Four new UFC matchups were recently announced by the promotion to take place at fall events, and for today’s MMA Odds and Ends I’ll give my thoughts on both. Chris Beal vs. Tateki Matsuda, UFC Fight Night 50 Chris Beal has a new opponent for UFC Fight Night 50, as Dustin Kimura was forced to pull out of the event and was replaced by Tateki Matsuda, who will take on Beal on September 5 in Ledyard, Connecticut. Beal is one of the most explosive strikers in the division while Matsuda couldn’t cut it on TUF 14 back in the day and hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire since then. Look for Beal to open as a big favorite in this one as he looks to keep his win streak going. Akira Corassani vs. Max Holloway, UFC Fight Night 53 After Chan Sung Jung pulled out of his fight against Akira Corassani, the UFC called upon Max Holloway to take on Corassani in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 53, which takes place Oct. 4 in Stockholm, Sweden. Holloway is only 22 years old and is now 6-3 in the UFC after his latest win over Clay Collard at UFC Fight Night 49, while Corassani has been maddeningly inconsistent ever since he started with the promotion back at TUF 14. I think Holloway will use his length and reach to smash Corassani and take home the win, and I expect him to be a big favorite heading into the bout. Louis Gaudinot vs. Patrick Holohan, UFC Fight Night 54 A flyweight bout between Louis Gaudinot and Patrick Holohan was added to UFC Fight Night 54, which will take place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on Oct. 4. Gaudinot hasn’t fought since a win over Phil Harris was turned into a No Contest earlier this year after Gaudinot tested positive for a banned substance, while Holohan will be looking to build on the strength of his UFC debut victory over Josh Sampo back at UFC Fight Night 46. Holohan is one of the biggest 125ers in the UFC while Gaudinot is one of the smallest, and I think Holohan will use that size to his advantage in this one and pick up the victory. Augusto Montano vs. Hector Urbina, UFC 180 And finally, a welterweight bout between Augusto Montao and Hector Urbina was added to UFC 180 November 15 in Mexico City, Mexico. Montano is considered one of the best Mexican prospects in MMA and wasn’t forced to appeared on TUF Latin American to secure his UFC roster spot, while Urbina didn’t make it through the TUF 19 season as a winner. I don’t see why the UFC would make a fight for Montano that they think he could lose, so look for Montano be a decent-sized favorite in this fight and pick up his first UFC victory.
