NEW UFC BOUTS ANNOUNCED INCLUDING RETURN OF GREG HARDY
The UFC continued their current string of fight announcements late into the week, and also the newly-revealed bouts are listed below in the MMA odds and ends.
Saparbek Safarov vs. Nick Negumereanu Because of an injury to Gokhan Saki, light heavyweight Saparbek Safarov will now take on Octagon newcomer Nick Negumereanu in UFC Fight Night 147, set for March 16 at The O2 Arena in London, England. The news broke. Safarov (8-2) has been finished by Gian Villante and Tyson Pedro in his initial two UFC fights and he has not fought in over a year now. Negumereanu (9-0) is an undefeated 24-year-old prospect fighting from Romania who has completed all of his pre-UFC competitions inside the space. Despite taking the fight on short notice and creating his Octagon introduction, I like Negumereanu to win this fight. It is a pure grin about the chinny Safarov, who I hope to get cut out of the UFC when he loses this fight. The chances are already out for this one, and really the UFC newcomer is a 2-to-1 preferred to receive his hand raised.
UFC Fight Night 148 vs. Frankie Saenz, marlon Vera The UFC has re-booked the bantamweight bout between Marlon Vera and Frankie Saenz that was scrapped days ahead of UFC 235 for UFC Fight Night 148, which takes place March 23 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Tennessee. Vera (12-5-1) is 6-4 in the UFC and is coming from back-to-back stoppage wins over Guido Cannetti and Wuliji Buren. Saenz (13-5) is 5-3 in the UFC and conquered Henry Briones and Merab Dvalishvili in his last two bouts by choice. I don’t see the line shifting much from where it closed before Saenz got hurt. Look for the line to be equal to that which it ended it, with Vera as a close 2-to-1 favorite.
Poliana Botelho vs. Lauren Mueller, UFC 236
Due to an arm injury, Paige VanZant is out of her women’s flyweight bout against Poliana Botelho at UFC 236 and rather Lauren Mueller is shooting the battle. The card is set for April 13 in State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Botelho (7-2) is 2-1 in the UFC but dropped by submission to Cynthia Calvillo in her last fight. Mueller (5-1) is 1-1 at the UFC but has been filed by Yanan Wu in her final fight. It is another battle involving two flawed fighters that could go either way, but according to title worth I would anticipate Botelho to be favored here.
Greg Hardy vs. Dmitry Smoliakov, UFC on ESPN 3
Controversial heavyweight Greg Hardy will return at UFC on ESPN 3 against Dmitry Smoliakov. The card is currently set for April 27 in BB&T Center at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Igor Lazorin broke the news. Hardy (3-1) dropped by DQ to Allen Crowder in his UFC debut as a huge favorite but had won his three prior pro MMA bouts by knockout. Smoliakov (9-2) was finished at bout of his UFC appearances before bouncing back with a entry win over the Russian regional arena in January. But at 36 years old he has no upside and the UFC is bringing him here to shed. I would not advocate putting the juice Hardy after what happened in his UFC debut, but I fully expect him to become a monster favorite yet again for this particular fight.
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