UFC FN 173: Brunson vs. Shahbazyan

Date: Saturday, August 1
Main Card (ESPN+): 2:00 LP.net / 6pm PST / 9pm EST
Preliminary Card (ESPN+): 23:59 LP.net / 4pm PST / 7pm EST
Live Streams: http://crackstreams.com/mma/2/




Main Card (ESPN+)

Derek Brunson (20-7) vs. Edmen Shahbazyan (11-0) (Middleweight)
Joanne Calderwood (14-4) vs. Jennifer Maia (17-6-1) (Women's Flyweight)
Vicente Luque (18-7-1) vs. Randy Brown (12-3) (Welterweight)
Lando Vannata (11-4-2) vs. Bobby Green (25-10-1) (Lightweight)
Ed Herman (25-14) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (31-13) (Light Heavyweight)
Kevin Holland (17-5) vs. Trevin Giles (12-2) (Middleweight)

Preliminary Card (ESPN+)

Frankie Saenz (12-6) vs. Jonathan Martinez (11-3) (Bantamweight)
Johnny Munoz (10-0) vs. Nathan Maness (11-1) (Bantamweight)
Jamall Emmers (17-5) vs. Vince Cachero (7-2) (Featherweight)
Chris Gutierrez (15-4-1) vs. Cody Durden (11-2) (Bantamweight)

Other

- Jennifer Maia and Viviane Araujo were supposed to fight each other, but Araujo was replaced by Joanne Calderwood on July 20.
- South Korean fighters Jun Yong Park and Da Ung Jun were expected to face Trevin Giles and Ed Herman at this event. However, Park and Jun were both removed from the bouts on July 23 due to alleged travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 23, Kevin Holland stepped in to face Giles, while Gerald Meerschaert stepped in to face Herman.
- Luke Sanders was expected to face Chris Gutierrez at the event. However, Sanders was removed from the bout in mid-July for undisclosed reasons and replaced by promotional newcomer Cody Durden on July 26.

First impression of the match-ups:

• Shahbazyan > Brunson
• Calderwood > Maia
• Luque > Brown
• Vannata > Green
• Holland > Giles
• Saenz > Martinez
• Herman > Meerschaert
• Borg > Maness
• Perez > Spicely
• Emmers vs. Valiev (dunno)
• Gutierrez > Durden

Curious on your take on Saenz.

Agree with your pick on the other old guy Herman tho. Meerschaert just got somewhat KO'd less than a couple of months ago and shouldn't be fighting atm.

Valiev feels like he's gonna go Fiziev on Emmers... Dunno.

And I'm leaning Green on Vannata rematch.

Parlayed Borg and Holland.

UFC events in Las Vegas during the pandemic are all held in the UFC APEX center, which uses the small cage.

Wrestlers are favored in a small cage because there is less room for strikers to move, and it's easier for wrestlers to do what they want to do.

Two strikers = more action = more possibility of ending ITD.

^ What do you think of the under 2.5 for Saenz vs Martinez and Durden vs Gutierrez both at +170?

On July 30 2020 08:42 captainhook wrote: ^ What do you think of the under 2.5 for Saenz vs Martinez and Durden vs Gutierrez both at +170?

Saenz has a bad chin. If he doesn't get TKO`ed, then it will go to a decision most of the time. Martinez TKO/KO +235 is the most likely outcome if the fight ends ITD.

Durden is making his UFC debut, and I haven't seen him fight before. If Gutierrez doesn't do a lot of damage with leg kicks like he did in his last fight, then this will likely go to a decision. Gutierrez is known for getting finishes via leg kicks, or setting up a finish with leg kicks, but I don't know if Durden can handle leg kicks or not.

Valiev out.

Looks like Martinez had a botched weight cut. Following you on Saenz.

And Calderwood, what do think of her weigh in and face off? She looked like she didn't want to be there.

Derek Brunson (186) vs. Edmen Shahbazyan (185.5)
Joanne Calderwood (126) vs. Jennifer Maia (124.5)
Vicente Luque (170.5) vs. Randy Brown (170.5)
Lando Vannata (155) vs. Bobby Green (156)
Kevin Holland (184) vs. Trevin Giles (185)
Frankie Saenz (136) vs. Jonathan Martinez (140.5)*
Ed Herman (206) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (204,5)
Johnny Munoz (145.5) vs. Nathan Maness (144.5)**
Markus Perez (194.5) vs. Charlie Ontiveros***
Chris Gutierrez (135.5) vs. Cody Durden (135.5)
Jamall Emmers (146) vs. Vincent Cachero (145)****


*Jonathan Martinez misses weight by 4.5 lbs.

**Ray Borg was withdrawn from his bout versus Nathan Maness for undisclosed reasons. Johnny Munoz is his replacement.

***Eric Spicely was withdrawn from his bout versus Markus Perez for undisclosed reasons. Charlie Ontiveros was announced as his replacement. Markus Perez agreed to a 195 lb catchweight bout with Ontiveros. Ontiveros was prohibited from weighing by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The proposed bout between Perez and Ontiveros has been canceled.

****Timur Valiev was withdrawn from his bout versus Janall Emmers for undisclosed reasons. Vincent Cachero is his replacement.

The first fight on the card starts at 4pm PT / 7pm ET.

----------

My final picks:

• Shahbazyan > Brunson
• Calderwood > Maia
• Luque > Brown
• Vannata > Green
• Holland > Giles
• Martinez > Saenz
• Herman > Meerschaert
• Munoz vs. Maness (dunno)
• Emmers > Cachero
• Gutierrez > Durden

Ugh.

$15 on Martinez/Saenz ITD +115 live bet.

Giles feinted in the backroom. Fight against Holland is canceled...

What a terrible card.

I also added $24 for $20 on Green -140 live bet after R1.

He was -285 after R2, which was too expensive for me.

Cashed on Green. Bet on Luque -188.

R1: Luque (Brown grabbed the fence to save himself from getting knocked down, which cost us10 points on DraftKings...)

Clean and legal shot from Vicente Luque.

Nice win.

I'm done for the night. Just can't get myself to pull the trigger on either girls. Pretend bet on Maia. Lol.