UFC 203 Preview
By Eric Kowal, RCM MMA Correspondent & Founder of MyMMANews.com
Breakdown of the UFC 203 Fight Card
Stipe Miocic (15-2) vs. Alistair Overeem (41-14)
Cleveland, Ohio (September 8, 2016)– Reigning, defending UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic will defend his title for the first time as the UFC invades Cleveland, Ohio for the very first time. Miocic will be challenged by one of the most decorated heavyweights in mixed martial arts history, Dutch kickboxer, Alistair Overeem.
On paper this fight can really go to either man. It really is a toss-up of who does what first. Do not look for this fight to go to the ground. Both men will look to stand and exchange bombs.
If the Stipe Miocic that picked apart Mark Hunt, and quickly dismantled both Andrei Arlovski and Fabricio Werdum en route to a championship, enters the octagon on Saturday night it could be a short night for Overeem. However, on the flip side, Overeem himself is on a four-fight win streak with back-to-back TKO wins over two former UFC heavyweight champions. If Overeem can use his reach to keep the champion at bay, he may have the advantage on the feet.
Prediction: Because this fight is taking place in Stipe’s hometown and this fight really is a coin toss I see Miocic edging out Overeem via a decision.
Fabricio Werdum (20-6-1) vs. Travis Browne (18-4-1)
Fabricio Werdum is competing for the first time since being knocked out and losing his heavyweight championship to Stipe Miocic back in May. He is the number one ranked contender to the title and a win over Browne immediately puts him back in for a shot at the belt.
Browne is currently ranked number six and he too is coming off a devastating loss not too long ago. Browne was TKO’d by former champion Cain Velasquez at UFC 200 on July 9.
This fight is a rematch as Werdum defeated Browne via unanimous decision in 2014.
Prediction: I can see Werdum playing this fight safe in order to guarantee that title shot. With the fight sitting in the co-main event position it is currently scheduled for three, five-minute rounds, not five. Fabricio Werdum gets another unanimous decision victory.
CM Punk vs. Mickey Gall
This one might be over before you finish reading my prediction folks. We all know why the UFC is bringing CM Punk in, but the hype behind the move has been lost in translation. It’s been two years since the UFC announced the former wrestling star was crossing over to mixed martial arts. In that type Punk has been injured several times, and while he may be training with a fantastic camp in Roufusport, he has not been training and or competing like Mickey Gall. I’ve watched Mickey compete as both an amateur and professional, spoken to him many times, and can tell you with every bit of confidence that CM Punk has not learned enough in under two years to defeat the rising star in Mickey Gall.
Prediction: Mickey Gall chokes out CM Punk in under two minutes into Round 1.
Urijah Faber (33-9) vs. Jimmie Rivera (19-1)
This bantamweight bout between Urijah Faber and Jimmie Rivera is an extremely exciting matchup because on one hand you have Faber who is extremely dominant and always sitting right on the cusp of a world title. On the other hand you have Rivera whose last lost came eight years ago in 2008 at Ring of Combat 22.
Rivera is on a 18-fight win streak. The caliber of fighters that Rivera has fought and defeated obviously has not been that of Faber’s but it is still quite an impressive run nonetheless. I think Faber’s experience is just going to be far superior to that of Rivera’s and he will use his octagon expertise to ensure he gets his hand raised.
Prediction: Urijah Faber via unanimous decision
Jessica Andrade (14-5) vs. Joanne Calderwood (11-1)
The number six ranked UFC strawweight Jessica Andrade and number seven ranked Joanne Calderwood will compete
Calderwood has a 100% takedown defense rating, whereas Andrade completes roughly 62% of the takedown attempts she makes. It will be interesting to see if Andrade can get Caldwerwood down, and if she does, what she can do from there.
Andrade a former 135-pound fighter is coming off a strawweight win over Jessica Penne in June. Calderwood is returning to strawweight after a one-time stint at 125-pounds. This is a tough fight to call, but I think Andrade will give Calderwood some trouble on the ground.
Prediction: Jessica Andrade via split decision
Jessica Eye (11-5) vs. Bethe Correia (9-2)
This UFC women’s bantamweight fight is a must win for both Jessica Eye and Bethe Correia as each are in danger of being released from the organization.
Eye has had a tough time of late, not only inside the octagon, but out as well. She recently lost her father, but feels that his spirit will be in her corner to guide her to victory. Not to mention, UFC 203 is in Eye’s Cleveland backyard where she has the hometown crowd behind her.
Eye’s first fight in the UFC was turned in a no-contest after she tested positive for a banned substance. She then lost to Alexis Davis but bounced back with a TKO victory over Leslie Smith. Since then however, Eye has struggled, losing three in a row to tough competition in Sara McMann, Julianna Pena, and Miesha Tate.
Correia’s only two losses have come at the hands of Ronda Rousey and Raquel Pennington. She has severe power in her punches and if she connects with Eye, it could spell disaster.
Eye lands every takedown she has attempted. If Eye can get Correia down and land some ground and pound, her hand should be raised in victory.
Prediction: I think Jessica Eye is going to give it everything she has to ensure victory. Jessica Eye wins a split decision over Bethe Correia.
Brad Tavares (13-4) vs. Caio Magalhaes (9-2)
Brad Tavares is one of the toughest guys at 185-pounds. Before losing three of his last four fights he was on the rise to becoming one of the division’s top-ranked fighters. His most recent outing was a devastating 44-second knockout loss to Robert Whittaker.
Tavares realizes that he has to do something here in this fight to stay relevant.
His opponent, “Hell Boy” has not competed since a July 2015 loss to Josh Samman. The NSAC issued a temporary suspension after the fight because he spat in the face of Samman after being submitted, and also in the face of referee John McCarthy.
Prediction: Tavares via TKO – Round 3
Nik Lentz (28-7-2, 1 NC) vs. Michael McBride (8-1)
Nik Lentz vs. Michael McBride is a fight that I would definitely put money on if I were a betting man. Lentz is almost guaranteed a victory as he has far more experience than his opponent. This is a guy who was thought about as an opponent for B.J. Penn’s return to the sport, whereas McBride has never even fought in the UFC before.
Prediction: Nik Lentz via TKO – Round 2
Ian McCall vs. Ray Borg (REMOVED FROM FIGHT CARD AS OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8)
Due to illness, flyweight contender Ray Borg has been forced to withdraw from his UFC 203 bout against Ian McCall on Saturday.
CB Dolloway (16-9) vs. Francimar Barraso (18-5)
CB Dolloway is another middleweight that was once on the rise toward a title shot. Before being paried up against Lyoto Machida, Dolloway was on a two-fight win streak. After losing to Machida he then lost both Michael Bisping and Nate Marquardt.
Should Dolloway lose to Barraso on Saturday it would make it four in a row and he will likely be handed his walking papers.
Barraso is looking to bounce back after being choked out by Nikita Kyrlov earlier this year. Barraso is 3-2 inside the UFC octagon and has finishes in 14 of his 18 professional wins.
This is really tough fight for Dolloway and I believe this fight will be his last with the UFC. Another factor is that Dolloway is jumping up to the light heavyweight weight class where Barraso should be the bigger man.
Prediction: Francimar Barraso submits CB Dolloway in Round 2.
Yancy Medeiros (12-4) vs. Sean Spencer (12-5)
This fight between Yancy Medeiros and Sean Spencer is very eventually matched up, record wise. Both fighters are multiple time UFC veterans but if one of the two were to be on the chopping block, Spencer is more at risk.
Spencer has not had a win since 2014 and fought just once in 2015 and once earlier this year. He has dropped three of his last four fights, whereas Medeiros has dropped two of his last three.
Prediction: Yancy Medeiros wins a split decision
Drew Dober (16-7-0, 1 NC) vs. Jason Gonzalez (10-2)
Coming off a UFC 195 unanimous decision win over Scott Holtzman in January, Drew Dober looks to make it two in a row when he goes up against Jason Gonzalez in the opening fight on UFC Fight Pass on Saturday.
Gonzalez is making his organizational debut after coming from Resurrection Fighting Alliance where he defeated Chris Padilla via TKO in June.
While Dober does have the UFC octagon experience, he has had troubles finding the win. I think Gonzalez will be a tough fight for Dober and it will be Gonzalez who has his hand raised.
Prediction: Jason Gonzalez via TKO – Round 2
UFC 203 Fight Card
Main Card on Pay-Per-View – 10 p.m. EST
Stipe Miocic vs. Alistair Overeem
Fabricio Werdum vs. Travis Browne
CM Punk (Phil Brooks) vs. Mickey Gall
Urijah Faber vs. Jimmie Rivera
Jessica Andrade vs. Joanne Calderwood
Preliminary Bouts on FOX Sports 1 – 8 p.m. EST
Jessica Eye vs. Bethe Correia
Brad Tavares vs. Caio Magalhaes
Nik Lentz vs. Michael McBride
CB Dolloway vs. Francimar Barraso
Ian McCall vs. Ray Borg (REMOVED FROM FIGHT CARD AS OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8)
Preliminary Bouts on UFC Fight Pass – 6:30 p.m. EST
Yancy Medeiros vs. Sean Spencer
Drew Dober vs. Jason Gonzalez
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