UFC Fight Night 108: Preview and Predictions
UFC Fight Night 108 brings an end to a three-week run of consecutive UFC events and gratefully marks the beginning of a three-week break from all things UFC.
Despite a poor match-up in the main event, the rest of the card showcases some under the radar fighters on the UFC’s books.
Cub Swanson (24-7) vs Artem Lobov (13-12-1)
One of the great things about MMA is that the best fighters fight the very best of their counterparts. This is not one of those times.
Artem Lobov has somehow managed to wrangle his way into a five-round fight with the #4 ranked featherweight in the world after going 2-2 in the UFC, one of those wins coming against very arguably the worst fighter to grace the Octagon in the modern era, and he now takes a main event spot. For context, there are about five different fights on UFC 211 that would be better suited to being a five-round fight than this one.
Barring a disastrous performance or the Doo Ho Choi bout has literally taken everything out of Cub Swanson, the Jackson-Wink fighter should get the victory here by any way he wants.
Pick: Cub Swanson
Al Iaquinta (12-3-1) vs Diego Sanchez (27-9)
If this fight was two years ago, picking Al Iaquinta would be a much easier task. The problem comes in the fact that ‘Raging’ Al hasn’t been seen since 2015 due to semi-retirement and contract disputes so his state of mind and level of performance are an unknown.
Fortunately, Diego Sanchez has become a known quantity in recent performances as he likes to pressure and be aggressive on the feet while possessing an underrated grappling game with the cardio to back it up.
I can see Iaquinta starting strong with Sanchez coming on albeit too late but I really wouldn’t be surprised to see ‘Lionheart’ earn a decision.
Pick: Al Iaquinta
Ovince Saint Preux (19-10) vs Marcos Rogerio de Lima (14-3-1)
Eurgh. This fight makes me sad.
OSP hasn’t looked anywhere near his best in recent outings while Lima continually misses weight at 205 lbs and hasn’t got much left in the gas tank after one round.
OSP should win this fight either by unorthodox heavy striking or terrible on the eyes clinching but who knows with Saint Preux anymore.
Pick: Ovince Saint Preux
John Dodson (18-8) vs Eddie Wineland (23-11-1)
Dodson was somewhat unlucky with his last performance against John Lineker but a return to a less conservative style should be on the cards here as Eddie Wineland doesn’t possess the same terrifying power as Lineker.
Wineland does have some nice boxing however but with Dodson’s speed and power advantage, ‘The Magician’ should come out on top against a fighter who has struggled in recent years with the better fighters at bantamweight.
Pick: John Dodson
Joe Lauzon (27-12) vs Stevie Ray (20-6)
This fight should be decided in the takedown attempts of Joe Lauzon as on the mat, Lauzon holds the distinct advantage. If Ray can keep ‘J-Lau’ away however with his southpaw stance, a proven problem that Lauzon has faced in the past, the Scotsman disciplined and technical striking should be enough against an ageing Lauzon.
It’s a tough one, but Ray seems to be on the up.
Pick: Stevie Ray
Jake Ellenberger (31-12) vs Mike Perry (9-1)
Both guys hit really hard at welterweight but Perry is simply more durable than Ellenberger these days.
Whoever makes the better start may just win this bout and I think Mike Perry will be out to set things right after a poor performance against Alan Jouban.
Pick: Mike Perry
(Last Predictions: 1/4, Total: 24/49, 49% Success Rate)
(2016: 61% Success Rate)