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

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Main Card

Kevin Holland (-130) vs. Wonderboy (+110)

Holland: DK: $8.5k | Wonderboy: DK:$7.7k

This one is an odd pairing like Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton or Marilyn Manson and, well, anybody. Kevin Holland vs. Wonderboy features a clash of styles like wearing stripes with checkers, Crocs with a three-piece tux, or navy blue corduroy pants with a Balenciaga… never mind. In one corner, we have the real-life Daniel-san, the man who, if born forty years earlier, would have fought Bruce Lee in Way Of The Dragon without all the chest hair, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. And in the other corner, we have the Morgan Freeman, aka the Leroy Van Dyke, aka the John Madden of MMA, Kevin Holland. No one will whoop your ass while narrating a ten-episode Netflix documentary or provide color commentary of the ass whooping he's in the process of handing out like Kevin Holland will.

The UFC was created for matchups like this, to answer one question: what is the superior fighting discipline? Wonderboy represents a style (Karate) that was thought obsolete when pitted against more real-world applicable disciplines like boxing, Muay Thai, wrestling, and Jiu-Jitsu. And Kevin Holland represents a street brawler with nodes of fundamental skills from multiple disciplines pullulating from his base like tumors.

Wonderboy looks like he was fired by Elon Musk two weeks ago, but don’t let that fool you. Prime Wonderboy looked like a Hollywood stunt double in the Octagon, throwing CGI special effects kicks, i.e., spinning wheel kicks, flying switch kicks, and Guile flashkicks. He used misdirection and sleight of hand attacks and proved that flashy techniques can be used practically in a professional combat setting when properly set up and executed. Wonderboy was 90s action movies brought to life, Jet Li and Jackie Chan single handedly kicking the shit out of a room full of foot soldiers. His Karate style is the most romanticized style in combat sports because it makes fundamental the strikes that are only seen on the big screen.

Wonderboy has one of the best ever striking pedigrees outside of MMA; he was 58-0 in professional Karate competitions before switching sports. He then became the most successful Karate practitioner in MMA history, having challenged twice (and Valero robbed once) for the welterweight title against Tyrone Woodley. Woodley before he became a skinned rug with Chihuahua urine stains in Jake Paul’s living room. Karate provides a unique advantage in MMA; it maximizes striking distance with quick in/out movements. Wonderboy manipulates distance with lead leg sidekicks and well-timed blitzes from outside the pocket. He has maintained his point-fighting technique, looking to leap into range with quick, short combinations before leaping out of striking range. He switches stances often but is most effective from the southpaw stance; when he has an opponent hurt or shelled up defensively, he will quickly switch to southpaw and look to land his power attacks.

Power, I say that relatively speaking. Wonderboy doesn’t have a lot of power; he has surprise. He hurts you with strikes you don’t see coming by feinting, drawing reactions, and attacking the openings. His special move is a lead leg round kick that he sneaks over the lead shoulder of his opponent, hiding it behind a quick hand attack.

Born six days after me, the question regarding Wonderboy at age thirty-noine is; has he lost a step? His most potent weapon was blinding hand speed, which made him an underrated formidable counterpuncher. His in/out movement is a natural lure to draw out the opponent’s offense, and his hand speed allowed him to counterattack with quick two to three-punch blitzes when it’s least expected.

Wonderboy is currently riding a two-fight losing streak, with losses to Gilbert Burns and Belal Muhammad. Wrestlers are Wonderboy’s kryptonite, and both Burns and Muhammad are two of the best in the division. This will be the first matchup in three fights that Wonderboy can fight to his strength without the threat of the takedown. This will be the perfect barometer for determining how much he has left in his gas tank. The biggest knock against Wonderboy is his lack of finishes; he hasn’t finished a fight since 2016, ten fights and counting. His Fantasy value will be in significant strikes landed over twenty-five minutes. In his last five-round bout against Geoff Neal, Wonderboy landed one hundred seventy-one strikes. Before that, he landed one hundred thirty-eight against Vicente Luque. When he fights strikers, Wonderboy has the confidence to let his strikes go, and that will be the case this time around against Kevin Holland.

We need the shit-talking Kevin Holland back. Since dropping down to the welterweight division, the shit-talking Kevin Holland turned into Jimmy Hoffa’s body, nowhere to be found. At first, I thought that was for the better, a necessary step in his evolution as a fighter, but now I’m not so sure. I saw a nervous/scared Kevin Holland in his last bout against Khamzat Chimaev (who can blame him?). Holland proceeded to get trounced in just two minutes and never even threw a single punch. In a way, I think the gum bumping helps Holland deal with nerves/pressure and adds a psychological element to his game. I know if Nate Diaz had actually fought Chimaev that night like he was originally supposed to, he would have gone down with the ship like the Titanic band, talking shit all the way to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. And that’s how legends are made.

Holland is a long striker that doesn’t always use his reach well. He leaps into the pocket and often crowds his punches. That’s the biggest reason why, despite his grappling prowess, he struggled at middleweight against wrestlers. He practically gave opponents the takedown every time he exchanged. Holland needs to learn how to work his way into range behind multiple jabs and short, choppy footwork. Even though Wonderboy won’t be looking for takedowns, over-pursuing with strikes will play right into Wonderboy’s strengths as a counterpuncher and essentially eliminate the dangers of closing the distance. He needs to make Wonderboy take risks from the outside and navigate through a minefield of jabs and long crosses. This will be a battle of range and who can control it.

Wonderboy isn’t known for his leg kicks, but it would be wise to add that wrinkle to his kicking arsenal against Holland as Conor McGregor did against Nate Diaz in the second fight. Holland has a wide, upright stance and is terrible at defending calf kicks and will need to address that weakness if he wants to compete at the top of the division. But his strength is long speed and power. Usually, long strikers aren’t very fast; they rely on their strikes not needing to travel large distances to land. Not only are Holland’s strikes long, but also they’re explosive, and he has some very impressive KO’s against much bigger fighters a weight class up.

Holland possesses the one-punch KO power that Wonderboy lacks and will be the finishing threat in this one. Holland has twenty-three career dubs, and twenty came by finish, including thirteen by TKO/KO. A dual threat, Holland has excellent offensive Jiu-Jitsu with a specialty in head and arm chokes (D’arce/Anacondas). If Holland can drop Wonderboy, he can snatch his neck and finish the fight by submission as well as KO. Kevin has fought seventeen times since his debut in 2018, an insane pace, but he has only topped one hundred significant strikes once. He’s a fairly low output striker, and his Fantasy value will be in a finish.

Holland will be the (-140) favorite, and Wonderboy will be the slight (+115) dog. Wonderboy at plus money against another striker is always a good look. If any of that old Wonderboy hand speed is still there, he will cause Holland all kinds of problems. A Holland TKO will return (+165) odds, but the real value is in a submission at (+550). A knockdown, a choke, and a Twenty-Twen-Twen equals a mansion in Calabasas. A loooong shot Wonderboy TKO/KO will return (+250), but the play for him is a decision win valued at (+375). The main event-winning streak sits at two after Nzechuckwu vs. Cutelaba was elevated to main event status two weeks ago. In twenty-two career fights, Wonderboy has only been finished once, and that was a fluke KO to Anthony Pettis. This might be the second. Kevin Holland via TKO, round three. On wax.

Winner: Kevin Holland | Method: TKO Rd.3

Bryan Barberena (+335) vs. Rafael dos Anjos (-500)

Barberena: DK: $6.6k | dos Anjos: DK: $9.6k

This one right here is a crash test dummy vs. a brick wall. Bryan Barberena is the former, and Rafael dos Anjos is the latter. Bryan Barberena is a Walking Dead extra who continues shambling forward even after you’ve emptied an extended clip into him and bombarded him with Sherman tank fifty cals. He’s Will Smith and Martin Lawrence walking away from an exploding building. He’s Daenerys after the pyre burns out, and she’s still alive in the ashes. You can’t kill this guy, Bryan Barberena. And Rafael dos Anjos is a Five Star General, a leader among a select group of UFC super veterans who share victories over a common opponent (who rarely faces defeat), Father Time.

Barberena has been on a roll lately and is coming off a devastating TKO victory over one of my favorite fighters ever-ever, Robbie Lawler. And that wasn’t the Hollywood street performer imposter Robbie Lawler who showed up that night; that was “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler who showed up and dished out as much punishment as he took until he couldn’t take any more. Barberena put on an impressive display of Killer Instinct fifty-punch combinations and peppered Lawler with a never-ending barrage until Lawler finally wilted. It was the perfect example of volume instead of power. Barberena isn’t a one-punch power striker; he overwhelms with nonstop pressure and steady half-speed shots, focusing on touching the opponent constantly versus unloading haymakers. Couple an average of six significant strikes landed per minute with a Mt. Rushmore granite chin, and you have yourself a real-life Steven Seagal, Hard To Kill.

“Bam Bam” has been a sleeper in the welterweight division since 2014 and has fought a Hall Of Fame list of opponents that includes the current champ, Leon Edwards. He’s currently riding a three-fight winning streak and four out of his last five with recent dubs over Matt Brown and Robbie Lawler. Baberena’s biggest weaknesses are his ground game from his back and overall takedown defense. Dos Anjos is known for implementing wrestling-heavy game plans, and should he decide to avoid a firefight with Barberena and relocate the fight to the mat, dos Anjos will have a big advantage.

I say, “should he decide” to relocate the fight because, after his most recent loss to the heathen Rafael Fiziev, dos Anjos acknowledged that his time as a title contender has ended, and he now wants to focus on fun, exciting fights. Well, if that’s his mindset, he may want to put on a show for the fans and just throw bombs like vintage dos Anjos. The biggest knock against him for the last several years has been his boring wrestling-centric game plans. His striking is still as deadly as it’s ever been, and his kicks are still some of the most ferocious in both the lightweight and welterweight divisions. The power advantage will belong decidedly to dos Anjos, as will the speed advantage.

The key for dos Anjos on the feet will be his nasty leg kicks. Dos Anjos’ kicks are his best weapon on the feet; his natural southpaw stance against an orthodox fighter exposes the opponent’s liver to his power round kicks. Eventually, fighters react to defend the body, and Dos Anjos then goes high. And at any point, dos Anjos can fall back on his wrestling in case he steps up to the edge of the Olympic platform, looks down, and suddenly realizes he’s afraid of heights.

The numbers: Dos Anjos is 31-14 and 20-12 in the UFC. Dos Anjos is a veteran with a cape on, a super veteran. He averages just over three and a half significant strikes landed per minute but also averages two takedowns per fifteen minutes. I think dos Anjos will be the slightly better finishing threat, and he will be stepping in as the massive (-575) favorite. Bust out the Piso Mojado signs! Barberena will be dripping value all over your freshly Swiffer’d floor at (-415). This guy has a knack for playing up to his competition and can hang around like a stubborn doodie you can’t pinch off. But in the end, dos Anjos’ power may be too much. Rafael dos Anjos via decision.

Winner: Rafael dos Anjos | Method: Decision

Matheus Nicolau (-350) vs. Matt Schnell (+265)

Nicolau: DK: $9.4k | Schnell: DK:$6.8k

Speaking of some zombie shit, Matt Schnell is back, literally from the dead. In his last bout against Su Mudaerji, his corner had to bust out the Ouija board and resurrect Schnell in the middle of the fight. He was getting the entirety of his ass kicked in the second round, so much so, the Nike checkmarks from the bottom of Mudaerji’s shoes are still visible. Matt had to Call Of Duty respawn in the middle of the round; 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. Homie had already started to decompose. Paranormal ghost hunters were trying to contact Matt Schnell in the second round. But somehow, some way, he came back from the dead like Easter and choked out Mudaerji from his back with a triangle choke.

But I digress. Matt Schnell is a slick, crafty striker with quick hands and deceptive power. Schnell attacks the body then uses level change feints to set up power strikes to the head, high-level stuff. He’s dances on the outside and manages range well with a clean, stiff jab. Subtle slips and counters in the pocket, defensive head movement, and damaging calf kicks are all in his arsenal, making Schnell a diverse striker.

My only worry about Schnell has always been his habit of hanging out in the pocket too long and stringing together long combinations, aka, Bear Grylls camping out in the pocket. He needs to be in and out, float like a butterfly, and all that. Schnell also has crafty grappling and submissions as we saw in the Mudaerji scrap, and making this an MMA fight against Matheus Nicolau would be in Schnell’s best interests.

Overall, Schnell has had his ups and downs in the Octagon and has a record of 6-5. For better or worse, six of his eleven UFC bouts ended in the first round. Three of his six wins came via submission, and he has yet to finish a fight on the feet. His value will be in a possible submission if he can get the fight to the mat. If the fight stays standing, he will be at a decided power disadvantage and will be fighting from behind all night.

Matheus Nicolau is a little sleeper. In fact, that’s his rap name, Lil’ Sleepr. He’s an NBB (Nothing But Bombs) striker who throws short overhands and hooks. This will be a matchup of straight punches (Schnell) vs. round punches (Nicolau). Usually, straight punches beat round punches every day of the week, but Nicolau has deceptively quick hands and chooses his engagements wisely. There’s nothing intricate about his striking; he mostly throws 2-3’s (cross-hook) and 3-2’s (hook-cross) and mostly likes to sit back and counter. Because he’s more of a counter fighter, Nicolau won’t rack up significant strikes and averages just over three and a half per minute. You can expect him to be around the fifty to sixty significant strikes in this one. But Nicolau will be the bigger finishing threat, but only because Matt Schnell has been in absolute wars, and his chin’s low tread indicator has been showing for a few fights now.

Nicolau is in his second stint with the UFC, and since his return last year, has gone 3-0 with a Valero robbery dub over Manel Kape. He will be the massive (-400) favorite, and I have to think that’s because of Schnell’s questionable durability. Without a finish, Nicolau will be a Fantasy dud, and Schnell would provide a better long-shot value. But I think Nicolau can get a rare finish in this one, and a TKO/KO will return (+250). And a Schnell submission will return (+1000). Matheus Nicolau, TKO, round two.

Winner: Matheus Nicolau | Method: TKO Rd.2

Sergei Pavlovich (-185) vs. Tai Tuivasa (+148)

Pavlovich: DK: $9k | Tuivasa: DK: $7.2k

The arena will look like the Heaven’s Gate mansion after this one, bodies everywhere. Only one man will be left standing in the epicenter of destruction, the world left a smoldering ruin all around him. Tai Tuivasa is a mosh pit striker who began his training at Woodstock ’99 during the Korn performance. And Sergei Pavlovich is built like he grew up in a zoo and was raised by a family of gorillas. All you really need to know about this fight is that it will almost certainly end within the first five minutes. Tuivasa and Pavlovich have a combined twenty-five fights that ended in the first round, and both sport near one hundred percent finishing rates.

Tuivasa is coming off an absolute war against Ciryl Gane, a fight in which Tuivasa dropped and nearly finished Gane. And he was far more competitive than most would have thought. Tai is a lot like the Hulk; the more you hit him, the more you piss him off until he goes berserk. He gets mad when you hit him and starts throwing hammers all over the Octagon. Anybody can get it. Tuivasa is a rare fighter who is most dangerous when he’s riddled with bullets; he’s most dangerous when he's standing on the ledge one hundred stories up and facing only one option. Homie will get rocked and start busting out DDR thirty-move combos and then start swinging for the fences like he wasn’t just break-dancing a half second ago.

Sergei Pavlovich is a massive galoot with an eighty-four-inch reach. He could reach out and slap the shit outta me right meow. This guy has awkward striking, but awkward in a good way. On the surface he looks stiff, slow, and lacking athletic ability, but it’s his weird cadences and movements that make him hard to read. Pavlovich throws punches from protractor angles, angles fighters aren’t used to defending. At times it looks like Pavlovich is at the YMCA swimming laps, throwing looping overhands and hooks that travel across state lines. He’ll lower his head and start winging haymakers and only come up for air every six punches. Overall, this guy is scary, and his only weakness is on his back. A place where Tuivasa won’t likely try to take this fight.

The numbers: F*ck the numbers! Have one of these guys on your Fantasy roster, and bust out a Hamilton or Jackson and slam it face down on one. Pavlovich is the surprising (-185) favorite, and Tuivasa is the (+150) dog. You already know what time it is. Slip and falls will be imminent when Tuivasa is around, dripping value all over the place. A Pavlovich TKO/KO will return (-150) and a Tuivasa TKO/KO (+200). I have no idea who wins this. None. Tai Tuivasa via TKO, round one.

Winner: Tai Tuivasa  | Method: TKO Rd.1

Roman Dolidze (+135) vs. Jack Hermansson (-165)

Dolidze: DK: $7.5k | Hermansson: DK:$8.7k

Roman Dolidze has made me look foolish as of late. It wasn’t too long ago that he was a boring hold-against-the-cage-and-pray-for-a-decision type of fighter. But in back-to-back fights, Dolidze has recorded two emphatic first-round KO’s of two solid opponents, Phil Hawes and Kyle Daukaus. He had gold rings flying out Kyle Daukaus’s ass while he was pummeling him with knees and elbows. I was waiting for Tails to come flying into the cage like Fan Man to save Daukaus’ life and carry him away. Like Moe did Homer when Homer finally got his title shot against Drederick Tatum. This fight against the highly respected Jack Hermansson will be Dolidze dipping his pinky toe into the top-level waters and swirling it around.

Dolidze’s base is wrestling/grappling with sneaky submissions. He has a specialty with heel hooks, which are the most devastating submissions. With heel hooks, one second you're fine, chilling, and the next, you’re screaming and facing a twelve-month rehab. On the feet, Dolidze is fairly vanilla but recently has shown a different level of aggression. Roman is nasty in the clinch with knees, elbows, and landing trip takedowns, but overall, he lacks diverse attacks and relies on basic one-punch strikes.

Jack Hermansson also has sneaky submissions, and it’s easy to forget that Hermansson is made a name for himself as a grappler. Recently, Hermansson has done well for himself engaging in kickboxing matches. Jack has always had Jiu-Jitsu takedowns and struggled relocating the fight, but that has made him step up his striking game. He has long, straight punches and a jab that can use to stifle his opponents offense. Dominating range is Jack’s specialty; he’s good at using every inch of his reach, both with his hands and kicks. He peppers and stays busy constantly touching the opponent rather than loading up on heavy power shots.

There’s a good chance this one stays standing for fifteen minutes and will be a power vs. output matchup. Hermansson will be the higher output fighter, but Dolidze will provide the finishing threat. Although Hermansson has an excellent career-finishing rate with eleven TKO/KO’s and six subs in twenty-three career wins, he hasn’t finished a fight in his last seven scraps. I think his path to victory is staying on the outside and out-pointing Dolidze with volume. Dolidze’s path is a finish, and a TKO/KO will return (+475). Hermansson is the (-165) favorite, and Dolidze is the dog at (+135). Dolidze will be a solid middle-tier Fantasy option with a high upside, but I think Hermansson will be crafty and score enough from the outside. Jack Hermansson via decision.

Winner: Jack Hermansson  | Method: Decision

Eryk Anders (+170) vs. Kyle Daukaus (-200)

Anders: DK: $7.1k | Daukaus: DK:$9.1k

This one is a former Alabama National Champion linebacker under Nick Saban vs. Kyle Daukaus. Dammit, Kyle! This is a must-win fight for both fighters. Eryk Anders is over a decade removed from his glory days, having once scored four touchdowns in a single football game, and now finds himself looking back at his fighting glory days after losing two in a row and three of his last four. And Kyle Daukaus is a promising fighter who is far better than his 2-3 UFC record would suggest. You are what your record says you are! So here we sit at a crossroads, the crossing gates are lowering, and one fighter will stall out on the tracks.

The problem for Anders in this matchup is that what he’s good at, Daukaus is better at. Anders likes to clinch and wrestle and drag opponents to the mat. But Daukaus is a savvy wrestler/grappler and far more dangerous on the mat than Anders is. And on the feet, Anders usually only wants to engage as a second resort if he can’t score takedowns. Anders has a nasty left hand that can put anybody away, but he doesn’t have the output to land it with any regularity. Daukaus has crisp technical kickboxing and a nasty left hand of his own. This will be a rare southpaw vs. southpaw matchup, and I think the striking also favors Daukaus.

Daukaus will be the (-210) favorite, and Anders will be the (+170) dog. Both guys are hard to finish, and the odds of the fight going beyond two and a half rounds are (-185). Kyle Daukaus can finish Eryk Anders, but I’m not sure Anders can finish Daukaus. The long shot for a finish will be Daukaus and likely a submission. Noine of his eleven career wins came by sub, and a sub finish will return (+275) odds. Kyle Daukaus via D’arce Choke, round three.

Winner: Kyle Daukaus  | Method: D'arce Choke Rd.3

Prelims

Value Menu

Michael Johnson (+230) DK:$7k

One of the OG Ultimate Fighter competitors and a guy who nearly wins every fight he loses. Michael Johnson was a follow-up or two away from being 38-0 for his career. Instead, he’s 20-18 and the loser of five of his last six bouts. Except an impromptu pit stop at a Valero in the middle of the Nevada desert and a subsequent robbery prevented him from winning his second straight in his last bout against Jaimie “Bull” Mullarkey. MJ has some of the historically fastest hands in the UFC, and they haven’t slowed down much over his UFC career that spans back to 2010.

You want value? Here it is. Once again, MJ is the mangy, flea-ridden dog, entering at (+250) against a kickboxer who’s recently become afraid of kickboxing, Marc Diakiese. This is a disrespectful betting line, with Diakiese being the (-310) favorite over a super veteran who’s shared the Octagon with the likes of Khabib, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier.

Marc Diakiese has implemented wrestling-heavy game plans in each of his last two bouts, and he’s not a good wrestler. He’s a kickboxer playing it safe and exploiting fighters with massive holes in their game. And I see no reason why he won’t try to play it safe against a deadly striker like MJ. But MJ has a trick up his sleeve: an eighty-percent career takedown defense. And trust me, everyone tries to take him down. Marc has excellent technical kickboxing, but he doesn’t believe in it anymore. Like Father Jacob in Dusk Till Dawn, he better rediscover his faith. If he can’t score takedowns and hasn’t dusted off his kickboxing, MJ might just box his face… off. An MJ TKO will return (+750). That's an Apple store in San Francisco, a steal.

Jonathan Pearce (-500) vs. Darren Elkins (+350)

Pearce: DK: $9.5k | Elkins: DK: $6.7k

The walking Carrie pig blood scene, Darren Elkins is back. His skin is thinner than Parks and Rec TP, and he usually starts bleeding after the glove touch. Kill or be killed; this guy is Russian roulette personified. Elkins is an MMA Kit Carson/Davey Crockett who travels an 1800s frontiersman’s path to victory/loss in every one of his thirty-seven career scraps. He is the Bruce Willis of MMA, Die Hard.

Jonathan Pearce is a grimy mother-shut-your-mouf who, from the top position, slowly grinds opponents to pulp like a wood chipper. He is 4-1 in the UFC, and his only loss came in his debut against Joe Lauzon. Pearce is relentless with his wrestling and ground and pound. For a guy who mostly operates from the top position on the mat, Pearce averages over five and a half significant strikes landed per minute while averaging over six and a half takedowns per fifteen minutes. Those stats howl at the moon; they’re wild. He has a career record of 13-4 with noine TKO/KO’s and two subs.

Elkins is also a savage on the mat, and this one will be decided by who can gain the top position first. I think this is a good scrap to pick up finishing points, and Elkins could be a solid low tier option if he can reverse position and work his own ground and pound. Elkins is the (+350) dog, and Pearce is the massive (-550) favorite. A Pearce TKO/KO will return (+165), and an Elkins TKO/KO (+1200).

Twenty-Twen-Twen Sleepers

Twenty-Ten-Twen Sleepers

Tai Tuivasa (+150): This dude throws hands Willie Nillie, Oprah giveaways and will have a significant speed advantage against Pavlovich. Also, Pavlovich’s resume reads like a sixteen-year-old applying at Golden Spoon compared to Tuivasa’s. Tai has fought a far higher level of competition than Pavlovich and even had some big moments against the T-10,000 Ciryl Gane. His underdog status can be attributed to Tuivasa’s chin, or lack of, and his propensity to bust out the cardboard square and Boom Box and break dance, spinning on his head and shit at some point in every fight. But this will be a very quick fight with nothing but coin-flip 50/50 exchanges. A first-round TKO finish is the bet here.

Roman Dolidze (+135): Jack Hermansson is far from a Jack The Ripper killer in the Octagon. He’s a solid fundamental fighter but takes few risks, prefering a controlled back-and-forth kickboxing match with a couple of takedown attempts sprinkled here and there. Dolidze has been howling at the moon lately, fighting wild and aggressive and completely overwhelming opponents from the jump. If he keeps that same mindset, his power will be too much for Hermansson. There’s also a chance Dolidze could drag Hermansson to the mat and control the top position and ride it to the final bell.

Clay “Fookin” Guida (+130): The Geico Caveman and fellow member of the less than secret cabal of Super Veterans is still scrappin' likes it’s 2007. I picked Scott Holtzman to win this bout because he’s an explosive wrestling striker sleeper who’s been quietly fighting in the UFC since 2015. His four losses have come to elite competition, including his two most recent scraps against Mateusz Gamrot and Beneil Dariush. But Scott was KO’d viciously in both fights and hasn’t been very active in recent years. If he’s not prepared physically and mentally for a war, Clay will out-work and out-hustle Holtzman and steal a victory. No one can push a heavier pace than Clay Guida. No one.

Pick 'Em

Niko Price (-130) vs. Philip Rowe (+110)

Winner: Niko Price

 Method: Decision

Emily Ducote (-140) vs. Angela Hill (+115)

Winner: Angela Hill

 Method: Decision

Scott Holtzman (-155) vs. Clay Guida (+130)

Winner: Scott Holtzman

 Method: Decision

Michael Johnson (+250) vs. Marc Diakiese (-310)

    Winner: Michael Johnson

 Method: TKO Rd.2

Darren Elkins (+375) vs. Jonathan Pearce (-500)

    Winner: Jonathan Pearce

 Method: TKO Rd.2

Tracy Cortez (-105) vs. Amanda Ribas (-125)

    Winner: Amanda Ribas

 Method: Decision

Natan Levy (-185) vs. Genaro Valdez (+150)

    Winner: Genaro Valdez

 Method: TKO Rd.2

Marcelo Rojo (+150) vs. Francis Marshall (-180)

    Winner: Marcelo Rojo

 Method: Decision

Yazmin Jauregui (-350) vs. Istela Nunes (+260)

    Winner: Yazmin Jauregui

 Method: Decision

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

About Me

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

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

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

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