The App is Back! Don’t forget to download the NBC Sports EDGE app to receive real-time player news, mobile alerts and track your favorite players. Plus, now you can check out articles and player cards. Get it here!
We get another fantastic Fight Night that features two dynamic strikers in the main event looking to earn a top spot in the shark tank known as the UFC’s featherweight division. Plus, promising fighters from the UFC’s reality TV series get a huge opportunity to prove themselves under the bright lights.
-120 Edson Barboza (22-9) vs. -105 Giga Chikadze (13-2), Featherweight
On paper, Barboza fighting Chikadze is set up for fans of striking to get their money’s worth! Saturday’s main event pits two of the UFC’s most experienced strikers against one another. Barboza, who’s been in the UFC since 2010, is well-known for his dangerously vicious switch kicks and spinning wheel kicks (see below).
Barboza has been in there with some elite company in the UFC’s lightweight division (155 pounds) and is now looking to make it three victories in a row at featherweight (145 pounds) – which would be his longest win streak in over four years. Chikadze, the former Glory Kickboxing star, is getting his first true test inside the UFC. Expect grappling to be kept to a minimum – only being used out of desperation. Lucky for us fans, this fight is scheduled for five rounds! Look for Barboza to test the chin and experience of Chikadze (undefeated in the UFC, 6-0) with his veteran savvy and kicks from hell!
Selection: Edson Barboza
After a three-year hiatus, the popular UFC reality TV series “The Ultimate Fighter” (TUF) returned with a bang. This season’s finale is a clash of the most well-rounded group of finalists in the show’s history. Finalists Bryan Battle, Gilbert Urbina, Brady Hiestand and Ricky Turcios will get a chance to earn a six-figure contract with the UFC and prove to the world they’re ready for primetime. Needless to say, these four fighters will put everything on the line to prove to themselves that all the blood, sweat and tears that’s been spent over the years was worth it.
-190 Bryan Battle (5-1) vs. +150 Gilbert Urbina (6-1), Middleweight
One of the show’s greatest characters and underdogs, Bryan Battle, is trying to put the final bow on what has been a near flawless road to the finals. Battle will be facing Gilbert Urbina who’s replacing the original finalist, Treason Gore. Gore knocked out Urbina – the brother of two former Ultimate Fighters – but suffered a knee injury and had to forgo his chance at making history. You better believe Urbina is counting his blessings as he’s playing with house money. Regardless of opponent though, Battle would’ve been the favorite. The tall, rangy striker proved that he shines brighter under the spotlight as he “ninja-choked” Andre Petroski, who before the loss, was considered to be the most promising fighter on the show. Expect chaotic exchanges of punches, kicks, knees and elbows as Battle will grind his way to being crowned TUF champion.
Selection: Bryan Battle
-160 Ricky Turcios (10-2) vs. +130 Brady Hiestand (5-1), Bantamweight
Before the 185 pounders take center stage, the TUF bantamweight finalists meet in what should be a high-volume scrap. During the TUF season, both Turcios and Hiestand were involved in some pretty brutal wars that required them to dig deep and show an immense amount of heart and a will to win. While Turcios is a very well-rounded striker and grappler, he doesn’t possess the punching power to knock Hiestand off his game. When Hiestand gets ahold of his opponents in grappling exchanges, he is hard to shake off. It will be a long night at the office for Turcios if he can’t avoid Hiestand’s swarming pressure.
Selection: Brady Hiestand
-150 Kevin Lee (18-6) vs. +120 Daniel Rodriguez (15-2), Welterweight
Kevin Lee has been on a roller coaster ever since his interim-title loss to Tony Ferguson at UFC 216; decisive main event losses, flip-flopping weight classes, changing teams. Though Lee has already had an eventful seven years inside the UFC, the “Motown Phenom” is still only 28 years old. For Lee, his opponent Daniel Rodriguez is a born fighter who’s extremely game on fight night. Rodriguez burst on the scene a couple of fights ago when he dismantled polarizing fighter Mike Perry. Rodriguez is looking to make even more noise in this fight, but he may run into a wall as he hasn’t faced a strong wrestler like Kevin Lee before. The fact that this fight is three rounds will heavily favor the more muscular Lee, who fades in five-round fights. Don’t expect Rodriguez to go away easily though, but expect Lee to edge out the victory.
Selection: Lee
-550 Andre Petroski (5-1) vs. +380 Michael Gillmore (6-3), Middleweight
As previously mentioned, there were high hopes for the talented TUF competitor Andre Petroski, but unfortunately, he ran into the locomotive that was Bryan Battle. For Gillmore, he’s still in the picture because UFC president Dana White appreciated Gillmore’s courage on the show to step in on short notice to fight. Gillmore is hoping to make something out of nothing here, but that’s highly unlikely as he will be getting a sharpened Petroski who’ll be looking for some semblance of revenge on Saturday night. Expect Petroski to cut through Gillmore like a hot knife through butter.
Selection: Andre Petroski
-650 Makhmud Muradov (25-6) vs. +430 Gerald Meerschaert (32-14), Middleweight
So is this a slaughtering of a lamb? Is the longtime UFC veteran Gerald Meerschaert going to get steamrolled on and continue to be a stepping stone for younger fighters to build their highlight reels off of? Maybe. Or, will Meerschaert put a wrench in Makhmud Muradov’s plan? Well, it’s definitely an uphill fight for Meerschaert. The talented, very aggressive and striking-heavy Muradov is trying to end his opponents’ night with every strike he throws. But, his competition has not tested his grappling abilities, which early in his career was his biggest flaw. Now, while Meerschaert is not any kind of Khabib Nurmagomedov on the mat, Meerschaert presents a submission threat that Muradov hasn’t faced yet. It’s a long shot but it’s worth throwing money on Meerschaert – the big underdog – to win. (FYI: The line continues to change in favor of Meerschaert)
Selection: Muradov is a safe choice, Meerschaert is a solid gamble
Tune into the UFC Fight Night airing on ESPN; Main Card 10pm ET / Prelims 7pm ET
PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner, and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.