Sponsored by

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

Looking for unbiased, fact-based news? Join 1440 today.

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Subscribe to 1440 today.

Top BONUS Offers 💸

One of the only ways to guarantee a W in betting is by taking advantage of promos. Trying a new service is a great way to be able to do that. Tapping below links will help support LineStar through an affiliate referral.

Offers for new users only, additional terms and conditions may apply — see operator site for full details. Must be 18+ (some states may require 21+) and be present in an eligible state; if you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.

Main Card

Kamaru Usman (+230) vs. Joaquin Buckley (-280)

Usman: DK: $7.2k | Buckley: DK:$9k

Every year, it’s a contentious gathering. MMA’s most hated fighters from past and present assembled on one dais. Ravenous fans pump their fists and chant, “Hate, hate, hate!” in one voice. They scream, yell, and flip birds; occasionally, water bottles and other paraphernalia arc high through the air. It’s what they came for, the Haters. To garner the ire of the people. It’s their preferred currency, a currency as volatile as crypto. Every year, it comes, and every year, a new supreme Hater is crowned. The MMA Haters Ball never disappoints. This year’s champion and new owner of the coveted Undisputed Hater of the Year belt is Buck Nasty, AKA Joaquin Buckley. His peers, many of whom paved the way for Buck Nasty to become the most hated, include legendary haters Josh Koscheck, Tito Ortiz, Jon Jones, and this generation’s Tom Brady of Haters, Colby Covington, the man Buckley wrested the title from.   

Buck Nasty’s acceptance speech was laced with threats, correction, promises of Power Slaps, and ass-whoopin’s all around, including everyone in the audience. He spit so much hate that he was served with over two dozen restraining orders the next day. Each one was a testament to why Buckley received the award in the first place. With a new season of Everybody Hates Joaquin greenlighted and syndication of its first five seasons since its debut in 2020, Buckley is a heavy favorite to defend his belt and go back-to-back like Mel and Danny in 2026. Should Buckley fook around and beat the former King of the welterweight division, Kamaru Usman, the hate Buck Nasty will garner will be undeniable.   

Yo! Hit that Nas “Hate Me Now!” Isn’t Diddy on that shit? Joaquin’s daddy was an uzi; he’s a son of a gun. I don’t know why, but Joaquin Buckley always seems to rub his opponents the wrong way like a shitty masseuse. He just has a knack for pissing people off and getting them to fight out of pocket inside the cage. He knows how to get under your skin like a splinter. If you don’t pull it out, it can become infected. Buckley is so hated that Jehovah Witnesses Ding-Dong Ditch and leave flaming bags of dog shit on his porch. But let the haters hate and watch the dubs pile up. Since dropping down to the welterweight division, Buckley is 6-0 and coming off a third-round TKO of Colby Covington. A win over the former Champ will put Buckley, at the very least, in a title eliminator. He has become the dark horse of the division. 

A big reason for that is because Buckley is built like Optimus Prime in his prime. He’s built like a fookin’ Ninja Turtle. Buckley is a turtle in a full shell. On hot days, homie rocks a world beater, not a domestic partner beater. Young Buck’s style is all-power everything. His missed punches will have you walking in italics like windy days. Buckley’s missed punches feel like standing next to the platform as a speeding train flies by. He will have you looking like Marilyn Monroe standing on subway grates. Buckley’s hands are like medieval trebuchets, the ICBM missiles of their time, slanging farm animals over your castle wall. He will KO you so fast that you’ll get a full eight hours of sleep before you hit the mat. Ask Impa Kasanganay.   

Never forget what Buckley did to Wonderboy. He put a comma in Wonderboy’s name, turning him into Wonder, Boy. As in, I wonder what happened to that boy. Hit that Birdman! Buckley struggled with Wonderboy’s speed early but only needed one leaping hook to overcome the deficit. He waxed Wonder, Boy’s ass like Danielson. Buckley could see himself in Wonder, Boy’s ass... Wait, what? You know what I mean. Wonder, Boy’s ass was shiny after Buckley waxed it. “Waxed” being a slang term for... Never mind. Buckley’s power is the eighth wonder of the MMA world. His special move is the gazelle punch, which is more like an elk punch. Roy Jones Jr. Made the gazelle punch famous. It’s a leaping lead hook. But Buckley can throw any punch as a gazelle punch, leaping to close the distance. Homie leaps like February twenty-noineth. 

This fight could turn into a power struggle real quick. Kamaru Usman came into the game as a formidable wrestler but relied on his striking to defend his belt five times. And had his last fight against Khamzat Chimaev been five rounds, Usman likely would’ve finished Khamzat. For the record, I thought Usman won rounds two and three anyway. Surviving that first round with Khamzat on his back for nearly the entire five minutes was like surviving all twenty Final Destination movies, then getting traded to the Saw franchise. It was like surviving a shark attack after you jumped from the Titanic. It was like surviving childhood with Casey Anthony and Chris Benoit for parents. Homie stayed alive like the Bee Gees and, in doing so, proved he still has the heart of a champion.   

Usman’s power is different than Buckley’s. Usman’s power dissolves you from the inside out. Homie has those chloroform hands. Left hand, right hand, orthodox, or southpaw, when Usman hits you, you wake up on Lost Island naked and afraid. Usman has that NES boss power; he’ll take half your health with one punch. Never forget what Usman did to Colby in that first fight. He had Colby talking Through the Wire like Kanye. And Colby’s cousins don’t even fook with him. Usman’s power will turn you into a chip off the old block real quick - literally take chunks out of you and leave you looking like a Jenga tower swaying perilously with all those missing pieces. Conspiracy theorists suggest it was Usman’s hands that hit Tower Seven. True or not, I don't know. But one thing is certain: Usman’s hands will have you Sittin’ Sidewayz, boyz in a daze, like Paul Wall. Hit that shit! 

The big question about Usman is a year-and-a-half-year layoff. Even in a loss, he had a ton of momentum after his performance against Khamzat. But that momentum is all but gone. It’s been a while since Usman has relied on his wrestling, and I don’t think this fight will be a return to his early wrestling form. Buckley rocks a seventy-three percent takedown defense. But more importantly, Buck Nasty is hard to hold down if you can get him down. This fight will play out exclusively on the feet. Usman’s jabs from both stances will be the key, using them to stay out of Buckley's leaping range.   

Buckley will be the (-275) favorite, and Usman will be the (+225) live dog. Prime Usman wins this fight. But even the Khamzat fight didn’t feel like prime Usman. There’s value in a decision, but life’s a risk, carnal. I like playing this for a finish. Usman has only been KO’d once (the Leon head kick), and Buckley has been KO’d four times. But, even in his long career, I’m not sure Usman has fought a power puncher quite like Buckley. Buckley’s power lifts you off your feet like divine ascension.  

The main event dub streak now sits at three after Merab pulled up to the arena in the same ‘87 Buick Century station wagon that got him to the dance: Takedowns and pace. The scary thing is, Merab looks like he’s getting better. This week, I think the odds are a little off, but this is clearly Buckley’s time. Joaquin Buckley via TKO, round four. Put it on wax.  

Props

Usman: TKO/KO (+500) Sub (+2500) Dec (+550) 

Buckley: TKO/KO (+140) Sub (+1800) Dec (+180)

Winner: Joaquin Buckley | Method: TKO Rd.4

Rose Namajunas (-240) vs. Miranda Maverick (+200)

Rose: DK: $9.1k | Maverick: DK: $7.1k

Maybe this is finally the fight when Rose Namajunas tats “Thug Life” across the belly and makes the walk to the Octagon wearing the Tupac bandana tied in the front. Rose grew from the concrete after making it to the finals on The Ultimate Fighter back in 2013, then became a two-time champion with two wins apiece over Joanna and Weili. Rose could still be the Champ. Technically, she is undefeated. The only fighter to ever beat her is Rose Namajunas. “The call is coming from inside the house!” Rose has always been her own worst enemy. If, somehow, someway, Rose can find her way back to a title shot, she will become infinite – a rose with blue petals.   

Rose is MMA’s Icarus, except she didn’t fly too close to the sun; she landed on that bish to refuel, leaving behind Croc imprints on its surface. Homegirl vacations on Mercury and doesn’t even bother with applying SPF protection. Rose is one of the GOATs, a face on the women’s MMA Mt. Rushmore. But lately, she hasn’t looked to be in her former championship form. Rose needs to grow some thorns again. Miranda Maverick, AKA human anesthesia, is the perfect fight to get Rose back on track. Rose needs to go full Axel Rose and welcome Miranda to the jungle. But don’t get it twisted; there are no fun and games inside the Octagon. Rose grew up outside the city limits of Paradise City, where the grass is brown and ain’t shit pretty. In her prime, Rose would have Maverick knock, knock, knocking on Heaven’s door real quick. The only question about Rose is, does she still have an Appetite for Destruction? Or is she just here for the free chips and salsa?   

In her previous bout, Rose fought like she swallowed her pride and wasn’t hungry anymore. When she’s on her game, Rose is one of the best strikers in the women’s divisions. She still has those contraband hands. Her hands are parole violations. Rose dominates from range, using lateral movement and jabs to keep opponents in striking purgatory. Not trusting her grappling has always been Rose’s major malfunction. She is a solid grappler if she just believes in herself. She should dominate Miranda Maverick. There is absolutely nothing scary about Maverick. Not her striking or grappling. This is Rose’s fight to lose. With nothing else to accomplish in the sport, I assume that Rose is still fighting for the love of the game and solidifying her legacy as one of the best women’s fighters of all time.  

For Miranda Maverick, going from fighting Jamey-Lyn Horth to fighting the two-time Champ is like going from attending a six-year-old bouncy house party to attending a Diddy Party. Maverick is built like a CrossFit champion and could probably chuck me over her head like a beer keg. But her physique and athletic ability don't quite translate into fighting. She’s just too stiff. Maverick’s striking is stiff like you just picked her up from the cleaners. She sounds like a rusty swing set when she moves – like the Tin Man in need of a spritz of WD-40. When she moves, it sounds like your parents’ bed when you used to think Pops was mistreating Mammy, and you thought you were going to have to throw hands to defend her honor. Maverick is so stiff that she groans every time she throws a strike like middle-aged dudes any time they stand from a sitting position. 

Overall, Miranda seems to do just enough to win fights. She isn’t particularly dangerous on the mat or on her feet. She is 8-3 in the UFC with only three finishes. Two of the fighters she finished are no longer in the UFC. In fact, most of her wins are no longer in the UFC. Her fight resume is filled with B-list fighters. The two best fighters she has fought, Maycee Barber and Erin Blanchfield, both beat her. But Miranda is athletic and strong. She could cause Rose problems if she can find a way to close the distance and achieve the clinch where she can out-muscle Rose. Both fighters average around three and a half SLpM. But Maverick averages nearly two and a half takedowns per fifteen minutes while Rose only defends at sixty percent. Getting Rose to the mat will be Miranda’s path to victory.   

Rose will be the (-250) favorite, and Maverick will be the (+210) live dog. Miranda has a knack for winning; I’ll give her that. But what scares me for Rose is that this feels like a get-it-over-the-plate grooved fastball on a 3-0 count. It feels like a fight meant to get Rose back on track, and those are always dangerous – trap fights. The only play for this one is a decision. Neither woman is known for finishing fights. Fantasy-wise, try to avoid this matchup if you can. This will likely be a slow-paced, low-scoring affair. You already know the pick: Rose Namajunas via decision. On wax.   

Props

Rose: TKO/KO (+800) Sub (+1200) Dec (-175) 

Namajunas: TKO/KO (+2500) Sub (+1100) Dec (+300)

Winner: Rose Namajunas | Method: Decision

Michael Chiesa (-370) vs. Court McGhee (+285)

Chiesa: DK: $9.2k | McGhee: DK:$7k

Court McGhee is an MMA triple OG. He had his biggest victory in life before ever stepping foot inside the Octagon. This guy skydived from that Walt White Blue Sky without a parachute and lived to talk about it. After coming back from the clutches of meth addiction, there’s nothing you can do to this man inside the Octagon that would put fear in his heart. You could send Tuco and the Salamanca brothers after him, and he would still walk away unscathed. This is a man who faced his demons and had the audacity to turn his back on them. Fifteen years in the UFC, and Court is still standing here, screaming “Fook the Free World!” McGhee vs. Chiesa will be a matchup of old-school Ultimate Fighter alumni from the early years, dating back to 2010 when McGhee was on the show and 2012 when Chiesa won it.   

Court McGhee is a master at eye-to-eye combat and fighting in close quarters. Fighting this guy is like fighting in the half-bath at an open house. Like fighting in a Port-O-John. Like fighting in Diddy’s closet with him in it. McGhee shrivels at distance but is a marauder within the clinch. Last week, Andreas Gustafsson put on a clinch fighting clinic when he destroyed Khaos Williams over three rounds. It’s an effect style, and Court McGhee was one of the first to implement it. He’ll turn you into sawdust, AKA termite booger sugar, in the clinch real quick.  

When Court gets hold of you, the bond is like Holy Matrimony: Till death do you part. You need a fookin’ annulment to get Court off you. You have to go on Judge Judy to break McGhee’s clinch. You need a divorce lawyer and have to give up half of your estate to get your back off the cage against McGhee. His special move is grating you against the cage like an Olive Garden waiter with the Parmigiano Reggiano, “Tell me when...” You already know that homie is going home with carpal tunnel because I ain’t ever saying “when.” Court doesn’t stop grinding you until he can sprinkle you inside of a gutted Swisher. Yo! Hit that E-40 “Sprinkle Me!” Sprinkle me, mane. Sprinkle me, mane.  

On the feet, McGhee lost a step he never had. He has always been slow and lumbering - on some Snuffelufugus type-shit, “Hi, Bert. Here’s a right hand, Bert. What do you think of this left hook, Bert?” Court has that take-a-number-and-have-a-seat hand speed. Hurry up and wait hand speed. But he’s long and is good at hitting you at the apex of his length. He can sleep you if you’re not careful or get to thinking shit is sweet. Court is 22-13 with five TKOs/KOs and six subs and is coming in off a first-round submission of Tim Means after dropping his previous three bouts.   

Michael Chiesa’s superpower is falling into D’arce chokes wherever he goes. Like old people trip in the shower, he trips and lands in D’arce chokes. Like cats always land on their feet, Chiesa always lands in a D’arce. They call him the D’arced Knight. The most telling stat about Michael Chiesa is zero career TKO/KOs. He’s 18-7 with twelve submissions. On the feet, Chiesa is a lover, not a fighter. He has no hands like farming accidents. He has hands like Stephen Hawking. They call Chiesa “Maverick,” but his striking is far from Top Gun. He’s a Maverick without a Goose, and if he gets caught in a dogfight with Court McGhee, my man will turn into Owen Wilson Behind Enemy Lines.  

Chiesa holds his hands out in front of him like he’s sleepwalking. His hand position is the equivalent of trimming the bushes to make the tree look bigger. He keeps his hands extended to decrease the distance they have to travel, making them seem faster to the target than they are. His hands are like old-school side mirrors: “Objects in mirror are faster than they appear.” It almost looks like Chiesa is trolling with his striking. But Chiesa is a nasty grappler. The five-second rule is in full effect when you hit the ground. If you stay down any longer, that’s that ass. Chiesa will have a massive advantage on the mat if he can take advantage of McGhee’s sixty-noine percent takedown defense. McGhee has never been submitted, but Chiesa can become the first to achieve the feat. Chiesa is a back specialist whose prognosis is always a rear-naked choke.   

Chiesa will be the (-360) favorite, and McGhee will be the (+280) live-ish dog. Court can win this fight on the feet and within the clinch. But operating within the clinch while staying on his feet will be difficult. Check out the striking stats: McGhee averages four and a half SLpM compared to Chiesa’s one and a half. McGhee can win with volume on the feet. I think the play for this one is a decision. There’s value in a Chiesa submission, but when McGhee gets got, it’s usually on the feet. He’s an underrated grappler. Damn, I’m torn on this one. But I didn’t come here to pick chalk. Give me the fookin’ dog. Court McGhee via decision. Put it on wax.  

Props

Chiesa TKO/KO (+1100) Sub (+200) Dec (+110) 

McGhee: TKO/KO (+1400) Sub (+1200) Dec (+500)

Winner: Court McGhee | Method: Decision

Mansur Abdul-Malik (-800) vs. Cody Brundage (+525)

Malik: DK: $9.6k | Brundage: DK: $6.6k

Clear your browser history, Cody. This is the exact type of fight where Cody Brundage turns into a linoleum floor and gets mopped. But don’t get it twisted like Deion’s toes; I love me some Cody Brundage. I have grown to love this MF. He is a heavily flawed fighter, and that’s what I love about him. He makes the most out of the cards he was dealt. This guy will bluff you out of the WSOP main event pot with a seven-two off-suit. Brundage finds dubs like old guys with metal detectors at the beach find loose change. He’ll go from the guy who Tupac kicked the shit out of in the MGM Grand lobby to Tupac kicking the shit out of that guy in the MGM Grand lobby at the flip of a switch. Cody is a twenty-point comeback waiting to happen. But he’ll be up against a monster in Mansur Abdul-Malik who is a throwback to the Mark Kerrs and Mark Coleman’s of the world – the originators of ground and pound.   

Brundage is a notoriously slow starter who likes to sample the taste of defeat before he starts fighting. This guy’s fights have more ups and downs than a bungee cord. His style is like a nightcap with Jessica Rabbit, short and sweet. I know I’m not the only one, homies. There’s no beating in, on, or around the bush with Brundage. He’s going to win or lose emphatically in the first round. There are no cliffhangers between rounds. Brundage is an underrated grappler with wild striking. He wings dangerous looping overhands and hooks and doesn’t lack for aggression. Most importantly, he’s all heart. Technically, whether on the mat or on his feet, Brundage has more holes than a mini-golf course. And his fights play out like Jackass skits. They are filled with nothing but windmills like little Dutch towns and Three Stooges boinks, bonks, and eye pokes. He can win this fight by being scrappy and hanging around until Abdul-Malik gets tired of beating on him.   

On the mat, Mansur Abdul-Malik will chop your ass up like Benihana. You get chopped up, Grade-A meat, something delicious. Yo! Hit that Mobb Deep “Drop a Gem on Em!” If scientists bring back Woolly Mammoths, it won’t be long before you see this guy walking around town rocking Mammoth leather jackets and matching loafers. All Mammoth everything. Homie would make them go extinct again. Whether standing or on the mat Abdul-Malik will fold your clothes while you’re still wearing them. He doesn’t even have to drag you into deep waters. He’ll give you an AB shallow end beating that the NSAC will give you a twelve-month medical suspension for. Abdul-Malik is an episode of When Animals Attack from the top position. His ground and pound is heavy and relentless.  

Abdul-Malik's stand-up is his weakness. He has power to burn with massive technical black holes. He fooked around and nearly got KO’d with a spinning backfist in his previous bout. But he found a way to survive like Gloria Gaynor. He turned into a Survivor like Destiny’s Child. Abdul-Malik is a long one-punch striker. He can’t put more than two punches together and has amateurish defensive reactions. His striking is a work in progress. So far, he looks the part of a classic muscle car, but I’m not sure yet what’s under the hood. Abdul-Malik is 8-0 with seven TKOs/KOs and one sub. And he has yet to see a third round.   

Abdul-Malik is the massive (-650) favorite, and Cody Brundage is (+460) mangy-ass dog. I’ll say this for Brundage: If he can somehow get this to the third round, he will have a chance. But after faceplanting on Julianna Peña last week at (+500), I can't touch Brundage. The play for Abdul-Malik is a TKO/KO. For Brundage to pull off the upset, he will have to stop Abdul-Malik on the feet. Mansur Abdul-Malik via TKO, round two. Put it on wax.  

Props

Malik: TKO/KO (-350) Sub (+900) Dec (+650)  

Brundage: TKO/KO (+1000) Sub (+2200) Dec (+1800)

Winner: Mansur Abdul-Malik | Method: TKO Rd.2

Paul Craig (+305) vs. Rodolfo Bellato (-410)

Craig: DK: $6.9k | Bellato: DK: $9.3k

*Repost from a couple of weeks ago. 

This one should be a wild clusterf**k. Rodolfo Bellato has a Death Wish like Charles Bronson. Bellato has to be read his last rites before he starts fighting. He has to start DMT trippin’ like he’s in the Amazon rainforest sippin’ ayahuasca with Rafiki from The Lion King before he starts fighting. His Betty starts dating again before he starts fighting. Bellato has been dead on his feet in the opening minutes of his first two UFC bouts. He takes more damage than a student driver car. Kevin Spacey tied Bellato to a chair and drowned him in a bowl of soup in the movie Seven because Bellato is a glutton for punishment. Bellato doesn’t truly feel alive until he is nearly dead. 

But once Bellato sees the light, he turns into Steph Curry in the gold medal game. Fook Anik and DC, the NBA Jam announcer calls Bellato’s fights. Right hook, “He’s heating up!” Winging left hook:  Boom Shakalaka!” Overhand right: “He’s on fire!” Bellato doesn’t come with any instructions. He only has one action button on his back labeled “Punch.” I liken Bellato’s robotic power striking to a level boss who can sap half your energy with one strike. But once you figure out the pattern, he’s easy to beat. Homie is all offense and no defense. He has high cholesterol from eating punches. This guy gains twenty pounds during a fight from eating nothing but bombs. I‘ve told you before: never trust dudes named Rodolfo. They never wear shirts and are built like American Gladiators. And they aren’t even American. Rodolfos will show up to Sunday service chest neked, glistening from skin toner, and will beat your ass if you give them a cross look. 

Bellato is 12-2 with seven TKOs/KOs and four subs and is coming in off a draw against Jimmy Crute. Bellto won the last two rounds after giving up a 10-8 round in the first. He averages close to six and a half SLpM compared to Paul Craig’s two and a half. This is Bellato’s fight to lose. He rocks a one hundred percent takedown defense. That’s not a good look for Paul Craig, a ground specialist who struggles to land takedowns.  

Losing five of the last six and a current three-fight losing streak isn’t a good look either. And Andre Muniz isn’t walking through that cage door because he got his ass cracked just a few weeks ago. Craig’s wheels haven’t fallen off quite yet, but with no tires, they look like sparklers on the 4^th of July as he cruises down the street. My man has to be hitched and towed into the Octagon. He’s starting to look like Doc Hudson after crashing on the beach. It wasn’t long ago that Paul Craig was one of the livest dogs in the game. This guy could pull a sub out of a hat at any time, even after taking a Rodolfo Bellato beating. But those days might be Dead and Gone like Justin Timberlake and T.I. Yo! Hit that shit!  

Of his last three losses, the Bo Nickal L is the worst. That Bo Nickal L aged like Gary Busey. That’s a cockeyed-ass loss. That L had Ned Stark’s head looking at Paul Craig sideways. But you can never take Magomed Ankalaev’s head and Jamahal Hill’s arm away from him. Craig submitted the current champ and the former champ. But now, I don’t know what he’s good at. He can submit anyone in the division, but he can’t get the fight to the mat. He has the H.H. Holmes house guard, traps around every corner, but he can’t get anyone to stay the night. Without takedowns, Craig just wanders around the cage like Denzel in The Book of Eli. It’s like he’s in story mode but not completing any objectives. They call him the wanderer. Yeah, the wanderer. He roams around, around, around, around, around. Hit that Dion “The Wanderer!” I ain’t gonna lie to ya, I had to look that one up.   

Paul Craig's striking? He got out-struck by Bo Nickal in his last bout. Not a single takedown was attempted in that fight. That’s all there is to say about Craig’s striking. He’s a better kicker than puncher. If the fight stays standing, Craig will likely get finished early. Bellato is the (-350) favorite, and Craig is the (+275) ASPCA commercial dog. There was once a time when I would start looking at MLS listings in Malibu at the site of those odds next to Craig’s name. But those days are long gone. The play for Bellato is a TKO/KO, and the play for Craig is a submission. I don’t know how, but if anyone can submit Bellato, Paul Craig can. Rodolfo Bellato via TKO, round two. On wax.     

Props

Craig: TKO/KO (+1400) Sub (+700) Dec (+900)  

Bellato: TKO/KO (-150) Sub (+650) Dec (+400)

Winner: Rodolfo Bellato | Method: TKO Rd.2

Prelims

$7k Value Menu

Cody Durden ($7.6k): Tyler Durdern’s little brother, Cody, is back. Durden is a grimy little wrestler whose career has taken a treacherous path since first stepping into the Octagon. When in doubt, the UFC matchmakers throw Cody Durden to the wolves. This guy has faced Joshua Van, Bruno Silva, Chris Gutierrez, Charles Johnson, Muhammad Mokaev, and Tagir Ulanbekov. I know title contenders who haven’t had a tougher strength of schedule than Durden. Durden is a relentless wrestle-or-bust grappler who averages over four takedowns per fifteen minutes. He will be up against a striker, Jose Ochoa, who has fewer career fights than Durden has fought within the UFC. I have no idea what Ochoa’s ground game looks like, but it will have to be elite to stay on his feet against Durden. Fantasy-wise, Durden will rack up takedowns, top control, and have a good shot at a submission. Durden is 17-7 with six TKOs/KOs and six subs.

Andre Petroski ($7.4k): This is a pick garnered from a lack of confidence in Petroski’s opponent, Edemn Shahbazyan. Not even the 2017 Falcons can blow a 28-3 halftime lead quicker than Shahbazyan. Nobody has been hit with the Reggie Miller choke sign more than Shahbazyan. If Shahbazyan can’t KO Petroski in the first round, he is almost guaranteed to lose this fight. Petroski is far from a world-beater on his feet, but he has suffocating wrestling/top control. Shahbazyan has more red flags waving than flags waving outside the United Nations headquarters. The biggest red flag is his cardio. After about five to seven minutes, Shahbazyan is nearly useless. Petroski will have a good shot at a mid to late finish if he can survive the first round on the feet.   

Kamaru Usman ($7.2k): I think the main event will play out entirely on the feet. Win or lose, Usman will likely notch solid striking stats even in a losing effort. And don’t sleep on Usman’s power. This is the guy who had Colby Covington speaking Through the Wire like Kanye after their first title bout. Had he not taken that last-minute Leon headkick, Usman might still be the champ. That remains the only time Usman has ever been KO’d in his career. Buckley’s aggression and an extra ten minutes to work with k with should allow Usman to take more than a pound of flesh by the final buzzer.   

 $6k Clearance Rack

Alonzo Menifield ($6.7k): Zo is the only option on the Clearance Rack with a chance to score an upset finish. Of course, Menifield is one of those fighters who can’t be trusted, like leaving Kanye and his cousin home alone. Menifield has a knack for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. But he also has a knack for knocking people out. Menifield has sixteen career dubs, and thirteen came via finish (ten TKOs/KOs and three subs). Also, Zo has solid offensive power wrestling in his back pocket. The key for Menifield will be staying upright against the grappling dynamo, Oumar Sy. I’m not sure yet how good Sy is. He’s a JUD (Just a Dude) on the feet but has elite takedowns and top control. Zo rocks a seventy-eight percent takedown defense, and if he can keep the fight standing for long stretches, his power will cause Sy problems. But buyer beware: Menifield will be an all-or-nothing option. There is a good chance he could spend most of the fight on his back.   

Twenty-Twen-Twen Sleepers

Cody Durden (+160): This guy got his start fighting in abandoned warehouses while working a full-time day job making soap. Durden’s fight experience dwarfs his opponent's, Jose Ochoa, who will be making only his second UFC start. Durden is coming off a decision loss to the rising star, Joshua Van. Durden has the dominating wrestling to ground Ochoa for fifteen minutes if need be. He also has nasty chokes and heavy ground and pound. Overall, Durden is an underrated MF on the mat. Where he runs into trouble is on his feet. He’s not a technical striker. But he doesn’t lack for aggression and will make this a grimy scrap from bell to bell.   

Andre Petroski (+160): I’ve made a living betting against Edmen Shahbazyan. He is the definition of a one-round wonder. He looks the part of a future title challenger in the first round. But as soon as the clock strikes 5:01, his fight shorts turn into Daisy Dukes, and he is assed-out like Tyson backstage. Petroski has the dominant wrestling to drain Shahbazyan’s gas tank and grind his way to victory and possibly a late finish. Petroski will have to tread lightly on his feet early, though. Shahbazyan’s striking is potent, at least early. Petroski is wrestle-or-bust. He can’t survive on his feet if he can’t get Shahbazyan to the mat... Unless Edmen gasses out like he is known to do.   

Kamaru Usman (+235): It’s been a full-time job trying to find three legit dogs on this card. It is filled with mismatches and huge underdogs. I’m picking Buckley to win this fight. He is just on a roll, and I’m not sure he won’t fook around and win the belt sooner rather than later. Della Maddalena vs. Buckley is a very winnable fight for Buckley. Of course, that’s if JDM gets past Islam Makhachev. But Usman is still one of the welterweight GOATs. My biggest issue with Usman is the long layoff after I thought he was robbed against Chimaev. Usman proved he still has that championship dog in him in that fight. He took that fight on short notice, and ultimately, it was the judges that beat him that night. He can chip away at Buckley and excel in the championship rounds. This fight could look a lot like the first Colby fight.   

Pick ‘Em

 Edmen Shahbazyan (-185) vs. Andre Petroski (+160)  

Winner: Andre Petroski 

Method: Rear-Naked Choke Rd.3 

Cody Garbrandt (+165) vs. Raoni Barcelos (-195)  

Winner: Raoni Barcelos 

Method: Decision 

Alonzo Menifield (+475) vs. Oumar Sy (-700)  

Winner: Oumar Sy 

Method: Decision 

Malcolm Wellmaker (-1900) vs. Kris Moutinho (+900) 

Winner: Malcolm Wellmaker 

Method: TKO Rd.2 

Cody Durden (+160) vs. Jose Ochoa (-185) 

 Winner: Cody Durden 

Method: Decision 

Ricky Simon (Favorite) vs. Cameron Smotherman (Big Dog) 

Winner: Ricky Simon 

Method: Rear-Naked Choke Rd.3 

Phillip Rowe (+115) vs. Ange Loosa (-130) 

 Winner: Ange Loosa  

Method: Decision 

Jamye-Lyn Horth (-600) vs. Vanessa Demopoulos (+425) 

Winner: Jamey-Lyn Horth 

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.