UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Reis will air on April 15, 2017, in Kansas City, Missouri.
(C) DEMETRIOUS “MIGHTY MOUSE” JOHNSON (25-2-1) vs #3 WILSON REIS (22-6-0)
This is a five-round main event for the flyweight championship. Johnson brings boxing, Muay Thai, Pankration, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling giving him knockout power with intense grappling and cardio that have led him to become the current champion and number one pound-for-pound fighter. Reis brings boxing and jiu-jitsu giving him intense grappling control and cardio. Now Johnson most likely will take this fight with ease all from his dominating striking and grappling, which have proven time and time again why he is the GOAT of the UFC, but one cannot forget that Reis has some great striking and grappling of his of own that could very well challenge the current pound-for-pound king. Though, he must overcome the speed and power of Johnson in order to stand a chance at capturing the gold and finally ending the reign of Mighty Mouse with the possibility of rising up the ladder to the number one spot. My prediction: Johnson wins via knockout in Round 1.
#4 ROSE “THUG” NAMAJUNAS (6-3-0) vs #6 MICHELLE “THE KARATE HOTTIE” WATERSON (14-4-0)
This is a three round fight in the women’s strawweight division. Namajunas brings kickboxing, Muay Thai, karate, taekwondo, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling giving her striking power and grappling control. Waterson brings boxing, karate, and jiu-jitsu giving her knockout power and grappling control. Both of these amazing female athletes are at the top of their game so the fight could go either way, but I believe Waterson’s striking might be a little too much for Namajunas to handle as she did show some trouble in her last fight against Kowalkiewicz and Waterson appears to be another level. Though if Namajunas could use her jiu-jitsu and wrestling combination to out grapple Waterson then she could very well get the submission victory or win in the decision as her grappling seems to be a little more advanced than Waterson’s own. But she will have to overcome her takedown defense, which is atop her game plan in all her fights as she always fights to keep her opponents standing to score crucial points. My prediction: Waterson wins via split decision.
#3 RONALDO “JACARE” SOUZA (24-4-0, 1 NC) vs #6 ROBERT “THE REAPER” WHITTAKER (17-4-0)
This is a three round fight in the middleweight division. Souza brings Muay Thai, judo, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling giving him knockout power and extreme grappling control that lead him to become the former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion. Whittaker brings boxing, hapkido, karate, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling giving him knockout power and grappling control. Now, this fight looks to be an interesting matchup, but in reality, Souza looks to take this fight with ease with his accurate striking power and intense grappling control that I do not see Whittaker being able to stand toe-to-toe with. Unless he could catch Souza in the first minute of round one I only see Souza manhandling Whittaker mostly with his jiu-jitsu and wrestling combination that has never failed to impress the entire UFC. My prediction: Souza wins via submission in Round 1.
#5 JEREMY “LIL HEATHEN” STEPHENS (25-13-0) vs RENATO MOICANO (10-0-1)
This is a three round fight in the featherweight division. Stephens brings boxing, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling giving him knockout power and grappling control. Moicano brings striking and jiu-jitsu giving him grappling control and cardio. With both fighters bringing their own style of striking and grappling the fight looks to be in big favor of Stephens with the striking power he brings to his fights, which I don’t believe Moicano will be able to handle since he has never faced the power of that caliber in his career. However, Moicano does have great striking of his own and jiu-jitsu, while still being new to the sport he could very well prove to have many tricks up his sleeve that could take Stephens by surprise. But he will have to watch out for Stephens’ aggression which for sure will be a tactic he will indeed use throughout the fight to keep the pressure on Moicano. My prediction: Stephens wins via TKO in Round 2.
