UFC 245: Usman vs. Covington (12.14.19)

REDDzone · Post #1 » by **REDDzone** » Thu Dec 12, 2019 3:23 pm

Main card (10:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Kamaru Usman (c) vs. Colby Covington
Max Holloway (c) vs. Alexander Volkanovski
Amanda Nunes (c) vs. Germaine de Randamie
Marlon Moraes vs. Jose Aldo
Petr Yan vs. Urijah Faber

Prelims: (8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Geoff Neal vs. Mike Perry
Ketlen Vieira vs. Irene Aldana
Ian Heinisch vs. Omari Akhmedov
Matt Brown vs. Ben Saunders

Early prelims (6:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Chase Hooper vs. Daniel Teymur
Brandon Moreno vs. Kai Kara-France
Jessica Eye vs. Viviane Araujo
Punahele Soriano vs. Oskar Piechota

REDDzone · Post #2 » by **REDDzone** » Thu Dec 12, 2019 3:30 pm

Gotta admit I haven't really cared about UFC lately, but am jacked for this card.

I think the UFC is taking a few gambles here:
1) That Nunes wins. I'm pretty shocked they gave Germaine another title shot after the 145 title debacle TBH.
2) That Usman wins. Ariel alluded to A LOT of friction between the UFC and Colby. He actually said that Colby would be the most defiant champion that the UFC has ever had to deal with if he wins this, which is crazy.

Volkanovsky is the biggest threat to Holloway IMO. I haven't thought there was a chance Holloway could lose a FW fight since the first Aldo fight. Also, Holloway/Volkanovsky is kind of like the anti Usman/Colby for me. Both of the former are just such likable guys, whereas the latter...meh.

It'll be interesting to see how Aldo's cut to 135 goes.

Neal/Perry and Brown/Saunders are just violence waiting to happen.

REDDzone · Post #3 » by **REDDzone** » Thu Dec 12, 2019 3:44 pm

^^ I think the thing I like about this card is that the champions are fighting the true number one contenders in each case. No BS or politics or undeserved title shots or fake belts or journeyman titles here. I'm not as familiar with the women's division but there can be NO argument that anyone deserves a title shot more than Colby and Volkanovsky.

goodboy · Post #4 » by **goodboy** » Thu Dec 12, 2019 10:15 pm

whata card.

goodboy · Post #5 » by **goodboy** » Thu Dec 12, 2019 10:18 pm

My Predictions:

Kamaru Usman (c) vs. Colby Covington - Kamaru via Decision
Max Holloway (c) vs. Alexander Volkanovski - Max Holloway via tko 3rd round
Amanda Nunes (c) vs. Germaine de Randamie - Amanda via tko 2nd round
Marlon Moraes vs. Jose Aldo - Marlon - decisions over Aldo
Petr Yan vs. Urijah Faber - Petr yan - tko 3rd round

Post #6 » by **Duke4life831** » Thu Dec 12, 2019 11:04 pm

Give me all 3 challengers on Saturday.
Nunes is a beast, but I just have a feeling something crazy happens (if I had to throw money on the fight, Id still go with Nunes though)
Volkanovski, I just think he wins it. I would actually put money on him. I dont know if I still cant get that Dustin fight out of my head, just think Max is very beatable.
I cant believe Im saying this, but Im actually rooting for Colby in this. And I think 95% of it really all has to do is just seeing the rest of the MMA community have to put up with Colby longer. I find it hilarious the amount of fighters that cant stand him, just find it funny and entertaining if he pulls it out.

How freaking crazy is it that we have Aldo vs Moraes as the 2nd fight on the main card. I honestly have no clue with that one. Im going with Yan vs Faber, but Faber surprised the hell out of me last fight, should be fun to watch.

On a quick side note, Ben Saunders vs Matt Brown might be the most random fight for 2019 haha. If you asked me when Matt Brown vs Ben Saunders happened I would've probably said, 2008 haha. If either one of those guys drop out, do they have Mike the Quick Swick or Marcus Davis to fill in for them?

goodboy · Post #7 » by **goodboy** » Thu Dec 12, 2019 11:24 pm

Duke4life831 wrote:Give me all 3 challengers on Saturday.
Nunes is a beast, but I just have a feeling something crazy happens (if I had to throw money on the fight, Id still go with Nunes though)
Volkanovski, I just think he wins it. I would actually put money on him. I dont know if I still cant get that Dustin fight out of my head, just think Max is very beatable.
I cant believe Im saying this, but Im actually rooting for Colby in this. And I think 95% of it really all has to do is just seeing the rest of the MMA community have to put up with Colby longer. I find it hilarious the amount of fighters that cant stand him, just find it funny and entertaining if he pulls it out.

How freaking crazy is it that we have Aldo vs Moraes as the 2nd fight on the main card. I honestly have no clue with that one. Im going with Yan vs Faber, but Faber surprised the hell out of me last fight, should be fun to watch.

On a quick side note, Ben Saunders vs Matt Brown might be the most random fight for 2019 haha. If you asked me when Matt Brown vs Ben Saunders happened I would've probably said, 2008 haha. If either one of those guys drop out, do they have Mike the Quick Swick or Marcus Davis to fill in for them?

Actually wouldnt surprise me if Vol gets an upset over Max. I feel he may get inside the pocket and land some heavy hitters on Max and shock him by dropping him. But if Max keeps distance and does what he does, I dont see it going well for Vol.

Susan · Post #8 » by **Susan** » Thu Dec 12, 2019 11:25 pm

Mike Perry is fighting this week. All is well in the world.

cowboyronnie · Post #9 » by **cowboyronnie** » Thu Dec 12, 2019 11:58 pm

What's so great about Volk? When have you seen him ever work his way inside ??? He turns a quick, tight overhand right against fellow squat dudes. How's that help against Max? Destruction by Max in 2.

cowboyronnie · Post #10 » by **cowboyronnie** » Fri Dec 13, 2019 12:02 am

I am worried for Aldos longterm health. Moraes might be top 15 p4p. Rooting for Jose but jeesh that's a tough fight.

Also not happy to see Saunders still fighting. Yikes. Anyone other than reem w more head trauma?

cowboyronnie · Post #11 » by **cowboyronnie** » Fri Dec 13, 2019 12:07 am

the main is a really intriguing fight. Colby brought that boxing outta nowhere. He had looked pretty good against RDA (closer fight than people might remember) but against Lawler, he was next level. Usman's got length and is not a pocket fighter like Robbie so presumably will have been working on answers.

Susan · Post #12 » by **Susan** » Fri Dec 13, 2019 4:22 am

cowboyronnie wrote:the main is a really intriguing fight. Colby brought that boxing outta nowhere. He had looked pretty good against RDA (closer fight than people might remember) but against Lawler, he was next level. Usman's got length and is not a pocket fighter like Robbie so presumably will have been working on answers.

Colby took all of his math attribute points and put them to boxing.

Read on Twitter

I think Usman uses his length, wrestling and size to dominate this fight. He's not going to get sucked into Colby's pressure and thwart it with his length when they're in kick boxing range and then when they clinch, he's going to win because he's stronger and technically better in that space.

I want to see Jorge/Colby but I'm afraid it ain't happening.

Jasen777 · Post #13 » by **Jasen777** » Fri Dec 13, 2019 5:28 am

Aldo looking rough at the media scrum.

REDDzone · Post #14 » by **REDDzone** » Fri Dec 13, 2019 2:34 pm

Susan wrote:I want to see Jorge/Colby but I'm afraid it ain't happening.

Jorge would be an idiot to fight Colby when he has other options for bigger, yet easier fights.

1) Nate Diaz who he already knows isn't competitive with him.
2) Nick Diaz who has already had his eggs cracked and scrambled.
3) Conor, who may be fighting at 170 next because he wants the "BMF" belt.

REDDzone · Post #15 » by **REDDzone** » Fri Dec 13, 2019 2:36 pm

Duke4life831 wrote:I cant believe Im saying this, but Im actually rooting for Colby in this. And I think 95% of it really all has to do is just seeing the rest of the MMA community have to put up with Colby longer. I find it hilarious the amount of fighters that cant stand him, just find it funny and entertaining if he pulls it out.

I won't go that far. But will admit that there is some intrigue in him winning after Ariel's revelation that it would be "unprecedented" for a UFC champion to have such a poor relationship with the promotion.

That said, I don't like either guy, and Usman seems to fight a little more often, so I guess give me Usman. I just want to see the belt defended.

EDIT: It's an interesting tact Colby is taking - two separate interviews in the last week where he is openly talking about how he is playing a character and it's all fake and he's bringing pro wrestling into the mix, etc. Obviously we all knew this, and we've had guys like Tyron call him out publicly for admitting it to him in private, but it's weird to me that he has kept character for years only to break it basically the week of his first real title shot.

Watch on YouTube

REDDzone · Post #16 » by **REDDzone** » Fri Dec 13, 2019 2:39 pm

Speaking of that...WTF is Colby's week like?

Ariel said it's going to be awkward between him and UFC due to their relationship and the UFC isn't happy with him. Obviously him and Kamaru can't be trusted to be in the same room together ever. He has talked sh*t about Perry and his wife who are out there and Perry has threatened him for that.

The pressure of fighting Usman is enough already without the external sh*t. I think he's gotta fold eventually.

REDDzone · Post #17 » by **REDDzone** » Fri Dec 13, 2019 2:44 pm

cowboyronnie wrote:I am worried for Aldos longterm health. Moraes might be top 15 p4p. Rooting for Jose but jeesh that's a tough fight.

Also not happy to see Saunders still fighting. Yikes. Anyone other than reem w more head trauma?

How does the UFC still give Saunders fights? He literally never wins.

REDDzone · Post #18 » by **REDDzone** » Fri Dec 13, 2019 2:47 pm

Susan wrote:Mike Perry is fighting this week. All is well in the world.

IDK if I posted about this on this board but he did an interview after his last fight where he said his dad jumped on his back when he was cutting weight (or something similar) so he almost beat up his own dad fightweek. It was a whole story he told. That dude is a f*cking character.

cowboyronnie · Post #19 » by **cowboyronnie** » Fri Dec 13, 2019 7:52 pm

I haven't seen evidence that he Colby really pulled back the curtain. That interview on PragerU (lol) did not live up to the headlines. He just noted that he got attention when he acted like an ****. Not that he conjured this outta nowhere.

I wish he would. How embarrassing for Eric Trump that Colby is using him as his unwitting Paul Bearer...that he chose MAGA cos it's an easy grift.

The ultimate move: bring Eric into the ring to put on the belt, the lights dim, a hush. Lights on the tunnel: Bernie Sanders and AOC come rushing out with steel chairs, Colby knocks the belt out of Eric's hands, rips his US flag open - inside "Support The Green New Deal, End Imperialism". A double-crosss! He was a leftist the whole time!

He'd make every headline on the planet.

REDDzone · Post #20 » by **REDDzone** » Fri Dec 13, 2019 8:24 pm

cowboyronnie wrote:I haven't seen evidence that he Colby really pulled back the curtain. That interview on PragerU (lol) did not live up to the headlines. He just noted that he got attention when he acted like an ****. Not that he conjured this outta nowhere.

Did you watch any of the BT Sport interview I posted above? He said he had just beaten Dong Hun Kim and was scheduled vs Maia and heard the UFC wasn't going to retain him so he needed to make a "drastic change". References bringing pro wrestling into the mix. References following in Chael's footsteps and how Chael told him its not about fighting skills, it's about being entertaining behind the mic and becoming a "character" and an "actor". Also says the UFC model is not to promote fighters so fighters need to "create an image." At one point he literally says he's doing what he does in front of the camera "to monetize" and "for business".