Seven months into the year and the UFC’s calendar continues to fill up. Here are my thoughts on some recently booked match-ups… Fight: Marcus Brimage vs Jimmie Rivera Card: UFC Fight Night 72 Where: Glasgow, Scotland When: July 18, 2015 Thoughts: Nearly seven years on the regional circuit, amassing a professional mixed martial arts record of 16-1 (including 7-0 with Bellator, WSOF and King of the Cage) and riding an impressive 15-fight winning streak, 26-year old New Jersey native Jimmie “El Terror” Rivera has finally earned the call from Sean Shelby and the UFC. His first shot with the promotion came with Season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter reality television series, where he competed against eventual finalist Dennis Bermudez in the bout to get into the TUF house. After getting the better of Bermudez in the first frame and nearly finishing him via T/KO, he ran out of gas and went on to lose the contest via T/KO himself in the second. I think Brimage is a tough fight for him in his promotional debut, but I believe he will show up to fight and as the saying goes, leave it all inside the Octagon. Rivera owns victories over Willie Gates, Claudio Ledesma, Jared Papazian and Carson Beebe, respectively. His first round, 0:16 T/KO of Beebe earned him a shot in the big show and I look forward to his Octagon debut, as I have been following this bantamweights career for years. Fight: Chris Camozzi vs Tom Watson Card: UFC Fight Night 73 Where: Nashville, TN When: August 8, 2015 Thoughts: This should very well be a “loser goes home” match-up for both middleweights who have not had much luck inside the Octagon as of late, having lost a combined nine out of 11 of their last UFC bouts. Neither fighter has looked good or shown improvement in a long time. In my eyes, they are practically the same fighter, posessing the same strengths and witnesses. I think Joe Silva realizes that too and made this match-up to say that there is room for only one of them in this promotion. Loser. Goes. Home. On the other hand, the bright-side, glass half full, it’s possible that they could produce a very entertaining ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus earning scrap that saves the loser his job. The reason that is very possible is because (as I already said) they are practically the same fighter; neither will look to grapple, they will both look to stand and trade, likely spending plenty of time exchanging position inside the clinch. This will be a war on the feet, and if it doesn’t end early, I wouldn’t be surprised if 185-pounders return home with their spots secured on the promotion’s middleweight roster. Fight: Urijah Hall vs Joe Riggs Card: UFC Fight Night 73 Where: Nashville, TN When: August 8, 2015 Thoughts: Hall just dropped a split decision to Rafael Natal at UFC 187 just a few weeks ago and it has clearly left a very bad taste in his mouth. He has opted to make the move down to the welterweight division combined with an immediate return to action. He makes the move after having a three fight winning streak snapped by the Brazilian veteran Natal, and he will be taking on veteran in Riggs when he next enters the Octagon. Riggs is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Patrick Cote and is now 0-2 in his second stint with the promotion, including a strange loss to Ben Saunders which came less than a minute into the bout. He scored a takedown, got a cramp in his neck and tapped because he was afraid it might be something serious. Better safe than sorry, and 0-2 is pretty sorry. A loss to Hall here could send him packing. This is certainly a big fight for both fighters. Fight: Shane Campbell vs Elias Silverio Card: UFC Fight Night 74 Where: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada When: August 23, 2015 Thoughts: Campbell’s lack of striking defense cost him in his promotional debut against John Makdessi, as he was knocked out in the very first round of action, having a three fight winning streak snapped in the process. He will look to get back on track next month when he takes on Silverio, who himself is coming off a T/KO defeat. The Brazilian’s loss came against lightweight prospect Rashid Magomedov with only three seconds remaining in the third and final stanza, marking the first official loss of his professional mixed martial arts career. Losses in their rear-view, both 155-pounders will be eager to get back in the win column in this potential ‘Fight of the Night’ candidate. Fight: Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto vs Matt Hobar Card: UFC Fight Night 76 Where: Saitama, Japan When: September 27, 2015 Thoughts: This is a bantamweight match-up I am not so crazy about. It does not make too much sense to me, and the reason for that may be because I am somewhat blindsided by the fact that I personally do not want to see them fight each other. I could think of several match-ups for both 135-pounders that would have my interest; this is not one of them.
