UFC on FOX 16 Preview
By Brian Edwards
The rematch between T.J. Dillashaw and Renan Barao will finally go down Saturday night in Chicago at UFC on FOX 16. Dillashaw took the bantamweight belt from Barao with a breakout performance 14 months ago at UFC 173, dominating the Brazilian before recording a fifth-round knockout (headkick and punches).
Dillashaw (11-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) caught Barao with a huge right midway through the opening round and the former champion wasn't the same for the rest of the fight. TJD pulled the shocker as a +550 underdog, claiming Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses. The victory also garnered 2014 Upset of the Year honors.
Barao (33-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) was set to rematch Dillashaw at UFC 177, but he had to pull out of the fight when he was hospitalized on the day of the weigh-ins for issues relating to cutting weight. Therefore, TJD successfully defended his strap by beating Joe Soto by fifth-round KO. Soto was scheduled to face Anthony Birchak on the same card, but agreed to fight Dillashaw when offered the opportunity.
This time around, it's Dillashaw who is favored in the -240 range, while Barao was the +200 underdog as of Wednesday. This is the first time Barao has been placed in the underdog role in his entire career. The total is 4.5 rounds ('under' -170, 'over' +150).
Since failing to make weight and pulling out of the UFC 177 rematch, Barao got back into the win column in the co-main event at UFC Fight Night 58. The 28-year-old Brazilian took out Mitch Gagnon by an arm-triangle choke in Round 3.
Prediction: The weigh-ins are so important in this fight. Will Barao have a tough weight cut like he's had so many times before? If he does, then I like TDJ to prevail, but not enough to bet the Team Alpha Male member at a price north of -200. If you feel like Barao looks good at weigh-ins, then I believe you're best suited backing Barao for a +200 payout. Barring a major shift in the odds, this is a fight where you either take Barao or you pass. For now, I'm going to pass.
In the co-main event, second-ranked women's bantamweight contender Miesha Tate (16-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) will take on fifth-ranked Jessica 'Evil' Eye. As of Wednesday, most books had Tate installed as a -200 favorite, leaving Eye as the +170 underdog. The 'over/under' is 2.5 rounds ('over' -270, 'under' +230).
Tate has won three in a row since losing Ronda Rousey by third-round armbar at UFC 168. 'Cupcake' gave Rousey her toughest test thus far in the Octagon, successfully winning many stand-up exchanges. However, Rousey's superior judo was the difference with a throw leading to the eventual submission not even a minute into the third stanza.
Since then, Tate has three decision wins over Liz Carmouche, Rin Nakai and Sara McMann.
Eye (11-2, 1 no-contest MMA, 1-1, 1 no-contest UFC) made her Octagon debut at UFC 166, beating Sarah Kaufman by split decision. However, after testing positive for marijuana, the result was changed to a no-contest.
Eye went the distance with Alexis Davis at UFC 170, only to come out on the wrong side of a split decision. Then at UFC 180, Eye earned a second-round TKO triumph over Leslie Smith when the doctor called a stop to the bout.
Prediction: I think Tate wins a decision. You can bet for this result in a prop at 5Dimes for a +103 return. I'll go with that for one unit. I'm filing this column on Wednesday, so I'm going ahead and committing to these selections. With that said, I'll throw this out for gamblers to keep in mind. Tate is fighting on the same card as her live-in boyfriend Bryan Caraway, who has been dating Tate for more than seven years. This is the first time both have fought on the same card. I'm not implying that I know how Caraway's result will impact Tate's focus and preparation. Whatever the case, Tate's fight will probably start about 2.5 hours after Caraway's ends. If Caraway takes a beatdown and gets sent to the hospital, might Tate's focus be impacted? We shall see.
Edson Barboza and Paul Felder are set to scrap in a lightweight showdown. As of Wednesday, most spots had Barboza (15-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) listed as a -140 favorite with a total of 1.5 rounds ('over' -150, 'under' +130).
Felder (10-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has cashed tickets as an underdog in both of his first two Octagon appearances. In his debut, Felder defeated Jason Saggo by split decision as a +140 underdog. Then at UFC 182, the South Philadelphia product perfectly executed a spinning back fist to put away Danny Castillo as a +190 'dog.
Barboza is incredible on his feet with some of the best kicks in all of mixed martial arts. Four of his nine UFC wins have come via some sort of kick, including the incredible wheel-kick KO of Terry Etim at UFC 142. Barboza, a 29-year-old Brazilian, owns notable scalps over Castillo, Ross Pearson, Evan Dunham and Bobby Green.
Prediction: Don't get me wrong, I like Felder a lot and his future is bright. This is going to be a fun stand-up battle. but it represents a big step up in class for Felder. Barboza is my favorite play on the board. 5Dimes has Barboza at -135 and I'll take it for five units.
In the opener of the main card on FOX, veteran lightweights Joe Lauzon and Takanori Gomi will collide. Lauzon opened as a -260 favorite on Sunday but as of Wednesday, he was a -350 'chalk.' The total is 1.5 rounds ('over' -140, 'under' +120).
Lauzon (24-10 MMA, 11-7 UFC) is looking to bounce back from a second-round KO loss to Al Iaquinta at UFC 183 in January. 'J-Lau' had won back-to-back fights over Mac Danzig and Michael Chiesa before falling to Iaquinta.
Lauzon, a 31-year-old submission specialist, owns notable career wins over Jeremy Stephens, Melvin Guillard, Jens Pulver and Jamie Varner. He has collected 13 fight-night bonuses in 18 career Octagon appearances. Lauzon's decision loss to Jim Miller was the 2012 Fight of the Year.
Gomi (35-10 MMA, 4-5 UFC) is the former PRIDE lightweight champion. The 36-year-old is in bounce-back mode following a first-round KO loss to Myles Jury in his home country of Japan last summer.
'The Fireball Kid' is looking to get back to .500 in his 10th career Octagon outing. Gomi hasn't had any shameful defeats with the promotion, as all of his setbacks have come against big-name foes. He has a pair of KO wins in the UFC over Tyson Griffin and Eiji Mitsuoka.
Prediction: Both of these veterans have lots of miles and rounds on their respective resumes. I personally feel like Lauzon has more left in his tank. Gomi has better KO power but Lauzon will be completely comfortable when the fight is on the feet. With that said, Lauzon has a huge advantage on the ground and that's where he'd like to get Gomi. The straight price on Lauzon and his odds to win inside the distance (-170) are both too 'chalky' for me, so let's go with 'under' 1.5 rounds for the +120 payout for one unit. The thinking here is an early submission by Lauzon, but a KO by Gomi would work too. The 'over' has actually been a winner in five of Lauzon's last six outings but before that 'over' spree, four of his previous five fights easily went 'under.' And the lone 'over' won by just 13 seconds.
The prelims will start at 6:00 p.m. Eastern on big FOX. The first four fights will air on UFC Fight Pass starting at 4:15 p.m. Eastern.
Although it isn't considered the headliner of the prelims, I'll have my eyes on another lightweight showdown between a pair of veterans in Jim Miller and Danny 'Last Call' Castillo. Most books have Miller as a -130 favorite with a total of 2.5 rounds ('over' -185, 'under' +165).
I'll go with Miller for two units as long as the price doesn't go north of -130. If you're looking at -140 or -145, I'd still go with Miller but for just one unit. If it gets to -150, leave it alone.