Written by LineStar contributor, combat sports enthusiast, and practitioner, Chris Guy. Instagram: @therealsethgeko | Twitter: @DadHallOfFamer

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Main Card

Israel Adesanya (-150) vs. Joe Pyfer (+125)

Stylebender: DK: $8.5k | Pyfer: DK:$7.7k

The fruits of a poisonous dub. You would think beating Alex Pereira would be a steppingstone toward GOAT status. But life has been a nightmare since Israel Adesanya KO’d the Fist Gawd. While Pereira went on to win the light heavyweight title (twice) and is now close to a historic third title, Izzy has yet to win a single fight—three years, 1095 days, and 26,000 hours and counting. The last time the man they call Stylebender won, the world seemed as peaceful and idyllic as the Shire with the hobbits in perpetual celebration, instead of today's volatile climate and growing grim prognostications of “Cloudy with a chance of Nukes.” Ciryl Gane better tread lightly; if he fooks around and beats Alex, he will turn into the guy from the novel/movie Thinner, wasting away, quickly shedding weight until he is nothing more than a physical representation of the skeletons in Diddy’s closet as the consequences of his victory.   

How do you break the curse of Alex Pereira? Is it even possible? I don’t know, but I do know this: If I beat Alex Periera, I’d have a victory parade everywhere I went, like I won the Super Bowl, with adoring fans lining the streets. I’d even have the Eagles fan who ate horse shit after the Eagles won their first title, looking like Joey Chestnut shoveling Mr. Hankies in his mouf like they were Nathan’s hotdogs. Confetti would rain down on me upon stepping inside any establishment, while I announce my presence like Kevin Garnett after beating the Kobe-led Lakers in the NBA finals, “Anything is possible!” Especially if I beat Alex in the fashion that Izzy did. Izzy’s leg was on its last leg in those closing seconds. His back was up against the cage, literally and figuratively. Then Izzy's right hand granted him clemency like a last-minute stay of execution just before they pulled the lever on the electric chair. And the rest is history. 

That iconic moment came with a price too steep for Izzy to pay. Homie has since had to resort to taking out predatory loans like college kids in the U.S. But no matter how many payments he makes, he remains underwater with creditors harassing him at all hours. When he steps into the Octagon against Joe Pyfer, Izzy will be facing an unimaginable fourth straight loss. Can he win this fight? Or is he washed like Johnny Depp’s comforter? It could be a little of both. In his prime, fighting Stylebender was like standing in a house of mirrors with an infinite amount of Izzy's surrounding you – all attacking in unison. “Destroy the image, and you will break the enemy.” Fighting Izzy was like Bruce Lee fighting that guy with the claw hand. Izzy would even hit you with that nifty little guillotine back-heel kick that Bruce Lee was famous for. But doubt is the mind killer. He just hasn’t looked like his confident self since losing to Sean Strickland.  

As much as the fourth Pereira fight changed Izzy, so too did the Strickland fight. I think he went into the fight already counting his dubs. He quickly found himself in a Bizarro world after nearly getting KO’d in the opening round. Just months after beating the unbeatable Pereira. Since then, he has played it too safe. Izzy needs to conjure the version of himself that fought Kelvin Gastelum for the title. That fight remains the greatest middleweight title fight of all time. It even earned Izzy a bust in the UFC Hall of Fame. If Izzy pushes the pace and mixes up his attacks, utilizing his kicks in combination with his hands, he can wear out Joe Pyfer. Pyfer will have a one-punch power advantage, but Izzy is the far more technically advanced striker. Izzy’s understanding of range and angles dwarfs Pyfers like an LPA (Little Persons of America) convention.   

It’s time to play the Pyfer. Joe Pyfer, aka the Pied Pyfer, aka Pyfe Dawg, aka Pyfer Sutherland, is back after vanquishing the Candyman, Abus Magomedov, in his most recent bout. Pyfer has won six of his seven UFC bouts, including three in a row after losing to Jack Hermansson in a main event in 2024. It’s only one loss, but that loss has aged like Gary Busey. That shit aged like bagged lettuce in the fridge. Since beating Pyfer, Hermansson has lost two in a row, both by vicious first-round KOs. But I can’t bring up old shit without bringing up the time he left Marc-Andre Barriault face down on the mat like Bob Knight in his grave, “When my time on earth is gone, I want they bury me upside down, and my critics can kiss my ass!” Pyfer has what Izzy lacks: Dim Mak Touch of Death power. And Pyfer doesn’t wrap his hands beneath his fight gloves. He basically fights bare-knuckle. You have to be a different breed, not wrap your hands, especially when wearing only four-ounce gloves.   

Joe Pyfer is a right-hand extremist. The government placed him on a watch list; he’s not allowed to board domestic flights. This guy’s right hand turns you into sawdust—turns you into ash. People walk around with you drawn on their foreheads during Palm Sunday. Homie is the Fighting Irish logo reanimated. MF looks like he's straight out of Peaky Blinders. Pyfer will go from a factory riot to a cage fight, then he’s off to rig a mayoral election. He is an old fighting soul; his highlights look like they should be black and white and filmed at twelve frames per second. If he can invade Izzy’s space and get inside the pocket consistently, he will have a big advantage attacking the body and extending combinations. Pyfer has to fight within boxingrange and not let Izzy stay in kickboxing range, where Pyfer will get picked apart with kicks.   

Pyfer’s biggest red flag is his cardio. After the second round against Hermansson (his only five-round fight), they had to call Mater to tow Pyfer to the finish line. They had to carry Pyfer across the finish line like the bobsled in Cool Runnings. They have to read Pyfer’s cardio its Miranda rights because it’s suspect. Izzy should have a big advantage in the championship rounds as a man who has fought five rounds noine times.  

Stylebender is the early (-140) favorite, and Pyfer is the (+115) live-ass dog. Pyfer’s value will be front-loaded. His value will be an early finish. As the clock wanes, so will Pyfer’s chances to win. Izzy was finished in his previous two fights, including a second TKO against Nassourdine Imavov. If Imavov can finish Izzy, so can Pyfer. In fact, the value for this fight is a Pyfer TKO/KO. I think Izzy will have to pitch a complete game and win by decision. Fantasy-wise, don’t expect these guys to light up the scoreboard without a finish. The one hundred strikes landed mark will be a long shot.   

Quit playing and hit that Frank the Tank, “We’re going streaking!” The main event dub streak now sits at two after Movsar Evloev eked out a decision, even after trying to give the dub away with a low blow point deduction. This fight is another coin flip. I can see Pyfer landing a killshot early. But I think Izzy still has enough technical superiority to navigate around Pyfer’s early power. Israel Adesanya via decision. Put it on wax.   

Props

Stylebender: TKO/KO (+275) Sub (+3000) Dec (+165)  

Pyfer: TKO/KO (+275) Sub (+550) Dec (+800) 

Winner: Israel Adesanya | Method: Decision

Alexa Grasso (+155) vs. Maycee Barber (-185)

Grasso: DK: $7.4k | Barber: DK: $8.8k

I swear Alexa pops up even just by typing her name. Alexa, is Alexa Grasso cooked? “If Alexa Grasso loses to Maycee Barber, you can officially consider her cooked.” Three years ago, Alexa Grasso pulled an Izzy and accomplished the impossible: She beat Valentina Shevchenko. And she didn’t just beat Valentina, she submitted Valentina, leaving Valentina with a pale, bloodless stripe across her face where Alexa strangled her. Alexa’s arm was like a tourniquet around Valentina's face. If I beat Valentina Shevchenko in a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos, much less a fist fight, I would walk around town like it was 1987 with a Boom Box on my shoulder, bumping Kanye's “Can’t Tell Me Nothing.”   

“Sir, this isn’t Black’s Beach...” 

Turns up the volume. 

Also, if I fought Valentina to a draw in the rematch, I would douse myself in milk like I won the Indianapolis 500. Yo, DJ! Hit that Lil Wayne and Eminem “Drop the World!” Grasso picked up the world and dropped in on our fooking heads. But she has dropped the ball since the rematch, going 0-2-1. It’s starting to look like Grasso peaked in the first two Shevchenko fights. In the first fight, Grasso escaped Valentina’s crucifix like the guy who escaped Jeffrey Dahmer’s lair, running down the street ass-neked only to be returned by a pair of cops. She was like the girl in the basement that Charles Ramsey saved. Yo! Hit that Shit! “I BBQed with this dude. We ate ribs and whatnot and listened to Salsa music.” It was her finest moment. 

But does she have any fine moments left? Grasso’s vanilla style is her best and worst attribute. She is painfully technical to a point that it becomes detrimental. Her style is like the orange flavor in any variety pack. Orange is still bomb, but only when all the other flavors are gone. She also has Ken Jennings' fight IQ and that Brandon Moreno dog in her. The key to beating Maycee Barber is staying out of the clinch. Grasso has to get her jab cooking early and extend combinations. Barber is the slightly higher output fighter (averaging four and a half SLpM), but Grasso throws better hand combinations. 

Maycee Barber’s major malfunction is that she plays it safe like bank vaults. Her idea of taking a risk is ordering tacos at Jack in the Box. Barber once ordered a steak cooked medium rare and couldn’t sleep for days after. If life was a game of Blackjack, she would never hit on sixteen. Yo, DJ! Hit that R. Kelly “Bump and Grind! The official Maycee Barber remix!” Her mind is telling her to kickbox, but her body, her body’s telling her to clinch. As soon as the bell rings, Barber clings to you like clothes fresh out of the dryer. She tries to win rounds with control time against the cage. That’s why her fights are borderline split decisions. And Barber has had some suspect dubs. Barber is an MMA felon, a wild west Billy the Kid dub thief. Barber is the Queen Pin of a massive stolen dub ring operation.  

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Barber is one of the most gifted strikers in the women’s divisions. She could have won every fight resoundingly had she just fought every round like she fights third rounds. She waits until the dub is in peril to show any kind of urgency. Barber can distance herself on the feet against Grasso utilizing her kicking game. Grasso is all hands; Barber has excellent hands and kicks. The key will not be giving in to the temptation to clinch and grind against the cage. This has the potential to be a stand-up banger, but that’s up to Maycee Barber.  

Barber is the (-160) favorite, and Grasso is the (+135) live-ass dog. Grasso has the Valentina rub. She has faced the GOAT three times. She can beat anybody if she can beat Valentina. This fight has a split decision written all over it. A coin flip at the end of the third round could determine the winner. There’s only one play for this one, a decision. Barber has never been finished, and Grasso has only been finished (by submission) once. This fight also has Fantasy dud written all over it. Significant strikes will come at a premium. Give me Maycee Barber via decision. On wax.  

Props

Barber: TKO/KO (+600) Sub (+1000) Dec (+100) 

Grasso: TKO/KO (+2500) Sub (+1400) Dec (+185)

Winner: Maycee Barber | Method: Decision

Michael Chiesa (-800) vs. Niko Price (+550)

Chiesa: DK: $6.7k | Price: DK:$9.5k

It wasn’t long ago when the man they call Maverick looked more like Goose getting shot down by Russian MiGs after three straight losses. The Ls were locked on with heat-seeking missiles, “I can’t shake ‘em! I can’t shake ‘em!” But a fight against Tony Ferguson saved his career. Chiesa rode the caboose of the Tony Ferguson train, handing Tony his eighth straight loss. He used what was left of Tony, like when you’d stumble upon someone's magazine collection in the woods and have tosettle for the ads in the back because they were the only pages not stuck together. Tony was the only page not stuck together. But it got the job done, and now Chiesa is back on his Maverick shit like prime Dirk Nowitzki after a three-fight dub streak. Make that a four-fight win streak because Chiesa is getting another gift opponent in Niko Price, who was thought to have retired after three straight Ls and five of his last six. 

WKO motto #7: Never look a gift dub in the mouth. The only way Chiesa can lose this fight is if he can’t get Price to the mat. Because Chiesa’s striking wouldn’t amount to an assault charge if he accosted you with it. Homie has two left hands. He has hands like Lego people; they fall off and rattle around in the vacuum cleaner. Chiesa couldn’t box if he worked at UPS. To make up for a lack of hand speed, Chiesa holds his hands almost completely extended in front of him, attempting to make them quicker to the target by decreasing the distance they have to travel. It’s the equivalent of trimming the bushes to make the tree look taller. Because of his hand position, Chiesa can’t generate any power. Hence, he has as many career TKOs/KOs as you and me—zero. My man is a forty-year-old KO virgin. Homie hasn’t ever reached third base, wobbling someone. 

But Chiesa is a grappling specialist with twelve career submissions. Chiesa averages three takedowns per fifteen minutes and usually dominates with top control. The D’arce/Brabo chokes are his specialty and simultaneously his Achilles heel. Homie has been submitted five times, and three of those submissions came via a Brabo choke. This fight is Chiesa’s to lose.  

Niko Price’s fights have been getting shorter and shorter like days in the Fall. In his heyday, Niko Price was a wild MF; he would howl at the moon. He has no real area of expertise. He isn’t a striker or a grappler; he just is. Price: there isn't one too big for him to pay for a dub right meow. His special power is looking like free lunch money to a bully. He looks like an atomic wedgie waiting to happen. But, homie, is a member of the Lanky & Janky committee. And you already know that’s a Deadly Combination like Big L and 2Pac. He’s awkward like asking a woman when her due date is, and it turns out she’s not pregnant. Price has long whipping strikes and an incoherent cadence that is difficult to train for. Niko will have a legit chance to beat Chiesa if he can make this an ugly kickboxing match. 

Price is stepping in on short notice after suffering a TKO loss just over a month ago. No odds have been released, but you can count on Chiesa being a sizeable favorite. Niko will be a live-ish dog. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Price put up a decent fight, but Chiesa is a winnable fight. If you’re looking for betting value, play Chiesa for a submission or Price for a late TKO/KO. But I expect Maverick to buzz the tower in this one. Michael Chiesa via rear-naked choke, round two. Put it on wax.  

Props

Chiesa: TKO/KO (+800) Sub (+2500) Dec (+1200)

Price: TKO/KO (+900) Sub (-135) Dec (+225)

Winner: Michael Chiesa | Method: Rear-Naked Choke Rd.2

Julian Erosa (+270) vs. Lerryan Douglas (-340)

Juicy J: DK: $7.2k | Douglas: DK: $9k

Shout out to Julian Erosa for having one of the dopest nicknames in the game, Juicy J. Homie fights like a walking Three 6 Mafia track. I have to say this off the top: If you’re betting on Juicy J fights, call this number: 1-800 GAMBLE. You have a real problem, but I like that. If Erosa can’t finish you, he commits Seppuku and finishes himself. Either way, the fight ain’t going the distance. Betting on him is like playing Russian roulette with only one empty chamber. Juicy J fights like a love-stricken damsel pulling rose petals, “To sub him, or to sub him not? To KO him, or to KO him not?” Homie has twenty-six career finishes and has been finished seven times in twelve career losses. When Julian Erosa fights, the fight isn’t going the distance. Decisions go against Erosa’s religious beliefs.   

Every fight, Erosa opens up shop like the Ruff Ryders. This guy gets kicked out of the ass-kicking buffet after closing like Homer at the Frying Dutchman. On his feet, Erosa is a free radical. He’s either going to knock you out with a vicious standing elbow or get knocked out in Sport Center Top Ten fashion. Erosa has been KO’d seven times; he has spent as much time asleep in the Octagon as he has spent fighting in it. That’s because Erosa was excommunicated from the Church of Defense. He is a defensive heretic. Pinatas are harder to hit than Erosa. When he’s on his feet, it’s a race for the KO. You have to knock him out before he knocks you out.  

That’s why betting on him is an extreme sport that is set to debut in this year’s X Games. Betting on Erosa is like ordering Bozo the Clown for your kid’s third birthday and Pennywise shows up. You never get what you expect. That’s why Erosa has a two-star rating on Amazon. “Frequently returned item.” My man is the ultimate all-or-nothing roster pick. His upside is the moon, but his downside is the center of the earth with the crab people. For his career, Erosa has twelve TKOs/KOs and fourteen subs. He’s a walking choking hazard. He comes with a warning label like children’s toys. His specialty is the Gilly. Homie has more guillotines than the French Revolution. Two of his last three dubs came via Gilly.  

Lerryan Douglas: Protect Ya Neck! This kid, Lerryan Douglas, looks like a bonafied ass-kicker. He will be making his debut after a thirty-second TKO on the Contender Series. You gotta be a bad MF to draw a guy like Erosa in your debut. Douglas beat his Contender Series opponent like he was redheaded, and his mother remarried after a divorce. Okay, I can’t confirm he was a stepchild, but he was definitely redheaded. After the fight, Douglas hung homie up by his ankles with a tape measure stretched out next to him like a trophy bass. From the jump, Douglas had his opponent flopping all over the cage like Gen Z hoopers. Side note: Never play call your own fouls with them.   

Douglas reminds me of a refurbished Alexandre Pantoja, AKA Toja Cat. At least on his feet, Douglas reminds me of Pantoja. I haven’t seen his grappling. But he is a more technical Pantoja on his feet. Douglas throws hands like King Koopa throwslittle hammers. This kid throws fireballs like he hit a flower power-up. His hands smoke like shotgun barrels after every combination. Douglas throws nothing but Mason Miller fastballs; he shakes off the catcher until he holds up one finger. In the middle of summer, he cruises around with the windows up with the heater on full blast. His style is like cruising around town with the cruise control set to noinety. School zones, residential areas, it doesn’t matter. Douglas will have a massive technical advantage on the feet. The key for him will be avoiding the mat. He doesn’t want to tangle with Erosa’s submission game.  

Douglas will be the (-285) favorite, and Erosa will be the (+235) live-ass dog. Erosa is always a live-ass dog. If he can get hold of Douglas’ neck, it’s a wrap. Wrap it up, B. He can snatch the Gilly standing or on the mat. Clinching with this guy is a risky business. The only play for this fight is a finish—Erosa by submission or Douglas by TKO/KO. Fantasy-wise, one of these guys will hit a home run, and the other will strike out on three straight pitches. Give me fresh blood. Lerryan Douglas via TKO, round two. On wax.  

Props

Douglas: TKO/KO (-170) Sub (+1600) Dec (+500)  

Erosa: TKO/KO (+750) Sub (+650) Dec (+1100)

Winner: Lerryan Douglas | Method: TKO Rd.2

Mansur Abdul-Malik (-120) vs. Yousri Belgaroui (+105)

Malik: DK: $8.2k | Belgaroui: DK: $8k

Mansur Abdul-Malik is about to get swiped with an invisible ink pen and held up to the light like hundred-dollar bills; he’s about to get fraud checked. At 9-0 with noine finishes (seven TKOs/KOs and two subs), Malik looks like a world beater. He’s 3-0-1, but if you look at his record, you’ll notice that he has been fighting a who’s who list of whos? My man has had the 2025 Patriots schedule. The best fighter he has faced is Cody Brundage, and Brundage is known for getting mopped up like linoleum floors.  

But I say all that to say this: Whether standing or on the mat, Abdul-Malik will fold your clothes while you’re still wearing them. His fights look like maulings. When Animals Attack type-shit. Malik will chop your ass up like Benihana. You get chopped up, Grade-A meat, something delicious. Yo! Hit that Mobb Deep “Drop a Gem on Em!” If scientists bring back Woolly Mammoths, it won’t be long before you see this guy walking around town rocking Mammoth leather jackets and matching loafers. Malik is all power, all the time. He overwhelms opponents with his physicality and athleticism.  

But I see holes in his striking. I’m talking about planet-swallowing black holes. He nearly got KO’d with a spinning backfist against Nick Klein. But he found a way to survive like Gloria Gaynor. He turned into a Survivor like Destiny’s Child. If I nearly got KO’d by Nick Klein, I would load my hands with baby powder like the LeBron pregame ritual and Power Slap my damn self. If the half-assed Malik that fought Cody Brundage shows up, pack his ass all the way up. That fight went the distance and was later overturned to a draw. The key for Malik against Yousri Belgaroui will be getting the fight to the mat ASAP. 

Hit that T.I. “ASAP!” If you try to stand with Belgaroui, he’s gonna blow you off the map A-S-A-P! If Yousri Belgaroui stays upright, he will knock out Malik. I put that on everything like Frank’s RedHot sauce. This guy is longer than a work week with mandatory OT. He’s a rare, long fighter who can strike inside the pocket as well as he can outside of it. He can Frazzledrip your face from range or exchange combinations in close range. Either way, he will leave fist impressions in you like wet cement. Belgaroui’s specialties are elbows and standing knees. This guy uses all of his weapons. Striking with him is like playing a game of Horse. Tiger Knee: H. Tiger Uppercut: O. Step back right hand: R. He starts with the kitchen sink and progresses to throwing large appliances.  

Pay attention to Belgaroui’s posture; he uses his head like a lure. He leans forward, dangling it in front of u. When you strike, he pulls back and counters like “Gotcha b**ch!” The red flag for Belgaroui is his takedown defense; it’s spotty. He lost on the Contender Series because he couldn’t stay upright. But he showed improvement against Azamat Bekoev in his previous bout. Although he was taken down four times, he was able to scramble back to his feet and pick apart Bekoev  on the feet.   

This is virtually a Vegas pick ‘em. Malik is the (-115) slight favorite, and Belgaroui is the (-105) live-ass dog. I think Malik will have to go the distance to beat Belgaroui, while Belgaroui can finish Malik. Belgaroui is the finishing threat on the feet. He doesn’t have one-punch KO power; he withers you with accumulative damage. Fantasy-wise, Belgaroui averages nearly six SLpM compared to Malik’s four. Barring an early stoppage, this should be a high-scoring striking affair. Give me the slight dog. Yousri Belgaroui via TKO, round three. Wax on, wax off. 

Props

Malik: TKO/KO (+225) Sub (+700) Dec (+400)  

Belgaroui: TKO/KO (+275) Sub (+2500) Dec (+275)

Winner: Yousri Belgaroui | Method: TKO Rd.3

Prelims

$7k Value Menu

Joe Pyfer ($7.7k): Joe Pyfer is the finishing threat in the main event. His upside is greater than Stylebender’s. Adesanya was rocked and subsequently submitted against DDP and rocked and finished on the feet against Nassourdine Imavov in back-to-back scraps. Not to mention, Sean Strickland had Izzy riding a pair of Heelys around the mall before opening in the first round. And there was the time Alex Pereira knocked him out. Other than Pereira, Pyfer has more power than DDP, Imavov, and Strickland. He will be an early finishing threat. Pyfer’s downside is that his Fantasy value will be front-loaded, translating mostly to the first two rounds. After that, he will start to fade, and Izzy’s superior technical footwork will take over. Pyfer isn’t a volume striker, but he landed a career high noinety-two strikes in his only five-round main event against Jack Hermansson.   

Kyle Nelson ($7.5k): This is an all-or-nothing, risky pick-up. Kyle Nelson will be fighting the ultimate Toyota Frontrunner, Terrance “& Phillip” McKinney. McKinney is either going to club-and-sub Nelson in the opening minutes or he will nearly finish Nelson in the opening minutes, then quickly fade and get knocked out. Those are the only two options for this fight. If Nelson survives the first two minutes (easier said than done), he will take over on the feet and likely KO McKinney with a left high kick and follow-up punches. Nelson vs. McKinney will be the ultimate swing fight on this card. If Nelson can survive and advance into the third minute of the fight and beyond, he could flip the whole board.   

Adrian Yanez ($7.6k): Adrian Yañez won his first five UFC bouts before Rob Font knocked the tilde off his name. Since then, Yanez has lost three of four bouts, including his previous bout against Daniel Marcos. When he’s on his game, Yanez is still a dangerous striker and solid Fantasy point scorer. He averages nearly six and a half SLpM, and five of his six UFC wins came via TKO/KO. The key for Yanez against Ricky Simon will be his /KO eighty-one percent takedown defense. If he can shake off one or two takedowns, Simon will relent to a kickboxing match. Simon will have a power advantage, but Yanez has superior hand speed and technical ability. Yanez is a far better combination puncher, and he can be slick inside the pocket when he wants to be. I have this fight going the distance, and Yanez could be near the one hundred strikes mark when it’s all said and done.  

 $6k Clearance Rack  

Bruno Lopes ($6.8k): I like Lopes’s chances of stealing the fight against Navajo Stirling. Not enough to make him a Twenty Twen-Twen sleeper, but he will be a live dog nonetheless. I'm just not buying Stirling. He looks the part of a world beater, but recently, he started playing shit safe, opting to clinch and wrestle rather than stand and trade. If Lopes can avoid the clinch, he can hang with Stirling on the feet. Stirling is undefeated at 8-0, but I think Lopes will have a distant shot at a finish if he pressures Stirling from the jump. Stirling wants a slow, calculated scrap. Bruno’s job will be to do the opposite and create 50/50 exchanges in the pocket.   

Twenty-Twen-Twen Sleepers

Adrian Yanez (+120): In a kickboxing match, Yanez would run away with the dub against Ricky Simon. Yanez just has to steer clear of Simon’s right hand. Other than a nasty overhand right, Simon isn’t very dangerous on his feet. He will look to try to establish his wrestling early. But that won’t be easy against Yanez, who rocks an eighty-one percent takedown defense. Yanez does his best work inside the pocket, extending combinations. His superior output and hand speed could help him steal close rounds. This is a winnable fight for Yanez. 

Alexa Grasso (+150): Grasso fought Valentina Shevchenko three times. There’s no higher level of competition in women’s MMA. Fighting Maycee Barber after fighting the GOAT three times is like scaling your driveway after summitting Mt. Everest. Also, these two ladies fought once before in 2021, and Grasso won a decision. That was Barber’s last loss. If Grasso establishes her jab and doesn’t let Maycee hold her against the cage, she can out kickbox Barber again.  

Joe Pyfer (+120): He has the one-punch power that Izzy doesn’t. And Izzy’s chin isn’t what it used to be. Getting wobbled is now routine for Izzy. One slip-up against Pyfer could result in a fourth straight loss for Izzy, which not too long ago would have seemed impossible. The key for Pyfer will be establishing a boxing range, attacking the body rather than fighting Izzy at kickboxing range, where Izzy can pick him apart with kicks. Izzy’s kicking game will be the difference. Pyfer can avoid it by pressuring Izzy and trapping him against the cage, where he can extend combinations. Cutting off the cage and not allowing Izzy to operate in the center of the cage will be Pyfer’s path to victory. 

Pick ‘Em

Terrance McKinney (-170) vs. Kyle Nelson (+140) 

Winner: Kyle Nelson 

Method: TKO Rd.2 

Ignacio Bahamondes (-300) vs. Tofiq Musayev (+250)  

Winner: Ignacio Bahamondes 

Method: Decision 

Chase Hooper (-250) vs. Lance Gibson Jr. (+210)  

Winner: Chase Hooper 

Method: Rear Naked Choke Rd.2 

Marcin Tybura (+110) vs. Tyrell Fortune (-130) 

Winner: Tyrell Fortune 

Method: TKO Rd.2 

Casey O’Neill (+115) vs. Gabriella Fernandes (-130)   

Winner: Casey O’Neill

Method: Decision 

Navajo Stirling (-625) vs. Bruno Lopes (+430)   

Winner: Navajo Stirling 

Method: Decision 

Ricky Simon (-140) vs. Adrian Yanez (+120)  

Winner: Ricky Simon 

Method: Decision 

Alexia Thainara (-750) vs. Bruna Brasil (+500)   

Winner: Alexia Thainara 

Method: Rear-Naked Choke Rd.2

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.