Zane Simon & Eddie Mercado are here to breakdown this Saturday’s, July 30th, UFC 277: Peña vs Nunes 2 & Moreno vs Kara-France PPV event. The guys will have hot takes, possible next fights, as well as reactions to the overall event.
Bloody Elbow fight expert, Zane Simon is here, joined by his cohort, Eddie Mercado. We recorded for you on Saturday, July 30th, 2022, with a breakdown of the UFC 277: Peña vs Nunes 2 & Moreno vs Kara-France 13-bout PPV (pay-per-view) event; which took place at The American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
June M. Williams
The guys have hot takes, possible next fights, as well as reactions to the overall event in the player above, or they can be caught on our Bloody Elbow Presents YouTube Channel or any platform in our BE Presents Podcast Network.
For all the results, reactions and a plethora of details about the main card, and plenty of tidbits about all the prelims, be sure to hit play on the show to hear what our fight experts have to say!
Overall, this 13-bout card saw two exciting first round finishes, six thrilling KO/TKO’s, one sweet submission, and six hard-fought decisions. Rounding things out, our fighters who were awarded for putting forth BONUS efforts included — FOTN: Brandon Moreno vs. Kai Kara-France. POTN: Drew Dober and Alexandre Pantoja.
Here’s a look at the UFC 277: Peña vs Nunes 2 & Moreno vs Kara-France fight card with full results & updated fight records:
The main & co-main event title fights were each scheduled for five rounds, with the remaining bouts scheduled for three rounds. | Official UFC Scorecards
ESPN+ PPV CARD | SAT. JULY 30 13. The ReMatch for the UFC Bantamweight Championship:Amanda Nunes (22-5) DEF. Julianna Peña (11-5) — via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-44, 50-43)
12. UFC Interim Flyweight Championship:Brandon Moreno (20-6-2) DEF. Kai Kara-France (24-10) — via TKO (strikes) at 4:34 of the third round
11. Sergei Pavlovich (16-1) DEF. Derrick Lewis (26-10) — via TKO (strikes) at 0:55 of the first round
10. Alexandre Pantoja (25-5) DEF. Alex Perez (24-7) — via submission (rear naked choke) at 1:31 of the first round
9. Magomed Ankalaev (18-1) DEF. Anthony Smith (36-17) — via TKO (strikes) at 3:09 of the second round
ABC/ESPN/ESPN+ PRELIMS | 8/5PM ETPT 8. Alex Morono (22-7) DEF. Matt Semelsberger (10-4) — via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
7. Drew Dober (25-11) DEF. Rafael Alves (20-11) — via KO at 1:30 of the third round
Be sure to follow Zane – @TheZaneSimon & Eddie – @TheEddieMercado; and follow @BloodyElbow on twitter as well, for all the latest in MMA happenings.
If you enjoy our wide variety of shows, give us a shout out in the comments here on Bloody Elbow, and give us a “like”, share & subscribe on your BE Presents Podcast platform of choice: SoundCloud, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, OverCast, Player FM, & Amazon Music– For previous episodes of the show, check out our playlists on any of our BE Presents channels.
Join us again for another episode of ‘6th Round’ next week on Saturday, August 6th, for UFC VEGAS 59: Thiago Santos vs Jamahal Hill & TUF Tourney Championship Bouts:
Alex Morono and Matthew Semelsberger face off during the UFC 277 ceremonial weigh-in. | Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Join us today on Bloody Elbow for live results, discussion, round scoring, and play-by-play as UFC 277from American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
In the main event, reigning women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Pena makes her first title defense against the very person she stunningly took the belt from, Amanda Nunes. Pena shocked the world at UFC 269 with her second-round submission, can she pull off another upset as the betting underdog? The co-main event is also a rematch, as former men’s flyweight champion Brandon Moreno takes on the surging City Kickboxing standout Kai Kara-France. Moreno won the first fight by decision back in 2019, but this fight is five rounds instead of three, and there’s an interim belt at stake.
This post will cover the preliminary portion of the card, which features a welterweight matchup between Alex Morono and Matthew Semelsberger, as well as an exciting lightweight scrap between Drew Dober and Rafael Alves.
UFC 277 is a standard PPV. There are four early preliminary card fights, which should kick off around 6 PM ET/3 PM PT. Those will air on ESPN+ and Fight Pass. Things will stay on ESPN/ESPN+ and also pick up on ABC (just like UFC 276) for four more fights at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, and then we’ll go over to ESPN+ PPV at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT for the remaining five bouts.
Brandon Moreno and Kai Kara-France at the ceremonial weigh-ins for UFC 277. | Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Get up to date on the co-main event of UFC 277 between Brandon Moreno and Kai Kara-France.
The co-main event of UFC 277will feature a flyweight fight between Brandon Moreno (19-5-2 MMA, 7-2-2 UFC) and Kai Kara-France (24-9 MMA, 7-2 UFC). UFC 277: Peña vs. Nunes airs live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas this Saturday, July 30th. The main card will start with a fight time of 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT, with the ABC/ESPN/ESPN+ prelims beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT and the early prelims kicking off at 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Moreno: 28 years old | 5’7” | 70” reach
Kara-France: 29 years old | 5’4” | 69” reach
What have these two done recently?
Moreno: L – Deiveson Figueiredo (DEC) | W – Deiveson Figueiredo (SUB) | D – Deiveson Figueiredo (DRAW)
Kara-France: W – Askar Askarov (DEC) | W – Cody Garbrandt (TKO) | W – Rogério Bontorin (KO)
How did these two get here?
Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno were going to complete the first-ever tetralogy in the UFC. The fighters are 1-1-1 in their past three appearances, and the fourth fight was supposed to be the coup de grâce of one of the most entertaining rivalries in recent memory. That was until ‘Deus Da Guerra’ suffered injuries in both hands, which could leave him sidelined until the end of the year.
Waiting was not an option for the UFC and Moreno, so an interim championship was created. And the ‘Assassin Baby’ would be meeting a familiar foe for it.
Enter Kai Kara-France. ‘Don’t Blink’ dropped a unanimous decision to Moreno at UFC 245 nearly three years ago. He has since gone 4-1 in his next five fights, earning back-to-back first-round finishes of Rogério Bontorin and Cody Garbrandt and a decision over Askar Askarov. The win over Askarov caught the attention of Figueiredo and Moreno, with both men calling for a fight against Kara-France. Of course, it went to Moreno, and the rematch is set for the co-main event of UFC 277 on Saturday.
Why should you care?
Seeing how their first fight went, Moreno and Kara-France are bound to give us fireworks again.
Amanda Nunes is favored over 135-pound champion, Juliana Pena, in the UFC 277 main event | Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Check out the betting odds for UFC 277, where Amanda Nunes is favored over 135-pound champion, Julianna Pena, and Brandon Moreno is favored over Kai Kara-France.
It’s fight day for UFC 277, which will be hosted from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The card’s headliner will enjoy women’s bantamweight champ, Julianna Pena, in a rematch with the woman she took the title from, Amanda Nunes. Now, let’s go look at the odds and a few prop bets.
The first time these fighters met was at UFC 269 back in December of 2021. Julianna Pena was a +650 betting underdog to Amanda Nunes’ favored line of -1000. Pena shocked the world to become the champ, and although that line is much smaller this time around, Juliana is still the underdog. For tonight’s UFC 277, Pena is listed with a +220 moneyline, while Nunes is being offered up at a favored tick of -260.
Just like their first encounter, the odds reflect this rematch ending early. The proposition ‘Fight doesn’t go to decision’ is rocking a strongly favored line of -250, with a +180 comeback on the ‘Fight goes to decision’ bet.
Not only are the oddsmakers siding with Amanda here, but they’re also suspecting that she’ll get a finish. The prop bet ‘Nunes wins inside distance’ is positioned at -125, with ‘Not Nunes inside distance’ sporting a line of -105. Although she stopped Nunes in their first fisticuffs, the bookies aren’t expecting a similar ending. The proposition ‘Pena wins inside distance’ holds an inflated value of +425, while the ‘Not Pena inside distance’ selection is wildly favored at -700.
It seems as though a knockout would be the way “The Lioness” would find a finish as ‘Nunes wins by TKO/KO’ is trending at +110. Going the other way with that same prop, ‘Pena wins by TKO/KO’ is navigating in the +1000 realm.
“The Venezuelan Vixen” snagged up an RNC to capture the title, but the exotic bet ‘Pena wins by submission’ can be found floating around with a +650 line. The odds are suggesting that Amanda actually has a better chance of getting a tap with ‘Nunes wins by submission’ owning a +500 line. Go figure!
Check out the UFC 277 betting odds, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook:
For an in-depth breakdown of each UFC 277scrap, check out The MMA Vivisection with Bloody Elbow’s own Zane Simon and Connor Ruebusch. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to date with all of our live video content. Stay glued to Bloody Elbow for all of your event coverage including play-by-play, results, highlights, and more! Happy hunting!
Join us for a ‘radio style’ play-by-play broadcast of the UFC 277 PPV CARD — with LIVE updates, results & reactions in a Live YouTube Stream on our Combat Culture YouTube Channel, starting with the Main Card Opener between Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Perez.
Join us Saturday, July 30th, 2022, for a LIVE ‘radio style’ play-by-play broadcast in the player above of the UFC 277 PPV (pay-per-view) MAIN CARD, with LIVE updates, commentary, results & reactions; which will begin at 10/7PM ETPT, around the start of the Main Card opener between Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Perez. The event is being simulcast in English & Spanish on ESPN+ from The American Airlines Center, in Dallas, Texas.
Throughout the telecast, our host, Matt Ryan, & co-host Brendan Sokler, will bring you all of the face-punching goodness the UFC can provide…along with the completely legal and totally not real person Dan A. White. The team will be streaming LIVE from the YELLiNG! studios inside the diner from the Series Finale of The Sopranos. Please join us and be sure to subscribe to Combat Culture on YouTube while you are there.
The UFC is showcasing a World Championship Doubleheader this weekend at their UFC 277 PPV event. So, we get two title fights, a heavyweight brawl, a flyweight scrap and a light heavyweight tilt, providing us with as much bang for our buck as the UFC can muster.
A highly-anticipated rematch is going down this weekend at UFC 277in the main event, as Juliana Peña and Amanda Nunes clash once again for the bantamweight championship. In December of last year during UFC 269, Peña defeated Nunes by submission in what many consider the greatest UFC upset of all time. Now, fans are anxious to see whether Peña can defend her new bantamweight title against its former owner.
The co-main is sure to be a barnburner. We will be treated to the ‘Assassin Baby’ Brandon Moreno battling it out for the now UFC Interim Flyweight Champion, against the dangerous entity, Kai ‘Don’t Blink’ Kara-France.
As if that weren’t enough excitement for one night, the UFC is also showcasing much-anticipated non-title bouts between Alexandre Pantoja and Alex Perez, as well as phenom Magomed Ankalaev vs. Anthony Smith in the main card opener. Bonus excitement comes when Welterweights, Alex Morono and Matt Semelsberger are pitted against one another as the Featured Prelim, to wrap up a stacked Preliminary card.
We’re all excited enough for this card to shout at the television set along with you SATURDAY NIGHT, starting 15 minutes before the PPV main card kicks off alongside Brendan Sokler, Stephanie Sottile moderating the chat and Olive being a fat baby and giving her thoughts throughout the event.
In other words, UFC 277 can’t start soon enough! Admit it, you’re interested … and you’re potentially invested in this…
If not — or you’re just unable (or unwilling) to shell out $ 74.99US (for current subscribers) or if you need an ESPN+ subscription at $ 6.99/mo currently, that brings it up to a whopping $ 81.98 plus tax (for the PPV and ESPN+ annual subscription deal) — don’t worry, we’ve got you covered…
We’re going to call every moment of UFC 277’s PPV main card on our YouTube channel LIVE Saturday night at 10PM ET, bringing you as close to Dallas as we can from our New Jersey-based studio (video player embedded above for your convenience).
Remember that Bloodyelbow.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 277 fight card right here. Tonight’s show will air as a PPV event on ESPN+. Coverage will start with four Early Preliminary card fights on ESPN, ESPN+ AND now free on the ABC TV Network, which should commence around 6PM ET, then the remaining four Featured Prelims will air on UFC Fight Pass, ABC, ESPN & ESPN+ at 8PM ET. Finally, the main card will air on ESPN+ PPV. That kicks off at 10/7PM ETPT, which is when our live stream commentary will begin for you on our Combat Culture YouTube Channel.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 277: ‘Peña vs. Nunes 2’news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.
Here’s a look at the UFC 277: ‘Julianna Peña vs Amanda Nunes 2’ Main Event PPV fight card & current records —
ESPN+ PPV CARD | SAT. JULY 30 — 10/7PM ETPT 13. The ReMatch for the UFC Bantamweight Championship: Julianna Peña (11-4) vs. Amanda Nunes (21-5)
12. UFC Interim Flyweight Championship: Brandon Moreno (19-6-2) vs. Kai Kara-France (24-9)
11. 285lbs: Derrick Lewis (26-9) vs. Sergei Pavlovich (15-1)
10. 125lbs: Alexandre Pantoja (24-5) vs. Alex Perez (24-6)
9. 205lbs: Magomed Ankalaev (17-1) vs. Anthony Smith (36-16)
For the AUDIO version of this stream, visit our Bloody Elbow Presents SoundCloud channel, later this weekend at:
Although we are not providing a radio-style play-by-play prelims show, we will have results posts for you here on Bloody Elbow. Here is a look at the Prelims Card with current fight records:
ABC/ESPN/ESPN+ PRELIMS | 8/5PM ETPT 8. 170lbs: Alex Morono (21-7) vs. Matt Semelsberger (10-3)
7. 155lbs: Drew Dober (24-11) vs. Rafael Alves (20-10)
6. 265lbs: Don’Tale Mayes (9-4) vs. Hamdy Abdelwahab (3-0)
5. 155lbs: Drakkar Klose (12-2) vs. Rafa Garcia (14-2)
UFC FIGHT PASS PRELIMS | 6/3PM ETPT 4. 170lbs: Michael Morales (13-0) vs. Adam Fugitt (8-2)
3. 125lbs: Ji Yeon Kim (9-5-2) vs. Joselyne Edwards (11-4)
2. 205lbs: Nick Negumereanu (12-1) vs. Ihor Potieria (14-3)
1. 170lbs: Orion Cosce (7-1) vs. Blood Diamond (3-1)
Check out our dual-site run, COMBAT CULTURE YouTube Channel, for more MMA variety & content, visit both BloodyElbow.com & MMAmania.com online, as well as on twitter and IG – we work together every Pay-Per-View (PPV) event in order to make this show available everywhere; and you can follow Matt Ryan on twitter – @MRyanconsulting, or at Jesuismattryan on Instagram.
ALL THE GOODS ON UFC 277 LIVE STREAM INFO:
UFC 277 is exclusive to ESPN+, so if you’re looking to stream this event, non-ESPN+ subscribers will need to sign up for ESPN+ (monthly or annual) and then purchase UFC 277, as PPVs are only available to ESPN+ subscribers.
Besides the ability to buy the Peña vs. Nunes 2 PPV live stream, an ESPN+ subscription delivers a ton of UFC content including free UFC Fight Night live streams, highlights, and post-fight analysis. The streaming service also has plenty of other free live streams for sports including soccer, baseball, and hockey. ESPN+ offers the ability to stream live, rewind, or replay on up to 3 devices at once and is available to watch on a variety of connected devices, including Roku, Fire TV, Xbox, Apple, Google Chromecast, PlayStation, and more.
If you’re already an ESPN+ subscriber, you can purchase UFC 277 for $ 74.99. ESPN also offers two bundle packages:
UFC 277 & The Disney Bundle: This package provides you with a $ 13.99/month subscription to ESPN+, Disney+, and Hulu (ad-supported) and UFC 277 ($ 74.99) for $ 88.98 plus tax. You can also purchase an ad-free Hulu version of the bundle for $ 19.99/month, if you prefer.
UFC 277 & ESPN+ Bundle: ESPN is offering another bundle that includes one UFC PPV and a one-year ESPN+ subscription for $ 99.98. You can also purchase ESPN+ for $ 6.99/month (rather than an annual chunk of cash), and then buy UFC 276 for $ 74.99.
Hulu & ESPN+: You can also stream UFC pay-per-view events live on Hulu. Subscribers with the ESPN+ add-on, as well as those who signed up for The Disney Bundle, can watch live events and ESPN+ programming on the Hulu app or website. You’ll need an active subscription to both Hulu and ESPN+ (individual plans start at $ 6.99/each or you can purchase the Disney Bundle) and then you’d buy the event through ESPN+. Once purchased, you can stream UFC 277 directly through the Hulu app, Hulu.com, or any supported devices. Again, per Hulu, only subscribers who have signed up for the standalone ESPN+ add-on, or who subscribe to The Disney Bundle, will be able to access ESPN+ content in the Hulu app. Visit Hulu’s UFC page for additional information.
How to Catch UFC 277 Online Free: Although there is no way to (legally) watch UFC 277 for free online, there IS indeed a way to access the UFC 277 prelims live stream for FREE. Unlike the main card, the prelims will be broadcast on both ABC and ESPN. If you get a free trial to a live TV streaming service like DirecTV Stream or fuboTV, you’ll get a free live stream of ABC or ESPN, and be able to watch UFC 277 for free online during the prelims. When it’s time for the main card PPV portion of the show, just pull up your YouTube app and access our Combat Culture YT channel for complete Radio-Style PBP Live Commentary for the entire five bouts on the PPV, including both title fights!
On Sunday, July 31st, join us for the 6th ROUND POST-FIGHT SHOW, for hot takes, possible next fights, results, and reactions to the overall event with your Bloody Elbow fight experts, Zane Simon & Eddie Mercado. Find this in-depth analysis to the UFC 277 event after the fights on our BE Presents YouTube and SoundCloud channels:
Alexandre Pantoja defeated Bradon Royval in August 2021. | Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Flyweight Alexandre Pantoja hopes to secure a title shot if he beats Alex Perez at UFC 277.
UFC flyweight contender Alexandre Pantoja has big expectations for his bout at UFC 277. Paired up against former title challenger Alex Perez, the Brazilian hopes that a win on Saturday night secures his own first crack at the belt.
In an interview with Combate, Pantoja explained why he thinks that the fight against Perez should be a title eliminator. Alexandre’s opinion, that would be only fair, given that he is on a two-fight winning streak and Alex has just fought for the belt in his most recent UFC outing.
“It’s a great fight, against a great opponent who’s been doing really well in this division,” Pantoja said. “It’s going to be a great challenge for me and for him, to see who fights for the title. I think it’s a super interesting fight. It could have been a rematch against Askarov, but I think Perez is a great opponent. His last fight was for the title, so he’s up there. I think it (a win) would secure me a title shot.”
In order to score the win, Pantoja believes that being aggressive is the best approach. Although his opponent is a grappler, Alexandre claims to have learned from his previous losses and feels ready to take on Perez’s style.
“He’s a wrestler,” Pantoja said. “He walks forward like me, but I think I’m much more aggressive and I always look for the finish. I see him trying to stall the fight to win by decision. I don’t know if he’s going to expose himself so much. I don’t think that would be ideal for him. I’ve learned a lot from my losses to Askarov and Deiveson. I’ve got great coaches and I think that makes all the difference. After facing Askarov, who was a wrestler that tried to grapple me all the time, trying to neutralize me, I think I’m vaccinated against that.”
Currently on a two-fight winning streak, Pantoja (24-5) defeated Brandon Royval and Manel Kape in his most recent bouts, respectively in August and February 2021. Before that, the 32-year-old dropped a unanimous decision to Askar Askarov, in July 2020.
Now, Pantoja is expected to face Perez at UFC 277, on July 30, in Dallas, Texas. The card is scheduled to be headlined by a rematch for the women’s bantamweight title fight between the champion, Julianna Pena, and former title-holder Amanda Nunes.
Khamzat Chimaev will take on Nate Diaz in the UFC 279 main event. | Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC
“Respect for that guy (for taking) that fight,” Chimaev said. “He knows I’m younger (and) I’m hungry.”
Khamzat Chimaev isn’t sure why Nate Diaz is under the impression that ‘Borz’ doesn’t like him ahead of their welterweight matchup at UFC 279.
Diaz might be going into this fight with a chip on his shoulder, but Chimaev wants to reassure the latter that he has no bad blood and doesn’t want things to turn sour in the pre-fight buildup.
Khamzat (11-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) actually grew up watching Diaz (20-13 MMA, 15-11 UFC) fight on TV and says it will be an honor to share the cage with a true O.G. of the sport on Sept. 10.
“Nate, he said like, ‘He don’t like me, I don’t like him,’ this type of stuff. I like that guy,” Chimaev clarified during a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour (h/t MMA News). “I (grew) up on him, you know? I was in school when he was fighting in the UFC. It’s amazing to fight that guy, and I like him.”
Khamzat also respects Diaz for accepting the fight knowing he is going up against a much younger, hungrier competitor such as himself.
“Respect for that guy (for taking) that fight,” Chimaev said. “He knows I’m younger (and) I’m hungry. I’m going up and take my belt, and the guy show up and fight with me. Respect for him.”
UFC 279: Chimaev vs. Diaz takes place on Sept. 10 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Derrick Lewis kicking Tai Tuivasa at UFC 271 | Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Get the low down on the main card of UFC 277, featuring a heavyweight clash between the UFC’s KO king Derrick Lewis and an upstart powerhouse in Sergei Pavlovich.
While the two title fights for UFC 277 aren’t the most star-studded fights – no disrespect to Amanda Nunes, but she has never been a box office smash — the quality of the main card beneath those fights is exquisite. Perennial fan favorite Derrick Lewis returns in what casual fans may declare a layup, but Sergei Pavlovich is a real threat to the heavy-handed KO artist. While the flyweight title picture is murky, Alexandre Pantoja and Alex Perez could potentially earn themselves a title shot with a win. And while he has developed a reputation as a boring fighter, there are some who believe Magomed Ankalaev is the best light heavyweight on the planet.
For the early prelims preview, click here. For the televised prelims, click here. For an audio preview, click here.
Derrick Lewis vs. Sergei Pavlovich, Heavyweight
There’s a good chance we’ve already seen peak Lewis. I understand based on his age, 37, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to argue he’s in his prime given how kind Father Time has been to the heavyweight division. There hasn’t been any sign of decline in his power level either. So why would I say Lewis could be on the decline?
It all comes down to one thing for Lewis: motivation. The charismatic big man never made any secret that he originally got into the sport of MMA for the money. He doesn’t love the sport, but recognized his natural skills would allow him to make some serious dough. Lewis now has enough money that he owns a Lamborghini. Now that his finances are secure, it’s reasonable to speculate that he’s going to start half-assing his preparation for fights.
However, it should be noted that an unmotivated Lewis is still a dangerous Lewis. It’s hard to say definitively who the more powerful striker in the history of the organization is between himself and Francis Ngannou. Lewis isn’t a stupid fighter either. He knows how to bait opponents into a kill shot. His uppercut KO of Curtis Blaydes is one of the best examples waiting for the perfect shot in the history of the sport. Plus, while many lament Lewis’ conditioning, he does a fantastic job of conserving his energy and exploding when needed. That doesn’t just apply to his winging punches or throwing kicks; he’s bench pressed multiple opponents to escape from underneath them. Not technical in the least, but it has gotten the job done several times.
Whether he’ll be able to bench press Pavlovich is a fair question. Perhaps not as naturally big as Lewis, Pavlovich is still one of the beefier heavyweights on the roster. In a division that allows for more than a few extra pounds, Pavlovich doesn’t carry much additional weight. He packs a hell of a wallop too, coming into this contest with three consecutive first round finishes, something even Lewis – the UFC’s all-time leader in KO’s — can’t claim at any point in his career. Throw in the youthful Pavlovich has a strong wrestling base and it’s easy to see where many are thinking this is the Russian’s chance for a breakout victory.
Watching film of Pavlovich, I picked up on something that is a cause for concern: thanks to his stiff movement, he’s easy to hit. That isn’t to say he isn’t durable; he’s faced some heavy-handed opponents and has never gone to sleep. But there’s a difference between the level of competition he has faced and Lewis. A BIG difference. I do believe Pavlovich is vastly improved from the debutant who was drubbed over by Alistair Overeem, but his stiff movement has me believing he’s eventually going to eat a haymaker from Lewis that he won’t be able to come back from. There is always the possibility Pavlovich lands something earth shattering first – Lewis is coming of a loss where Tai Tuivasa put him out cold – but a potentially unmotivated Lewis is still a big step up from a decrepit Shamil Abdurakhimov. If Abdurakhimov can get in some solid offense on Pavlovich, I have no doubt Lewis can… especially if he’s looking spry. Lewis via TKO of RD1
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Alex Perez, Flyweight
The inactivity of Perez isn’t completely his fault, but 20 months on the shelf has resulted in him becoming a largely forgotten commodity in the flyweight division. It’s also left it up in the air just how good he is. Sure, he’s looked exceptionally good in his wins, but his best win came against a Jussier Formiga on his last legs. His UFC losses don’t help to address the concerns as they were both first round losses to Joseph Benavidez and Deiveison Figueiredo.
There isn’t nearly as many questions about Pantoja. In terms of pure BJJ, Pantoja is at the top of the food chain in the division. He’s hardly a one-trick pony either, throwing his strikes with plenty of power. He’s not a bad wrestler either. Pantoja hasn’t been able to beat the elite of the division either, but he has pushed them far more than Perez has been able to. Some will point to Pantoja’s two wins over Brandon Moreno, though it would be appropriate to point out those came long before Moreno hit his prime.
What has held Pantoja back has been two things: his poor takedown defense and his faulty gas tank. Pantoja isn’t helpless off his back, but he’s hardly a threat on the level of Paul Craig. The issue is Pantoja has been too content to stay on the mat, trusting too much in his BJJ. To be fair to Pantoja, he has worked at getting back to his feet with greater urgency. However, when a rapid pace has been forced upon him, he has slowed down the stretch.
Many anticipate Perez will attempt to push a heavy pace. After all, he’s utilized that strategy on several occasions, including one contest where he landed 84 significant strikes about three-quarters through the first round. However, it should also be noted how exhausted he was after that contest. Perez has utilized a wrestling-heavy approach to win fights as well, but taking down Eric Shelton several times is a completely different ball game than taking down Pantoja.
There is a lot that we know about Perez that is easy to like. He’s proven to be versatile in his attack. He packs a wallop in his punches. His low kicks can be debilitating too. But he’s also a limited athlete who has yet to consistently prove himself against ranked opposition, much less against the elite of the division. Plus, he’s had issues making weight, something that doesn’t get easier as he gets older. I’m sure 20 months away isn’t going to help with that issue. Pantoja may be older, but he has always been the better athlete and hasn’t displayed issues getting down to the flyweight limit. Throw in that Pantoja has never been finished through his career and I feel pretty damned confident in picking the Brazilian. Pantoja via decision
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Anthony Smith, Light Heavyweight
There’s a very good chance the winner of this contest will get a shot at Jiri Prochazka’s newly won title. Of course, much of that will be dependent upon the contest being entertaining, something Ankalaev has struggled with. Anyone who has followed this sport for the slightest amount of time knows Uncle Dana puts a hell of a premium on aesthetic value.
If it was strictly based on results, there’s a possibility Ankalaev would already be penciled in to fight for the shiny gold belt. The Russian native has rattled off eight consecutive wins since dropping his UFC debut to Paul Craig at the last second… literally. No one has ever doubted the physical gifts of Ankalaev either, many predicting he’d fight for the title someday as soon as he was signed to the organization. With serious punching power, impressive physical strength, and deceptive speed, it’s all there for Ankalaev to be champion. However, his greatest asset is by far his intelligence.
Ankalaev tends to start out slow as he’s processing what his opponents give him early on. That doesn’t mean he’s losing; he’s merely emphasizing defense while taking in the information provided to him. However, once Ankalaev has enough information, he’s more than capable of achieving a highlight reel KO, something he’s done on several occasions. However, as his competition has gotten tougher, the finishes have dried up.
It’s a rarity when Smith goes the distance. When he does, it usually doesn’t go in his favor. That’s due to Smith’s exceptional durability. Given the 50-plus professional fights under his belt and his emphasis on offense, it’s a minor miracle his body has held up as well as it has. Nevertheless, Smith is exceptionally dangerous when he’s able to get the fight where he’s at his best. Typically, it’s on the extreme’s where he’s at his best: either all the way on the outside where he tends to mix up his jab and low kicks or all the way in, doing his damage in the clinch. Though it’s usually the damage he can do with his knees that people think of, punches, elbows and trips are also prominent features of his offense.
However, Smith’s last two losses made his inability to stop takedowns glaringly obvious to those who were unaware of that factoid. To be fair, Smith is a good scrambler and may be the greatest submission threat in the division this side of the aforementioned Craig. But what happens against an opponent with good positioning from the top position? As Glover Teixeira and Aleksander Rakic proved, Smith’s lack of athleticism and strength make it difficult for him to escape from a technician. Some would say Ankalaev is overly technical to a fault.
In terms of his physical skills, Smith has been fighting over his head for quite a while. All the fights he’s been in has created a natural feel for fighting, resulting in a sixth sense in terms of opportunism for finishes. He also appears to have hit his ceiling, which is around the top five of the division. That’s a hell of a ceiling, but Ankalaev not only has a higher ceiling, he appears to be tailor-made to take down the longtime veteran. There’s a reason the odds are as long as they are as Ankalaev doesn’t seem likely to provide Smith with any of his typical roads to victory. Ankalaev via decision
Check out the fourth episode of Embedded for UFC 277.
UFC 277 is almost here, and as usual, Embedded is here as well. The show that gives you an inside look at the marquee contestants on PPVs has issued the fourth episode for this weekend’s big show in Dallas, and it serves as a brief introduction to the fighters at the top of the card.
We start off at the athlete hotel with Anthony Smith, who is making his first appearance in this Embedded series. It’s his birthday, so he stuck around Omaha as long as possible and got into Dallas late. Smith makes fun of his BJJ coach as he tries to strangle him.
Amanda Nunes is getting a workout in now. Her coach says she came into the last fight at about 10% of what she usually is.
Julianna Pena now. Her team is getting loose by doing weird dances and free-flowing. Pena is walking around like Conor McGregor. Her coach says Nunes is going to dance around and try to point fight with Julianna, which is completely ridiculous. He was serious though. The woman with 10 finishes in UFC fights, 9 of them in the first round, is going to be cautious. Sure bud. Another coach says that Julianna took it personally when people intimated that the win was a fluke.
Kai Kara-France wants to entertain, and he’s going do do just that against Brandon Moreno.
Moreno teases coach James Krause about shaving his arms. Krause says that Moreno is extremely coachable.
Nunes does media. She said she’s ready for anything. She makes some lion references. Derrick Lewis does media as well. He’s focused on having fun. He teases his striking coach a bit. Haha he tells John Morgan that he lost weight, “in the neck”. Morgan is laughing. “That’s the worst compliment I’ve ever got in my life!” Lewis bugs DC about his Popeye’s sponsorship while Cormier defends his Louisiana roots.
And that’s it! UFC 277 goes down Saturday night in Dallas.
Amanda Nunes is heavily favored in her rematch with Julianna Pena at UFC 277 | Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Check out the midweek betting odds for Saturday’s UFC 277 card, where Amanda Nunes is favored in her rematch with the bantamweight champion Julianna Pena.
UFC 277 is going down this Saturday (July 30th) from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Atop the PPV main card, we’ve got two belts on the line. One will be in the women’s bantamweight division, and the other happens to be an interim flyweight title fight. Let’s get tot he odds!
Despite getting submitted with a rear-naked choke in the second round of their initial meeting, the former bantamweight queen, Amanda Nunes, is favored to come out victorious this time around to reclaim her crown. Nunes’ moneyline is being offered up at about -265, with a $ 100 bet standing to see a total return of $ 137.74.
As for the current champ, Juliana Pena, she isn’t being given much respect in the odds department. It seems as though the bookies aren’t believing that lightening will be striking twice, with Pena’s betting line is situated around the +225 mark. Dropping a hundo on Juliana’s line could potentially earn a total payout of $ 325.
In the UFC 277 co-main event, we’ve got a high stakes rematch between the former 125-pound king, Brandon Moreno, and a man he already has a win over, Kai Kara-France. Moreno took a three-round unanimous decision over Kara-France back in 2019, but this time the UFC’s interim flyweight belt will be up for grabs.
Moreno is favored to best Kara-France again, and his moneyline is available in the -210 territory. A successful $ 100 gamble on the former champ would take home $ 147.62 altogether. As for Kai, he is playing the role of underdog in hist first crack at gold. He is on deck with a dog tag of +180, with a $ 100 bet thrown his way possibly enjoying a complete payout of $ 280.
Check out the UFC 277 betting odds, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook:
Be sure to check back in with Bloody Elbow to catch the final betting odds on fight day, as the moneylines tend to shift a bit following the weigh-ins. Don’t forget to subscribe to our Bloody Elbow Presents YouTube channel to stay up to date with all of our podcast content. Happy hunting!
June M. Williams 
File under: Bloodyelbow.com | Leave a comment »