The UFC is back with another massive line-up and event coming to you this Saturday live from Singapore. UFC Fight Night 161 was packed full of surprises and top-notch action. This UFC event is shaping up to be plenty more of the same.
The Main Event at the Amalie Arena, Tampa Bay Florida, saw two of the best women fighters in the UFC face-off with Polish star Joanna Jedrzejczyk taking the victory after a brutal battle lasting five rounds. Cub Swanson was the victor in the Co-main event. He beat Kron Gracie by decision after three rounds of breakneck UFC fighting.
Let’s turn our attention to what’s to come this weekend. We have selected three of the fights from this crammed bill, and it wasn’t an easy choice to make. The first battle is, of course, the Main Event of the evening. Welterweight Demian Maia will take on American Ben Askren.
Next up on our focus list this time is the Co-Main event, which will be between Michael Johnson and Stevie Ray. The final bout we have selected is Frank Camacho in a lightweight matchup with Beneil Dariush. Let’s get to it right now.
Main Event: Ben Askren (-185) vs. Demian Maia (+160)
Ben Askren arrived into the UFC with a perfect record, having never lost a competitive MMA contest. That all changed last time out when he met UFC legend Jorge Masvidal. Askren’s path to a title shot went up in smoke for the time being after the fastest KO in UFC history coming in the form of Masvidal’s flying knee.
This bout is a fantastic chance for Ben to get back on track. His record of 19 wins and 1 defeat is about as good as it gets in the UFC.
Veteran and UFC legend Demian Maia has a fantastic ability to defy his aging years and continue to dominate the UFC lightweight division. He may be a little older than most in the UFC, but that experience has served him well in both of the last two outings, taking a win in both.
The Brazilian Jiu-jitsu ace will be battling against the wrestling background of his opponent. It will be fascinating to see which style and man come out on top. His record is strong in the UFC, although those 27 wins come alongside 9 defeats showing a slight vulnerability. The prize for Maia could be another shot at the title, and maybe the last of his career.
Prediction: Ben Askren may have to wait for the decision, but he is fantastic value for the win
Co-Main: Michael Johnson (-300) vs. Stevie Ray (+250)
Micheal Johnson is another veteran in the UFC, and after 19 wins and 14 losses to date, the 33-year-old still has everything to prove. The American is one of the most multi-faceted fighters in the whole of the UFC, but putting a run of wins together has always been a severe issue for him.
Even legend Tony Ferguson was once on the receiving end of what Johnson can do when it all clicks. He will be hoping it’s that kind of performance on Saturday when he faces Stevie May.
Scottish legend Stevie Ray comes into this fight needing to find some form too. He has lost three out of his last four appearances. Paul Felder knocked him out cold with a vicious elbow to the face. There was more disappointment for the Scot when he lost another close bout on points to Kajan Johnson.
He is undoubtedly more powerful than his opponent and will need to use that to his full advantage. Stevie Ray’s record to date includes 22 wins and 9 losses, and he will be looking to add the 23rd this Saturday.
Prediction: Michael Johnson is the hot favorite for this fight, and we predict he will take the win by KO in round 2
Our Pick: Beneil Dariush (-165) vs. Frank Camacho (+145)
Beneil Dariush is looking like the clear favorite in this bout. His odds seem to be of good value when you look at the level of his performances in the UFC. The problem he has is consistency. Whenever the Iranian-born American starts a promising run, he falls to an untimely defeat. His recent showings have been much more hopeful, and he won the last two fights he contested.
The problem is that it could mean it’s time for another shock defeat. We know Dariush can deliver more often than he has done, and his record of 16 wins and 4 losses speaks for itself. We will see which man turns up in Singapore.
Camacho is the 100 percent underdog in this battle. He will have to produce something special from his bag of tricks to get anything other than a beatdown out of it. The man from Guam had to step back a division after some devastating losses. He will be hoping that the lightweight division will give him something to shout about.
With a UFC record of 22 wins and 7 losses, the 30-year-old has everything to prove against his opponent of the same age. If he can get anywhere close to the level of his last fight, picking up the 17th KO of his career against Nick Hein, he could cause an upset. Only time will tell; this will be a serious fight.
Prediction: This one is a tough matchup to call, it looks like Dariush will take the victory by decision
The Verdict
That’s all the news and MMA predictions for this weekends UFC Fight Night 162 in Singapore. You don’t want to miss out on any of the bouts coming up this Saturday. Whether you decide to wager some of your hard-earned dollars or like to watch the UFC for all the action on offer, you are in for a treat with everything there is on the lineup this time out. Join us again for more UFC news and predictions; we will be back with more very soon.
