Themba Gorimbo vs Niko Price

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Jonathan Micallef	0	55 of 112	49%	83 of 147	1 of 4	25%	0	1	3:26
Themba Gorimbo	0	39 of 90	43%	74 of 132	2 of 5	40%	0	0	5:25

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Rev.	Ctrl
1	Jonathan Micallef	0	6 of 20	30%	11 of 26	1 of 1	100%	0	2:11
Themba Gorimbo	0	11 of 23	47%	23 of 35	0 of 0	---	0	0:49
2	Jonathan Micallef	0	4 of 7	57%	7 of 15	0 of 3	0%	1	0:57
Themba Gorimbo	0	5 of 15	33%	23 of 40	1 of 2	50%	0	3:41
3	Jonathan Micallef	0	45 of 85	52%	65 of 106	0 of 0	---	0	0:18
Themba Gorimbo	0	23 of 52	44%	28 of 57	1 of 3	33%	0	0:55

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Jonathan Micallef	55 of 112	49%	39 of 94	13 of 15	3 of 3	46 of 99	7 of 9	2 of 4
Themba Gorimbo	39 of 90	43%	22 of 70	3 of 6	14 of 14	34 of 83	2 of 4	3 of 3

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Jonathan Micallef	6 of 20	30%	2 of 16	3 of 3	1 of 1	3 of 14	2 of 4	1 of 2
Themba Gorimbo	11 of 23	47%	5 of 17	1 of 1	5 of 5	9 of 20	2 of 3	0 of 0
2	Jonathan Micallef	4 of 7	57%	1 of 4	3 of 3	0 of 0	1 of 3	2 of 2	1 of 2
Themba Gorimbo	5 of 15	33%	5 of 15	0 of 0	0 of 0	2 of 11	0 of 1	3 of 3
3	Jonathan Micallef	45 of 85	52%	36 of 74	7 of 9	2 of 2	42 of 82	3 of 3	0 of 0
Themba Gorimbo	23 of 52	44%	12 of 38	2 of 5	9 of 9	23 of 52	0 of 0	0 of 0

Themba Gorimbo vs. Jonathan Micallef

Round 1
Micallef (9-1; 2-0 UFC) looks to keep his Octagon record spotless against Gorimbo (14-6; 4-3 UFC), who is tasked with snapping the first losing streak of his career in hostile territory. Lukas Bosacki draws the referee assignment. Micallef is southpaw, Gorimbo orthodox, and both men reach out with awkward rear-hand punches in the opening moments. Gorimbo closes the distance and shoves Micallef to the fence. They pummel for position briefly, then disengage and return to the center of the cage. Gorimbo clocks Micallef with a right hand in the pocket, but can’t follow it with anything of consequence. Micallef lands a good left hand of his own, then eats another hard right from Gorimbo. Micallef connects with a pair of punches upstairs and Gorimbo clinches. They fight for underhooks against the fence. Two minutes to go in the round and it’s Micallef on the outside, shoving Gorimbo into the cage. Gorimbo reverses the position. They exchange knees inside. Micallef hits a lovely foot sweep and dumps Gorimbo to the canvas. Micallef is in Gorimbo’s full guard, then postures up and drops a couple of hard punches. Gorimbo starts to pop up, but Micallef drives him back to the ground and threatens to take his back. Gorimbo stands, giving up his back briefly, but spins out of it and returns to his feet. They collide in the pocket and the round ends. 10-9 Micallef.

Round 2
Gorimbo comes forward swinging big, but the punches glance off of Micallef’s guard. He throws another salvo of punches and several of them connect. He closes the distance and grabs a body lock, dragging Micallef to his knees, but the Australian pops right back up. Gorimbo drives Micallef to the fence, keeping the body lock, but Micallef shucks him off and grabs a single-leg. He looks about to finish the takedown, but falls back off-balance with Gorimbo on top. Gorimbo is in Micallef’s full guard, and as he looks to pass, Micallef throws his legs up for a triangle choke. He can’t secure it, and Gorimbo is very close to passing his guard against the fence. Micallef kicks Gorimbo all the way off of him, but Gorimbo dives straight back into guard. Micallef controls Gorimbo’s wrists and tries another triangle setup. Gorimbo sniffs it out easily and passes Micallef’s guard, then takes his back in a flash. There’s a full minute left as Gorimbo cinches up a body triangle from back mount. Micallef fights off Gorimbo’s initial attempts at a choke, then squirms and, Anthony Pettis-like, spins all the way out of back mount into guard. Micallef gets in a couple of punches right before the horn. 10-9 Gorimbo.

Round 3
Gorimbo just touches with a right high kick, and Micallef answers with a right hand. Gorimbo is active with the kicks early, tagging Micallef’s lead leg. Micallef throws a right kick to the body and Gorimbo catches the kick, then counters with a right hand up top. Gorimbo times Micallef’s next kick and plows him to the canvas. They pop back up seconds later and Gorimbo drives Micallef to the fence. Micallef reverses the position. They separate and go back to kickboxing, and Gorimbo immediately goes back to work with low kicks. Micallef answers with a few kicks of his own, but seems to be trying to measure his man for a counterpunch. Micallef gets the better of a boxing exchange, and Gorimbo changes levels for a single-leg attempt. He holds onto the leg and shoves Micallef to the fence, but Micallef extricates the leg and nails Gorimbo with a pair of punches. Gorimbo suddenly looks very tired. Micallef lights him up with a three-piece. Gorimbo has slowed but is still very much in the fight, blasting Micallef’s lead right leg with another calf kick. Micallef throws a spinning backfist that lands cleanly. Under 30 seconds left and Micallef surges forward with spinning attacks and a series of big punches, trying for the last-second finish, but nothing of consequence lands. The horn sounds, and it should be his fight anyway, on our scorecard at least. 10-9 Micallef (29-28 Micallef).

The Official Result
Jonathan Micallef def. Themba Gorimbo via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 26, 2026 (6 days before fight)

Jonathan Micallef

Angelo picks Jonathan Micallef because he believes Micallef's pressure wrestling will neutralize Themba Gorimbo's range striking. He expects Micallef to crowd Gorimbo, take away his distance, and drag him to the ground for control. Angelo also mentions the possibility of Australian judges favoring Micallef in a close fight.

Over 2.5 rounds mentioned as solid.

"Jonathan Mlev should win this with just some good oldfashioned wrestling. I don't think we find a finish here. Over two and a half is probably pretty solid."

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Apr 29, 2026 (3 days before fight)

Jonathan Micallef

Big Brady picks Jonathan Micallef to win by submission in the second or third round. He criticizes Themba Gorimbo's style as panic wrestling and notes his poor durability and submission defense. Brady believes Micallef is dangerous everywhere, especially with his kicks, and that Gorimbo will make a mistake in the grappling as he slows down, leading to a submission.

Micallef by submission, round 2 or 3

"I'm picking Mequelet to win this fight by submission in the second or third round when Themba starts to slow down."

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Apr 30, 2026 (2 days before fight)

Jonathan Micallef

Cody picks Micallef, noting his youth and improvement. He believes Micallef's grappling and submission skills will overcome Gorimbo's wrestling, and likes the submission prop.

submission prop

"Malf will be the side the pick for me. I think he's a guy that I kind of underestimated when he first came into the UFC and he's kind of proven me wrong."

Bookie Beatdown

Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked May 1, 2026 (1 day before fight)

Jonathan Micallef

Connor picks Micallef, agreeing that Gorimbo is a mess who overwhelms bad athletes but gets flung around by good ones. He notes Micallef is a good athlete with reach and a high-output kicking game, and Gorimbo's wrestling is not good enough to neutralize him. He calls it a worthwhile test for Micallef.

"Yep. And yeah, McAlluff has never dealt with a blanket, but he's definitely not a bad athlete. No, and he's pretty big."

MMA Vivisection

Daniel Vreeland Expert Lean picked Apr 29, 2026 (3 days before fight)

Jonathan Micallef

Daniel Vreeland leans towards Jonathan Micallef to win a split decision, but is not confident. He thinks Gorimbo may win the first round but fade, while Micallef's body lock and kicking game could take over. He notes the odds are off but doesn't trust Gorimbo.

"I'm going to lean towards Michaeliff to win kind of an uninspiring split decision."

Half the Battle

Lucrative James Expert Lean picked Apr 26, 2026 (6 days before fight)

Jonathan Micallef

Lucrative James picks Jonathan Micallef to win via submission. He believes Micallef's jiu-jitsu is a level above Gorimbo's, and expects Gorimbo to make a grappling mistake that Micallef can capitalize on. He notes Gorimbo's training in North Ossetia may improve his wrestling, but still favors Micallef's submission skills.

"I think that Jonathan Miff is going to submit him... I'm picking Jonathan Miff to win this fight via submission."

Lucrative MMA

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Apr 28, 2026 (4 days before fight)

Jonathan Micallef

The host thinks Micallef is the better and stronger fighter, with a grappling edge that will show in deeper waters. He expects Micallef to grind out a decision, but advises waiting for a better line as Gorimbo may get public support. The host notes Micallef's strength and grappling ability, while Gorimbo's reckless striking and recent losses are concerns.

"I think he is the better fighter. I think he's the stronger fighter. I think he's the better grappler. And I think that's going to start to show more and more as we get into deeper water here."

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Apr 30, 2026 (2 days before fight)

Jonathan Micallef

Paul picks Micallef, citing his submission skills and Gorimbo's tendency to get taken down. He believes Micallef will catch a submission off his back or win a decision.

submission prop

"I took a small shot on Maciff by sub because um I mean he's shown a knack for it."

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 1, 2026 (1 day before fight)

Jonathan Micallef

The MMA Guru picks Jonathan Micallef, highlighting his well-rounded skills and durability. He criticizes Themba Gorimbo's recent performances, especially the loss to Jeremiah Wells where Gorimbo made mistakes. He notes Micallef's power and athleticism, and predicts a submission win.

submission win

"I'm going to go with Jonathan Micallef here. Um I think he'll be a little bit too well-rounded and probably get a submission win over Themba Gorimbo."

THE MMA GURU

Zane Simon Expert Confident picked May 1, 2026 (1 day before fight)

Jonathan Micallef

Zane picks Micallef confidently, noting his high-output kicking game and reach will trouble Gorimbo, who is a blanketer with rudimentary striking. He thinks Micallef is a much better athlete and sniper, and Gorimbo's wrestling is sacrificial and not good enough to hold Micallef down. He sees it as a sensible matchup for Micallef.

"So I'm picking him too, but I think it's a sensible matchup. I have no problem with giving this fight to McAlluff right now."

MMA Vivisection

LOSS vs Jeremiah Wells

Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Garcia vs. Onama · Nov 01, 2025

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Jeremiah Wells	0	32 of 53	60%	59 of 84	3 of 5	60%	3	0	6:05
Themba Gorimbo	0	18 of 33	54%	80 of 102	6 of 9	66%	0	1	5:39

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
1	Jeremiah Wells	1 of 3	33%	2 of 5	1 of 2	50%	0	0	0:57
1	Themba Gorimbo	4 of 4	100%	29 of 34	4 of 6	66%	0	0	3:36
2	Jeremiah Wells	14 of 26	53%	27 of 41	1 of 1	100%	1	0	2:15
2	Themba Gorimbo	10 of 22	45%	33 of 46	1 of 2	50%	0	1	0:52
3	Jeremiah Wells	17 of 24	70%	30 of 38	1 of 2	50%	2	0	2:53
3	Themba Gorimbo	4 of 7	57%	18 of 22	1 of 1	100%	0	0	1:11

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Jeremiah Wells	32 of 53	60%	23 of 43	5 of 5	4 of 5	21 of 39	0 of 0	11 of 14
Themba Gorimbo	18 of 33	54%	8 of 22	9 of 10	1 of 1	15 of 30	1 of 1	2 of 2

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Jeremiah Wells	1 of 3	33%	1 of 3	0 of 0	0 of 0	1 of 3	0 of 0	0 of 0
1	Themba Gorimbo	4 of 4	100%	0 of 0	4 of 4	0 of 0	1 of 1	1 of 1	2 of 2
2	Jeremiah Wells	14 of 26	53%	9 of 20	2 of 2	3 of 4	12 of 22	0 of 0	2 of 4
2	Themba Gorimbo	10 of 22	45%	7 of 18	3 of 4	0 of 0	10 of 22	0 of 0	0 of 0
3	Jeremiah Wells	17 of 24	70%	13 of 20	3 of 3	1 of 1	8 of 14	0 of 0	9 of 10
3	Themba Gorimbo	4 of 7	57%	1 of 4	2 of 2	1 of 1	4 of 7	0 of 0	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Themba Gorimbo vs. Jeremiah Wells
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gorimbo (-140); Wells (+110)

Round 1
In the “featured fight of the night” slot, a pair of 170-pound brawlers with matching 4-2 records in the promotion try to improve their fortunes at the expense of the other. Wells (12-4-1, 4-2 UFC) likely has his back against the wall more of the two, as he turned 39 on Thursday. Gorimbo (14-5, 4-2 UFC) is no spring chicken, but at 34, he still has at least a half decade left if history is any indication. Drawing the assignment for this pairing is referee Chris Tognoni, who will be on his A-game for as long as this lasts. They do not touch gloves.
Both fighters bounce back and forth towards one another, and after 20 seconds of that, Wells lets loose a kick. Gorimbo responds with a double-leg takedown, grounding the Philadelphia native for a moment. Wells bounces back to his feet, and Gorimbo uses full-on muscle to throw him back to the mat. Wells pulls his finger in the fence to try to improve his position, and when he tries again, Tognoni shouts him down. In the meantime, Gorimbo has advanced to full mount, and he forces Wells to turn over when he is about to engage with ground-and-pound. Wells twists to his knees and grabs hold of Gorimbo’s right hand to control it and prevent him from getting struck. He uses this limb control to stand up and subsequently attempt a trip takedown. “The Answer” answers him with a throw that plants the Renzo Gracie Philly product flat on his back.
Gorimbo controls with right hands as Wells tries to scramble, and Wells still works his way to the cage and grabs the fence immediately. Gorimbo chucks him to the floor like a sack of potatoes and reassumes top position. When Gorimbo sits up to blast with ground strikes, Wells scurries to put himself closer to the fencing. Just as Wells is about to sit and follow him, Gorimbo strips his legs out beneath him. Wells simply explodes back up to his feet, and he turns Gorimbo to the fence and imposes his weight all while tugging his fingers in the chain links illegally. That makes three, maybe four loud warnings from Tognoni with nothing else to it. Wells turns things around and sits himself down on top of Gorimbo as the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo

Round 2
Wells reintroduces himself to his opponent with a vicious body kick as the round kicks off, and Gorimbo answers him with one right back just as mean and loud. Wells goes low with a calf kick, and Gorimbo stands him up with two straight right hands down the middle. Gorimbo splits the guard with his power right, and he ducks a Wells blitz to counter him with heavy punches. Gorimbo shoots in on the hips for a double, and Wells counters him with a counter choke and pulls guard to lock up what was a guillotine choke. Gorimbo keeps pushing through to bowl Wells over and break out of the submission, where he gets to the guard and revs up his GNP engine. Wells does not want to deal with that, so he bursts to his feet and snatches up a standing choke that he uses to bend Gorimbo over. The Zimbabwe native is able to free himself from the attack, but it is an effort that is rewarded by a successful Wells tackling takedown.
Wells asserts himself in the guard, ripping body shots and some to the head to advance to half guard. Wells stops striking and climbs into mount so he can isolate an arm-triangle choke. Wells looks to pass to the other side, but Gorimbo turns himself to stay close enough to the fence to prevent Wells from getting the proper leverage to pull off the sub. Wells bails on it to get situated in full mount, and he tries for an arm-triangle on the other side. Gorimbo breaks free and turns Wells over, shucking off an armbar setup to put Wells on his back as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wells
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Wells
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Wells

Round 3
Leg kicks fly from both sides as the fighters have no plan on bumping fists, with plenty of time to share pleasantries after the melee concludes. They proceed to share the other’s thinking by striking one after the other, mirroring one another until Gorimbo wants to take the fight horizontally. Wells jumps guard with a guillotine choke, and he has a hook in but does not appear to have Gorimbo in trouble. Gorimbo calmly removes himself from submission danger and positions himself in half guard, only for Wells to sit up and rush to his seat against the wall. Gorimbo pushes off rather than deal with a possible standing choke, and he allows Wells to come to him so he can offer up a head kick. Wells tanks it and shoots in for a single, transitioning it to a double to take “The Answer” off his feet. Gorimbo butt-scoots to the fence, and Wells drags him away from it and gets to mount with 2:40 left in the match.
Gorimbo turns to a side to prevent bombardment that has not yet begun, and Wells instead sets up an arm-triangle choke on the other side. Wells still looks to put himself against the fence, and Gorimbo strategically as it at his side to prevent Wells from locking it down. Wells abandons it and saves himself from falling off the side when Gorimbo moves, and he follows Gorimbo every step of the way and pulls him to his back on the floor. Gorimbo turns over, and Wells hangs on from the side with his arm draped around the chest like a seatbelt that also punches you. Wells grinds down elbows while closely pressed to Gorimbo in side control, and Tognoni slaps Gorimbo’s toes out of the fence as they are pulling on it to try to get him a better spot. He does this with both feet, and Wells is crushing him with elbows. Wells does this until time expires, and we go to the scorecards.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wells (29-28 Wells)
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Wells (29-28 Wells)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Wells (29-28 Wells)

The Official Result
Jeremiah Wells def. Themba Gorimbo via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Oct 31, 2025 (1 day before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Angelo picks Themba Gorimbo, citing his striking at distance and in the pocket, takedowns, and toughness. He notes Jeremiah Wells is 39 years old and has been out for 19 months, which could lead to fading. He expects Wells to come out hot but fade, while Gorimbo gains steam. He acknowledges Wells' power and jiu-jitsu but thinks Gorimbo's youth and hunger will prevail.

"I'm going Themba Gorimbo, and I think he can prove a point here."

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Oct 31, 2025 (1 day before fight)

Jeremiah Wells

Big Brady picks Jeremiah Wells but is hesitant due to Wells being 39 and inactive for two years. He criticizes Themba Gorimbo's chin, submission defense, and cardio, calling him not sold on. He notes Wells has a wrestling background, trains with Renzo Gracie Philly, and has knockout power. He sees a potential knockout or submission, predicting a first-round submission.

first round submission, plus 120 underdog

"I'm going to pick Wells. I'm going to pick Wells to get the job done. ... I'll say first round submission"

DFS by the Numbers

Connor Ruebusch Expert picked Oct 30, 2025 (2 days before fight)

Connor does not make a clear pick for this fight. He discusses the matchup but does not state a preference, focusing on the low level and lack of significance.

"It's really no easier to suss out than in the main event, but it is a considerably lower level of ability and significance."

MMA Vivisection

Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Oct 27, 2025 (5 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Lucrative James picks Themba Gorimbo to win, citing his superior technical striking and grappling compared to Jeremiah Wells. He notes that Wells is 38 years old, has shown deterioration in recent performances, and has pulled out of fights due to injury. Gorimbo is more well-rounded, has good takedown defense, and outgrappled opponents like Ramiz Brahimaj and Nico Price. James also mentions Gorimbo's mental state after a loss, but still favors him stylistically.

"I am going to side with Feber Garbo on this one, though. Like I said, stylistically, he is a lot more put together."

Lucrative MMA

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 31, 2025 (1 day before fight)

Jeremiah Wells

Wells is the better grappler with more knockout power. He can take Gorimbo to the mat and find a submission. The host is not sure why there is love for Gorimbo.

submission

"I'm not sure what the love out there is for Grimbo. I think Wells is the better grappler, has more knockout power, and has the ability to take Grimbo to the mat and eventually find a submission, which is the …"

MMA Lock of the Night

The MMA Guru Expert Lean picked Oct 30, 2025 (2 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

The MMA Guru leans towards Themba Gorimbo, citing his volume, range, and recent activity. He thinks Jeremiah Wells is inconsistent with his KO power and aging. He predicts Gorimbo wins by decision, 29-28, though Wells may have moments.

"I'm going to lean towards Themba Gorimbo getting this one done. And I'm going to say he gets it done by decision win, 29-28."

THE MMA GURU

Zane Simon Expert Lean picked Oct 30, 2025 (2 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Zane picks Gorimbo because if he can get to a good position, he will cling to it and suck the life out of the fight. He notes that Wells is predictable, charging in and clinching in a cycle, and that Gorimbo resembles Carlston Harris who submitted Wells. He also mentions Wells is 39 and has been injured.

"I think I'm gonna take Garimbo here just cuz I know that if he can get to a good position he will just cling to it and suck the life out of the fight."

MMA Vivisection

LOSS vs Vicente Luque

Technical Submission (anaconda choke) R1 0:52 · UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura · Dec 07, 2024

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Vicente Luque	0	2 of 6	33%	2 of 6	0 of 0	---	1	0	0:14
Themba Gorimbo	0	5 of 9	55%	5 of 9	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:00

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
1	Vicente Luque	0	2 of 6	33%	2 of 6	0 of 0	---	1	0	0:14
1	Themba Gorimbo	0	5 of 9	55%	5 of 9	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:00

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Vicente Luque	2 of 6	33%	1 of 4	0 of 0	1 of 2	2 of 6	0 of 0	0 of 0
Themba Gorimbo	5 of 9	55%	1 of 5	1 of 1	3 of 3	5 of 9	0 of 0	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Vicente Luque	2 of 6	33%	1 of 4	0 of 0	1 of 2	2 of 6	0 of 0	0 of 0
1	Themba Gorimbo	5 of 9	55%	1 of 5	1 of 1	3 of 3	5 of 9	0 of 0	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Themba Gorimbo vs. Vicente Luque
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gorimbo (-162), Luque (+136)

Round 1
The non-stop preliminary action continues with a welterweight contest that some are considering a “passing of the torch” bout—except the two are the same age. With far more fight miles, Luque (22-10-1, 15-6 UFC) is the grizzled veteran, while Gorimbo (14-4, 4-1 UFC) has the appearance of a fresh-eyed prospect and currently rides a four-fight win streak in the Octagon. The action begins with referee Mark Smith watching over the 170ers, and they elect not to touch gloves. Both men kick at one another, with Gorimbo doubling up on a low kick and putting another leg kick after a one-two. Luque unloads a short, fierce right hand and catches Gorimbo on the side of the head with a left, knocking Gorimbo down to the floor. Gorimbo springs forward on his knees, and
Luque latches onto a guillotine that he transitions into a brabo choke and then an anaconda choke that is tight in a hurry. Gorimbo rolls to try to escape the submission, and Luque turns with him to lock the maneuver down completely. With nowhere to go and the blood supply cut off from his head, Gorimbo goes out fast.
Smith is paying close attention and intervenes as soon as Gorimbo loses consciousness. This is an important victory for “The Silent Assassin,” who proves that he is nowhere near done, shutting Gorimbo’s lights out in under a minute.

The Official Result
Vicente Luque def. Themba Gorimbo R1 0:52 via Technical Submission (Anaconda Choke)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Nov 30, 2024 (7 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Angelo picks Themba Gorimbo, believing the formula to beat Vicente Luque is to take him down, and Gorimbo has the wrestling and cardio to do so. He notes Luque's best days may be behind him after a brain bleed and a loss to Joaquin Buckley. However, he acknowledges Luque is the best fighter Gorimbo has faced and there could be a level gap. He is cautious but leans Gorimbo.

"I think tea can win this fight"

We Want Picks

Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Dec 4, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Vicente Luque

Cody picks Luque, citing his superior striking and submission threat. He notes Gorimbo's limited game and reliance on physicality. He expects Luque to out-strike and potentially submit Gorimbo, though he acknowledges Luque's chin issues.

Luque by submission (small bet)

"I will take Vicente Luque to win this thing... I bet him plus 450 by submission."

Bookie Beatdown

Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked Dec 6, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Vicente Luque

Connor picks Luque despite acknowledging that Luque is aging and has slowed down, while Gorimbo is a confident, aggressive wrestler with surprising speed. He notes that Gorimbo's game is fundamentally messy and that Luque's level of competition has been much higher. Connor also mentions that Gorimbo is on short notice and that Luque's losses are to elite welterweights. He admits it's a weird pick but hopes Luque wins because Gorimbo's fights are horrible to watch.

Connor notes the line has moved from Luque +211 to +131, and Gorimbo from -246 to -146, saying the line getting closer to even is what it should be.

"I'm gonna pick Luque this is short notice for grembo too, and i'm just gonna assume that his game is just too bad for luke to..."

MMA Vivisection

Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Dec 3, 2024 (4 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Daniel picks Gorimbo because he believes Luque is mentally and physically compromised after a brain bleed. He notes Luque's hesitancy and poor recent performances, while Gorimbo is hungry and will push the pace. He expects an ugly decision win for Gorimbo.

wins by decision

"I think that Gerbo just kind of pushes him a little bit harder and uh grinds him out and wins a decision."

Half the Battle

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Dec 6, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Luque is a much depleted and diminished version of himself recently, reacting badly to shots from Buckley. Gorimbo can put on just as much power and eventually find that big shot to put Luque away. I like the under 2.5 rounds and pick Gorimbo by knockout.

under 2.5 rounds, Gorimbo by knockout

"I think gimbo can put on just as much power and eventually find that big shot to put luk away I like the under two and a half here but I'm going to go gimbo by knock out"

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Dec 4, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Vicente Luque

Paul picks Luque, emphasizing his technical striking and experience. He notes Gorimbo's takedown-heavy style but thinks Luque's scrambling and submission defense will neutralize him. He sees Luque as the more polished fighter.

"I will take Vicente Luque to win this thing... he's a much more refined, more polished, more technical striker."

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Hesitant picked Dec 3, 2024 (4 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

The MMA Guru picks Themba Gorimbo despite being a huge Luque fan. He worries about Luque's chin and ability to handle being put on his back, and thinks Luque is overthinking. He sees Gorimbo taking Luque down and Luque second-guessing himself on the feet. He admits he may regret this pick and will only pick Luque again after he wins.

"I'm gonna go with thema gimbo over vente luk I may regret this"

THE MMA GURU

Zane Simon Expert Hesitant picked Dec 6, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Vicente Luque

Zane also picks Luque, but with hesitation. He agrees that Luque is shopworn and has taken a lot of damage, but he believes Gorimbo's game is too bad for Luque to lose to. He notes that Gorimbo is a 'swing and cling' wrestler with poor fundamentals, and that Luque's losses are to elite fighters. Zane is concerned that if Gorimbo wrestles and stalls, Luque could get tired and lose an ugly decision, but he ultimately picks Luque because he hopes he wins.

"I think i'm gonna pick luke too really just because I hope he wins."

MMA Vivisection

WIN vs Niko Price

Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Taira · Oct 12, 2024

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Themba Gorimbo	0	68 of 127	53%	141 of 223	7 of 9	77%	2	0	9:14
Niko Price	0	16 of 53	30%	58 of 100	0 of 3	0%	1	0	1:00

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Ctrl
1	Themba Gorimbo	32 of 67	47%	45 of 87	1 of 1	100%	1	2:46
1	Niko Price	6 of 17	35%	13 of 24	0 of 1	0%	0	0:00
2	Themba Gorimbo	32 of 53	60%	52 of 76	4 of 5	80%	0	1:52
2	Niko Price	9 of 31	29%	19 of 41	0 of 2	0%	1	1:00
3	Themba Gorimbo	4 of 7	57%	44 of 60	2 of 3	66%	1	4:36
3	Niko Price	1 of 5	20%	26 of 35	0 of 0	---	0	0:00

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Themba Gorimbo	68 of 127	53%	44 of 97	9 of 15	15 of 15	43 of 85	6 of 13	19 of 29
Niko Price	16 of 53	30%	13 of 43	2 of 5	1 of 5	11 of 48	5 of 5	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Themba Gorimbo	32 of 67	47%	21 of 55	2 of 3	9 of 9	23 of 47	1 of 4	8 of 16
1	Niko Price	6 of 17	35%	5 of 14	1 of 1	0 of 2	4 of 15	2 of 2	0 of 0
2	Themba Gorimbo	32 of 53	60%	21 of 37	6 of 11	5 of 5	16 of 33	5 of 9	11 of 11
2	Niko Price	9 of 31	29%	7 of 26	1 of 3	1 of 2	6 of 28	3 of 3	0 of 0
3	Themba Gorimbo	4 of 7	57%	2 of 5	1 of 1	1 of 1	4 of 5	0 of 0	0 of 2
3	Niko Price	1 of 5	20%	1 of 3	0 of 1	0 of 1	1 of 5	0 of 0	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Themba Gorimbo vs. Niko Price
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gorimbo (-278), Price (+225)

Round 1
One of two entries tonight in the “welterweight action fight club” will play out next, as Gorimbo (13-4, 3-1 UFC) is entering that category while Price (16-7, 2 NC; 8-7, 2 NC UFC) has been a member practically since day one. Any matchup in that section of 170-pound fighters seems to have a greater likelihood—anecdotally, with those numbers not officially tracked right now—of receiving some sort of “of the night” bonus. Both fighters could use it, as Gorimbo is famous for having seven dollars in his bank account while Price has six kids to feed. Referee Herb Dean will serve as the Octagon ranger, and when he calls for them to fight, they touch gloves. Price walks directly into a front kick when he moves to the center of the cage, and he further gets his bell rung by flying punches from Gorimbo. The Zimbabwe native lets his hands fly, and Price has to reset as he gets clipped with a left hand. Gorimbo aims two thudding leg kicks to the front leg of his foe, and when Price tries to counter with a third, Gorimbo dodges and connects with it. Gorimbo further does damage with his calf kick, and he strings together a pair of straight punches with a step-in knee to the belly. Price takes another chopping kick as he slowly advances, and Gorimbo sticks him with a right hand. Price attempts a body kick, and he gets caught with a fastball of a right hand. Price still marches ever onward, through a low kick and a one-two without flinching. Price squares up, opening him up to three punches, a leg kick and a takedown shot. “The Answer” deposits Price on his back, where he starts working with elbows and punches. Price gets stacked up when attempting an armbar, as Gorimbo punches through it to stop it from materializing. Gorimbo steps over to half guard as Price defends with a kimura sweep, and Gorimbo breaks out of it to open Price up with punches and effective elbows. Price looks to sit up, and Gorimbo hops around to take his back and get both hooks in. Price stands up, and Gorimbo hangs on his foe’s back and grips hold of a neck crank. Price responds by slamming Gorimbo on his head, and Gorimbo rides it out to secure a body triangle. From an awkward angle, the two punch one another until the horn.

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

Round 2
Price starts out the second round marching Gorimbo down, putting a jab and a front kick in his face early. Gorimbo chains punches together in response, with two up top and then a few to the body. Price retaliates with a body kick, and he catches Gorimbo coming in but still eats a few back. Gorimbo winds up with his power calf kick, and he plants the ball of his foot on Price’s sternum. Price punches his way into a clinch, and Gorimbo shakes him up with left hooks and uppercuts up close before tackling Price to the mat. Price turns to his stomach to survive and stand back up, all while eating clubbing left hands. Price gets to his knees and then back upright, and Gorimbo hurriedly mat returns him. Price once more stands, and Gorimbo is imposing his full weight on him, kneeing him in the breadbasket. They trade knees from close proximity, and Gorimbo tries for a trip on the inside but does not land it. Price turns him around as they dirty box with one another, and Price attacks a double that is easily stifled. Price goes after another double, transitioning to a single as Gorimbo’s hips are wide. Gorimbo turns the corner and knees Price in the chest, and they get back upright and split up. Price stalks a potentially tiring Gorimbo down and slugs him in the chops, getting his attention with power punches until they get clinched. Gorimbo responds with a knee on the break, and Price is out of range. Price marches forward to connect with a one-two, and Gorimbo slaps his front leg and then jabs him to the body with a front kick. Price meanders forward, left eye bloodied, and he walks into a takedown shot. Gorimbo pushes through his hips, tosses aside a leglock and starts smacking Price upside the head. Price stands up, and Gorimbo wrenches him down by imposing his body weight on him. As Price defends with a kimura, the round ends.

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

Round 3
The welterweights reach Round 3, tired and beat up but still ready for another five minutes. Gorimbo leads off with two chopping kicks, hits a third and then goes up top with his other leg. Price sees it coming in the nick of time and defends a subsequent shot with a guillotine choke. Gorimbo powers through the choke to slam Price on his back, opening up with ground-and-pound as Price tries to push off the fence with his foot. Gorimbo controls his man while slinging short right hands, keeping Price trapped between the corner of the floor and the wall. Price again tries to push off the fence, this time tugging on the links with his toes. Dean calls him on this, and Price stops. Price explodes to sit up, only for Gorimbo grind him back down while keeping Price’s right leg laced to stop him from escaping. Price kicks his foe off his chest, and Gorimbo stands and backs up. Price throws a hard kick to the calf from his back, and Gorimbo allows him to do this so he can dive in to reclaim top position. Gorimbo draws further blood with slow but methodical strikes, stepping over to half guard on the other side. Price times this guard pass to burst upright with 55 seconds left in the round. Gorimbo cinches his hands around the waist to dump Price to the floor. Price stands up again through sheer force of will, and Gorimbo hangs on from his back and slides off. Gorimbo looks for an unorthodox banana split, Suloev stretch or kneebar, and time expires before he can get anything.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo (30-27 Gorimbo)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo (30-27 Gorimbo)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo (30-27 Gorimbo)

The Official Result
Themba Gorimbo def. Niko Price via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Oct 6, 2024 (6 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Angelo picks Themba Gorimbo, acknowledging that picking against Niko Price is difficult due to his unpredictability. However, he believes Gorimbo is the overall better fighter with a good combination of technical striking, wrestling, and the ability to push forward. He notes that Price can win on any given day but that Gorimbo's skills should prevail.

"I think TBA is just the overall better fighter and I think he gets it done."

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 10, 2024 (2 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Big Brady picks Themba Gorimbo to win by first-round knockout. He notes Gorimbo is improving rapidly while Price is diminishing, having been knocked out by Robbie Lawler in 30 seconds and looking poor in recent fights. He questions whether Gorimbo will stand and bang or wrestle, but hopes for an exciting finish. He thinks the line is wild at -375 but still picks Gorimbo. He mentions Gorimbo could also control Price on the ground like he did against Brahimaj.

Gorimbo by first-round knockout

"I'll pick thema to win I guess the the question I have is is how is thema going to approach this fight"

DFS by the Numbers

Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Oct 11, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Connor agrees with Zane, noting that Niko Price has looked bad for years and has no way to stop a takedown. He points out that Price's last funky knockout was in 2019 and he has since struggled. Connor believes Gorimbo's wrestling, though not great, is enough to control Price.

"Yeah, like how are you gonna stop somebody from just going out and taking you down? You've never stopped that before"

MMA Vivisection

Connor Ruebusch Expert picked Oct 10, 2024 (2 days before fight)

This fight was not discussed in the transcript. No picks were made.

MMA Vivisection

Daniel Vreeland Expert picked Oct 8, 2024 (4 days before fight)

Daniel is unimpressed with Gorimbo's skills, calling him slow and not a future top-15 guy, but he acknowledges that Price may be too washed to capitalize. He loves Price's ability off his back but is not confident enough to pick him. Daniel decides to pass on betting this fight, calling it a 'dog or pass' situation.

"This is dog or pass... I don't want to plant my flags on a washed up fighter like Nico Price."

Half the Battle

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 11, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Niko Price

The host is surprised the line is so wide, as Gorimbo is on a three-fight winning streak but not all that good. Price has veteran experience and durability; if he holds up early, Gorimbo will struggle to grind him out. Price has a better gas tank and should pull away late, finishing in the second or third round.

finish in second or third round

"I think that eventually leads to a second or third round finish for the big underdog here in Niko Price"

MMA Lock of the Night

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 8, 2024 (4 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

The MMA Guru picks Themba Gorimbo, citing his speed advantage on the feet and Price's suspect chin. He notes that Gorimbo is on a three-fight win streak and is being given 'layups' by the UFC. He expects Gorimbo to win by TKO on the feet, as Price is too slow and doesn't have the grappling to take Gorimbo down.

TKO

"I'm going to go with them gimbo here over ni price just way faster on the feet I'm actually going to say he gets it done by TKO on the feet"

THE MMA GURU

Zane Simon Expert picked Oct 10, 2024 (2 days before fight)

This fight was not discussed in the transcript. No picks were made.

MMA Vivisection

Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Oct 11, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Zane thinks Gorimbo can blanket Price with his wrestling, even though Gorimbo's control is poor and he often stalls in ugly positions. He notes that Price has looked washed for years, lacks preventative skills, and has no way to stop takedowns. Zane acknowledges it's not much but believes Gorimbo can tie Price up and slow him down.

"Garimbo I guess yeah, I think them but Garimbo could just go out and blanket him"

MMA Vivisection

WIN vs Ramiz Brahimaj

Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Murphy · May 18, 2024

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Themba Gorimbo	0	43 of 52	82%	110 of 134	5 of 6	83%	0	1	10:13
Ramiz Brahimaj	0	3 of 6	50%	15 of 20	1 of 8	12%	0	0	3:44

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Rev.	Ctrl
1	Themba Gorimbo	5 of 5	100%	34 of 37	0 of 1	0%	0	3:20
1	Ramiz Brahimaj	2 of 2	100%	9 of 10	0 of 4	0%	0	1:06
2	Themba Gorimbo	15 of 20	75%	28 of 35	3 of 3	100%	1	3:42
2	Ramiz Brahimaj	0 of 3	0%	4 of 8	1 of 2	50%	0	1:01
3	Themba Gorimbo	23 of 27	85%	48 of 62	2 of 2	100%	0	3:11
3	Ramiz Brahimaj	1 of 1	100%	2 of 2	0 of 2	0%	0	1:37

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Themba Gorimbo	43 of 52	82%	9 of 13	31 of 35	3 of 4	6 of 10	35 of 38	2 of 4
Ramiz Brahimaj	3 of 6	50%	0 of 2	3 of 4	0 of 0	0 of 2	3 of 4	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Themba Gorimbo	5 of 5	100%	1 of 1	4 of 4	0 of 0	1 of 1	4 of 4	0 of 0
1	Ramiz Brahimaj	2 of 2	100%	0 of 0	2 of 2	0 of 0	0 of 0	2 of 2	0 of 0
2	Themba Gorimbo	15 of 20	75%	1 of 2	12 of 15	2 of 3	2 of 4	13 of 15	0 of 1
2	Ramiz Brahimaj	0 of 3	0%	0 of 2	0 of 1	0 of 0	0 of 2	0 of 1	0 of 0
3	Themba Gorimbo	23 of 27	85%	7 of 10	15 of 16	1 of 1	3 of 5	18 of 19	2 of 3
3	Ramiz Brahimaj	1 of 1	100%	0 of 0	1 of 1	0 of 0	0 of 0	1 of 1	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Themba Gorimbo vs. Ramiz Brahimaj
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gorimbo (-135), Brahimaj (+114)

Round 1
Full of emotion, Gorimbo (12-4, 2-1 UFC) takes to the cage today and fights with a heavy weight on his shoulders. Earlier in the week, his coach’s mother passed away, and the Zimbabwe native vowed that he would win for her. He faces submission specialist Brahimaj (10-4, 2-2 UFC), who holds a 100% sub rate as a pro but is coming off a nearly career-ending injury. This emotional welterweight clash will be officiated by referee Mark Smith, and the fighters do not bump fists. Gorimbo is the initial aggressor, walking Brahimaj around the cage while measuring his jab. Gorimbo gets off a front kick, and Brahimaj immediately closes in on him to change levels. Gorimbo turns him around and pushes him to the fence, and Brahimaj settles for this position by landing several knees to the belly. Brahimaj turns him about and drags Gorimbo down, bringing Gorimbo on top of him in a sacrifice throw. Brahimaj scoots his way to the wall and stands up without taking any damage, and he knees Gorimbo in the hand to break up his grip momentarily. Gorimbo lifts Brahimaj up in the air but sets him down when he cannot find the right angle to put him on the mat. The two fighters push one another in the clinch, and Brahimaj once more tries to take the fight down only to land on his back. Brahimaj turns to his side and tries to sneak around the back, but Gorimbo stops him from getting anywhere. Brahimaj climbs up with the fence behind him, and Gorimbo knees him a few times. Brahimaj spins him around and delivers a solid knee to the sternum, and Gorimbo answers with his own knee and an elbow for good measure. The grinding round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo

Round 2
Gorimbo reintroduces himself to his foe with a front kick and a low kick, and he tries another leg kick but is out of range. Brahimaj closes in, and Gorimbo nails him in the calf with a kick. Brahimaj regains his balance and practically runs forward to engage in a clinch. Gorimbo meets him and instantly turns him around, and it does not take long for Smith to ask for more action as they stall out. Brahimaj turns things around with one arm between Gorimbo’s legs, but Gorimbo manages to muscle his opponent down to the floor. Brahimaj considers a guillotine choke, but the leverage is wrong given that his right side is against the cage. Brahimaj sits up and puts his back to the wall, and he stands up. Gorimbo uses a body lock to hurl Brahimaj to the mat, and Brahimaj scrambles to fight his way back upright. Gorimbo leans heavily on his opponent, making life miserable for Brahimaj and the audience watching as he clings with zero offense offered. Brahimaj turns him about and takes a knee to the belly as Smith clasp for them to do something, anything. The wall-and-stall continues as Gorimbo pushes him back to the fence. Brahimaj slides around and attempts to take the back and get hold of a choke, but he falls off the back and goes down to his seat. Brahimaj scoots his way to the wire and stands, and Gorimbo knees him in the groin. Smith tells him to watch out, and they continue embracing the grind. Gorimbo gets off a few more knees and gains enough space to land and elbow, before tripping Brahimaj up and setting him down to the floor. Gorimbo, with one hook around the side, fishes for a one-armed choke. Smith sees there is nothing from this position and asks for more work. There is no more work from either man until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo

Round 3
The two have five minutes left to handle their business, and they come out of their corners in a labored pace. Gorimbo strikes first, with a few punches and a leg kick before shooting for a takedown. “The Answer” successfully pushes the submission artist against the wall, but they wind up in the same position they have spent the majority of the lackluster encounter. Brahimaj goes after a single, and Gorimbo gets away with a fence grab to keep himself on his feet. Brahimaj fails to get him down, and Gorimbo turns him around as the grueling tie-up continues. Gorimbo plants a few knees to the belly before he is spun around, and Smith warns someone for grabbing the cage. Nothing happens absent a few minor knees from Gorimbo, and time slowly ticks off the clock as the remain stuck together in the clinch. Brahimaj flirts with a takedown effort but is nowhere close to getting anything, and Smith asks for more work. Gorimbo grinds, grinds and grinds away as he spams short knees. Brahimaj goes after another trip, and for the third time this fight, he falls on his own back feebly. While he manages to get back up without taking any damage, it is because Gorimbo is not striking. Gorimbo wrenches him back down, and he apologizes to UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby for the anti-“Fight of the Night” performance. The kind Shelby flashes him double thumbs-up signs, as he does not wish to kick anyone while they are down. The miserable matchup ends after 15 long minutes.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo (30-27 Gorimbo)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo (30-27 Gorimbo)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo (30-27 Gorimbo)

The Official Result
Themba Gorimbo def. Ramiz Brahimaj via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked May 12, 2024 (6 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Angelo sees Themba Gorimbo as a distance striker with good takedown defense and now proven power. Ramiz Brahimaj is a submission specialist who has been away for two years and tends to grapple off his back. Angelo thinks Brahimaj will struggle to get past Gorimbo's range and takedown defense, making Gorimbo the clear pick. He may parlay Gorimbo with Piera Rodríguez.

potential parlay with Piera Rodríguez

"tber gbo is going to be the pick and I I honestly May parlay him with Pera Rodriguez"

We Want Picks

Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked May 15, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Cody provides a detailed breakdown: Gorimbo has a great story and work ethic, but his grappling defense is a concern. However, Brahimaj is a one-trick pony who relies on first-round submissions and has terrible cardio if he doesn't get them. Cody notes Brahimaj's losses come when he can't secure a takedown, and Gorimbo's cardio and power should take over if he survives the first round. He also mentions live betting Gorimbo if he loses the first round.

Live bet on Gorimbo if he loses the first round

"I'm gonna take themba and I'm also going to take that live betting Market that if themba can if he loses the first round oh well you you missed it right if he loses the first round but survives you …"

Bookie Beatdown

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked May 14, 2024 (4 days before fight)

Ramiz Brahimaj

Gorimbo is reckless on the feet and has holes in his game. Brahimaj is a slick BJJ specialist who sets up takedowns well and has finishing ability. Both guys have cardio issues, but Brahimaj should find a submission opportunity early. The fight not going to decision is a strong play.

Fight doesn't go to decision; Brahimaj by submission in round one.

"I'm thinking round one submission for the returning Riz brahimi"

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked May 15, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Paul agrees with Cody that the line has moved to a pick 'em for good reason. He notes Gorimbo's cardio and work ethic are his biggest weapons, while Brahimaj has a history of gassing if he doesn't get a first-round submission. Paul believes Gorimbo's improvements at MMA Masters and his raw power make him the play at this price.

"At close to a pick them yeah it's themba for me as well."

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 14, 2024 (4 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

The MMA Guru picks Themba Gorimbo over Ramiz Brahimaj, citing Gorimbo's better finishing potential and training at MMA Masters. He notes that Brahimaj lost to Court McGee, which he considers a bad sign for a prospect. He expects Gorimbo to stuff takedowns and eventually finish Brahimaj in round two or three, possibly due to cardio advantage.

"I'm going to go them gimbo on finishing potential I think he's got more finishing potential here"

THE MMA GURU

WIN vs Pete Rodriguez

TKO (punches) R1 0:32 · UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs. Imavov · Feb 03, 2024

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Themba Gorimbo	1	12 of 18	66%	12 of 18	0 of 1	0%	0	0	0:05
Pete Rodriguez	0	0 of 5	0%	0 of 5	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:00

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
1	Themba Gorimbo	1	12 of 18	66%	12 of 18	0 of 1	0%	0	0	0:05
1	Pete Rodriguez	0	0 of 5	0%	0 of 5	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:00

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Themba Gorimbo	12 of 18	66%	10 of 16	1 of 1	1 of 1	3 of 6	2 of 2	7 of 10
Pete Rodriguez	0 of 5	0%	0 of 3	0 of 1	0 of 1	0 of 5	0 of 0	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Themba Gorimbo	12 of 18	66%	10 of 16	1 of 1	1 of 1	3 of 6	2 of 2	7 of 10
1	Pete Rodriguez	0 of 5	0%	0 of 3	0 of 1	0 of 1	0 of 5	0 of 0	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Themba Gorimbo vs. Pete Rodriguez
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gorimbo (-245), Rodriguez (+200)

Round 1
Gorimbo and Rodriguez set it off, with Herb Dean the third man in the Octagon. Both welterweights are in orthodox stance. Rodriguez bounces in and out of range, trying to navigate the huge reach disparity.
Gorimbo catches him on one of the “in” bounces with a massive right hand that catches him right on the point of the chin and makes a loud CLACK in the Apex. Rodriguez crumples to the canvas and Gorimbo follows, landing in side control and throwing a stream of unblocked punches until Dean interposes himself for the mercy stoppage.
Nasty work by Themba Gorimbo.

The Official Result
Themba Gorimbo def. Pete Rodriguez R1 0:32 via TKO (Punches)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jan 28, 2024 (6 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Angelo is confident Themba Gorimbo will win, citing his distance management and ability to pick apart Pete Rodriguez. He notes that Rodriguez is a brawler with power but sloppy technique. He mentions the line movement and says he will bet on Gorimbo if the line rebounds.

Monitoring line movement; will bet if line rebounds

"Tempa gimbo should win this fight he should be able to control the distance avoid any of those big looping shots"

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jan 29, 2024 (5 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Big Brady picks Themba Gorimbo to win by second-round submission. He notes that Gorimbo is a grappler who will shoot for takedowns early, while Rodriguez has never seen the second round and has poor ground game based on amateur fights. However, Brady has concerns about Gorimbo's cardio, durability, and tendency to be submission over position. He thinks Rodriguez is live if he can keep it standing, but expects Gorimbo to get the sub.

second round, submission

"give me th GMO to win this fight though I'll say he wins this fight by second round submission"

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jan 31, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Cody picks Gorimbo, citing his improved training situation and Rodriguez's limited skills. He notes Rodriguez's only path is a first-round KO, while Gorimbo's grappling and reach should control the fight. He expects a submission or decision win.

"gbo is the pick"

Bookie Beatdown

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jan 29, 2024 (5 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Gorimbo should implement his grappling game and grind out a finish, but his reckless striking leaves him open to a knockout. Rodriguez is a power puncher but still green and reliant on power. The host expects Gorimbo to win inside the distance, likely in the second round.

Pete Rodriguez by knockout prop is mentioned as a possible sprinkle. Fight doesn't go to decision is the favorite prediction.

"I'm going to go with greenbo as my prediction I think wins inside the distance."

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jan 31, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Paul picks Gorimbo, noting Rodriguez's lack of grappling and poor weight cut history. He thinks Gorimbo's grappling advantage should be decisive, but he's not betting the fight due to unappealing props.

"themba is the pick I don't think I'm going to bet this fight though"

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jan 30, 2024 (4 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

The MMA Guru picks Themba Gorimbo over Pete Rodriguez, citing Gorimbo's well-roundedness and grappling ability. He notes that Gorimbo now has financial freedom from The Rock's gift, allowing him to focus full-time. He believes if the fight goes past the first round, Gorimbo's chances skyrocket, as Rodriguez is dangerous early but untested beyond that.

if it gets out of the first round his chances of winning Skyrocket

"I'm going to have to go with thema gimbo I think he's shown more well-roundedness in his career so far... if it gets out of the first round his chances of winning I believe Skyrocket."

THE MMA GURU

WIN vs Takashi Sato

Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Hill · May 20, 2023

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Themba Gorimbo	0	30 of 47	63%	56 of 76	2 of 6	33%	0	1	2:21
Takashi Sato	1	33 of 56	58%	110 of 158	3 of 8	37%	0	2	11:15

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Rev.	Ctrl
1	Themba Gorimbo	0	3 of 8	37%	15 of 21	1 of 2	50%	0	0:32
1	Takashi Sato	0	7 of 16	43%	39 of 57	1 of 3	33%	1	3:58
2	Themba Gorimbo	0	14 of 17	82%	21 of 25	1 of 4	25%	0	1:14
2	Takashi Sato	1	18 of 30	60%	40 of 57	1 of 2	50%	1	3:20
3	Themba Gorimbo	0	13 of 22	59%	20 of 30	0 of 0	---	1	0:35
3	Takashi Sato	0	8 of 10	80%	31 of 44	1 of 3	33%	0	3:57

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Themba Gorimbo	30 of 47	63%	21 of 37	9 of 10	0 of 0	5 of 16	15 of 16	10 of 15
Takashi Sato	33 of 56	58%	21 of 41	12 of 15	0 of 0	12 of 25	9 of 12	12 of 19

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Themba Gorimbo	3 of 8	37%	2 of 7	1 of 1	0 of 0	0 of 4	3 of 4	0 of 0
1	Takashi Sato	7 of 16	43%	1 of 9	6 of 7	0 of 0	1 of 9	6 of 7	0 of 0
2	Themba Gorimbo	14 of 17	82%	9 of 12	5 of 5	0 of 0	1 of 4	11 of 11	2 of 2
2	Takashi Sato	18 of 30	60%	15 of 25	3 of 5	0 of 0	5 of 8	2 of 4	11 of 18
3	Themba Gorimbo	13 of 22	59%	10 of 18	3 of 4	0 of 0	4 of 8	1 of 1	8 of 13
3	Takashi Sato	8 of 10	80%	5 of 7	3 of 3	0 of 0	6 of 8	1 of 1	1 of 1

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Themba Gorimbo vs. Takashi Sato
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Sato (-110), Gorimbo (-110)

Round 1
The last UFC card before a much-needed weekend off is upon us, and it will be in the form of a dozen-fight showcase at the UFC Apex. There are two ranked fighters on the entire billing, both coming in the main attraction, but with any luck, those numbers will not matter when the cage doors close and the competitors all get after it. The first match of the evening comes in the welterweight division between two men who would very much like a win. With three losses in his last three appearances, Sato (15-6, 2-4 UFC) may need to get his hand raised to stay on the roster. Meanwhile, South Africa’s Gorimbo (10-4, 0-1 UFC) is hoping to have a second chance to make a first impression. This classic Japan vs. South Africa (or Zimbabwe, if you prefer birth nation) battle will be overseen by referee Chris Tognoni and his sweet mustache, and the combatants do not touch gloves before getting started. Gorimbo leads the dance with a head kick early, and follows it with a few punches while Sato bears down on him. Sato blocks another high kick before it can reach his head, and Gorimbo mashes forward to attempt a takedown. Sato stonewalls him and nearly shoves Gorimbo to his back, but he decides instead to stand back up and Gorimbo follows him to the clinch. Gorimbo looks to muscle his man down, and Sato turns the corner and dumps him to his back for a moment. Gorimbo explodes right back up, and he manages to suck Sato’s legs out beneath him and drag him to his seat. Sato moves to his knees while Gorimbo hooks his foe’s legs between one of his own, and he wall-walks to stand back up as Gorimbo continues to jam him up. Gorimbo looks for a trip that does not succeed, and he lifts up a knee to the chest to get a strike off in this position. This allows Sato to turn him around for a second, but Gorimbo powers him back around. “The Answer” answers a potential ref request for more action with another solid knee, and Sato replies with a half-hearted throw that he abandons when he realizes he will need to use much more energy than he is willing to succeed. Gorimbo drills another knee to the solar plexus, and Sato uses a sweep and a body lock to toss his foe to the floor. Gorimbo scrambles wildly, doing enough to get Sato down and circling around to take the back. The South African fighter hooks up a body triangle and starts fishing for a rear-naked choke, and Sato is wise to the attempt and tries to turn to a side to escape. Gorimbo softens him up with short strikes to the side of the head, and he hands on with back control until the horn blares.
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Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo

Round 2
Sato initiates the second round aggressively, pressuring forward and hoping to turn the tables on Gorimbo after giving up the last round. Gorimbo cocks back a right hand and releases it, blasting the charging Sato in the face and knocking him down to the floor. Sato hits his back and tries to clear out the cobwebs, and Gorimbo leaps down on top of him and tries to jack him up with hammerfists. Sato gathers his thoughts enough to consider a takedown, perhaps in a desperation effort, and the two end up standing up in the clinch. Sato starts driving several knees to the body, and Gorimbo works for another takedown as he turns the Japanese fighter around. Gorimbo looks to hook up a single-leg takedown, and Sato reverses him brilliantly with a head-and-arm throw that deposits Gorimbo to the floor. “Ten” starts fishing for a scarf hold in the advantageous position, and when there is no submission to be found, he sits up. Gorimbo threatens off his back with a leglock, but it does not come anywhere near close before Sato starts smacking him in the face with ground strikes. Gorimbo tugs his toes on the fence to get enough leverage to work his way to his knees and then upright, where he stays bent over to go for a takedown. Sato defends with a series of elbows to the side of the head, and even when he is pulled down to his knees, he continues doing some work with elbows. Gorimbo keeps grinding on him and defends a throw from Sato to stay in this grueling position. Sato breaks away from the clinch and gains some space, but Gorimbo gives chase and wings punches at him until changing levels. The round ends with Gorimbo trying to take the fight down again.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo

Round 3
With Sato advancing as per usual to start off the round, Gorimbo is prepared and goes after another huge right hand. This time, Sato does not walk face-first into it, and he ducks it to tie the African fighter up. Gorimbo is glad to get back into the close range, where he turns Sato around and drags him down to a knee for a moment. When Sato springs back up, Gorimbo redoubles his effort and hits the takedown he is seeking. Sato falls to his back, with a cut around his right eye starting to bleed. Sato does not remain on his back for long before shifting enough to get to a knee, and Gorimbo again works his way around to take the back. “The Answer” locks his legs around the waist, and Sato grimaces in pain as the position must be causing him no small amount of discomfort. Sato attempts to turn and spin around, but Gorimbo has him locked down. Gorimbo lands occasional punches to both sides of the head to keep Sato guessing, with the strikes more frustrating than damaging. Gorimbo uses one moment to snake his right forearm around the chin, but he cannot sink it under it to lock down the rear-naked choke before Sato defends it. Sato cannot get out of this miserable position, and Gorimbo turns to the side and looks for a side choke. Sato takes advantage of this momentary lapse of judgment and flips Gorimbo to his back, and he starts shelling the African fighter with punches and elbows. Sato unloads a final barrage of blows, with few actually getting through the guard, and time expires before a stoppage is even close. It may have been too little, too late for the Japanese fighter, as the fight is over.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo (30-27 Gorimbo)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo (30-27 Gorimbo)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gorimbo (30-27 Gorimbo)

The Official Result
Themba Gorimbo def. Takashi Sato via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked May 14, 2023 (6 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Angelo picks Themba Gorimbo based on his solid grappling and takedown defense shown in the loss to AJ Fletcher. He notes that Gorimbo never looked panicked and can make adjustments on the fly. While Sato is better than his recent record, Angelo believes his best years are behind him.

"I'm gonna have to go with themba here right and a lot of it has to do with how good he looked in the loss to AJ Fletcher"

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked May 12, 2023 (8 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Big Brady picks Themba Gorimbo to submit Takashi Sato in the second round. He notes that Sato has a massive hole in his takedown defense and ground game, and Gorimbo is the grappler who will exploit that. However, he has concerns about Gorimbo's cardio after his debut against AJ Fletcher, but gives him a pass for short notice. He expects Gorimbo to get takedowns early and submit Sato, though he advises against going all-in on this fight.

submission in round 2

"I'm gonna take them to go out there and submit Takashi Sato in the second round"

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked May 18, 2023 (2 days before fight)

Takashi Sato

Cody gives Sato a slight edge due to his power and experience. He notes Gorimbo's durability issues and thinks Sato's kickboxing could be decisive. He is not confident and calls it a 50-50 fight.

"I'm gonna take Takashi Sato."

Bookie Beatdown

Connor Ruebusch Expert Lean picked May 19, 2023 (1 day before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Connor also picks Gorimbo, agreeing that his pace and aggression will be key. He notes that Sato is a solid defensive wrestler but will be tested immediately and repeatedly because he doesn't do anything. Connor expects an ugly fight but sees Gorimbo's pace winning out.

"I'll pick the pace with you, but ugly fight."

MMA Vivisection

Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked May 18, 2023 (2 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Daniel Levi picks Themba Gorimbo, citing confidence and mental state. He questions Takashi Sato's ability to rebound from a brutal knockout loss (head kick, back of head to canvas) and thinks Sato may be hesitant. He notes Sato has low volume but heavy hands, while Gorimbo is not the most athletic but may be hungrier. He admits Gorimbo could be faded but thinks Sato's demons will be a factor.

"I'll go with themba garimba uh to get it done"

Half the Battle

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked May 15, 2023 (5 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

The host picks Themba Gorimbo despite feeling slightly sketchy about him. He believes Gorimbo's grappling advantage will be the key, as he should be able to drag the fight to the ground and control Sato for the majority. He notes Gorimbo's striking is wild and erratic, but his kicks can keep Sato at range. He expects a decision win for Gorimbo.

"I think he is going to be the side here still feels slightly sketchy about him but I feel like he'll be able to use his grappling Advantage correctly here and get the W by decision"

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert picked May 18, 2023 (2 days before fight)

Paul does not make a clear pick, stating he has no strong opinion and that the fight is a toss-up. He does not commit to either fighter.

"I'm not very sold maybe you can sell me on a side."

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 16, 2023 (4 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

The MMA Guru expects a striking matchup, noting that neither fighter is strong on the ground. He believes Takashi Sato has become gun-shy on the feet since his KO over Jason Witt, while Themba Gorimbo is a big athlete with a reach advantage and trains at MMA Masters. He predicts Gorimbo will hurt Sato on the feet and then secure a submission, likely a rear-naked choke or armbar, finishing in the first round.

finish in the first round, submission (rear naked choke or armbar)

"I'm actually gonna go with themba gorimbo by finish in the first round"

THE MMA GURU

Zane Simon Expert Lean picked May 19, 2023 (1 day before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Zane picks Gorimbo, citing his pace and aggressive wrestling as the modern way to win. He notes that Sato is a low-output counter puncher who will be overwhelmed by Gorimbo's constant pressure and awkward tie-ups. Zane acknowledges Gorimbo is not a good fighter but believes his pace will be too much for Sato.

"I'm going to pick pace to win. Yeah. It is the modern. It is the modern way to win an MMA."

MMA Vivisection

LOSS vs AJ Fletcher

Submission R2 1:37 · UFC Fight Night: Andrade vs. Blanchfield · Feb 18, 2023

Niko Price - Fight History

LOSS vs Michael Chiesa

Submission R1 1:03 · UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Pyfer · Mar 28, 2026

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	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

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
1	Michael Chiesa	0	0 of 1	0%	0 of 1	1 of 2	50%	1	0	0:23
1	Niko Price	0	1 of 3	33%	1 of 3	1 of 1	100%	0	0	0:08

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
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

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
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
1	Niko Price	1 of 3	33%	0 of 2	1 of 1	0 of 0	0 of 2	1 of 1	0 of 0

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Mar 23, 2026 (5 days before fight)

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."

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Mar 25, 2026 (3 days before fight)

Michael Chiesa

Cody believes Chiesa will win via submission, citing Price's poor grappling and Chiesa's rear-naked choke. He sees this as a perfect retirement fight for Chiesa in front of his home crowd.

"Michael Chiesa is going to get the takedowns. And when he takes him down, he's going to sub him."

Bookie Beatdown

Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Mar 26, 2026 (2 days before fight)

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."

MMA Vivisection

Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Mar 24, 2026 (4 days before fight)

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."

Half the Battle

Diary of a Pro Gambler Expert Confident picked Mar 28, 2026 (fight day)

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."

Diary of a Pro Gambler

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Mar 24, 2026 (4 days before fight)

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 …"

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Mar 25, 2026 (3 days before fight)

Michael Chiesa

Paul agrees, noting Chiesa's wrestling advantage and Price's recent knockout loss. He expects Chiesa to win easily, likely by submission.

"Chiesa wins this fight pretty... He's a parlay piece this week."

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Mar 27, 2026 (1 day before fight)

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."

THE MMA GURU

Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Mar 26, 2026 (2 days before fight)

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."

MMA Vivisection

LOSS vs Nikolay Veretennikov

KO R1 1:42 · UFC Fight Night: Bautista vs. Oliveira · Feb 07, 2026

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Nikolay Veretennikov	0	19 of 30	63%	20 of 31	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:17
Niko Price	0	9 of 23	39%	12 of 27	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:00

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
1	Nikolay Veretennikov	0	19 of 30	63%	20 of 31	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:17
1	Niko Price	0	9 of 23	39%	12 of 27	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:00

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Nikolay Veretennikov	19 of 30	63%	12 of 22	6 of 7	1 of 1	10 of 21	9 of 9	0 of 0
Niko Price	9 of 23	39%	7 of 19	1 of 1	1 of 3	9 of 22	0 of 1	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Nikolay Veretennikov	19 of 30	63%	12 of 22	6 of 7	1 of 1	10 of 21	9 of 9	0 of 0
1	Niko Price	9 of 23	39%	7 of 19	1 of 1	1 of 3	9 of 22	0 of 1	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Nikolay Veretennikov vs. Niko Price
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Veretennikov (-225); Price (+185)

Round 1
A pink slip derby at 170 pounds comes next as Kazakhstan native Veretennikov (13-7, 1-3 UFC) looks to get back in the win column at the expense of the similarly skidding Price (16-9, 2 NC; 8-9, 2 NC UFC). Referee Chris Tognoni will know first who ends up prevailing, and he stands guard until needed. Late replacement Price offers a sporting tap of gloves, and it is accepted.
Price leads off with a sweeping low kick, and he leaps forward to engage, throwing hands. Veretennikov meets him in the pocket with his fists, and he ends a combo with a low kick that makes Price wince. Veretennikov lands on the Floridian cleanly upstairs, knocking him back and winding up in a clinch. Veretennikov’s lumps up the midsection with knees, setting them up when an opening presents itself to unleash them. He frames off with right hands, and Price beats him to the punch on the way to a reset. Price wades into the fray, and Veretennikov busts him in the chops with his counters. Veretennikov’s heavy hands back Price against the fence after blocking a front kick, and he smashes Price in the face with a right hand that shakes him up badly. Veretennikov appears surprised that Price’s hands dropped from the first blow, and he delivers a concussive knee to the jaw that puts Price on ice skates.
Veretennikov stands Price back up with an elbow that partially shut his lights off, and he knocks a semi-conscious Price’s head around with huge swings until an intervening Tognoni realizes that Price is completely out on his feet with one finger stuck in the cage the only thing keeping him from collapsing.
The mighty knockout is a huge feather in the cap of Veretennikov, whose roster spot might have been terminated with a defeat. Price comes to, and he does not know what happened, upset that the fight has been stopped but unsure why. He manages to come around, and he gives it up for the fighter named “Gladiator” who just deprived him of his consciousness.

The Official Result
Nikolay Veretennikov def. Niko Price R1 1:42 via KO (Elbow and Punches)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Feb 1, 2026 (6 days before fight)

Nikolay Veretennikov

Angelo picks Nikolay Veretennikov, reasoning that he is a powerful striker who hits hard, while his opponent Jose Henrique (Niko Price) is very hittable. He acknowledges that Veretennikov has trouble with takedowns but thinks if he doesn't worry about that and just moves forward, he can win or finish the fight. He calls it a low-level fight and uses simple math: good striker vs guy who gets hit.

"I'm going to pick Nikolai here. He is the slight underdog. Neither one of these guys are very good, but let's just simple math it."

We Want Picks

Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Feb 4, 2026 (3 days before fight)

Niko Price

Cody leans towards Niko Price as a dog, noting Veretennikov's unimpressive record and Price's toughness. He admits Price is a shell of his former self but sees a path via takedowns or durability. Cody is not confident and will wait for weigh-ins.

"I'm tempted to take a dog shot on Nico Price. I don't know if I'm going to have the balls to actually click that button."

Bookie Beatdown

Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Feb 6, 2026 (1 day before fight)

Nikolay Veretennikov

Connor agrees with Zane, calling the fight terrible but picking Veretennikov. He notes that Price is a glass cannon who no longer has the speed or willingness to pull the trigger, and that Veretennikov should have this in the bag even if he doesn't press. Connor emphasizes that Price will walk onto shots.

Veretennikov opened at -325, currently -275; Price opened at +275, currently +235

"I'm picking Veretennikov, but God damn it."

MMA Vivisection

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Feb 4, 2026 (3 days before fight)

Nikolay Veretennikov

Paul picks Nikolay Veretennikov, citing Price's decline in durability and cardio. He notes Veretennikov's power and body work, and Price's poor takedown defense. Paul expects Veretennikov to win by knockout or decision, though the price is high.

"I think Nikolai Rednikov gets him out of there."

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Feb 7, 2026 (fight day)

Nikolay Veretennikov

The host picks Nikolay Veretennikov over Niko Price. He notes Veretennikov took Michael Morales to a split decision, though he looked iffy against Prado. He thinks Price has lost too many times, moves slow, and despite some power and athleticism, Veretennikov should win a competitive 29-28 decision.

29-28 competitive decision

"I'm going to go with Nikolay Veretennikov getting this one done by 29-28 competitive decision."

THE MMA GURU

Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Feb 6, 2026 (1 day before fight)

Nikolay Veretennikov

Zane picks Veretennikov despite calling the fight awful. He argues that Niko Price is washed up, slower, and more hittable, and that Veretennikov should win by using his reach and straight punches. Zane notes that Price can't do anything without running into a straight punch, and Veretennikov could also take him down.

Veretennikov opened at -325, currently -275; Price opened at +275, currently +235

"You gotta pick Veretennikov. You have to pick Veretennikov. Niko price can't do anything without running into a straight punch."

MMA Vivisection

LOSS vs Jacobe Smith

Submission R2 4:03 · UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira · Jun 28, 2025

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Niko Price	0	34 of 61	55%	46 of 76	0 of 2	0%	0	0	0:00
Jacobe Smith	0	46 of 74	62%	73 of 101	2 of 2	100%	1	0	5:41

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Ctrl
1	Niko Price	19 of 37	51%	23 of 42	0 of 2	0%	0	0:00
1	Jacobe Smith	33 of 53	62%	46 of 66	1 of 1	100%	0	3:06
2	Niko Price	15 of 24	62%	23 of 34	0 of 0	---	0	0:00
2	Jacobe Smith	13 of 21	61%	27 of 35	1 of 1	100%	1	2:35

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Niko Price	34 of 61	55%	19 of 43	4 of 7	11 of 11	27 of 49	3 of 4	4 of 8
Jacobe Smith	46 of 74	62%	39 of 66	4 of 5	3 of 3	22 of 41	2 of 2	22 of 31

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Niko Price	19 of 37	51%	10 of 26	3 of 5	6 of 6	17 of 34	1 of 1	1 of 2
1	Jacobe Smith	33 of 53	62%	27 of 46	3 of 4	3 of 3	17 of 31	1 of 1	15 of 21
2	Niko Price	15 of 24	62%	9 of 17	1 of 2	5 of 5	10 of 15	2 of 3	3 of 6
2	Jacobe Smith	13 of 21	61%	12 of 20	1 of 1	0 of 0	5 of 10	1 of 1	7 of 10

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jun 22, 2025 (6 days before fight)

Jacobe Smith

Angelo picks Jacobe Smith because he sees him as a strong prospect with wrestling and finishing ability, while Niko Price is older, has a weak chin, and is being fed to prospects. He notes that Price is fun but past his prime, and Smith's wrestling and pace will be too much. He warns against betting such heavy favorites, saying risking $1400 to make $100 is not worth it.

Angelo mentions that props like 'by finish' or 'first round finish' might offer value, but advises against parlaying minus 1400 favorites.

"Jacob is going to be the pick. The oddsmakers know it. We know it. You can't do anything with these odds."

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jun 21, 2025 (7 days before fight)

Jacobe Smith

Big Brady is very confident in Jacobe Smith, describing it as a bad matchup for Niko Price. He notes Price is older, has taken a lot of damage, and is on a decline, while Smith has power and wrestling. Brady believes Smith can knock Price out on the feet or take him down and use vicious ground and pound. He predicts a first-round knockout, comparing it to the Wellmaker vs Moutinho fight.

Smith wins by first round knockout

"I got to go Smith here. I think it's going to be a first round knockout."

DFS by the Numbers

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jun 26, 2025 (2 days before fight)

Jacobe Smith

The host expects Jacobe Smith to flatline Niko Price within the first round and a half, citing Smith's youth and power. He notes the odds are steep at minus 2000, but still predicts an early knockout finish.

early knockout finish, first round and a half, minus 2000 odds mentioned

"I'm expecting Jacobe Smith to go out there and flatline Nico Price within the first round and a half."

MMA Lock of the Night

The MMA Guru Expert Lock picked Jun 26, 2025 (2 days before fight)

Jacobe Smith

The host calls this a 'big lock of the card', confidently predicting Jacobe Smith to win by first-round TKO. He highlights Smith's impressive KO debut and believes he will repeat that performance against an aging Niko Price who looked geriatric in his last fight. The host notes that Smith's grappling and power will be too much for Price.

first round TKO

"I think Jacob Smith's going to get a very very very quick finish here over Nico Price. In fact, I'm calling a first few minute TKO for Jacob Smith."

THE MMA GURU

LOSS vs Themba Gorimbo

Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Taira · Oct 12, 2024

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Themba Gorimbo	0	68 of 127	53%	141 of 223	7 of 9	77%	2	0	9:14
Niko Price	0	16 of 53	30%	58 of 100	0 of 3	0%	1	0	1:00

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Ctrl
1	Themba Gorimbo	32 of 67	47%	45 of 87	1 of 1	100%	1	2:46
1	Niko Price	6 of 17	35%	13 of 24	0 of 1	0%	0	0:00
2	Themba Gorimbo	32 of 53	60%	52 of 76	4 of 5	80%	0	1:52
2	Niko Price	9 of 31	29%	19 of 41	0 of 2	0%	1	1:00
3	Themba Gorimbo	4 of 7	57%	44 of 60	2 of 3	66%	1	4:36
3	Niko Price	1 of 5	20%	26 of 35	0 of 0	---	0	0:00

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Themba Gorimbo	68 of 127	53%	44 of 97	9 of 15	15 of 15	43 of 85	6 of 13	19 of 29
Niko Price	16 of 53	30%	13 of 43	2 of 5	1 of 5	11 of 48	5 of 5	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Themba Gorimbo	32 of 67	47%	21 of 55	2 of 3	9 of 9	23 of 47	1 of 4	8 of 16
1	Niko Price	6 of 17	35%	5 of 14	1 of 1	0 of 2	4 of 15	2 of 2	0 of 0
2	Themba Gorimbo	32 of 53	60%	21 of 37	6 of 11	5 of 5	16 of 33	5 of 9	11 of 11
2	Niko Price	9 of 31	29%	7 of 26	1 of 3	1 of 2	6 of 28	3 of 3	0 of 0
3	Themba Gorimbo	4 of 7	57%	2 of 5	1 of 1	1 of 1	4 of 5	0 of 0	0 of 2
3	Niko Price	1 of 5	20%	1 of 3	0 of 1	0 of 1	1 of 5	0 of 0	0 of 0

Play-by-Play

View on Sherdog

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Oct 6, 2024 (6 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

"I think TBA is just the overall better fighter and I think he gets it done."

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 10, 2024 (2 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Gorimbo by first-round knockout

"I'll pick thema to win I guess the the question I have is is how is thema going to approach this fight"

DFS by the Numbers

Connor Ruebusch Expert picked Oct 10, 2024 (2 days before fight)

This fight was not discussed in the transcript. No picks were made.

MMA Vivisection

Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Oct 11, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

"Yeah, like how are you gonna stop somebody from just going out and taking you down? You've never stopped that before"

MMA Vivisection

Daniel Vreeland Expert picked Oct 8, 2024 (4 days before fight)

"This is dog or pass... I don't want to plant my flags on a washed up fighter like Nico Price."

Half the Battle

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 11, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Niko Price

finish in second or third round

"I think that eventually leads to a second or third round finish for the big underdog here in Niko Price"

MMA Lock of the Night

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 8, 2024 (4 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

TKO

"I'm going to go with them gimbo here over ni price just way faster on the feet I'm actually going to say he gets it done by TKO on the feet"

THE MMA GURU

Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Oct 11, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

"Garimbo I guess yeah, I think them but Garimbo could just go out and blanket him"

MMA Vivisection

Zane Simon Expert picked Oct 10, 2024 (2 days before fight)

This fight was not discussed in the transcript. No picks were made.

MMA Vivisection

WIN vs Alex Morono

Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier · Jun 01, 2024

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Niko Price	0	108 of 224	48%	138 of 259	5 of 5	100%	0	1	3:37
Alex Morono	0	96 of 210	45%	111 of 225	1 of 1	100%	0	0	0:56

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Rev.	Ctrl
1	Niko Price	16 of 51	31%	21 of 58	1 of 1	100%	1	1:10
1	Alex Morono	34 of 72	47%	40 of 78	1 of 1	100%	0	0:29
2	Niko Price	34 of 65	52%	50 of 83	3 of 3	100%	0	2:04
2	Alex Morono	21 of 43	48%	30 of 52	0 of 0	---	0	0:27
3	Niko Price	58 of 108	53%	67 of 118	1 of 1	100%	0	0:23
3	Alex Morono	41 of 95	43%	41 of 95	0 of 0	---	0	0:00

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Niko Price	108 of 224	48%	78 of 181	24 of 33	6 of 10	78 of 182	9 of 19	21 of 23
Alex Morono	96 of 210	45%	74 of 184	13 of 15	9 of 11	91 of 204	2 of 3	3 of 3

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Niko Price	16 of 51	31%	12 of 45	4 of 5	0 of 1	14 of 47	0 of 2	2 of 2
1	Alex Morono	34 of 72	47%	26 of 63	4 of 4	4 of 5	32 of 70	0 of 0	2 of 2
2	Niko Price	34 of 65	52%	22 of 48	8 of 12	4 of 5	16 of 44	3 of 5	15 of 16
2	Alex Morono	21 of 43	48%	19 of 40	1 of 2	1 of 1	20 of 42	0 of 0	1 of 1
3	Niko Price	58 of 108	53%	44 of 88	12 of 16	2 of 4	48 of 91	6 of 12	4 of 5
3	Alex Morono	41 of 95	43%	29 of 81	8 of 9	4 of 5	39 of 92	2 of 3	0 of 0

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked May 26, 2024 (6 days before fight)

Alex Morono

Angelo picks Alex Morono, ignoring their first fight because it was a while ago and both have evolved. He believes Morono is the more technical striker and better grappler, and that his awkward striking will avoid Niko Price's power. He notes Price is always dangerous but thinks Morono's well-roundedness will prevail.

"I think morono is just the better fighter I think he's the more technical Striker he certainly is the better Grappler"

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Lean picked May 31, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Alex Morono

Big Brady thinks this fight ends inside the distance with someone getting knocked out. He leans toward Alex Morono getting the knockout, citing Niko Price's shot durability and recent KO loss to Robbie Lawler. He compares it to Morono's KO of Donald Cerrone. However, he notes Price has power and a 90% finish rate, so he will play both sides. He considers Price a live dog at 7,300.

fight doesn't go to decision (-200), Alex Morono wins by knockout

"I think it's probably is marona going out there and getting The Knockout"

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked May 29, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Niko Price

Cody leans toward Price, noting his volume and power. He acknowledges Price's durability is questionable but believes Morono's low volume and lack of power make Price live. Cody mentions Price's previous KO of Morono in 2017 and thinks Price can do it again. He warns that Morono may wait for a perfect shot, but Price's pressure could overwhelm him.

"I'm gonna go with the Niko Price direction too... Price has got sickening volume... Morono is not that guy."

Bookie Beatdown

Daniel Vreeland Expert Hesitant picked May 28, 2024 (4 days before fight)

Niko Price

Daniel recalls Morono's struggle against Court McGee and notes Price's power. He thinks it's a dog or pass situation and picks Price to win again.

"I'm gonna go Nico price here to beat him a second time"

Half the Battle

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 27, 2024 (5 days before fight)

Alex Morono

The host expects a repeat of their first fight, where Morono dominated before getting caught. Price's chin is compromised after recent knockouts, and his confidence is low. Morono's stick-and-move style, power, and defensive jiu-jitsu should allow him to land big shots and finish Price, likely by knockout in the second round.

round 2 knockout

"I think we'll see morono capitalize on that... I think it's ultimately going to be a big shot on the chin that puts Nico price out here so give me Alex morono second round knockout."

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked May 29, 2024 (3 days before fight)

Niko Price

Paul leans toward Price, despite acknowledging Price's durability may be fading. He notes Price has sickening volume and power, and Morono's recent performance against Court McGee was poor. Paul thinks Price can outwork Morono and possibly land a KO. He mentions Price's power is the last thing to go and that Morono may be over the hill.

"Everything in my being I know Niko Price is kind of washed but it's like how does Alex Morono lose fights? He gets knocked out... I'm tempted."

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 27, 2024 (5 days before fight)

Alex Morono

The MMA Guru picks Alex Morono, citing Niko Price's recent chin issues and inactivity. He notes that Price has lost his last two by TKO and looked scripted against Lawler. Morono has been more active and consistent, though he didn't look great in his last fight. He predicts Morono by decision, possibly TKO.

Morono by decision

"I'm going to go with Alex morono here um morono by decision TKO maybe but I'll say decision"

THE MMA GURU

LOSS vs Robbie Lawler

KO (punches) R1 0:38 · UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez · Jul 08, 2023

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Robbie Lawler	1	8 of 10	80%	8 of 10	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:00
Niko Price	0	2 of 7	28%	2 of 7	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:00

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
1	Robbie Lawler	1	8 of 10	80%	8 of 10	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:00
1	Niko Price	0	2 of 7	28%	2 of 7	0 of 0	---	0	0	0:00

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Robbie Lawler	8 of 10	80%	8 of 10	0 of 0	0 of 0	4 of 6	4 of 4	0 of 0
Niko Price	2 of 7	28%	0 of 3	1 of 2	1 of 2	1 of 6	1 of 1	0 of 0

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Robbie Lawler	8 of 10	80%	8 of 10	0 of 0	0 of 0	4 of 6	4 of 4	0 of 0
1	Niko Price	2 of 7	28%	0 of 3	1 of 2	1 of 2	1 of 6	1 of 1	0 of 0

Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Jul 2, 2023 (6 days before fight)

Niko Price

Angelo picks Price but is hesitant, calling it a tricky betting spot. He notes Price is younger and less beat up, with similar wild style to Lawler. Lawler is declining and likely to retire. He expects a fun slugfest but is unsure about a finish, and fears the round line might be a trap. He does not place a bet.

No bet, unsure about finish

"Nico price is going to be the pick here he has had some of the biggest line movement on this card"

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Lean picked Jul 1, 2023 (7 days before fight)

Robbie Lawler

Big Brady leans towards Robbie Lawler to win by second-round knockout. He notes that Niko Price has looked bad lately, taking damage and battling injuries, while Lawler still has power and showed life against Brian Barbarena. He believes both will stand and bang, and Lawler lands first. He is surprised by the line (Price -260) and thinks Lawler is very live. He mentions that Price blocks punches with his face and has been knocked out recently.

second round knockout

"I'm gonna take Robbie Lawler to get it done I'm gonna take him to win this fight by second round knockout"

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jul 5, 2023 (3 days before fight)

Niko Price

Cody picks Price but doesn't like the -260 price. He thinks Lawler is past his prime and has been finished recently. He considers the under 2.5 rounds as a better bet, expecting a finish. He notes both fighters have trained together at ATT, which could affect the fight.

Under 2.5 rounds (-155 to -160), Price by KO/TKO

"Nico price should be the favorites minus 260 is is definitely not getting my my money but he will be my pick"

Bookie Beatdown

Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Jul 6, 2023 (2 days before fight)

Niko Price

Connor picks Niko Price because Robbie Lawler's style is not built for an aging fighter; his reliance on being in the pocket and taking risks is no longer sustainable. Price is a chaotic puncher who can absorb damage and keep coming, and Lawler's decline in durability and cardio makes him vulnerable. Connor notes that Lawler could try to be more methodical but ultimately the other shoe has dropped.

Same odds commentary as Zane; Connor agrees with the betting line.

"I'm not going to pick him either. At this point, the problems are so compounding for Lawler."

MMA Vivisection

Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jul 6, 2023 (2 days before fight)

Niko Price

Daniel Levi picks Price, citing his youth and improved volume in recent fights. He notes that Lawler, at 41, is a step slower and has shown a tendency to fade in fights. Levi acknowledges that either fighter could get finished, but believes Price's higher output will allow him to pull away down the stretch. He also mentions that Price has shown good grappling defense and attacks from bottom, which could be a factor if Lawler takes him down. Levi expresses a desire to see Lawler win in his retirement fight but is not counting on it.

"I kind of leaned towards Nico besides the youth is what I was talking about these last few fights he's been putting up more output."

Half the Battle

Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Jul 8, 2023 (fight day)

Niko Price

James picks Niko Price to win by knockout. He believes Lawler is washed, citing his performance against Nick Diaz where he was touched up. He trusts Price's durability and power more than Lawler's at this stage. He does not advocate betting Price at -260 moneyline, but likes the knockout prop. He notes Price has been finished before but thinks he will get the KO.

Niko Price wins by KO

"I air on the side that Nico price knocks out Robbie Lawler"

Lucrative MMA

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked Jul 6, 2023 (2 days before fight)

Niko Price

Price has youth, speed, and power advantages, and can outwork Lawler late. Lawler still has technical striking and power early, but his durability and pace are questionable. The fight likely ends in a knockout, with Price finishing Lawler in the later rounds. The fight doesn't go to decision is the favorite prop.

fight doesn't go to decision

"give me a fight doesn't go to the decision as my favorite prop for this fight favorite prediction for this fight but I'm gonna go with the younger fighter here and Nicole price to get his hand raised by TKO."

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jul 5, 2023 (3 days before fight)

Niko Price

Paul picks Price, acknowledging Lawler's legendary career but noting he is 41 and not the same fighter. He thinks Price's volume will be too much. He mentions Lawler's recent losses and that he has been fighting for decades. He says he would feel happy if Lawler wins but his bank account prefers Price.

Under 2.5 rounds

"I gotta go with Nico price and if Robbie was a spring want to knock him out like inside my heart I'd feel happy the bank account not the match"

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 3, 2023 (5 days before fight)

Niko Price

The MMA Guru picks Niko Price to win by KO in the third round. He believes Lawler has lost his pain tolerance and finishing ability, while Price storms forward in later rounds. He cites Price's performances against Michael Pereira and Luke Jumeau as evidence of his late-round pressure, and notes the age and reach advantage for Price.

wins by KO in the third round

"we're gonna see Nico price get a KO win in the third round"

THE MMA GURU

Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Jul 6, 2023 (2 days before fight)

Niko Price

Zane picks Niko Price because Robbie Lawler's style is built on narrow margins and he is declining in durability, cardio, and vision. Price is a messy but powerful puncher who can absorb punishment and land a wild shot as Lawler slows down. Zane notes that Lawler could look good early but will likely get caught, and he hopes Lawler wins but cannot pick him.

Lawler opened at +218, currently +221; Price opened at -252, currently -256. Zane says 'you just got to assume everybody should be betting on Niko Price here.'

"I'm going to pick Niko Price and I'm going to feel terrible about it."

MMA Vivisection

LOSS vs Philip Rowe

TKO (punches) R3 3:26 · UFC on ESPN: Thompson vs. Holland · Dec 03, 2022

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Philip Rowe	0	110 of 247	44%	150 of 293	0 of 2	0%	0	0	1:29
Niko Price	0	63 of 139	45%	64 of 140	1 of 2	50%	2	0	1:29

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Ctrl
1	Philip Rowe	34 of 87	39%	36 of 89	0 of 0	---	0	0:09
1	Niko Price	20 of 53	37%	20 of 53	0 of 0	---	0	0:00
2	Philip Rowe	34 of 85	40%	46 of 101	0 of 2	0%	0	0:22
2	Niko Price	17 of 40	42%	18 of 41	1 of 1	100%	2	1:28
3	Philip Rowe	42 of 75	56%	68 of 103	0 of 0	---	0	0:58
3	Niko Price	26 of 46	56%	26 of 46	0 of 1	0%	0	0:01

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Philip Rowe	110 of 247	44%	66 of 197	16 of 22	28 of 28	88 of 218	14 of 21	8 of 8
Niko Price	63 of 139	45%	49 of 123	7 of 8	7 of 8	57 of 129	6 of 7	0 of 3

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Philip Rowe	34 of 87	39%	12 of 63	5 of 7	17 of 17	30 of 80	4 of 7	0 of 0
1	Niko Price	20 of 53	37%	12 of 44	3 of 3	5 of 6	19 of 52	1 of 1	0 of 0
2	Philip Rowe	34 of 85	40%	20 of 68	9 of 12	5 of 5	29 of 77	5 of 8	0 of 0
2	Niko Price	17 of 40	42%	13 of 35	3 of 4	1 of 1	15 of 38	2 of 2	0 of 0
3	Philip Rowe	42 of 75	56%	34 of 66	2 of 3	6 of 6	29 of 61	5 of 6	8 of 8
3	Niko Price	26 of 46	56%	24 of 44	1 of 1	1 of 1	23 of 39	3 of 4	0 of 3

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Nov 27, 2022 (6 days before fight)

Philip Rowe

Angelo picks Philip Rowe, citing his length, volume, and striking. He notes Rowe's takedown defense isn't great but Niko Price's takedown offense isn't great either. He expresses concern about Price's year off and potential hurricane impact on his training camp. He says he probably won't bet this fight because Price is dangerous and can look amazing or get caught.

Probably won't bet; mentions Price's year off and hurricane impact

"Philip Rowe is going to be the pick I'm probably not going to bet on this fight because somebody like Nico is fun is dangerous and can just come out there and just look amazing"

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Nov 28, 2022 (5 days before fight)

Philip Rowe

Big Brady picks Rowe to win by knockout in the second round, citing his reach (80.5 inches), size, and power. He notes Price is hittable (47% striking defense) and unlikely to wrestle. He expects a striking battle where Rowe's length and power prevail, though he acknowledges Price is live for a knockout.

Rowe wins by KO, round 2

"I like row to win pull off the upset and knock out Nico price in the second round"

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Dec 1, 2022 (2 days before fight)

Philip Rowe

Cody leans towards Rowe as a live underdog, noting his reach and combinations. He thinks Price takes damage and may slow down. He prefers to bet Rowe live after likely losing the first round.

live betting on Rowe after round 1

"I'm more looking towards a live betting option for row and I wouldn't out rule I wouldn't rule out sorry uh switching the pick to Nico price seeing him at weigh-ins hearing some good interviews I could be talked into …"

Bookie Beatdown

Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked Dec 1, 2022 (2 days before fight)

Niko Price

Connor also picks Niko Price, citing Price's experience and well-roundedness. He notes that Rowe has potential but hasn't shown the ability to defend takedowns while striking, and Price has consistent aspects to his game that allow him to stick to his game plan for multiple rounds.

"I'll have to pick Nico price as well. Row is the favorite here."

MMA Vivisection

Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Nov 30, 2022 (3 days before fight)

Philip Rowe

Daniel Levi picks Philip Rowe to knock out Niko Price. He likes Rowe's reach, straight right, and Jiu-Jitsu, and believes Price is slowing down after ACL surgery. He notes Rowe's slow starts but thinks he will find his range and finish. He is willing to bet the underdog.

Rowe by KO

"I'm gonna go with Phil row to come out here and actually knock out the guy we love... cash this Plus 120"

Half the Battle

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Nov 29, 2022 (4 days before fight)

Niko Price

The host picks Niko Price to win inside the distance, citing Price's experience and ability to drag opponents into a war. He thinks Price will use a grapple-heavy approach to get dominant position and finish Rowe. He notes that Rowe is still green and may not be comfortable in a chaotic fight. He likes the -140 price tag on the veteran.

Niko Price inside the distance

"I like the -140 price tag on the experienced veteran and that's probably the way that I'll be going for this matchup Nico price inside the distance"

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Dec 1, 2022 (2 days before fight)

Niko Price

Paul is torn but picks Price for the show. He notes Price's durability and volume, but acknowledges Rowe's reach and combinations. He doesn't have a strong edge and won't bet it.

"for the purpose of the program I'm picking Nico price but yeah I mean I've already got like a list of things that I'm considering betting this ain't one of them"

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Nov 28, 2022 (5 days before fight)

Philip Rowe

The MMA Guru picks Philip Rowe, citing Niko Price's poor performance against Alex Oliveira and his long layoff. He thinks Rowe's technical striking and grappling will be enough to win by TKO. He expresses frustration that Price is being fed to Rowe instead of getting a fun matchup.

Rowe by TKO

"I'm going with Philip bro"

THE MMA GURU

Zane Simon Expert Hesitant picked Dec 1, 2022 (2 days before fight)

Niko Price

Zane picks Niko Price based on experience and resilience, noting that Price has been in more brawls against better fighters and has the option to wrestle if needed. He is hesitant because Price loses often and Rowe could win if he becomes comfortable defending takedowns while striking, but Zane hasn't seen that yet.

"I really have no choice here, but to pick Nico price because things are going to go haywire and I Nico price isn't even the most durable guy in the world, but he's very resilient."

MMA Vivisection

WIN vs Alex Oliveira

Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Walker · Oct 02, 2021

Totals

Fighter	KD	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Sub. Att	Rev.	Ctrl
Niko Price	0	65 of 112	58%	83 of 131	1 of 2	50%	0	0	3:14
Alex Oliveira	0	64 of 116	55%	108 of 167	1 of 3	33%	0	0	4:50

Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Total Str.	TD	TD %	Ctrl
1	Niko Price	7 of 17	41%	15 of 26	0 of 1	0%	0:00
1	Alex Oliveira	16 of 22	72%	34 of 42	0 of 1	0%	3:48
2	Niko Price	19 of 35	54%	29 of 45	1 of 1	100%	2:43
2	Alex Oliveira	14 of 26	53%	21 of 34	0 of 0	---	0:00
3	Niko Price	39 of 60	65%	39 of 60	0 of 0	---	0:31
3	Alex Oliveira	34 of 68	50%	53 of 91	1 of 2	50%	1:02

Significant Strikes

Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
Niko Price	65 of 112	58%	31 of 72	17 of 23	17 of 17	56 of 99	2 of 2	7 of 11
Alex Oliveira	64 of 116	55%	37 of 83	7 of 11	20 of 22	45 of 93	2 of 2	17 of 21

Significant Strikes Per Round

Rd	Fighter	Sig. Str.	Sig. Str. %	Head	Body	Leg	Distance	Clinch	Ground
1	Niko Price	7 of 17	41%	3 of 13	1 of 1	3 of 3	5 of 15	2 of 2	0 of 0
1	Alex Oliveira	16 of 22	72%	9 of 14	0 of 1	7 of 7	8 of 13	1 of 1	7 of 8
2	Niko Price	19 of 35	54%	9 of 25	4 of 4	6 of 6	12 of 24	0 of 0	7 of 11
2	Alex Oliveira	14 of 26	53%	6 of 16	1 of 2	7 of 8	11 of 22	0 of 0	3 of 4
3	Niko Price	39 of 60	65%	19 of 34	12 of 18	8 of 8	39 of 60	0 of 0	0 of 0
3	Alex Oliveira	34 of 68	50%	22 of 53	6 of 8	6 of 7	26 of 58	1 of 1	7 of 9

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Sep 29, 2021 (3 days before fight)

Alex Oliveira

Angelo picks Alex Oliveira, assuming veteran savvy will prevail over Niko Price's wildness. He notes that Oliveira is more technical, has more experience, and has more ways to win, but he often gets sucked into brawls. Angelo expects Oliveira to use leg kicks to slow Price down and fight a smart fight. He likes Oliveira in DraftKings at $7,800 and recommends using slates for monkey knife fight to bet on Oliveira's more. He acknowledges that Price could win with a crazy knockout.

more on Alex Oliveira in monkey knife fight slates

"i am gonna pick oliveira here i assume that is veteran savvy he'll fight a smart fight not succumb to his instincts not get sucked into god knows what sloppy war"

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Sep 30, 2021 (2 days before fight)

Niko Price

Big Brady picks Niko Price to win inside the distance, citing Oliveira's poor recent form (2-5 in last 7, looking like he doesn't want to be there). Price is the hungrier fighter, comes forward with volume, and doesn't slow down. Oliveira has been finished multiple times (5 submissions, 1 KO) and has slowed down in recent fights. Brady expects Price to finish Oliveira early, possibly by submission given Oliveira's submission losses, and thinks this could be Oliveira's last fight if he loses.

Price inside the distance (KO or submission)

"give me a price give me price to win inside the distance i think he does finish oliveira"

DFS by the Numbers

Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Sep 29, 2021 (3 days before fight)

Niko Price

Cody picks Niko Price, noting that Oliveira has declined significantly and is a one-round fighter with poor cardio. Price is competitive in his losses and has shown he can push the pace and wear opponents down. He expects Price to stuff takedowns, keep the fight standing, and take over in the later rounds. He also mentions that Price has a baby on the way, which might motivate him.

"minus 165 i got to go with niko price"

Bookie Beatdown

Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Oct 1, 2021 (1 day before fight)

Niko Price

Daniel Levi picks Niko Price but expresses concern about laying -190 on him, as he prefers Price as an underdog. He notes Price's improved volume and resilience, while Oliveira is a seasoned vet with clinch knees and power but has shown questionable durability and a tendency to tap quickly. Levi expects a three-round war and thinks Price will edge it out due to digging deeper. He acknowledges a finish is possible but leans decision.

fight of the night candidate

"nico's a guy i'd rather lay a dog price on unless it's guaranteed that this is a first round finish"

Half the Battle

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 1, 2021 (1 day before fight)

Niko Price

I think Price has improved his volume and grappling, while Oliveira has declined. Price is the more durable and active fighter. Oliveira is a wild card but has looked poor lately. I like Price by KO at +150 and the under 2.5 rounds. Price should overwhelm Oliveira.

Price by KO +150, under 2.5 rounds -145

"I like price here i like price i'm gonna take him by ko as well"

MMA Lock of the Night

Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Sep 29, 2021 (3 days before fight)

Niko Price

Paul also picks Price, surprised the line is only -165. He notes that Oliveira looks over the hill, with poor weight cuts and lethargic performances. Price has been competitive against top competition and should have a cardio advantage. He expects Price to win by decision or late stoppage.

"i would have to go with nico price in this spot even though it's -165"

Bookie Beatdown

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Sep 27, 2021 (5 days before fight)

Niko Price

The MMA Guru picks Niko Price, noting Alex Oliveira's tendency to fade in the third round and his recent chin issues. Price has cardio and toughness advantages, and he has KO power. He predicts Price will win by TKO in the third round after a competitive first two rounds.

Price by TKO in round 3

"i'm going with nico price tko in the third round"

THE MMA GURU

View all 21 fights

Expert Picks (9)

Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Oct 6, 2024 (6 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

"I think TBA is just the overall better fighter and I think he gets it done."

We Want Picks

Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 10, 2024 (2 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

Gorimbo by first-round knockout

"I'll pick thema to win I guess the the question I have is is how is thema going to approach this fight"

DFS by the Numbers

Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Oct 11, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

"Yeah, like how are you gonna stop somebody from just going out and taking you down? You've never stopped that before"

MMA Vivisection

Connor Ruebusch Expert picked Oct 10, 2024 (2 days before fight)

No clear pick

This fight was not discussed in the transcript. No picks were made.

MMA Vivisection

Daniel Vreeland Expert picked Oct 8, 2024 (4 days before fight)

No clear pick

"This is dog or pass... I don't want to plant my flags on a washed up fighter like Nico Price."

Half the Battle

MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 11, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Niko Price

finish in second or third round

"I think that eventually leads to a second or third round finish for the big underdog here in Niko Price"

MMA Lock of the Night

The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 8, 2024 (4 days before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

TKO

"I'm going to go with them gimbo here over ni price just way faster on the feet I'm actually going to say he gets it done by TKO on the feet"

THE MMA GURU

Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Oct 11, 2024 (1 day before fight)

Themba Gorimbo

"Garimbo I guess yeah, I think them but Garimbo could just go out and blanket him"

MMA Vivisection

Zane Simon Expert picked Oct 10, 2024 (2 days before fight)

No clear pick

This fight was not discussed in the transcript. No picks were made.

MMA Vivisection

Comments (1)

brian 10 months, 3 weeks ago

Suloev stretch attempt from Gorimbo in rd3 on Niko. Interestingly Niko has been Suloev'd before

Themba Gorimbo

Niko Price

Career Averages - Themba Gorimbo

Career Averages - Niko Price

Themba Gorimbo

Niko Price

Themba Gorimbo - Fight History

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Expert Picks (9)

Comments (1)