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

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Main Card

Mateusz Gamrot (+120) vs. Quillan Salkilld (-142)

Gamrot: DK: $7.9k | Salkilld: DK:$8.3k

With the world on the brink of a third world war based on the same tired claims of “weapons of mass destruction” from Epstein-class warmongers and perpetuated by the same elderly citizens who fell for it the first time, the only topic anyone could discuss was the Fauci congressional hearing. In an unprecedented move, Mr. Fauci pled the Fifth 111 times after receiving a presidential pardon protecting his conduct dating back to 2014 as it related to the Gamrot Takedown pandemic.

“Mr. Fauci, is it true that you claimed the Ph-eye-zer Gamrot vaccine would prevent takedowns?”

“On the advice of my counsel, I respectfully decline to answer based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment.”

“Is it true that even after receiving multiple Gamrot Vaccine boosters, Esteban Ribovics was taken down four times, Ludovit Klein six times, Dan Hooker five times, and Rafael Dos Anjos six times?”

“On the advice of my council, I plead the one, two, three, four, Fif!” 

“Yet, even after the vaccine was proven ineffective, you still pushed to have it mandated for all Gamrot’s opponents?”

“I plead the one, two, three, four, Fif!” 

“Is it also true that you sought to undermine any possible alternatives to the vaccine, such as constant lateral movement, sprawling, up-the-middle attacks to discourage level changes, and maintaining range with jabs based on 106 controlled randomized trials because such alternatives would inhibit the ability to mandate the vaccine, for which you receive royalties, based on an Emergency Use Authorization?”

“One, two, three, four, Fif!” 

“Is it true that you are more likely to be taken down if you have had even one injection of the Gamrot vaccine than if you have never had one?”

Mr. Fauci silently raised a closed fist into the air. One by one, he raised his fingers, counting one, two, three, four, and upon raising the thumb, shouted, “Fif!”

“Your Honor, I’d like to move to a hearing of contempt to be scheduled for next week.”

The judge brought down the gavel, startling everyone in the room with its vehemence, “Granted!” 

As it turns out, the world owes Charles Oliveira an apology. He was the Kyrie Irving and Aaron Rodgers of MMA, refusing the experimental Gamrot vaccine and opting instead to use repurposed traditional methods to both defend Gamrot’s takedowns and submit him for the first time in his career. Of course, the sheeple who believed the bogus Gamrot vaccine claims will never admit they were duped, insisting nobody ever said the vaxx would prevent takedowns, only that it would soften their impact against the mat. As Mark Twain once said, “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.”

All that aside, the threat of another Gamrot takedown pandemic is imminent. The man who averages five takedowns per fifteen minutes will have you seeing takedowns in your sleep. I’m talking about eternal sleep. You’ll get taken down in the afterlife. You’ll haunt the arena, still seeing ghosts of Gamrot double legs. Your rigor mortis position will be a hip sprawl on the autopsy table. You’ll see takedowns everywhere you go. At the DMV: 

“Please read line four.”

“Uh, single leg, double leg, high crotch, suplex, snap down, ankle pick...” During “sexy time,” you’ll shrimp and stuff the head. No one man should have all those takedowns. 

But if Gamrot’s takedowns are a Madden 98, his striking is a 55. My man is a Stranger in a Strange Land on his feet. He’s completely out of his element, like he got kicked out of Earth, Wind & Fire. Like prime Phillip Rivers, Gamrot only throws wounded ducks. Homie’s hands get intercepted—ol’ Pick six hands. That’s not a good look going into a fight against a guy with “killed” in his last name, Quillan Salkilld. 

Yo, DJ! Hit that Eminem “Kill You!” B**ch, he’s gonna kill you! You don’t want to f**k with Q! Salkilld is a serial killer hiding murder material in a cereal box on top of your stereo. He’s on that Cypress Hill shit: Here is something you can’tunderstand, how Quillan Salkilld can just kill a man. This man’s last name is submitted as an admission of guilt at his murder trials after his fights. He turned Nasrat Haqparast into NASDAQ Haqparast when it crashes in four weeks when the oil reserves run out because the U.S. doesn’t have enough refineries to process “sour crude” oil. Haqparast looked like a Jumper who lost his entire 401k overnight. Yo, DJ! Hit that Third Eye Blind! Most recently, he had Benny Dariush crawling away from the ass-whoopin' like Jackie O crawling out of the back of the Benz. 

But you can call Quillan “Teflon Q” because nothing sticks. Salkilld is 5-0 in the UFC with four murder-one charges. After losing his pro debut, he has won twelve fights in a row with nine finishes (5 TKOs/KOs and 4 subs). This guy is a well-rounded ass-kicker. Even though he has been destroying opponents on his feet, I think Salkilld is a better grappler than striker. Gamrot isn’t the man to expose his striking. However, it will get exposed as he moves up the rankings. Here’s the thing about Salkilld: he’s like drinking horchata; I can’t tell if he’s actually good. After the first two sips you swear it’s the best shit you’ve ever had, but after two more sips, you’re like, “I guess it’s okay.” The more we see of Salkilld, the more his skills will average out.

We’re about to find out how good his grappling is. The only men we’ve seen out-grapple Gamrot are Charles and Benny Dariush (before he fell off a cliff). Likely, Salkilld will have to defend takedowns and win this fight on his feet. Strike early and grapple late; that’s Salkilld’s game plan. All that wrestling and Gamrot fades like Trae Young’s hairline. I can see Salkilld out-grappling Gamrot in the championship rounds if he doesn't fade himself.

Salkilld is the (-142) favorite, and Gamrot is the (+122) live-ass dog. Gamrot can swamp anyone with takedowns and top control. Salkilld has yet to be in a war inside the Octagon. The problem with Gamrot is his grappling isn’t dangerous or scary. He has only one submission since beating Jeremy Stephens in 2021. I like playing this one for a decision. There’s value in a Salkilld TKO/KO, but I think he will lose steam defending early takedowns.

After Uros Medic came out like Craig’s dad and kicked the shit out of the DMX dog, D-Rod, the main event dub streak is now six. This week’s pick could trip us up. This one is a toss-up. How good is Salkilld? I don’t know. But I know Gamrot’s striking is terrible, and I think this will come down to late stand-up. Quillan Salkilld via decision. Put it on wax.

Props

Salkilld: TKO/KO (+225) Sub (+400) Dec (+400)  

Gamrot: TKO/KO (+1000) Sub (+600) Dec (+250) 

Winner: Quillan Salkilld | Method: Decision

Diego Ferreira (-170) vs. Billy Quarantillo (+142)

Ferreira: DK: $8.7k | Billy Q: DK: $7.5k

Where the fook has Billy Q. been? For all his flaws, for better or worse, this guy was one of my favorite fighters. At one time, Billy Q. was an MMA ameoba; he could survive nuclear winter in the cage. He’d win a Nuclear Winter Olympics gold medal in the snowboarding halfpipe, doing Triple Cork 1440s with a MacTwist off mounds of radioactive waste. Billy was the ultimate music montage fighter. He wouldn’t start scrapping until the entirety of his ass was nearly kicked and “No Easy Way Out” by Robert Tepper was blaring. I guess you could call Billy the Carradine of MMA; he can’t get his rocks off unless he’s on the brink of death. But unlike Carradine, Billy didn’t confuse a Slip Knot for a noose. And we ain’t talking about dudes wearing Leatherface masks and screaming like they’re taking a huge shit. 

But that was then, and this is now. Billy has lost three of his last four, including two in a row, and hasn’t fought since 2024. That’s probably because his style has a short shelf life. In every fight, Billy gets punch drunk like he had the company credit card at a team-building retreat. By the second round, Billy is two times over the legal limit for overhands to the face. But sixty percent of the time, he comes back to win every time. He’s a one-man army like Rambo; he’ll take out the whole Rampart District by himself. You need riot gear: shields, tear gas, rubber bullets, curfews, and clubs named after Billy when you fight him. Billy Q. isn’t a technical striker or particularly athletic, but he’ll grind on you. He’ll rub you raw like the roof of your mouf after eating Cap’n Crunch. He’s a Grindr like a certain party’s national convention.

Overall, Billy’s best weapon is his heart. You can give him that Benghazi or Guantanamo Bay treatment for fifteen minutes, but he won’t snitch. The only way Billy can beat Diego Ferreira is by making this a firefight from the jump. Diego will fade quickly under heavy pressure. But until he fades, Diego can knock Billy’s block off like Eminent Domain. 

Never forget what Diego did to Michael Johnson. He straight blue-pilled MJ. Diego’s right hand stiffened MJ like those pills next to the register at 7-11. Why risk heart complications? Ferreira’s right hand will make you stiff real quick. Wait... WTF? Diego’s power is generated by the distance his hands travel. His arms are longer than his body. He has to wear shoes on his hands like when people put shoes on their dogs. Diego’s arms have been around the world and I, I, I. While traveling to the target, his hands gain a ton of steam. Homie doesn’t care if you steal a base on him; he throws every punch from the windup—even with a runner on third.

But Diego’s natural habitat is on the mat. He’s nimble and agile with some of the most creative back-takes in the game. There isn’t a position where he can’t find a path to take the back. Diego’s major malfunction is that he only puts $5 on an empty tank and runs out a few miles down the road. Yo, DJ! Hit that Luniz “I Got Five On It!” Triple A has to give him a courtesy ride out of the cage after the second round. My man just sits on the shoulder with his hazards on after round two. If Diego can’t get Billy out of there within the first round and a half, he will be in big trouble.

Ferreira is the (-170) favorite, and Billy Q. is the (+145) live-ass dog. After the first round, he will be a live-ass dog. This is a perfect fight to live-bet. When you see Diego take his first deep breath, bet the dog house on Billy Q. This fight will end in a finish. For Ferreira, the hard part is choosing between a TKO/KO or a submission. Billy will have to win by a late TKO/KO when Diego fades. This is another toss-up. Both fighters are riding back-to-back losses and haven’t looked like their former selves. Give me Diego Ferreira via Rear-Naked Choke, round two. On wax.

Props

Ferreira: TKO/KO (+200) Sub (+450) Dec (+350) 

Billy Q: TKO/KO (+250) Sub (+1800) Dec (+650)

Winner: Diego Ferreira | Method: Rear-Naked Choke Rd.2

Amanda Lemos (+215) vs. Alexia Thainara (-265)

Lemos: DK: $7.4k | Thainara: DK:$8.8k

Yo, DJ! Hit The Troggs “Wild Thing!” The crowd rises to its feet, singing, “Wild Thing! You make my heart sing!” Amanda Lemos makes everything groovy when she slings 100 mph four-seamers over the backstop, in the dirt, and “Just a little bit outside.” Lemos has the hand speed of a Mason Miller heater and the control of a Babba Booey first pitch. She is the MMA Rick Vaughn when she has enough time on her feet to let her hands go. Every right hand she throws is an HBP. She has more ejections than saves. Even so, she has a better ERA than the Angels bullpen. ‘Til this day (Deontay Wilder voice)! ‘Til this day! I still haven’t seen anyone out-strike Amanda Lemos. The problem is, I’ve seen everyone out-grapple her.

And here she is facing another strong grappler in Alexia Thainara. As good as Lemos’ striking is, her wrestling/grapplling isn’t. She has the ground game of Lindsey Graham. She has the ground game of an area rug. She goes from assailant to victim as soon as one cheek hits the mat. Homegirl turns into a Law & Order SVU episode when her 63% takedown defense fails. When Lemos gets taken down, they call out the grounds crew and throw a tarp over her like a weather delay. The crazy part is that Lemos is Brazilian. A Brazilian who can’t grapple is like an “ov/ev” who can’t wrestle. Lemos is like a unicorn or some shit, an anomaly.

Here’s the thing about Lemos: when I think she will get taken down and spend fifteen minutes on her back, she turns into Jose Fookin’ Aldo defending takedowns. She turns into fooking Chumbawamba. She gets taken down, but gets up again. You’re never gonna keep her down! Yo! Hit that “Tubthumping!” When I think she will stay on her feet, she turns into Jack Della Maddalena against Makhachev. Her ground game is so bad you’d catch a manslaughter charge if you gifted her a weighted blanket for Christmas. It’s simple for Lemos: if she stays on her feet, she will beat Thainara. She will lose another decision (three in a row) if she ends up on her back.

The opposite is true of Alexia Thainara. You could bag up her striking and put it on the curb on Tuesday morning, and they’ll pick it up in a big green truck. Get Takedown or Die Trying. That’s Thainara’s path to victory. She couldn’t strike on a picket line. Thainara is a Glengarry Glen Ross striker: Act as if. She acts as if she’s a good striker. She strikes with unfounded confidence. She projects herself as a good striker. Thainara lives a double life on her feet. She can throw single strikes, a right hand and a lead hook, but you won’t catch her throwing combinations. Thainara has a 3-0 UFC record (14-1 overall) because she averages 4.5 takedowns per fifteen minutes.

Here’s the thing about Thainara: her grappling isn’t scary. It’s dominant but not dangerous. After a debut submission win, she has won two boring decisions in a row. She gets you to the mat then engages in pillow talk. They dim the lights in the arena and play Teddy Pendergrass Greatest Hits when she lands a takedown. It’s like being in Gerald’s Game with her on top of you. You think she suffered a heart attack and you're trapped beneath her in a cabin in the middle of nowhere with the closest neighbors ten miles away. She’s dead weight on top. But all she does is win, win, win like T-Pain. Her best weapon is a counter double leg. As you engage on the feet, she ducks under and level changes. That will be the key against Lemos. 

Thainara is the (-245) favorite, and Lemos is the (+205) live-ass dog. I know, I know; Lemos loses to every wrestler she faces. But I’m not impressed by Thainara. Yo, DJ! Hit that Hall & Oates “I Can’t Go for That!” No can do. Lemos is one defended takedown away from a dub. If she stuffs one takedown, she will win this fight. Conversely, if Thainara succeeds with her first takedown attempt, she will win. The only play here is a decision. Neither lady will risk defeat to secure victory. Fantasy-wise, stay away from this fight if possible. Fook it... Wild Thing! You make my heart sing! Amanda Lemos via decision. Put it on wax.

Props

Lemos: TKO/KO (+700) Sub (+1400) Dec (+450)

Thainara: TKO/KO (+800) Sub (+380) Dec (-110)

Winner: Amanda Lemos | Method: Decision

Ty Miller (-410) vs. Billy Goff (+320)

Miller: DK: $9.2k | Goff: DK: $7k

This card is a mess. There were only noine bouts before three late ones were added, and there’s no official lineup as I write this. From here, I have to guess which bouts will be on the main card. I think this one will make the cut. If you’re a somnophiliac—you get pleasure from watching people sleep—this is the fight for you. Billy Goff will likely be sleeping at the end of this one. But don’t get it fooked up like Deion Sanders’s toes; I’m not writing Billy Goff off. I’m not busting out the Declaration of Independence feather pen. Billy is a dog’s dog, and he’ll go out on his shield. I just think his aggressive style will lead to his downfall.

Also, Billy Goff is mid with a cape on—super mid. Welcome to Mid Burger, the home of the Mid Burger. Can I take your order? You can call him Mid-ius Maximus. Mid-i Vanilli. But don’t you dare call him Billy Goof. Homie’s day job is the blue knight at Mid-ieval Times. Rumor has it Billy is dating Mid-ney Sweeney. Billy drives a mid-size car and lives in Mid Town. In his most recent bout against Ramiz Brahimaj, he turned into Mid-ney Houston. Goff is so hittable on his feet he turns every opponent into Bobby Brown. Overall, I'm not sure what Billy is good at. He’s a meathead striker. “Me hit. Me punch. Me tackle.” Billy has the air of a wrestler striker but lacks the piston right hand and power double leg.

Goff is the frat boy final boss. Unfortunately, he was the victim of a hazing ritual in his last two fights, losing both. His only dub came against a transfer from DeVry University. As soon as the bell rings, Billy turns into Cinderella and every minute the clock strikes midnight. His best attribute is that he is a dog. He will take a licking and keep on ticking. Even when out-gunned, he keeps swinging until the bitter end. He doesn’t go out like Jack Dawson, sinking peacefully to the bottom of the ocean. Billy throws punches all the way down.

Ty Miller is resurrected Carlos Condit, aka the Natural Born Ass-Kicker. He’s the Fountain of Youth Carlos Condit. Condit was known for FTA—taking foot to ass. Ty Miller has the same lanky build and hair-trigger aggression. Miller’s best weapon is his jab; he could jab a face for hours. He just sits outside the pocket in a lawn chair with a Brisk iced tea, waving to the neighbors, “Hi, Mrs. Parker!” while jabbing your face... off. He just chills outside the pocket, hitting you with 1-2s like it’s Friday, heain’t got no job, and he ain’t got shit to do. His jab turns opponents into bobbleheads. In two measurable bouts, Miller averages over seven SLpM. He’s a high-output combination striker.   

Miller’s major malfunction is that he fights like he’s playing football and only plays offense. He has no defensive instincts. He’s very hittable at the end of his punches because he doesn’t anticipate blowback. When it’s time to play defense, Miller calls for a sub. Even in his debut, a first-round TKO, he was blowing kisses and batting his eyelashes at unconsciousness. He’s been flirting with disaster but is lucky it’s been playing hard to get. Billy Goff might not be the guy to expose his defensive holes, but someone will eventually.

Miller is the (-360) favorite, and Goff is the (+290) flea-ridden dog. Goff isn’t a bad fighter. He’s just kind of mid. But he can make this a fun fight while it lasts. Billy averages 7.5 SLpM; he goes for it. Eventually, Miller’s length will be too much for Goff. Goff will have to take too many risks. The play is a Miller TKO/KO, or if you believe in Billy, a Billy decision. Ty Miller via TKO, round three. On wax.

Props

Miller: TKO/KO (+120) Sub (+1400) Dec (+165)  

Goff: TKO/KO (+700) Sub (+1400) Dec (+800)

Winner: Ty Miller | Method: TKO Rd.3

Steven Asplund (-290) vs. Guilherme Pat (+235)

Asplund: DK: $9k | Pat: DK: $7.2k

Now they’re just trolling Steven Asplund. This is the second straight bout where they give Asplund (don’t you dare call him Ass Plunge) a complete physique mismatch. Asplund will be the (+10,000) physique dog against Guilherme Pat after debuting as a (+15,000) physique dog against Vitor Petrino. This is like Lizzo vs. Margot Robbie in a swimsuit pageant. That’s because Asplund is built like McDonald’s Grimace. He makes the Octagon grimace when he steps inside. My man is built like the state of Missouri. He looks like he will gas out walking up the steps into the cage. You expect them to build a moving walkway to the Octagon like the ones outside casinos in Las Vegas, like the ones Lizzo has throughout her house. But I talk all that shit to say this: Asplund is a featherweight trapped inside a heavyweight’s body.

They call him “Concrete” because he cracks like it. Asplund is a county fair striker; he looks like he’s straight out of old-school Tough Man contests. Asplund’s best weapon is... wait for it... cardio and output. Even at his size, this guy can maintaina featherweight’s pace. Now that I think about it, Asplund is a heavyweight Nate Landwehr. Like Landwehr, Asplund is a functional shit-talker in the cage. He had Vitor Petrino riding a pair of Heeley's around the mall in the first round, then mooned him like a Randy Moss TD celebration after. He must have landed one hundred significant b**ch slaps against Petrino. Asplund will throw anything: backhands, forehands. He’ll straight serve you like a Novak Djokovic ace. Say What You Say like Em and Dre, but this guy has more dog in him than Cruella De Ville’s coat. Asplund can win this fight by pushing a pace that Guilherme Pat can’t keep up with. I know that sounds crazy.

Especially when you look at Pat. His day job is a cheese grater at Olive Garden. He rubs the Parmigiano Reggiano against his abs, “Say when...” This is the second straight fight Asplund will face a 300 soldier. Couldn’t they bring back Roy Nelson or some shit? Anywho, Pat looks like a Peloton instructor. He fights like one too. Eating lettuce is more dangerous than this guy. Pat looks straight out of Brazilian fighter Central Casting. He’s a lumbering power striker with no bells or whistles. He reminds me of week-old leftover Vitor Petrino. He’s already growing fuzz.

Here’s the thing about Guilherme Pat: He lost to Thomas Petersen. And he nearly got KO’d in the last round. Almost getting KO’d by Thomas Petersen is like shitting yourself in a bathroom. True story: I have a homie who shit himself while taking a leak at a urinal at Le Papagayo in Carlsbad, CA. It leaked through his cheeks. I know, I know, TMI. As I was saying, Pat made Petersen look like Scott Petersen on the mat. All Pat could do for the final two minutes was hold on for…

Dear Life,

I could really use some help right meow.

Sincerely, 

Guilherme Pat

My man just held on like a stubborn doodie that you have to twerk to pinch off. His path to victory is catching Asplund with something heavy when Asplund over-pursuits or overextends combinations.

Asplund is the (-270) favorite, and Pat is the (+220) stray dog. The good news for Asplund is he has already fought a better Guilherme Pat named Vitor Petrino. Even though he lost that bout, Asplund had big moments and was competitive. Pat has to beat volume with power. Asplund is most vulnerable at the end of his extended combinations. Pat can sit down on big counters. Playing this one for a decision is not a bad look. There is value, at least for Pat. The play for Asplund is a mid-to-late TKO/KO. If Pat doesn’t catch him early, Asplund’s output will break down Pat. Steven Asplund via TKO, round three. Wax on, wax off.

Props

Asplund: TKO/KO (+150) Sub (+2500) Dec (+150)  

Pat: TKO/KO (+550) Sub (+2500) Dec (+550)

Winner: Steven Asplund | Method: Decision

Prelims

$7k Value Menu

Mateusz Gamrot ($7.9): Win or lose, Gamrot has taken down every single one of his thirteen UFC opponents. He even scored six takedowns against Amran Tsarukyan, who could be the next lightweight champion. Gamrot will take down Quillan Salkilld. The only question is, can he do it consistently over twenty-five minutes? In each of his last three wins, Gamrot has scored over one hundred Fantasy points. When he wins, he dominates with top control. It will be no different if he wins this fight. The downside for Gamrot is his cardio and stand-up. All that wrestling takes its toll, especially over five rounds. Barring an early finish, Gamrot will have to survive for stretches on his feet, and that’s when he’s the most vulnerable.  

Billy Quarantillo ($7.5k): If Billy Q. doesn’t get finished in the opening round, he has a good shot at stealing this fight. Diego Ferreira is a notorious gasser. One thing about Billy Q. is that he never ever fades. Not now; not ever. Billy will be at a power disadvantage, but he can win with pressure and volume. The biggest red flag for Billy is his 61% takedown defense. Diego is a Jiu-Jitsu specialist first and foremost, but he doesn’t always commit to grappling. Billy can make this a firefight, and Diego doesn’t thrive in firefights.

Richie Miranda ($7.1k): This guy is a 13-1 former LFA champion. He will be facing a monster in Manoel Sousa. This is one of three bouts added to the card late. An early prelim, this could be one of the fights of the night. Souza is coming in off a late KO of Bolaji Oki, so he’s a big favorite. But Miranda has some serious dog in him. A high-output striker, Miranda can out-point Souza and steal close rounds with superior volume. Sousa tends to fight in short bursts, relying on big power shots to turn the tide. But Miranda will provide a steady stream of fists and test Sousa’s defensive striking. I don’t know much about Miranda’s ground game, but if he can stay upright, he can turn this fight into a high-scoring banger. 

 $6k Clearance Rack  

Darren Elkins ($6.8k): Elkins is the only $6k option this week. Billy Goff is close at $7k. Both are decent options, but I think the 42-year-old Elkins has a clearer path to victory against Yadier Del Valle. Del Valle is coming in off a loss to Jordan Leavitt, who took down Del Valle four times and racked up nearly eight minutes of control time. In his prime, Elkins was a far more dangerous grappler than Leavitt. He may still be. But he’s in his forties and has taken more abuse than Cowboys fans over the course of his career. This is a guy who bleeds after the glove touch. He has Parks and Rec single-ply TP thin skin. But if Elkins can get you to the mat, you’re gonna have a bad time. If Del Valle’s 58% takedown defense doesn’t hold up, Elkins can dominate him from the top like Leavitt did.  

Twenty-Twen-Twen Sleepers

Jessie Rosas (+133): This kid is making his debut against veteran Miles Johns. Although you have to be wary of dudes with two plural names, Johns has lost three fights in a row. Most recently, he lost to Daniel Marcos, who took him down three times. Rosas is a Jiu-Jitsu specialist with four wins by submission. None of those subs are rear-naked chokes; each is a different submission. His submission repertoire is nasty. I don’t like Rosas’ chances on the feet against the power puncher Johns. But if he can borrow Marcos’ game plan and get Johns to the mat, I like Rosas’ chances to steal this fight. He might even fook around and submit Johns. The red flags for Rosas are only 8-1 with suspect competition. Johns has fought far tougher opponents. I’mnot sure how good Rosas’ takedowns are if the first attempt fails. If he gets stranded on his feet, it could be a long night for him.

Mateusz Gamrot (+122): This will be Salkilld’s first fight against elite competition. Gamrot has faced only killers since his debut in 2020. There isn’t a fighter in the division he can’t take down. He will get Salkilld to the mat as well. The only question is can he keep Salkilld on the mat long enough to win three rounds? I think a submission is unlikely, but he can out-grapple Salkilld for most of five rounds. Go back and watch Salkilld’s fight against Yanal Ashmouz. Salkilld landed eight takedowns but faded late in that fight, the only one that went past the first round. I don’t see Salkilld gaining the top position against Gamrot as often as he is used to. Gamrot has the wrestling to drag Salkilld into deep waters and expose his cardio.

Billy Quarantillo (+145): Billy Q. is always a gamble. He could easily go out and get vaporized by a Diego Ferreira overhand in the opening round. But if that doesn’t happen, he has the dog Ferreira lacks. Also, Ferreira fades like Great Clips, and Billy doesn’t. Survive and advance: that’s the name of the game for Billy. His pressure and reckless style will eventually take its toll on Diego. In a battle of attrition, give me Billy Q. all damn day and night.

Loooongshot Parlay

You gotta fight… for your right… to paaaaaaarlay! This week, I’m dialing things back a notch. The underdogs haven’t inspired much confidence lately, so rather than rolling the dice on the Twenty Twen-Twen Sleepers, I’m putting together a more playable parlay.

Uros Medic by TKO/KO (-250)

Michael Oliveira by TKO/KO (-140)

Dusko Todorovic Moneyline (+140)

Total Odds: (+476)

Pick ‘Em

Diyar Nurgozhay (-155) vs. Bruno Lopes (+133)

Winner: Diyar Nurgozhay

Method: Decision

Jose Luiz (+133) vs. Louie Sutherland (-155) 

Winner: Louie Sutherland

Method: Decision

Juliana Miller (-290) vs. Ravena Oliveira (+240) 

Winner: Juliana Miller

Method: Decision

Darren Elkins (+525) vs. Yadier Del Valle (-750)

Winner: Yadier Del Valle

Method: TKO Rd.2

Miles Johns (-155) vs. Jessie Rosas (+133)  

Winner: Jessie Rosas

Method: Decision

Manoel Sousa (-260) vs. Richie Miranda (+215)  

Winner: Manoel Sousa

Method: Decision

Giovanna Canuto (+230) vs. Carol Foro (-285)  

Winner: Carol Foro

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.