UFC Manila: SportsJOE picks the winners so you don’t have to

Conor McGregor fans ought to watch this a little more closely than other UFC events because the main event’s victor could very well be his next opponent.

Frankie Edgar will go down as one of the best lightweights in MMA history and Urijah Faber will go down as one of the best bantamweights in the sport’s history. But the pair meet in the featherweight division on Saturday, aiming to set up a title shot against either Conor McGregor or Jose Aldo.

The UFC’s first foray into the Philippines packs a punch and our writers actually agree for once. Their records thus far look like this.

“Bourbon” Ben Kiely: 64-36

Darragh “The Quizmaster” Murphy: 61-39

Frankie Edgar (18-4-1) v Urijah Faber (32-7)

BK: Fight of the year candidate? I think so.

The exploits of these two in the bantamweight and lightweight divisions have kept them apart for too long and I really don’t mind who takes this one but I think Faber will have a hard time to deal with the work rate of the New Jersey fighter.

Urijah is always going to be that guy who finishes his career at the level that is just below title challenger. He’s come unstuck against Dominick Cruz and Renan Barao in recent years and you’d have to say that Frankie Edgar is up there with those names.

Faber also won’t have the size advantage that he had at 135lbs and he won’t be able to ragdoll guys like Edgar.

Edgar should be the more active striker and he’s the better wrestler than Faber too so I see this being a great contest, but only going one way. Edgar via decision

DM: Two fan favourites here and I really don’t care which of them win because they both deserve it to the point that I may actually be rooting for a draw.

But I don’t foresee that happening. A lot of Urijah’s success in the bantamweight division came with the fact that he was the bigger, stronger fighter and when he got a hold of you, it was nigh-on impossible to get him off.

Edgar will be the bigger fighter for probably the first time in his career and he won’t be bossed by Faber.

He’s got the advantage on the feet without doubt and I’d probably give him the advantage on the ground too. I think it’ll be bloody, busy but that Edgar will get the nod in a gritty encounter as he has done so often. Edgar via decision. 

Gegard Mousasi (36-5-2) v Costas Philippou (13-4)

BK: Mousasi’s quality is clear for all to see when you consider the fact that, in the last five years, he has only lost to Machida and Jacare.

He really is a world class mixed martial artist and I don’t see how Philippou beats him other than landing a lucky shot.

Expect a somewhat dominant performance from Mousasi and a shot at a top five guy in his next bout. Mousasi via submission (round 2)

DM: Mixed martial arts is a sport of levels and I just think that Gegard Mousasi is that extra gulf above Philippou.

This fight reminds me a bit of Miocic v Hunt. Philippou, like Hunt, is only in with a puncher’s chance for success.

Mousaisi, meanwhile, is like Miocic in the way that he is just the more technical, well-rounded, comfortable fighter.

The Dutchman should be able to avoid the power punches of Philippou and either outstrike him on the feet or get his neck if the fight reaches the mat. Mousasi via submision (round 1)

Mark Munoz (13-6) v Luke Barnatt (8-2)

BK: This is probably not the farewell fight that Munoz would have ideally wanted just based on the fact that he’s never faced anyone like Luke Barnatt.

Barnatt is a giant and is better than his last two fights suggest but Mark Munoz has looked a shadow of his former self.

If this were a wrestling match, you’d obviously be putting all your money on Munoz but I think Barnatt’s long legs and knees can punish any takedown attempts by The Filipino Wrecking Machine. Barnatt via TKO (round 3)

DM: Poor ol’ Mark Munoz. By all accounts he’s the nicest guy that has ever stepped foot in the UFC and he doesn’t deserve the goodbye from the UFC that he’s invariably going to get.

The fact that he’s 0-3 in his last three fights, that he’s already claimed this is his retirement fight and that he’s been forced to close his gym tells me that he’s already called time on his career.

Meanwhile Luke Barnatt is hungry not to avoid a loss that could very well lead to his P45 from the UFC. Expect some solid Muay Thai from the Englishman to get the knockout win. Barnatt via TKO (round 2)

Hyun Gyu Lim (13-4-1) v Neil Magny (14-3)

BK: You have to feel for the lack of love that Magny is getting in the welterweight division.

The man is riding is a 6 fight winning streak against legit guys including Kiichi Kunimoto and Tim Means and offers a problem to any 170lber.

He’s a giant welterweight and uses every bit of his long frame to his advantage. He can control the range here and take the decision. Magny via decision.

DM: May as well flip a coin on this one.

Magny has proven experience in the UFC, winning seven of his nine outings but I think that he will be overwhelmed by the power of Lim.

Lim is a knockout artist with 10 of his 14 victories coming via TKO or KO and, as good as Magny is at fighting tall, I can’t see how he’ll stop the Korean from getting inside and finding Magny’s jaw. Lim via KO (round 2)

Phillippe Nover (10-5-1) v Yui Chul Nam (18-4-1)

BK: Phillipe Nover didn’t exactly pull up roots during his first stint with the UFC, going 0-3, which would suggest to me that he might have an issue with fighting on the big stage.

If he freezes during his comeback to the promotion, Nam should be able to be the more active striker and work his way to a decision.

Octagon rust could become an issue with the fact that Nam hasn’t fought in over a year but when I look at the contrasting skill sets, I really don’t see Nam losing this one. Nam via decision

DM: Oh yeah, Phillipe Nover. I actually used to like that fella.

I’d agree with Ben that Nam has the better style to decide this match-up but feel that this could come down to a battle of athleticism, which I see Nover winning all day long.

I’m too much of an optimist to think that the MMA gods would allow Nover to go 0-4 in the UFC. He’s a skilled grappler and has undeniably improved since leaving the Vegas promotion.

To hell with it, I’m going with Nover wrestling his way to a 29-28 decision. Nover by decision.

Mark Eddiva (6-1) v Levan Makashvili (6-1)

BK: Lakashvili could have been affected by the fact that he was a late replacement but he made weight easily.

He could also have been disheartened by the fact that he’s fighting against a hometown fighter who will be desperate to avoid pushing his promotional record to 1-2 but I don’t see that happening.

It doesn’t seem like a good idea for Eddiva to want to stand with The Hornet but I don’t think he has the tools to take this to the ground either. Makashvili should frustrate Eddiva’s takedowns and secure an easy decision. Makashvili by decision

DM: Mark Eddiva was unlucky with the injury to his original opponent, Alex White, because it could be argued that that was a more doable task.

But now he meets Levan Makashvili who, despite being new to the UFC, is much more dangerous than White.

While I don’t think either guy is going to tear up the featherweight division any time soon, Makashvili is the more heavyhanded of this pair and the fact that Eddiva was stopped in his last outing can do nothing for his confidence. Makashvili by TKO (round 3)