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

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Main Card

Gabriel Bonfim (-175) vs. Randy Brown (+145)

Bonfim: DK: $8.6k | Brown: DK:$7.6k

I had no sooner stepped one foot on the lot when the trunk of a 2020 Rodolfo Vieira—parked between a 2025 Mauricio Ruffy and a 2022 Abus Magomedov—sprang open. Out popped a man like a real-life Jack in the Box, wearing a tweed JCPenney suit in the middle of the summer with a clip-on tie and penny-loafers (the pennies missing) without socks. Affixed to his face was a fake smile like a Mr. Potato Head accessory. “In the neighborhood for a new set of wheels?” he asked, knowing damn-well I wasn’t there because I was interested in purchasing San Diego Gulls season tickets.    

“Yeah, I was hoping to check out the new Gabriel Bonfim.” 

“Excellent choice,” he said, climbing out of the trunk, getting his pant leg caught, and nearly falling face-first. Gathering himself, he said, “I got one in the showroom—all the bells and whistles. Do you have a trade-in?” 

“I have a 2019 Michel Pereira...” 

He grimaced. “Not sure how much I can give you for that... But, hey, we can figure that out later. How ‘bout a test drive?”  

The next thing I knew, we were on Ted Williams Parkway doing one hundred MPH. The racing stripes and hood scoop made it feel like we were doing closer to two hundred. The salesman was egging me on to go faster still, “Floor it!” 

One-ten...twenty... 

“Now we’re talking!” He shouted over the new Mobb Deep—Infinite—pumping from the Bose speakers. “This one right here comes with an 18-1 record, three TKOs/KOs, and thirteen submissions. Hard to beat that many subs in the welterweight division.” 

He really didn’t need to say shit; the Bonfim practically sold itself. But just before the red needle touched one-thirty, the engine started to sputter. The emergency blinkers flashed automatically, and the “Low Fuel” light illuminated in red on the dashboard. 

“Whoa! Better pull over.” 

“But we had a full tank when we left,” I said. We couldn’t be more than a couple of miles away from the dealership. “What kind of mileage does this thing get?” 

“About seven...” 

“Miles?” 

“Minutes,” he said. “On a full tank.” 

“That’s it!? What kind of roadside assistance does it come with?”  

Without a word, he got out of the car, shuffled along the shoulder to the trunk, and knocked on the rear windshield. I looked around and found the trunk release button. A second later, he appeared with a little red gas can in his hand—the type you keep in a tool shed for a weed whacker or lawn mower. He held it up and said, “There’s a Valero on the next exit.” 

“We’d better not get Dwayne Haskins’d,” I said and climbed out. 

That’s the thing about Gabriel Bonfim; he’s built like a lime green Lambo with black racing stripes and one thousand horses under the hood. But he has a John Deere gas tank. The kind you use to fill up a leaf blower. Bonfim is a showroom roadster with all the bells and whistles that can’t pass a smog test. Bonfim’s aesthetics are flawless; the candy paint drips, the white wall Goodrich tires glide over the asphalt, and the peanut butter guts are extra creamy. But under the hood, there are flaws.  

In the first round, Bonfim is a straight ass-kicker like he won the golden boot of the match. Check that: The brown boot. Homie kicks so much ass that his feet stink. Odor Eaters can’t even cover the smell. Especially if he gets you to the mat. From the top position, this guy will ride you like Magic Mike, grinding on you and making shit awkward until, in your desperation to escape, you make a mistake, and he snatches your neck like a Bad Boy chain. Bonfim bends you like corners, while dropping heavy ground and pound. On his feet, Bonfim throws heavy hooks and overhands. You have to respect his power. But he lacks footwork. His footwork looks like he has guilty feet. And you already know guilty feet got no rhythm. Yo! Hit that“Careless Whisper!”  

But Bonfim’s major malfunction is second and third rounds. Homie doesn’t look anything like his profile picture in the second round, and less so in the third. Never forget when he fought Nicolas Dalby. Bonfim huffed and puffed and passed out on the lawn. He Molly-whopped Dalby in the first round, then ran out of gas and got finished on the feet in the second. Since that fight, Bonfim has “won” three in a row. I say “won” because his most recent dub against Wonderboy was suspect like a police line-up. That dub looks like a lady. Hit that Aerosmith! The judges zip-lined into the Octagon and held up Wonderboy for his dub. Bonfim then double-crossed the judges one by one and made off with the dub on some Dark Knight type-shit. But we don’t apologize for dubs at the WKO. 

Against Randy Brown, Bonfim has to get the fight to the mat early and find a submission before the clock strikes seven minutes and his fight shorts turn into Daisy Dukes with holes in the back pockets. They call Randy Brown “Rude Boy,” but oftentimes, he fights like he attended etiquette school. He fights like he knows the difference between a salad and an entrée fork. Brown often fights like he’s trying to bring back chivalry. I want to see this MF interrupt people while they’re talking, bring up politics at the dinner table, talk about people behind their backs, talk with the phone on loudspeaker during a movie, and not tip for excellent service. You know, some actual rude shit. Sometimes, Brown is more passive-aggressive than aggressive-aggressive—like he wants to hurt you emotionally because it's more damaging than physical pain. 

Speaking of suspect wins. Randy Brown has a few of them—Francisco Trinaldo, Khaos Williams, and Wellington Turman. He could’ve/should’ve lost those fights. Those were all fights he should have dominated. Because Randy Brown has elite striking. And elite physical attributes. His arms are longer than fire truck ladders. They call this guy to get cats out of trees. Homie is longer than nighttime in Barrow, Alaska. 40 Days of Night type-shit. Overall, he’s a Frankenstein of stand-up disciplines, stitching together classic Muay Thai and traditional boxing techniques. He combines boxing footwork with Muay Thai kickboxing. Brown will dominate the stand-up as long as his seventy-three percent takedown defense holds up. Also, if Brown can get this fight into the late second and third rounds, he will take over on his feet. With limited footwork and a suspect gas tank, Bonfim won’t be able to get inside Brown’s reach. 

Bonfim will be the (-180) favorite, and Brown will be the (+155) live-ass dog. If Brown can avoid an early submission, this fight will be his to lose. Bonfim is only dangerous on his feet for one round or so. His striking will fall off a cliff if the takedown threat vanishes with a couple of stuffed attempts. Bonfim struggles in three-round fights. What’s he going to look like if somehow the fight goes into the championship rounds? The play for this one is a finish: An early Bonfim submission, or a late Brown TKO/KO.   

The fix was in last week. There’s no way you can convince me that David Onama didn’t take a dive with that sorry-ass performance. My man was shook from the jump. And you already know there ain’t no such thing as halfway crooks. Nonetheless, the main event L streak is at two after a no-contest two weeks ago. This week’s pick is brutal. I have trust issues with both fighters. Both guys won’t hesitate to fook up your parlay. Give me the dog. I can’t see Bonfim’s cardio holding up without an early finish. Randy Brown via TKO, round four. Put it on wax.   

Props

Bonfim: TKO/KO (+350) Sub (+165) Dec (+500)  

Randy Brown: TKO/KO (+330) Sub (+1600) Dec (+500) 

Winner: Randy Brown | Method: TKO Rd.4

Matt Schnell (+310) vs. Joseph Morales (-395)

Schnell: DK: $6.9k | Morales: DK: $9.3k

“Ya’ll want to see a dead body?” 

“Damn, it smells like a dog died.” 

No, that’s just Matt Schnell. He’s the physical manifestation of Lupe Fiasco’s “The Cool.” A walking carcass. Not even Bruce Willis dies harder than Matt Schnell. He’s most famous for playing the dead body in Boyz n the Hood. Schnell was a shoo-in for the part after being left like one in three consecutive fights, suffering two vicious KOs and a submission. When Schnell goes out, he goes out like the villain in a Tarantino movie. He goes out like the protagonist in a Mel Gibson movie. The Passion of the Matt Schnell. After nearly ten years in the UFC, Schnell’s chin has died a thousand deaths. Homie wears his chin on his sleeve. Schnell’s chin has died more times than Kenny. 

But never forget that one time Matt Schnell defeated death when he fought Su Mudaerji. Schnell came back from the brink like that shit on Michael Rapaport’s lip. Matt’s corner had to bust out the Ouija Board and resurrect Schnell in the middle of the round. Homie had to respawn. He was buried alive and had to ring the little bell to signal to the crypt keeper that he wasn’t dead, like it was 1807. Paranormal ghost hunters were trying to contact Matt Schnell in the second round. But somehow, he came back and choked out Mudaerji from his back with a triangle choke. 

Bring back G.I. Jane Matt Schnell. That Walt White shaved head, Matt Schnell. There’s something devious about a guy who shaves his head and doesn’t have to. A bald Schnell is a dangerous Schnell. Overall, Schnell is a solid fighter. He combines slick, technical kickboxing with an underrated submission ground game. My man has noine career subs to two TKOs/KOs. What gets Schnell into trouble is his striking defense. Homie wouldn’t move his head if Sydney Sweeney walked by wearing a sheer Academy Awards dress. Schnell has head movement like a well-trained husband when a bad Betty walks by and wifey is nearby. You just put the blinders on and keep looking straight ahead.   

The stand-up should be fairly even against Joseph Morales. The key for Schnell will be maintaining an active guard. Matt rocks a forty-three percent takedown defense. The only thing worse than Schnell’s takedown defense is Joseph Morales’s takedown defense—twenty-eight percent. But don’t sleep on Morales’s grappling. Morales just beat a guy from Kazakhstan. If I beat a guy from any “stan,” Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, or Fookyouupistan, in a game of Bingo, I’d wake up and apologize. That’s a lifetime achievement. Not only did Morales win The Ultimate Fighter, but he out-grappled a grappling dynamo on his way to doing it. Morales fought like nobody told him he was supposed to lose that fight as the heavy dog.   

This is Morales’s second stint with the UFC. He’s like a seasonal rehire. He went 1-2 with a TKO loss to Deiveson Figueiredo. He fought Figgy when Figgy was a young “The Ghost and the Darkness” lion, picking off people at the watering hole. Overall, Morales is a blue collar, average Joeseph. He doesn't have any major holes. Wherever the fight goes, he can compete. He has stand-up and grappling skills to exploit his opponents' weaknesses. And he has that Cartman dog in him. That dog, like when Cartman’s mom had to call Cesar Millan to tame Cartman. Morales can beat Schnell on the feet, but after watching him grapple rhombuses around Alibi Idiris in the Ultimate Fighter finale, I think Morales will take his chances on the mat. He just has to be wary of Schnell’s triangles.   

Morales will be the (-270) favorite, and Schnell will be the (+220) live-ish dog. Schnell is a good fighter. But he’s too hittable on the feet, and his takedown defense is atrocious. But-but, he has a dangerous guard. He can catch Morales slipping during transitions and from his guard. There’s value in a decision, but I like playing this matchup for a finish. Of Schnell’s noine career losses, eight came by finish—five by TKO/KO and three by submission. And Schnell will likely need a finish to negate the time he will spend on his back. I love me some Matt Schnell, but I’ve seen him fall in defeat too many times. Joseph Morales via rear-naked choke, round three. On wax.  

Props

Schnell: TKO/KO (+1200) Sub (+650) Dec (+750) 

Morales: TKO/KO (+350) Sub (+175) Dec (+225)

Winner: Joseph Morales | Method: Rear-Naked Choke Rd.3

Chris Padilla (+165) vs. Ismael Bonfim (-200)

Padilla: DK: $7.2k | Bonfim: DK:$9k

Ismael and Gabriel Bonfim are the MMA versions of Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie Twins. Ismael is the older, smaller Danny DeVito of the two. I can only imagine what it was like growing up on the Bonfim’s block. They probably ran shit like mafia Dons. They probably had a treehouse that operated like a casino, gambling with trading cards and action figures, while taking a percentage off the top. Kids probably had to pay tolls just to ride their bikes through the Bonfim brothers’ street. The Bonfim brothers offered protection against bullies and parents who tried to punish their kids. They’ve been kicking their friends’ dads’ asses since they were in elementary school. These guys were the Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel of Mulberry Tree Lane. And now they’ve stepped their game up to the big time.  

Ismael is the opposite of his brother. He’s the striker of the two, while Gabriel is the grappler. “Flame on!” Ismael turns into the Human Torch inside the pocket. Bonfim’s style is siege warfare. He is more apt to wait you out than launch an attack of his own. That’s a man who knows his own shortcomings as a fighter. Bonfim’s biggest weakness is closing the distance. He relies only on power. So, instead of engaging recklessly, he draws the opponent forward with heavy pressure and implements same-time counters. He bets on himself like Pete Rose to beat you to the punch. Bonfim’s best weapon is his Jason Pierre-Paul right hand. It’s a lit M-80 that will blow off more than just a couple of fingers. When this guy lets his hands go, he turns the arena into Silent Hill, ash eternally falling like snow flurries. This lil' MF has Chernobyl power. He leaves behind in his wake three-eyed fish and lepers that look like Jerry Jones. He’s got that Mr. Burns nuclear power. 

The key for Ismael against Chris Padilla will be showing a little more patience. This guy comes out Hotta Than Fishgrease. Yo! Hit Jayo Felony! He needs to be a little more tactful, especially against a technical striker like Chris Padilla. Bonfim is 20-5 with noine TKOs/KOs and four subs. After knocking out Terrance McKinney in his debut, Ismael has lost two of his last three. But one of those losses came against Benoit St. Denis, who dominated Ismael on the mat. Bonfim will be the higher output striker, averaging over five and a half SLpM compared to Padilla’s four. Ismael commits to extended combinations more often than Padilla. 

Chris Padilla is out here with a Dollar and a Dream like J. Cole. Padilla is like the guy who finally got called up to the big leagues after spending his entire career in AAA. He had an entire career before getting the call up to the UFC. While Ismael Bonfim wades into the pocket with alternating wide hooks, Padilla is far more calculating. This guy is slippery on his feet. When it comes to lateral movement, Padilla is like Energizer Bunny, except he beats on a war drum. Padilla paces along the outside like a dog waiting for the Amazon guy to ignore the “Beware of Dog” sign. And you should beware of those Boyz n the Hood. Gardena, stand up! My man is from the same streets Doughboy, Trey Styles, and Ricky Baker used to run. A place where ass whoopin’s wait for you on every corner if you can't handle your business. 

Padilla can handle his. He delivers meticulous ass-whoopin’s. He crosses every T and blackens every eye. His special weapon is using standing elbow counters. Go check out what homie did to Rongzhu. Padilla hit Rongzhu with a nasty counter elbow that left Rongzhu looking like he had a tumor growing over his eye. “It’s not a tuma!” Rongzhu’s eye looked like its airbag was deployed. They could’ve used Rongzhu’s eye to break a jumper’s fall from the roof of a high-rise. Padilla’s style is super technical. He doesn’t take many risks. He’s Marty Ball personified. 1s and 1-2s; that’s the extent of Padilla’s attacks. Nothing intricate. Just the basics combined with excellent defense. You will never catch Padilla slipping with his hands down. They’rewelded to his face, making it hard to find his chin with clean shots.   

Bonfim is the (-210) favorite, and Padilla is the (+175) live-ass dog. The oddsmakers are caught up on the aesthetics of Bonfim’s more aggressive style. He’s always an early finishing threat. He overwhelms opponents with power and aggression. But if he can’t find an early finish and the fight slows down to a more technical pace, he struggles. Padilla will have to strap on the gasoline boots and walk through hell in the first round. After that, he can chip away from the outside, using his footwork to counter Ismael’s aggressive attacks. Bonfim is the bigger finishing threat, at least early. Padilla will have to slow things down with precise attacks from the outside. There’s too much value on the dog. Give me technical over unmitigated aggression. Chris Padilla via decision. Put it on wax.   

Props

Padilla: TKO/KO (+550) Sub (+550) Dec (+600)

Bonfim: TKO/KO (+300) Sub (+900) Dec (+140)

Winner: Chris Padilla | Method: Decision

Ricky Simon (-170) vs. Raoni Barcelos (+140)

Simon: DK: $8.4k | Barcelos: DK: $7.8k

Ricky Simon, AKA the last guy to beat Merab, is back. Not only did he beat Merab, but he also submitted him. If I beat Merab in a game of Battleship in a dream, I would wake up and apologize. Word to the wise: Don’t mess with dudes from Washington who rock mullet hawks. Like Offspring said, The Kids Aren’t Alright. Simon looks like he was summoned straight out of a Bass Pro Shop catalog, rocking a mullet and Mossy Oak flyfishing suspender waders. Like farmers in the Dust Bowl in the ‘20s, Simon fell upon hard times in 23/’24, losing three straight bouts. But don’t look now; Simon has won two in a row, including a vicious KO of the supremely technical Javid Basharat. Simon slept Basharat like Cosby dates—slept him like MASH reruns. Basharat woke up, and it looked like Blade Runner outside. On some cyberpunk-type-ish.   

Throughout all the ups and downs, one thing has remained constant for Simon: his right hand. He still has that Kurt Cobain right hand. That right hand is like a shotgun blast. Just ask Basharat. Simon left Basharat in a Heart-Shaped Box with rouge on his cheeks after landing just one right hand. You can Come As You Are when you fight “Ain’t Nothin’ Pretty” Ricky Simon, but you won’t leave as you were. And Simon would like to offer All Apologies to “Absolutely Nobody!” But Simon’s special weapon isn’t his right hand. It’s his Steffi Graf tennis grunts. He grunts with every strike and then starts grunt-feinting. Fake grunts with nothing behind them. Opponents get frozen like Dwayne Haskins in the headlights and don’t know what’scoming. When you start thinking Simon is all grunt and no shit, he unloads the right hand with a level change behind it.   

Simon’s style is that of a prototypical wrestler-striker. He uses his right hand to close the distance and level change. Simon is at his best when he can control long stretches from the top position. But that won’t be easy against Raoni Barcelos. After a stretch of losing four of five fights, Barcelos has won three in a row, including dubs over the young lion Payton Talbott and Cody Garbrandt. Raoni adopted Payton Talbott in that fight. He took the young buck under his wing and Big Brothered him like volunteer work. That fight was like a classic ‘80s coming-of-age movie. Lil homie Payton thought he was ready to change the thermostat. But Barcelos grounded Payton like punishment for fifteen minutes. Talbott wasn’t allowed to play with his homies outside, watch TV, or play video games. 

Barcelos has always reminded me of a Hollywood Blvd street performer version of Jose Aldo. My man brings a Boom Box and a little hat to collect tips in the cage. He’s like a Kobey’s Swap Meet version of Jose Aldo. Homie is still wearing the ink tags from the Kohl's he was stolen from. Raoni can’t go anywhere without setting off the merchandise antennas. Barcelos is thirty-eight years old, going on Social Security. He skins looks like the texture of an old catcher’s mitt. Raoini looks like he was just thawed from a block of ice. But don’t let that fool you. Hit that Run the Jewels “Legend Has It!” Legend has it that Raoni once out-grappled a Nurmagomedov. He has a win over Said Nurmagomedov and a loss to Umar.   

Barcelos has sneaky striking, complete with old-school Aldo’s leg kicks. He hobbles you on the feet, then takes you down. It could be Barcelos controlling the top position. Rick Simon rocks a seventy-five percent takedown defense only to be outdone by Barcelos’s eighty-five percent. This could turn into a grappling firefight or a technical battle on the feet. Simon will have the one-punch KO power advantage, but Simon is a little slicker with better combinations and nasty leg kicks. This matchup is almost dead even in every category like when Lightning McQueen, The King, and Chick Hicks raced to a three-way tie. 

Ricky Simon is the (-160) favorite, and Barcelos is the (+135) live-ass dog. I think Simon is the favorite because of his right hand. The grappling could turn into a stalemate. Raoni is excellent at creating scrambles and using reversals to get back to his feet. And it’s anybody’s game on the feet. Without takedowns, top control time, or a finish, Simon will be a Fantasy bust. He averages less than three SLpM. It’s not a given that he can get Barcelos to the mat with any consistency. Barcelos averages just under five SLpM; he can steal close rounds with superior output. But Simon has that Quagmire right hand. Giggitty Goo. Ricky Simon via TKO, round three. On wax.  

Props

Simon: TKO/KO (+380) Sub (+1400) Dec (+120)  

Barcelos: TKO/KO (+650) Sub (+1200) Dec (+275)

Winner: Ricky Simon | Method: TKO Rd.3

Muslim Salikhov (+130) vs. Uros Medic (-155)

Salikhov: DK: $7.4k | Medic: DK: $8.8k

This one is a kickboxer’s delight. These guys kick so much ass that their Asian homies let them keep their shoes on in the house. This is a clash of styles. Muslim Salikhov is a Taekwondo gadget striker who uses spinning attacks like they’re jabs. And Uros Medic is a more traditional European-style kickboxer. For all the casuals who are offended when fights go to the mat, this one is for you. The only way this one will go to the mat is if someone gets their block knocked off like horizontal lines in Tetris.   

Muslim Salikhov, aka King of Kung Fu, has more spins than the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack. He just wants to spin yo block tonight. Yo! Hit that Clepto Maniac! Salikhov has more spins than the death spiral Cowboys fans have been riding for the last thirty years. You can catch Salikhov busting out Tony Hawk 900s in the cage. Salikhov sets up his hands by throwing spinning back-kicks. When you start anticipating them, he turns the back-kick into a back-fist. When you start acting a little paranoid that some spinning shit might be lurking around the corner, he opens up with short hooks and overhands. Before you know it, you’re walking out that bish with Panda eyes like an Eyes Wide Shut deleted scene—the director’s cut.  

More words of wisdom: The more a Russian looks like a pastry chef, the more badass he is. Like Fedor Emelianenko. They have old man’s strength when they’re still in middle school. Salikhov lays a base coat of kicks before his hands add a glossy finish. He’s at his best when he can use more kicks than punches. But, sometimes, he can be lured into firefights in the pocket, and that’s when Salikhov is vulnerable. Salikhov is 22-5 with fifteen TKOs/KOs and a pair of subs. After dropping twoin a row in 2024, Muslim has won three straight, most recently stopping the undercover savage Carlos Leal inside of one minute.  

Uros Medic will serve you like some with some tzatziki sauce and a side of fries. Medic will leave the people around you looking for one if you get to fookin’ with him. Back in the day, there was one on every corner. You just yelled, “Medic!” and one appeared.  

“Hey, buddy. You called?” 

“Yeah. This guy just got kicked in the head. But I ain’t your buddy, pal.” 

Medic’s special power is that he looks like a Cricket Wireless manager. But don’t let that fool you. You’re pre-approved for a free head kick upgrade with the purchase of a left hand. Medic will have a hand speed advantage. He has those thread-the-needle hands. When Uros lets his hands and feet go, he turns your face into an MPC machine. His round kicks are 808s, and his hands are snares. Yo! Hit that “808s and Heartbreak!” Medic’s M.O. is kicking the shit out of your arms like a Thai fighter in Lumpinee stadium. He’ll have you looking like Red running to the car after Deebo stole his bike. He’ll leave your arms feeling like when you sleep on your stomach and wake up in a panic because you can’t feel them. 

Medic is 11-3 with noine TKOs/KOs and two subs. He will be the higher output striker, averaging five and a half SLpM compared to Salikhov’s three and a half. The key for Medic will be drawing out Salikhov’s spinning shit. Using feints/false entries to get Salikhov to bite, so Medic can counter. Medic is a long striker who likes to fight from range. But his range plays into Salikhov’s spinning attacks. This will be a chess match on the feet.  

Medic is the (-180) favorite, and Salikhov is the (+155) live-ass dog. I’ve been sleeping on Salikhov lately. I’ve picked against him three times in a row. And he won all three. That spinning shit can make up for a lot of physical shortcomings. It fooks with your mind. The play for this one is a finish. One of these guys will get got. Without a finish, Salikhov will be a Fantasy bust. He has a career high of sixty-two significant strikes landed. Medic isn’t much better with a career high of sixty-noine. But out of noine UFC bouts, only one went to a third round. Medic has never gone the distance. For better or worse, all his fights ended early. Give me the dog. Muslim Salikhov via TKO, round three. Wax on. Wax off.    

Props

Salikhov: TKO/KO (+200) Sub (+1600) Dec (+900)  

Medic: TKO/KO (-110) Sub (+1600) Dec (+800)

Winner: Muslim Salikhov | Method: TKO Rd.3

Prelims

$7k Value Menu

Randy Brown ($7.6k): If the “Rude Boy” comes out doing some disrespectful shit like his name suggests and doesn’t turn into “Polite Boy,” fighting passive-aggressively, he will win this fight. I need to see some actual rude shit. Brown will have a massive striking advantage. He can dominate the range, keeping Gabriel Bonfim at the end of his punches. But Brown will have to survive and fight from his back early. For his career, Brown rocks a respectable seventy-five percent takedown defense. Against Wonderboy, Bonfim ran into a third-round takedown wall and struggled on his feet. Brown will have to survive and advance to the mid-to-late rounds to pull this one off. But his upside is a TKO/KO finish. Without a finish, he will likely be a Fantasy dud, spending most of his time defending takedowns and not creating offense.   

 Christian Leroy Duncan ($7.5k): I picked Marco Tulio to win this fight, but don’t sleep on Christian Leroy Duncan. This guy is Rex Kwon Do’s prized student. He has all the spinning and flying attacks on his feet to catch a traditional striker like Tulio slippin’. My issue with Duncan is that he struggles with power strikers like Gregory Rodrigues. You can bully Duncan with pressure and power. And those are two traits that Tulio has in spades. But Duncan is a tricky striker with far more intricate attacks. Tulio is all boxing on his feet, whereas Duncan has a diverse kicking game. CLR has won four of his last five fights, including a first-round spinning back elbow TKO of Eryk Anders in his most recent bout. Tulio 14-1, but that one loss came via KO. Duncan’s upside is a finish. 

Muslim Salikhov ($7.4k): I think Salikhov should be the favorite against Uros Medic. Medic is a straight-up and down kickboxer. And Salikhov, much like Christian Duncan, has a diverse kicking game. His bread and butter is spinning attacks. Nobody has better timing and setups for spinning attacks than Salikhov. A lot of people think spinning shit is just flashy nonsense that doesn’t actually work in the real world. But that’s the result of generations of indoctrination and misinformation. You can land any strike with the proper setup and timing. Salikhov probably has the most spinning wheel kick KOs in UFC history. And I like his chances of adding another spinning attack finish. Salikhov has won three in a row, including back-to-back first-round KOs. Don’t let his age (41) fool you. This guy will knock your block off like eminent domain.   

 $6k Clearance Rack

Matt Schnell (6.9k): Matt Schnell is on the Clearance Rack because of his chin. He has that Achy Breaky Chin. The current from the arena AC could KO Matt Schnell. But that doesn't mean he won’t have a chance to win this fight against Joseph Morales. Morales will likely try to use his wrestling. And that would play right into Schnell’s hands. Schnell has noine career subs, including three triangle chokes. The key for Schnell will be his active guard. He can use sweeps and sub attempts to secure the top position or scramble back to his feet. The stand-up will be fairly even. Schnell has slick stand-up with tight, clean boxing. It’s a long shot, but Schnell has a submission upside against a guy who went 0-2 in his first UFC stint.   

Twenty-Twen-Twen Sleepers

Mulsim Salikhov (+140): I’ve picked against this guy three fights in a row. And all he has done is win all three, two by first-round KO. I think Salikhov should be the favorite in his matchup against Uros Medic. Salikhov’s resume and level of competition are far better than Medic’s. Even when you know the spinning shit is coming, you can’t stop it. Muslim’s spinning attacks have no tell. They just materialize out of thin air. And the next thing you know, you’re cruising the galaxy in a 1987 Trans Am with the princess of the galaxy. Salikhov will be at a speed disadvantage, but he can make up for it by being unpredictable. 

Randy Brown (+155): If Brown can avoid being submitted in the first round and a half or so, he will win this fight on his feet. He is a far better/dangerous striker than Bonfim. Bonfim is grappling or bust. If the takedown well dries up, Bonfim will be up Shits Creek without any floaties on. Brown’s length will be a problem for Bonfim. And closing the distance will be dangerous. Never forget the time Bonfim fought Nicolas Dalby and gassed out after the first round. He dominated Dalby in the opening round. But Dalby was able to defend Bonfim’s takedowns in the second. It was all downhill for Bonfim after that. 

Jamall Emmers (+130): Emmers reminds me of a Kirkland brand King Green. Emmers has a slick, striking style from both stances and a wealth of experience. He will be the more diverse striker when he squares up with Hyder Amil. Amil is a dog. But his style is fairly vanilla. He has the style of a wrestler striker without the dominant wrestling. Amil relies on big power shots to turn the tide of fights, while Emmers can pick you apart with slick combinations and footwork. This will be a matchup of power vs. Technique. And technique always has a chance to win the day.   

Pick ‘Em

Christian Duncan (+160) vs. Marco Tulio (-185) 

Winner: Marco Tulio 

Method: Decision 

Hyder Amil (-150) vs. Jamall Emmers (+130)  

 Winner: Hyder Amil 

Method: Decision 

Mayra Bueno Silva (+210) vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti (-250)  

Winner: Jacqueline Cavalcanti 

Method: Decision 

Josh Hokit (-415) vs. Max Gimenis (+310) 

 Winner: Josh Hokit 

Method: TKO Rd.2 

Denise Gomes (-180) vs. Tecia Pennington (+155)  

 Winner: Tecia Pennington 

Method: Decision 

 Miles Johns (+165) vs. Daniel Marcos (-195)  

 Winner: Daniel Marcos 

Method: Decision 

Jackson McVey ( ) vs. Zachary Reese ( ) *Late Replacement  

Winner: Jackson McVey 

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.