We're Back With Another LineStar Weekly Knockout!

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

Instagram: @therealsethgeko & Twitter: @DadHallOfFamer

Main Card

Curtis Blaydes (+110) vs Tom Aspinall (-140)

Blaydes: DK: $7.9k | Aspinall: DK:$8.3k

This one’s an awkward heavyweight scrap with future title fight implications. I say awkward not because of clashing styles or unorthodox techniques, but awkward because Curtis Blaydes and Tom Aspinall represent two recently scorned Weekly KO fighters. This is awkward like running into two ex-girlfriends at a party; one’s now dating a Big Lots manager and the other an LA Fitness Zumba instructor, two upgrades. Awkward like standing in an empty men’s room with four available urinals, and the next guy through the door pulls up to one right next to you. I spent six hundred words touting Tom Aspinall as the next big thing in the heavyweight division and then went and picked Alexander Volkov to beat him. I glossed over Curtis Blaydes’ 11-3-1 UFC record with two losses coming to one man, Francis Ngannou, and picked Chris Daukaus to beat him.

The good news: This here’s my shot at redemption. The bad news: I’ll have to scorn one of them again. But if there’s any solstice for the predicted loser of this fight, it’s that the MMA Pick ‘Em Gods have been moving heaven and hell to prevent me from winning main events this year. Just look at how Brian Ortega lost last week.

Tom Aspinall is 12-2 for his career and 5-0 in the UFC with five finishes, and only one fight made it to the second round. Aspinall is Paul Wall flossin’ with the diamond fronts, tippin’ on Vogues, all the bling, and all the show. He’s a highlight reel of flashy KO’s and submissions brought about by blinding hand speed and devastating power. His submissions look like he’s in the front yard torturing G.I. Joe’s, twisting their limbs to impossible angles after burning them with magnifying glasses and clipping the little rubber band in their midsections.

Tommy is on an eight-fight winning/finishing streak, and a dub against Curtis Blaydes would make him the next title challenger or one fight away. That all depends on if the Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic ever happens.

Aspinall moves like Ciryl Gane and has possibly the best hand speed I’ve ever seen at heavyweight. Tom uses intricate techniques like shoulder rolls, stepping off at angles, and striking while moving in all directions. He blends boxing techniques with kickboxing hand/kick combinations, is light on his feet, and uses a Karate-like perpetual bounce. Sprinkle in excellent takedowns and heavy ground and pound, and you got yourself a well-rounded fighter; all paths leading to victory against him are overgrown and treacherous.

Head movement is the catalyst for Aspinall’s entire game. He uses slick head movement not only to avoid strikes and counter, but also to set up takedowns. Aspinall will slip to the outside of the punch and level change into power double-legs; he makes you miss, and in your moment of vulnerability, takes you down.

Weaknesses? There aren’t many to the untrained eye, but that’s why you come to the Weekly KO; for Mary Jane enhanced eyes trained at the world-class Couch Performance Institute. Thousands of reps, doobie curls until failure and watching fights nonstop like a Guantanamo prisoner forced to watch American Pickers marathons.

Aspinall is hittable. His defense on the feet is leaky and, at times, too nonchalant. It looks flashy with slick head movement and precise range management, but Aspinall tends to use a half-assed Philly Shell that can be penetrated with extended combinations. If you stop throwing after one or two strikes, Aspinall will make you miss and make you pay, so the key is to continue to pursue with third and fourth level strikes. You can’t head hunt against Aspinall, you have to punch at his chest and threaten with up the middle attacks to discourage level changes.

But Aspinall’s biggest question mark is his gas tank. His fights rarely last five minutes; what will happen if he can’t find the early finish? Does Aspinall have the dog in him? Also, what does Aspinall’s guard look like? Curtis Blaydes has the wrestling and heavy top control to answer those questions.

Curtis Blaydes is a perennially underrated fighter who, despite having an excellent finishing rate, tends to underwhelm with his performances. I don’t know what it is, but even his KO’s are forgettable five minutes later. Blaydes’ right hand can Jimmy Hoffa you in a blink; make you completely disappear off the face of the earth, and he has eleven KO’s in sixteen career wins to prove it. But sometimes, Blaydes’ perpetuates wrestling-heavy game plans and shows no desire to finish the fight. For a guy who averages six takedowns per fifteen minutes, he has exactly zero point zero submission wins. He can ground and pound you through the Octagon but is often content to just hold on and maintain position.

In his last bout, Blaydes boxed Chris Daukaus’ ears off but chose to fight Daukaus at his strength. He can’t afford to do that against Tom Aspinall. Blaydes needs to get the fight to the mat before Aspinall does and before getting clipped on the feet by something he never saw coming.

Aspinall will be stepping in as the early (-140) favorite, and the odds (-205) favor a finish before the final bell. The sweet spot is over/under 2.5 rounds, which will return plus money at (+115) or (+225) over/under 1.5 rounds. This one going the distance will provide (+155) odds, and it’s not too far fetched if Blaydes can take Aspinall down and slow play the fight, but an early finish is the most likely outcome. And an early finish is dripping with value. In fourteen career fights, Aspinall has never seen a third round; his speed overwhelms early and will likely create a finishing sequence one way or the other.

Last week marked the second time in 2022 that I lost a main event via spontaneous injury, when Brian Ortega dislocated his shoulder, pulling out of an armbar in the first round. Side note: if you didn’t see Su Mudaerji vs. Matt Schnell, stop what you’re doing and get on that shit. Anywho, the main event-winning streak had a short but fulfilling life, and now it’s back to square one. Tom Aspinall via TKO, round two.

Winner: Tom Aspinall | Method: TKO Rd.2

Jack Hermansson (-115) vs. Chris Curtis (-115)

Hermansson: DK: $8k | Curtis: DK: $8.2k

The “Action Man,” aka, “The Last Action Hero” Chris Curtis is back after fighting just three weeks ago. Curtis is a late replacement for Jack Hermansson’s original opponent, Darren Till. If his techniques ever caught on, Darren Till’s pull-out game would ruin the world’s population. Curtis has gone 3-0 since his short notice debut last November, including wins over Phil Hawes, Brenden Allen, and Rodolfo Vieira.

Curtis is a southpaw power striker with Chris Leben short bus power in his left hand. His technical skills are limited, but he makes up for it with aggression and steady volume. Power can be a gift and a curse; although Curtis’ left hand is his best weapon, it doubles as his biggest weakness. When he throws it, he ties his shoe with his right hand, rolls dice, bowls a perfect three hundred. His right hand drops to the floor every single time he unloads with the left. But the tradeoff is fight-ending power that carries from bell to bell.

Coming into the UFC, Curtis’ weakness was takedown defense and overall wrestling. But in three UFC fights, Curtis has posted a one hundred percent takedown defense while fighting three excellent wrestler/grapplers. Three weeks ago, Curtis stuffed all twenty of Rodolfo Vieira’s takedown attempts and was able to keep the fight standing for the entire fifteen minutes. That’s likely some clever George R.R. Martin foreshadowing, heading into a fight against a Jack Hermansson with notorious Jiu-Jitsu takedowns.

What are Jiu-Jitsu takedowns? Jiu-Jitsu players often struggle to score takedowns in MMA and rely on trips and pulling guard to relocate the fight, rather than traditional wrestling level changes. Jack Hermansson is a killer on the mat from the top or bottom, but he struggles to get the fight there. He goes into most fights without the ability to implement his strengths.

Jack Hermansson is far from a TLC scrub on the feet, but noine outta ten experts recommend not standing with Chris Curtis for fifteen minutes. And the one who doesn’t is a Richard and not your amigo.

“The Joker” has long, awkward striking, and his best weapons on the feet are long-range kicks to the body and legs. He’s an excellent kicker, but his hands are below average. If given the opportunity to stand on the outside and probe with his jab, Hermansson can survive on his feet with most in the division, but if his opponent gets inside of his long reach, he struggles. Hermmy doesn’t put combinations together fluidly and is mostly a one-punch striker who lacks knockout power. 

Hermansson can win this fight and finish it. But he has to commit to his wrestling/grappling and not abandon it after a couple of failed attempts. At least he has to try. You don’t want Jack on top of you. Not because the sweet nothings he whispers in your ear aren’t poetic and inviting, but because he’s a grinder that will snatch your neck and mount your head over his Twilight Funko Pop collection.

The numbers: Chris Curtis is 29-8 and 3-0 in the UFC with a win on the Contender Series. He has sixteen career TKO/KO’s and one lonely ass submission. Jack Hermansson is 22-7 and 9-5 in the UFC with eleven TKO/KO’s and six subs. The odds favor the fight ending before the final bell at (-150), and a decision will return (+115) odds. The straight up odds are virtually a pick ‘em with both fighters at negative money. Both fighters have paths to victory, but Curtis is the bigger threat to finish the fight early. Hermansson’s chances to end the fight drop to almost negative numbers if he can’t score a takedown.

Fantasy-wise, Chris Curtis averages over seven significant strikes per minute in three bouts, and Jack averages a surprising five significant strikes. Hermansson stays busy with peppering shots all night long, even when he’s getting pieced up. On wax, Chris Curtis via decision.

Winner: Chris Curtis | Method: Decision

Jordan Leavitt (+210) vs. Paddy Pimblett (-275)

Leavitt: DK: $7.3k | Pimblett: DK: $8.9k

Chris Griffin is back with another hand picked opponent that won’t expose any of his weaknesses on the feet. Paddy Pimblett will be making his third Octagon appearance after winning a fight in March, gaining one hundred pounds the next day, and losing it all before this Saturday. Homie goes from the balloon kid in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory to P90X World Champ almost overnight.

Pimblett is a highly touted young prospect with an 18-3 professional record. Paddy has gone 2-0 after facing twin brothers in his first two appearances. Paddy’s opponents were identical in style and skillsets and caused Paddy problems on the feet for the brief periods the fights were standing.

Paddy can bake you a cake as fast as he can anywhere the fight goes and won’t shy away from a stand-up war, but his specialty in on the mat. He lacks technical technique on the feet and is more of a brawler than kickboxer. He has wide, looping punches and travels only in straight lines but is aggressive and strings together long combinations. Paddy is a better grappler than he is a striker, and his sustained success in the UFC will hinge on finding ways to get fights to the mat.

If he gets top control, it’s only a matter of time until he takes your back and sinks in a rear-naked choke. Paddy likes to work underhooks against the cage to secure body locks and trips and relies on maintaining top position to win fights. Pimblett also has two flying triangle choke submissions for his career, a triangle set up while standing with his back up against the cage. He’s biggest strength is his creativity and lack of inhibitions to try anything at any given moment.

Pimblett will have be facing a grappling specialist in “Fozzie Bear” Jordan Leavitt. Paddy won’t have a clear advantage on the mat, Leavitt has strong takedowns, submissions, and top control, but Paddy will have the advantage on the feet. Leavitt’s striking is about as dangerous as a McDonald’s employee’s when the McFlurry machine breaks down. He has Cocomelon kicks like the episode when JJ learns Karate; he’s got hands like Hanson from Scary Movie; he’s got hands like a penguin.

To say Jordan Leavitt is a grappling specialist is like saying the Angels are wasting the careers of two of the best players in our lifetimes, a massive understatement. In two fights, Pimblett has failed to defend a takedown and boasts a zero point zero percent takedown defense. He was taken down in the opening minutes of both fights. Jordan’s path to victory is a narrow one-way street with spike strips placed at the entrance so he can’t back up. It’s grappling or bust, more specifically, top control or bust.

Pimblett’s value will be two-pronged; he’s a submission threat and can overwhelm Leavitt on the feet with volume. Leavitt will be a submission threat if he can take Pimblett down consistently. For his career, Leavitt is 10-1 with one TKO/KO and six subs; his lone TKO win was against one of the Island Boys. Pimblett is also a finisher, having finished fourteen of his eighteen career dubs, six TKO/KO’s and eight subs.

The odds heavily favor Pimblett and an early finish. Paddy will be stepping in as the (-275) favorite, and an early finish is valued at (-310). The fight going the distance will return (+225) and isn’t out of the question. Leavitt is tough to finish and will more than hold his own on the mat, which is Pimblett’s strength. I could see Paddy doing enough on the feet to win while the grappling is a stalemate. And showing he can go three hard rounds wouldn’t be a bad look for Pimblett. Paddy Pimblett via decision.

Winner: Paddy Pimblett | Method: Decision

Nikita Krylov (-200) vs. Alexander Gustafsson (+160)

Krylov: DK: $8.6k | Gustafsson: DK: $7.6k

This is the very definition of grappler vs. striker. Alexander Gustafsson was the first fighter to beat Jon Jones the first time they met. Gus won the first noineteen minutes of the fight but stumbled the last six. That fight was way back in 2013, and yes, the Valero judges were performing De Niro in Heat handicap stall armed robberies back then. Gus went on to challenge Daniel Cormier for the title and KO’d Glover Teixeira in 2017 but hasn’t been the same since. His most recent fight was up at heavyweight in 2020, where he was submitted by former champ Fabricio Werdum in the first round.

Gustafsson’s striking was some of the slickest movement-based striking we’ve seen in the light heavyweight division. It was movement personified, constant lateral movement while manipulating defenses with his jab from the outside. The combination he used to KO Glover was Gus at his best, stepping off a jab-uppercut combination to land a clean right that floored Glover. Gus was the perfect mixture of hand speed and advanced boxing technique with underrated wrestling.

The key for Gus against Nikita Krylov will be busting out the Ouija board, saying Gustafsson in the mirror three times, and resurrecting the old Gus. Or asking the Toraja people of Indonesia to dig up the old Gus, blow off the dust and maggots, and carry him into the Octagon. At all costs, Gus has to stay vertical and not allow Nikita Krylov to gain the top position. Even at fifty percent of his old self, Gus can out-strike Krylov, and in many ways, this is the perfect fight for Gustafsson to get back on track.

Nikita Krylov is an elite wrestler/grappler with relentless takedowns and submission attempts. Krylov is 27-9 overall with fifteen submissions and eleven TKO/KO’s on his professional record. Although Krylov has respectable standup, his bread and butter is wrestling. He strings together takedown attempts, singles to doubles, doubles to body locks, and rarely gives up on them. From the top position, Nikita implements continual grinding ground and pound to soften up the opponent and advance position.

In his most recent bout against Paul Craig, Krylov was administering a beating like when channel 99 used to come in clearly for fifteen seconds back in the day. Then he broke into the dub factory on some Tom-Cruise-in-Mission-In-Possible-repelling-from-the-ceiling-through-a-spiderweb-of-alarm-sounding-laser-beams type shit and managed to steal an L.

Nikita’s success will be based on his adherence to his wrestling game plan for the duration, even if Gus stuffs a few takedowns. I was shocked like Marv to see Krylov open as the big (-200) favorite. Bust out the Piso Mojado signs because Gustafsson will be dripping with plus money value. Krylov can’t beat Gus on the feet if he can’t consistently take him down, and Gus has an eighty-three percent career takedown defense. The odds (-200) favor an early finish, and both fighters are capable of ending the fight, Gus on the feet and Krylov on the mat. At (+150), there’s value in this one going the distance as well. It could turn into a grinding fight against the cage and top control, burning minutes off the clock. Alexander Gustafsson via decision.

Winner: Alexander Gustafsson  | Method: Decision

Molly McCann (-400) vs Hannah Goldy (+300)

McCann: DK: $6.9k | Goldy: DK: $9.3k

This is a Mrs. Doubtfire undercover filthy lil’ scrap right here. You won’t be wowed by technique and physical abilities, but these two ladies will not hesitate to dawn the turnout gear and engage in a firefight on some Backdraft type ish.

Molly McCann is the UFC version of Shelley Marsh, an angry young lady who will bully you for your Fruit By The Foot and Dunkaroos. She’s abrasive and more aggressive than Taco Bell bubble guts. McCann fights like she disabled the governor on a rental car and redlines it across the country. She throws nothing but extended Killer Instinct combos and rarely takes a step back. She’s 12-4 in her career and 5-3 in the UFC and coming off an ESPN Top Ten highlight reel spinning back elbow KO that left Luana Carolina doing snow angels on the canvas.

Hannah Goldy is a Gold’s Gym boxer with decent wrestling and limited overall skills. Her striking is like watching the Tin Man shadowbox, but she averages six significant strikes landed per minute. She’s the kid that runs out the throw to first base even when it’s a foul ball; she’s a hustla, she’s a she’s a hustla, homie. Ask about her. And they’ll probably tell you her chance to win this fight is on the mat, taking Molly McCann down. But Hannah struggles to score takedowns and will likely have to stand and trade with Shelley.

I wouldn’t bet on this fight if it bet on me not betting on it. McCann is the (-400) favorite, and the odds of it going the distance are (-240). The only finishing threat is McCann, especially after how she did Luana Carolina her last time out, but Goldy is tough and can stumble her way to the finish line six hours after everyone else crossed it. Molly McCann via decision.

Winner: Molly McCann  | Method: Decision

Volkan Oezdemir (-170) vs Paul Craig (+140)

Oezdemir: DK: 8.5$k | Craig: DK: $7.7k

This is another pure grappler vs. striker matchup, and all you really need to know is Paul Craig is plus money (+145). No one is better at winning fights he’s about to lose than Paul Craig. He submitted top contender Magomed Ankalaev at 4:59 of the third round with a triangle choke. That’s one second left in the fight for those of you reading this through a cloud of smoke. He also submitted the aforementioned Nikita Krylov after getting every square millimeter of his ass whooped up to that point.

Craig is one of the best submission specialists in the game and won’t hesitate to pull guard and use sweeps to end up on top. He doesn’t have to rely on traditional level changes even though he has those in his arsenal too. His submission game is diverse, with a mix of submissions from the guard and from the top position; he has eight wins via triangle choke and two via armbar. That’s ten submission wins from his guard. He also has a one hundred percent finishing rate with thirteen total submissions.

Craig’s major malfunction is his striking. It isn’t awful, but he can’t win fights exclusively on his feet. He has better kicks than hands, especially when using his lead leg to attack. He uses a variety of up-the-middle and round kicks to pepper opponents and draws out aggressive attacks so he can change levels. But if he can’t drag Volkan Oezdemir to the mat, he’s gonna have a bad time.

Volkan Oezdemir is a boxer with nasty calf kicks and a one-time title challenger against Daniel Cormier. He has the skills and the power destroy Craig on the feet but has shown major holes in his ground game. Oezdemir’s striking is unique because he uses two crosses instead of a traditional jab and cross. His stance is squared like Bas Rutten’s back in the day. When your shoulders are square and not bladed, you effectively have two power hands, which is why Oezdemir has KO power in both hands. The downside is, the stance limits him defensively, and Oezdemir tends to take a lot of damage.

Oezdemir is 17-6 for his career and is 5-5 in the UFC with twelve TKO/KO’s and one submission. Four of his career losses came by finish, including two by submission. Oezdemir’s only chance is to keep this standing. There’s a ton of value for Oezdemir ending the fight early on the feet, and the odds of it going the distance are (-310). Each fighter will have a massive advantage in his area of expertise and will come down to if Paul Craig can get Oezdemir to the mat.

There is ALWAYS value for Paul Craig submitting ANYONE who ever existed since an amoeba crawled from the sea. The fight ending before a round and a half will return (+105) odds and over two and a half (-200) odds. I’m going to go out on a limb, the one Paul Craig will snatch from Volkan Oezdemir. Paul Craig via triangle choke, round dos. On Wax.

Winner: Paul Craig  | Method: Triangle Choke Rd.2

Prelims

Highlighted Finishes

These are the matchups that have a good chance of providing early finishes.

Mason Jones ( ) vs Ludovitt Klein (+265)

Jones: DK: $9.2k | Klein: DK: $7k

Mason Jones howls at the moon; he’s wild and has a grinding style on the feet and on the mat. Ludovit Klein is a savvy southpaw kickboxer with sixteen finishes in eighteen career dubs. Ludo has a symmetrical eight TKO/KO’s and eight subs. Jones is less of a finisher, having finished seven of his eleven career dubs, but Jones is the better all-around fighter.

Klein will be the massive (+265) dog and is coming off a dub against the tough Devonte Smith. He’s 2-2 in the UFC and will have a path to victory on the feet if he can keep it standing. The odds for the fight going the distance will return plus money at (+145) and an early finish under one and a half rounds at (+130). The prop bets for the method of victory have yet to be set, but I’m sure you can get plus money for a Mason Jones TKO/KO or submission, and both are dripping with value. Klein can finish this on the feet if Mason struggles to score takedowns, and more than likely, this fight will provide finishing points. Mason Jones via TKO, round three.

Makwan Amirkhani (+170) vs Jonathan Pearce (-210)

Amirkhani: DK: $7.5k | Pearce: DK: $8.7k

Makwan Amirkhani is a submission specialist with twelve career submissions in seventeen career wins. He’s coming off an Anaconda Choke submission win over the wrestler Mike Grundy and will be facing another fighter who likes to wrestle and maintain top control in Jonathan Pearce. The massive red flag waving like it’s caught in hurricane winds is Amirkhani’s gas tank. HE’s got a Tesla’s gas tank; not quite as bad as you saw last week with Herbert Burns, but there are times when he can barely pick himself up off the mat.

Jonathan Pearce is an undercover sleeper with excellent wrestling, ground and pound, and top control. Pearce’s is a straight grinder who will exchange with wrestler striking on the feet and heavy strikes on the mat. His style is perfectly suited to grind out Amirkhani and score a late finish.

Amirkhani will be the (+170) dog and a sub threat from any position for a solid two rounds. Jonathan Pearce is valued at (-210), but you can get him at (+250) for a TKO/KO win. Amirkhani will return (+375) odds for a submission win, which is the only way he can win this fight. The odds for the fight going the distance is (+155), but the play here is a finish from either fighter. Jonathan Pearce via TKO, round two.

Jai Herbert (-285) vs Kyle Nelson (+225)

Herbert: DK: $9k | Nelson: DK: $7.2k

In many ways, these fights are mismatches, but the window for a victory for the underdogs will be wide open if they can fight to their strengths. Kyle Nelson hasn’t had much success in the UFC, but this homie throws hands like he’s moshing at a Slip Knot concert. If you give this guy even sliver of moon, he’ll howl at it all night long. He’s 13-4 with five TKO/KO’s and four subs, with a 1-3 record in the UFC. But trust me, he goes out swinging.

Jai Herbert is a fast kickboxer who had Ilia Topuria cruising around the mall in a pair of Heelys in the first round his last time out. How the fight ended isn’t important here. He’s 11-4 and 1-3 in the UFC; it’s a battle of 1-3 records. The magic number to Herbert is noine; noine of his eleven wins came via TKO/KO. His speed will surely cause Nelson problems early and a big reason why the under for one and a half rounds is valued at (-110).

Nelson will be your mangy (+225) dog, and win by TKO/KO will bring you (+600) odds, while a submission will return (+1100) odds. His path to victory is creating chaos and a fight-ending sequence. The only way he wins this is by a finish. Unfortunately, the only way to get plus money on Herbert is in a finish, but a TKO/KO will return (-120) odds. I rarely play negative money except in cases like this because those are decent odds for the likely outcome. Jai Herbert via TKO, round two.

Twenty-Twen-Twen Sleepers

Twenty-Ten-Twen Sleepers

Last week, the dogs were off their leashes, squatting on lawns. I finally got on the board with twin Hamiltons on Matt Schnell and Li Jingliang, but this week's dogs appear a little less promising.

Claudio Silva (+200): The first fight of the night will provide a sizable dog with a clear path to victory. Silva is 5-2 in the UFC with three wins by submission and a dub against the next title challenger Leon Edwards. Claudio will be at a disadvantage on the feet but have a decided advantage on the mat. In fourteen career wins, Silva has noine submissions and is one of those fighters that throws wild bombs and causes havoc inside the Octagon.

Paul Craig (+140): He might get his ears boxed in four 14:59, but that last second is a mf'er against Paul Craig.

Jordan Leavitt (+210): I know there might be protests outside the Thunderdome for this one, but Jordan Leavitt can grapple. Paddy Pimblett has been taken down early in both of his UFC fights, but the difference with Leavitt is he can keep Paddy there. He can grind Paddy for fifteen minutes if he can avoid wild exchanges on the feet. A finish is a long shot, but he can definitely grind out a win. Pimblett's strength is top control and not necessarily his guard.

Pick 'Em

Mason Jones (-345) vs. Ludovitt (+285)

Winner: Mason Jones

 Method: TKO Rd.3

Marc Diakiese (-350) vs. Damir Hadzovic (+270)

Winner: Marc Diakiese

 Method: Decision

Nathaniel Wood (-575) vs. Charles Rosa (+395)

    Winner: Nathaniel Wood

 Method: Decision

Makwan Amirkhani (+170) vs. Jonathan Pearce (-210)

    Winner: Jonathan Pearce

 Method: TKO Rd.2

Muhammad Mokaev (-500) vs. Charles Johnson (+375)

    Winner: Muhammad Mokaev

 Method: Rear-Naked Choke Rd.2

Jai Herbert (-285) vs. Kyle Nelson (+225)

    Winner: Jai Herbert

 Method: TKO Rd.2

Mandy Bohm (-130) vs. Victoria Leonardo (+110)

    Winner: Mandy Bohm

 Method: Decision

Claudio Silva (+200) vs. Nicolas Dalby (-250)

    Winner: Nicolas Dalby

 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