We're Back With Another LineStar Weekly Knockout!

Written by LineStar contributor, combat sports enthusiast, and practitioner, Chris Guy.

Instagram: @therealsethgeko & Twitter: @DadHallOfFamer

Before the second Big Bang, when instead of the creation of light, the world was reintroduced to total darkness, this place used to be the MGM Grand.  Once an iconic structure, all that remained fully intact was what used to serve as a parking structure leading to the intoxicating casino floor.  Solar generators powered floodlights haphazardly strewn over concrete pillars.  Some winked in and out of existence, and others buzzed, barely able to contain the flow of electric current.  They all swayed melodiously, casting trapezoids of shadows across the makeshift battlegrounds.

Paying homage to old times, a rough Octagon had been erected with steel barriers and fencing harvested from around the ruins of the city.  Spectators in attendance sat on the hoods and roofs of cars and in the beds of trucks long since abandoned.  

It was a rowdy lot.  It had been the ultimate survival of the fittest, and they were amongst the few who had won out.  It had taken nearly a decade for Them to finally die off.  Only a few stragglers could be found, wandering mindlessly on the outskirts of what used to be Their hunting grounds.  All that had remained of a once plentiful food source had now gained the upper hand.  The tides had turned, and They had become the instruments of the survivors’ every whim, finely tuned and played with the masterful competence of the old world’s greatest musicians.  

Sport had been the first semblance of the old society to reemerge, and all who were gathered came to witness it.  Hand to hand, no one had been able to best him, the man the survivors still called Champ.  He was in the survivors’ corner and outfitted with customized steel gauntlets on his hands and legs to protect against bites to his only weapons.  He shadowboxed in his corner as the challenger was hauled in.  Heavily armored escorts held it at the end of steel poles fastened with manacles around its neck and arms, its legs restrained with leg irons.

It writhed and contorted, hissed and spewed venom, infection, pestilence.  Its flesh sloughed, gravity working to expose muscle, bone, organs.  The overall complexion of the creature was wet, a corpse after spending days submerged in water.  It screeched and sneered, and every once in a while, you could make out an intelligible foul word. 

The leg irons were removed first; the arms were freed next.  Two remained in control of the head, awaiting the signal to release the spring-loaded clasps and jump behind the barriers.  The referee climbed atop the scaffolding outside the Octagon and took his place overlooking the action.  He removed the AR-15 from his shoulder, looked down its sight, and gave the thumbs up.

The main event had begun.  The Champ’s name: Alexander Volkanovski.  The challenger’s: The Korean Zombie.  Once again, it will be the survival of the fittest.  Cue the Mobb Deep. 

Main Card

Korean Zombie (+500) vs Alexander Volkanovski (-720)

Zombie: DK: $6.7k | Volkanovski: DK:$9.5k

Before the Brian Ortega fight, Alexander Volkanovski was the Kevin McCallister of the UFC, the forgotten child amongst all its champions.  I had described Volkanovski as being like Ross lingerie, nothing sexy, but it gets the job done.  He was the personification of the west coast offense: not many big plays, but, rather, emphasis on small incremental plays that consistently matriculate the ball up the field.  Whatever his approach, it was proven and had led him to a perfect 9-0 record in the UFC and the title of reigning and defending Featherweight Champion.

Then he fought Brian Ortega, and I had to throw all that shit out the window.  Sometimes you need a certain kind of challenger to bring out a better version of yourself.  That was certainly true for Volkanovski.  The two engaged in one of the best title fights in the sport's history and included one of the single best rounds I’ve ever seen.  Maybe the best.  Volkanovski didn’t play a safe point match against Ortega; he scrapped.  He attacked with aggressive combinations on the feet and violent ground and pound on the mat.  It was an Alexander Volkanovski no one outside of his gym had ever seen.

Alexander Volkanovski is the Featherweight Champion because his stand-up is fundamentally and technically sound.  He builds his attacks from the ground up, starting with inside/outside leg kicks that he throws continually to open up his boxing.  Volkanovski leads exchanges with low kicks, then throws short hand combinations and finishes with more low kicks. 

Volkanovski is one of the most defensively responsible fighters around.  He slides into the pocket behind his jab, sets up his power hand with peppering kicks and jabs, and rarely gets caught with his hands down.  The uppercut is the most difficult strike to defend because it starts in your lower peripheral and can split the hand guard.  Volk has a tendency to look down at the mat when he throws his right hand, and up the middle strikes are the perfect counter.

Against the Korean Zombie, Volkanovski will have to implement a similar high output game plan on the feet as he did against Ortega.  The Zombie fights flat-footed and extended combinations are his kryptonite.  Alexander can out-pace, out-work, out-class, out-everything, this version of the Korean Zombie if he’s aggressive and doesn’t play it safe.

I say “this version of the Korean Zombie” because I haven’t seen the old slick, crafty Korean Zombie with hand speed to burn in the last couple of years.  He made Brian Ortega look like Canelo Alvarez two years ago when an unrecognizable Zombie lumbered into the Octagon and stood directly in front of Ortega for five rounds.  He proceeded to eat every strike thrown at him.  All of a sudden, he was a Hollywood Blvd street performer version of the Korean Zombie.  

When The Zombie is on his game, using subtle slips and counters and footwork, it looks like he’s standing in place shadowboxing in front of a mirror.  But he’s actually creating slight angles and manipulating his opponent with short, choppy steps and slides.

Often, you see big, exaggerated bobs and weaves that are effective for avoiding strikes but leave little opportunity to counter.  Short, quick slips allow you to counter before your opponent moves or covers up.  The Korean Zombie is a master at moving his head and feet just enough to avoid strikes and countering off the brief openings.  

If the pre-2020 Korean Zombie shows up this Saturday, we’re in for another classic title fight banger.  If the Korean Zombie who played it safe during his last outing against Dan Ige shows up, Volkanovski might take his head clean off and display it to the crowd.  The takedowns and wrestling the Zombie used against Ige won’t work against Volkanovski.  He’ll have to stand and trade with Volkanovski, make him miss, and change the fight with well-timed counters.

I thought Volkanovski took the easier route calling for a fight with the Zombie instead of Yair Rodriguez, but the Zombie is a legend, and if he can find a little bit of the prime Korean Zombie, he will cause Volkanovski major problems.  If.  The main event losing streak will end at two this weekend.  Alexander Volkanovski via decision.

Winner: Alexander Volkanovski | Method: Decision

Aljamain Sterling (+350) vs. Petr Yan (-475)

Sterling: DK: $6.9k | Yan: DK: $9.3k

The 2017 Huston Astros, 2020 LA Dodgers, 2020 LA Lakers, Aljamain Sterling UFC Bantamweight Championship: Some of the banners hanging in the hall of dubious sports championships is Aljo’s current UFC title.  It wouldn’t be worth more than a free chalupa coupon in any pawnshop in the United States.  To most of us keyboard warriors, Petr Yan holds the current undisputed belt.  But that’s why we’re here; to dispute the undisputed with fisticuffs in a rematch of the first bout that ended with Aljo clutching his jersey as he rounded third base, begging his teammates not to tear it open because he was wired with an electric device that relayed the catcher's signs from personnel positioned in the outfield.

The first round of the first fight between the two couldn’t have gone any better for Aljo; he came out aggressive with a steady heavy output of snap kicks and peppering punches.  Aljo didn’t give Yan a chance to do anything but defend.  He kept Yan backpedaling under a steady barrage.  Sterling's problem was that there was no way he was going to keep up that pace.  After the first round, it was the equivalent of Chris Rock getting slapped at the Oscars, completely disrespectful.  

Yan tossed Aljo all about the cage with sneaky trips and battered him with heavy combinations and superior hand speed.  Yan outclassed Sterling from the second round on, and make no mistake, the end was looming for Aljo before his savior in the form of an illegal knee bestowed upon him an unexpected dub.

So what can Aljo do this time around to close the gap and legitimize his pewter belt?  He’s in a rough spot, a classic catch-22.  He’s damned if he uses the same high pace and damned if he doesn’t.  He can’t possibly keep up the high output as we saw him fade dramatically in the first fight, but he can’t afford not to at least try, either.  When you're facing an opponent who's just flat out better than you, you have to take risks and try to finish the fight early.  To his credit, that's what Aljo tried to do the first time, and I don't think that will change.  He found a way to take Cory Sandhagen's back in the opening minute of their bout and promptly finished Sandhagen.  Aljo needs to create chaos and hope for a similar opportunity.

Petr Yan is that dude.  All-around skill-wise, he’s the best pound-for-pound technical fighter in the UFC.  He can beat you anywhere, but his style isn’t often flashy.  Yan is a sleeper who never closes his eyes; he doesn’t blink, he doesn’t even close his eyes when he sneezes.  Yan has some of the craftiest takedowns you’ll see at this level.  He took over the fight against Sterling with trips from the clinch and catching kicks that he turned into sweeps.  Petr will initiate the collar tie or Thai plum and kick your leg out from under you.  It sounds juvenile and a little first grade-ish, but Yan is slick and executes trips with the effectiveness of traditional level change takedowns.

On the feet, Petr Yan is a technical, precise boxer.  Yan’s hands are quick and sharp, and he uses his jab like a professional boxer.  Yan will give many different looks with his jab, changing levels from targeting the head to the chest and the stomach.  After a barrage of jabs, Yan will come over the top with his right hand.  That’s called “setting it up.” 

Aljo is coming in like when your homie used to push you so high on the swings that you’d flip over the bar, a big underdog.  Can Aljo win the fight?  Well, I ask you this: can the Cowboys win the Super Bowl next year?  Sure.  But will they?  Probably not.  Petr Yan via rear-naked choke, round four.

Winner: Petr Yan | Method: Rear-Naked Choke Rd.4

Gilbert Burns (+375) vs. Khamzat Chimaev (-510)

Burns: DK: $6.8k | Chimaev: DK: $9.4k

Pardon my French, fookin’ banger.  The biggest question in MMA: Is Khamzat Chimaev the real deal?  I’ll put it on wax; yes.  If you gathered all of earth’s deities, past and present, he’d beat them all.  He’d duck under a Zeus lightning bolt and snatch his neck in under a minute; he’d only have to hold his breath for thirty seconds before he choked out Poseidon; he’d lead a one-man cavalry against Ares’ army and single-handedly end WWIII.  

If you don’t already know, Khamzat Chimaev has the most dominating ground game in MMA right now.  His dominance is closer to Khabib’s than Islam Makhachev’s.  Chimaev can shoot a double leg from across the cage, pick you up, carry you across the Octagon, slam you right in front of Dana White, and hold a conversation while cracking your ass.  That really happened.  Ask Li Jingliang.  

What made Khabib’s wrestling so scary was his ground and pound.  You could watch the souls of his opponents leave their bodies as Khabib beat on them.  Chimaev has that same type of life-altering ground and pound.  His Wonder bread loaf and stick of Land O Lakes, is using the leg ride and one underhook to anchor opponents against the cage while smeshing them with his free hand.  

The only question about Chimaev is his stand-up.  He has a one-punch KO of Gerald Meerschaert up at middleweight, but we haven’t seen him in any real exchanges on the feet.  I’ve seen plenty of sparring footage over the last several months of Chimaev in the gym, and he looks legit on the feet, too.  He has some real classic boxing skills; slipping and ripping the body, straight, tight punches, and quick hands.  You talkin’ about Practice!?  The only place Gilbert Burns can possibly beat Chimaev is on the feet, and for that reason, I don’t expect Chimaev to waste any time dumping Burns on his back.

If it weren’t for Khamzat, Gilbert Burns would probably have the most dangerous grappling in the division.  The difference between Burns and Khamzat is that Burns came UP to welterweight after getting finished by Dan Hooker, and Khamzat Chimaev came Down from middleweight and will continue to compete there.  Khamzat is just a bigger, stronger man than Burns.  He won’t be able to use the wrestling-heavy game plan he used to beat Wonderboy.  No, Burns has to land something heavy on the feet.  Like he did in the opening minutes against the Champ, Kamaru Usman.

Burns couldn’t find a way to finish Usman that night, but he came the closest to beating Usman as we’ve seen so far.  Gil has heavy round punches and fast hands.  Usman wasn’t even seeing Gil’s punches in the first round; they were too quick.  The key for Burns will be finding ways to unload with his hands while avoiding the takedown.  How can he do that?  Start from the bottom and work his way up.  Burns needs to target the body early.  When you punch to the chest and body, it makes it hard for the opponent to duck under your strikes.  Then Burns can work his way up to head strikes once he has a good feel for Chimaev’s range.

Odds: Gilbert Burns opened at (+400) and is dripping with value.  If he can force extended periods on the feet, he’ll have a chance to take advantage of his speed.  He has more than a puncher’s chance on the feet.  If Chimaev walks through Gilbert Burns, he’ll be the champ after his next fight.  We’re going to see an entirely new level of dominant wrestling on Saturday night.  Khamzat Chimaev via rear-naked choke, round two.

Winner: Khamzat Chimaev | Method: Rear-Naked Choke Rd.2

Mackenzie Dern (-115) vs. Tecia Torres (-105)

Dern: DK: $8.2k | Torres: DK: $8k

This is a dope little matchup right here.  Even though Tecia Torres has strong wrestling, this will essentially be a grappler vs. striker matchup.  Tecia Torres will want no part of Mackenzie Dern’s ground game, any more than the LA Lakers want any part of the New Orleans Pelicans after the Pelicans completed the season sweep last week.  

Mackenzie Dern is a walking contradiction, a moron of sorts, an oxymoron; she’s sneakers that don’t sneak; a grappler that can’t wrestle.  Dern has the most dangerous Jiu Jisu in women’s MMA, but her problem is, she struggles to get fights to the mat.  She lacks traditional takedowns, much like Ronda Rousey did.  Rousey was the definition of a one-trick pony; the only takedown in her arsenal was the hip throw.  When that didn’t work, she couldn’t employ traditional level changes.

In her last bout, Dern was only able to get Marina Rodriguez to the mat one time in the second round of a five-round main event.  She damn near finished the fight, but “damn near” didn’t count for a dub that night.  She spent the better part of the other four rounds getting picked apart on the feet.  The same will happen against Tecia Torres if she can’t get Torres to the mat.  And Tecia isn’t easy to take down.

But, if Dern can find a way to relocate the fight, Tecia Torres will be up F***ed Creek without any floaties.  Once she gains top control, all limbs are in peril.  Dern has diverse submission attacks and can sub you from head to toe.  She attacks kneebars and ankle locks, armbars and Kimuras, and chokes from every position.  The underrated part of her ground game is her ground and pound.  Mackenzie throws heavy Donkey Kong hammers to open up avenues to pass and advance to dominant positions.  Dern uses head control to break the opponent's posture and cut through the guard into side control.

Torres is as veteran as you can get in women’s MMA.  Torres uses a karate style with side kicks to disrupt timing and short blitzes to close the distance and initiate the clinch.  Her striking is a lot like Michelle Waterson’s, but Tecia has better hand speed.  Torres also lacks power on the feet and is the complete opposite of a finisher. Torrez is merciful and only has two finishes in eighteen career fights.  Torres is riding a three-fight winning streak after losing four straight fights to a list of serial killers.  The list includes Jessica Andrade, Joana Jedrzejkwwh, Weili Zhang, and Marina Rodriguez.

The key for Torres will be using her speed and bouncing footwork to massage the outside of the pocket and attack on her own terms.  She will have to use short, well-time blitzes to enter and exit striking range.  Stick and move.  The moment Torres’ feet stop moving, she’ll be in danger.

Odds-wise, this is pretty much an even pick ‘em, and I have no idea who wins.  It’s a literal coin toss.  BUT, Fantasy-wise, Mackenzie Dern is the better option.  If she wins, it’ll likely be by submission.  Dern can finish Torres, but Torres can’t finish Dern.  That being said, I think Torres will be tough to take down and do just enough to out-point Dern.  Tecia Torres via decision.

Winner: Tecia Torres  | Method: Decision

Mark O. Madsen (+110) vs Vinc Pichel(-130)

Madsen: DK: $7.8k | Pichel: DK:$8.4k

This is a crazy style matchup and was a late edition to the main card after Kelvin Gastelum vs. Dricus Du Plessis was canceled.  Vinc Pichel sports a glorious Rollie Fingers mustache in the Octagon, and that alone should be worth some Fantasy points when he steps into the cage against Mark O. Madsen.  Also, Pichel takes meteor showers and uses a lava rock as a loofah.  He’s wild, howls at the moon.  He’s Doctor Octopus with four extra limbs that throw bombs from all angles.

I used to think of Pichel as a grappler with decent striking, but I was wrong.  Pichel has sneaky good striking.  He uses both stances and flows between them fluidly and can go from counter striking to attacking seamlessly.  Low hand position is deadly if you have the footwork and head movement to defend.  Pichel throws punches from odd angles and can pivot backward out of range or pivot forward to close the distance.  His shovel hooks come from unorthodox peripherals and are hard to defend against.

Most importantly, Pichel is a grinder, a dog.  His game plan should be to keep distance and pick Madsen apart on the feet.  Pichel has an underrated 14-2 career record and is riding a three-fight winning streak.  His only loss in his last eight fights was to the grappling Gandalf, Gregor Gillespie.  His only other loss was to an “ov,” Rustam Khabilov.

Mark O. Madsen has a perfect 11-0 MMA record and will be making his fourth appearance in the Octagon.  He is the 2016 Greco Roman Olympic silver medalist who will belly to back suplex you over and over again like he’s Chris Benoit against The Big Show.  If you allow Madsen to get hold of you and lock his hands, you’re gonna have a bad time.  His control from any position—top control, the clinch, over/underhooks—is stifling; he stays glued to the opponent and allows very little room to maneuver or force scrambles.

The difference between Greco and Freestyle wrestling is the takedowns.  Greco uses chest-to-chest/chest-to-back takedowns and Freestyle uses level change takes downs like doubles and singles.  Madsen doesn’t shoot traditional double legs as much as he tends to work from the clinch with collar ties and underhooks.  When he gains top control, he constantly works head and arm control and can use it to set up passes or submissions. 

You can probably guess Madsen’s major malfunction, his striking.  Madsen has textbook wrestler striking, basic boxing consisting of short combos, usually 1-2s and 2-3s, and only looks to strike long enough to close the distance and level change or initiate the clinch.  He has zero point zero idea how to defend leg kicks and is highly susceptible to up the middle attacks like knees, uppercuts, and snap kicks.

Madsen will be out-gunned on the feet against Vinc Pichel.  Against Clay Guida, Madsen got stuck in a kickboxing match; he can’t afford to do that with Pichel.  There is nothing orthodox about Vinc Pichel, and his footwork will cause Madsen all kinds of problems.  Madsen needs to stay committed to his wrestling for the duration.  Coming in as the underdog, Madsen has a ton of value as a guy who can dictate where the fight takes place, record top control time, and grind out a decision.  But I think Pichel has more weapons and will prove difficult to take down consistently.  Vinc Pichel via decision.

Winner: Vinc Pichel | Method: Decision

Prelims

Highlighted Matchup

Marcin Tybura (+130) vs Jairzinho Rozenstruik (-150)

Tybura: DK: $7.6k | Rozenstruik: DK:$8.6k

This has a 50/50 chance of ending with Marcin Tybura being asleep or with every single person watching being asleep.  Why?  Jairzinho Rozenstruik; that’s why.  Jairzinho Rozenstruik is an anomaly.  Ninety-eight percent of his time spent in the cage is spent doing nothing.  You have to put spikes on top of his head to keep pigeons from landing and littering his dome with droppings.  But he’s 12-3 with eleven TKO/KO’s, including 6-3 in the UFC with six TKO/KO’s.

The inexplicable thing about Rozenstruik’s passive style is that it works more often than not.  There’s no hole deep enough that Bigi Boy’s Dim Mak touch of death can’t pull him out of.  Allistair Overeem was on his way to an uncontested five-round decision when Rozenstruik woke up from a twenty-four-minute and fifty-five second sleep walk, and KO’d The Reem at the final buzzer. 

Rozenstruik by the numbers:  Noine of Rozenstruik’s twelve professional victories have come in the first round.  Four of those noine were inside of thirty seconds, and two of those four were inside of ten seconds.  He’s got Mega Man cannons in each hand and can probably KO any human on earth with one shot from either.  But there’s a blueprint for fighting Rozenstruik, and you don’t need a FOIA request to access it.  Take him down.

If Marcin Tybura doesn’t close the distance and immediately attempt to drag Rozenstruik to the mat at the opening bell, the Snatch Mickey O’Neil fix is in.  Tybura isn’t a bad striker; he’s actually a pretty solid striker, but there’s zero reason for him to spend any amount of time standing and banging with Rozenstruik.  Rozenstruik throws about four punches per fight, and all Tybura has to do is make sure none of them connect.  He can increase his odds by establishing top control, where Tybura uses a good mix of heavy ground and pound and hunting for chokes.

Rozenstruik opened as the (-150) favorite, and although he only throws four strikes per fight, he only needs one to land.  Rozenstruik is one of the worst fighters to bet on.  You have zero idea wtf he is going to do.  You can count on mostly nothing.  But then he twitches, and the next thing you know, he’s getting his hand raised.  I’m going to take the dog Marcin Tybura.  I just can’t trust Rozenstruik not to go out there and stand around for fifteen minutes.  Marcin Tybura via decision.

Winner: Marcin Tybura | Method: Decision

Twenty-Twen-Twen Sleepers

Twenty-Ten-Twen Sleeper

It's gonna be a cold night in the pen for the dogs on this card. The top is filled with massive favorites, and betting the method of victory/round is the only real way to approach betting those matchups. 

As for a sizable dog who has a real shot at victory, take a look at the first fight of the night. I don't know much about Daniel "Willycat" Santos (+160), but he reminds me of a smaller Robbie Lawler. He has tight technical striking and could turn his fight with Julio Arce into a firefight. I wasn't impressed with Arce's most recent performance, and a debuting young fighter with nothing to lose is always dangerous.

And then there's Marcin Tybura at (+130). This fight will go one of two ways: Marcin Tybura will get KO'd fairly early, or he'll find success with his wrestling and dominate Rozenstruik with top control. Rozenstruik has never shown an ounce of urgency in any of his fights, and his ground game is similar to a CPR dummy on its back. If Tybura scores an early takedown, he'll win. If he doesn't... roll out the sleep apnea machines. 

Pick 'Em

Ian Garry (-365) vs. Darian Weeks (+280)

            Winner: Ian Garry

 Method: TKO Rd.2

Aspen Ladd (+165) vs. Raquel Pennington (-195)

            Winner: Raquel Pennington

 Method: Decision

Mickey Gall (+160) vs. Mike Malott (-200)

    Winner: Mike Malott

 Method: TKO Rd.3

Aleksei Oleinik (-105) vs. Jared Vanderaa (-115)

    Winner: Aleksei Oleinik

 Method: Ezekiel Choke Rd.1

Anthony Hernandez (-180 ) vs. Josh Fremd ( +155)

    Winner: Anthony Hernandez

 Method: Arm Triangle Rd.3

Piera Rodriguez ( ) vs. Kay Hansen ( )

    Winner: Peira Rodriguez

 Method: Decision

Julio Arce (-200) vs. Daniel Santos (+160)

    Winner: Julio Arce

 Method: Decision

Thanks for reading LineStar Weekly Knockout! We'll be back next Thursday with another one. Until then, good luck and support your local MMA Gym.

About Me

My name is Chris Guy, and I’m an avid combat sports enthusiast and practitioner. I’ve been a fan of MMA since the early 2000s when Limewire was still around, and I downloaded Bas Rutten’s Big Book of Combat. In 2004, I started training Muay Thai at City Boxing in San Diego, CA. I competed as an amateur for many years, and I've also dabbled in Jiu-Jitsu. I follow many different disciplines, such as Combat Ji-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Glory Kickboxing, Boxing, and MMA.

I’m equally as enthusiastic about the craft of writing, and in addition to writing about combat sports, I also write short fiction and music. I hope to bring unique prose to sports writing, and along the way, encourage people to not only become Martial Arts fans but to also become Martial Artists themselves. 

In the future, you may see me refer to the Thunderdome; it's an ode to the old Mad Max movie and refers to the world-class training facility I built in my one-car garage. It's complete with throw dummies, wrestling mats, heavy bags, and six months' worth of Chef Boyardee cans from when I thought the world was going to end back in March. I hope you enjoy my work, and if you don’t, the Thunderdome has an open door policy. 

Check out my Podcast The Whiskey (S)ick Podcast on Apple and Spotify. Parental Advisory Warning