After the fanatic highs of UFC 199 and the crowning of Michael Bisping as the new middleweight champion, the mma promotion returns to action this weekend on the return of the company to Canada. The card itself lays claim to arguably one of the best headline fights in all of mma between Canadian Rory MacDonald and Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson. Aside from that the card doesn’t offer a whole lot to be honest but the main event is enough to grasp attention alone.
Having made his debut way back in 2005 as a sixteen year old prodigy from the famous Tristar Gym in Montreal, MacDonald epitomises the modern mixed martial artist by being excellent in all facets of the game. Taking just nine fights to make it to the top brass promotion MacDonald has had his ups and downs against a who’s who of welterweights. His last outing was against Robbie Lawler last July in an all out war which culminated in MacDonald losing the fight of the year in the fifth round. This will be a caring factor for my pick in this fight.
Wonderboy’s rise has been a lot faster and simpler. Turning pro in 2010 after an illustrious career as an unbeaten kickboxer (57-0), Thompson took only five fights in a little under two years before signing with the top mma banner of the UFC. Upon UFC debut he impressed with a picture perfect head kick KO of Dan Stittgen. In his second promotional fight Wonderboy fell short on a three round decision to the wily veteran Matt Brown, who clinched up with the kickboxer and ground out the decision over three rounds. Since then Thompson’s wrestling and ability to evade the clinch and ground has come on leaps and bounds with the help of training with Chris Weidman. In his six consecutive wins, Thompson has taken out solid wrestlers in the shape of Patrick Côté, Jake Ellenberger and, last time out, former champion Johny Hendricks to prove himself a genuine threat to anyone at 170 lbs.
MacDonald has the skills to fight anyone in any type of fight and generally this is the case. However to strike with Wonderboy I feel would be suicidal for the Red King. Thompson’s karate style and ability to invade your space and strike before returning to the outside is almost unstoppable. His ability to hit you with kicks from the outside before landing his heavy right hand is his key to victory. MacDonald will have to grind out the tough battle and get the game against the fence and make it a clinch battle or to the ground. As long as there is long periods where the fight remains on it’s feet I see Wonderboy being able to strike MacDonald and take over. MacDonald will have to cut off the cage and pressure on the feet in order to engage the clinch and that is where he will also have to be perfect defensively, and even that might not be enough against the striking of Wonderboy. MacDonald has been hit numerous times in his career (Lawler Fight!!) and to allow Wonderboy to hit you clean will result in an early night. This fight is one for the purists and traditionalist of the arts. I see MacDonald getting the takedown, but over five rounds Thompson will have too much time and his improved takedown defense will give him the opportunity to land his vicious kicks and punches. I predict wonderboy to come away with a 3rd round TKO victory.
The co-main features Patrick Cote vs Donald Cerrone, also at 170lbs. Both guys like to keep it standing with Cerrone employing a more varied and active attack from his muay thai base. Cerrone is a notoriously slow starter and this will almost guarantee he losses the opening round. That being said if he opens up on Cote it is inevitable that Cote shoots and gets the takedown. From his back Cerrone has a vicious submission game and that is where I see the fight being won, should Cerrone not take a two round to one decision.
Picks :
Rory MacDonald vs. Stephen Thompson – Wonderboy via TKO
Donald Cerrone vs. Patrick Cote – Cerrone
Steve Bossé vs. Sean O’Connell – O’Connell
Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Thibault Gouti – OAM decision
Valérie Létourneau vs. Joanne Calderwood –
Jason Saggo vs. Leandro Silva – Saggo
Misha Cirkunov vs. Ion Cutelaba – Cirkunov
Tamdan McCrory vs. Krzysztof Jotko – McCrory
Chris Beal vs. Joe Soto – Beal
Elias Theodorou vs. Sam Alvey – Elias
Randa Markos vs. Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger – Markos
Colby Covington vs. Jonathan Meunier – C.C. victory
Ali Bagautinov vs. Geane Herrera – Bagautinov
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