UFC 239: Jones vs. Santos · Jul 06, 2019 · Welterweight · Completed
Prev Fight UFC 239: Jones vs. Santos Next Fight
Age 38
Height 6' 1"
Reach 75.0"
Weight 170 lbs.
Stance Southpaw
Age 44
Height 5' 10"
Reach 72.0"
Weight 170 lbs.
Stance Southpaw
Career Averages - Michael Chiesa
2.02 SLpM
40.0% Str. Acc.
1.73 SApM
57.0% Str. Def.
3.11 TD Avg
47.0% TD Acc.
65.0% TD Def.
1.0 Sub. Avg
Career Averages - Diego Sanchez
2.69 SLpM
37.0% Str. Acc.
3.02 SApM
56.0% Str. Def.
1.51 TD Avg
24.0% TD Acc.
46.0% TD Def.
0.8 Sub. Avg
Michael Chiesa - Fight History
WIN vs Niko Price
Submission R1 1:03 · UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Pyfer · Mar 28, 2026
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Michael Chiesa 0 0 of 1 0% 0 of 1 1 of 2 50% 1 0 0:23
Niko Price 0 1 of 3 33% 1 of 3 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:08
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Michael Chiesa 0 0 of 1 0% 0 of 1 1 of 2 50% 1 0 0:23
Niko Price 0 1 of 3 33% 1 of 3 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:08
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Michael Chiesa 0 of 1 0% 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0
Niko Price 1 of 3 33% 0 of 2 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 2 1 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Michael Chiesa 0 of 1 0% 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0
Niko Price 1 of 3 33% 0 of 2 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 2 1 of 1 0 of 0
BI
Big Brady Expert
Mar 23, 2026 (5 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

Big Brady picks Michael Chiesa to win by first-round submission. He is very confident, noting Niko Price's recent brutal knockout losses and decline. He believes Price has taken too much damage and Chiesa's grappling will be overwhelming. He expects Chiesa to take Price down and submit him easily, comparing it to a hot knife through butter.

Chiesa by submission round 1
"I think Michael Chiesa goes out there. I think he takes down Niko Price, and I think he runs through him like a hot knife through butter."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert
Mar 26, 2026 (2 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

Connor states that at any point in their careers, Michael Chiesa would have beaten Niko Price. He notes that Price is a booty call fighter who hasn't been training, has been brutally finished in his last two fights, and is slower than ever. Chiesa has a great chin, has never been knocked out, and can control the fight and take it to a realm where Price is not dangerous.

Odds: Chiesa opened -500, now -600; Price opened +375, now +425.
"I think Michael Kiesa would have beaten Nico Price at every single point."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert
Mar 24, 2026 (4 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

Daniel sees Chiesa as a level above Price historically, and expects him to use his physicality to secure a submission win in his retirement fight. He notes Price's decline and Chiesa's ability to drop opponents.

"I think that Chiesa's going to be able to use that physicality, backpack Niko Price, come out here and probably get a rear naked choke."
DI
Diary of a Pro Gambler Expert
Mar 28, 2026 (fight day) Confident Michael Chiesa

The host is extremely confident Chiesa will win, calling it a great stylistic matchup. Price has poor takedown defense and ground game, while Chiesa is a high-level grappler. Even with Chiesa's cardio issues, he should easily take Price down and submit him. However, the host does not bet the moneyline due to the steep price (-834) and instead prefers the under 2.5 rounds prop.

Bets under 2.5 rounds as a better alternative to moneyline.
"I think it's quite likely Chiesa will take Price down and submit him pretty quickly."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert
Mar 24, 2026 (4 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

The host sees this as a favorable matchup for Chiesa, who should be able to take Price down and submit him. He notes Price's recent durability issues and Chiesa's grappling prowess. He expects a submission win, likely by rear-naked choke, and doesn't mind parlaying Chiesa at the heavy odds.

submission, parlay piece
"I don't mind parlaying Kiesta at this number. Uh I know he's at the end of his career, this is his retirement fight, but Nico Price at this point in time is a layup fight for him to get a big win in front of a home state crowd."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert
Mar 27, 2026 (1 day before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

The MMA Guru picks Michael Chiesa, citing his grappling and size advantage. He believes Chiesa's experience and strength will allow him to control the fight, though he notes Chiesa's chin is suspect. He thinks Nico Price's best days are behind him and that Price has been taking damage recently. He even suggests a possible Chiesa KO on the feet.

"I think Kasa wins this with his grappling, dude."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert
Mar 26, 2026 (2 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

Zane agrees that Chiesa is a clear favorite, noting that Price is a booty call fighter who hasn't been training and has been brutally finished recently. He mentions that Chiesa's retirement helped him recollect himself, and he's been looking composed and collected. He also notes that Price's power is less present and his wild grappling won't serve him here.

Odds: Chiesa opened -500, now -600; Price opened +375, now +425.
"Not a close booking at this point price is looking slower than ever."
WIN vs Court McGee
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Usman vs. Buckley · Jun 14, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Michael Chiesa 0 72 of 160 45% 81 of 169 0 of 2 0% 0 0 1:32
Court McGee 0 39 of 145 26% 51 of 158 0 of 6 0% 0 0 0:45
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Michael Chiesa 0 15 of 45 33% 15 of 45 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Court McGee 0 10 of 41 24% 11 of 42 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Michael Chiesa 0 24 of 57 42% 25 of 58 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:21
Court McGee 0 17 of 58 29% 20 of 62 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:00
3 Michael Chiesa 0 33 of 58 56% 41 of 66 0 of 2 0% 0 0 1:11
Court McGee 0 12 of 46 26% 20 of 54 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:45
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Michael Chiesa 72 of 160 45% 47 of 128 25 of 32 0 of 0 52 of 132 20 of 28 0 of 0
Court McGee 39 of 145 26% 9 of 95 16 of 29 14 of 21 36 of 140 3 of 5 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Michael Chiesa 15 of 45 33% 15 of 41 0 of 4 0 of 0 15 of 43 0 of 2 0 of 0
Court McGee 10 of 41 24% 2 of 27 6 of 9 2 of 5 9 of 39 1 of 2 0 of 0
2 Michael Chiesa 24 of 57 42% 20 of 53 4 of 4 0 of 0 21 of 53 3 of 4 0 of 0
Court McGee 17 of 58 29% 4 of 39 4 of 9 9 of 10 16 of 56 1 of 2 0 of 0
3 Michael Chiesa 33 of 58 56% 12 of 34 21 of 24 0 of 0 16 of 36 17 of 22 0 of 0
Court McGee 12 of 46 26% 3 of 29 6 of 11 3 of 6 11 of 45 1 of 1 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert
Jun 8, 2025 (6 days before fight) Lean Court McGee

Angelo leans Court McGee because he is all-in on fighting while Chiesa has outside distractions. He notes that McGee looked great in his last fight and is durable. He believes whoever gets the first takedown wins, and McGee is strong enough to avoid submissions.

plus three and a half
"I'm going to go out on a limb and I'm going to pick him here."
BI
Big Brady Expert
Jun 10, 2025 (4 days before fight) Hesitant Michael Chiesa

Big Brady picks Michael Chiesa by decision but is hesitant, noting that Court McGee has great takedown defense and has fought tough grapplers. He believes Chiesa has a little left in the tank while McGee is older and has been knocked out recently. He expects a competitive fight despite the wide line.

"I'm going to go Kesa here to win by decision but I just feel like it could be a little bit more competitive than the massive favorite line does indicate."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert
Jun 13, 2025 (1 day before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

Connor believes Chiesa is a much higher-level fighter than McGee, with more dynamic offense and a variety of ways to finish. He expects Chiesa to use his speed and size advantage to outscramble McGee, despite Chiesa's susceptibility to submissions. Connor notes that McGee's submission threat is low, as he hasn't submitted anyone since 2010.

"I expect that he will just be physically overpowering and obviously faster and bigger than court McGee."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert
Jun 13, 2025 (1 day before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

The Guru picks Michael Chiesa by submission, noting Chiesa has been given favorable matchups recently (Tony Ferguson, Max Griffin). He expects Chiesa to take McGee down and get a submission in the first or second round, citing McGee's age (mid-40s) and Chiesa's back-take game.

Michael Chiesa by submission, round 1 or 2
"I'm going to take Michael Kasa to win this fight by submission. Um, I don't know who Michael Kasa has been nice to behind the scenes in the UFC to be getting all of these types of matchups when it comes to Max Griffin and now Court McGee as well."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert
Jun 13, 2025 (1 day before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

Zane agrees that Chiesa should win, citing that Chiesa has beaten a much higher level of opponent throughout his career. He notes that McGee is a slow, loopy striker who can be outwrestled by a faster, more dynamic fighter like Chiesa. Zane thinks Chiesa's wrestling and scrambling will be key.

"It's just, he's beat a higher level of opponent his whole career."
WIN vs Max Griffin
Submission (rear-naked choke) R3 1:56 · UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura · Dec 07, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Michael Chiesa 0 13 of 39 33% 54 of 87 2 of 8 25% 1 0 3:48
Max Griffin 0 10 of 34 29% 18 of 43 0 of 1 0% 0 0 1:19
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Michael Chiesa 0 6 of 17 35% 12 of 25 1 of 4 25% 0 0 1:35
Max Griffin 0 3 of 15 20% 5 of 17 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Michael Chiesa 0 5 of 16 31% 38 of 54 0 of 3 0% 0 0 1:20
Max Griffin 0 5 of 11 45% 11 of 18 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:19
3 Michael Chiesa 0 2 of 6 33% 4 of 8 1 of 1 100% 1 0 0:53
Max Griffin 0 2 of 8 25% 2 of 8 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Michael Chiesa 13 of 39 33% 11 of 33 2 of 6 0 of 0 9 of 29 4 of 10 0 of 0
Max Griffin 10 of 34 29% 9 of 33 1 of 1 0 of 0 10 of 30 0 of 4 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Michael Chiesa 6 of 17 35% 4 of 13 2 of 4 0 of 0 4 of 15 2 of 2 0 of 0
Max Griffin 3 of 15 20% 3 of 15 0 of 0 0 of 0 3 of 14 0 of 1 0 of 0
2 Michael Chiesa 5 of 16 31% 5 of 14 0 of 2 0 of 0 3 of 11 2 of 5 0 of 0
Max Griffin 5 of 11 45% 4 of 10 1 of 1 0 of 0 5 of 10 0 of 1 0 of 0
3 Michael Chiesa 2 of 6 33% 2 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 3 0 of 3 0 of 0
Max Griffin 2 of 8 25% 2 of 8 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 6 0 of 2 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Michael Chiesa vs. Max Griffin
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Griffin (-125), Chiesa (+105)

Round 1
It’s a quintessential grappler vs. striker matchup to hold serve in the welterweight division, as two aging vets look to show the matchmakers they still have plenty to offer even as losses have piled up of late. Birthday boy Chiesa (17-7, 12-7 UFC) snapped a career-long skid by tapping Tony Ferguson in August, while Griffin (20-10, 8-8 UFC) has alternated wins and losses in his last five. Referee Marc Goddard will take charge of the Octagon for the next three rounds or fewer, and he kicks the fight off as the 170ers opt not to bump fists. Chiesa strafes around the cage, not letting himself slow down so that Griffin can cut him off. Griffin walks him down, but he is unable to corner him early. Chiesa keeps his front hand open to engage with grappling instead of throwing it, and he hand-fights Griffin’s lead hand in the other stance. Chiesa punches his way into a takedown attempt, clipping Griffin with a left before dragging him to a knee. Griffin leans himself against the cage, and “Maverick” glides behind him. Chiesa slithers a hook in to tangle Griffin up, and Griffin stands up. Chiesa gets the other hook in from behind and he wraps his legs together to hang on as a mean-spirited backpack. Griffin wriggles his foe off of him and separates, resetting at striking range. Chiesa bounces and keeps moving, whipping a high kick that slaps off the raised guard. Griffin catches Chiesa in the midst of an exchange, and Chiesa’s counter is so wild he nearly swings himself down to the ground. Griffin lets him recover so he can stick him with a right hand, and Chiesa’s reaction is uncomfortable as he is momentarily stunned. Griffin loads up on power strikes, drawing some swelling beneath Chiesa’s left eye. Chiesa connects with a big left, takes a takedown and drives a knee into the chest. Griffin shakes it off and tags his foe with a right hand, and Chiesa nods at the blow and shoots for a takedown. Griffin hits the ground and scrambles wildly to explode to his feet. Chiesa wrenches him back down to the mat, and he wraps a body triangle around the waist and smacks Griffin in the back and sides of the head until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa

Round 2
Chiesa starts off the round fresh as a daisy, springing back and forth and picking his shots from the outside. Griffin’s counters hit nothing but air, and Chiesa punches his way into a takedown that is stonewalled. Griffin darts in with a right hand, and on the way out, Chiesa lands his own punch. Griffin whiffs when Chiesa ducks down on a takedown, and two more failed shots from Chiesa lead to a tie-up against the fence. Griffin wants nothing to do with this, exploding out of the clinch so he can continue stalking Chiesa down. Griffin comes up short on power strikes, with Chiesa escaping out the back door and surprising “Pain” with a head kick. Griffin ties him up and pushes the TUF champ against the wall. Griffin grinds his foe against the fencing, getting a knee in as he imposes his weight. Goddard asks for more activity, and Chiesa is the one who answers, changing levels for a takedown shot. Before it goes anywhere, Griffin twists him around, and he eventually works his way out. Chiesa ducks a left hand to try to take the fight down, and he surprises the older fighter with a sudden flurry of uppercuts and short punches that get Griffin’s attention. Chiesa’s momentum drives him into a clinch, and he wraps his left leg around Griffin’s so he can try to wrench him down. Chiesa partially takes the back while the two remain standing, and he works on Griffin with stay-busy strikes until Griffin turns around. The round ends with a Chiesa knee to the body.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa

Round 3
Griffin comes out of his corner ready to throw hands, and he marches Chiesa down and tries to cut him off. Chiesa keeps moving, constantly going from side to side. As he swipes out a left hand, he shrugs after landing it. Griffin catches him with a right hand, and Chiesa retaliates and pursues a takedown. Griffin stonewalls him and pushes him aside, and he eats a right hand on the way out. As Griffin loads up, Chiesa trips him out with a single-leg takedown and takes his back. One hook in leads to two, and Chiesa hangs onto the back of “Pain” and fishes for an opening. Chiesa wraps up the rear-naked choke, and Griffin pushes off the fence to get just enough space in the grip to keep himself in the fight.
Chiesa refastens his choke and is primarily using his right arm to get it done, and as Griffin turns to his stomach, he enters the Danger Zone. Chiesa wrenches on the rear-naked choke with his other arm with sheer power and determination, and Griffin has no choice but to tap out before going out.
As Chiesa releases the sub, he walks off to celebrate. His legion of fans in the building start singing him “Happy Birthday,” and he dedicates his victory to recently deceased UFC staff member Derek Thompson.

The Official Result
Michael Chiesa def. Max Griffin R3 1:56 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert
Nov 30, 2024 (7 days before fight) Hesitant Michael Chiesa

Angelo picks Michael Chiesa as an underdog, believing Chiesa can use his grappling to neutralize Max Griffin's power. He notes Chiesa's improved fight IQ from coaching and analysis work. However, he acknowledges the fight is tricky and expects it to go the distance. He suggests possibly betting the spread (Chiesa +3.5) when props drop.

Maybe bet the spread (Chiesa +3.5), fight goes a little bit
"I'm going to pick Michael Kessa to win this fight"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert
Dec 6, 2024 (1 day before fight) Hesitant Michael Chiesa

Connor picks Chiesa, arguing that Griffin lacks a defined game plan and often wanders out of fights. He notes that Chiesa is aggressive with his reach and clinch work, and that Griffin is not a submission threat, which is important because Chiesa has been submitted in most of his losses. Connor believes that if Chiesa pressures and forces clinches, Griffin will not have an answer.

"I think i'm gonna take michael kiesa."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert
Dec 6, 2024 (1 day before fight) Lean Max Griffin

This is a fight between two flaky fighters, but I lean with Griffin's activity as of late. His ability to keep the fight standing and out-strike Chiesa on the feet will allow him to win on the scorecards.

"I do have to to lean with Griffin's activity as of late as I do think his ability to keep this fight standing and badrick K on the feet will allow him to win this fight on the scor cards"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert
Dec 3, 2024 (4 days before fight) Hesitant Michael Chiesa

The MMA Guru picks Michael Chiesa, though he calls it tricky. He believes Chiesa's grappling will be the difference, as Griffin has historically struggled with grapplers (citing Colby Covington fight). He thinks Griffin lacks the dynamic striking to finish Chiesa early, and trusts Chiesa to grind out a 29-28 decision.

"I'm gonna go with Michael ker I'm gonna go with Michael ker getting this one done I think his grappling is going to be the difference"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert
Dec 6, 2024 (1 day before fight) Hesitant Max Griffin

Zane picks Griffin, noting that Griffin is a good athlete who has shown he can mimic game plans, as he did against Mike Perry. He points out that Chiesa has been submitted in almost every loss, and while Griffin is not a submission specialist, he might catch Chiesa in a guillotine. Zane also mentions that Griffin has been competitive with tough opponents and that Chiesa's recent losses have been to high-level grapplers.

"I think i'll take max griffin."
WIN vs Tony Ferguson
Submission (rear-naked choke) R1 3:44 · UFC on ABC: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov · Aug 03, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Michael Chiesa 0 10 of 18 55% 10 of 18 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Tony Ferguson 0 4 of 25 16% 4 of 25 1 of 1 100% 1 0 0:34
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Michael Chiesa 0 10 of 18 55% 10 of 18 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Tony Ferguson 0 4 of 25 16% 4 of 25 1 of 1 100% 1 0 0:34
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Michael Chiesa 10 of 18 55% 4 of 9 1 of 3 5 of 6 10 of 18 0 of 0 0 of 0
Tony Ferguson 4 of 25 16% 3 of 23 1 of 2 0 of 0 4 of 25 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Michael Chiesa 10 of 18 55% 4 of 9 1 of 3 5 of 6 10 of 18 0 of 0 0 of 0
Tony Ferguson 4 of 25 16% 3 of 23 1 of 2 0 of 0 4 of 25 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert
Jul 28, 2024 (6 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

Angelo is very confident in Chiesa, calling Ferguson's seven-fight losing streak and CTE concerns. He thinks Chiesa's takedowns and top pressure will be too much for the faded Ferguson, who hasn't looked good in years. He says Chiesa at -400 should be -1500.

"Michael Kessa is going to be the pick"
BI
Big Brady Expert
Aug 1, 2024 (2 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

Big Brady thinks this fight should not be sanctioned due to Ferguson's seven-fight skid and brutal losses. He notes Ferguson has been submitted by Bobby Green and Nate Diaz, and Chiesa has been submitted five times but has three d'arce choke losses. He predicts Chiesa will take Ferguson down and finish him by first-round submission, but also mentions a sprinkle on Ferguson by submission at +1400 as a prop.

Tony Ferguson by submission +1400; fight ends by submission
"I'm going Cas a first round sub don't mind the sprinkle on the Tony Ferguson sub don't mind the fight ends by sub"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert
Jul 30, 2024 (4 days before fight) Hesitant Tony Ferguson

Cody picks Tony Ferguson as a wild underdog, citing Chiesa's poor cardio, tendency to get submitted, and mental lapses. He notes that Ferguson has incredible durability and confidence, and that Chiesa has been submitted by lesser grapplers. Cody thinks Ferguson can win by volume or submission if Chiesa tires. He acknowledges it's a risky bet but feels the line is too wide.

"I honestly do feel my heart like it's it's closer than that and for that reason wild Underdog pick I think I'm gonna go with Tony Ferguson as well."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert
Jul 31, 2024 (3 days before fight) No clear pick

Daniel refuses to pick a winner in this fight. He considers Chiesa a bully who can't take adversity and is overpriced at -750, while Ferguson is a shell of his former self on a seven-fight losing streak. He calls it a pass and says he won't pick either fighter.

"I refuse to give a pick on this one I you will not catch me dead saying the pick is minus 750 Michael Kessa in a UFC fight"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert
Aug 1, 2024 (2 days before fight) Lean Michael Chiesa

Chiesa has the grappling to keep Ferguson on his back, but he has been submitted in five of seven losses. I lean Chiesa by decision, but would not tie -610 to any parlays. The value is on Ferguson by submission at +1200.

Ferguson by submission +1200; would not tie -610 to parlays
"I'm still going to lean on Kessa to win this matchup by decision but no way would I tie minus 600 to any parlays the value is clearly on the Ferguson side"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert
Jul 30, 2024 (4 days before fight) Hesitant Tony Ferguson

Paul picks Tony Ferguson, noting that Chiesa is a -700 favorite but has lost three straight and has cardio issues. He thinks Ferguson can win a volume-based decision or even submit Chiesa, who leaves his neck out. Paul acknowledges it's a 'plug your nose' bet but feels the plus money is worth a small play. He also mentions that Ferguson's confidence is unshaken despite the losing streak.

"I bet Tony Ferguson plus 500 and I'm expecting the worst but uh hoping for the best."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert
Jul 30, 2024 (4 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

The MMA Guru picks Michael Chiesa over Tony Ferguson, citing Ferguson's age (40) and inability to wrestle. He expects Chiesa to use his size and strength to take Ferguson down and submit him, possibly by arm triangle. He notes Ferguson's training at Knuckleheads Boxing is not improving his game. He predicts a first or second round submission.

submission, arm triangle, round 1-2
"I'm going with Michael ker I think he's too big too strong and he'll out wrestle Tony Ferguson"
LOSS vs Kevin Holland
Submission (brabo choke) R1 2:39 · UFC 291: Poirier vs. Gaethje 2 · Jul 29, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Kevin Holland 0 4 of 11 36% 6 of 13 0 of 5 0% 0 0 0:15
Michael Chiesa 0 9 of 16 56% 12 of 19 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:40
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Kevin Holland 0 4 of 11 36% 6 of 13 0 of 5 0% 0 0 0:15
Michael Chiesa 0 9 of 16 56% 12 of 19 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:40
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Kevin Holland 4 of 11 36% 4 of 11 0 of 0 0 of 0 3 of 7 1 of 4 0 of 0
Michael Chiesa 9 of 16 56% 7 of 14 2 of 2 0 of 0 4 of 9 4 of 5 1 of 2
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Kevin Holland 4 of 11 36% 4 of 11 0 of 0 0 of 0 3 of 7 1 of 4 0 of 0
Michael Chiesa 9 of 16 56% 7 of 14 2 of 2 0 of 0 4 of 9 4 of 5 1 of 2
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Holland
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Holland (-145), Chiesa (+125)

Round 1
It has been over 22 months since “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 15 victor Chiesa (16-6, 11-6 UFC) has graced the cage, due to injuries. In the same span of time, his foe Holland (24-9, 1 NC; 11-6, 1 NC UFC) has fought five times. Both 170ers celebrate 11 UFC wins, but Chiesa joined the UFC in 2012 while Holland picked up his first victory with the promotion in late 2018. This quintessential striker vs. grappler affair will be overseen by referee Marc Goddard, and it opens up as the athletes touch gloves. Holland takes to the center of the cage immediately, and he keeps a low stance perhaps to stave off an early takedown effort. Holland works his way towards his opponent, using his long arm to reach out. He catches Chiesa early with multiple right hands and uppercuts, and Chiesa bounces off the cage wall and defends himself. Holland presses forward, and they clash together chest to chest. Holland hurls Chiesa to the mat on his back with emphasis, and he climbs on top before realizing he would be better suited on the feet. Chiesa tags him with a pair of uppercuts on the way up, and Holland walks him down, unconcerned by the power coming back at him. Holland smiles as Chiesa tries to close the distance, and he fights off a single-leg entry from “Maverick.” Holland defends it and puts his leg down on the floor, and he turns Chiesa around on the fence and starts talking to him. Holland miraculously defends from a body lock takedown, backs off and drills Chiesa with a jump knee. Holland pushes Chiesa back and belts him with a knee and a right hand. Chiesa leans over, and he eats a solid knee right on the chin. Chiesa drops to his knees, and he shoots for a double. Holland sees this coming from a mile away, and he instantly slides one arm beneath the armpit and another around the neck to secure a brabo choke. Holland uses the maneuver to turn Chiesa to his back, and the choke is still locked in tight. Chiesa tries to buck and shift his weight to get out of the submission, but “Trailblazer” is pressed tightly to him and not about to let go. With nowhere left to go, Chiesa taps out, and has now been submitted by these types of chokes three times in his UFC tenure. Holland leaps out of the cage and high-fives anyone that is willing to engage him, including the entire commentary booth as well as Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell. Holland declares that he plans on relocating back to the middleweight division, but he looked sensational at 170 pounds against a very tough opponent.

The Official Result
Kevin Holland def. Michael Chiesa R1 2:39 via Submission (Brabo Choke)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert
Jul 23, 2023 (6 days before fight) Confident Kevin Holland

Angelo picks Kevin Holland, citing his accurate and powerful striking, and the fact that Chiesa has been away from fighting and focused on commentary. He acknowledges Holland's poor takedown defense but thinks Chiesa's takedowns are not elite and that Holland's length and BJJ will be a problem. He has a half-unit bet on Holland at -145.

half a unit at -145
"Kevin's the pick I do have a half a unit on him at minus 145 but obviously the freaking takedown defense is gonna stress me out but I still think Kevin Hollins gonna get it done."
BI
Big Brady Expert
Jul 24, 2023 (5 days before fight) Confident Kevin Holland

Big Brady picks Kevin Holland to win by second-round submission (club and sub). He argues that Holland's takedown defense issues were at middleweight, and at welterweight he should be more comfortable. He questions Chiesa's activity and focus, and notes Chiesa makes mistakes on the mat, having been submitted four times. He expects Holland to land a big shot or snatch a submission.

second round submission
"I'm going to say heaven Holland second round club and sub matchup"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert
Jul 26, 2023 (3 days before fight) Lean Michael Chiesa

Cody picks Chiesa by decision, noting Chiesa's style is kryptonite for Holland if he can get takedowns. He acknowledges Chiesa's layoff and injury concerns but believes at his best he can grind out a decision. He took the prop at +340, which he considered off-market. He is not fully convinced but sees value.

Chiesa by decision +340
"I took yeso by decision one of my books was hanging plus 3.99"
LU
Lucrative James Expert
Jul 25, 2023 (4 days before fight) Lean Michael Chiesa

James sees value on Chiesa as a dog, citing his clear grappling advantage over Holland, who struggles with takedown defense. He notes Chiesa will likely shoot multiple takedowns and control the fight on the ground. However, he also acknowledges Holland's knockout power and submission threat, making him hesitant to bet heavily.

"I do think there is some value on him I do think there's some value on him"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert
Jul 24, 2023 (5 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

Chiesa is a talented grappler who can close the distance and get the fight to the ground. Holland still has grappling issues and Chiesa will control him from top position. Holland's takedown defense improvements will be tested but I think Chiesa grinds out a decision. I'm going with Chiesa by decision.

"I'm going to go with kiesa here again this will be the fight where we see whether Kevin Holland has made the necessary improvements in his grappling defense to determine if he can break through to the next level I don't think so"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert
Jul 26, 2023 (3 days before fight) Lean Kevin Holland

Paul leans Holland, questioning whether Chiesa is still the same fighter after two years off and injuries. He notes Holland's BJJ black belt and improved wrestling with Johnny Hendricks. He thinks Holland can survive takedowns and win on the feet. However, he admits Chiesa's style is a threat and calls it a live betting situation.

"part of me wants to take the shot plus money Michael Kiesza Styles make fights"
LOSS vs Sean Brady
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Vieira vs. Tate · Nov 20, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Sean Brady 0 29 of 57 50% 71 of 107 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:53
Michael Chiesa 0 18 of 42 42% 51 of 80 5 of 8 62% 0 0 7:45
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Sean Brady 0 4 of 14 28% 4 of 15 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Michael Chiesa 0 10 of 19 52% 19 of 30 2 of 3 66% 0 0 1:43
2 Sean Brady 0 8 of 18 44% 29 of 43 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:14
Michael Chiesa 0 5 of 18 27% 18 of 32 1 of 3 33% 0 0 2:41
3 Sean Brady 0 17 of 25 68% 38 of 49 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:39
Michael Chiesa 0 3 of 5 60% 14 of 18 2 of 2 100% 0 0 3:21
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Sean Brady 29 of 57 50% 19 of 44 10 of 13 0 of 0 18 of 42 5 of 6 6 of 9
Michael Chiesa 18 of 42 42% 8 of 31 2 of 2 8 of 9 18 of 42 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Sean Brady 4 of 14 28% 2 of 12 2 of 2 0 of 0 4 of 14 0 of 0 0 of 0
Michael Chiesa 10 of 19 52% 3 of 11 0 of 0 7 of 8 10 of 19 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Sean Brady 8 of 18 44% 7 of 17 1 of 1 0 of 0 7 of 17 1 of 1 0 of 0
Michael Chiesa 5 of 18 27% 2 of 15 2 of 2 1 of 1 5 of 18 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Sean Brady 17 of 25 68% 10 of 15 7 of 10 0 of 0 7 of 11 4 of 5 6 of 9
Michael Chiesa 3 of 5 60% 3 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 0 3 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Sean Brady vs. Michael Chiesa

Round 1
An important welterweight contest is now on deck, as TUF 15 winner Chiesa (18-5, 11-5 UFC) will look to hold the line and keep his spot in the top 10 against undefeated Philadelphia native Brady (14-0, 4-0 UFC). When the dust settles, a new contender at the logjammed 170-pound division could emerge. Referee Herb Dean’s got this one, and the fighters have nothing but respect for one another as they clap hands to start off. Brady leads the dance with a low calf kick, and Chiesa keeps his range as he leans forward with jabs. Both men shadowbox in front of the other, and Brady lets go with a right hand only to get swiped in the eye with a finger. Dean lets him recover and even brings in the doctor, and Brady clears it out enough to continue. They trade punches, with Chiesa keeping himself at a safe firing distance with his hands outstretched. Chiesa grabs Brady’s left hand with his own right, and lunges a left hand to smack Brady in the face. In another exchange, Chiesa’s left hand opens and his finger jabs into Brady’s eye. The swipe of the finger opens a cut on Brady’s face as well, and once more the doctor is invited into the proceedings. Chiesa gets sternly warned by Dean, and after a minute elapses, they get back to it again. Less than 90 seconds into the match, and two fight-impacting fouls have occurred. Brady powers forward, and Chiesa tries to back him off with jabs. Chiesa stays on his bike until he lets loose a body kick, and Brady catches it and tries to take Chiesa down. In the redoubled effort, Brady successfully grounds Chiesa, although “Maverick” jets back up to his feet as they start to have a conversation. They both share a laugh, and then Brady takes him down. Blood from Brady’s nose is leaking all over Chiesa’s back, but he does not notice as he instead looks to take Chiesa’s back. Chiesa powers his way back upright again, and he breaks the grip so that he can free himself and take the center of the cage. Chiesa walks through a body kick to lance Brady with a one-two, and Brady gathers himself to punch up top and kick down low. Chiesa looks to wing a right hand around the guard, and Brady’s glove is up in time. This close round ends as the two welterweights try to measure one another some more.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Brady
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Brady
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Brady

Round 2
They again touch gloves to commence the frame, and Chiesa begins the round with a few jabs. Brady looks to close in on him, and he tries to get past Chiesa’s reaching arms so that he can land flush. Chiesa pays him back for a heavy punch with a combination of his own. Brady comes back with a single strike, and then scores a slapping leg kick. They crash together to land flush on one another, and Chiesa needs to rest and circle away as he appears to have gotten the worse of the exchange. When he stands firm, he nails Brady with a left hand, and then catches an advancing Brady with a clean right hand. Brady runs forward into a single-leg takedown try, and Chiesa uses the wall to keep his footing about him. Chiesa puts a hand on the canvas to push off, and he tilts his shoulders to use his height as an advantage to frame Brady off of him and stop the attempt. Chiesa knees his foe in the chest a few times, but Brady is relentless as he latches on to a takedown and puts Chiesa on his seat. As Chiesa gets to a knee, Brady takes his back and snakes a hook around his waist. Chiesa appears irritated that he let this happen, and Brady gets the other hook in as he follows a twisting Chiesa wherever he travels. Although he cannot set up a choke, Brady secures the body triangle and locks it up tight. Brady sneaks an arm under the chin, but Chiesa sees it coming and stops it from succeeding. From this precarious position, Chiesa explodes out only to get dragged back down. Chiesa groans as he cannot get free before the round ends, upset with himself for getting outgrappled in this fashion.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Brady
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Brady
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Brady

Round 3
They hug it out to start off the last round, and Chiesa paws out jab after jab to start things off. The jabs turn into open-handed reaches, and he suddenly jumps in the air to pound his knee in Brady’s chin. Brady grabs him after he lands to turn him into the wall, but he does not hold him there for long. Chiesa is fired up, and he starts laying into Brady with powerful punches. Brady gets rocked and is wobbled after taking a long salvo of punches from “Maverick,” and he saves himself with a desperation takedown. Although the first attempt does not succeed, try, try again he does, and he manages to put Chiesa down. Like the last round, Brady easily circles around to take Chiesa’s back, and he gets the hooks in to secure the controlling posture. Chiesa frantically tries high-risk maneuvers like kicking himself high off the fence to get free, but there is nothing doing. Chiesa again grunts when Brady sets up and tightens the body triangle, wearing his emotions on his sleeve as Brady holds on to him. There is no choke to be found as Chiesa comfortably fights the hands, but the control time is firmly on the side of the unbeaten Pennsylvanian. Chiesa turns to break the body lock, and he succeeds in doing so to stand up. Chiesa hammers Brady with punches, but as soon as he drills Brady in the chest with a knee, Brady grabs it and slows him down. When Brady tries to take him down, Chiesa reverses him and puts Brady on the ground hard. Doing everything he can to finish the fight, Chiesa unleashes a storm of ground-and-pound, furiously pursuing a stoppage while Brady holds on for dear life. The final bell comes before the finish can materialize, and a disappointed Chiesa lets go and limps away when the fight ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Brady (30-27 Brady)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Brady (30-27 Brady)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Brady (30-27 Brady)

The Official Result
Sean Brady def. Michael Chiesa via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert
Nov 17, 2021 (3 days before fight) Confident Sean Brady

Angelo picks Sean Brady, citing his athleticism, power, and 100% takedown defense. He notes Chiesa is one-dimensional and has cardio issues, while Brady is more willing to strike and has clean doubles. He does not bet the moneyline but likes a prop: Michael Chiesa +3.5 rounds (win at least one round) at -150, as he expects Chiesa to win the third round due to Brady's potential fatigue.

Considering Michael Chiesa +3.5 rounds at -150; DraftKings prices: Brady 8900, Chiesa 7300; monkey knife fight less/less (not touching)
"sean brady is the pick"
BI
Big Brady Expert
Nov 16, 2021 (4 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

Big Brady picks Michael Chiesa as an underdog at +140. He cites Chiesa's experience against top competition and his wrestling advantage. He notes that Sean Brady has not faced a wrestler of Chiesa's caliber and that Chiesa has controlled elite fighters like RDA and Neil Magny. He believes the striking is close but gives the wrestling edge to Chiesa, and predicts a decision win. He also mentions Brady is coming off an injury.

win by decision
"I'm actually gonna take the dog here um a very unpopular pick this week i'm gonna take michael chiesa for the experience here"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert
Nov 18, 2021 (2 days before fight) Hesitant Sean Brady

Cody is picking Brady but with low confidence due to the price tag. He notes that Brady is undefeated but has faced lower-level competition, while Chiesa is a step up. He highlights Brady's well-rounded skills: good striking, BJJ black belt, and excellent top game. He believes Brady can sprawl and out-strike Chiesa, and may even catch a guillotine if Chiesa gets reckless. However, he acknowledges Chiesa's size and durability, and that Chiesa has only lost to top grapplers like Kevin Lee, Anthony Pettis, and Vicente Luque.

"i'm picking brady but not with too much confidence and minus 160 and not loving it"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert
Nov 18, 2021 (2 days before fight) Confident Sean Brady

Daniel Levi confidently picks Sean Brady to submit Michael Chiesa. He argues that Brady is extremely skilled, physically strong, and a black belt in jiu-jitsu with 100% takedown defense in the UFC. He criticizes Chiesa for having only a Plan A and mentally checking out when his grappling fails. Levi believes that if Chiesa gets his takedowns stuffed, he will panic, and Brady will capitalize with a submission.

submission
"i think that kiesa is gonna maybe get a takedown early but if that doesn't happen... brady never loses his cool and then when brady gets on top i think he actually comes out here and submits michael kiesa so give me sean brady via submission"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert
Nov 19, 2021 (1 day before fight) Confident Sean Brady

Lock likes Brady but has concerns about his lack of footage off his back. He thinks Brady's wrestling is strong enough to counteract Chiesa's, and that Brady has a striking advantage with leg kicks. He notes Chiesa has mental lapses and a desk job that might distract him. Lock predicts Brady by decision at +275.

Sean Brady by submission +300, Sean Brady by decision +275
"I'm going brady decision plus 275 but yes michael kiesa is live in my opinion."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert
Nov 18, 2021 (2 days before fight) Hesitant Sean Brady

Paul is also picking Brady but is nervous about laying -160. He points out that Chiesa was a favorite just one fight ago against Vicente Luque, and that loss was a first-round submission that doesn't fully reflect the competitiveness. He notes Chiesa's size and ruggedness, but also his low striking output and lack of ground-and-pound. Paul thinks Brady's superior striking and grappling will eventually figure Chiesa out, but he's not confident enough to recommend a bet at the current price.

"i'm just nervous about laying laying a minus on uh on brady this is a massively you know massive step up"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert
Nov 15, 2021 (5 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

The MMA Guru picks Michael Chiesa as an underdog over Sean Brady. He argues that Brady has had close fights with Court McGee and Jake Matthews, and lacks KO power. He highlights Chiesa's size, reach advantage, and improvements on the feet. He expects a slow first round, then Chiesa to grind Brady against the cage, take him down, and finish with a rear-naked choke in the second round.

late second round rear-naked choke
"i'm going with another underdog michael kiecer is going to beat sean brady"
LOSS vs Vicente Luque
Submission (D’Arce choke) R1 3:25 · UFC 265: Lewis vs. Gane · Aug 07, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Vicente Luque 0 4 of 12 33% 6 of 16 1 of 1 100% 2 0 1:01
Michael Chiesa 0 7 of 12 58% 8 of 13 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:10
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Vicente Luque 0 4 of 12 33% 6 of 16 1 of 1 100% 2 0 1:01
Michael Chiesa 0 7 of 12 58% 8 of 13 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:10
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Vicente Luque 4 of 12 33% 4 of 12 0 of 0 0 of 0 4 of 12 0 of 0 0 of 0
Michael Chiesa 7 of 12 58% 2 of 7 1 of 1 4 of 4 7 of 12 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Vicente Luque 4 of 12 33% 4 of 12 0 of 0 0 of 0 4 of 12 0 of 0 0 of 0
Michael Chiesa 7 of 12 58% 2 of 7 1 of 1 4 of 4 7 of 12 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Michael Chiesa vs. Vicente Luque

Round 1
The victorious welterweight between Chiesa (18-4, 11-4 UFC) and Luque (20-7-1, 13-3 UFC) may line himself up for a title eliminator matchup, if not a shot at the belt itself, depending on the result and timing. In this deceiving striker vs. grappler battle, both men have a little more to offer than the one-dimensional reputations they have acquired. Referee Kerry Hatley will serve as the Octagon ranger for what remains a pick ‘em fight, and the respect is through the roof as they happily touch glove before looking to eliminate the other. Luque takes the center of the cage as Chiesa is far on the outside, well out of striking range. Luque tries to set up a right hand as Chiesa looks to close the distance, but there is a stalemate for the first minute. Luque finally lands a low calf kick, and Chiesa reacts to it but stays on his bike. Chiesa reaches out with a big left hand, and Luque completely ignores it and continues chasing “Maverick.” The Brazilian is still following Chiesa around, and Chiesa marks his foe up with a solid one-two and opens up a cut. Luque scores a solid right hand and makes Chiesa fall off-balance to the ground, but he powers back up and closes in. Luque looks to counter him on the way in, but Chiesa grabs him and drags him to the ground. “Maverick” takes his foe’s back and gets a hook in, and he instantly sets up a rear-naked choke. The pressure is tight as it is on the chin, and he squeezes with all his might but cannot get a tap. Luque grits it out, and he survives the choke and falls straight into an armbar setup. When Luque turns through, he takes top position. Chiesa gets to his knees, and in an instant, “The Silent Assassin” snatches up the neck with a brabo choke. The choke is tight immediately, as he rolls to his back and gets it set. Chiesa, in turn, rolls to his own back to try to escape, but there is no way out. Chiesa thinks about going out on his shield, but before consciousness fades from his body, he surrenders. Luque, knowing he just did the incredible by submitting Chiesa, ends his opponent's win streak in his new division. Luque uses his opportunity on the microphone to call out the champion, doing so respectfully by saying they have never met and that it would be a fun battle after Kamaru Usman beats Colby Covington again.

The Official Result
Vicente Luque def. Michael Chiesa R1 3:25 via Submission (Brabo Choke)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert
Aug 8, 2021 (fight day) Hesitant Michael Chiesa

Angelo is hesitant but leans Chiesa, noting that Chiesa is one-dimensional with wrestling but can dictate where the fight goes. He acknowledges Luque's power and improved wrestling camp with Kami Barzini, but thinks Chiesa's relentless grappling may be too much. He calls it a close fight and says he would avoid betting the moneyline.

"I think Kiesa will probably win the fight because he doesn't care how stupid he looks... he will just come forward, try to grab something and hold it there."
BI
Big Brady Expert
Aug 3, 2021 (4 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

Big Brady believes Chiesa's wrestling and top control will be the key. He notes Luque is hittable and has been taken down before, while Chiesa shoots for takedowns immediately and limits opponents' striking opportunities. He thinks Luque is finish-or-bust and will likely lose a decision. He picks Chiesa as a dog by decision.

Chiesa by decision; Luque inside distance if he wins
"I will take the guy that I think is going to win minutes in Michael Chiesa and I'll take him as a dog and I'll take him by decision."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert
Aug 4, 2021 (3 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

Cody picks Chiesa, citing his wrestling and ability to neutralize Luque's striking. He notes that Luque has struggled against wrestlers in the past and that Chiesa's top control and pressure will be effective. Cody expects a decision win for Chiesa.

Chiesa by decision
"i am going to take michael kiesa it is probably going to be by decision and again at plus 110 it's an underdog play so uh sign me up for some kies a plus one tip"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert
Aug 6, 2021 (1 day before fight) Confident Vicente Luque

Daniel Levi picks Vicente Luque to finish Michael Chiesa, citing Luque's striking advantage, calf kicks, left hook, and opportunistic submission ability. He believes Chiesa is outgunned on the feet and will have to shoot from distance, which could lead to a guillotine or other finish for Luque. He also notes that Chiesa hasn't been truly tested at 170 and that Luque is a clear step up in competition. He thinks the line should be closer to -160.

Says Luque by finish; thinks line should be -160
"I'ma go Vicente Luque to finish Michael Chiesa and I think it'll be a tough fight"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert
Aug 5, 2021 (2 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

Chiesa is a big welterweight with strong wrestling and grappling. Luque is a dangerous striker but has not faced a wrestler of Chiesa's caliber. Chiesa should take the fight to the ground and control Luque, avoiding striking exchanges. Luque's BJJ off his back is not elite, and Chiesa can grind out a decision or find a submission. The decision prop at +240 is good value.

Chiesa by decision +240
"I like kiasa here I'm gonna take him to win this fight by decision."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert
Aug 4, 2021 (3 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

Paul agrees with Cody, calling it a 'dogger pass situation' and taking Chiesa. He notes that Chiesa's wet blanket style may not be pretty but is effective, and that he usually avoids stand-ups by staying busy in half guard. Paul prefers the over 2.5 rounds as a bet.

over 2.5 rounds -140
"i'm on the same side as you i think it's a dogger pass situation give me the wet blanket it may not be pretty"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert
Aug 1, 2021 (6 days before fight) Confident Vicente Luque

The MMA Guru picks Vicente Luque to win by first-round KO. He criticizes Michael Chiesa's poor stand-up and inactivity, and believes Luque's power and takedown defense will be key. He predicts Luque will catch Chiesa coming in for a clinch and finish him with an uppercut-hook combo. He also notes Chiesa's grappling doesn't do enough damage.

first round ko
"i'm going to go vicente lucay here getting a big ko win in the first round against michael chiesa brutally"
WIN vs Neil Magny
Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–46, 49–46) R5 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Chiesa vs. Magny · Jan 20, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Michael Chiesa 0 24 of 52 46% 93 of 125 4 of 6 66% 0 0 15:21
Neil Magny 0 12 of 50 24% 52 of 96 1 of 3 33% 1 0 2:15
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Michael Chiesa 0 7 of 16 43% 21 of 31 1 of 1 100% 0 0 2:05
Neil Magny 0 3 of 26 11% 4 of 27 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Michael Chiesa 0 6 of 11 54% 20 of 26 1 of 2 50% 0 0 4:11
Neil Magny 0 1 of 3 33% 10 of 12 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:22
3 Michael Chiesa 0 3 of 7 42% 14 of 18 1 of 2 50% 0 0 2:04
Neil Magny 0 4 of 8 50% 15 of 25 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:47
4 Michael Chiesa 0 5 of 10 50% 17 of 22 1 of 1 100% 0 0 3:32
Neil Magny 0 3 of 5 60% 22 of 24 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:02
5 Michael Chiesa 0 3 of 8 37% 21 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 3:29
Neil Magny 0 1 of 8 12% 1 of 8 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:04
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Michael Chiesa 24 of 52 46% 19 of 43 3 of 7 2 of 2 10 of 29 1 of 2 13 of 21
Neil Magny 12 of 50 24% 7 of 42 5 of 7 0 of 1 8 of 45 4 of 5 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Michael Chiesa 7 of 16 43% 4 of 11 1 of 3 2 of 2 6 of 15 0 of 0 1 of 1
Neil Magny 3 of 26 11% 2 of 23 1 of 2 0 of 1 1 of 24 2 of 2 0 of 0
2 Michael Chiesa 6 of 11 54% 5 of 10 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 3 0 of 0 5 of 8
Neil Magny 1 of 3 33% 1 of 2 0 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 3 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Michael Chiesa 3 of 7 42% 2 of 5 1 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 4 1 of 1 1 of 2
Neil Magny 4 of 8 50% 3 of 7 1 of 1 0 of 0 4 of 7 0 of 1 0 of 0
4 Michael Chiesa 5 of 10 50% 5 of 9 0 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 2 0 of 1 4 of 7
Neil Magny 3 of 5 60% 1 of 3 2 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 3 2 of 2 0 of 0
5 Michael Chiesa 3 of 8 37% 3 of 8 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 5 0 of 0 2 of 3
Neil Magny 1 of 8 12% 0 of 7 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 8 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Michael Chiesa vs. Neil Magny

Round 1
The respect is through the roof between these two welterweights, who could not force angry eyes at one another this week. With hopes of pushing into a crowded top crop of 170-pounders, Chiesa (17-4, 10-4 UFC) has nothing to worry about when it comes to trash talk (especially about family) as he takes on “Haitian Sensation” Magny (24-7, 17-6 UFC). The final fight of this long day of face-punching concludes as referee Marc Goddard takes charge of the cage, and the two men are excitedly fired up as they touch gloves before inflicting bodily harm on one another. Magny reaches out his long left hand several times early while Chiesa finds his range, and the two clinch up as Chiesa engages this position. Magny pushes him away with a few knees, and Chiesa slaps away jabs while scoring a solid front kick in the breadbasket. Chiesa scores a leg kick and pushes away a pawing right hand from Magny, and the two reach their outstretched hands towards the other. Chiesa lands a one-two and a front kick, and Magny swats at his strikes before scoring a quick right hook. When Chiesa presses towards him, Magny catches him with a right hand. Magny steps in with a foot sweep, and Chiesa plants his left hand on Magny’s surprised jaw. Chiesa charges in to score a big left hand, and he reaches out a few jabs to close in. Magny crashes through to land a couple punches, and a clinch leads to a smooth takedown for “Maverick.” Chiesa hits the ground in half guard, and Magny locks him down while Chiesa tries to pass guard. Chiesa grabs two-on-one wrist control for a kimura, and as soon as he does this, Magny threatens with a sweep to make Chiesa bail on it. Chiesa lands a couple short hammerfists while looking to break through Magny’s guard, and “The Haitian Sensation” holds him tight and protects himself from most damage. Chiesa maintains heavy shoulder pressure to keep Magny’s head squeezed flat on the cage, and he flirts with an arm-triangle choke and passes to mount as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa

Round 2
The welterweights touch gloves to start off the round, and both attempt a series of double and triple jabs to measure their range again. Magny kicks off, and Chiesa kicks as well to close in and clinch. Chiesa attempts a body lock takedown, but Magny staves it off and keeps himself upright before pursuing his own takedown. Chiesa reverses the position and lands some short clinch strikes, and when Chiesa attacks a single, Magny slaps him in the ear. Chiesa drags Magny down to the ground, and Magny rolls through and is nearly swept. Chiesa makes the appropriate correction to keep Magny down, but Magny uses the momentum to stand back up against the fence. Magny lifts Chiesa up, but in the process, he falls to his back. Chiesa sits up in full guard, slashing down with elbows and hurting Magny briefly. An excited Chiesa nearly allows Magny to sneak out the back door, but he repositions and gets back to half guard while he grinds his shoulder down on Magny’s chin. Chiesa sits up high and aims for an unorthodox choke all while trying to pass to mount, so Magny defends himself well enough to keep out of submission danger. Chiesa racks up control time and lands some short strikes before setting up an arm-triangle choke, and he abandons it when he cannot pass to side control. Chiesa postures up to land a few punches, and Magny keeps an iron grip on Chiesa’s left hand to keep him trapped there. Chiesa springs over the top and lands a thudding elbow from on high, and Magny is stuck with an elbow pressed hard in his throat while seconds rip off the clock. The round ends in this position.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa

Round 3
There is another glove touch to start off the round, and Magny walks down his man to begin the frame but does not throw any strikes. Chiesa is the first to engage, who sticks out a front kick to the chest at the 30-second mark. The clinch leads to Magny attempting a body lock takedown, and Chiesa stays upright but eats a few shots in close range. Magny ties up Chiesa’s left leg to secure a takedown, and he hits it while Chiesa scrambles wildly. Magny takes Chiesa’s back as Chiesa gets to his knee, and Magny starts punching him in the side of the head. “Maverick” makes his way back to his feet, and he tries to trip Magny down but Magny is wise to it. Chiesa pushes off and avoids a right hand, but Magny pushes the pace and lands a few strikes. Chiesa comes back at him with a left hand, and he punches his way into a takedown attempt. Magny stands him up, and the two jockey for position against the fence until Magny circles around to get on Chiesa’s back. Chiesa gets out of this bad position and goes after a trip, and now Chiesa is behind Magny. Chiesa drops down to wrench his foe down, and he lifts Magny in the air to put him down. Both men are stuck in a strange position while Magny goes after a leg lock, but this puts him in a bad position as Chiesa climbs over to mount. Chiesa keeps a mounted triangle as Magny turns, but “The Haitian Sensation” finds himself in a guillotine choke. Magny pulls his neck out and is flat on his back, with a familiar half guard position like the previous rounds. Chiesa sits up to slice down with a single elbow, and Magny pops him with a few hammerfists. This close round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa

Round 4
The fourth round begins with a glove touch like all the rest, and Magny’s hands are down as he slaps out a jab. Chiesa steps in with a front kick, and circles on the outside while Magny approaches him. Magny does not commit to any strikes early, and Chiesa shrugs and punches his way into close distance. Chiesa surprises him with a left hand, and this strike allows him to take the fight down with a body lock. Chiesa in full guard begins to slash with elbows from above, and Magny can do nothing but absorb them flush. Chiesa hunts for a straight armlock but there is nothing to it, so he goes back to getting off some ground-and-pound. Magny bucks and twists to protect himself, but in the process, Chiesa crawls over to half guard. “Maverick” pursues a kimura, and Magny crawls to a knee but gives up his back. Chiesa has him trapped, as he gets a body triangle and goes after a choke immediately. Magny walks over the cage, but Chiesa is aware of the scramble and takes mount. Magny swirls and keeps rolling, so Chiesa hops on to his back again and serves as a backpack for a few seconds. He abandons this and lands a spinning back elbow before backing away, and Magny charges after him with a flying knee. Chiesa ties him up again against the fence, and digs deep for a single but falls into an inverted triangle choke from Magny. Chiesa is not concerned as he keeps turning, but the choke is much tighter when the two continue their exchange. Magny lands a few elbows to the side, and Chiesa yanks his neck out. To take top position again, Chiesa rocks back and forth, where he concludes this round on top.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa

Round 5
The gloves are touched one final time, and Magny is a man possessed as he strides forward with his hands down ready to trade. He whiffs on a spinning back kick, and Chiesa keeps a safe distance and avoids a few jabs coming his way. Chiesa stings Magny with a few punches, but Magny eats them and stalks Chiesa down. “Maverick” swings a left hook as Magny has to take a step back, and Magny evaluates his position and throws hard. Chiesa sees this coming and ducks down to latch on to his foe, where he takes Magny’s back standing up. As Magny keeps his balance against the fence with his face grinding into the fence, Chiesa tries to suck his legs out but cannot do it. Magny lifts him up and falls to his back, where Chiesa easily spins around to wind up on top. Chiesa is in an odd position on top, sitting on Magny’s head like a big brother before turning to nearly secure side control. Chiesa holds Magny tightly trapped on the ground, keeping his full body weight pressed down to hold Magny in this spot. Magny pushes off the fence but Chiesa is in his favored half guard position, where his shoulder is squeezing on Magny’s jaw. Chiesa has the makings of an arm-triangle choke, but he would prefer position over submission at this point with a minute remaining in the bout. Chiesa slides to mount, and Chiesa allows himself to get back to half guard so that Magny cannot buck him off. Chiesa’s activity and transitions allow him to stay on top without so much as a word from Goddard, landing a few strikes from above. Magny turns through to get an ankle, but Chiesa pushes him over and takes mount with seconds left. Chiesa lands one final punctuating elbow, and his mounted top control concludes this one-sided bout. The crowd, which had remained silent for much of the night, boos this performance. On the microphone, the victorious Chiesa has a very simple message for his next opponent, calling out Colby Covington and shouting that "the election is over!"

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa (50-45 Chiesa)
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa (50-45 Chiesa)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Chiesa (50-45 Chiesa)

The Official Result
Michael Chiesa def. Neil Magny via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
BI
Big Brady Expert
Jan 17, 2021 (3 days before fight) Confident Michael Chiesa

Big Brady initially leaned towards Neil Magny but changed his mind after tape study. He believes Michael Chiesa's wrestling and top game will be decisive, noting Magny's 59% takedown defense and that he hasn't faced many wrestlers lately. He praises Chiesa's performances at 170 lbs and predicts he will grind out Magny for a decision win, possibly finding a submission. He says he might bet Chiesa if the line gets wider.

Chiesa by decision; possibly by submission; waiting for better line
"i'm on the chaser side i like this matchup for him i really do"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert
Jan 19, 2021 (1 day before fight) Confident Neil Magny

The host believes Neil Magny's cardio, pressure, and fight IQ will be too much for Michael Chiesa in a five-round fight. He notes that Chiesa's best chance is a submission in the first two rounds, but if Magny survives, he will take over. He predicts a late TKO for Magny, possibly in the fourth round.

"i'll go in neo-magni i think he wins this fight pretty handily as long as it gets out of that first round and a half mark"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert
Jan 13, 2021 (7 days before fight) Confident Neil Magny

The MMA Guru picks Neil Magny, citing his takedown defense, cardio, and well-roundedness. He believes Chiesa has poor stand-up and will gas out after setting a high pace in the early rounds. He notes Magny's ability to survive submissions (as Sanchez and RDA did against Chiesa) and predicts a fourth-round TKO as Magny takes over in the later rounds.

fourth round TKO
"i'm going to go with neil magne getting the job done against michael kiesa"
Diego Sanchez - Fight History
LOSS vs Jake Matthews
Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 30–26, 30–26) R3 5:00 · UFC 253: Adesanya vs. Costa · Sep 27, 2020
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jake Matthews 0 25 of 81 30% 38 of 95 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Diego Sanchez 1 72 of 148 48% 93 of 174 1 of 2 50% 0 0 4:52
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jake Matthews 0 11 of 35 31% 11 of 35 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Diego Sanchez 0 22 of 46 47% 24 of 51 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:29
2 Jake Matthews 0 12 of 40 30% 12 of 40 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Diego Sanchez 0 23 of 53 43% 23 of 53 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Jake Matthews 0 2 of 6 33% 15 of 20 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Diego Sanchez 1 27 of 49 55% 46 of 70 0 of 0 --- 0 0 4:23
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jake Matthews 25 of 81 30% 12 of 57 4 of 12 9 of 12 23 of 77 0 of 0 2 of 4
Diego Sanchez 72 of 148 48% 69 of 145 3 of 3 0 of 0 42 of 97 1 of 1 29 of 50
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jake Matthews 11 of 35 31% 4 of 20 4 of 10 3 of 5 11 of 35 0 of 0 0 of 0
Diego Sanchez 22 of 46 47% 19 of 43 3 of 3 0 of 0 16 of 38 1 of 1 5 of 7
2 Jake Matthews 12 of 40 30% 6 of 32 0 of 1 6 of 7 12 of 40 0 of 0 0 of 0
Diego Sanchez 23 of 53 43% 23 of 53 0 of 0 0 of 0 23 of 53 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Jake Matthews 2 of 6 33% 2 of 5 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 2 0 of 0 2 of 4
Diego Sanchez 27 of 49 55% 27 of 49 0 of 0 0 of 0 3 of 6 0 of 0 24 of 43
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Matthews

Round 1
Sanchez (30-12, 19-12 UFC) is back and this time with an additional cornerman (Stephan Bonnar) beyond self-awareness coach Josh Fabia, and he will be facing a tough test in the form of “The Celtic Kid” Matthews (16-4, 9-4 UFC) at welterweight. The third man inside the octagon is referee Jason Herzog, and the two 170-pounders have absolutely no interest in touching gloves before the action begins. Sanchez races forward with a body kick, and he eats a right hand and rolls around to try to get out of harm’s way. Sanchez gets back to his feet after Matthews grabbed hold of it, and he just barely ducks an overhand right that zips past his head. Sanchez evades another heavy shot and whiffs with a return fire leg kick. Matthews sneaks in a right hand when Sanchez closes the distance, and nearly turns Sanchez into a Pez dispenser with an uppercut. Sanchez goes to the body and swats at the head, but Matthews rolls with it. Sanchez starts waving his hands around in a stance more likely seen in “Cobra Kai” than the UFC, and Matthews fires a kick at his head. The Aussie walks forward to land a body shot and avoids the Sanchez counterattack. Matthews snaps Sanchez’ head back with a right hand, and ducks out of the way when Sanchez swings at him with open hands. “Nightmare” leaps forward with a right hand, and Matthews avoids it while landing one of his own to sting the TUF 1 winner. Sanchez comes up short with a counter, although he does land a leg kick. Sanchez surprises the Aussie with a right hand, and Matthews backs away to reset. Sanchez stalks him down and rushes forward hands down with a barrage of punches, but Matthews is able to jog out of the way. Matthews scores a one-two and evades the swarming attack of Sanchez, but “Nightmare” keeps at it with looping punches. Sanchez lands a slapping body kick and changes levels for a takedown. Matthews defends it and decides to take Sanchez down, where he hops on top to get off some ground-and-pound. When Matthews sits up, Sanchez hunts for a heel hook. Matthews punches his way out with a few fierce right hands that hurt Sanchez, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Matthews
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Matthews
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Matthews

Round 2
Sanchez comes out with his nose already bleeding, and Matthews plants a right hand on that nose. Sanchez swarms in with several wild punches, and Matthews is able to avoid them in time. Sanchez tries this flurry once more, and Matthews snaps out a jab to keep him at bay. Sanchez lets fly a heavy leg kick, but “The Celtic Kid” walks through it. Sanchez explodes forward with winging, slopping punches that do not reach his opponent, and Matthews walks him down to the cage before scoring a quick uppercut. Sanchez circles around and switches stances a few times to shake it out, but Matthews stays composed and scores a right hand followed by a one-two. Sanchez takes a right hand so he can land a body kick, but Matthews redoubles his effort with another right hand that makes Sanchez back off. When the original TUF winner comes forward, again Matthews is ready for him with that right hand. Sanchez races forward and just misses with an overhand right, and Matthews accurately targets the nose again. Matthews gets up another uppercut, and clips Sanchez at the end of a left hand. Sanchez grins and starts throwing bombs like the days of old, but Matthews is able to avoid the brunt of the damage. An open-handed slap skims over Matthews’ head, and Matthews returns fire with a closed fist that makes Sanchez retreat. “Nightmare” shakes off the cobwebs only to get tagged again a few times, and Matthews is able to dart out of the way after landing to avoid the Sanchez blitz. Sanchez lands a calf kick and blocks an uppercut that is aimed at his face, and he ducks down to attack but gets cracked on the way in. The horn concludes this second frame.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Matthews
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Matthews
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Matthews

Round 3
Sanchez starts the third round with his hands behind his waist leaning against the cage, and after a few seconds of standing there, he runs forward with an attack similar to Jorge Masvidal against Ben Askren. The Aussie is wise to it and the knee misses by a wide margin, but he is unable to make Sanchez pay for it. Matthews cracks Sanchez with a one-two and sets him down hard, where he hammers down several punches to slash Sanchez’ right eyebrow open. The blood has positively erupted from Sanchez’ eyebrow, and a growing pool of blood is forming beneath his head fast. Matthews pays it no mind and lands some more ground-and-pound. Sanchez locks him down in guard, and he tries to kick his hips to hunt for submissions and stave off any further strikes. Sanchez grabs hold of the neck for a guillotine choke off his back, but it is nothing doing as Matthews stays patient and pops his head out. Sanchez kicks Matthews off of him and Matthews lords over him while trying to find a way back in to do some more damage. “The Celtic Kid” finds his angle and crashes down into the guard, while Sanchez twists and turns for any sort of Hail Mary submission, but none is to be had. Matthews gets off a few more heavy right hands as the blood continues to flow for Sanchez, and Sanchez throws his legs up for a triangle choke. Matthews stops it by smashing him in the face with several punches, but the crafty vet hunts for an armbar. Sanchez has it tight briefly, but the slipperiness allows Matthews to pull his arm and then head free from the submission danger. Sanchez looks away for several seconds to his corner as he decides to lock Matthews down. Matthews does not accept that, and postures up to get off several more punches. He lets loose one final salvo to wrap up this fight with style points, although Matthews was unable to get the finish he so desired.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Matthews (30-26 Matthews)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Matthews (30-26 Matthews)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Matthews (30-26 Matthews)

The Official Result
Jake Matthews def. Diego Sanchez via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
BI
Big Brady Expert
Sep 23, 2020 (4 days before fight) Confident Jake Matthews

Big Brady confidently picks Matthews, citing Sanchez's decline and poor recent performances. He believes Matthews is better everywhere at this point and expects a finish, as Sanchez's durability is fading. He notes the line is wide and likely to get wider.

Matthews by knockout; parlay piece
"give me jake matthews here probably by finish i know diego sanchez is notoriously durable but i don't really think that durability is uh all that there at this point"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert
Sep 25, 2020 (2 days before fight) Confident Jake Matthews

Daniel Levi picks Jake Matthews, citing his power and youth compared to a diminished Diego Sanchez. He worries about Matthews gassing in the third round as he has in past fights, but believes the firepower difference is too great. He expects a knockout or unanimous decision.

most likely by knockout if not unanimous decision
"i got jake matthews most likely by knockout if not unanimous decision"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert
Sep 26, 2020 (1 day before fight) Confident Jake Matthews

The host confidently picks Jake Matthews, citing his youth, athleticism, and grinding style. He believes Diego Sanchez's body is declining and that Matthews will dominate with grappling. He predicts a second or third-round TKO after wearing Sanchez down.

Matthews by TKO (+250), Matthews by decision (-110)
"I will take jake matthews to win this fight... jake matthew gives you a finish probably second round maybe third round."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert
Sep 20, 2020 (7 days before fight) Confident Jake Matthews

The MMA Guru picks Jake Matthews, calling him a guaranteed win. He notes Matthews has a great chin, recovery, and grappling, and has fought tough opponents. He expects Matthews to hurt Sanchez badly and predicts a first-round KO. He mentions the odds are high but justified because Matthews is a lock.

Matthews is a 7-to-1 favorite, win by KO in round 1
"jake matthews is basically a guaranteed win in my opinion i don't see him losing to diego sanchez"
DQ (illegal knee) R3 3:09 · UFC Fight Night: Anderson vs. Blachowicz 2 · Feb 15, 2020
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Diego Sanchez 0 25 of 64 39% 29 of 68 0 of 6 0% 0 0 0:10
Michel Pereira 1 53 of 91 58% 56 of 94 2 of 2 100% 0 0 0:50
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Diego Sanchez 0 10 of 22 45% 11 of 23 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:00
Michel Pereira 0 16 of 27 59% 16 of 27 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:09
2 Diego Sanchez 0 13 of 27 48% 14 of 28 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:10
Michel Pereira 0 19 of 37 51% 19 of 37 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:13
3 Diego Sanchez 0 2 of 15 13% 4 of 17 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Michel Pereira 1 18 of 27 66% 21 of 30 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:28
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Diego Sanchez 25 of 64 39% 6 of 34 10 of 17 9 of 13 23 of 61 1 of 2 1 of 1
Michel Pereira 53 of 91 58% 20 of 52 28 of 33 5 of 6 39 of 75 10 of 11 4 of 5
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Diego Sanchez 10 of 22 45% 2 of 11 3 of 5 5 of 6 10 of 21 0 of 1 0 of 0
Michel Pereira 16 of 27 59% 3 of 11 11 of 14 2 of 2 12 of 22 4 of 5 0 of 0
2 Diego Sanchez 13 of 27 48% 3 of 9 7 of 12 3 of 6 12 of 26 1 of 1 0 of 0
Michel Pereira 19 of 37 51% 8 of 24 8 of 10 3 of 3 18 of 36 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Diego Sanchez 2 of 15 13% 1 of 14 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 14 0 of 0 1 of 1
Michel Pereira 18 of 27 66% 9 of 17 9 of 9 0 of 1 9 of 17 5 of 5 4 of 5
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Diego Sanchez vs. Michel Pereira

Round 1
Our co-main event virtually guarantees action as the original winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” Sanchez (29-12, 18-12 UFC) comes to blows with the high-flying, wild and crazy Pereira (23-10, 2 NC; 1-1 UFC). As Pereira’s song comes on the speakers, he stops and dances for a minute or two. The crowd is not into it, and they start booing him. Not to be outdone, Sanchez calmly walks out to the cage, and struts around like a peacock when he reaches the Octagon. Hold on tight, just like referee Jason Herzog, as the fight is about to pop off. Sanchez starts off the fight as one would expect in this kind of contest, with a somersault kick. It partially lands, and Pereira laughs it off. They end up against the fence, and Sanchez escapes. Sanchez holds his hands out straight in front of him, and Pereira throws a few front kicks before faking that he will run off the walls. Sanchez wings two punches that are well short of the mark, and takes a punch to the body. Pereira throws another powerful front kick, and Sanchez is running back and forth as he narrowly avoids a Showtime kick. Pereira leaps in with a knee, and Sanchez drops down to take his ankle out from beneath him. Sanchez backs off, and throws a low kick. Pereira again snaps the front kick up the middle, so Sanchez tries to fire back with a body kick but he misses. Sanchez has his back against the fence the entire time, and takes a punch and then a kick to the midsection. Sanchez lands a left hand but misses with the right hook that follows, as Pereira darts out of the way. The Brazilian sneaks up a front kick through the guard of “The Nightmare,” and ducks a spinning back fist from Sanchez. The two come together and swing, but neither land as Sanchez stumbles against the cage wall. Sanchez shoots in low for a takedown to get Pereira to bite on a defending, and he lands a low kick. Pereira misses with a spinning wheel kick, and Sanchez runs forward to engage but backs off before he reaches his opponent. Pereira lands a few punches and a stern knee up the middle. As Sanchez circles away he nearly absorbs a head kick, and then misses wide with another somersault kick. Sanchez sprints at his opponent with punches, but does not connect as the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Pereira

Round 2
Pereira opens the round with a body kick and then another front kick, while Sanchez ducks low to pursue a takedown. The Brazilian shoves him away and evades the strikes that come from Sanchez. Sanchez aims to the body with a few punches, and then a leg kick, before taking a right hand on the jaw. Pereira lands two punches, and hops out of the way when Sanchez fires a head kick at him. Pereira narrowly misses with a knee and then a spinning kick, and Sanchez goes back to holding his palm outstretched. Pereira times a flying knee as Sanchez wades forward, and Sanchez eats it without issue. Pereira attempts a capoeira kick, leading to Sanchez sprinting forward to land strikes. Sanchez lunges forward with several more punches, and the Brazilian is easily able to back away. Pereira lands a heavy body kick, causing “The Nightmare” to bend over and grimace for a moment. Sanchez clinches up and goes after a takedown, but he cannot hit it as Pereira circles away and lands a flying knee on the chest. Pereira blocks a body kick after he throws a kick behind his other leg, and blasts Sanchez in the face with a right hand that forces Sanchez to stumble backwards. Sanchez bites down on his mouthpiece and throws back at him, landing a left hand as Pereira drops his hands down to his waist. Pereira circles around and backs off before landing a superman punch by jumping off the cage. Pereira scores another front kick to the body, and dings Sanchez with a flying knee before backing off. Pereira rips the body with a hard right hand, and evades the body kick soaring at him. The 10-second clapper spurs Sanchez to throw a spinning back kick, but Pereira dodges it and suplex Sanchez to end the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Pereira

Round 3
Pereira stands before his opponent to start the round, as he looks down at the cage floor instead of his opponent. He taunts Sanchez, as he avoids his charging adversary. Another front kick from Pereira scores, and Sanchez has no counter to them. Two punches land successfully for the Brazilian, and Sanchez whiffs with a spinning back fist as he gets taken down. Pereira flips in the air to land some kind of a stomp, and the legality of that technique is questionable. Sanchez gets up, takes a knee to the chest and falls over, and Pereira chases after him with some ferocious ground-and-pound. Sanchez springs free, and gets up to charge at his opponent like a bull. Playing the matador, Pereira shoves him away against the fence, and does so a second time to make Sanchez look like Ronda Rousey against Holly Holm. Sanchez wings shots but they are not landing, while overextending himself as Pereira works him to the body. Sanchez is stalking “Demolidor” down, but Pereira throws several crushing knees that make Sanchez fall over.
As Sanchez falls to his knees, Pereira cracks him in the head with an illegal knee. Herzog rushes in to stop the action for a moment, and the knee busted Sanchez’ head wide open. Blood is pouring out of Sanchez’ forehead, and the doctor is trying to figure out what to do. Herzog allows Sanchez to recover, and deducts one point from Pereira, but Sanchez claims that he cannot see. Sanchez asks Herzog what the result would be given on the stoppage, and upon learning it would be a disqualification, Sanchez says he cannot continue.
Unbelievable. As it was an illegal knee that caused the stoppage, Pereira will indeed be disqualified. This is the first event in UFC history where multiple fights have ended by DQ. Truly a bizarre end to a totally bizarre fight.

The Official Result
Diego Sanchez def. Michel Pereira R3 3:09 via Disqualification (Illegal Knee)
DA
Daniel Levi Expert
Feb 14, 2020 (1 day before fight) Confident Michel Pereira

Daniel Levi picks Michel Pereira to win by first-round knockout. He believes Diego Sanchez is a deranged man with a deteriorating chin and questionable training situation, while Pereira is more focused after his first UFC loss. He thinks Pereira's power and striking will be too much for Sanchez, who ducks his head and hasn't evolved.

first-round knockout, possibly a 10-second knockout via flying knee, performance of the night bonus
"I think he gets knocked out in the first round with an e or a punch"
LOSS vs Michael Chiesa
Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 30–26, 30–26) R3 5:00 · UFC 239: Jones vs. Santos · Jul 06, 2019
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Michael Chiesa 0 7 of 11 63% 23 of 31 1 of 2 50% 0 0 2:24
Diego Sanchez 0 47 of 67 70% 98 of 132 5 of 6 83% 0 1 11:45
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Michael Chiesa 0 4 of 5 80% 7 of 11 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:28
Diego Sanchez 0 11 of 17 64% 24 of 39 1 of 2 50% 0 1 3:16
2 Michael Chiesa 0 2 of 5 40% 3 of 6 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:35
Diego Sanchez 0 31 of 44 70% 59 of 75 2 of 2 100% 0 0 4:13
3 Michael Chiesa 0 1 of 1 100% 13 of 14 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:21
Diego Sanchez 0 5 of 6 83% 15 of 18 2 of 2 100% 0 0 4:16
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Michael Chiesa 7 of 11 63% 1 of 4 0 of 1 6 of 6 1 of 3 2 of 4 4 of 4
Diego Sanchez 47 of 67 70% 46 of 66 1 of 1 0 of 0 4 of 7 5 of 8 38 of 52
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Michael Chiesa 4 of 5 80% 0 of 0 0 of 1 4 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 1 4 of 4
Diego Sanchez 11 of 17 64% 10 of 16 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0 3 of 6 8 of 11
2 Michael Chiesa 2 of 5 40% 0 of 3 0 of 0 2 of 2 0 of 2 2 of 3 0 of 0
Diego Sanchez 31 of 44 70% 31 of 44 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 5 2 of 2 27 of 37
3 Michael Chiesa 1 of 1 100% 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0
Diego Sanchez 5 of 6 83% 5 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 2 0 of 0 3 of 4
WIN vs Mickey Gall
TKO (punches) R2 4:13 · UFC 235: Jones vs. Smith · Mar 02, 2019
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Diego Sanchez 0 56 of 87 64% 61 of 92 4 of 4 100% 0 0 6:00
Mickey Gall 0 23 of 65 35% 35 of 80 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:19
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Diego Sanchez 0 15 of 31 48% 19 of 35 3 of 3 100% 0 0 3:08
Mickey Gall 0 16 of 43 37% 28 of 58 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:16
2 Diego Sanchez 0 41 of 56 73% 42 of 57 1 of 1 100% 0 0 2:52
Mickey Gall 0 7 of 22 31% 7 of 22 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:03
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Diego Sanchez 56 of 87 64% 37 of 63 13 of 18 6 of 6 7 of 28 10 of 11 39 of 48
Mickey Gall 23 of 65 35% 19 of 59 2 of 3 2 of 3 8 of 44 9 of 14 6 of 7
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Diego Sanchez 15 of 31 48% 5 of 18 5 of 8 5 of 5 3 of 18 8 of 9 4 of 4
Mickey Gall 16 of 43 37% 12 of 37 2 of 3 2 of 3 4 of 25 9 of 14 3 of 4
2 Diego Sanchez 41 of 56 73% 32 of 45 8 of 10 1 of 1 4 of 10 2 of 2 35 of 44
Mickey Gall 7 of 22 31% 7 of 22 0 of 0 0 of 0 4 of 19 0 of 0 3 of 3
WIN vs Craig White
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC 228: Woodley vs. Till · Sep 08, 2018
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Diego Sanchez 0 46 of 77 59% 82 of 124 3 of 4 75% 0 0 14:22
Craig White 1 18 of 42 42% 64 of 94 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:08
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Diego Sanchez 0 13 of 26 50% 29 of 48 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:54
Craig White 0 8 of 9 88% 15 of 18 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:00
2 Diego Sanchez 0 12 of 19 63% 18 of 28 1 of 2 50% 0 0 4:43
Craig White 0 7 of 14 50% 30 of 40 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
3 Diego Sanchez 0 21 of 32 65% 35 of 48 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:45
Craig White 1 3 of 19 15% 19 of 36 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:03
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Diego Sanchez 46 of 77 59% 34 of 65 12 of 12 0 of 0 3 of 8 1 of 1 42 of 68
Craig White 18 of 42 42% 16 of 39 2 of 3 0 of 0 8 of 17 1 of 1 9 of 24
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Diego Sanchez 13 of 26 50% 9 of 22 4 of 4 0 of 0 1 of 4 0 of 0 12 of 22
Craig White 8 of 9 88% 6 of 7 2 of 2 0 of 0 4 of 4 0 of 0 4 of 5
2 Diego Sanchez 12 of 19 63% 9 of 16 3 of 3 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 12 of 19
Craig White 7 of 14 50% 7 of 14 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 7 1 of 1 4 of 6
3 Diego Sanchez 21 of 32 65% 16 of 27 5 of 5 0 of 0 2 of 4 1 of 1 18 of 27
Craig White 3 of 19 15% 3 of 18 0 of 1 0 of 0 2 of 6 0 of 0 1 of 13
LOSS vs Matt Brown
KO (elbow) R1 3:44 · UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Pettis · Nov 11, 2017
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Matt Brown 1 18 of 34 52% 20 of 36 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
Diego Sanchez 0 12 of 20 60% 13 of 21 0 of 3 0% 0 0 1:29
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Matt Brown 1 18 of 34 52% 20 of 36 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
Diego Sanchez 0 12 of 20 60% 13 of 21 0 of 3 0% 0 0 1:29
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Matt Brown 18 of 34 52% 14 of 30 2 of 2 2 of 2 12 of 28 6 of 6 0 of 0
Diego Sanchez 12 of 20 60% 7 of 12 2 of 5 3 of 3 10 of 18 2 of 2 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Matt Brown 18 of 34 52% 14 of 30 2 of 2 2 of 2 12 of 28 6 of 6 0 of 0
Diego Sanchez 12 of 20 60% 7 of 12 2 of 5 3 of 3 10 of 18 2 of 2 0 of 0
LOSS vs Al Iaquinta
KO (punches) R1 1:38 · UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Lobov · Apr 22, 2017
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Al Iaquinta 2 12 of 19 63% 12 of 19 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
Diego Sanchez 0 4 of 15 26% 4 of 15 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Al Iaquinta 2 12 of 19 63% 12 of 19 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
Diego Sanchez 0 4 of 15 26% 4 of 15 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Al Iaquinta 12 of 19 63% 9 of 15 1 of 2 2 of 2 8 of 15 2 of 2 2 of 2
Diego Sanchez 4 of 15 26% 2 of 13 2 of 2 0 of 0 4 of 14 0 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Al Iaquinta 12 of 19 63% 9 of 15 1 of 2 2 of 2 8 of 15 2 of 2 2 of 2
Diego Sanchez 4 of 15 26% 2 of 13 2 of 2 0 of 0 4 of 14 0 of 1 0 of 0
WIN vs Marcin Held
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–27) R3 5:00 · The Ultimate Fighter Latin America 3 Finale: dos Anjos vs. Ferguson · Nov 05, 2016
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Diego Sanchez 0 46 of 81 56% 69 of 108 0 of 1 0% 0 0 9:17
Marcin Held 0 30 of 82 36% 57 of 112 0 of 2 0% 1 0 0:17
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Diego Sanchez 0 17 of 44 38% 19 of 46 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:31
Marcin Held 0 23 of 64 35% 32 of 73 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:17
2 Diego Sanchez 0 8 of 10 80% 20 of 23 0 of 0 --- 0 0 4:36
Marcin Held 0 2 of 4 50% 11 of 13 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Diego Sanchez 0 21 of 27 77% 30 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 4:10
Marcin Held 0 5 of 14 35% 14 of 26 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Diego Sanchez 46 of 81 56% 31 of 62 12 of 16 3 of 3 21 of 52 0 of 0 25 of 29
Marcin Held 30 of 82 36% 30 of 80 0 of 2 0 of 0 23 of 70 3 of 4 4 of 8
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Diego Sanchez 17 of 44 38% 11 of 34 5 of 9 1 of 1 17 of 44 0 of 0 0 of 0
Marcin Held 23 of 64 35% 23 of 63 0 of 1 0 of 0 20 of 61 3 of 3 0 of 0
2 Diego Sanchez 8 of 10 80% 5 of 7 2 of 2 1 of 1 1 of 2 0 of 0 7 of 8
Marcin Held 2 of 4 50% 2 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 2
3 Diego Sanchez 21 of 27 77% 15 of 21 5 of 5 1 of 1 3 of 6 0 of 0 18 of 21
Marcin Held 5 of 14 35% 5 of 13 0 of 1 0 of 0 2 of 7 0 of 1 3 of 6
Comments (1)
BR
brian 1 year ago

Diego was on the way out