UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen VS Dillishaw is taking place this Saturday night at 7 pm. on ESPN+ and we have a great card with alot of contenders looking to make a name for themselves. This card might not be loaded with names the average fans may know but but it is full with amazing matchups with fighters trying to climb the rankings and headlined by one of the more intriguing fihgts in a while.
Sandhagen (-190) VS Dillishaw (+160)
Corey Sandhagen (14-2), the #2 Bantamweight in the world, is coming off 2 impressive Knockout wins after finishing UFC veteran Frankie Edgar with a flying knee in the 1st round and Marlon Moraes with a spinning heel kick to the head in the 2nd round. Before that he faced off against now champion Aljamain Sterling at UFC 250 and was caught in the 1st round in a rear naked choke and was submitted.
TJ Dillishaw (17-4) is a former 2-time champion in the division and has been in 7 title fights. He had 2 great performances against Cody Garbrant where he re-captured and defended the title both by knockouts in the 1st and 2nd round. Then he fought Triple C Henry Cejudo in the Main Event of a UFC Fight Night in January 2019. He was knocked out in the first round and was then suspended for 2 years from the UFC for performance enhancing drugs and we haven’t seen him in the octogon since.
Both fighters are extremely creative and accurate standing up with multiple KO’s on their respective resumes with their hands and their feet. And they know each other as well as they used to train together. The unknown in all of this is TJ Dillishaw and what type of fighter he is going to be after a 2-year layoff and how much of his performances were the EPO’s they found in his blood. Everytime TJ would step into the ring you knew it was going to be an exciting fight and it was probably not going the distance. Well, Corey Sandhagen is the younger, longer, cleaner version of what Dillishaw used to be. I expect them to feel each other out for the first minute or so and then all bets are off. I do not think this fight is going the distance.
Prediction: Sandhagen by TKO. If i had to pick a round I’d say 3rd or 4th. If you can bet this fight, bet a finish.
Phillips (-290) VS Paiva (+230)
Another Bantamwieght bout that was moved up to the Co-main features two top-15 ranked fighters in #14 Kyler Phillips and #12 Raulian Paiva. Phillips (9-1) is coming in as a heavy favorite in this one after coming off an impressive victory over Yadong Song. The company was trying to build up Song as another international star in the making and some people thought Phillips was way out of his depth against the contender. Kyler Phillips had other plans and controlled the 3-Round fight and won by decision. Thats 3 wins in a row now for Phillips after coming off an injury in 2019.
Raulian Paiva (20-3) is making his Bantamwieght debut after previously fighting in the 125 lbs Flyweight division where he wasn’t known as a knockout artist in the lower weight class and had problems making the weight so he’s moving up to 135 lbs. He is coming off of back to back wins in the Flywieght and will be looking to make a name in his new division. I just think the bigger stronger Phillips has the advantage on the feet and if Paiva looks to take it to the ground Phillips has the wrestling background as well.
Prediction: Phillips by decision
Minner (-150) VS Elkins (+130)
This is a battle of 2 veterans. One in Darrick Minner (26-11) only fighting for the 4th time in an UFC Octagon and the other in Darren Elkins (25-9) fighting in his 24th UFC fight. The story of this fight is going to be the conditioning of Minner, he comes out very fast and uses alot of his energy to try to finish the fight early. He has the power to put Elkins away if he connects early enough but he loses gas fast. I expect Elkins to weather the storm early and then take over once Minner is gassed. He’s not much of an underdog but I’d take the plus money.
Prediction: Elkins by decision
Maverick (-135) VS Barber (+115)
In my eyes this fight is a pickem. You have two young fighters that have similar story lines. Maycee Barber (8-2) was signed at 20 years old and Dana White was promoting the shit out her as the next up and comer woman fighter thats gonna knockout people out on her way up the rankings and to a title. And she won her first 3 fights and the company set her up with a much less athletic veteran in Roxanne Modafferi, that UFC fans know and love because she’s this nice nerdy fighter, as a stepping stone fight for the rising star. Modafferi was controlling the fight before Barber tore her ACL and couldn’t stand. Modafferi won the fight and the Barber hype train quieted down.
And when Barber started to struggle Miranda Maverick (9-2) wanted to prove that she was the young, powerful force the company should have noticed as a future contender. Maverick is the more well rounded fighter of the two who just needs more experience in the octagon rather than Barber who looks to have some more areas in her game she needs to sharpen up.
Prediction: Maverick by decision