Career Averages - Cody Gibson
Career Averages - Brian Kelleher
Cody Gibson - Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 3 of 3 | 100% | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Aoriqileng | 1 | 5 of 8 | 62% | 6 of 9 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:04 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Gibson | 0 | 3 of 3 | 100% | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Aoriqileng | 1 | 5 of 8 | 62% | 6 of 9 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:04 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Gibson | 3 of 3 | 100% | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Aoriqileng | 5 of 8 | 62% | 5 of 7 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 6 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Gibson | 3 of 3 | 100% | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Aoriqileng | 5 of 8 | 62% | 5 of 7 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 6 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gibson (-160); Aori (+130)
Round 1
Previously on the main card, this bantamweight battle between two men below .500 in the promotion has slid down into the prelims. A win will be crucial for either man here, with backs likely against the wall. Gibson (21-11, 3-6 UFC) is a ways away from evening things out, while Aori (25-12, 1 NC; 3-4, 1 NC UFC) could hit that precious midpoint win rate by prevailing. The third man in the Octagon for the two athletes will be referee Mitch Cadlick. A fist bump is shared.
Gibson opens up with a massive right hand to say hello, skimming the side of the Chinese fighter’s cheek. When he offers a leg kick behind it, Aori says “two can play that game” and launches back a missile of a right that jacks Gibson cleanly on the jaw.
Gibson takes a step back to gather his thoughts, his cheek already swelling up from the one blow absorbed, and he walks face-first into another when pitching a naked leg kick. This one nearly shuts the lights out and puts Gibson down for the count.
“The Mongolian Murderer” leaps on top to batter Gibson with ground strikes, and Cadlick watches on to see how Gibson is defending himself. Gibson’s hands are not where Cadlick thinks they should be to intelligently defend himself, and the Donkey Kong-esque hammerfists do the job and force Cadlick to wave the fight off. The defeated “Renegade” sits up and issues a protest, his cheek growing in size by the second, and his cries fall on deaf ears as the fight is over and he has lost. Aori runs over to his team to embrace them, and he dons a glorious hat that is a brilliant shade of blue. When it comes time for the post-fight interview, the promotion drops the ball completely by bringing in his coach, Eddie Cha, as the translator. Cha is, unfortunately, a Korean man who promptly explains that he cannot speak Chinese.
The Official Result
Qileng Aori def. Cody Gibson R1 0:21 via TKO (Punches)
Angelo picks Cody Gibson, citing his length, striking, and takedown ability. He expects Gibson to use a similar game plan as against Anne Hallegren, with multiple takedowns and control time. He notes Aori Qileng's vulnerability to takedowns, as seen against Raul Rosas.
Big Brady sees a clear grappling edge for Gibson, noting Qileng's poor takedown defense. He compares it to Gibson's win over Chad Anheliger where he controlled the fight with takedowns. He questions Gibson's fight IQ and cardio but picks him by decision.
Cody picks Gibson, citing his size, wrestling background, and durability. He notes Gibson has never been knocked out and has high volume. Qileng lacks power and has poor takedown defense. Cody expects Gibson to outwork Qileng and win by decision or late stoppage.
Connor picks Gibson, noting his improved boxing and technical proficiency. He points out that Gibson works hard on the technical side and showed sharp combinations against Blackshear. However, Connor notes Gibson's tendency to overpush and tire, which could be a problem against Aoriqileng's durability. He still favors Gibson's more purposeful game.
James sees Gibson's wrestling as a clear path to victory, but worries about his age (38) and Qileng's improvements in takedown defense. He expects Gibson to grind out a decision with takedowns and top control, though Qileng's striking could be dangerous if the fight stays on the feet.
The host believes Gibson is a better striker and wrestler than Qileng. As long as Gibson can muzzle Qileng's aggressive style, he should mix the martial arts well and win on the scorecards.
Paul picks Gibson, agreeing with Cody. He notes Qileng's low volume and questionable takedown defense. Gibson's wrestling and pressure will be key. Paul sees Gibson winning about 70% of the time and thinks the line is fair.
The MMA Guru picks Cody Gibson over Aori Qileng. He likes Gibson's pressure and volume, noting Qileng has been walked down before. He believes Gibson will throw twice as many shots and win a decision if neither finishes. He admits neither has great wins but trusts Gibson's output.
Zane picks Gibson, citing his more functional game and ability to bank early momentum. He notes that Gibson's boxing has improved and he fights with purpose, while Aoriqileng is a scrappy but less purposeful fighter. Zane worries about Gibson's tendency to fade in round three, but believes he will build a two-round lead before tiring.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Da'Mon Blackshear | 0 | 13 of 39 | 33% | 46 of 74 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 3 | 1 | 3:32 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 45 of 71 | 63% | 53 of 82 | 1 of 5 | 20% | 0 | 0 | 2:42 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Da'Mon Blackshear | 0 | 6 of 16 | 37% | 9 of 21 | 0 of 0 | --- | 2 | 0 | 1:11 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 30 of 43 | 69% | 37 of 52 | 0 of 4 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 2:13 | |
| 2 | Da'Mon Blackshear | 0 | 7 of 23 | 30% | 37 of 53 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 1 | 1 | 2:21 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 15 of 28 | 53% | 16 of 30 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:29 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Da'Mon Blackshear | 13 of 39 | 33% | 11 of 35 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 11 of 37 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 45 of 71 | 63% | 23 of 47 | 12 of 14 | 10 of 10 | 31 of 53 | 14 of 18 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Da'Mon Blackshear | 6 of 16 | 37% | 5 of 14 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 15 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 30 of 43 | 69% | 16 of 27 | 9 of 11 | 5 of 5 | 21 of 30 | 9 of 13 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Da'Mon Blackshear | 7 of 23 | 30% | 6 of 21 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 6 of 22 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 15 of 28 | 53% | 7 of 20 | 3 of 3 | 5 of 5 | 10 of 23 | 5 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Blackshear (-455), Gibson (+350)
Round 1
Despite their middling records with the promotion, the UFC elected to slot this bantamweight tilt between Blackshear (15-7-1, 3-3-1 UFC) and Gibson (21-10, 3-5 UFC) over names like Spann…and others. Grappling could be the difference maker in this contest, and it commences without the fighters touching gloves. Referee Chris Tognoni stands back and stands by. Gibson loads up on a big right hand to start up, and when it is blocked, Blackshear responds in kind. Blackshear surges forward with body shots and a power right hand, and Gibson replies with an identical flurry that knocks Blackshear to the fencing. Gibson looks for a level change, energetically attacking a single and lifting Blackshear’s leg up. Blackshear frees himself, and Gibson marches him down and pummels him in the ribs several times. Blackshear turtles up, perhaps still compromised from body blows, and Gibson is on him not giving him a moment to breathe. Gibson drills Blackshear with a few more body shots and drops down in pursuit of a double. Blackshear defends with a guillotine choke, using the stalling time to recover. Gibson drives a few knees to the body before breaking off, and he plods forward whipping a kick to the lead leg. When Blackshear scores as left hand, Gibson is in his face with a combination. Blackshear backs him away with a few kicks, and simultaneous kicks results in both men toppling to the mat. They spring back up, and Gibson stabs out a jab and shoots for a single. Blackshear backs to the wall and grips a guillotine choke, pulling guard for it but not completing it. Gibson adjusts himself and lowers Blackshear all the way to the floor, and Blackshear fastens his arm around the chin but does not appear to be threatening in this position. Gibson stays calm in the position, and when he sits up, Blackshear transitions to a power guillotine where he imposes his body weight. Blackshear releases the sub to take side control, and Gibson throws his legs up and briefly snares Blackshear in an inverted triangle choke. Blackshear fights out of it and isolates an arm, and he abandons it to wrap up a brabo choke in a north-south position. Gibson hand-fights well enough to defend the efforts, and he retaliates with an armbar that surprises Blackshear but does not get him. The spirited round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Round 2
Replays show that right at the tail end of the round, Blackshear rips a nasty elbow that opened a cut on Gibson’s face. The two get back to business, and Blackshear is immediately giving chase with leaping strikes. Gibson walks into a right hand and is stunned, and Blackshear keeps swinging with bad intentions. Gibson throws back, working the body until he tries to hit a takedown, and Blackshear shuts it down and pushes him away. Gibson strings four punches together, wrapping them around the guard and punctuating the combo with a slapping leg kick. Blackshear fakes a kick and slashes an elbow up top, and Gibson steps in with his fists flying. The two engage in a clinch battle where they slug another with uppercuts, and Gibson gets tired of punching and scoops “Da Monster” up and dumps him to the mat. Blackshear keeps his back to the wire, and he hits a switch to flip Gibson to his back. Blackshear finds himself in side control, keeping tightly pressed to “The Renegade” having opened Gibson up again. Blackshear isolates Gibson’s right arm, and he elbows Gibson in the thigh several times with the sharp part of his elbow. Gripping the two-on-one wrist lock, Blackshear alternates between trying to pull on that arm and elbowing his opponent wherever he can. Blackshear grinds the elbow on Gibson’s increasingly bloodied face, and he stays heavy to disallow Gibson from any bucking or twisting. Blackshear hooks Gibson’s left arm between his legs and traps his foe’s right arm under him as well to set up a crucifix position, where he hammers the California native with elbows.
Blackshear finds the kimura again, and he grabs it while seated on top of Gibson’s face in a dominating move. The new Kill Cliff FC convert cranks the limb behind Gibson’s back, giving it all he has until Gibson has no choice but to say “Matte” and tap out.
Remarkable! Back-to-back kimura wins in the Octagon is definitely a rarity in company history, and it will be interesting to determine how many times this has ever happened in UFC history. Blackshear lifts his UFC record above .500 while giving “The Renegade” something to be disappointed about.
The Official Result
Da'Mon Blackshear def. Cody Gibson R2 4:09 via Submission (Kimura)
Angelo picks Da'Mon Blackshear over Cody Gibson. He believes Blackshear's striking is far superior and that he will 'smoke Cody on the feet.' However, he notes that Cody is durable and may look to wrestle. Angelo is confident Blackshear wins but chooses not to bet due to the risk of big favorites losing this year.
Big Brady picks Da'Mon Blackshear, calling him underrated with good striking and slick grappling (BJJ black belt). He notes that Cody Gibson often looks to take fights to the ground, which could put him in bad positions against Blackshear, who has submitted opponents via guillotine before. Brady expects a ground battle where Blackshear's superior grappling leads to a submission win, likely in the second round.
Cody picks Christian Rodriguez, citing Andre Fili's decline and Rodriguez's youth. He notes Fili's recent close decisions and losses, and believes Rodriguez can stuff takedowns and win on the feet. He is wary of Rodriguez's tendency to struggle against experienced fighters but thinks Fili is past his prime.
Connor agrees with Zane, emphasizing that Blackshear is one of the best scramblers in the bantamweight division and that Gibson's style will inevitably lead to grappling exchanges where Blackshear has the advantage. He notes that Gibson is fun and courageous but lacks the athleticism to keep up with Blackshear's scrambling.
Daniel does not make a clear pick for this fight. He discusses the matchup briefly but does not state a preference or bet.
The host believes Blackshear's grappling advantage and power striking approach will keep Gibson on the defensive, leading to Blackshear grinding out a win on the scorecards.
Paul also picks Rodriguez, noting Fili's inconsistency and Rodriguez's ability to stuff takedowns. He points out that Fili's recent wins have been split decisions and he could be on a losing streak. He believes Rodriguez's volume and wrestling defense will be enough.
The MMA Guru picks Da'Mon Blackshear, calling him underrated and noting his good fight with Mario Bautista. He mentions Blackshear's takedown defense clinic against Brett Johns and his recent submission win over Cody Stamann with a 50k bonus. He criticizes Cody Gibson for lacking finishing ability and not impressing against Miles Johns. He predicts a first or second-round finish for Blackshear.
Zane picks Blackshear because he is a significantly better athlete and scrambler than Gibson. He notes that Gibson's high-energy style leads to him fading, and that Blackshear excels in scrambles, which is where the fight will likely go. He also points out that Gibson is underpowered and that Blackshear's only losses come to fighters who can survive his scrambles and out-strike him.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 11 of 19 | 57% | 59 of 77 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Chad Anheliger | 0 | 16 of 34 | 47% | 59 of 93 | 5 of 6 | 83% | 2 | 0 | 12:25 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Gibson | 0 | 5 of 9 | 55% | 13 of 19 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Chad Anheliger | 0 | 4 of 16 | 25% | 23 of 35 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 3:37 | |
| 2 | Cody Gibson | 0 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 9 of 14 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Chad Anheliger | 0 | 9 of 11 | 81% | 27 of 40 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 1 | 0 | 4:39 | |
| 3 | Cody Gibson | 0 | 6 of 9 | 66% | 37 of 44 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Chad Anheliger | 0 | 3 of 7 | 42% | 9 of 18 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 4:09 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Gibson | 11 of 19 | 57% | 8 of 16 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 3 | 11 of 19 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Chad Anheliger | 16 of 34 | 47% | 15 of 28 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 4 | 6 of 22 | 0 of 0 | 10 of 12 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Gibson | 5 of 9 | 55% | 3 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 9 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Chad Anheliger | 4 of 16 | 25% | 3 of 12 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 3 | 4 of 15 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | |
| 2 | Cody Gibson | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Chad Anheliger | 9 of 11 | 81% | 9 of 11 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 9 of 10 | |
| 3 | Cody Gibson | 6 of 9 | 66% | 5 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 6 of 9 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Chad Anheliger | 3 of 7 | 42% | 3 of 5 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gibson (-198), Anheliger (+164)
Round 1
Sticking with the theme of Canada vs. the World, Anheliger (13-7, 2-2 UFC) reps his home nation against Tachi Palace Fights vet Gibson (20-10, 2-5 UFC). A whole eight (or nine, depending on Caio Machado) of the 13 matchups remaining on the lineup will feature a Canuck against a foreign adversary, and so far, Canada is 1-0 tonight. Looking to keep things rolling with a win from “The Monster,” the fans are fired up on the early prelims. Referee Jerin Valel draws the charge for this bantamweight clash, and the combatants touch ‘em up to get started. Anheliger takes to the center of the cage and parries a front kick, and he eventually gives back an inaccurate calf kick. Gibson sticks and moves, walking into a right hand and responding with a low kick. Anheliger wings a right hand over the top, stunning “The Renegade” for a moment. Anheliger slips a counter and tries to get past his opponent’s longer jab, and he fires off a low kick that lands with a thud and not a slap. Gibson jabs his way into a clinch, where he lifts Anheliger in the air and slams him down to his knees. Anheliger scoots towards the fence, and Gibson slides a hook in and stretches Anheliger out. Anheliger tries to kick off the fencing, and Gibson responds by setting up an arm-triangle choke. Anheliger uses several heel kicks to the kidney to irritate his opponent and prevent him from passing guard, although Gibson is in half guard looking for that arm-triangle, and he uses it to move to mount. Anheliger turns over to give up his back, scrambling madly, but Gibson is a dog with a bone and he does not let go. Anheliger manages to work to his feet again, and Gibson quickly mat returns him down to his knees. Anheliger tries to roll through, and Gibson follows him every step of the way. Even when Anheliger walks of the fence, he puts himself into submission danger as Gibson sells out for a guillotine choke. Gibson rolls the Canadian over with a one-arm guillotine, and he leans on the side in hopes of completing the sub without fastening it. Gibson is pushed off the chest of his adversary, threatening with a brabo choke as he transitions from one submission to the next. Anheliger survives the choke until the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Round 2
Anheliger practically races out of his corner to resume combat, but he pulls back and does not throw. Gibson swings first, and when Anheliger counters, Gibson ducks under and hits an easy takedown. Gibson lands in half guard, where he is quick to use shoulder pressure with an arm-triangle before sliding to full mount like a hot knife through poutine. Gibson allows Anheliger to turn and twist so he can beat on him and flatten him out, and Gibson punches his way into a rear-naked choke setup. The forearm is on the chin and not under it, and he adjusts his grip and slashes down with a ferocious elbow that slashes open the Canadian’s forehead. Gibson maintains a body lock while threatening with a sub or battering Anheliger with strikes, and Anheliger is completely nullified and having to hang on for dear life. Gibson drops down three particularly powerful elbows, and he takes advantage of the new 12-6 elbow rule removal by hammering Anheliger with one. Gibson grabs hold of an arm-triangle choke, and he only releases it to shift over to the side. Gibson slides back to mount just so he can lock on the arm-triangle choke, and he jumps back to the side. Anheliger defends by grabbing his own leg, using it to create just enough space to sit up and then work his way to the fence. Gibson hangs on from behind, looping a hook between his foe’s legs so he can try to drag Anheliger back down. Gibson succeeds in wrenching Anheliger to the mat, and he hovers over his opponent until he decides to move to the side and grab an arm-triangle. “The Renegade” lets it go when seeing openings for strikes, and he drops down nasty ground-and-pound to make Anheliger think twice about his life decisions leading up to today. Gibson holds with a body triangle and punches his man on the side of the head until time expires.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Gibson
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Round 3
Anheliger does not appear deflated despite two tough rounds against him, instead surging out of his corner and tossing aside a front kick. Anheliger lances out a left hand that shakes Gibson up, and he gets the crowd excited by landing cleanly on the Californian. Gibson desperately shoots for a takedown, and even when he lands on his back, a scramble and sweep allows him to spin Anheliger to his back. Gibson lords over his opponent, not settling in any one position while starting to open up with body shots. Anheliger has nothing to offer off his back, and precious seconds peel off the clock while Gibson methodically beats on him like a drum. Anheliger turns to his side and leans against the wall to stand up, and he pulls himself upright and draws a warning from Valel for fence grabbing. It does not slow Anheliger, but Gibson remains tightly wrapped around his waist. Gibson settles for grinding on and controlling the Canadian, and he stifles a counter throw to wrestle Anheliger to his knees. Anheliger’s attempts to escape are thwarted one after the other, and Gibson gets a hook in on the outside. Anheliger counters by cranking on the leg, and the crowd likes it until Gibson establishes a body lock around the waist. Gibson briefly threatens with an arm-triangle choke again, but Anheliger is able to fight it off. Gibson postures up with seconds to spare, landing swinging punches until the final horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gibson (30-26 Gibson)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Gibson (30-27 Gibson)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gibson (30-27 Gibson)
The Official Result
Cody Gibson def. Chad Anheliger via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Angelo picks Cody Gibson because he thinks Gibson can control the striking range and sneak in a few takedowns. He notes Chad Anheliger was taken down four times in his last fight but still won, and suggests a plus 3.5 round spread bet on Chad as a dog. He sees this as a close fight that could be 29-28 type, so the spread is appealing.
Big Brady picks Cody Gibson to win by second-round submission. He notes Gibson's size and reach advantages, and that Anheliger has poor takedown defense (42%) and has been submitted six times. Brady expects Gibson to mix in takedowns and eventually work to a submission, citing that Jose Johnson outgrappled Anheliger in his last fight.
Cody picks Cody Gibson, citing his size, reach, wrestling, and experience. He notes that Anheliger is smaller and older, and relies on grit but lacks the physical tools to compete with Gibson. He believes Gibson's striking and wrestling will be too much, and that Anheliger's path to victory is limited.
Daniel Vreeland picks Cody Gibson, citing his physicality and size advantage over Chad Anheliger, who is notably smaller (5'4" reach). He respects Anheliger's skills and toughness but believes Gibson's physicality will bully him. Vreeland notes that Anheliger has not been finished in the UFC but expects Gibson to out-hustle him and win a decision.
Gibson is a much better and more experienced version of Anheliger, utilizing solid boxing and slick combination striking, and his wrestling should be the X-factor, keeping Anheliger on the defensive and allowing Gibson to win on the scorecards.
Paul agrees, noting Gibson's size advantage and higher level of competition. He believes Anheliger's grit won't be enough against a bigger, more skilled opponent. He expects Gibson to win a competitive decision or late stoppage.
The Guru picks Cody Gibson over Chad Anheliger, expecting a high-paced fight. He believes Gibson's size and reach advantage (seven inches) will be decisive, and he sees Gibson as more physically imposing. He predicts a decision win, not a finish.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 2 of 12 | 16% | 2 of 13 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:05 |
| Brian Kelleher | 0 | 13 of 24 | 54% | 18 of 30 | 2 of 5 | 40% | 1 | 0 | 2:38 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Gibson | 0 | 2 of 12 | 16% | 2 of 13 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:05 |
| Brian Kelleher | 0 | 13 of 24 | 54% | 18 of 30 | 2 of 5 | 40% | 1 | 0 | 2:38 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Gibson | 2 of 12 | 16% | 0 of 8 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 12 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brian Kelleher | 13 of 24 | 54% | 9 of 19 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 10 of 18 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 1 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Gibson | 2 of 12 | 16% | 0 of 8 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 12 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brian Kelleher | 13 of 24 | 54% | 9 of 19 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 10 of 18 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 1 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gibson (-205), Kelleher (+170)
Round 1
Rounding out the rocky prelims is an aging 135er with a .500 record in the promotion against a fellow fighter over the age of 35 a loss away from reaching the dreaded “Sinosic Line.” Gibson (19-10, 1-5 UFC) is not the only fighter to sport this record of 1-5 with the potential to go 1-6 tonight, but more on that later. He battles the hyper-aggressive Kelleher (24-15, 8-8 UFC), and this one has the potential of ending in the blink of an eye. Referee Kerry Hatley is ready for whatever happens next, and that is a touch of gloves. Kelleher immediately goes on the offensive with a leg kick and a front kick. Gibson gives him back an overhand right to make Kelleher take a funny step back, and he connects with two more punches that make Kelleher turn away and have to recover. Kelleher gets back to the middle of the cage and kicks a few more times, and he is reached with a front kick by “The Renegade.” Gibson connects with a calf kick, and he misses with a one-two. Kelleher races forward swinging fists, and Gibson grabs hold of him and manages to take his back standing to wrench him down to a knee. Kelleher pops back up, but the second effort for Gibson succeeds. Kelleher tries to set up a guillotine choke, and Gibson frees himself and assumes top position. Kelleher fights his way back to his feet in a hurry, and Gibson grinds on him as he looks for a mat return. Gibson succeeds in putting Kelleher down for a second, only for “Boom” to explode to his feet again. Kelleher hand-fights to spin out but eats a knee on the break. Gibson races after him with an uppercut and a slashing elbow, and he pushes Kelleher to the fence. Kelleher welcomes him with a knee, and Gibson gives him a few back. Kelleher turns eats an elbow that drops him to a knee, but Kelleher recovers and pursues a takedown. Gibson turns him away and attacks for his own takedown, leading to Kelleher jumping guard for a guillotine choke.
“The Renegade” breaks out of the choke and moves into half guard, where he almost instantly locks down an arm-triangle choke. Kelleher is stuck in a precarious position, and when he tries to fight out of it, he finds that Gibson is an immovable stone on his body. Kelleher surrenders before going out,
and tonight has its first finish. Gibson earns his first victory since his first stint in the promotion in 2014, and he is elated to get his hand raised in the Octagon for the second time.
The Official Result
Cody Gibson def. Brian Kelleher R1 3:58 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)
Angelo picks Cody Gibson because he is the more focused fighter with length and cardio, while Brian Kelleher is past his prime and on a three-fight skid. However, he is not confident at the favorite price and notes that Kelleher's losses have been to top competition. He considers an inside the distance/decision no action bet on Gibson.
Cody picks Gibson, citing his size advantage (5'10" reach vs 5'6"), durability, and volume. He notes Kelleher's age (38), neck injury, and recent inactivity. He thinks Gibson can outwork Kelleher and that Kelleher's path to victory via guillotine is unlikely. He calls both fighters 'expired milk' but leans Gibson.
Daniel Vreeland reluctantly picks Brian Kelleher, despite initially favoring Cody Gibson. He notes Gibson's tendency to fade in fights, citing the Ray Borg and Brad Katona fights where Gibson was winning early but fell apart. Vreeland believes Kelleher can survive early and take over late, possibly by submission or TKO.
Gibson is a favorite at -185. He has a 4-inch height and 7-inch reach advantage, which he can use to keep Kelleher at bay with his boxing and kicks. Kelleher is on a three-fight losing streak and approaching 38, showing signs of decline. Gibson needs to be wary of Kelleher's guillotine, but he should be able to dictate the pace and win a decision.
Paul also picks Gibson, agreeing that wrestling will be negated and that Gibson's volume will be key. He notes Gibson's close fight with Brad Katona where he landed 164 significant strikes. He thinks Kelleher's guillotine is a threat but not enough to overcome Gibson's output.
The MMA Guru picks Cody Gibson despite previously saying he'd never pick him again. He notes Gibson might be able to hurt Kelleher, who is 37 and has been inactive with multiple neck surgeries. He points to Kelleher's recent first-round losses to Umar Nurmagomedov, Cody Garbrandt, and Mario Bautista, and questions his dedication. Gibson's close fight with Miles Johns is seen as a positive.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Johns | 0 | 25 of 79 | 31% | 64 of 137 | 2 of 8 | 25% | 0 | 1 | 6:29 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 18 of 62 | 29% | 52 of 108 | 1 of 7 | 14% | 0 | 0 | 1:55 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Johns | 0 | 5 of 19 | 26% | 14 of 29 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 2:15 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 4 of 22 | 18% | 16 of 39 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:19 | |
| 2 | Miles Johns | 0 | 11 of 23 | 47% | 25 of 43 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 1 | 1:54 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 2 of 8 | 25% | 12 of 21 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 1:36 | |
| 3 | Miles Johns | 0 | 9 of 37 | 24% | 25 of 65 | 1 of 5 | 20% | 0 | 0 | 2:20 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 12 of 32 | 37% | 24 of 48 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Johns | 25 of 79 | 31% | 18 of 66 | 5 of 9 | 2 of 4 | 20 of 72 | 4 of 6 | 1 of 1 |
| Cody Gibson | 18 of 62 | 29% | 9 of 39 | 4 of 17 | 5 of 6 | 16 of 60 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Johns | 5 of 19 | 26% | 3 of 14 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 3 | 4 of 17 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 4 of 22 | 18% | 3 of 15 | 0 of 5 | 1 of 2 | 3 of 21 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Miles Johns | 11 of 23 | 47% | 9 of 21 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 7 of 18 | 3 of 4 | 1 of 1 |
| Cody Gibson | 2 of 8 | 25% | 0 of 5 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 7 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Miles Johns | 9 of 37 | 24% | 6 of 31 | 3 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 9 of 37 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 12 of 32 | 37% | 6 of 19 | 3 of 10 | 3 of 3 | 12 of 32 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Johns (-148), Gibson (+124)
Round 1
Johns (13-2, 1 NC; 4-2, 1 NC UFC) was supposed to be coming into this fight with the struggling Gibson (19-9, 1-4 UFC) on a win streak, but a failed drug test after beating Dan Argueta erased the victory. In short order, this standard undercard bantamweight matchup turned to one with greater personal stakes with both. Referee Herb Dean will sort things out, watching over the two men that do not touch gloves. Gibson starts off swirling his hand around, and he walks into a thumping leg kick. Johns swarms into action with a clubbing right hand, and he backs off and circles to the side away from strikes that come his way. Johns ducks down to swat away a leg kick, and he dips down and eats a clean uppercut. Gibson flashes out several jabs and avoids a huge overhand right, and Johns shifts to the side to get away and reset. Gibson overloads on a right hand, and he follows Johns around and grabs hold of one of Johns’ legs to think about a takedown. Johns backs him off with body shots, and he resets and dodges the swinging punches coming his direction. Johns misses a right hook by a matter of centimeters, and Gibson ties him up against the fence and knees him in the dome. Johns scores an uppercut on the break, and Gibson chases after him and jumps away to dodge a right hand. Johns races forward, and his momentum tackles “The Renegade” to the canvas. Johns resides in top position, and Gibson is immediately active with his guard, looking for a butterfly hook, a submission setup or just throwing strikes from off his back. Gibson keeps Johns from landing anything of merit, and he brings up his right leg for a rubber guard momentarily before Johns pushes it aside. Gibson tries to roll over in pursuit of an armbar, and Johns is wise to it as he stays flat on top of his opponent. Johns hammers down an elbow, and when he looks to pass, Gibson turns around to stand up with the wall at his side. Johns tries to drag him back down, and with sheer force of will, he tosses Gibson back down. Johns holds onto him while landing short but heavy right hands, as Gibson works his way up. Gibson ducks away and throws a big knee, and Johns nearly reenacts Fedor vs. Arlovski by blasting Gibson with a right hand that sends him flying. Johns points at him, and Gibson looks surprised but is still with it as the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Round 2
Gibson is the pressure fighter early, showing he has fully recovered from the concussive blow. He prods out a front kick and a few jabs, and Johns is well away from anything of note. Gibson drops down to grab a single, and Johns uppercuts him until he topples to the floor. Gibson grabs him from behind during a scramble, and Johns climbs back up while leaning against the cage. Gibson looks to trip or drag Johns down, but Johns escapes. Johns lands a powerful elbow that splits open a cut on Gibson’s cheek, and he crowds him and knocks him squirrely with another powerful uppercut. Johns continues to hammer his foe with uppercuts as Gibson shoots for a single, and Gibson manages to get the takedown despite absorbing the blows. Gibson follows a scrambling Johns until he takes his back, and he secures the body triangle. Gibson fishes for a choke, and Johns hand-fights and turns to flip Gibson over with a powerful reversal. Johns pins Gibson’s right arm with his knee and slugs him in the chops several times, and he keeps “The Renegade” pinned to the floor while landing shots. Johns wraps up a guillotine with one arm and lets it go to pummel Gibson with left hands until Gibson explodes back to his feet. Johns uses his full weight in an effort to wrench Gibson down, and he breaks and scores two uppercuts. Gibson resets and flicks out a jab, and Johns drills him in the lead leg with a kick and cracks him with two right hands. Gibson gathers his thoughts and leaps forward with a flying knee that skims off the dome, and Johns immediately drops down to take Gibson down with a double when Gibson lands. Gibson scrambles back upright, and Johns leans on him to land short shots until the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Round 3
The two bantamweights clap hands as they reach the final round, and Johns sticks his jab out immediately while Gibson comes after him. Johns clubs him with three right hands and backs off with a jab, and Gibson slaps a high kick off his raised guard. Johns grapples to get hold of a single, tripping Gibson up and driving him to the fence. Gibson keeps his balance but is pressed against the wall, and Johns squeezes on him tight. Gibson manages to fight his way out of the clinch, and Johns comes up short with an uppercut on the way out. Gibson ducks down and into a few more uppercuts from “Chapo,” and he presses forward and watches a right hand slide off his cheek. They trade jabs, and change levels at the same time to no avail. Johns shoots for a single, pushing Gibson up against the wire, and he delivers a few knees to the thigh to keep busy. Dean asks for more work, and Johns connects with three clean shots that pound off Gibson’s head. Gibson breaks away, and he reaches out with a kick that is blocked. Johns rushes forward with a right hand as his lead leg is kicked, and Gibson fires off a body kick. When Gibson charges, Johns cracks him with an overhand right. Johns uses the power shot to frazzle Gibson just enough to change levels in pursuit of a single. Dean clasp for them to do more twice, and Gibson answers him by freaking away. They trade hands, and Johns doggedly goes after the single again. Lifting Gibson off the ground and slamming him down, Johns claims top position and fights off a kimura sweep. Gibson turns all the way over to stand up with less than 20 seconds left, and he walks into a right hand and pushes out a front kick. The fight ends with Johns landing one final right hand.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns (30-27 Johns)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Johns (30-27 Johns)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns (30-27 Johns)
The Official Result
Miles Johns def. Cody Gibson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Angelo picks Miles Johns but is hesitant because he doesn't trust Johns to wrestle consistently. He notes that Johns has the tools to dominate but often abandons wrestling for power punches. He considers a small bet or parlay with another sketchy fighter, but is not fully confident.
Big Brady picks Cody Gibson, citing Gibson's volume, durability, and cardio advantage. He notes Miles Johns is on short notice and has questionable cardio and durability (both losses inside the distance). He expects Johns to have early success but Gibson to take over and finish him in the third round by knockout.
Cody picks Gibson, citing his forward pressure and wrestling. He notes that Johns has cardio issues and was likely on steroids in his last win. Cody believes Gibson's volume and aggression will earn him rounds, especially if Johns fades. He also likes the over 2.5 rounds.
Daniel Vreeland leans toward Miles Johns, citing his athleticism and one-punch power. He acknowledges Gibson's high output but worries about Gibson's durability and tendency to slow down. He thinks Johns can land a big shot or grind out a win, but he is not confident enough to bet the favorite.
Johns is quick, explosive, and has multiple ways to win: wrestling, power, movement. He slows down late but has improved his cardio. Gibson is a veteran boxer with good footwork but can be taken down and ground out. Johns' speed and variety should be too much, but confidence is not high. Expect a decision win for Johns.
Paul agrees, emphasizing that takedowns may not be scored highly by judges, as seen in recent fights. He thinks Gibson's volume will be the deciding factor. Paul also notes Gibson's toughness and recent Fight of the Night bonus.
The MMA Guru picks Cody Gibson as an underdog over Miles Johns. He believes Johns is breakable under pressure and that Gibson's size and pace will break him. He notes Gibson's height and reach advantage, and thinks knees in the clinch will be key. He predicts a third-round TKO for Gibson.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Katona | 0 | 160 of 311 | 51% | 173 of 327 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 164 of 268 | 61% | 169 of 273 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brad Katona | 0 | 36 of 87 | 41% | 39 of 91 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 49 of 85 | 57% | 49 of 85 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Brad Katona | 0 | 58 of 108 | 53% | 59 of 111 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 64 of 94 | 68% | 66 of 96 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Brad Katona | 0 | 66 of 116 | 56% | 75 of 125 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 51 of 89 | 57% | 54 of 92 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Katona | 160 of 311 | 51% | 116 of 254 | 25 of 37 | 19 of 20 | 127 of 262 | 33 of 49 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 164 of 268 | 61% | 130 of 228 | 22 of 27 | 12 of 13 | 134 of 233 | 30 of 35 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brad Katona | 36 of 87 | 41% | 22 of 70 | 5 of 7 | 9 of 10 | 29 of 76 | 7 of 11 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 49 of 85 | 57% | 39 of 73 | 6 of 7 | 4 of 5 | 42 of 78 | 7 of 7 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Brad Katona | 58 of 108 | 53% | 45 of 91 | 6 of 10 | 7 of 7 | 47 of 89 | 11 of 19 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 64 of 94 | 68% | 47 of 76 | 12 of 13 | 5 of 5 | 52 of 79 | 12 of 15 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Brad Katona | 66 of 116 | 56% | 49 of 93 | 14 of 20 | 3 of 3 | 51 of 97 | 15 of 19 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 51 of 89 | 57% | 44 of 79 | 4 of 7 | 3 of 3 | 40 of 76 | 11 of 13 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Katona (-168), Gibson (+142)
Round 1
There could be some history in the making for this bantamweight battle that will kick off the ESPN portion of the prelim card. The first of two victors of Season 31 of TUF will be crowned, with the first coming at 135 pounds. Both men are UFC veterans, but Katona (12-2, 2-2 UFC) is the one who could break new ground by becoming the first two-time TUF winner ever. Of note, his opponent, Gibson (19-8, 1-3 UFC), faced future champ and UFC 292 headliner Aljamain Sterling in his promotional debut back in 2014, where he ultimately dropped a decision. The “six-figure contract” and bragging rights will be awarded to the winner, in a matchup that will be governed by referee Marc Goddard. The former show teammates do not decide to clap hands, and instead they rush out towards one another to strike. They do just that, one after the other, until they end up swinging at the same time and ending up in a clinch. Gibson pushes off and lands a pair of hooks, and Katona knocks him back with a counter. Gibson connects with a clean right hand, and Katona shakes it off and gets off a jab. Katona comes up hitting nothing but air when he looses hooks, and Gibson attempts to reach him with a front kick and fails. Katona sticks his man with a left, and Gibson ducks down to get off a body kick. Katona retaliates with a leg kick, and Gibson dips and strikes while avoiding offense that wings towards him. Both fighters are amped up and trading shots, and Gibson pushes out two jabs and dings Katona with a left hand. Gibson trips on his way in, and this allows Katona the briefest amount of time to shake it off. Gibson clubs his man with a right, and Katona stands firm and bashes him with a solid left hook. Gibson is not remotely concerned as he meanders forward, and he swings himself into a clinch. Gibson absorbs a right hand and misses with a second, and Katona counters with a left that marks up Gibson’s eye. Gibson continues to surge forward, hurling offense and making Katona have to match his pace. “The Renegade” mixes things up with a chopping kick, and he shrugs off anything that Katona lands on him to throw his own heavy blows. The two tie up, but nothing comes up it other than a right hand from Gibson on the break. Gibson tries to follow it, and he ends up lobbing strikes that are way off the mark. Katona strings together several low kicks, and they both work the body. The furiously paced round ends with a sharp left from Katona.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Gibson
Round 2
The bantamweights come back to the middle to start off the round, and Katona is the first to spring into action with a combination of fists. Katona then switches to a leg kick, and he rips a left to the body and nails Gibson with a right over the top. Gibson steels himself and throws back with gravitas, drawing a takedown attempt out of the Canadian. Gibson drills his man with an uppercut, and he pressures forward until they tie up and trade additional uppercuts. Katona does not register a leg kick, and he pops Gibson with a jab. Gibson does the same with his own jab and a follow-up right hand, and the two are taking turns to smack the other around. Katona flicks out a jab, and Gibson counters him with an uppercut and a body shot. Gibson walks face-first into a left hand, and he fires off a right hook and then goes to the body. Gibson again eats a few strikes, and the two start fighting in a phone booth and lay into each other. Gibson slings a right hand that bounces off the temple, and Katona smiles and delivers a right hand on the chin and a clean left shortly thereafter. Gibson lands a leg kick, gets up close to land a body shot, and then backs off when Katona scores with two hooks. Gibson overswings with a left hand, and Katona tags him a few times while he is recoiling. Katona suddenly goes up high with a kick, and frowns when it is blocked. Gibson misses the mark with a huge uppercut, and a few right hands from Gibson have developed some swelling around Katona’s left eye. Gibson targets it with a clubbing right and an elbow, and Katona tries to tie him up for a moment but ends up eating a few clinch strikes before releasing. Katona sits down on a right hand, timing it perfectly as Gibson ducked right into it, and Gibson powers forward to clinch up and recover. Katona jumps at him with a knee, and he fires off a short salvo of strikes that knock Gibson back again. Katona keeps Gibson honest with pawing jabs and a right hand, and Gibson appears to be fading. Katona lines up a right hand down the middle, and the horn blares.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Katona
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Katona
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Katona
Round 3
Gibson waves to the crowd to get them fired up, and the audience reacts positively. Going into the last round, it could be all tied up, and they treat things as such as they get right after it. Gibson walks through the fast fists that fly at his face so that he can drive a right hand home, and Katona reels but comes back. Katona slides to the side and avoids the huge hooks, and he starts peppering Gibson with jabs. When Gibson changes this up to let go with his own jabs, Katona lets him have it with big punches. Gibson parries a jump knee and a kick to the body, and he drills Katona with a right hand down the pipe. Katona backpedals and eats another one like a plate of poutine, and the two let the other have it. This results in them coming together for a brief clinch, and Katona pushes him back and lets fly a high kick that slaps into the shoulder. Katona kicks with his other leg, and he books Gibson in the calf when he speedily moves. Gibson takes a punch to give one back, and he stings Katona with a right hook. Gibson plants two uppercuts on the chin, and he slides back and pops Katona with a clean right. Katona ignores a leg kick, and he knees the body and sneaks in a short right. Katona loads up and connects with a right, and he digs a few punches to the body and might have hurt Gibson. A few left hands force Gibson to cover his eye, and it is swelling badly. Gibson backs up to the wall as Katona lays into him, until Gibson decides to activate and sling fire back at him. Katona staggers back and then rushes back into action, and the two proceed to give it everything they have in an absolutely terrific brawl. Katona lands, Gibson gets him back, Katona stings him and Gibson shakes Katona up. This back-and-forth trading ends only when they tie up to catch their breath. Gibson pushes off and then sprints at Katona, who is backing away to try to let time expire. Gibson reaches him and blasts him with a few punches, and this all-action thriller comes to a close – unless there is an unexpected “sudden victory” round in the event of a draw. No matter who gets their hand raised, this is an instant “Fight of the Night” frontrunner as well as a scrap that might earn “Fight of the Year” consideration when it is all said and done. The two bantamweights embrace, having put on a display reminiscent of Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Katona (29-28 Katona)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Katona (29-28 Katona)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Katona (29-28 Katona)
The Official Result
Brad Katona def. Cody Gibson via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Cody expects Katona to win by decision regardless of opponent. He notes Gibson is the better fighter but has a knee injury, and if Rico wins, Katona still wins. He sees Katona as a talented favorite.
Daniel Levi leans toward Brad Katona, believing he should be favored but is not confident. He notes that Katona fights close decisions and that Gibson has a seven-inch reach advantage and is four inches taller. Levi thinks Gibson is live at plus money, especially if he can keep the fight standing and use his reach. He mentions that Gibson had a knee injury on The Ultimate Fighter and wants more information on that.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Silva de Andrade | 1 | 39 of 131 | 29% | 45 of 137 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1:16 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 30 of 137 | 21% | 30 of 137 | 0 of 5 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:16 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Douglas Silva de Andrade | 0 | 13 of 45 | 28% | 13 of 45 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:05 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 10 of 49 | 20% | 10 of 49 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:07 | |
| 2 | Douglas Silva de Andrade | 1 | 12 of 30 | 40% | 15 of 33 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:43 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 9 of 37 | 24% | 9 of 37 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Douglas Silva de Andrade | 0 | 14 of 56 | 25% | 17 of 59 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 1 | 0:28 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 11 of 51 | 21% | 11 of 51 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:09 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Silva de Andrade | 39 of 131 | 29% | 16 of 99 | 5 of 10 | 18 of 22 | 36 of 124 | 0 of 3 | 3 of 4 |
| Cody Gibson | 30 of 137 | 21% | 23 of 124 | 4 of 9 | 3 of 4 | 27 of 134 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Douglas Silva de Andrade | 13 of 45 | 28% | 2 of 28 | 2 of 5 | 9 of 12 | 13 of 43 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 10 of 49 | 20% | 6 of 42 | 3 of 6 | 1 of 1 | 8 of 47 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Douglas Silva de Andrade | 12 of 30 | 40% | 7 of 24 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 5 | 9 of 25 | 0 of 1 | 3 of 4 |
| Cody Gibson | 9 of 37 | 24% | 8 of 34 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 1 | 8 of 36 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Douglas Silva de Andrade | 14 of 56 | 25% | 7 of 47 | 2 of 4 | 5 of 5 | 14 of 56 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 11 of 51 | 21% | 9 of 48 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 2 | 11 of 51 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogRound 1
Andrade puts a few hard kicks on the inside of Gibson’s lead leg, then thuds an overhand right off his forearm. Gibson grabs for a takedown, gets spun around and leg-kicked again after just avoiding an uppercut. Gibson scores with a right hook, whiffs on a huge left-handed follow-up. The leg kicks keep coming from Andrade, and now “D’Silva” mixes in a hard right hand to the gut. Gibson swipes his man’s face with a sweeping left hook. Andrade is coming up short with his punches inside the final minute, and now he takes a big overhand right to the chin. The Brazilian tries for a takedown against the fence and gets turned around. The overhand right from Gibson has opened up a cut on the left eye of Andrade, who is leaking blood down his face as the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Gibson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Gibson
Jeff Sherwood scores the round 10-9 Gibson
Round 2
The cut beneath Andrade’s eye is reopened just seconds into the period, and Gibson chases after him with jabs and more overhand rights, trying to worsen the damage. Andrade still has plenty of power behind his punches, and Gibson runs straight into a right hand that lands on the temple. Gibson is dropped to his back, and Andrade tries to capitalize by pouncing and hunting for a choke. Gibson turns toward the fence, posts and stands up, where he cracks Andrade with a right hand that forces that Brazilian to back off midway through the round. Gibson keeps the shorter man out of range with jabs, while Andrade picks at him with leg kicks. With 90 seconds on the clock, Andrade zaps Gibson with a hard left hook. This time, Gibson stays upright and continues circling the outside, switching between stances. Gibson’s offense has dropped off, and it’s Andrade pushing the action late in the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Andrade
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Andrade
Jeff Sherwood scores the round 10-9 Andrade
Round 3
Gibson presses forward to start the final round and gets countered by an Andrade left hand. “The Renegade” keeps coming at Andrade with jabs and now eats an uppercut. Andrade sprawls all over a shot from Gibson, who resets and tries a single-leg on the second effort. Gibson gets the takedown and a wild scramble ensues, and after twice exchanging positions, Andrade winds up on top. It doesn’t last long, and the bantamweights are back on their feet with 2:40 remaining in the final round. Gibson uses leg kicks to pick at Andrade, who looks to counter off his back foot with single punches. Andrade pushes back Gibson’s head with a straight right hand. The Brazilian is exhausted, stumbling backward around the cage on unsteady legs. Gibson keeps walking him down, lands a body kick and sticks his jab in Andrade’s face. Gibson scores the last good offense of the fight, catching an aggressive Andrade with a cracking left hook.
Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Gibson (29-28 Gibson)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Gibson (29-28 Gibson)
Jeff Sherwood scores the round 10-9 Andrade (29-28 Andrade)
The Result
Douglas Silva de Andrade def. Cody Gibson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manvel Gamburyan | 0 | 11 of 52 | 21% | 20 of 63 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 1 | 0 | 1:32 |
| Cody Gibson | 1 | 49 of 118 | 41% | 61 of 131 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 2:43 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manvel Gamburyan | 0 | 7 of 27 | 25% | 8 of 30 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 0:32 |
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 29 of 75 | 38% | 32 of 78 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:46 | |
| 2 | Manvel Gamburyan | 0 | 4 of 25 | 16% | 12 of 33 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 1 | 0 | 1:00 |
| Cody Gibson | 1 | 20 of 43 | 46% | 29 of 53 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1:57 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manvel Gamburyan | 11 of 52 | 21% | 5 of 43 | 2 of 4 | 4 of 5 | 8 of 43 | 3 of 8 | 0 of 1 |
| Cody Gibson | 49 of 118 | 41% | 35 of 103 | 11 of 12 | 3 of 3 | 28 of 86 | 17 of 25 | 4 of 7 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manvel Gamburyan | 7 of 27 | 25% | 2 of 21 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 4 | 5 of 24 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Gibson | 29 of 75 | 38% | 22 of 67 | 6 of 7 | 1 of 1 | 18 of 61 | 11 of 14 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Manvel Gamburyan | 4 of 25 | 16% | 3 of 22 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 19 | 1 of 5 | 0 of 1 |
| Cody Gibson | 20 of 43 | 46% | 13 of 36 | 5 of 5 | 2 of 2 | 10 of 25 | 6 of 11 | 4 of 7 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogRound 1
Gibson circles the outside and pumps his jab in the shorter man’s face, while Gamburyan stakes out the center and shoots for a long takedown behind a missed overhand right. Gibson tags “The Anvil” with a hook on the way up, and now the bantamweights come back to the middle of the cage. Gamburyan looks to tie up again and gets tossed to the ground, then pressed against the fence when he stands. A knee from Gamburyan catches Gibson on the cup, but Gibson quickly tells referee Chris Tognoni that he’s good to continue. Gamburyan lands a hard leg kick, gets pushed backward with a Gibson straight right. Another low kick lands for Gamburyan, this time answered by Gibson, who follows up with another right hook and a double jab. Gamburyan is sporting damage now, a wide cut under his left eye which only gets worse as Gibson sticks another right hand. Gamburyan backs up to the fence and covers up, allowing Gibson to score with a pair of knees. Gamburyan powers into a takedown with about one minute remaining. He passes to side control but gets overpowered by Gibson, who reverses and then stands to deck Gamburyan with some standing elbows and body shots at the end of the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Gibson
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Gibson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Gibson
Round 2
Gibson covers up and deflects heavy shots from Gamburyan, who traps his opponent near the fence and tries to take off Gibson’s head with right hooks and uppercuts. Gibson steps forward and throws an inside leg kick that lands square on Gamburyan’s cup. Gamburyan shouts and grimaces as he walks around the cage, but after a break, he’s ready to continue. Almost as soon as the fight resumes, Gibson drops Gamburyan with a whipping overhand right. Gibson tries to polish off his kneeling opponent, but Gamburyan scrambles back to his feet and shoves Gibson against the fence. Gibson reverses to take the outside position and trips Gamburyan to the ground. Gamburyan stands, still trapped against the cage, and Gibson makes him pay with two or three big right hands to the gut. Gibson again trips him to the mat, where Gamburyan puts a hand down to avoid knees to the head. Gamburyan is back up and seems to have recovered with half the round to go. Gibson slows his pace and goes back to jabbing at Gamburyan, then puts the former featherweight on the fence. Gamburyan changes levels and hits a takedown with 70 seconds on the clock, then pulls guard to squeeze a guillotine choke at the 20-second mark. Gibson’s right arm is trapped by Gamburyan’s legs, and with no way to escape, he’s forced to tap with just seconds left in the round.
The Official Result
Manny Gamburyan def. Cody Gibson via Submission (Guillotine Choke) R2 4:56
Brian Kelleher - Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Gibson | 0 | 2 of 12 | 16% | 2 of 13 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:05 |
| Brian Kelleher | 0 | 13 of 24 | 54% | 18 of 30 | 2 of 5 | 40% | 1 | 0 | 2:38 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Gibson | 0 | 2 of 12 | 16% | 2 of 13 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:05 |
| Brian Kelleher | 0 | 13 of 24 | 54% | 18 of 30 | 2 of 5 | 40% | 1 | 0 | 2:38 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Gibson | 2 of 12 | 16% | 0 of 8 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 12 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brian Kelleher | 13 of 24 | 54% | 9 of 19 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 10 of 18 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 1 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Gibson | 2 of 12 | 16% | 0 of 8 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 12 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brian Kelleher | 13 of 24 | 54% | 9 of 19 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 10 of 18 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 1 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gibson (-205), Kelleher (+170)
Round 1
Rounding out the rocky prelims is an aging 135er with a .500 record in the promotion against a fellow fighter over the age of 35 a loss away from reaching the dreaded “Sinosic Line.” Gibson (19-10, 1-5 UFC) is not the only fighter to sport this record of 1-5 with the potential to go 1-6 tonight, but more on that later. He battles the hyper-aggressive Kelleher (24-15, 8-8 UFC), and this one has the potential of ending in the blink of an eye. Referee Kerry Hatley is ready for whatever happens next, and that is a touch of gloves. Kelleher immediately goes on the offensive with a leg kick and a front kick. Gibson gives him back an overhand right to make Kelleher take a funny step back, and he connects with two more punches that make Kelleher turn away and have to recover. Kelleher gets back to the middle of the cage and kicks a few more times, and he is reached with a front kick by “The Renegade.” Gibson connects with a calf kick, and he misses with a one-two. Kelleher races forward swinging fists, and Gibson grabs hold of him and manages to take his back standing to wrench him down to a knee. Kelleher pops back up, but the second effort for Gibson succeeds. Kelleher tries to set up a guillotine choke, and Gibson frees himself and assumes top position. Kelleher fights his way back to his feet in a hurry, and Gibson grinds on him as he looks for a mat return. Gibson succeeds in putting Kelleher down for a second, only for “Boom” to explode to his feet again. Kelleher hand-fights to spin out but eats a knee on the break. Gibson races after him with an uppercut and a slashing elbow, and he pushes Kelleher to the fence. Kelleher welcomes him with a knee, and Gibson gives him a few back. Kelleher turns eats an elbow that drops him to a knee, but Kelleher recovers and pursues a takedown. Gibson turns him away and attacks for his own takedown, leading to Kelleher jumping guard for a guillotine choke.
“The Renegade” breaks out of the choke and moves into half guard, where he almost instantly locks down an arm-triangle choke. Kelleher is stuck in a precarious position, and when he tries to fight out of it, he finds that Gibson is an immovable stone on his body. Kelleher surrenders before going out,
and tonight has its first finish. Gibson earns his first victory since his first stint in the promotion in 2014, and he is elated to get his hand raised in the Octagon for the second time.
The Official Result
Cody Gibson def. Brian Kelleher R1 3:58 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)
Angelo picks Cody Gibson because he is the more focused fighter with length and cardio, while Brian Kelleher is past his prime and on a three-fight skid. However, he is not confident at the favorite price and notes that Kelleher's losses have been to top competition. He considers an inside the distance/decision no action bet on Gibson.
Cody picks Gibson, citing his size advantage (5'10" reach vs 5'6"), durability, and volume. He notes Kelleher's age (38), neck injury, and recent inactivity. He thinks Gibson can outwork Kelleher and that Kelleher's path to victory via guillotine is unlikely. He calls both fighters 'expired milk' but leans Gibson.
Daniel Vreeland reluctantly picks Brian Kelleher, despite initially favoring Cody Gibson. He notes Gibson's tendency to fade in fights, citing the Ray Borg and Brad Katona fights where Gibson was winning early but fell apart. Vreeland believes Kelleher can survive early and take over late, possibly by submission or TKO.
Gibson is a favorite at -185. He has a 4-inch height and 7-inch reach advantage, which he can use to keep Kelleher at bay with his boxing and kicks. Kelleher is on a three-fight losing streak and approaching 38, showing signs of decline. Gibson needs to be wary of Kelleher's guillotine, but he should be able to dictate the pace and win a decision.
Paul also picks Gibson, agreeing that wrestling will be negated and that Gibson's volume will be key. He notes Gibson's close fight with Brad Katona where he landed 164 significant strikes. He thinks Kelleher's guillotine is a threat but not enough to overcome Gibson's output.
The MMA Guru picks Cody Gibson despite previously saying he'd never pick him again. He notes Gibson might be able to hurt Kelleher, who is 37 and has been inactive with multiple neck surgeries. He points to Kelleher's recent first-round losses to Umar Nurmagomedov, Cody Garbrandt, and Mario Bautista, and questions his dedication. Gibson's close fight with Miles Johns is seen as a positive.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Garbrandt | 1 | 20 of 41 | 48% | 21 of 42 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:21 |
| Brian Kelleher | 0 | 17 of 25 | 68% | 21 of 29 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:36 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Garbrandt | 1 | 20 of 41 | 48% | 21 of 42 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:21 |
| Brian Kelleher | 0 | 17 of 25 | 68% | 21 of 29 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:36 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody Garbrandt | 20 of 41 | 48% | 16 of 37 | 2 of 2 | 2 of 2 | 16 of 35 | 4 of 6 | 0 of 0 |
| Brian Kelleher | 17 of 25 | 68% | 9 of 13 | 1 of 3 | 7 of 9 | 17 of 24 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cody Garbrandt | 20 of 41 | 48% | 16 of 37 | 2 of 2 | 2 of 2 | 16 of 35 | 4 of 6 | 0 of 0 |
| Brian Kelleher | 17 of 25 | 68% | 9 of 13 | 1 of 3 | 7 of 9 | 17 of 24 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Angelo picks Cody Garbrandt, stating he should dominate everywhere, but worries about his chin and tendency to brawl. He notes that if Cody shows patience, he is a confident pick. He is unsure about betting due to chin concerns.
Big Brady picks Brian Kelleher to win by knockout, despite acknowledging Garbrandt is more skilled. He notes Garbrandt's chin issues (4 KO losses) and washed performances, while Kelleher has power and a guillotine threat. Brady believes Kelleher will force exchanges and land a big shot, putting Garbrandt out. He also notes Garbrandt has zero submissions, so a sub win is unlikely.
Cody picks Garbrandt, arguing that he is better in every aspect of martial arts except durability. He notes that Kelleher's only path is a knockout, but Kelleher has only two KO wins in six years. Cody believes Garbrandt will fight smart behind his jab and potentially win by decision or finish. He acknowledges the chin concern but thinks Kelleher is not the guy to exploit it.
Lucrative James picks Brian Kelleher as the underdog. After rewatching Cody Garbrandt's last fight against Trevin Jones, he saw Cody was hesitant, got wobbled, and taken down multiple times. He believes Cody's chin issues could resurface if Kelleher catches him. He acknowledges Kelleher's age (37) and two-fight losing streak but thinks Cody is not a minus 250 fighter.
The host is high on Kelleher as a plus 185 underdog, questioning how Garbrandt can be such a heavy favorite given his recent tentative style and chin issues. He believes Kelleher's aggression, durability, and grappling edge will be key. He expects Kelleher to crash the pocket, land big shots, and possibly finish Garbrandt. The only concern is Kelleher returning from neck surgery, but he thinks even 70% of Kelleher is enough to pull the upset.
Paul picks Garbrandt, stating that skill for skill, this fight is not competitive. He notes that Garbrandt is much faster on the feet and that Kelleher is not a murderous power puncher. Paul points to Garbrandt's last fight against Trevin Jones where he fought smart and stayed out of trouble. He believes Garbrandt will box Kelleher up and potentially win by decision or TKO.
The Guru picks Cody Garbrandt over Brian Kelleher, noting Kelleher's recent losses and decline. He believes the matchup is designed for Garbrandt to get a KO win on a big card. He predicts Garbrandt will win by TKO in the second round.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Bautista | 0 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Brian Kelleher | 0 | 6 of 17 | 35% | 6 of 17 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 1:28 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mario Bautista | 0 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Brian Kelleher | 0 | 6 of 17 | 35% | 6 of 17 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 1:28 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Bautista | 2 of 3 | 66% | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brian Kelleher | 6 of 17 | 35% | 3 of 14 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 2 | 4 of 15 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mario Bautista | 2 of 3 | 66% | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brian Kelleher | 6 of 17 | 35% | 3 of 14 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 2 | 4 of 15 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 |
Angelo picks Brian Kelleher in a tough, close fight. He notes both fighters are similar busy strikers who can grapple, but gives the edge to Kelleher's experience and physicality at 135 pounds. His main worry is Kelleher's negative striking differential, but he believes if Kelleher brings the same grappling he showed against Kevin Crume or Domingo Pilarte, he gets the win. He expects a razor-thin decision.
Big Brady picks Mario Bautista to win by decision. He highlights Bautista's significant size and reach advantages (3-inch height, 5-inch reach), superior striking, and underrated grappling. He notes that Kelleher has been submitted seven times and Bautista has submission skills, but expects the fight to stay standing where Bautista's youth and size will be decisive. He mentions Kelleher's durability (only one KO in 37 fights) but sees Bautista winning a decision.
Cody thinks Bautista is dynamic with good striking and wrestling. He notes Kelleher relies on takedowns and if he can't take Bautista down, he'll be out struck. He expects Bautista to win a decision.
Paul agrees with Cody, adding nothing to dispute.
The host picks Mario Bautista, noting Brian Kelleher looks old and slow at 35. He believes Bautista has good grappling and won't be exposed there, and that Kelleher struggles against step-up competition. He predicts a third-round TKO for Bautista, citing Bautista's training with Sean O'Malley and other top bantamweights.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umar Nurmagomedov | 0 | 1 of 19 | 5% | 1 of 19 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:06 |
| Brian Kelleher | 0 | 18 of 26 | 69% | 21 of 29 | 1 of 5 | 20% | 1 | 0 | 1:27 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Umar Nurmagomedov | 0 | 1 of 19 | 5% | 1 of 19 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:06 |
| Brian Kelleher | 0 | 18 of 26 | 69% | 21 of 29 | 1 of 5 | 20% | 1 | 0 | 1:27 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umar Nurmagomedov | 1 of 19 | 5% | 0 of 13 | 0 of 4 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 18 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Brian Kelleher | 18 of 26 | 69% | 9 of 15 | 7 of 9 | 2 of 2 | 13 of 21 | 5 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Umar Nurmagomedov | 1 of 19 | 5% | 0 of 13 | 0 of 4 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 18 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Brian Kelleher | 18 of 26 | 69% | 9 of 15 | 7 of 9 | 2 of 2 | 13 of 21 | 5 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
Angelo picks Umar confidently, calling him a clear pick and a parlay piece. He highlights Umar's fantastic chain wrestling and constant pressure. He notes Kelleher doesn't have one-punch KO power, so even if Umar is hittable, it won't matter. He mentions the betting line movement favoring Umar.
Big Brady picks Umar Nurmagomedov to win by submission in the second round. He is very high on Umar's skills, noting his fast striking, good wrestling, and scrambling ability. Brady points out that Kelleher has been submitted six times and has poor takedown defense (60%). He believes Umar will be able to take Kelleher down and submit him, especially given Kelleher's tendency to give up takedowns and go for guillotines. Brady also notes Umar's youth and potential for improvement.
Cody is extremely high on Umar, calling him a future champion. He praises Umar's striking, takedown entries, and pace. He bet the under 2.5 rounds at +130, expecting an early finish. Cody notes Kelleher's only path is a guillotine, but Umar is too well-rounded and will dominate everywhere.
Daniel Levi picks Umar Nurmagomedov to win by decision. He praises Umar's kicking game and grappling, and believes Kelleher will be outmatched. He notes that Kelleher is a tough veteran but Umar is too much. He predicts Umar will win a decision, possibly a dominant one.
Nurmagomedov is a well-rounded fighter with excellent striking and grappling. Kelleher's only path is a knockout, but Nurmagomedov will use his kicks to maintain distance and then take the fight to the ground where he is dominant. Kelleher is durable and has good submission defense, but Nurmagomedov should control the fight and win a decision. The minus 675 is too steep for parlays, but Nurmagomedov via decision is a solid prop.
Paul echoes Cody's sentiment, calling Umar the complete package with elite wrestling and striking. He notes Umar's performance against Sergey Morozov was dominant and his pace is relentless. Paul believes Kelleher's only chance is to catch Umar in a guillotine, but Umar is too skilled. He plans to include Umar in a parlay with Colby.
The MMA Guru picks Umar Nurmagomedov over Brian Kelleher, calling it a no-brainer. He highlights Nurmagomedov's dominant win over Sergey Morozov and sees him as a rising threat in the bantamweight division. He criticizes Kelleher's recent performance against Kevin Croom, noting he looked slow and old. He predicts Nurmagomedov will out-strike Kelleher early, take his back, and secure a rear-naked choke in the second round, similar to his debut finish.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Kelleher | 1 | 38 of 77 | 49% | 67 of 123 | 6 of 8 | 75% | 0 | 0 | 6:26 |
| Kevin Croom | 0 | 60 of 174 | 34% | 83 of 206 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:47 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Kelleher | 1 | 11 of 29 | 37% | 15 of 35 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0:17 |
| Kevin Croom | 0 | 33 of 88 | 37% | 43 of 104 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:24 | |
| 2 | Brian Kelleher | 0 | 14 of 25 | 56% | 22 of 34 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 1:43 |
| Kevin Croom | 0 | 22 of 72 | 30% | 34 of 86 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:23 | |
| 3 | Brian Kelleher | 0 | 13 of 23 | 56% | 30 of 54 | 3 of 4 | 75% | 0 | 0 | 4:26 |
| Kevin Croom | 0 | 5 of 14 | 35% | 6 of 16 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Kelleher | 38 of 77 | 49% | 25 of 58 | 12 of 17 | 1 of 2 | 25 of 58 | 3 of 5 | 10 of 14 |
| Kevin Croom | 60 of 174 | 34% | 36 of 141 | 11 of 16 | 13 of 17 | 58 of 168 | 2 of 6 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Kelleher | 11 of 29 | 37% | 7 of 24 | 4 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 9 of 26 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Kevin Croom | 33 of 88 | 37% | 17 of 68 | 6 of 8 | 10 of 12 | 32 of 84 | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Brian Kelleher | 14 of 25 | 56% | 8 of 15 | 5 of 8 | 1 of 2 | 12 of 23 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 |
| Kevin Croom | 22 of 72 | 30% | 14 of 61 | 5 of 7 | 3 of 4 | 22 of 72 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Brian Kelleher | 13 of 23 | 56% | 10 of 19 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 9 | 1 of 2 | 8 of 12 |
| Kevin Croom | 5 of 14 | 35% | 5 of 12 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 | 4 of 12 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Big Brady notes the significant age and reach advantage for Croom, who is 26 and has a 5-inch reach edge. He praises Croom's wrestling and grappling, and expects him to exploit Kelleher's 59% takedown defense. He predicts Croom will win a decision, though he acknowledges Kelleher is dangerous with submissions off his back.
Cody picks Kakhramonov, highlighting his wrestling, size, and cardio. He notes Kelleher's wrestling won't be effective and Kakhramonov's striking is solid. He expects Kakhramonov to win by decision or TKO. He mentions Kakhramonov's bright future.
Daniel Levi picks Brian Kelleher, noting that Croom took the fight on two weeks' notice and tends to fade as fights progress. He acknowledges Croom's dangerous guillotine early, but believes Kelleher's durability and cardio will allow him to take over in later rounds. Levi also mentions Kelleher's improved grappling, as seen in his last fight against Domingo Pilarte where he used takedowns to control the fight.
The host picks Brian Kelleher, citing his veteran experience and takedown defense against the grappler Kakaromanov. He expects Kelleher to stuff takedowns and land big shots on the feet, eventually knocking out Kakaromanov. The host notes Kakaromanov's striking is still developing and that Kelleher's power and pressure will be too much. He also mentions the under 2.5 rounds as a good bet.
Paul picks Kakhramonov, citing his impressive debut, wrestling base, and size advantage. He notes Kelleher's path is a guillotine, but Kakhramonov's wrestling should nullify that. He expects Kakhramonov to win via decision or late TKO. He calls -155 a fair price.
The MMA Guru picks Kevin Croom (Saidyokub Kakhramonov) to win by third-round submission. He trusts Croom's stand-up and grappling awareness, noting that he handled Trevin Jones well and has good takedown defense. He believes Kelleher will struggle to get takedowns and will slow down as the fight goes on, leading to a desperate shot that Croom will capitalize on with a guillotine or D'Arce choke. He predicts Croom will defend takedowns early, then submit Kelleher in the third round.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Kelleher | 0 | 28 of 40 | 70% | 236 of 279 | 3 of 3 | 100% | 2 | 1 | 12:49 |
| Domingo Pilarte | 0 | 3 of 11 | 27% | 117 of 159 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 1:29 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Kelleher | 0 | 13 of 19 | 68% | 68 of 89 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 4:50 |
| Domingo Pilarte | 0 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 35 of 49 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Brian Kelleher | 0 | 4 of 8 | 50% | 53 of 64 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 2 | 1 | 3:08 |
| Domingo Pilarte | 0 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 27 of 41 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 1:29 | |
| 3 | Brian Kelleher | 0 | 11 of 13 | 84% | 115 of 126 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 4:51 |
| Domingo Pilarte | 0 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 55 of 69 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Kelleher | 28 of 40 | 70% | 24 of 35 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 27 of 37 |
| Domingo Pilarte | 3 of 11 | 27% | 2 of 8 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 9 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 1 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Kelleher | 13 of 19 | 68% | 11 of 16 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 13 of 18 |
| Domingo Pilarte | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Brian Kelleher | 4 of 8 | 50% | 4 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 7 |
| Domingo Pilarte | 2 of 6 | 33% | 2 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | |
| 3 | Brian Kelleher | 11 of 13 | 84% | 9 of 11 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 10 of 12 |
| Domingo Pilarte | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Big Brady picks Brian Kelleher, citing a massive gap in level of competition. He notes Kelleher has fought and lost to top bantamweights, while Pilarte has been dominated by lower-level fighters. He believes Kelleher is the better striker and grappler, despite Pilarte's reach advantage. He predicts a third-round knockout.
Cody picks Kelleher, expecting him to win inside the distance. He notes Kelleher's guillotine threat but worries about the reach disadvantage and weight cut. He believes Kelleher's superior striking and wrestling will be enough.
Kelleher is the much better striker with good volume and leg kicks. Pilarte has rudimentary striking, poor cardio, and has been close to being finished in recent fights. Kelleher's guillotine threat will deter takedowns. I'm picking Kelleher inside the distance, likely by knockout in the second round.
Paul picks Kelleher, citing his durability and better striking and wrestling. He notes Pilarte's weight cut issues and long layoff, and believes Kelleher can avoid Pilarte's submissions. However, he is not fully confident due to Kelleher's weight cut complaints.
The MMA Guru picks Brian Kelleher to win by guillotine choke in the first round. He criticizes Pilarte as a weight bully with a weak chin and poor cardio. He expects Kelleher to rock Pilarte with hooks, then catch him in a guillotine when Pilarte shoots for a single leg. He emphasizes Kelleher's toughness and finishing ability.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Kelleher | 0 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Ray Rodriguez | 0 | 1 of 5 | 20% | 1 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:12 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Kelleher | 0 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Ray Rodriguez | 0 | 1 of 5 | 20% | 1 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:12 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Kelleher | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Ray Rodriguez | 1 of 5 | 20% | 0 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 1 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 | Brian Kelleher | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Ray Rodriguez | 1 of 5 | 20% | 0 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Big Brady picks Kelleher, citing his durability (only one KO loss in 32 fights) and experience. He thinks Kelleher can take a takedown and submit Natividad. He notes Natividad is a brawler who gets hit a lot and has been KO'd in 9 seconds before. He predicts a second-round submission.
Daniel Levi picks Brian Kelleher by guillotine finish. He notes that Kelleher is experienced and tends to beat lower-level opponents, but warns that Kelleher is unreliable as a big favorite. He acknowledges that newcomer Kevin Natividad has power and could upset if Kelleher underestimates him, but ultimately sides with Kelleher's experience.
The host picks Kelleher to win by first-round KO. He cites Kelleher's veteran experience, solid chin, and takedown defense. He notes Natividad's only loss was a 9-second KO and expects Kelleher to land a knockout punch early.
The MMA Guru picks Brian Kelleher, noting that his opponent Kevin Natividad (originally Ray Rodriguez was scheduled but changed) has a padded record with weak competition. He believes Kelleher's experience against top fighters will prevail, and expects a second-round submission. He mentions Kelleher's losses to high-level opponents and his ability to survive early pressure.
Expert Picks (6)
Angelo picks Cody Gibson because he is the more focused fighter with length and cardio, while Brian Kelleher is past his prime and on a three-fight skid. However, he is not confident at the favorite price and notes that Kelleher's losses have been to top competition. He considers an inside the distance/decision no action bet on Gibson.
Cody picks Gibson, citing his size advantage (5'10" reach vs 5'6"), durability, and volume. He notes Kelleher's age (38), neck injury, and recent inactivity. He thinks Gibson can outwork Kelleher and that Kelleher's path to victory via guillotine is unlikely. He calls both fighters 'expired milk' but leans Gibson.
Daniel Vreeland reluctantly picks Brian Kelleher, despite initially favoring Cody Gibson. He notes Gibson's tendency to fade in fights, citing the Ray Borg and Brad Katona fights where Gibson was winning early but fell apart. Vreeland believes Kelleher can survive early and take over late, possibly by submission or TKO.
Gibson is a favorite at -185. He has a 4-inch height and 7-inch reach advantage, which he can use to keep Kelleher at bay with his boxing and kicks. Kelleher is on a three-fight losing streak and approaching 38, showing signs of decline. Gibson needs to be wary of Kelleher's guillotine, but he should be able to dictate the pace and win a decision.
Paul also picks Gibson, agreeing that wrestling will be negated and that Gibson's volume will be key. He notes Gibson's close fight with Brad Katona where he landed 164 significant strikes. He thinks Kelleher's guillotine is a threat but not enough to overcome Gibson's output.
The MMA Guru picks Cody Gibson despite previously saying he'd never pick him again. He notes Gibson might be able to hurt Kelleher, who is 37 and has been inactive with multiple neck surgeries. He points to Kelleher's recent first-round losses to Umar Nurmagomedov, Cody Garbrandt, and Mario Bautista, and questions his dedication. Gibson's close fight with Miles Johns is seen as a positive.
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