The UFC returns to Pay per view rhythms at dawn on Sunday 25 May at Las Vegas's MGM Grand Garden Arena for UFC 173. After the amazing but no-scoring match Matt Brown vs. Last week's Erick Silva, it was time for the most crucial matches. At stake is the belt of Bantamweight champion Renan Barao, the next opponent of the light heavyweight champion who will leave the fight Dan Henderson vs. Daniel Cormier and many high scores in the other races. The program will come out in the following order from bottom to top.
Pay-Per-View Main Event:
135 lbs .: Bantamweight champion Renan Barao vs TJ Dillashaw
Pay-Per-View Main Card (05: 00):
205 lbs.: Dan Henderson vs. Daniel Cormier
Robbie Lawler vs. 170 lbs. Jake Ellenberger
135 lbs .: Francisco Rivera vs. Takeya Mizugaki
155 lbs .: James Krause Jamie Varner
FOX Sports 1 Prelims (03: 00):
155 lbs .: Michael Chiesa vs. Francisco Trinaldo
155 lbs .: Anthony Ferguson Katsunori Kikuno
135 lbs .: Chris Holdsworth Chico Camus
155 lbs .: Al Iaquinta vs. Mitch Clarke
Fight Pass Prelims (02: 00):
155 lbs .: Anthony Njokuani vs. Vinc Pichel
145 lbs .: Aaron Phillips vs. Sam Sicilia
170 lbs .: David Michaud v Jingliang Li
You will see pictures from the preparation of the athletes, comments, news and analysis for all matches and weighing. So you fill in the content by Saturday.
Renan Barao vs. TJ Dillashaw
Turtle against TJ Dillashaw can say someone after all his movements Renan Barao they reminisce that childhood we loved many. No one has ever won, beat, fight, throw down even if he is hurt in his almost ten-year career. It makes sense to be such a big favorite. Many say it 's too early for him Dillashaw given it that he has not beaten very good opponents and is still young but I disagree. This is the best opportunity he will be able to find and he knows it, because the category with fighters who have a more complete style of play has a lot of talent and because from now on they will not give him an easy fight again, so he will not be able to do a series again. 4 wins that will give him the same momentum.
Dan Henderson vs. Daniel Cormier
Huge favorite Cormier but I'm not sure that it is representative of the match. He has not again encountered an experienced and powerful fighter in this category, which he gives Henderson the chance (although 44 years) to be perhaps faster, after having faced very fast and lighter fighters even in the middleweight category. Also the Cormier still finds it difficult to lose the necessary pounds for the limit, unlike Henderson who even at the moment we are talking has less weight than the limit, which means that until the race he will be able to eat well without getting tired strengthening the muscles.
Robbie Lawler vs. Jake Ellenberger
Fighters with about the same tactical style and skills. They have both come from defeats in their last fight and will try to get back on the path of the champion, in a category with many talented contenders. The result has many variables, they can both win either by knockout or by decision of the judges, I do not make any predictions.
Francisco Rivera vs. Takeya Mizugaki
Rivera has very strong punches but nothing good to give him the advantage. If the match passes to the judges, Mizugaki will get the victory from the most hits and the best control of the battle. He will have to play smart, as he usually does, to get his fifth consecutive victory. He also has more experience with notable opponents.
James Krause Jamie Varner
Ο Varner he is a wrestler with strong punches; Krause he's a little better technical in the upright battle and he's good Gigi. An unequivocal result, however, because Varner was knocked out for the first time in his last fight and began to state that he was thinking of giving them up and opening a training camp.
Michael Chiesa vs. Francisco Trinaldo
Chiesa is much younger than Trinaldo, he seems to be improving a lot, he has better technique in the standing battle, but his fists do not hit very hard so he has not beaten anyone by knockout. THE Trinaldo does not have a very good technique, but it is powerful, with big muscles and good bjj. Everything will depend by its strength and reserve of forces in the third round.
Anthony Ferguson vs. Anthony Ferguson Katsunori Kikuno
Two fighters who prefer upright fighting but also have skills on the ground. Kikuno with judo, Ferguson with wrestling, if they want they can roll on the ground. But I do not think so because the Kikuno righteous can be proud of having the strongest punches and Ferguson with speed and long arm stretching will find his target more often.
Chris Holdsworth vs. Chico Camus
Camus has a slight advantage in the uprising battle due to the height and the wide opening of the arms. Holdsworth, however, is very good on the ground and undefeated in all games, with a difference in capacity from all the opponents he faced. The fact that Camus has poor takedown defense and drifts easily to the ground will be butter in Holdsworth's bread.
Al Iaquinta vs. Mitch Clarke
Iaquinta is a clear favorite. He is a little better almost everywhere and you train with the middleweight champion. Clarke has 2 defeats and 1 victory in the ufc which means that you do not get worse because if he had 3 defeats he would literally leave the ufc with the kicks.
Anthony Njokuani vs. Vinc Pichel
Njokuani has more experience than big fights with capable opponents and has beaten some of them. He prefers standing battle, but you have a hard time with wrestlers because he is a pure striker and any fight he learns is just to keep the fight upright. Pichel is not a wrestler, he does not have much experience and in the penultimate match he was crushed by Rustam Khabilov.
Aaron Phillips vs. Aaron Phillips Sam Sicilia
You come from a very bad appearance in the last race and will try to be redeemed. He has fought only in 5 martial arts struggles and has some obstacles ahead of him to overcome. The embarrassment of the first appearance at the ufc, the recent call for this fight and the fact that his normal class is in a few pounds. It seems like a fighter has future and abilities but I do not know if he will be ready to overcome the obstacles.
David Michaud in Jingliang Li
An ambiguous fight by two newcomers who prefer ground combat. In the standing battle from the few videos I have seen so far, Michaud looks a little better but no one impresses with his abilities. Li's original opponent was Danny Mitchell, so he will be better prepared than Michaud who was recently called up for this match.
