'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
After a major pay-per-view on Saturday, the UFC returns to its Las Vegas APEX this weekend for another Fight Night event.
This Fight Night event has lost its originally planned main event. However, with many fun-sounding bouts on tap, it could still be a UFC show well worth watching
On that note, here are the predicted outcomes for UFC Fight Night: Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill.
#1. UFC light heavyweight division: Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill
It’s safe to say this fight isn’t as good as the headliner it’s replacing: Rafael dos Anjos vs. Rafael Fiziev. However, it’s still an exciting-sounding battle between two of the UFC’s most explosive 205 lbers. Considering the way they fight, it may not last too long.
Of the two, it’s probably safe to suggest that Jamahal Hill has more momentum coming into next weekend. The last time we saw him in the octagon, he dispatched the tough Jimmy Crute inside 48 seconds. Hill dropped his opponent with a clean right hook that left him out cold, earning the former a $50K bonus.
The win was probably the best performance of Hill’s octagon career thus far, showing in a nutshell everything ‘Sweet Dreams’ has to offer.
Essentially, Hill is an unorthodox, dangerous striker who can throw and land his shots from seemingly any angle. At 6’ 4”, he boasts a long 79” reach, and we’ve seen him use that length to pick his foes apart on many occasions.
Unfortunately, while Hill is definitely an excellent prospect, he has also shown some clear weaknesses in his tenure thus far. His loss to Paul Craig saw him display some naivety on the ground.
He essentially put himself into an armbar variant, and saw his arm snapped. He also gassed out in his win over Darko Stosic, slowing dramatically as the fight went on. So can Hill beat arguably his trickiest opponent in the form of Johnny Walker this weekend? It’s very debatable.
Somehow, Walker is even more of a wildman than Hill is. The Brazilian debuted in the octagon in late 2018 with a brutal knockout win over Khalil Rountree. When he followed that with further knockouts of Justin Ledet and Misha Cirkunov, it looked like the UFC had found a new superstar.
However, subsequent losses to Corey Anderson and Nikita Krylov exposed his all-or-nothing style somewhat. While he did beat Ryan Spann in 2020, his lone fight in 2021 saw him fall to Thiago Santos.
That clash was an outlier in that Walker seemed to attempt more of a point-fighting style than ever before, but it simply didn’t work. Therefore, the likelihood of him trying it again here appears slim.
The big question here is whether Hill can cope with a fighter who stands taller than him, and has an even longer reach. Walker certainly isn’t as adept in keeping an opponent at the end of his strike as ‘Sweet Dreams’ is. However, he could also be tricky for Hill to hit, unless he comes in too openly, which he might well do.
Basically then, this one should come down to whether Walker can use his superior reach to connect with something nasty to Hill before he inevitably slows down. However, it’s also worth noting that Hill himself has slowed down in the past, meaning he might not even be capable of capitalizing if Walker gasses out. Therefore, with all things considered, the pick here is Walker via TKO.
The Pick: Walker via first-round TKO.
#2. UFC catchweight bout: Kyle Daukaus vs. Jamie Pickett
Initially, this co-headliner would’ve seen Kyle Daukaus taking on Julian Marquez at 185lbs. However, ‘The Cuban Missile Crisis’ was forced out last week. Thankfully, rather than sideline Daukaus altogether, the UFC has been able to scramble, putting together a catchweight bout with Jamie Pickett instead.
Given that he has taken the bout in just over a week’s notice, will Pickett have anything for Daukaus? It’s probably a fair question to ask.
After falling to Punahele Soriano in his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series, Pickett won two fights in the regional circuit before debuting in the octagon. Two straight losses put him on the verge of being cut. However, he was able to outpoint Laureano Staropoli in late 2021 before beating debutant Joseph Holmes in January this year.
While this fight is likely to be far trickier than the other two, taking such a late-notice bout could guarantee Pickett’s future with the UFC for some time. He’s likely to be up against it with Daukaus, though.
Sure, the native of Philadelphia doesn’t have the best octagon record – he’s 1-2-1 – but there’s certainly no shame in losing to Brendan Allen or Phil Hawes. Moreover, he looked excellent in his win over Dustin Stolzfus and in his no-contest with Kevin Holland.
More of a grappler by trade, Daukaus also has a solid technical striking game. Furthermore, he's got a deep gas tank, and hasn’t shown any outright weaknesses during his tenure in the octagon.
If Pickett displays serious knockout power, he’d probably stand a chance here. However, from what we’ve seen, he simply isn’t that kind of fighter, despite holding eight stoppage victories in the regional scene.
Sure, he might come in swinging, essentially assuming it’s his only chance of victory. However, unless he can land a bomb on the jaw, it’s more likely Daukaus will use his aggression against him. This could force him to gas out, and probably wear him down for a submission.
The Pick: Daukaus via second-round submission.
#3. UFC Fight Night: The Main Card
In a heavyweight bout, Parker Porter will take on Alan Baudot. To be frank, this feels like an odd fight to make right now. Porter is on a two-fight win streak, having outpointed Chase Sherman and Josh Parisian in his recent bouts. Meanwhile, Baudot has never won in the UFC, having fallen to Tom Aspinall and Rodrigo Nascimento.
Overall, Porter isn’t the best heavyweight. At 6’ 0” he ought to be at light heavyweight if he cleaned his diet up. However, given Baudot has lost to every strong opponent he has faced, this one should be a winnable bout for him. The pick here is Porter via decision.
At lightweight, Jim Miller will take on Nikolas Motta. Miller is obviously a shadow of his former self. A decade ago, he was one of the best fighters on the planet. However, his 2021 win over Erick Gonzalez showed he can still find ways to win in the octagon.
Motta is obviously far less proven, as this is his octagon debut. However, judging by his record and a fleeting appearance on TUF Brazil 4 in 2015, he’s a dangerous fighter with finishing ability. Interestingly, he also has a win over Joe Solecki, who beat Miller in 2021.
Ignoring MMA math for a second, though, this may be a step too far for him on his debut in the big show. The pick, therefore, is Miller by TKO, but this one could easily go the other way.
Finally, Joaquin Buckley will square off with Abdul Razak Alhassan in a middleweight clash. This one should be explosive for as long as it lasts. Buckley could be willing to throw low-percentage shots, as he carries heavy power, while Alhassan basically only throws haymakers.
Given that neither man has shown the best chin in their previous octagon appearances, this one could go either way and come down to which fighter is quicker. Considering he is a former welterweight, that could be ‘Judo Thunder’, the pick here is Alhassan via KO.
#4: UFC Fight Night: The Prelims
Picks in bold
Bantamweight bout: Mario Bautista vs. Khalid Taha
Featherweight bout: Gabriel Benitez vs. David Onama
Bantamweight bout: Jessica-Rose Clark vs. Stephanie Egger
Featherweight bout: Chas Skelly vs. Mark Striegl
Strawweight bout: Diana Belbita vs. Gloria de Paula
Bantamweight bout: Chad Anheliger vs. Jesse Strader.
