The UFC’s final event for 2020 will not have a title fight but it doesn’t mean it won’t be star-studded. Headlining UFC Vegas 17 on December 19, 2020, at the APEX Facility in Las Vegas is former welterweight title challenger Stephen Thompson who tries to get back in the title mix as he takes on the streaking Geoff Neal. The event will also feature a pair of interesting bantamweight fights that pit, Jose Aldo, against Marlon Vera and Marlon Moraes versus Rob Fant.
But before the main card takes place, UFC Vegas 17 will be preceded by a prelims undercard that will parade some of the UFC’s up and coming fighters. Let’s take a look at the final prelims undercard of 2020 and make our predictions:
Karl Roberson fought for CFFC, Ring of Combat, and Shogun Fights before making it to the UFC via the Contender Series. The 30-year old from New Jersey is just 4-3 inside the octagon and is coming off a loss to Marvin Vettori. Roberson has an overall record of 9-3 with 2 knockouts and 4 wins via submission. He stands 6-1 tall with a reach of 74 inches and is a southpaw fighter.
Dalcha Lungiambula is the former EFC undisputed light heavyweight and heavyweight champion. The 35-year old from Capetown, South Africa joined the UFC last year and knocked out Dequan Townsend in his UFC debut but lost to Magomed Ankalaev in his next bout. Lungiambula is 5-8 tall with a reach of 74 inches while fighting out of the orthodox stance. His record is 10-2 with five knockouts and one win via submission.
Lungiambula finally moved down in weight class afte r being so well below the 205-pound limit when he fought. Because of that, he will have the size advantage here and his issues against takedown artists could be offset with his size. But Roberson has the better kickboxing game between the two and he has enough wrestling to neutralize Lungiambula’s judo. Roberson’s crisp striking should lead him to a comfortable decision win.
Prediction: Karl Roberson
Sijara Eubanks is the 15th ranked female bantamweight in the UFC. This 35-year old from Springfield, Massachusetts fought for Invicta FC before joining TUF 26 in 2017 where she was supposed to fight in the final but was pulled out due to injury. Eubanks is 5-4 tall with a reach of 67 inches and fights out of the orthodox stance. She has a record of 6-5 with two knockouts and is coming off a loss to Ketlen Vieira at UFC 253.
Pannie Kianzad is the 13th ranked female bantamweight in the UFC. The 29-year old from Ahvaz, Iran is a former Cage Warriors women’s bantamweight title who also fought for Invicta FC. After losing her UFC debut, she has won three out of her last four bouts and heads to this bout after beating Bethe Correia at the first Fight Island series. She has a record of 13-5 with 3 knockouts. Kianzad is an orthodox fighter who stands 5-7 tall with a reach of 66 inches.
Kianzad is tough to take down but she’s a fighter who can succumb to constant pressure. Meanwhile, Eubanks struggles if she doesn’t get her takedowns and she struggled against taller opponents. Kianzad is three inches taller here and she can sprawl and brawl her way to victory here. I think Kianzad’s long-range strikes will be the difference in this fight.
Prediction: Pannie Kianzad
Deron Winn is a former NAIA folkstyle wrestler and UNW freestyle wrestler. The 31-year old from Liberty, Missouri fought for Bellator MMA before heading to the UFC. After winning his UFC debut, he has lost his last two bouts and is coming off a submission loss to Gerald Meerschaert last March. Winn is 6-2 with four wins via knockout. He stands 5-6 tall with a reach of 70 inches and is an orthodox fighter.
Antonio Arroyo fought in Brazil then the LFA before picking up two wins in the Contender Series. Those victories earned him a UFC contract but he lost his Octagon debut against Andre Muniz. Arroyo is 31-years old and from Para, Brazil. He is 6-3 tall with a reach of 73 inches while fighting out of the orthodox stance. Arroyo has a record of 9-3 with four knockouts and four wins via submission.
This is likely do-or-die for Winn who has come up short of expectations in the UFC. His vaunted wrestling game has not made an impact and he has not developed his striking during his tenure here. Arroyo’s issues with takedowns will give Winn a real shot here. But Arroyo has the length, striking, and scrambling to give Winn trouble all night long. Winn will try to take this fight down but Arroyo should be able to get this fight back on the feet where he will take over late.
Prediction: Antonio Arroyo
Aiemann is the younger brother of Tristar Gym head trainer Firas Zahabi. This 33-year old Canadian fought in Canada before joining the UFC in 2017. After winning his maiden UFC assignment, Zahabi has lost back to back fights. He has not fought since May 2019 and he has a record of 7-2 with four knockouts and two wins via submission. Zahabi is an orthodox fighter who is 5-8 tall and has a reach of 68 inches.
Drako Rodriguez had a 6-1 record at KOTC before joining the Contender Series last September where he picked up a submission win over Loemana Martinez. The 24-year old from Iowa will be making his UFC debut here and he has a record of 7-1 with two knockouts and four wins via submission. Rodriguez is an orthodox fighter who stands 5-8 tall with a reach of 69 inches.
This is a tough fight for Zahabi because not only does he lack the wrestling to grind Rodriguez down but also because he does not have a significant edge in the striking department. Rodriguez is a well-rounded and seasoned fighter while Zahabi has not fought in 19 months so that should be another issue. I won’t discount Zahabi surviving on the feet and using top control to win a decision. However, it’s likelier that Rodriguez lands the heavier shots and controls the ground exchanges.
Prediction: Draco Rodriguez
Tafon Nchukwi fought for CFFC and Shogun Fights before joining the Contender Series last September where he knocked out Al Matavao. The 26-year old from Cameroon stands six feet tall with a reach of 77 inches while fighting out of the orthodox stance. He is 4-0 with four knockout wins.
Jamie Pickett fought for Next Level Fight Club and LFC before joining the Contender Series where he lost twice before finally picking up a win last August. The 32-year old from North Carolina has a record of 11-4 with 8 knockouts and one win via submission. He is 6-2 with a reach of 80 inches and is an orthodox fighter.
Nchukwi is a fearsome physical specimen with some good chops on the feet. However, he would’ve been better off given a developmental contract rather than a direct pass to the Octagon. There’s obvious work that needs to be done with him and he was already slow at light heavyweight so middleweight could be a problem. Despite those, I think Nchukwi can back down Pickett easily against the fence. And for as long as he moves forward while throwing punches, he’s going to catch Pickett while circling inside the cage.
Prediction: Tafon Nchukwi
Jimmy Flick is a veteran of XFN, XFL, and LFC. He joined the UFC via the Contender Series last September where he submitted Nate Smith. Flick is 30-years old and is from Oklahoma. He stands 5-7 tall with a reach of 68 inches and fights from the orthodox stance. Flick’s record stands at 15-5 with 13 submission wins.
Cody Durden is a veteran of Valor Fighting, 864 Fighting Championships, and the NFC. He figured in a draw with Chris Gutierrez during his Octagon debut last August. The 29-year old from Georgia, USA has a record of 11-2 with five wins via knockout and another five via submission. He is a southpaw fighter who stands 5-7 tall and has a reach of 67 inches.
Durden is taller by an inch but gives up 3.5 inches in reach. But those won’t matter much here because this is a bout between a submission artist and a wrestler. And unless they want to engage in a sloppy stirikng battle, this one will be fought on the mat. Durden has a better takedown offense but Flick makes up for that with the superior scrambling skills, sweeps, and front chokes. I think that Flick catches Durden at one point in this fight and gets his arms around his neck for the submission.
Prediction: Jimmy Flick
Iowa’s Rick Glenn has been fighting since 2006. The 31-year old most recently fought for WSOF and VFC before heading to the UFC. He is 3-3 inside the octagon and coming off a loss to Kevin Aguilar. Glenn is a southpaw who is six feet tall and has a reach of 70 inches. His overall record is 21-6 with 11 knockouts and four wins via submission.
Carlton Minus is a veteran of the AFC who fought for the PFL in 2018. The 27-year old from Anchorage, Alaska lost his UFC debut against Matthew Semelsberger. He has a record of 10-2 with six knockouts and one win via submission. Minus is 5-10 tall with a reach of 75 inches and fights out of the orthodox stance.
Minus has a 4.5-inch reach advantage but is shorter by two inches. He is also the larger man here as he is dropping from welterweight while Glenn is moving up from 145. However, his inability to stop an aggressive offense with his superior technical skills will be the difference here. Glenn could be rusty and could end up outpointed by Minus’ jab. But if he outworks him and mixed his striking with a couple of takedowns here and there, he should pick up the “W” here.
Prediction: Rick Glenn
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