UFC on ESPN: Munhoz vs. Edgar will air on August 22, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Preliminary Card (ESPN/+)
MAKI “COCONUT BOMBZ” PITOLO (13-6-0) vs IMPA “TSHILOBO” KASANGANAY (7-0-0)
This is a three-round fight in the middleweight division. Pitolo brings striking and jiu-jitsu. Kasanganay brings striking and jiu-jitsu. Both are similar in style; Kasanganay is more well-rounded. He will move faster than Pitolo and throw harder strikes. Pitolo will try doing the same, but he won’t be able to keep up with Kasanganay. My prediction: Kasanganay wins via unanimous decision.
TIMUR “THE LUCKY” VALIEV (16-2-0) vs MARK “MUGEN” STRIEGL (18-2-0)
This is a three-round fight in the bantamweight division. Valiev brings striking and jiu-jitsu. Striegl brings striking, judo, and jiu-jitsu. Striegl looks to take Valiev out with his grappling. Valiev will avoid his grappling from his takedown defense and manage to keep the fight standing. Valiev will then attack Striegl head-on and give him no edge to make any comebacks. My prediction: Valiev wins via unanimous decision.
MATTHEW “SEMI” SEMELSBERGER (6-2-0) vs CARLTON “CLUTCH” MINUS (10-1-0)
This is a three-round fight in the welterweight division. Semelsberger brings striking and jiu-jitsu. Minus brings striking and grappling. Both are identical with techniques; Minus is better with his striking. He will be faster and more accurate with his striking. Semelsberger will be able to keep up with him for a short while, but soon fall behind. He will try to defend, but be unable to withstand most of Minus’ attacks. My prediction: Minus wins via TKO in Round 2.
IKE “HURRICANE” VILLANUEVA (16-10-0) vs JORGE “GEORGE ST.” GONZALEZ (16-4-0)
This is a three-round fight in the heavyweight division. Villanueva brings striking and grappling. Gonzalez brings striking and jiu-jitsu. Both are good strikers; Gonzalez also holds great grappling. Villanueva does not have many grappling techniques and Gonzalez will take advantage of that. He will bring Villanueva to the ground and easily out grapple him. My prediction: Gonzalez wins via submission in Round 1.
DWIGHT “THE BODY SNATCHER” GRANT (10-2-0) vs JARED “NITE TRAIN” GOODEN (17-4-0)
This is a three-round fight in the welterweight division. Grant brings Kung Fu and jiu-jitsu. Gooden brings striking and jiu-jitsu. Both hold grappling abilities; Grant holds more striking than Gooden. Gooden will try to strike with Grant, but Grant will be too fast for him. Grant will continue to attack Gooden until Gooden can no longer continue. My prediction: Grant wins via TKO in Round 2.
MARIYA AGAPOVA (9-1-0) vs SHANA “DANGER” DOBSON (3-4-0)
This is a three-round fight in the women’s flyweight division. Agapova brings striking, judo, and jiu-jitsu. Dobson brings striking and grappling. Both have great striking abilities; Agapova also holds grappling techniques. She will be able to take advantage of Dobson by bringing her to the ground early on. There she will gain full control and out grapple Dobson with no trouble. My prediction: Agapova wins via submission in Round 1.
AUSTIN “THUD” HUBBARD (12-4-0) vs JOSEPH SOLECKI (9-2-0)
This is a three-round fight in the lightweight division. Hubbard brings striking, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling. Solecki brings striking and jiu-jitsu. The wrestling Hubbard possesses looks to be all he will need to win this fight. Solecki holds great takedown defense and will manage to keep the fight standing. Hubbard will continue to try to bring Solecki to the ground but will fail each time. My prediction: Solecki wins via unanimous decision.
AMANDA “AMANDINHA” LEMOS (7-1-1) vs MIZUKI INOUE (14-5-0)
This is a three-round fight in the women’s flyweight division. Lemos brings striking and jiu-jitsu. Inoue brings kickboxing, shoot boxing, and karate. The striking abilities of Inoue appear to give her a major advantage in this fight. Though she lacks grappling and that is where Lemos will take advantage of her. Lemos will take her to the ground early-on and out grapple her with ease. My prediction: Lemos wins via submission in Round 1.
Main Card (ESPN/+)
DANIEL “D-ROD” RODRIGUEZ (12-1-0) vs TAKASHI SATO (16-3-0)
This is a three-round fight in the welterweight division. Rodriguez brings striking and jiu-jitsu. Sato brings striking, judo, and jiu-jitsu. Sato’s grappling appears to be all he will need to take this fight. However, Rodriguez holds grappling of his own with takedown defense. He will avoid many of Sato’s takedowns while landing heavy blows. Sato will try to retaliate, but he will not have the power to do so. My prediction: Rodriguez wins via unanimous decision.
MARCIN PRACHNIO (13-4-0) vs MIKE “SLOW” RODRIGUEZ (10-4-0, 1 NC)
This is a three-round fight in the light heavyweight division. Prachnio brings karate and jiu-jitsu. Rodriguez brings boxing and jiu-jitsu. With all these two bring the fight will come down to who can strike better. Prachnio’s karate looks to overpower Rodriguez’s boxing, but Rodriguez will move too fast for Prachnio. Rodriguez will be hitting Prachnio hard and no give him an edge to counter or defend. My prediction: Rodriguez wins via knockout in Round 2.
OVINCE “OSP” SAINT PREUX (24-14-0) vs ALONZO MENIFELD (9-1-0)
This is a three-round co-main event in the light heavyweight division. Preux brings boxing, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling. Menifeld brings Muay Thai and grappling. Preux’s grappling abilities look to be his main weapon to take Menifeld out. Menifeld will try to grapple with Preux, but he will not have the ability to do so. He will then try making it back to his feet, but due to his lack of grappling, he will remain on the ground. My prediction: Preux wins via submission in Round 2.
#5 PEDRO “THE YOUNG PUNISHER” MUNHOZ (18-4-0, 1 NC) vs #8 FRANKIE “THE ANSWER” EDGAR (23-8-1)
This is a five-round main event in the bantamweight division. Munhoz brings boxing, Muay Thai, and jiu-jitsu. Edgar brings boxing, Muay Thai, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling. He is a former lightweight champion. Edgar looks to use his striking power and speed to take Munhoz out and get back on the winning road. Munhoz will not let that happen as he will throw harder strikes and be more aggressive. Edgar will then move to his wrestling, but Munhoz will continue to attack him will holding nothing back. My prediction: Munhoz wins via TKO in Round 3.
