UFC Vegas 79 Preview and Predictions
The UFC schedule is in the final week of a non-stop stretch of fights. In the final week of the gauntlet, Rafael Fiziev and Mateusz Gamrot will headline UFC Vegas 79. The card is a quality fight night event with several ranked fighters and a few bouts that promise entertainment. UFC Vegas 79 will take place at the UFC Apex with the main card beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET with the prelims starting at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Join Vendetta Sports Media as we preview and predict the UFC Vegas 79 main card. You can find our prediction records below.
James: 105-64-3
Garrett: 107-62-3
Anthony: 85-53-2
Jerry: 86-51-2
Ricardo Ramos vs. Charles Jourdain (Featherweight Bout)
James: The UFC Vegas 79 main card opener previews to be an absolute banger. I fully expect Ricardo Ramos and Charles Jourdain to throw down. Jourdain has consistently been in fun fights throughout his UFC career. That has netted him a 5-5-1 promotional record. Meanwhile, Ramos is 7-3 in the UFC.
The records may sway this in Ramos’ favor, but it should be noted that Jourdain has fought a much higher level of competition. Regardless, Jourdain and Ramos are each under 30-years-old and sitting just outside the featherweight rankings. This bout will be important as each fighter is looking to get a step closer to the rankings.
Jourdain is a great striker. On the inside, he can box at a high level or strike in the clinch. In both cases, he has great variety and will dig to the body. On the outside, his kicks are quality as well. The issue for Jourdain has consistently been grappling; on several occasions, he has struggled in grappling sequences. While he has improved, it is not up to par.
Ramos is a wild striker who loves to throw spinning attacks. Typically, that does not yield positive results; however, Ramos has finished two fights with spinning attacks. The fundamental skills are present too. Ramos likes to pressure and mix boxing combinations into his spinning attacks. Plus, he is pretty good at taking his opponents back and landing rear-naked chokes.
The UFC Vegas 79 main card opener previews to be a fast-paced battle. In that type of fight, I think Jourdain will survive Ramos’ early onslaught and take over in the second and third rounds. Jourdain’s body shots should help accomplish that. I will take Jourdain by third-round knockout.
Garrett: Ramos via submission
Jerry: Jourdain via decision
Anthony: Jourdain via KO/TKO
Bryan Battle vs. AJ Fletcher (Welterweight Bout)
James: At UFC Vegas 79, Bryan Battle and AJ Fletcher will compete in a welterweight bout. Battle won The Ultimate Fighter Season 29 at middleweight and has since dropped down a division. In the UFC, he is 4-1 with a 3-1 welterweight record. Fletcher has struggled through the early portion of his UFC career and sits with a 1-2 record. Although, he won his most recent bout. Now, he is looking to put together a winning streak.
Battle is a long striker that kicks to the body well. In boxing exchanges, he can land powerful shots but is liable to be hit. The grappling realm has yielded mixed results. Battle can be taken down and held down; however, he does have slick submission skills.
Fletcher is a highly athletic fighter with a lot of strength and power. This allows him to land powerful boxing combinations. On top of that, he can wrestle at an above-average level. The issue for Fletcher has been pacing. He typically starts hot and fails to pace himself over the course of five rounds.
I like Battle in this bout. The cardio concerns for Fletcher are too big to ignore. I think he can have some strong moments early. I would not be shocked to see him start hot and earn an early knockdown or a few takedowns. Eventually, that pace will slow as Battle kicks to the body. Once Fletcher tires, he stops moving his head and shoots sloppy takedowns. That gives Battle multiple paths to find a late finish with his powerful striking or impressive front chokes. I will take Battle by third-round submission.
Garrett: Battle via decision
Jerry: Battle via KO/TKO
Anthony: Battle via decision
No. 9 Marina Rodriguez vs. No. 13 Michelle Waterson-Gomez (Women’s Strawweight Rematch)
James: The next bout on UFC Vegas 79 will be a rematch between Marina Rodriguez and Michelle Waterson-Gomez. In their first contest, Rodriguez won a five-round decision. Since that fight, Rodriguez is 2-2 while Waterson-Gomez is winless in two matches. If you zoom out further on Waterson-Gomez’s record, she is 1-5 over her last six.
Rodriguez is a high-quality striker with a well-rounded striking skill set. The problem is that she has massive grappling flaws. This has resulted in her losing fights because she is taken down and unable to get up.
Waterson-Gomez, 37, is now in the latter portion of her career. At her peak, she is a strong striker with a karate background who finds success point fighting.
I am taking Rodriguez here. I think she is the more well-rounded striker. That gives her more opportunities to land damaging strikes and it helps that she is naturally bigger than Waterson-Gomez with much more power. I will take Rodriguez by decision.
Garrett: Rodriguez via decision
Jerry: Rodriguez via decision
Anthony: Rodriguez via decision
No. 10 Bryce Mitchell vs. No. 12 Dan Ige (Featherweight Bout)
James: The UFC Vegas 79 co-main event features a featherweight bout between Bryce Mitchell and Dan Ige. Mitchell is looking to bounce back from the first loss in his professional MMA career. In his last time out, he was thoroughly defeated by Ilia Topuria. The former top prospect is now looking to restart his climb up the rankings against Ige. Meanwhile, Ige is in the midst of rejuvenating his career. The 32-year-old has won consecutive bouts. That is an outstanding turnaround after dropping four of his previous five fights.
Mitchell is a great grappler. In fights, he looks to utilize his wrestling to rack up control time. Mitchell is one of the few fighters in modern MMA who will wrestle in the open as well as against the fence. This gives him provides him with more variety in how he gets the fight to the ground. On the ground, he is solid at racking up control time and will throw ground and pound or attack submissions as the opportunity presents itself.
Ige’s skill set is highlighted by his boxing. On the feet, Ige is competent in both stances. This allows him to show opponents different looks and he will switch stances in combinations. Ige has shown the willingness and ability to throw combinations that attack the head and body too.
This is truly a grappler versus striker matchup. Not only that, but they have notable flaws in the opposing realm. Mitchell was brutally outboxed against Topuria. Ige was out-grappled by Chan Sung Jung and Mosvar Evloev.
Typically, I would lean the grappler in that scenario, but I like Ige. The biggest reason is that Evloev and Jung are better strikers than Mitchell. The threat of their striking helped them land the takedowns. I also thought Ige showed improvements as he went from the Jung to Evloev fight.
Was his grappling outstanding? No. Still, I thought he showed improved defense and fought hard in the grappling. As long as this fight is standing, Ige will be dealing damage. If Mitchell does not land takedowns early and often, this bout could down-spiral against him. I will take Ige by second-round knockout.
Garrett: Mitchell via decision
Jerry: Mitchell via submission
Anthony: Michell via decision
No. 6 Rafael Fiziev vs. No. 7 Mateusz Gamrot (Lightweight Bout)
James: The UFC Vegas 79 main event features a lightweight bout between Rafael Fiziev and Mateusz Gamrot. Fizeiv is 6-2 in the UFC and is looking to bounce back from a close decision loss against Justin Gaethje. Gamrot is 5-2 in the promotion and is coming off a win against Jalin Turner. Prior to that bout, he lost a decision to Beniel Dariush. Now, each fighter is looking to get a win to help earn another fight in the lightweight top-five.
Fiziev is one of the best strikers in the UFC. On the feet, his is lightning quick. This allows him to outland his opponent in the pocket. On the outside, he has an outstanding array of kicks. Plus, he can successfully fight from both stances. Fiziev has also shown great takedown defense and forces fights to stay on the feet.
Gamrot is a great grappler with impressive takedown, great scrambles, and slick transitions. This allows him to chain grapple at a very high level. On the ground, Gamrot works to ensure he racks up control time. At times, he will advance to more dominant positions and look for a finish, but that is largely matchup-dependent.
This should be a very close fight. The battle between Fiziev’s takedown defense and Gamrot’s takedown offense will be one to watch. The cardio difference will be worth keeping an eye on as well. Fiziev has struggled to pace himself which has led to cardio concerns. To be fair, that has not been an issue in every fight. On the other hand, Gamrot has shown the ability to grapple hard for five rounds.
I think this fight will be fought at a cautious pace as Fiziev looks to pick power shots while Gamrot looks to set up his takedowns. Ultimately, that should lead to Fiziev landing big shots that hurt Gamrot. Plus, his work to the body should slow Gamrot’s pace. Those factors should lead to Fiziev dealing a lot of damage in the early rounds and banking a lead on the scorecards. I will take Fiziev by decision.
Garrett: Fiziev via decision
Jerry: Fiziev via decision
Anthony: Fiziev via KO/TKO
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