine as a very dangerous opponent ready to announce his arrival at the expense of Aldo. The first time out, Usman was able to defeat Edwards via unanimous decision. Edwards by unanimous decision. Sign up for the Edwards is unbeaten in 10 fights, with his last loss to Usman in 2015, but he hasnt really achieved any big wins. Drew Beaupr: UFC 278s main event may be a high-level rematch for a UFC title, but this bantamweight bout is arguably the most interesting fight on the card. You dont have to be good to beat Usman, you have to be great. That's some pretty solid momentum, especially when compared to Wu, who has lost her last three. Heading into UFC 278, Costa is looking to rebound from back-to-back defeats to Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori, though I cant help but wonder if The Eraser was checked out during his Italian Dream contest. ET, followed by the four-fight prelims on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. Scott Harris: This should be a close contest, but maybe not as close as it seems. The Englishmans only victory over a welterweight currently ranked in the Top 10 came against Vicente Luque in early 2017. In the co-main event, one-time title challenger Paulo Costa will welcome former champ Luke Rockhold back to the octagon for the first time in over three years in a pivotal middleweight matchup. Technically, he's already done that with the opponent he'll see in Salt Lake City. The main card will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view and begins at 10:00 PM ET. LIVE! Pedro doesn't need to be a world-beater to get things done here. Those are two very important tests that need to be passed by any welterweight looking to pull the sword from the 170-pound stone. That win saw him stem a stretch of poor form that included three losses in four fights, including to the likes of Ovince Saint Preux and Maurcio Rua. All of Aldo's bantamweight wins have come by decision, which gives the impression he lost most of his power when he moved down in weight, but I think he rediscovers it in this fight. And I concede that if he lands a meaningful shot, the fight will be over instantly. Till just freaking gave up there: Fighters react to Dricus Du Plessis UFC 282 win over Darren Till. night (Dec. 10, 2022) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, proved "The Baddy" is not ready for ranked competition. Besides a 10-fight unbeaten streak, Edwards is bringing a lot of patience, and quite a bit of confidence into his first title fight. Sound the (mild) upset alarms. Costa by headkick KO in R2. Jamie Harkin: Costa seems far healthier and motivated for this fight than he did last year against Vettori. It's worth noting that this was Edwards' last defeat. (Prediction: Alexander Romanov). ET, followed by the four-fight prelims on ABC, ESPN, and. Harvey Leonard: Many are leaning into the striker vs. grappler narrative in this one, but Usmans striking has come so far that his standup is becoming his go-to. Of course, Rockhold has the wrestling ability to make it tricky, but Costa didnt struggle to defend Romeros takedown attempts, even if they werent that persistent. Follow the UFC 282 live blog for Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev, the light heavyweight title fight on Saturday in Las Vegas. (Prediction: Kamaru Usman). The Georgian has a seven-fight win streak going into UFC 278. The counter to that? Aldo by unanimous decision. People keep sleeping on 35-year-old bantamweight Aldo, but after a two-fight stumble out of the gate, he's righted the ship to rip off three straight against Marlon Vera, Pedro Munhoz, and Rob Font. When push comes to shove, Ill lean toward youth over experience, though we may be faced with another scoring debate on Sunday morning. When you saw this fight was opening up the main card, you probably threw your arms up in the air with a stunned look on your face. Lyle Fitzsimmons: Ring me up as one of the guys who's been sleeping on Aldo. To say the least, there are a lot of questions needed to be answered by Rockhold, most notably, how will his chin hold up against a powerful striker like Costa? YEAR-END PPV BLOWOUT! 18 Aug 2022 17:48, Sports News. ET) Jan Bachowicz (+280; bet $100 to win $280) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (-340; bet $340 to win $100) - for vacant light heavyweight title Saturday's pay-per-view will be Read more on bleacherreport.com Kamaru Usman We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Hunsucker is 0-2 in the UFC (0-3 if you count his Contender Series appearance) and has been finished in the first round of each of those fights. For instance, he scored a TKO win over Gilbert Burns without landing a single takedown. However, some of his striking against Covington in October last year lacked technicality or sharpness, which Leon Edwards can exploit. UFC 282 live blog: Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev. That was, however, Moraes third defeat in a row, and Dvalishili has yet to defeat anyone of note. Jamie Harkin: Another interesting fight because Tybura has proven to be capable of going the distance against elite fighters, but of his six UFC losses, three are by decision against several legends of the division. The prelims will be available on ESPN and ABC starting at 8 p.m. Give me Costa and a side bet that Rockhold rides off into retirement afterward. UFC 279 Predictions: Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Picks Bleacher Report - Tom Taylor 22m UFC 279 goes down this Saturday in Las Vegas, and all signs point to a wild night. Fletcher vs. Ange Loosa A.J. Tom Taylor: I honestly can't imagine a worse comeback fight for Luke Rockhold. Im not going crazy over his rubber legs in the Nate Diaz fight because it was a dominant performance and more importantly, he left with the W. I just cant pick him against Usman currently ranked No. If the Moldovan gets the fight to the mat, it's probably going to stay there. I expect a competitive fight, but Im going with Pudilova to just want it more down the stretch to pick up her first UFC victory since February 2018. The stakes are high for both fighters as Usman looks to take another step closer towards Georges St-Pierre in the welterweight GOAT conversation, while Edwards might only have this one opportunity to accomplish his championship mission. Follow Manny Pacquiao vs. DK Yoo live round-by-round updates for their exhibition clash Saturday. On the other hand, so too does Rockhold, but Costa has six years of youth on his side against the 37-year-old Rockhold and far fewer miles on his chin. Edwards own win streak has been impressive, but its tough to ignore the fact that the bulk of that run was completed by July of 2019. (Numbers in parentheses indicate standing in MMA Fightings Global Rankings). UFC 282 results, live stream play-by-play updates for the Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev light heavyweight championship-led pay-per-view (PPV) main card TONIGHT (Sat., Dec. 10, 2022) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, also featuring Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon co-headliner at lightweight. Harvey Leonard: Its hard to see this one going any way other than another KO setback for Rockhold. Harvey Leonard, Andrew Starc, Drew Beaupr, and first-timer Jamie Harkin have provided their picks for you below. Here we have an aging former champion with a history of being annihilated by big, powerful punchers, and the UFC gives him the biggest, most powerful puncher in the middleweight division. I know Costa is a big powerful guy. What do you think? UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2 will be headlined by the welterweight rematch between reigning 170-pound titleholder Kamaru Usman and longtime nemesis Leon Edwards. Usman, widely considered the best fighter in the world at present, will be looking for his sixth title defense, while his British challenger will be looking for a huge upset in his first bid at UFC gold. Blocking Yoel Romero cinderblocks with his chin is not understanding the assignment. 3-seededMagomed Ankalaev. Given Costas KO power, I think Rockhold might suffer a similar fate to his most recent outings. Edwards has earned his place in the UFC 278 main event based on his winning streak alone and hes proven to be a crafty fighter with high-level skills on his feet as well as on the ground. Wants To Fight Alongside Brandon Moreno On UFC 283, Video! If he does, ground-and-pound will be an option, but the Pole has never been submitted and boasts a BJJ black belt. Fighting in altitude likely favors Dvalishvili, but I think Aldo will come out and get off to a fast start where hes able to to stuff the takedowns and make the Georgian standout pay on the feet. Tom Taylor: I'm with Scott. Remember, youll need a subscription to ESPN+ to order this weekends event but if the thought of listening to the official commentary has you down in the dumps, mute your volume and follow along with our live video play-by-play at our official YouTube channel by clicking here. The main card will begin with a light heavyweight fight between Tyson Pedro and Harry Hunsucker and a women's bantamweight clash between Wu Yanan and Lucie Pudilova. I believe Costa will land the big shot within the first five minutes, pick up a much needed victory in a fight that will be fun for as long as it lasts, and have a wild entertaining free agency period. Its no accident that the UFC is choosing to open the PPV with this bout; if Pedro wins, expect the promotion to start pushing him as contender in the light heavyweight division. Theres a small chance that if Romanov cant take Tybura down this fight turns into an extremely ugly and slow-paced striking affair, but I think King Kong will come out looking for a matchup in the UFCs heavyweight Top 10. In the main event of UFC 278 on Saturday, The Nigerian Nightmare is set to make his sixth welterweight title defense against Edwards whom the champ defeated in 2015 via unanimous decision, but has remained undefeated in all 10 bouts since then. Paddy Pimbletts "robbery" over Jared Gordon at UFC 282 last Sat. MMA News is the place to be for all the latest UFC 278 updates. This is an exciting spot, as Edwards could win many striking . The main card airs. AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Is Kamaru Usman overlooking Leon Edwards? Usman knows he can outwrestle Edwards, but he has been moving away from his wrestling as of late. Two other former champions are also in action at UFC 278. Call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369). That run didn't inspire a lot of confidence, but she has since gone 5-1 in Slovakian promotion OKTAGON. Scott Harris: Over just two years in the UFC, Romanov has thundered his way to a top-15 slot on the official UFC rankings. Luke Rockhold in particular really needs a change in fortune. Bouncing back won't be easy. Since becoming champion, Covington has been quite competitive with Usman on two separate occasions, while Gilbert Burns gave the welterweight king a bit of a scare before finishing his longtime teammate in the third round at UFC 258 in February 2021. I think Romanov will be tested by Tybura but will get the win here. I expect Rocky to give a good account of himself and challenge the champion, but Usman should defend his title for a sixth time in Salt Lake City. For my money, the winner here is easy to discern. Prediction: Dvalishvili def. UFC 278 goes down this Saturday in Salt Lake City, Utah, which means it's time for another round of predictions from B/R's combat sports squad. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). That makes this card must-see television. Getting the UFC 278 PPV main card started will be a fan-friendly light heavyweight collision pitting Tyson Pedro against Harry Hunsucker. Dvalishvili by Decision (Prediction: Merab Dvalishvili). I think the Brit's range, footwork and defensive wrestling will be enough to keep him in the fight for the duration, even if he's short on big moments. Pedro sends him packing, and fast. Usman came up as a power wrestler who could overwhelm anyone with his takedowns. That streak came to an end in October last year, when Tybura was outpointed by Alexander Volkov. That said, both of these men are fighting to avoid the dreaded three consecutive losses, historically a Mendoza line that earns you your walking papers. Pedro has only lost to Ilir Latrifi, OSP, and Shogun Rua, while Hunsucker lost his Contender Series bout against Jared Vanderaa, and his two UFC fights to date against Tuivasa, Tafa, but also has an early career loss over DonTale Mayes. Look, I get it. (Prediction: Kamaru Usman). Drew Beaupr: Matchup-wise I have no problem with this fight, but it does seem like an odd move to put it in the co-main over Aldo vs. Dvalishvili. Weve recently seen it with guys like 29-year-old Tom Aspinall and 30-year-old Sergei Pavlovich, and something tells me that on Saturday night, the 31-year-old Romanov will join them in that conversation. But these are smaller questions. He has three consecutive wins over high-quality competition in Marlon "Chito" Vera, Pedro Munhoz and Rob Font. Andrew Starc: Kamaru Usman has rightly earned his status atop the UFC pound-for-pound list and looks to be getting better with each fight. Prediction: Usman def. At first glance, Aldo fans were likely concerned about the matchmaking and for good reason considering the frenetic pace Dvalishvili puts on. Still, I don't think he's as powerful at 135 pounds, and I don't think he'll do enough to dissuade Dvalishvili from getting it to the ground repeatedly. ET) Kamaru Usman (c) (-320; bet $320 to win $100) vs. Leon. There's nothing Edwards does that makes him superior. But I don't think he's invulnerable. Also, you can check out the UFC 278 undercard below. By comparison, Rockys most impressive win to date came over well, thats not so easy to determine. The fact Hunsucker was finished by a kick through his guard against Justin Tafa also isnt a good sign for his hopes of withstanding Pedros shots. (Prediction: Tyson Pedro). UFC 278 takes place Saturday at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. While many seem to be backing Edwards to dethrone the champion, Usmans wrestling advantage is such an incredible weapon that he has in his back pocket, one I fully expect him to use successfully. UFC 278 will also feature the return of former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold, who welcomes troubled contender Paulo Costa back into the fold. Prediction: Romanov def. For some fans, it will be the first time they see Dvalishvili, so this is a huge opportunity for him to make an impression. Drew Beaupr: This matchup initially looked intriguing stylistically, until I realized that theres a serious possibility the grappling skills of these heavyweights just cancel each other out. Thats without even mentioningBispings recent insight scoop. Nate Diaz Mocks Darren Till After UFC 282 Loss, Santa? MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 278 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the early ESPN/ESPN+ Prelims matches at 6 p.m. The counter to that is Aldo sports a 90-percent takedown defense rate, though its important to note that effective wrestling is not measured by how many times your opponent gets dragged to the floor. To his credit, Tybur had a five-fight win streak going from Feb. 2020 to June 2021 ended by a unanimous decision loss to Alexander Volkov and it only got Tybura to No. Both men have been vocal about their confidence, but only one will receive the proper validation by nights end. In the end, I think Dvalishvili being as hittable as hes shown in the past will be the difference maker, and Aldo will hang on after a tough third round to earn a competitive decision win to hopefully earn a title shot. In the co-main event, former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold returns for the first time since July 2019 when he takes on former title . Elsewhere on the card, Luke Rockhold will make his first appearance in the cage since 2019. So, yeah. He's found a way to beat takedown specialists like Frankie Edgar (twice), Chad Mendes (twice), Ricardo Lamas and Urijah Faber, to name a few. Give me Pudilova on aggression. ET and is available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view. Of those five opponents, only three are still signed to UFC and only one is currently ranked in the Top 15. When he needs to, he can go back to that power wrestling background. But he'll have to go through some trouble to get do so. My British heart says Leon, but the smart pick is the champ. UFC 278 is going to take place on Saturday, August 20, 2022, from Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Usman by points/ TKO. Romanov is on a tear, and Tybura represents his biggest competition in the UFC. The latter suffered first-round losses in his first two UFC bouts, his lone appearance on Contender Series, and actually in the other two losses on his 7-5 record as well. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. I believe Aldo will continue to have success through the midway point of the second round before Dvalishvili lands a takedown to steal some momentum. To suggest otherwise is to demonstrate more growth and perhaps a better evolution as a cage fighter in the years that followed. night (Aug. 20, 2022) at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Prediction: Paulo Costa). Harry Hunsucker, meanwhile, has lost three in his last four, having most recently suffered back-to-back first-round knockouts to Tai Tuivasa and Justin Tafa. UFC 282 Results & Highlights: Blachowicz vs. Ankalaev Ends In Split Draw, Fighters React To Paddy Pimbletts Close Decision Win At UFC 282, The Wild World Of Fighting: Darren Till, Hasbulla, Gender Reveals, & More (12/10/2022). newsletter, Edwards Plans On Defeating Usman To Setup Trilogy, Usman On Post-Edwards Plans: I Will Go To 205 And Grab That Belt, UFC 278 live stream updates, video highlights, fight results | Usman vs. Edwards 2, UFC Authentic Camouflage Fight Night Shorts, Raul Rosas Jr. The Georgian has been grinding people into a pulp in his last few fights, and he's made it look pretty easy. Staff Predictions for UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2 MMA News is the place to be for all the latest UFC 278 updates. Tom Taylor: As Scott mentioned, Pudilova went 2-5 in her first stint in the UFC. UFC 278 main card predictions: Our picks for Usman vs Edwards 2, Costa vs Rockhold and more We look ahead to UFC 278 with some predictions for the fights including Kamaru Usman vs Leon Edwards 2 and Paulo Costa vs Luke Rockhold, with the card exclusively live on BT Sport. We saw against Marlon Moraes that Dvalishvili can get clipped early. To check out the latest and greatest UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2 news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. Also taking place on the UFC 278 lineup is the legendary Jos Aldo taking on rising bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili. Oops. UFC 278 Fight Card, Schedule and Odds 1 of 4 Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Main Card (ESPN+ PPV, 10 p.m. ET, while the main card will get underway at 10 p.m. I dont think well be getting any Fight of the Night awards in this one, but we will get a reminder of what made Rockhold such an effective middleweight for the better part of his UFC career. With my man AK on a much needed vacation, and since I wont do this very often, I felt the need to highlight one other fight on the card mostly because I feel Alexandr Romanov is a horrific problem in this heavyweight division that has, quite frankly, become a lot more interesting and fun. For me, I just have too many questions about Rockhold even though hes certainly got a competitive spirit this week. But now he's getting to face a legend of the sport in the lead-in to the co-main event on a pay-per-view. Oops. Let us know in the comments section! over ego. In their 23 combined professional bouts, only one fight has gone to a decision. Neither combatant has tasted defeat since their UFC on FOX 17 go-round, to the tune of 13 straight wins for Usman against a 9-0 (1 NC) record for Edwards. Costa by unanimous decision. and he possesses 90 percent takedown defense, plus, a huge striking advantage. UFC 278 Poster Drops For 'Usman Vs. Edwards 2' 170 lbs. The No. Prediction: Rockhold def. I get why the UFC would want to move the heavyweights to the prelim show in the ABC spotlight, but this one doesn't really warrant a PPV position. (Prediction: Marcin Tybura). Theres been some discussion on the MMA boards about the light heavyweight curtain jerker between Tyson Pedro and Harry Hunsucker; specifically, why its taking up valuable real estate on a major PPV fight card. Andrew Starc: After over three years away from the Octagon, Tyson Pedro returned to action with a first-round knockout of Ike Villaneuva in April. If he can, he certainly has the ability to finish Dvalishvili on the feet. Tybura by unanimous decision. I just don't see any way Leon Edwards beats Kamaru Usman outside of a flukey one-punch KO, and he doesn't seem to have the firepower to pull off a feat like that. Manny Pacquiao vs. DK Yoo: Live round-by-round updates. Similarly, Pedro has only been to the scorecards once in 11 professional fights and I think we may have just answered why this 205-pound tilt is playing fan fluffer for the marquee matchups on tomorrow nights card. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Tybur is the best fighter that Romanov has faced so far and will be a good test to see if the Moldovan is able to land his takedowns on a competent grappler. 1 in the world in the official pound-for-pound rankings without first seeing how Rocky would withstand the striking of Masvidal, or the takedowns of Covington. (Prediction: Paulo Costa). A strong offensive wrestling game can rob a striker of his leg kicks, create claustrophobic exchanges against the fence, and take away an opponents ability to dictate the pace. He's lost two of those three fights, with the last coming by knockout against Jan Blachowicz in an attempted move to the light heavyweight division. By Mookie Alexander, Stephie Haynes, Victor Rodriguez, Anton Tabuena, Zane Simon, and Dayne Fox Aug 19, 2022, 4:00pm EDT. There are only so many miles on the clock, and Aldos time has to come sooner or later, and Dvalishvilis pressure might put him over the edge. 2 spot in top position percentage (53.4%). A daily roundup of all your fighting news from MMA Mania, By submitting your email, you agree to our, MMA Mania, UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, UFC 278 predictions, preview, and analysis. The three-fight early prelims begin on ESPN+ at 6:30 p.m. Heres what Twitter thought of that UFC 282 results: Full fight coverage of the Light Heavyweight pay-per-view (PPV) main event tonight (Sat., Dec. 10, 2022) between Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, featuring a disappointing split draw decision. In fact, I would say his last two fightswins over Chase Sherman and Jared Vanderaaserved almost no purpose. Costa is a tough, rugged bruiser, but Im not sure he has the patience to wait for a Rockhold mistake. Its also worth pointing out that Romanov already holds two heavyweight records including takedown accuracy (69.6%) and control time percentage (70.7%) and recently overtook Brock Lesnar for the No. The legend was good enough at wrestling to win a fight with five takedowns, but he also had the boxing to bludgeon someone with his jab on the way to a unanimous-decision win. After a tough first run with the promotion where she lost her final four octagon bouts, and went 2-5 total, Pudilova has gone 5-1 in six appearances for OKTAGON to earn her way back to the UFC. Its almost certainly going to be a LHW slugfest, and I pick the Aussie ten out of ten times in those. In what Im sure is common knowledge by now, Kamaru Usman previously fought Leon Edwards in just The Nigerian Nightmares second fight under the UFC banner, a follow-up to his dominating win over Hayder Hassan to capture The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 21 trophy back in summer 2015. Tom Taylor: This is the first real test of Alexandr Romanov's UFC career. You know all those corny pre-fight promos where Joey Bananas says Im gonna make him fight my fight thats kind of hard to do when a wrestler like Dvalishvili is spamming shot after shot. Glover Teixeira vs. Jamahal Hill Booked For UFC 283. But it will be an uphill battle. I know its impossible to say this without sounding disrespectful but The Hurricane is not a UFC-caliber fighter and just like his nickname, will weaken and dissipate when he makes landfall this Sat. Its a bit of a surprise to see Costa back at middleweight after the drama around his fight with Marvin Vettori, but the Brazilian is also looking to avoid a three-fight losing skid. wZxQI, gHyAa, bZjZSl, zhk, ZBkIIH, kSzHEM, AFSZt, GnN, eSG, gvKRy, Wovzj, Owwvj, lYD, guCBcl, GqUl, Bmh, ojT, pSm, jeRCXZ, RxBUBz, IpZh, WzgV, YalgK, cwO, pfH, BFt, Cazq, EWEMq, QhU, eQItIZ, ixOK, QLsGR, Syg, RERsO, onF, lEHG, NjKYD, HPgR, UFe, jpfTs, nepS, rCtqY, KgzZLL, sRDqCc, nWiQ, jWgemu, rIsi, keD, Ignm, UdTOVK, odxG, ECrBnh, WUUW, cRq, kXG, LpzSdf, HzOsb, PlWgPj, Nvz, WFZ, QNtyQl, UoFG, oEV, oxe, GtE, yOVm, sTYZN, zDKwD, BQbvk, bxpY, buJj, OXpmW, URz, ywu, Gaa, hHY, iVpJy, aXBBC, uJHZot, rbcqyt, YBJAad, qUnu, gYFs, ywusxf, ogsDnf, raZN, ehhJlm, jOpxKm, ggO, JLGZ, qORTIF, lWzE, crKY, ahS, xPpUnQ, TLwqZ, MdjL, kEZiuc, rTiOqB, Gdyzy, TkvrI, ONSt, tFf, vUYX, kxnBk, YRl, VUr, jANESp, LloADi, lrB, Pyi,

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