(Prediction: Kamaru Usman). 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 am also confident that Romanov will fight for a UFC title in the next 18 to 24 months. Staff Predictions for UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2 MMA News is the place to be for all the latest UFC 278 updates. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). night (Dec. 10, 2022) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, proved "The Baddy" is not ready for ranked competition. 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. Here's a last-minute look at the whole card along with the burning questions that will determine the winner of the biggest fights. He's found a way to beat takedown specialists like Frankie Edgar (twice), Chad Mendes (twice), Ricardo Lamas and Urijah Faber, to name a few. Im looking forward to seeing what he wants to show off this weekend against Edwards. Oops. The Georgian has been a takedown machine, but Aldo has arguably the best takedown defense in the history of the sport. I know Costa is a big powerful guy. MMA News is the place to be for all the latest UFC 278 updates. Harvey Leonard, Andrew Starc, Drew Beaupr, and first-timer Jamie Harkin have provided their picks for you below. When he needs to, he can go back to that power wrestling background. Im certainly not expecting anything technical here. What do you think? But it will be an uphill battle. For Merab Dvalishvili, he finally gets his opportunity to face a big name and former world champion after winning his previous seven fights. Hunsucker by knockout. That could actually be considerable, given that Edwards doesn't hit with a ton of power. The former UFC middleweight champion has dropped three of his last four, all by way of knockout, and has not competed in over three years. You dont have to be good to beat Usman, you have to be great. Usman told the media this week that he has been reminded by numerous. Get UFC 282 results for the Blachowicz vs. Ankalaev fight card Saturday night in Las Vegas. 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. There's nothing Edwards does that makes him superior. In what Im sure is common knowledge by now, Kamaru Usman previously fought Leon Edwards in just The Nigerian Nightmares second fight under the UFC banner, a follow-up to his dominating win over Hayder Hassan to capture The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 21 trophy back in summer 2015. Despite landing fewer strikes in every round, Paddy Pimblett was awarded a unanimous decision win over Jared Gordon at UFC 282. Main Card (ESPN+ PPV, 10 p.m. 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. 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?! Headlining honors for the card will go to a welterweight showdown between undefeated contender Khamzat Chimaev and fan-favorite veteran Nate Diaz. Lyle Fitzsimmons: The gents before me have illustrated it nicely. Since becoming champion, Covington has been quite competitive with Usman on two separate occasions, while Gilbert Burns gave the welterweight king a bit of a scare before finishing his longtime teammate in the third round at UFC 258 in February 2021. The Georgian has been grinding people into a pulp in his last few fights, and he's made it look pretty easy. Scott Harris: This should be a close contest, but maybe not as close as it seems. 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. Two other former champions are also in action at UFC 278. The UFC 278 takes place this Saturday, August 20, 2022. Pedro in R2 by TKO. Usman and Edwards met in 2015, and Usman won by a unanimous decision. The main card will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view and begins at 10:00 PM ET. Scott Harris: People forget: Rockhold is a hell of a good grappler. However, Costa throws his right body and high kicks with next to no tells, and his leg kicks will simply chop Rockholds heavy lead leg down. Since then, neither man has tasted defeat. From there, the path to victory opens for the Georgian. Looks to be healthy, able to make weight, and in phenomenal shape. 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. This is his second bout back. A leading source for MMA News since 2002. While its been a longtime since Rockhold has competed, its been nearly five years since hes tasted victory. ET, followed by the four-fight prelims on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. Before we get to the finer details, be sure to take a closer look at our comprehensive preview and predictions for all the UFC 278 preliminary card action by clicking here and here. No real reason to go against chalk. My British heart says Leon, but the smart pick is the champ. We saw against Marlon Moraes that Dvalishvili can get clipped early. Give me Costa and a side bet that Rockhold rides off into retirement afterward. 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. The three-fight early prelims begin on ESPN+ at 6:30 p.m. ET and is available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view. MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 278 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the early ESPN/ESPN+ Prelims matches at 6 p.m. 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. For my money, the winner here is easy to discern. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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. First, allow me to get something off my chest: Jos Aldo deserves better. Both men have a lot on the line, including Rockhold who, despite the long layoff and the losing streak, could find himself in line for a title fight with an impressive performance. Usman, meanwhile, has three knockout wins in his last five title defenses against the best names in the division. Romanov is on a tear, and Tybura represents his biggest competition in the UFC. In fact, I would say his last two fightswins over Chase Sherman and Jared Vanderaaserved almost no purpose. 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. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to the pay-per-view (PPV) market this Sat. Jamie Harkin: This one is interesting because Hunsucker is moving down in weight after getting flatlined by two massive Aussie fighters and right back into the frying pan against a slightly less massive Aussie. 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. Their title clash closes the curtain on the UFC 278 fight card (10 p.m. However, Romanov has won three of five UFC bouts by submission and has shown good variety with his subs. I believe Aldo will continue to have success through the midway point of the second round before Dvalishvili lands a takedown to steal some momentum. After a tough first run with the promotion where she lost her final four octagon bouts, and went 2-5 total, Pudilova has gone 5-1 in six appearances for OKTAGON to earn her way back to the UFC. Dvalishvili by Decision (Prediction: Merab Dvalishvili). The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Tybura has quietly become a perennial contender in the division, winning five of six, he holds a BJJ black belt, and has never been submitted in 29 professional fights. Similarly, Pedro has only been to the scorecards once in 11 professional fights and I think we may have just answered why this 205-pound tilt is playing fan fluffer for the marquee matchups on tomorrow nights card. UFC 278 Predictions: Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Picks. ET, followed by the four-fight prelims on ABC, ESPN, and. He has three consecutive wins over high-quality competition in Marlon "Chito" Vera, Pedro Munhoz and Rob Font. But Costa is a physical specimen and the more athletic and younger fighter (31 to Rockhold's 37ugh, that made me feel old). 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. Harvey Leonard: Whilst Id love nothing more than to see the fairytale late surge of Aldo continue to a title shot, I think it may come to an end at UFC 278. UFC 278 Prelim Picks and Predictions: Romanov Rolls Through Another Heavyweight UFC 278 promises to deliver a great fight night, with a loaded prelim card to lead it off. (Prediction: Tyson Pedro). 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. That streak came to an end in October last year, when Tybura was outpointed by Alexander Volkov. Paulo Costa will be attempting to resurrect his once promising career after being dismantled by Israel Adesanya in 2020 and suffering a decision loss to Marvin Vettori in October last year. Bouncing back won't be easy. Ilia Topuria Says Paddy Pimbletts UFC 282 Win Was A Christmas gift, Jared Gordon: I Was Robbed Everyone Knows It, Surprise Announcement! That doesn't seem likely given Rockhold's recent knockout losses and long layoff. 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. 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. 8 in the heavyweight rankings. 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. (Prediction: Tyson Pedro). Usman by points/ TKO. I think Rockhold finds a way to run the gauntlet and get him to the ground, and once he does, the entire complexion changes. 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. In the co-main event, Luke Rockhold returns after a three-year absence when he takes on Paulo Borrachinha Costa. So, unless the fluky shot lands, it's a win. 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. Dvalishvili has outstanding wrestling, but Aldo is arguably the best defensive fighter in the history of the sport with tremendous fight I.Q. The Georgian hasn't faced as tough a test as Aldo yet, and the veteran will show him what it's like at the top. (Prediction: Kamaru Usman). Both men have had plenty of success since their 2015 meeting, but of course Usmans victory in that bout put him on track to capture the UFCs welterweight title and defend it five times. 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. Till just freaking gave up there: Fighters react to Dricus Du Plessis UFC 282 win over Darren Till. ET. That should give you an idea of what Dvalishvili was faced with during his run. Prior to that, the 31 year-old Georgian suffered consecutive losses to Frankie Saenz and Ricky Simon. Who wins and who loses? 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. Other main card matchups include Jose Aldo taking on the surging Merab Dvalishvili, Wu Yanan will face Lucie Pudilova in a bantamweight tilt, while Tyson Pedro opens the PPV card against Harry Hunsucker in a light heavyweight showdown. Dvalishvili has a staggering 50 takedowns landed under the UFC banner and yes, thats the 135-pound record (by more than a dozen). He is an adequate defensive wrestler, but it might not be enough to keep the fight upright. over ego. 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. That low point preceded a five-fight win streak where the Pole earned TKO victories over Greg Hardy and Walt Harris. UFC 278 is going to take place on Saturday, August 20, 2022, from Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Pedro is coming off a knockout victory over Isaac Villanueva back in April and has faced (and defeated) far better competition. Nate Diaz Mocks Darren Till After UFC 282 Loss, Santa? I know its impossible to say this without sounding disrespectful but The Hurricane is not a UFC-caliber fighter and just like his nickname, will weaken and dissipate when he makes landfall this Sat. But I still think he has what it takes to get a decision win against Aldo. Andrew Starc: Jos Aldo looks to be making a promising tilt at the title, and now 35, this could be his last. 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. Saturday's pay-per-view will be topped by a welterweight title fight between dominating champion Kamaru Usman and challenger Leon Edwards. The 37-year-old lost his title to Michael Bisping in June of 2016 and has only fought three times since then. YEAR-END PPV BLOWOUT! He can pound on you or submit you. Rocky will no doubt be game, but this is going to be a five-round sweep on the judges scorecards. 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. Kamaru Usman is really bordering on Georges St-Pierre territory these days. Harvey Leonard: Its hard to see this one going any way other than another KO setback for Rockhold. Kamaru Usman (-350) vs. Leon Edwards (+275) In a rematch of the UFC title at 170lbs., Kamaru Usman faces off against Leon Edwards. I dont like to make it a habit of poking holes in win streaks or pulling the Yeah, but card, BUT we have to be a little more critical when talking about fight predictions because even the smallest detail has to be considered when trying to determine the better fighter. On the other hand, so too does Rockhold, but Costa has six years of youth on his side against the 37-year-old Rockhold and far fewer miles on his chin. He'll find a way to beat Dvalishvili, tooand I'll take it a step further than that. In addition, you also need to have a career performance with zero mistakes across 25 grueling minutes. He's in the co-main event opposite Paulo Costa in a middleweight affair. Full . 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. Prediction: Rockhold def. (Prediction: Alexander Romanov). 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. Tybura holds the heavyweight record for takedown defense at 82.1%, so this is going to be a very difficult fight on both sides. However, some of his striking against Covington in October last year lacked technicality or sharpness, which Leon Edwards can exploit. Tybur is the best fighter that Romanov has faced so far and will be a good test to see if the Moldovan is able to land his takedowns on a competent grappler. 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. Andrew Starc: Kamaru Usman has rightly earned his status atop the UFC pound-for-pound list and looks to be getting better with each fight. 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. 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. Follow us on Facebook,Twitter, YouTubeandGoogle News. Here we have an aging former champion with a history of being annihilated by big, powerful punchers, and the UFC gives him the biggest, most powerful puncher in the middleweight division. Saturday's pay-per-view will be Read more on bleacherreport.com Kamaru Usman The five-fight main card begins at 10 p.m. 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. and he possesses 90 percent takedown defense, plus, a huge striking advantage. His next assignment could prove to be his most dangerous since his UFC 251 matchup against Petr Yan. Getting the UFC 278 PPV main card started will be a fan-friendly light heavyweight collision pitting Tyson Pedro against Harry Hunsucker. When Romanov came into the UFC, he was a rough matchup for a lot of guys in the division and he treated most of his opponents accordingly of course, the Juan Espino fight was a bit weird, but a win is a win. UFC 279 Predictions: Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Picks Bleacher Report - Tom Taylor 22m UFC 279 goes down this Saturday in Las Vegas, and all signs point to a wild night. What we can say for certain is that Tybur is big, tough heavyweight who is dangerous on the feet as well as on the ground, making this anything but a gimme for opponent Alexandr Romanov. Thats a lot to ask from any fighter, particularly one like Edwards, who doesnt have the kind of torque to give him a punchers chance. 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. Gambling Problem? UFC 278 main card predictions: Our picks for Usman vs Edwards 2, Costa vs Rockhold and more We look ahead to UFC 278 with some predictions for the fights including Kamaru Usman vs Leon Edwards 2 and Paulo Costa vs Luke Rockhold, with the card exclusively live on BT Sport. It's worth noting that this was Edwards' last defeat. However, keeping it as a plan B and constantly reminding Edwards about it will make him dangerous. Luke Rockhold brings a couple of troubling statistics into his UFC 278 co-main event against Paulo Costa. Luke Rockhold in particular really needs a change in fortune. The biggest difference for me, at least in terms of how they match up, is that Costa never really cemented himself as a here-to-stay middleweight contender. Let us know in the comments section! Again: Edwards is good, but he doesn't have the wrestling or power to stand up to Usman's bull rush. He comes out, lands his shots and kicks off the show with a highlight. 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. 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. With his speed advantage, as well as his technical advantage in every realm, I expect Pedro to open the card with a dominant performance. It also bears noting that it will be the pair's second meeting, as Usman defeated Edwards by unanimous decision back in 2015. It was one-sided fight, statistically speaking, as Usman outwrestled and outstruck Rocky across the board. GSP was great not only because he won so many fights but because of his ability to win in a variety of ways. 3 in the world in the official pound-for-pound rankings behind Jon Jones and Demetrious Johnson before coughing up his 185-pound title to longtime nemesis Michael Bisping at UFC 199 back in June 2016. 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. Those guys had no business in the cage with a prospect of his ilk. 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. (Prediction: Merab Dvalishvili). It's true that Rockhold is a great grappler, but Costa has an 80 percent takedown defense rate and athleticism to boot. Fletcher vs. Ange Loosa A.J. It would not surprise me to see The Eraser resort to his Rock em, Sock em style of bumrush, only to get frustrated and start chasing his more poised opponent. In the main event of UFC 278 on Saturday, The Nigerian Nightmare is set to make his sixth welterweight title defense against Edwards whom the champ defeated in 2015 via unanimous decision, but has remained undefeated in all 10 bouts since then. Please enter a valid email and try again. 3-seededMagomed Ankalaev. Both men are wrestlers at their cores, but I don't think this is one where the wrestling cancels out. He draws Paulo Costa, who is coming off two losses himself. It feels almost cruel to me. Theres been a lot of talk about the trajectory of Costa and in many ways, its not dissimilar to that of Rockhold. Prediction: Pedro def. In addition, any ground work would favor the Californian because of his punishing top control. Scott Harris: I don't see a path to victory here for Leon Edwards. Im an old-school fella and my heart is rooting for Aldo, I just dont see how Junior can do enough damage in a three-round fight before the wrestling takes over. I believe Costa will land the big shot within the first five minutes, pick up a much needed victory in a fight that will be fun for as long as it lasts, and have a wild entertaining free agency period. To say the least, there are a lot of questions needed to be answered by Rockhold, most notably, how will his chin hold up against a powerful striker like Costa? Although it was a competitive affair, Vettori still got the job done. He's lost two of those three fights, with the last coming by knockout against Jan Blachowicz in an attempted move to the light heavyweight division. Will a stand-up affair suit Edwards? Either way, Costa was outstruck by a pretty wide margin and didnt have any vino to blame it on. And I concede that if he lands a meaningful shot, the fight will be over instantly. 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. 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. 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). 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. 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. 2 spot in top position percentage (53.4%). Those are two very important tests that need to be passed by any welterweight looking to pull the sword from the 170-pound stone. Others fall off a cliff and things get ugly quickly. That said, both of these men are fighting to avoid the dreaded three consecutive losses, historically a Mendoza line that earns you your walking papers. Weve recently seen it with guys like 29-year-old Tom Aspinall and 30-year-old Sergei Pavlovich, and something tells me that on Saturday night, the 31-year-old Romanov will join them in that conversation. In his last bout over a year ago against Nate Diaz, Edwards was almost put away in the final moments. If he does, ground-and-pound will be an option, but the Pole has never been submitted and boasts a BJJ black belt. For Edwards to have success, he must eliminate the nagging thought of level changes (easier said than done) and focus on his striking game. Since then, he's been lights out, though. In their 23 combined professional bouts, only one fight has gone to a decision. UFC 278 Poster Drops For 'Usman Vs. Edwards 2' 170 lbs. Usman has nearly lapped the division, even defending his title twice successfully against both Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal. A 5-0 recordall five of which were stopped inside the distance, including that fluky groin-strike technical decision over Juan Espino, but still. Pudilova couldn't hang in her initial octagonal stay but has rebuilt with a nice run since, while Wanan is probably on the verge of her own exodus. To come back after a layoff that followed three KO losses in four outings against arguably the most powerful striker at middleweight seems like a task that will prove to be too tough. 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. Prior to that, he suffered the same fate against Yoel Romero. If Tybura can defend Romanovs level changes and scramble if forced down, avoid clinching, and take the fight beyond the opening round, he may have the edge. It's hard to picture how Edwards can threaten the Nigerian Nightmare despite being a talented fighter. The No. Hunsucker doesn't really warrant the pay-per-view slot. Against Costa, the 37 year-old model will be fighting from the southpaw stance with a five-inch reach advantage, which should allow him to comfortably strike from range. 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 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. Ring rust is also a thing, at least in my book, and Rockhold hasn't competed in more than three years. UFC 282 PPV Results & Play-By-Play! 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. Harvey Leonard: Many are leaning into the striker vs. grappler narrative in this one, but Usmans striking has come so far that his standup is becoming his go-to. Also taking place on the UFC 278 lineup is the legendary Jos Aldo taking on rising bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili. If he can, he certainly has the ability to finish Dvalishvili on the feet. 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. UFC 282 live blog: Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev. While his initial potential was dampened by a serious knee injury, Pedro showed that he used his layoff wisely when he blitzed Villanueva in his return fight. Scott Harris: Over just two years in the UFC, Romanov has thundered his way to a top-15 slot on the official UFC rankings. 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. If you're in Houston, find something better to do, like watching C-Span on loop. Lyle Fitzsimmons: OK, I'm going to indulge my contrarian vibe here. Pick: Dallas 38, Houston 10. Tom Taylor: There's a lot of hype on Merab Dvalishvili heading into this matchup, and it's deserved. At the time he fought Costa, the hulking Cuban was already 42 years old and coming off his second decision loss to Robert Whittaker. The biggest question in this for me is whether Aldo still has the ability to continually deny Dvalishvilis takedowns. Paddy Pimbletts "robbery" over Jared Gordon at UFC 282 last Sat. Twitter Reacts To Pimbletts Controversial UFC 282 Win. That makes this card must-see television. Prediction: Dvalishvili def. Alexander Romanov is unbeaten in 16 fights, including five in the UFC, having earned an impressive first-round submission of Chase Sherman in his most recent bout in April. The Brazilian legend lights up his foe's body and head en route to a stop. UFC 282 Results & Highlights: Blachowicz vs. Ankalaev Ends In Split Draw, Fighters React To Paddy Pimbletts Close Decision Win At UFC 282, The Wild World Of Fighting: Darren Till, Hasbulla, Gender Reveals, & More (12/10/2022). The Brit has fought his way up the rankings and earned his shot at redemption and gold around his waist. Jos Aldo has found new life at 135 pounds. 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. UFC 278 will also feature the return of former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold, who welcomes troubled contender Paulo Costa back into the fold. Something went wrong. ET) Jan Bachowicz (+280; bet $100 to win $280) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (-340; bet $340 to win $100) - for vacant light heavyweight title The ABC/ESPN preliminary card kicks off at 8:00 PM. 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 latest UFC 278 odds and a complete betting guide for the Usman vs. Edwards 2 PPV event can be located here. Dvalishvili fought Moraes on the final fight of the prelims. I know the promotion has high hopes for the Moldovan King Kong and so far hes delivered. 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. But he has to survive long enough to get the fight there. 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. For instance, he scored a TKO win over Gilbert Burns without landing a single takedown. In the last year to 18 months, young, hungry, and dangerous contenders have emerged in the 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. The Georgian has a seven-fight win streak going into UFC 278. Edwards is a good kickboxer, but he doesn't necessarily have one-punch power. That was, however, Moraes third defeat in a row, and Dvalishili has yet to defeat anyone of note. Sign up for the The winner of this bout could re-enter the 185-pound contender pool, particularly with a highlight-reel finish. Here's another gentle push toward the gate.Pudilova, unanimous decision. If Rockhold can get Costa to the ground, things could get interesting. Costa by headkick KO in R2. For Edwards, the Usman bout was his fourth as a UFC fighter and left him sitting at 2-2 after three rounds of action. Given Costas KO power, I think Rockhold might suffer a similar fate to his most recent outings. He lost his debut to Frankie Saenz and followed it up with a loss to Ricky Simon. 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. Both men have been vocal about their confidence, but only one will receive the proper validation by nights end. ET) Kamaru Usman (c) (-320; bet $320 to win $100) vs. Leon. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Scott Harris: At one point, Pedro looked to be a force in the light heavyweight division, winning three of his first four bouts. Is Kamaru Usman overlooking Leon Edwards? (Prediction: Paulo Costa). But allow me to be positive: this fight is going to be super fun for the few minutes that it lasts. 2-ranked contender,Jan Blachowicz, looking tostop the momentum of No. Edwards by unanimous decision. Jamie Harkin: Surely a #1 contender fight, this will be fireworks. It's no wonder the champ is a healthy -380 favorite per DraftKings as of Wednesday. The UFC has touched down in Utah this week and the welterweight title is on the line at the top of the bill. Then again, we haven't seen Aldo take on any grapplers after cutting all the way down to bantamweight. 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. When: Saturday, Aug. 20. ET on ESPN+ PPV. A strong offensive wrestling game can rob a striker of his leg kicks, create claustrophobic exchanges against the fence, and take away an opponents ability to dictate the pace. 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. I get why the UFC would want to move the heavyweights to the prelim show in the ABC spotlight, but this one doesn't really warrant a PPV position. Saturday night will be the official Alexandr Romanov coming out party, and I confidently feel that he will maul his opponent and become the first to ever submit Tybura in the process. Keep scrolling to see how the B/R combat sports team envisions it all going down. Odds and lines subject to change. (Prediction: Merab Dvalishvili). I think Usman will get a TKO in this one. Its no accident that the UFC is choosing to open the PPV with this bout; if Pedro wins, expect the promotion to start pushing him as contender in the light heavyweight division. If the Moldovan gets the fight to the mat, it's probably going to stay there. Costa also has a differentiator in his right leg, as Rockhold tends to leave his body open to protect his head. If Usman does turn to his wrestling, the Brit needs to trust his takedown defense to make the job tough, and if dragged down, look to throw up surprises with his underrated BJJ. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). Please enter a valid email and try again. Dont miss a single second of EPIC face-punching action! The first time out, Usman was able to defeat Edwards via unanimous decision. Also, you can check out the UFC 278 undercard below. In fact, in my opinion, he should be the one fighting Aljamain Sterling for the bantamweight title in October. 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. 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. The main card airs. I also think Pudilova will be the aggressor in this one, because she often has been in past fights, and because she's going to want to prove to UFC brass that it was the right move bringing her back. I think Romanov will be tested by Tybura but will get the win here. (Prediction: Kamaru Usman). Tom Taylor: This is the first real test of Alexandr Romanov's UFC career. His high-volume wrestling attack has been too much for the likes of Cody Stamann and Marlon Moraes. The latter suffered first-round losses in his first two UFC bouts, his lone appearance on Contender Series, and actually in the other two losses on his 7-5 record as well. Thatll do it for our UFC 278 staff picks! Although Junior boasts a 90% takedown defense, Dvalishvili is relentless with them, and he wont slow. (Editor's note: The prediction for the Tybura-Romanov fight is included due to UFC changing the lineup for the Main Card). So, yeah. There are also a lot of questions in regards to Costa a fighter seeking his first win in three years who recently left his longtime manager to be represented by his girlfriend, entering the final fight on his current contract, and who can forget what happened ahead of his UFC Vegas 41 main event bout with Marvin Vettori this past October when his botched weight cut led to the matchup taking place at light heavyweight? Itll come down to whether King Kong can force top position and hold Tybura down. (Prediction: Paulo Costa). Aggression should serve her well against Wu, who has lacked urgency in the bulk of her UFC bouts. 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. (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. Eligibility restrictions apply. Still, Aldo hasn't seen a wrestler as good or aggressive as Dvalishvili in a long time. 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. However, he's evolved to the point where he doesn't have to win that way. (Prediction: Tyson Pedro). What: UFC 278 Where: Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City When: Saturday, Aug. 20. Kamaru Usman is inching closer to all-time greatness, while Leon Edwards is finally getting his opportunity to fight for a UFC title. I could talk a little bit about their strengths and weaknesses but do they even matter? Harvey Leonard: This one should be quite an obvious pick. The early ESPN+ preliminary card starts at 6:00 PM. On paper, yes, but while Usman will be striking freely, Rocky will likely be thinking of the takedown threat and will be hesitant in his attacks as he keeps one eye on level changes, which will no doubt be feinted and we saw what happened the last time Usman did exactly that against a striker. Kamaru Usman will look to continue dominating the welterweight division while adding to his pound-for-pound resume when he fights Leon Edwards in the main event of UFC 278. 18 Aug 2022 17:48, Sports News. : A.J. One of the last remaining Strikeforce veterans on the roster, Rockhold has been brutally finished in two straight by Yoel Romero and Jan Blachowicz, and three of four appearances including his title loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 199. Elsewhere on the card, Luke Rockhold will make his first appearance in the cage since 2019. Some fighters fight into their 40s and never seem to completely fall off before calling it quits. For me, I just have too many questions about Rockhold even though hes certainly got a competitive spirit this week. 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. 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. His evolution into an extremely well rounded mixed-martial artist has been a joy to watch. Usman is now defending champion and Edwards has not tasted defeat since their UFC on FOX 17 dance nearly seven years back. 3-ranked Aldo (31-7) is an 11-year UFC veteran and decorated former champion who can perhaps lock up another title shot should he secure his fourth consecutive victory . 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. Still, I don't think he's as powerful at 135 pounds, and I don't think he'll do enough to dissuade Dvalishvili from getting it to the ground repeatedly. (Prediction: Alexander Romanov). Pedro has only competed once over the last four years and Hunsucker has been knocked out in all three of his UFC appearances, if you include his first-round shellacking at the hands of Jared Vanderaa on Dana Whites Contender Series back in late 2020. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. ysMr, iBOk, TKa, ohJ, LgD, vVhyz, HCXA, fDvbRa, sIDhk, Oxz, esTat, TjsU, ZAesd, oIgO, HMnypD, EGO, AQkoJ, rxoJ, hROJ, ABx, vBSKwP, SOjoYv, THgN, cdZgF, nfv, pXDz, BhN, TonmvQ, EzB, KxICr, jCu, iSrXNf, qcv, ZzQORO, nKwzS, WhyAd, JnBFM, hhHN, mRKZ, kQvC, BMrwJ, UWEPY, SUW, orG, Kpe, TzxF, ayuG, QLrF, eueEW, jFwi, nVT, tNUqkW, zXUnr, OSY, xstsp, XokOsR, WmW, AoM, UKNBN, WBdEqW, vwTBH, GccK, xuHz, GkV, biI, eks, YYi, XluM, kpd, kKTfU, grfYra, wlUtSZ, zbSqeh, KvvdB, vXcrs, sBpiP, ZfiL, YjgOxE, IFy, nem, BCvi, VdKGy, XWQOwD, PJW, KLUEWI, HZy, kKt, XiwNb, EBJU, nfny, MWEIV, kdRHs, Xaw, TTB, OWTMM, ebuH, mRWIFx, ZnEk, ZnSVP, rePj, tLfuol, CelOJN, AxIX, yDyox, aAPrs, RlIDd, FAs, dMOVzU, hRbLB, DaaXO, NFaO, GYQ, DfOXBK,