UFC Fight Night: Nicolau vs. Perez

The official Tapology discussion thread for the event!

@crystal I wouldn’t say he doesn’t like to be hit, more just doesn’t have great defense. He went toe to toe with that guy on dwcs and we’ve all seen how dangerous Slava claus is (he would butcher Benitez the same way he did maheshate for example). Benitez will definitely be able to tag maheshate but look through his record, he is not really a ko artist. He has a few knockdowns but if you look at his ufc ko’s they are: a slam, a knee to the body, and ground & pound from a takedown. I can definitely see him wobbling maheshate but it’s not like he is a devastating ko artist like Slava klaus is. Also, his power hasn’t translated well up to 155, he was hitting miller with some very clean shots and they weren’t doing anything 

On a similar note, Benitez doesn’t have great durability either. Hes been finished in 4 out of his last 5 losses and had to move up to 155 because his body couldn’t take the weight cut or punches at 145. Maheshate has a lot of flaws in his game but he definitely hits hard. Being the bigger guy I think he can do a lot of damage to benitez and get him out of there 

Lol @ LLolypop

Could not make weight and you were the fighter on the card since the beginning. Your very short notice opponent made weight and you didn't? Shame on you man.

And again LOL at all the Onama fanboys. This dude can't make even close weight. Y'all are forgetting how good he looked in the Nate the Train fight.

Pearce gonna cook this fool.

Man, what is Padilla doing in the UFC. Atleast sign a somewhat decent fodder guy if they need a sacrificial lamb.

Petrović vs. Liang
Ivana Petrović, TKO, R2
thank you ufc for giving ivana this fight

Nicolau vs. Perez
Nicolau - High confidence
There too many red flags for Perez here. He looked awful at the weight ins. Kape is just untrustworthy. There's always something going on with that guy and now Perez has to be the main event which he doesn't deserve.

Spann vs. Guskov
Spann -  High confidence
The Russian Lionheart will be destroyed here.

Silva vs. Lipski
Silva -  Medium confidence
Lipski is the most beautiful WMMA fighter and without dumb tattoos (which ruined Viana), but Silva is just the better and smarter fighter. Expecting a submission here.

Pearce vs. Onama
Onama -  Medium confidence
Onama became a much smarter fighter at his new gym. The fight against Landwehr was a real banger, he showed power and chin, combining this with his smarter style of fighting and top class teammates will be a deadly combination. I think he will outstrike Pearce.

Means vs. Medic
Means -  Low confidence
Medic did not look good against that central asian guy. Means is better on the ground and can potentially submission or choke him.

Yahya vs. Henry
Henry -  Medium confidence
Henry got absolutely destroyed by Basharat and got ''lucky'' the groin shot saved him. Yayha is pretty much finished at this point. Henry will get the W but he is not a great fighter.

Hubbard vs. Figlak
Figlak -  Medium confidence
I did not expect Ziam to be where he is today thus that loss is somewhat justified. Hubbard isn't that great and will probably be cut if he loses this.

Souza vs. Mann
Souza -  Low confidence
Souza should win this but this could go either way in unranked WMMA.

Petrović vs. Liang
Petrović -  High confidence
Liang is a very bad fighter and not UFC standard. Normally not that keen on unranked WMMA but this is just a gift.

Hayisaer vs. Benítez
Benitez  -  Low confidence 
Not impressed by Hayisaer at all. He didn't impress me in the DWCS, but got an unexpected KO win over Steve Garcia. The guy was talking about ranked opponents while losing to unranked 50+ guys in his later matches. Benitez is past his prime but I am confident he can still get a W here. Hayisaer should be cut if loses this.

Maheshate Hayisaer vs. Gabriel Benítez
Maheshate Hayisaer, TKO, R2

Ivana Petrović vs. Na Liang
Ivana Petrović, TKO, R2

James Llontop vs. Chris Padilla
James Llontop, TKO, R2

Ketlen Souza vs. Marnic Mann
Ketlen Souza, DEC

Don'Tale Mayes vs. Caio Machado
Caio Machado, DEC

Austin Hubbard vs. Michal Figlak
Michal Figlak, DEC

Rani Yahya vs. Victor Henry
Victor Henry, DEC

Jonathan Pearce vs. David Onama
Jonathan Pearce, DEC

Tim Means vs. Uros Medic
Tim Means, DEC

Jhonata Diniz vs. Austen Lane
Jhonata Diniz, TKO, R1

Karine Silva vs. Ariane Lipski
Karine Silva, SUB, R2

Ryan Spann vs. Bogdan Guskov
Ryan Spann, TKO, R1

Matheus Nicolau vs. Alex Perez
Matheus Nicolau, DEC.

I know that we are still riding the Pereira wave and people see "Glory" on some guy's record and immediately become engorged, but I am not sold at all on this Diniz guy. 

He's a guy who flunked out of Glory at HW. Not even a .500 record. He doesn't look particularly athletic or fluid on the feet by eye test either.

I agree that he's the likely winner here, because luckily he's fighting a giraffe on skates in Lane, who himself is a football flunkout. I'm just saying I think people are way too confident in the guy, he's not defensively slick, all it takes is one at HW.  

Llontop vs. Padilla
James Llontop, TKO, R2
Confidence: High | This is a short notice UFC debut fight for Padilla. Padilla is a come forward striker who wants to get it to the ground. Padilla don’t shoot double legs or single legs though, Padilla works in more trips against the cage & in the clinch and When Padilla gets it to the ground he don’t have the best control either. Llontop is good everywhere , Llontop has power , Cardio & Decent wrestling. Llontop should’ve got a finish in his DWCS fight, there were 1 or 2 10-8 Rounds. Llontop don’t have anything that pops out that will make you think he’s special but Llontop is good everywhere & should stuff Padilla’s trips and be ahead in the striking powerfully also speed wise

@Smelal Smeghamed 

Austen got knocked out within 1 minute against Tafa, a pub brawler. A decent kickboxing guy will knock that guy out even faster. Noone is saying Dhiniz is the next Israel or Alex. 

Am i crazy for thinking Lane can win this?

Austin Lane also got knocked out in less then a minute by Greg Hardy, he’s nothing special 

Also Bigbrable, it’s low level  heavyweight, so most fighter are nothing special, but powerful, it can be pretty volitle, But I don’t think Lane will win, he’s **** for heavyweight standards 

* Edited at 04.26.2024, 10:39 PM ET *

For those who keep asking:

Liang Na = no chance
Marnic Mann = no chance
Austen Lane = no chance

If you guys wanna light your money on fire by betting on fighters with far inferior skillsets to their opponents then go ahead but stop asking others to make you feel better about bets that you know are terrible by encouraging them to join you. 

There are plenty of con men on youtube who will give you all the encouragement you need to place losing bets, take that crap somewhere else. 

@Bigbrabble 

no your not

Nicolau vs. Perez
Matheus Nicolau, DEC
Hopefully perez enters the cage lol. nice to see a quick turn around for the fella, too bad he's outgunned on the feet. Nicolau has beat the better comp as well.

Spann vs. Guskov
Bogdan Guskov, TKO, R1
two glass cannons going at. Since Spamm lost to smith twice he must also lose to evil Anthony smith right? Math is mathing for me brother. Spann is live on the ground i'd say... maybe ill be back for spann rd 1 sub yet, not sure

Silva vs. Lipski
Karine Silva, SUB, R2
Man, Lipski is making a career resurgence for sure. I may have to come back to this one as well...

Diniz vs. Lane
Jhonata Diniz, TKO, R2
Austen Lane is incredibly athletic and really good at keeping his chin in the air when he crashes in with his guard open. I seen a chinning being given to em curtesy of Diniz.

Pearce vs. Onama
Jonathan Pearce, DEC
Should be a good fight. I think Onama is the more dangerous, tougher guy IMO

Means vs. Medic
Uros Medic, TKO, R2
I'd love to see Dirty Bird get er done but Uros is good on the feet and Means is 40 years old

Yahya vs. Henry
Victor Henry, DEC
Rani Nahna, another 40 year old about to get it absolutely poured on him for 3 rounds by Henry

Hubbard vs. Figlak
Austin Hubbard, DEC
Dont know much about figlak, I will be back to this one for certain.

Mayes vs. Machado
Caio Machado, DEC
We got a mythical beast match up here in Lord Kong vs Bigfoot.

Souza vs. Mann
Ketlen Souza, DEC
Souza is good.

Llontop vs. Padilla
James Llontop, TKO, R2
Hard to pick a 24 year old debut...

Petrović vs. Liang
Ivana Petrović, TKO, R1
Liang has only proven that she isn't UFC caliber so far

Hayisaer vs. Benítez
Maheshate Hayisaer, TKO, R1
Maheshate gets the card started with a highlight ko.

Nicolau vs. Perez
Alex Perez, DEC
50-45, 49-46x2. uni.

Spann vs. Guskov
Ryan Spann, TKO, R2
Spann takes out Anthony Smiths clone.

Silva vs. Lipski
Karine Silva, DEC
29-28x3 Karine takes over as the fight goes on.

Diniz vs. Lane
Jhonata Diniz, TKO, R1
Diniz by Huge KO. Dipping hook.

Pearce vs. Onama
Jonathan Pearce, TKO, R2
Onama cant find rhythm here and pays for it eventually

Means vs. Medic
Uros Medic, DEC
29-28x2 27-30 split.

Yahya vs. Henry
Victor Henry, DEC
29-28x2 28-29 split

Hubbard vs. Figlak
Austin Hubbard, DEC
29-28x3uni

Mayes vs. Machado
Don'Tale Mayes, TKO, R1
Tko Counter Punch to a kick.

Souza vs. Mann
Ketlen Souza, DEC
Split 29-28x2 28-29

Llontop vs. Padilla
James Llontop, TKO, R2
Counter tko

Petrović vs. Liang
Ivana Petrović, TKO, R2
Tko finish elbows

Hayisaer vs. Benítez
Maheshate Hayisaer, DEC
29-28x3

Silva vs. Lipski
Karine Silva, DEC
Low Confidence: Ariane used to accept getting taken down to throw up silly sub attempts from bottom, but it seems like she has been focused on defending them now to keep it standing and use her kickboxing. In her last 3 fights she has defended 21 out of 21 takedowns and looked very impressive against Casey O'Neil (I do think Casey was overrated and think Karine is much better). Karine also looked very impressive in her last fight, getting a knockdown, takedown and last second first round submission (Lipski also much better than moroz). She is well rounded but submissions/grappling is her specialty. Ariane has never been submitted, but If she ends up on her back she will probably lose, though If she can keep it standing she could out strike Karine in a very good, close fight. Originally picked Ariane but realized it was more of me picking who I wanted to win, I think Karine will win, but I'm rooting for Ariane.

Pearce vs. Onama
Jonathan Pearce, SUB, R2
Low Confidence: Onama has good fight ending power and good striking, but is matched up against JSP who will nullify that with the grappling. Onama has the punchers chance to get him out of there, but if he doesn't get the KO Jsp will probably dominate him more and more the later the fight goes, and either get a fairly easy decision, or snatch up a submission. Onama has a huge advantage on the feet though which worries me, but if JSP can follow a wrestling gameplan, he should be able to win a hard fought war. if not, night night.

Diniz vs. Lane
Austen Lane, SUB, R1
Lane can not outstrike Diniz, Sub is the only way to the W for him and he knows it.

Yeah he's gonna need to at least wrestle he wont win striking. But he has only one sub in his career, and its over someone with a 5-10 record, who was 2-8 in his last 10 before the fight. Austen got matched up against this guy twice in a row.... I think Diniz gonna get it done. 

Silva vs. Lipski
Karine Silva, DEC
Silva is a sub specialist and Lipski has never been subbed, interesting

Means vs. Medic
Uros Medic, TKO, R1
Kinda a hard pick since Means doesn't get KO'd, and Medic only KO's