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UFC 300 Quick Read Megablog
SAT, APR 13 / 10:00 PM EDT
T-Mobil Arena
Las Vegas, NV, USA
It’s here! It’s finally here! The much anticipated UFC 300 is about to kickoff, and it is poised to live up to all the hype. Twelve former and current champions are fighting on this card, two of which are in the first “early prelim” of the night. In fairness Dana White may have done that on purpose just so he could say he did.. but I don’t care. The whole card is stacked from top to bottom, so I am not going to complain.
We are gonna do it a bit different for this one because there are SO many good fights, and no one wants to read an extremely wordy article. We are gonna hit all the fights with a quick background, a prediction, and a betting line.
Let’s get into the fights, shall we?
Early Prelims
Bantamweight Bout
Deiveson Figueiredo (22-3-1, #8) vs Cody Garbrant (14-5)
Background
The card kicks it off right with a former flyweight champ taking on a former bantamweight champ.
Figueiredo is coming off a big win against Rob Font in his bantamweight debut. He is a welcome addition to an already stacked division, and he may make his way back to title contention soon. First, he has a tough test ahead of him.
Cody Garbrant has some serious KO power - he’s coming off a knockout win, and has one of the most fun ones ever with his “buzzer beater” KO
Prediction
I expect Figueiredo to survive and get to the final bell, victorious. Even though Cody is coming off a couple wins, I think it’s Figgy’s time to compete for a world title in this division. He is just more well rounded in this fight and has some more paths to victory.
Betting
Figueiredo: -340
Garbrant: +270
Tough line, if the odds become worth it.. I’m betting Figueiredo and the over.
Lightweight Bout
Bobby Green (35-15-1 #14) vs Jim Miller (37-17)
Background
Bobby Green is coming off an all time W. He was on the microphone when McKenzie Dern weighed in at UFC 298, and delivered us a great viral moment.
Other than that, Bobby is coming off of one of the worst knockouts and stoppages in recent memory. It was honestly hard to watch.
Bobby has been around the UFC forever.. some of his first fights were on Fox. He’s been in the division forever, and has become somewhat of a gatekeeper, or stepping stone.
Wanna know who’s been around longer? His opponent, Jim Miller. Did you know Jim Miller fought (and won) at UFC 100 and 200? Of course he had to be a part of UFC 300.
Prediction
Jim Miller has the most wins in UFC history. I think he gets one more, and sails off into the sunset. Aside from that fairy tale ending, I think Bobby Green is coming back to fast after being nearly murdered by Jalin Turner.
Betting
Green: -170
Miller: +142
Let’s roll with the dog Jim Miller. Let’s have nice things happen that make us feel good.
Women’s Strawweight Bout
Jessica Andrade (25-15, #4) vs Marina Rodriguez (17-3-2, #6)
Background
Jessica Andrade is the former strawweight champion. If you have ever seen her fight, you know how brutal she can be. She fights fearless, and will just punish her opponent with barrage of strikes if they give her the opportunity. Coming off a knockout win of Mackenzie Dern, she takes on fellow Brazilian Marina Rodriguez.
Rodriguez also has a win over Dern, as well as some other big names like title challenger Yan Xiaonan, who fights later in the card. Her Muay Thai style of fighting is always dangerous, expect plenty of knees being thrown Andrade’s way.
Prediction
Rodriguez. Andrade has been a little more up and down over the years. She still can win via brute force, but I expect Rodriguez to win as the more technical fighter.
Betting
Andrade: +102
Rodriguez: -122
Rodriguez moneyline, or Rodriguez by KO if you’re feeling a little greedy.
Lightweight Bout
Jalin Turner (14-7, #10) vs Renato Moicano (18-5-1, #13)
Background
Turner is coming off of one of the most late stoppages in the UFC since “if he dies he dies” Mario Yamasaki ref’d these fights.
Money Moicano is coming of one of the best promos we have seen in a while after his last win in February.
“My father is 62 years old and had a baby yesterday, and I’m telling him tomorrow when I get home, I’m getting my wife pregnant again. After I’m done with fighting, I will serve as a police officer, I want to be SWAT team, I want to fuckin kill the bad guys, make no mistake, there is right and there is fucking wrong and people are forgetting about that. People are going crazy, that’s why I want more kids. I want people to go to the church, and I want people to respect the fuckin law, otherwise this great country will become a third world country.” - Moicano
It’s time to see which one of these fighters who have been around a little while can get over the hump and sneak into the top of this very stacked division.
Prediction
Jalin Turner is a little younger, a little stronger, and I think overpowers Money Moicano.
Betting
Turner, in some combination with the under. I think he gets it done inside the distance and keeps it out of the judges hands.
Turner: -225
Moicano: +185
Prelims
Featherweight Bout
Sodiq Yusuff (13-3, #13) vs Diego Lopez (23-6)
Background
Yusuff, a DW Contender Series product, is coming of a unanimous decision loss vs the veteran Edson Barboza. The only two losses Yusuff has in the UFC was his last, and to contender Arnold Allen. It’s put up or shut up time now againts relative newcomer Diego Lopez.
Lopez lost his UFC debut against undefeated Movsar Evloev (18-0). Since then, he’s looked good winning his last two fights in the first round (one via KO/TKO and one via submission). It’s time to see if he can keep it going againts another top 15 opponent.
Prediction
Lopez. He has enough striking to hang on the feet, and if the fight goes to the mat he will finish the fight.
Betting
Yusuff: +105
Lopez: -125
Let’s ride the Diego Lopez moneyline. Who doesn’t trust a man who has the balls to ask his barber for this haircut?
Woman’s Bantamweight Bout
Holly Holm (15-6, #5) vs Kayla Harrison (Debut)
Background
Holly Holm knocked out Ronda Rousey in 2015.. feels like 3 lifetimes ago.
Holly is in her 40s and still going strong. She lost in her last outing, but still looked good in there. She’s a well rounded, experienced mixed martial artist and is still a tough test for anyone in this division.
UFC newcomer Kayla Harrison just wins at everything. A two time Olympic gold medalist and multiple time world champion in judo, Kayla has been beating people up these last few years in the PFL. UFC is the crème de la crème, and it’s time to see what’s she’s made of in MMA’s next level.
On an asside, heres a funny spot she did with the impractical jokers if you like silly humor..
Kayla Harrison Impractical Jokers
Also, Kayla kind of remiinds me of Johnny Drama's girlfriend in season 1 of Entourage.. now I can't not think about it when I see her.
Prediction
Kayla by decision. I don’t think she finishes Holm, but wins every round.
Betting
Holm: +340
Harrison: -500
Harrison by decision, or by submission.
Featherweight Bout
Calvin Kattar (23-7, #8) vs Aljamain Sterling (23-4, #15P4P)
Background
Five of the last six times we saw Calvin Kattar, he was headlining UFC Fight Nights. A mixed bag of results against some of the division’s toughest, he’s coming off a brutal loss where he hurt his knee against Arnold Allen, which ended the fight. This is his return fight, and he’s welcoming fresh blood into the division.
Aljamain Sterling is trying his luck at featherweight after a dominant run as bantamweight champion. Cutting to 135 was hard for him, so it will be interesting to see how he does at 145. He gets tough test to welcome him to the division, but he’s of course used to tough competition.
Prediction
I think both an easier weight cut and a return to a three round fight will benefit Aljo. I think he wins this fight using his grappling, and surges to the top of featherweight by the end of 2024.
Betting
Kattar: +110
Sterling: -130
Sterling moneyline for me. I may split my bet between moneyline and submission finish, just because I’m greedy.
Light Heavyweight Bout
Jiri Prochazka (29-4-1, #2) vs Aleksandar Rakic (14-3, #5)
Background
Here we have a little Eastern Europe showdown to wrap up the prelims. Jiri Prochazka just lost his comeback fight to Alex Pereira after he had to vacate the light heavyweight championship due to injury. Enter Rakic, who tore his ACL in his last fight against Jan Blachowicz back in 2022. In a division that just seems cursed great talent getting injured, we finally have two of the best fighters back and ready to do battle.
Prediction
Jiri gets this one done. His striking is too wild for Rakic to deal with, and I think he finishes this fight in a statement win.
Betting
Prochazka: +114
Rakic: -135
All take Jiri at plus money, please. Me after I win my Jiri bet:
IM COMING!
Main Card
Middleweight Bout
Bo Nickal (5-0) vs Cody Brundage (10-5)
Background
Honestly - I don’t really get this fight. I don’t have a lot to say other than I think this is a bit of a squash match.
I will say this.. Brundage has some power, and more MMA experience than Bo. He also won his last fight via slam, which is always amazing. I couldn't find a gif of Cody's knockout, so shoutout to the slam G.O.A.T. Rampage Jackson.
That said, Bo Nickal is likely going to take him down and keep him there. He’s one of those guys who has a lot of hype but he’s trying to stay away from the top 15 as long as possible while he sharpens his MMA toolbox. So he will claim a few more victims before we see a fair matchup, and Cody is just the next one on the list.
Prediction
Bo Nickal. Do not know how, whatever becomes available to him first.. sub or KO.
Betting
Nickal: -2400
Brundage: +1200
This is probably pretty unbettable. Either burn $5 bucks and root for Brundage, or, try to take the highest payout “method of victory” for Bo. Honestly it’s probably best to just stay away.
Lightweight Bout
Charles Oliveira (34-9, #1) vs Arman Tsarukyan (21-3, #4)
Background
Both of these men are coming off stunning knockouts of (poor) Beneil Dariush. Both men have one loss to current champ Islam Makhachev. Could it be a number one contenders match?
Honestly - right now it seems Dustin Poirier is the odds on favorite to get a title shot.. but how fast things can change at UFC 300. A lot hinges on how this fight goes, as well how the BMF fight goes. Sorry Dustin, we love you but you might be old news after April 13th.
Prediction
Very tough fight to call. My heart and brain both lean towards Oliveira. It’s amazing how far along he is and it still seems like he’s getting better. We all know about his grappling, but I think his striking is good enough to give him an edge in this one… and he gets it done against a very tough competitor.
Betting
Oliveira: +205
Tsarukyan: -250
Give me Do Bronx as the big underdog.
Lightweight about
Justin Gaethje (26-4, #2) vs Max Holloway 25-7, #2 FW)
Background
The BMF belt. Do we care? I’m not sure.. what I am sure about is this is the most anticipated fight of the night by many fans. More info on the BMF title as a whole below:
BMF Belt: Brilliant or Bullshit
Two true warriors, Max Holloway got tired of waiting out Volkanovski (who he has three losses to already) and wants to try his hand at the 155 division. When the fight was announced, we understood the circumstances. Now that Volkanovski is not the 145 pound champion, we are left wondering if Max made a mistake moving up in weight. Even worse, he has his hands full with the hard hitting Justin Gaethje.
"This guy hit like a truck, you know. Nobody hit me harder than Justin Gaethje. His kick, his punch, his left hook, right hook, right uppercut. I make him hit me, you know.
- Khabib Nurmagomedov, Hotboxin with Mike Tyson
Justin won the BMF belt last year when he won a fight with Dustin Poirier via head kick in epic fashion. He has made the decision to not wait around as the new and shiny #1 contender and fight Islam Makhachev. His reward for beating Poirier and taking on Max as a challenger? Poirier looks like he’s now fighting for the lightweight belt instead of him.
This fight is probably a result of both fighters fumbling the bag politically, but they sure are going to make fans pretty happy.
Prediction
Gaethje wins. Leg kicks make the difference in what will otherwise be a great boxing match. Max can’t find a groove with Justin chopping him down with kicks, but Holloway continues to show his chin is the most solid in UFC history and we hear the final bell.
Betting
Gaethje: -218
Holloway: +180
Gaethje in combination of whatever over bet gives you the line you want and are comfortable with.
Woman’s Strawweight Bout
Zhang Weili (24-3, C) vs Yan Xianan (17-3, #1)
Background
I wish this fight was in China, but the UFC had some undisclosed issue with hosting an event there. Instead, we will see the first all Chinese UFC title fight take place in Las Vegas.
Both are great strikers, both are exciting fighters. Weili has a muay thai style that can be devastating when she lands. She has won fights with knees, punches, and one stunning KO via spinning backfist. She is a dangerous fighter who won’t relinquish the championship easily.
Meanwhile Yan Xianan has some great technique of her own. A more standard striker, she has excellent boxing and combinations. If she is going to win this fight, it will be with her speed and establishing the range. If it becomes a scrap though, she is very comfortable in those exchanges as well.
Prediction
Zhang Weili. She just has a little bit more skill and variety of strikes she can throw, making her more dangerous.
Betting
Weili: -395
Xianan: +310
Weili and the over if it gets you below -200.
Light Heavyweight Bout
Alex Pereira (9-2, C) vs Jamahal Hill (22-1, #1)
Background
Did I mention earlier that the light heavyweights have been cursed? This division has had it's title holder vacate the belt 3 times in the past 4 years. This time, it was “former” champ Jamahal Hill who vacated the belt when he tore his achilles playing basketball last year.
Since he’s been gone, Alex Pereira has continued his tear through the UFC, now wreaking havoc on the light heavyweights. Now it’s time once and for all to see who the true 205 champ is.
Prediction
I am going to go with the more technical striker her in Alex Pereira. The Brazilian has over 40 pro kickboxing fights and now 11 fights in the UFC. Experience outweighs all.
Betting
Pereira: -130
Hill: +110
Im betting Alex moneyline, but it’s no lock. Smart bet? Take the fight to end by KO if the line looks good as both fighters through vicious combinations.
Well that does it! We are just days away from the biggest and best MMA event of all time.
This is one to get together with anyone who remotely likes fighting and put back as many drinks and food as your body can handle, while some of the best combat athletes on the planet beat the shit out of each other.
P.S. How good was the movie 300? I dont have a great ending to this blog so I am just going to spam 300 movie gifs.
