Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will kick off its insane three-day mixed martial arts (MMA) event-a-thon with UFC Fight Night 80: "Namajunas vs. VanZant," which airs on the UFC Fight Pass digital network and showcases the future of combat sports.
That includes a main event pitting top strawweight up-and-comers Rose Namajunas and Paige VanZant, who both recognize what a win will do in the paper-thin 115-pound women's division. In addition, "Super" Sage Northcutt looks to continue his perfect run at the expense of rough-and-tumble Cody Pfister.
And Jim Miller is front and center because every fight card needs a grizzled veteran.
To check out what's doing on the UFC Fight Night 80 "Prelims" card, which kicks off at 6:45 p.m. ET tomorrow night (Thurs., Dec. 10, 2015) from inside The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada, click here. For all the latest "Namajunas vs. VanZant" odds and betting lines click here.
Let's take a closer look at the main card and see who gets it done on fight night.
115 lbs.: "Thug" Rose Namajunas (3-2) vs. Paige "12 Gauge" VanZant (6-1)
Nostradumbass predicts: A lot of (cough) "experts" -- myself included -- were touting Rose Namajunas as the uncrowned queen of the strawweight division, based on her torrid run through TUF 20 in late 2014. While she looked great on the FOX Sports 1 reality show, she came up empty when it mattered most.
Everybody in the fight game has a bad night, but "Thug" -- still just 23 years old -- does not have the body of work to counterbalance her loss (and finish) to Carla Esparza. She certainly looks promising and when she's locked in, her offense is downright nasty.
But she's getting steamrolled by Paige VanZant.
Like Namajunas, 21-year-old "12 Gauge" is still under construction, developing her skill set while working out the kinks inside the cage. Fortunately for her, she can set a blistering pace and overwhelm her opponents with a suffocating attack.
That will be a problem for her "Sin City" foe.
"Thug" works best in the stand up when she's given room to operate. Similarly, her submissions are well-suited for opponents willing to hang out in guard. VanZant will afford neither luxury, instead going full bore like a bull in a china shop.
It won't be pretty but then again, muggings never are.
Final prediction: VanZant def. Namajunas via unanimous decision
155 lbs.: Jim Miller (25-6) vs. Mike "Maverick" Chiesa (12-2)
Nostradumbass predicts: At first glance, longtime lightweight veteran Jim Miller appears to have fallen a bit over the past couple of years, but for me, he's the same fighter he's always been: competent on the feet, deadly on the ground, and conditioned to go three rounds without breaking a sweat.
To that end, he beats most fighters not ranked in the top five.
That means Mike Chiesa is going to have to do something spectacular if he wants to capture the "W" tomorrow night in "Sin City" and well, I haven't really seen a performance from him that meets that criteria. Mitch Clarke is 2-3 inside the Octagon, Francisco Trinaldo is pushing 40, and Colton Smith?
LOL.
Those are the last three wins "Maverick" has secured under the ZUFFA banner and he has yet to knock anyone out in 12 wins. He does have eight submissions to his credit, but Miller has 14 and his jiu-jitsu is sensational. I just have a hard time imagining a scenario where Chiesa gets his hand raised.
Miller has faced -- and beaten -- much better competition over the past decade.
Final prediction: Miller def. Chiesa via unanimous decision
155 lbs.: "Super" Sage Northcutt (6-0) vs. Cody "The Pfist" Pfister (12-4-1)
Nostradumbass predicts: Sage Northcutt is not yet the MMA fighter the promotion wants him to be and UFC matchmakers are well aware of this. But he doesn't need to be, because a freak athlete who knows karate is more than enough to wipe the floor with guys like Cody Pfister.
No disrespect to "The Pfist" ... but c'mon.
In fairness, Pfister -- 1-1 since his UFC debut back in February -- is an outstanding wrestler and hasn't been knocked out in 17 professional fights. As you might expect from someone who likes to take things south, the Texan racks up as many decisions as he does finishes.
Not sure that's going to "pan" out against a guy who bends Farberware in his spare time.
Northcutt has yet to prove he's got the beard to go all the way, but he will likely have a size, strength, and reach advantage over most lightweights, tomorrow night's foe included. I predict "The Pfist" will try for a couple of takedowns and fail mightily, then get lit up like the Times Square Christmas tree.
Final prediction: Northcutt def. Pfister via technical knockout
185 lbs.: Thiago "Marreta" Santos (11-3) vs. Elias "The Spartan" Theodorou (11-0)
Nostradumbass predicts: This fight is getting zero attention and that's a shame, as it features two very talented middleweights looking to break into the championship discussion. Particularly for Elias Theodorou, who is 3-0 with two violent finishes and a TUF crown to his credit.
Thiago Santos hasn't looked as spectacular in recent fights but that doesn't make him any less dangerous. "Marreta" has seven wins by way of knockout and kicked Steve Bosse so hard at UFC Fight Night 70 back in June, "The Boss" was forced to check his teeth at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
The difference is, Santos has already lost by way of knockout and submission, whereas the Canadian hasn't lost at all.
It wouldn't surprise me to see Theodorou get into trouble early but even with a first-round scare, I believe he has the heart and endurance to get right back into the fight and turn things around. Santos will come on fast and furious -- only to fade late.
That's when "Spartan" takes over and seals the deal.
Final result: Theodorou def. Santos via technical knockout
That's a wrap.
You've heard from me, now let's hear from you. Who gets it done on Thursday night?