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Harmful ladies’s Strawweight contenders reeling from current defeats look to bounce again at every others’ expense this Saturday (Oct. 1, 2022) when Mackenzie Dern and Yan Xiaonan sq. off inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. Additionally on faucet for UFC Vegas 61 is a Welterweight co-feature between Randy Brown and the ageless Francisco Trinaldo, in addition to a probably explosive Bantamweight battle pitting John Castaneda towards Daniel Santos.
UFC Vegas 61 options seven “Prelims” undercard bouts this time round, all of which be a part of the primary card on ESPN+. Let’s crack open the primary batch …
155 lbs.: Joaquim Silva vs. Jesse Ronson
Joaquim Silva (11-3) adopted his quarterfinal run on The Final Fighter (TUF): Brazil 4 with wins in his first three Octagon appearances. He’s 1-3 since, although he did stroll away with “Battle of the Night time” for his knockout of Jared Gordon.
He fights for the primary time in 15.5 months.
Six years after three consecutive cut up resolution losses bounced him from the Octagon, Jesse Ronson (21-11) returned to UFC with a club-and-sub upset of Nicolas Dalby. A failed drug take a look at noticed the outcome overturned and Ronson positioned on the sidelines for practically two years, after which he suffered a submission loss to Rafa Garcia.
He’s scored 9 knockouts and eight submissions as knowledgeable.
Takedown protection was the bugbear that value Ronson throughout his first UFC stint, and the Garcia battle confirmed that the difficulty is right here to remain. Fortunately for him, Silva’s nickname is a little bit of a purple herring. That’s as a result of he’s nearly a pure brawler, trying simply two takedowns in seven UFC appearances. That’s excellent news for the larger, extra sturdy Ronson, who hasn’t been stopped with strikes in over a decade.
Silva has a shot if these final two knockout losses satisfied him to deal with enhancing his floor sport, however simply based mostly on what he’s executed thus far within the Octagon, odds are he’s going to slug it out. If that occurs, Ronson’s going to blast him out inside the first half of the battle.
Prediction: Ronson through first spherical technical knockout
205 lbs.: Maxim Grishin vs. Philipe Lins
Maxim Grishin (32-9-2) adopted an unbeaten Skilled Fighters League (PFL) run with a short-notice UFC debut towards Marcin Tybura, who outgrappled the Russian veteran to a call win. Grishin then returned to 205, the place he’s crushed Gadzhimurad Antigulov and William Knight whereas dropping a slim resolution to Dustin Jacoby.
He faces a two-inch attain drawback regardless of being the taller of the 2 by an inch.
Philipe Lins’ (15-5) UFC begin wasn’t the triumph he’d have appreciated, as he dropped a call to Andre Arlovski in his debut earlier than struggling a violent knockout loss to Tanner Boser. Two years and 6 battle cancelations adopted, after which he lastly made it into the UFC win column by beating Marcin Prachnio in April 2022.
His 12 skilled finishes embody eight by knockout.
That is truthfully a sneaky good match up between adept strikers who’ve but to essentially make their marks within the Octagon. Whereas I’m nonetheless not satisfied that Mild Heavyweight is Lins’ greatest weight class, he appeared sharp towards Prachnio after a tough begin, and Grishin may very simply be 3-0 since dropping to Tybura at 265 kilos.
It’s a coin flip, however I believe I favor Grishin. Lins’ velocity benefit is offset by a traditionally shaky chin and, regardless of taking up because the battle progressed, he nonetheless ate a number of pictures from the very restricted Prachnio alongside the way in which. Grishin’s solely stoppage loss within the final decade got here to Magomed Ankalaev, so in the event that they combine it up on the toes like I anticipate them to, it’ll be “Monstro” hitting the deck first.
Prediction: Grishin through first spherical technical knockout
265 lbs.: Aleksei Oleinik vs. Ilir Latifi
Aleksei Oleinik (60-16-1) began his UFC profession 6-2 earlier than hitting a two-fight skid, however picked proper again up the place he stopped with wins over Maurice Greene and Fabricio Werdum. Three consecutive losses adopted, although “The Boa Constrictor” managed to proper the ship in April 2022 by submitting Jared Vanderaa.
His 55 stoppage wins embody 47 by submission.
Consecutive resolution losses to Corey Anderson and Volkan Oezdemir despatched Latifi Ilir Latifi (15-8) to 265 kilos, the place he dropped a call to Derrick Lewis. Then got here 16 months on the sidelines, adopted by a cut up resolution over Tanner Boser.
This marks the primary battle for “The Sledgehammer” in practically 16 months.
Talking as a fan of Oleinik’s, this has the potential to be a really, very silly battle. His moments of grappling brilliance are often offset by bizarrely sloppy putting and wrestling, and Latifi has utterly remodeled from periodically entertaining knockout puncher to moist blanket. Actually, although, which may work in Latifi’s favor. His full disinterest in advancing place sorely limits Oleinik’s alternatives to grab up some esoteric submission in transition, so the easy-to-take-down Oleinik doesn’t have a ton of choices to cease Latifi from simply smothering him in guard.
I’d additionally point out Latifi’s skill to probably crack Oleinik’s oft-shattered chin, however the former threw 12 important strikes in quarter-hour towards Derrick Lewis, so I’m not anticipating a lot offense from him. Anticipate a criminally uninteresting lay-and-pray-session by Latifi.
Prediction: Latifi def. Oleinik through unanimous resolution
115 lbs.: Jessica Penne vs. Tabatha Ricci
4 years nearly to the day after a massively questionable resolution loss to Danielle Taylor, Jessica Penne (14-6) introduced her return to the Octagon with consecutive wins over Lupita Godinez and Karolina Kowalkiewicz. Then got here fellow former Invicta titlist Emily Ducote, who out-struck Penne at hand her her fourth UFC defeat.
Eight of her 10 professional finishes have come by submission.
Although an admirably daring transfer, the short-notice UFC debut for Tabatha Ricci (7-1) towards Manon Fiorot noticed her battered into submission halfway by means of the second spherical. Returning to her correct weight class proved fruitful, getting into the cage this Saturday having received two straight.
She provides up 4 inches of peak and 5 inches of attain to Penne.
One thing of a mirror match right here between grappling specialists who do their greatest work on the within, pitting the youth and judo prowess of Ricci towards the expertise and wrestling of Penne. Based mostly on their current efforts, I’m leaning in the direction of Penne; she’s the more proficient of the 2 at transitioning into dominant positions from the clinch and people peak and attain benefits ought to serve her properly in any point-blank dustups.
Ricci appears to be like to be enhancing battle to battle and it wouldn’t be too outlandish to see her grind Penne out from guard the way in which as she did Polyana Viana, however her willingness to enter Penne’s wheelhouse and the latter’s effectiveness there have me considering that veteran savvy wins the day. Good clinch strikes and lengthy stretches of again management earn Penne the choice.
Prediction: Penne through unanimous resolution
Three extra UFC Vegas 61 “Prelims” undercard bouts stay to preview and predict, together with a debuting feminine knockout artist. Similar time tomorrow, Maniacs.
Keep in mind that MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of the whole UFC Vegas 61 battle card proper here, beginning with the ESPN/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches, that are scheduled to start at 4 p.m. ET, then the remaining principal card stability (on ESPN+) at 7 p.m. ET.
To take a look at the most recent and best UFC Vegas 61: “Dern vs. Yan” information and notes make sure you hit up our complete occasion archive right here.
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