MMA Event Breakdown: UFC Fight Night - Ribas vs. Namajunas
UFC Fight Night – Ribas vs. Namajunas
Another Saturday, another trip to Las Vegas for a fight night in the Apex Center. The next two weeks of UFC action will be headlined by women’s flyweights looking to stake their claim as contenders in the division. This week, Amanda Ribas and Rose Namajunas look to establish themselves as meaningful flyweights after doing the bulk of their best work in the UFC as strawweights. There are also compelling matchups between talented prospects throughout the card, so let’s begin our breakdown with an analysis of the main card.
Mohammed Usmanvs. Mick Parkin
Fight Odds: +120 Usman vs. -140 Parkin
Weight Class: 265lb. (Heavyweight)
Mohammed Usman has been producing in his role as a UFC underdog, but that train may leave the station in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Mick Parkin is a training partner of UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall, and he appears to have a well-rounded, diverse set of tools for competing at the UFC level. He is still a bit raw in his approach, but he can attempt body lock takedowns, cage push in the clinch, strike multiple levels of the body from distance, and use his speed to make heavyweights miss.
Usman has KO power in his hands, and he has improved his poise inside the cage, but he is still there to be hit frequently, his grappling footage leaves a lot to be desired, and he looked to be much smaller at the face off. Usman has the tools to compete and win this fight, but I thought he was fortunate to beat Chase Sherman, and he benefited from an extended break due to an eye poke. Usman appears to be a cardio liability, a chin liability, and a submissions liability, and I can’t trust that at a short dog price.
Prediction: Mick Parkin defeats Mohammad Usman via Stoppage in Rd.1/2