After some headlining and co-headlining fights were announced yesterday for upcoming UFC pay-per-views, it’s time to start filling out the rest of the card. Here are the bouts announced over the past 24 hours: Andre Fili vs. Clay Collard, UFC 191 After both coming off of tough losses, featherweights Andre Fili and Clay Collard will be looking to rebound on the UFC 191 preliminary card. Fili has had more success thus far on the UFC roster than Collard and has faced better opposition overall. I would expect to see him open as a decent favorite and pick up a win here unless he can’t handle the high volume Collard likes to throw. Collard doesn’t seem to have enough of a submission game to take advantage of Fili’s biggest weakness (BJJ defense). Joe Riggs vs. Ron Stallings, UFC 191 Joe Riggs will be moving up to the middleweight division after returning to the UFC as a welterweight. Opponent Ron Stallings just earned his first UFC victory over Justin Jones this past April and will be looking to build a bit of momentum in the weight class. Riggs is a savvy vet but he’ll be giving up a bit of size against Stallings, who is a pretty well-rounded fighter overall. This fight could open at about a pick’em with a slight lean towards Stallings. Norman Parke vs Reza Madadi, UFC Fight Night 77 Reza Madadi makes his return to the UFC after being released from the promotion due to an arrest for theft in 2013. He served 18 months in prison and was picked back up by the promotion after serving his time. His most recent fight was an April 2013 submission victory over current top 10 lightweight Michael Johnson. He’ll have a chance to redeem himself against TUF: Smashes winner Norman Parke at the upcoming UFC Dublin event. Parke was unbeaten in the UFC after his first five fights, but has come back to Earth, losing two straight to tough Brazilian veterans Gleison Tibau and Francisco Trinaldo. Despite the two-loss skid, Parke should be the favorite here as he’s more durable, younger and has been much more active than Madadi. Rashid Magomedov vs. Gilbert Burns, UFC Fight Night 78 Two of the best up-and-coming fighters in the UFC lightweight division will clash as Russian Rashid Magomedov battles top Brazilian grappler Gilbert Burns. Both men are currently 3-0 in the UFC and a victory here would likely propel the winner into top 15 status in the division. Magomedov has looked better and better each time we’ve seen him compete, while Burns was seriously tested by Alex Oliveira in his last fight, where he had to come back in the third round and pick up a late submission to seal the win. Despite Burns’ recent less than stellar performance, I would expect him to open as the betting favorite due to the hype behind his training at the Blackzilians gym as well as his incredible skills on the ground.
