UFC on Fox 15: Machida vs. Rockhold is scheduled for April 18, 2015 in Newark, New Jersey. It will be on Fox Sports 1 at 7:00 pm CST.
LYOTO “THE DRAGON” MACHIDA (22-5-0) VS. LUKE ROCKHOLD (13-2-0)
This is a five round main event in the Middleweight division. In this fight are two of the best middleweights that are looking to receive a title shot. Though Lyoto Machida has already faced the current champion, Chris Weidman, for the title back at UFC 175, he still believes that he is the one to defeat Weidman (if Vitor Belfort does not do it at UFC 187) and that he just needs to win this fight to put himself back in the running again. In this fight against Luke Rockhold, Machida brings a great amount of jiujitsu that has helped him in wearing down his opponents to the point that he can basically score more points to where he can win by decision or even via knockout. Though Luke Rockhold might not have as much experience inside the Octagon as Machida, he still holds just as great of jiujitsu as Machida, to where he has won many of his fights by submission, which makes his jiujitsu almost more deadly than Machida’s. That could also be the key to how Rockhold will be able to hang with Machida in this fight and prove to everyone why he deserves to have the next title shot. My prediction: Rockhold wins via submission in round 5.
RONALDO “JACARE” SOUZA (21-3-0) VS. CHRIS CAMOZZI (19-9-0)
This is a three round fight in the Middleweight division. Both Souza and Camozzi have faced each other before at UFC on FX: Belfort vs. Rockhold, where Souza came out victorious with an arm triangle choke in round one. Souza, in his fights, brings wonderful jiujitsu and Judo that has helped him through most of his fights to which most ended by submission and even wore down his opponents even more to where he can last the entire fight against them, thus wining by decision. Camozzi has skills in jiujitsu as well, but I really do not think that his jiujitsu is up to the level as Souza’s. Another thing is that in Camozzi’s last four fights in the UFC before being released he ended up being defeated, which also brings to question why the UFC would resign him and place him up against a man that defeated him in the past with almost complete ease. My prediction: Souza wins via submission in round 1.
CUB SWANSON (21-6-0) VS. MAX “BLESSED” HOLLOWAY (12-3-0)
This is a three round fight in featherweight division. In this fight contains two warriors that bring two different styles of fighting. Swanson brings jiu-jitsu and judo making his specialty in submissions and takedowns, which are very crucial to perform whenever you are inside the octagon. Holloway on the other hand brings striking and cardio, which are also very important to have, but they are not always enough to make it through a fight against a fighter that strives to take their opponent down every time and try to submit them. With that in mind it makes it more clear just how this fights seems to lean and if a fighter does not show ground game then how great of chances do they really have against someone who does? My prediction: Swanson wins via submission in round 2.
FELICE “LIL BULLDOG” HERRIG (10-5-0) VS. PAIGE “12 GAUGE” VANZANT (4-1-0)
This is the first fight of the main card, which is a three round fight in the women’s Strawweight division. Now, never let the pretty faces of both these females distract you, because deep down they are extreme warriors that are in the UFC to not only make a name for themselves, but to prove why they are the best and even find their way to the title in the women’s Strawweight division. For Herrig, she is well known for her Muay Thai and kickboxing, which are two very crucial skills to know in the sport as it can help score major points and even bring your opponent down to the ground after vicious blows. Though she has not knocked many people out, she has gone the full fight several times, which proves to everyone that she can survive an entire fight in the sport, which is just what every fighter needs to do in order to be great at it. VanZant, on the other hand, has not had anywhere near the experience that Herrig has had, but her jiujitsu can really help her out to where she can hang with Herrig and possibly dodge much of her strikes to where she might be able to wear Herrig down to the point that she could sneak in a submission win, but she will have to watch the power of Herrig with every direction of her eyes. My prediction: Herrig wins via TKO in round 1.
