The UFC has continued to book additional matchups to upcomng fight cards. Here are some of the latest fight bookings from the world’s top MMA promotions:
Mairbeck Taisumov vs. Evan Dunham, UFC 223
A lightweight bout between Maribeck Tasiumov and Evan Dunham is going down at UFC 223, which takes place April 7 in Brooklyn, NY. Taisumov is coming off of five-straight TKO wins but has had a hard time securing a visa to fight in the United States until now. Dunham, meanwhile, is coming off of a draw against Beneil Dariush though he’s undefeated over his last five outings. As tough as Dunham is, Taisumov is just a killer and I’d expect him to be a heavy favorite to win this fight.
Dan Hooker vs. Jim Miller, UFC Fight Night 128
A lightweight bout pits Dan Hooker against Jim Miller, and it will take place at UFC Fight Night 128 which goes down April 21 in Atlantic City, NJ. Hooker has won both his fights at 155 since moving up in weight class — both by finish — while Miller is currently on a three-fight losing streak. Hooker is the younger fighter and has way more momentum, and I fully expect bettors to favor him in this fight.
Ryan LaFlare vs. Alex Garcia, UFC Fight Night 128
Also at UFC Fight Night 128 is a welterweight matchup between Ryan LaFlare and Alex Garcia, as reported by Mark LaMonica of Newsday. LaFlare is coming off of a devastating KO loss to Alex Oliveira and he still hasn’t collected a win by finish despite having fought in the UFC for five years. Garcia, meanwhile, is coming off of a submission win over Muslim Salikhov. This is a pretty competitive fight on paper, though I’d have to slightly lean towards LaFlare right now due to his wrestling.
Jack Hermansson vs. Thales Leities, UFC 224
And finally, an intriguing middleweight matchup between Jack Hermansson and Thales Leites has been set for UFC 224, which takes place May 12 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Combate broke the news. Hermansson is coming off of a TKO loss to Thiago Santos but has overall been impressive in the UFC with a 3-2 record. Leites is coming off of a decision loss to Brad Tavares and is just 2-4 in his last six bouts. Both guys are talented but flawed fighters, though I feel like Hermansson has more upside as the younger, more powerful fighter, and I’d favor him to win this fight despite it being in Brazil.
