Tyson Pedro has struggled with consistency, but he's plenty good enough to deal with Harry Hunsucker. The Brazilian may resist for the opening round, but as Dvalishvili lives up to his Machine moniker by utilizing his cardio and conditioning to push a pace Aldo wont be comfortable with, the takedowns will likely come. Itll come down to whether King Kong can force top position and hold Tybura down. ET main card) from Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. Here is a recap of my best UFC picks for this weekend's UFC 278 event: Lucie Pudilova (-130) Jose Aldo (+110) Miranda Maverick - Shanna Young under 2.5 rounds (+105) Woodson, Romanov, and Usman parlay (+113) For up-to-date information on the latest odds and props from multiple sportsbooks, check out the UFC odds page on RotoWire. I think thered be a legitimate chance that prime Rockhold could take Costa down and control him on the ground, but at this point, I cant trust his chin against someone who throws as hard as The Eraser. Scott Harris: People forget: Rockhold is a hell of a good grappler. But he has to survive long enough to get the fight there. In the main event, Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards will compete for the second time in their careers. By Mookie Alexander, Stephie Haynes, Victor Rodriguez, Anton Tabuena, Zane Simon, and Dayne Fox Aug 19, 2022, 4:00pm EDT. Tom Taylor: There's a lot of hype on Merab Dvalishvili heading into this matchup, and it's deserved. Looks to be healthy, able to make weight, and in phenomenal shape. UFC 282 live blog: Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev. I just don't see any way Leon Edwards beats Kamaru Usman outside of a flukey one-punch KO, and he doesn't seem to have the firepower to pull off a feat like that. ET) Jan Bachowicz (+280; bet $100 to win $280) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (-340; bet $340 to win $100) - for vacant light heavyweight title Usman came up as a power wrestler who could overwhelm anyone with his takedowns. While its been a longtime since Rockhold has competed, its been nearly five years since hes tasted victory. He shrugs off a few takedownsand maybe eats a kick or twothen runs the former champ over. For instance, he scored a TKO win over Gilbert Burns without landing a single takedown. He had five takedowns in a win over Jorge Masvidal. Keep scrolling to see how the B/R combat sports team envisions it all going down. If you're in Houston, find something better to do, like watching C-Span on loop. Sound the (mild) upset alarms. That low point preceded a five-fight win streak where the Pole earned TKO victories over Greg Hardy and Walt Harris. But then he went on to lose two straight and miss more than three years of action because of injury. Lyle Fitzsimmons: Agreeing with the brain trust on this one. I think Rockhold finds a way to run the gauntlet and get him to the ground, and once he does, the entire complexion changes. Prior to that, he suffered the same fate against Yoel Romero. Usman has been like a child with a new toy with his new love of striking, showing off his newfound jab against Gilbert Burns and his right cross against Masvidal. And let's be real: The charismatic and finish-hunting Pedro is still clearly in the UFC's plans. First, allow me to get something off my chest: Jos Aldo deserves better. A daily roundup of all your fighting news from MMA Fighting, By submitting your email, you agree to our, Absolute nonsense: Fighters react to Paddy Pimbletts UFC 282 decision over Jared Gordon. New players only, 21 or older. Andrew Starc: A few years ago, Marcin Tybura looked to be on his way out of the UFC after suffering four defeats in five fights. The former Strikeforce middleweight champion performs his best when he manages his weight ahead of the fight and plays to his strengths inside the cage. A victory here will see Usman equal Anderson Silvas record for the most consecutive UFC wins, and I just cant see how Leon Edwards is going to pose any sort of challenge. Jamie Harkin: Another interesting fight because Tybura has proven to be capable of going the distance against elite fighters, but of his six UFC losses, three are by decision against several legends of the division. Besides a 10-fight unbeaten streak, Edwards is bringing a lot of patience, and quite a bit of confidence into his first title fight. UFC 282 PPV Results & Play-By-Play! Merab Dvalishvili got off to rough start in the UFC. Nate Diaz Mocks Darren Till After UFC 282 Loss, Santa? If Rockholds coach is commenting on somewhat of an inadequate prep, thats never a good sign. The counter to that? All of Aldo's bantamweight wins have come by decision, which gives the impression he lost most of his power when he moved down in weight, but I think he rediscovers it in this fight. In his last bout over a year ago against Nate Diaz, Edwards was almost put away in the final moments. I like Edwards as a fighter, and he's obviously been impressive in his post-Usman run, but the champ is both the champ and the pound-for-pound king for a reason. Here's a last-minute look at the whole card along with the burning questions that will determine the winner of the biggest fights. It's worth noting that this was Edwards' last defeat. Although Junior boasts a 90% takedown defense, Dvalishvili is relentless with them, and he wont slow. Still, I rate Edwards well above the likes of Jorge Masvidal, who was able to take Usman to a decision a little over two years ago. The chin may be gone but the skill set is not, so with an effective gameplan that mixes up his wrestling with his striking, theres no reason the former champ cant get it done in a three-round fight, even if it means stealing rounds with a late takedown. However, some of his striking against Covington in October last year lacked technicality or sharpness, which Leon Edwards can exploit. In the middle bout of the main card, former featherweight champion Jos Aldo will look for his fourth-straight win at bantamweight at the expense of Georgian buzzsaw Merab Dvalishviliand the winner could conceivably earn a title shot. In addition, Jose Aldo continues his march toward the bantamweight title opposite 135-pound bruiser Merab Dvalishvili, not long after heavyweight hurters Marcin Tybura and Alexandr Romanov hook em up at 265 pounds. In the co-main event, one-time title challenger Paulo Costa will welcome former champ Luke Rockhold back to the octagon for the first time in over three years in a pivotal middleweight matchup. The event will take place from the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Tom Taylor: There's really no arguing with Scott's take on this fight. night in Salt Lake City. Do your picks look similar? (Editor's note: The prediction for the Tybura-Romanov fight is included due to UFC changing the lineup for the Main Card) UFC 278 goes down this Saturday. The 37-year-old lost his title to Michael Bisping in June of 2016 and has only fought three times since then. I think Pedros time away from the Octagon has served him well and that hell get another knockout here. The Brit has fought his way up the rankings and earned his shot at redemption and gold around his waist. I'm sure he's a good guy, but really, what is he even doing here? To his credit, Tybur had a five-fight win streak going from Feb. 2020 to June 2021 ended by a unanimous decision loss to Alexander Volkov and it only got Tybura to No. (Prediction: Paulo Costa). Tybura by unanimous decision. Even if the Brazilian makes it a close fight, judges remain wooed by forward movement and wrestling-based mug-and-slug. At first glance, Aldo fans were likely concerned about the matchmaking and for good reason considering the frenetic pace Dvalishvili puts on. Saturday's pay-per-view will be topped by a welterweight title fight between dominating champion Kamaru Usman and challenger Leon Edwards. Heading into UFC 278, Costa is looking to rebound from back-to-back defeats to Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori, though I cant help but wonder if The Eraser was checked out during his Italian Dream contest. (Editor's note: The prediction for the Tybura-Romanov fight is included due to UFC changing the lineup for the Main Card). Please enter a valid email and try again. For my money, the winner here is easy to discern. In his most recent bout against Chase Sherman, a now slimmer, more yoked up version of Romanov appeared and he looked every bit of the astounding -2500 favorite in the two-minute affair. A leading source for MMA News since 2002. But I don't think he's invulnerable. He also hasnt faced the kind of wrecking ball grappler that Romanov is, and someone who doesnt need to make it look pretty to find success. Lyle Fitzsimmons: Here's an easy one. People keep sleeping on 35-year-old bantamweight Aldo, but after a two-fight stumble out of the gate, he's righted the ship to rip off three straight against Marlon Vera, Pedro Munhoz, and Rob Font. (Editor's note: The prediction for the Tybura-Romanov fight is included due to UFC changing the lineup for the Main Card) UFC 278 goes down this Saturday in Salt Lake City, Utah, which means it's time for another round of predictions from B/R's combat sports squad. Bad Decision? Something went wrong. night (Aug. 20, 2022) at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. The three-fight early prelims begin on ESPN+ at 6:30 p.m. Ring rust is also a thing, at least in my book, and Rockhold hasn't competed in more than three years. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) closes out its final pay-per-view (PPV) of the year on Sat., Dec. 10, 2022, with a battle for the vacant Light Heavyweight crown between former champion and No. I think the Brit's range, footwork and defensive wrestling will be enough to keep him in the fight for the duration, even if he's short on big moments. Rocky will no doubt be game, but this is going to be a five-round sweep on the judges scorecards. Oops. But it will be an uphill battle. So, yeah. Markets . Is Kamaru Usman overlooking Leon Edwards? My British heart says Leon, but the smart pick is the champ. UFC 278 Main Event Prediction Kamaru Usman vs Leon Edwards (Welterweight Championship): Usman by Decision We've seen this fight before, although it's been a minute. Usman and Edwards met in 2015, and Usman won by a unanimous decision. If he can manage to keep it standing he has a good chance to turn the up-and-comer away. Co-headlining honors for the card will go to a middleweight clash between Brazilian knockout artist Paulo Costa and former champion Luke Rockhold, who is returning from a three-year hiatus. : A.J. While many seem to be backing Edwards to dethrone the champion, Usmans wrestling advantage is such an incredible weapon that he has in his back pocket, one I fully expect him to use successfully. With a three-year title reign that has featured five successful title defenses, he's starting to get to the point where he's already expelled nearly every serious challenger to his belt. Manny Pacquiao vs. DK Yoo: Live round-by-round updates. Of those five opponents, only three are still signed to UFC and only one is currently ranked in the Top 15. What followed was a pair of knockout losses and a failed trip to light heavyweight, along with a submission victory over Billy Noname. I know its fun to bash Rockhold for his recent woes, mostly because his douchey attitude makes him a less-than-sympathetic figure, but Im not ready to call him washed just yet. None of that really means anything unless Romanov gets past Tybura and if King Kong is going to be the contender we think he is, these are the kinds of fights he needs to be winning. Fighters had a lot to say about Paddy Pimbletts win over Jared Gordon at UFC 282. With my man AK on a much needed vacation, and since I wont do this very often, I felt the need to highlight one other fight on the card mostly because I feel Alexandr Romanov is a horrific problem in this heavyweight division that has, quite frankly, become a lot more interesting and fun. Andrew Starc: Jos Aldo looks to be making a promising tilt at the title, and now 35, this could be his last. Pedro doesn't need to be a world-beater to get things done here. We've got four more UFC 278 "Prelims" undercard bouts to preview and predict that will set the pay-per-view (PPV) stage ( check out the first batch here ), which we've expertly prepared them. over ego. Edwards has earned his place in the UFC 278 main event based on his winning streak alone and hes proven to be a crafty fighter with high-level skills on his feet as well as on the ground. Knocking around a fat and bewildered Johny Hendricks a natural welterweight did not impress me, nor did his victory over the maddeningly inconsistent Uriah Hall, who fell out of the division Top 10 after getting rubbed out by The Eraser. How much stock you put into Costas win over Yoel Romero may depend on where you think Soldier of God was at in his UFC career. Pedro in R2 by TKO. The legend was good enough at wrestling to win a fight with five takedowns, but he also had the boxing to bludgeon someone with his jab on the way to a unanimous-decision win. Either way, Costa was outstruck by a pretty wide margin and didnt have any vino to blame it on. That streak came to an end in October last year, when Tybura was outpointed by Alexander Volkov. Still, I think Tybura will ultimately suffer the same fate as most of Romanov's previous opponents. I'd like to keep the upset vibe going and sound some alarms on Tybura's behalf, but the more I think about it, the more I agree with Scott and Tom. Somebody is getting knocked out or submitted in this fight and when you stack their respective resumes on the overhead projector, the bookie-favored Aussie appears to have a marked advantage. Marcin Tybura has been competing under the UFC banner for more than six years and to date has compiled a 9-6 record with four of those victories coming by way of knockout. To suggest otherwise is to demonstrate more growth and perhaps a better evolution as a cage fighter in the years that followed. Romanov on the other hand has only seen the third round twice, and never the distance. LIVE! Eligibility restrictions apply. Costa by headkick KO in R2. The Georgian has a seven-fight win streak going into UFC 278. Remember, youll need a subscription to ESPN+ to order this weekends event but if the thought of listening to the official commentary has you down in the dumps, mute your volume and follow along with our live video play-by-play at our official YouTube channel by clicking here. Although it was a competitive affair, Vettori still got the job done. The Englishmans only victory over a welterweight currently ranked in the Top 10 came against Vicente Luque in early 2017. The Brazilian dropped a title fight against Israel Adesanya and made it two in a row with a loss to Marvin Vettori. Costa is a tough, rugged bruiser, but Im not sure he has the patience to wait for a Rockhold mistake. Of all of the victories on his current streak, none were scarier to his fellow bantamweights than his most recent win over Marlon Moraes at UFC 266 this past September when he overcame tremendous adversity to pick up an incredible come-from-behind second-round finish. By George Mills Published: 19 August 2022 - 11.32am Features UFC Kamaru Usman Hunsucker doesn't really warrant the pay-per-view slot. Harvey Leonard: Its hard to see this one going any way other than another KO setback for Rockhold. Jamie Harkin: Its extremely difficult to cap a fight in favor of Kamaru Usmans opponent, given how dominant he has been over the last few years. The Bloody Elbow team has made its predictions for UFC 278, and most of us . Two other former champions are also in action at UFC 278. Oops. However, the more you dive into it, the more you realize that its a pretty good stylistic matchup for the former featherweight champion. Hunsucker is 0-2 in the UFC (0-3 if you count his Contender Series appearance) and has been finished in the first round of each of those fights. Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Picks Bleacher Report - 18 Aug 2022 17:48 (Editor's note: The prediction for the Tybura-Romanov fight is included due to. I expect a competitive fight, but Im going with Pudilova to just want it more down the stretch to pick up her first UFC victory since February 2018. The prelims will be available on ESPN and ABC starting at 8 p.m. (Prediction: Merab Dvalishvili). While Yanan has some technical prowess to her, to me, Pudilova seems to have her confidence in a great place, plus a bit more of a dog mentality to come through when the going gets tough. The counter to that is Aldo sports a 90-percent takedown defense rate, though its important to note that effective wrestling is not measured by how many times your opponent gets dragged to the floor. Sign up for the The UFC 278 takes place this Saturday, August 20, 2022. So, unless the fluky shot lands, it's a win. Tybura is his next step up the ladder. The winner of that contest could find themselves anywhere from 0-1 fights away from a title shot. ET and is available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view. Aldo has the stamina and the defensive grappling to weather enough of Dvalishvili's takedown shots, then outscore (barely) his opponent, pulling away down the stretch. With that, its hard to imagine him resorting to the kind of grappling game he employed in 2015, especially when that wasnt comfortable early on as Edwards footwork and head position allowed him to circle away from the cage and defend takedowns. Usman beat Edwards all the way back in 2015 when both were relatively unknown. UFC 278 Poster Drops For 'Usman Vs. Edwards 2' 170 lbs. Pedro has only lost to Ilir Latrifi, OSP, and Shogun Rua, while Hunsucker lost his Contender Series bout against Jared Vanderaa, and his two UFC fights to date against Tuivasa, Tafa, but also has an early career loss over DonTale Mayes. Tyson Pedro and Harry Hunsucker are going to get after it in their light heavyweight matchup. Others fall off a cliff and things get ugly quickly. Was that a preview for the UFC 278 headliner this weekend in Salt Lake City? (Prediction: Kamaru Usman). The main card will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view and begins at 10:00 PM ET. Tybura wins if he can strike, but I think they spend considerable time on the mat and that Romanov has the raw power and skill to keep Tybura down and wear him out. UFC 278 takes place Saturday at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. Twitter Reacts To Pimbletts Controversial UFC 282 Win. Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC), Jose Aldo faces off against Merab Dvalishvili (Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC), Kamaru Usman (c) (-320; bet $320 to win $100) vs. Leon Edwards(+280; bet $100 to win $280) for welterweight title, Paulo Costa (-350) vs. Luke Rockhold (+290), Jos Aldo (+115) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (-135), Lucie Pudilova (-125) vs. Wu Yanan (-105), Harry Hunsucker (+500) vs. Tyson Pedro (-675), Alexandr Romanov (-350) vs. Marcin Tybura (+290), Jared Gordon (-265) vs. Leonardo Santos (+225), Luis Saldana (+300) vs. Sean Woodson (-365), Amir Albazi (-460) vs. Francisco Figueiredo (+370), Victor Altamirano (-170) vs. Daniel Da Silva (+145). (Prediction: Kamaru Usman). Follow Manny Pacquiao vs. DK Yoo live round-by-round updates for their exhibition clash Saturday. For Merab Dvalishvili, he finally gets his opportunity to face a big name and former world champion after winning his previous seven fights. With his speed advantage, as well as his technical advantage in every realm, I expect Pedro to open the card with a dominant performance. Thats pretty much where the similarities end because The Nigerian Nightmare has consistently fought the best welterweights in the world, including Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal, and Gilbert Burns, just to name a few. Note: Marcin Tybura vs. Alexander Romanov has now been moved to the preliminary card, with Wu Yanan vs. Lucie Pudilova taking its place on the main card. Theres been some discussion on the MMA boards about the light heavyweight curtain jerker between Tyson Pedro and Harry Hunsucker; specifically, why its taking up valuable real estate on a major PPV fight card. We saw against Marlon Moraes that Dvalishvili can get clipped early. It also bears noting that it will be the pair's second meeting, as Usman defeated Edwards by unanimous decision back in 2015. Drew Beaupr: Matchup-wise I have no problem with this fight, but it does seem like an odd move to put it in the co-main over Aldo vs. Dvalishvili. YEAR-END PPV BLOWOUT! Something went wrong. When push comes to shove, Ill lean toward youth over experience, though we may be faced with another scoring debate on Sunday morning. Drew Beaupr: UFC 278s main event may be a high-level rematch for a UFC title, but this bantamweight bout is arguably the most interesting fight on the card. UFC 278: "Usman vs. Edwards 2" will be headlined by the welterweight rematch between reigning 170-pound titleholder Kamaru Usman and longtime nemesis Leon Edwards. For Edwards to have success, he must eliminate the nagging thought of level changes (easier said than done) and focus on his striking game. Wu has lost three straight and four of five, and this is Pudilova's first fight back with the UFC after going to 2-5 in her first run. Since then, neither man has tasted defeat. Usman is now defending champion and Edwards has not tasted defeat since their UFC on FOX 17 dance nearly seven years back. While Merab Dvalishvili has yet to crack the Top 5, his seven-fight win streak has distinguished The Machine as a very dangerous opponent ready to announce his arrival at the expense of Aldo. Unfortunately the window of his competitive prime is nearly closed at age 36 and I dont think we should plan for any Glover Teixeira-esque rebirths. Jose Aldo has been fighting in UFC for well over a decade and not only held the promotions featherweight title, but is now ranked No. I dont know how much longer well get to see Junior at the top, but its been one hell of a ride. 18 Aug 2022 17:48, Sports News. Tybura holds the heavyweight record for takedown defense at 82.1%, so this is going to be a very difficult fight on both sides. ET on ESPN+ PPV. Pimblett Scrapes Past Gordon. Follow the UFC 282 live blog for Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev, the light heavyweight title fight on Saturday in Las Vegas. Who did our staff predict will have that streak broken with a loss this Saturday night? Theres been a lot of talk about the trajectory of Costa and in many ways, its not dissimilar to that of Rockhold. night (Dec. 10, 2022) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, proved "The Baddy" is not ready for ranked competition. ET, followed by the four-fight prelims on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. Dvalishvili by Decision (Prediction: Merab Dvalishvili). 8 in the heavyweight rankings. Heres what Twitter thought of that UFC 282 results: Full fight coverage of the Light Heavyweight pay-per-view (PPV) main event tonight (Sat., Dec. 10, 2022) between Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, featuring a disappointing split draw decision. Im not going crazy over his rubber legs in the Nate Diaz fight because it was a dominant performance and more importantly, he left with the W. I just cant pick him against Usman currently ranked No. Neither combatant has tasted defeat since their UFC on FOX 17 go-round, to the tune of 13 straight wins for Usman against a 9-0 (1 NC) record for Edwards. In the co-main event of UFC 282, which will take place inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, breakout star,Paddy Pimblett, intends to keep his momentum going at the expense of gritty veteran,Jared Gordon. (Prediction: Kamaru Usman). I dont think well be getting any Fight of the Night awards in this one, but we will get a reminder of what made Rockhold such an effective middleweight for the better part of his UFC career. Lyle Fitzsimmons: OK, I'm going to indulge my contrarian vibe here. Lyle Fitzsimmons: The gents before me have illustrated it nicely. UFC 278 Odds, Betting & Picks | Odds Shark India Japan Malaysia Philippines South Korea Brazil Europe Germany Sweden United Kingdom Kenya Mexico Nigeria Venezuela Betting Sites By Sport NFL NBA NCAAB NCAAF MLB NASCAR NHL Soccer UFC Boxing CFL Golf Racebooks Politics Cricket IPL KLeague KBO PBA more Betting Sites for Mobile Sports Betting Apps Wants To Fight Alongside Brandon Moreno On UFC 283, Video! Again: Edwards is good, but he doesn't have the wrestling or power to stand up to Usman's bull rush. This is an exciting spot, as Edwards could win many striking . The UFC has touched down in Utah this week and the welterweight title is on the line at the top of the bill. There are only so many miles on the clock, and Aldos time has to come sooner or later, and Dvalishvilis pressure might put him over the edge. No real reason to go against chalk. Saturday's pay-per-view will be Read more on bleacherreport.com Kamaru Usman To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. I can't make sense of it. UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards is set to be delivered to MMA fans this Saturday, and what better way to get ready for all the action than reading our staff predictions?! Pedro is the more technical striker, while Hunsucker is going to get right in Pedros face. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions. His next assignment could prove to be his most dangerous since his UFC 251 matchup against Petr Yan. His evolution into an extremely well rounded mixed-martial artist has been a joy to watch. (Prediction: Paulo Costa). Usman seems to have a lot on his mind since defeating Colby Covington at UFC 268 picking up big movie roles, having his sights set on boxing Canelo Alvarez, and a potential move up to the light heavyweight division. Drew Beaupr: Pedro picked up his first win after a losing streak and lengthy layoff when he beat Ike Villanueva, which was apparently convincing enough for the UFC to start promoting the Australian again. Technically, he's already done that with the opponent he'll see in Salt Lake City. Who wins and who loses? Sign up for the In fact, in my opinion, he should be the one fighting Aljamain Sterling for the bantamweight title in October. Hes won his last three since losing to Petr Yan for the vacant bantamweight belt in 2020, defeating Marlon Vera, Pedro Munhoz and Rob Font. He lost his debut to Frankie Saenz and followed it up with a loss to Ricky Simon. Im certainly not expecting anything technical here. Staff Predictions for UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2 MMA News is the place to be for all the latest UFC 278 updates. UFC 278 goes down this Saturday in Salt Lake City, Utah, which means it's time for another round of predictions from B/R's combat sports squad. As much as I'd love to see a finish, I expect the same 25-minute near-shutout. Thatll do it for our UFC 278 staff picks! Usman has nearly lapped the division, even defending his title twice successfully against both Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal. Glover Teixeira vs. Jamahal Hill Booked For UFC 283. I know the promotion has high hopes for the Moldovan King Kong and so far hes delivered. Pedro sends him packing, and fast. Of course, Rockhold has the wrestling ability to make it tricky, but Costa didnt struggle to defend Romeros takedown attempts, even if they werent that persistent. Unfortunately, that strategy will likely lead to Hunsuckers early demise as I expect Pedro to get a vicious knockout at around the halfway point of Round 1. This is his second bout back. Fighters reacted to the UFC 282 main card fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Darren Till. But these are smaller questions. (Prediction: Alexander Romanov). Edwards is unbeaten in 10 fights, with his last loss to Usman in 2015, but he hasnt really achieved any big wins. (Prediction: Kamaru Usman). At the time he fought Costa, the hulking Cuban was already 42 years old and coming off his second decision loss to Robert Whittaker. Fighting in altitude likely favors Dvalishvili, but I think Aldo will come out and get off to a fast start where hes able to to stuff the takedowns and make the Georgian standout pay on the feet. Odds and lines subject to change. And let's not act like he hasn't dealt with tough grapplers before. In their 23 combined professional bouts, only one fight has gone to a decision. That could actually be considerable, given that Edwards doesn't hit with a ton of power. This is a squash match, pure and simple, against Hunsucker, who is 0-2 in his UFC tenure. Aldo will come into this fight with a two-inch advantage in both height and reach though Im not sure how much hell get to use it. However, he's evolved to the point where he doesn't have to win that way. When you saw this fight was opening up the main card, you probably threw your arms up in the air with a stunned look on your face. Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com Saturday for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 278! He's in the co-main event opposite Paulo Costa in a middleweight affair. In fact, I would say his last two fightswins over Chase Sherman and Jared Vanderaaserved almost no purpose. Saturday's pay-per-view will be topped by a. Let us know in the comments section! The stakes are high for both fighters as Usman looks to take another step closer towards Georges St-Pierre in the welterweight GOAT conversation, while Edwards might only have this one opportunity to accomplish his championship mission. Bouncing back won't be easy. He'll find a way to beat Dvalishvili, tooand I'll take it a step further than that. Prediction: Romanov def. The biggest question in this for me is whether Aldo still has the ability to continually deny Dvalishvilis takedowns. Edwards by unanimous decision. Remember, this is a combatant who was once ranked No. Tybura tends to get clipped early and drop a few rounds but has a hell of a chin, with his three TKO losses coming against some of the heaviest hitters in the division. Then again, we haven't seen Aldo take on any grapplers after cutting all the way down to bantamweight. The winner of this bout could re-enter the 185-pound contender pool, particularly with a highlight-reel finish. Still, Aldo hasn't seen a wrestler as good or aggressive as Dvalishvili in a long time. All that to say, I expect Costa to destroy Rockhold, just like Jan Blachowicz did and just like Yoel Romero did. The five-fight main card begins at 10 p.m. The Georgian has been a takedown machine, but Aldo has arguably the best takedown defense in the history of the sport. UFC 278 is going to take place on Saturday, August 20, 2022, from Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Usman knows he can outwrestle Edwards, but he has been moving away from his wrestling as of late. He has three consecutive wins over high-quality competition in Marlon "Chito" Vera, Pedro Munhoz and Rob Font. He is one of the greatest fighters ever, and in the eyes of some fans, the greatest ever outright. Former champion Jos Aldo has managed to continually defy Father Time since his 2020 loss to Petr Yan, while Dvalishvili has won seven-straight fights after starting his UFC career off with a pair of losses. In addition, any ground work would favor the Californian because of his punishing top control. The Nigerian Nightmare previously captured a unanimous decision victory over Rocky when they first went to war in late 2015 and here we are (finally) for part two. Scott Harris: Over just two years in the UFC, Romanov has thundered his way to a top-15 slot on the official UFC rankings. Call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369). After three-plus years away from the octagon, former middleweight champ Luke Rockhold is back for a heated matchup with the always interesting Paulo Costa. A daily roundup of all your fighting news from MMA Mania, By submitting your email, you agree to our, MMA Mania, UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, UFC 278 predictions, preview, and analysis. That was, however, Moraes third defeat in a row, and Dvalishili has yet to defeat anyone of note. Romanov is on a tear, and Tybura represents his biggest competition in the UFC. Kamaru Usman is really bordering on Georges St-Pierre territory these days. All that said, two of three of Aldos last wins have all been against fighters who seem to be sliding, with Chito Vera being the exception. Scott Harris: This women's bantamweight bout pits two journeywomen against each other. Pedro is coming off a knockout victory over Isaac Villanueva back in April and has faced (and defeated) far better competition. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. The Brazilian legend lights up his foe's body and head en route to a stop. The fact Hunsucker was finished by a kick through his guard against Justin Tafa also isnt a good sign for his hopes of withstanding Pedros shots. Harry Hunsucker, meanwhile, has lost three in his last four, having most recently suffered back-to-back first-round knockouts to Tai Tuivasa and Justin Tafa. Usman, widely considered the best fighter in the world at present, will be looking for his sixth title defense, while his British challenger will be looking for a huge upset in his first bid at UFC gold. Jamie Harkin: Surely a #1 contender fight, this will be fireworks. I think this is Rockholds fight to lose and the outcome may depend on his decision to favor Fight I.Q. It might actually be similar to their original bout nearly seven years ago, which saw Edwards put up a fight early before Usman wore him and won going away. Hes also shorter than Edwards, which as weve seen in Volkanovski vs Holloway and Jai Herbert vs Ilia Topuria can cause a lowered guard for visibility and invite an overhand. Aldo by unanimous decision. Pudilova by unanimous decisionLyle Fitzsimmons: Mark me down alongside Scott. Hunsucker has seven wins but only one of those opponents has a winning record and thats the 4-3 Billy Big Sexy Swanson. Now, he gets an opportunity to prove himself on an even bigger stage. Edwards own win streak has been impressive, but its tough to ignore the fact that the bulk of that run was completed by July of 2019. Those are two very important tests that need to be passed by any welterweight looking to pull the sword from the 170-pound stone. In our prelim. To check out the latest and greatest UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2 news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. The main card airs. I pronounced his career dead and buried after Petr Yan pulverized him a while back, but all that's happened since is three winsincluding the Vera triumph that looks a lot better after last weekend. Hunsucker, meanwhile, is 0-2 in the UFC and only 7-5 as a professional. Fletcher vs. Ange Loosa A.J. UFC 282 results, live stream play-by-play updates for the Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev light heavyweight championship-led pay-per-view (PPV) main card TONIGHT (Sat., Dec. 10, 2022) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, also featuring Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon co-headliner at lightweight. Paddy Pimbletts "robbery" over Jared Gordon at UFC 282 last Sat. The welterweight championship is on the line in Salt Lake City on Saturday night when Kamaru Usman puts the belt at stake against Leon Edwards in the main event of UFC 278. ET on PPV through ESPN+. Tom Taylor: I honestly can't imagine a worse comeback fight for Luke Rockhold. newsletter, Edwards Plans On Defeating Usman To Setup Trilogy, Usman On Post-Edwards Plans: I Will Go To 205 And Grab That Belt, UFC 278 live stream updates, video highlights, fight results | Usman vs. Edwards 2, UFC Authentic Camouflage Fight Night Shorts, Raul Rosas Jr. Costa by unanimous decision. In addition, his win streak has not held up well over time for many of the same reasons we discussed in the Aldo vs. Dvalishvili fight. Jamie Harkin: Costa seems far healthier and motivated for this fight than he did last year against Vettori. Jos Aldo has found new life at 135 pounds. By comparison, Rockys most impressive win to date came over well, thats not so easy to determine. Edwards is a good kickboxer, but he doesn't necessarily have one-punch power. (Prediction: Alexander Romanov). It's hard to picture how Edwards can threaten the Nigerian Nightmare despite being a talented fighter. That win saw him stem a stretch of poor form that included three losses in four fights, including to the likes of Ovince Saint Preux and Maurcio Rua. 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