UFC Fight Night 140 - Buenos Aires Breakdown & Predictions
When is UFC Fight Night 140? Sunday 17th November, 2018 - 01:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC Fight Night 140? Estadio Mary Terán de Weiss, Buenos Aires, Argentina
What channel is UFC Fight Night 140 on? BT Sport 2
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night 140? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
Neil Magny vs Santiago Ponzinibbio
UFC Fight Night 140 marks the first time the UFC has staged an event in Argentina with their home town hero Santiago Ponzinibbio hosting Neil Magny for the main event. This will be Ponzinibbio’s first appearance in 11 months but it will be well worth the wait for his fans.
He is on a very impressive six-fight winning streak with the likes of Gunnar Nelson and Mike Perry falling victim at the hands of the Argentinian and he faces another talented UFC veteran who always provides an awkward threat and an interesting stylistic match-up.
PREDICTION
Magny will have his usual substantial reach advantage which, along with his takedowns, will be his biggest allies in attempting to extinguish the stand-up threat of Ponzinibbio. Although the Argentinian has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he is a monster on the feet and will look to dominate as he has done with the majority of his UFC opponents.
Magny will be confident of using his reach advantage to inflict damage, especially with his jab, and he will look to mix in takedowns with level-changes. However, Ponzinibbio has looked exceptional in all his recent fights, continues to improve and will be fueled by his comeback in Buenos Aires so we are backing him for another win.
Winner: Ponzinibbio via KO/TKO
Ricardo Lamas vs Darren Elkins
We have two veterans with 33 UFC fights between them for the co-main event in Buenos Aires as Ricardo Lamas takes on Darren Elkins.
Lamas has been a perennial contender but suffered a dip in form of late with two losses on the trot against Josh Emmett and Mirsad Bektic.
Elkins is also coming off a loss (to Alexander Volkanovski) but this was his first defeat in seven fights, showing his usual heart to earn some big wins – one of which was a crazy comeback against Bektic.
PREDICTION
This should be a war and as the stats suggest, they are evenly-matched in every department. Expect everything - striking, clinches and takedowns - and as they have the durability and cardio to perform until the last minute, a decision is likely. Which way it goes is tough to call but it is hard to see somebody with the class of Lamas losing three in a row.
Winner: Lamas via Decision
Guido Cannetti vs Marlon Vera
Guido Cannetti will be stepping out in front of his home fans for the UFC’s first appearance in Argentina. The bantamweight from Buenos Aires can not wait to walk out and perform but he has a very tricky fight in the shape of Marlon Vera.
PREDICTION
They both bounced back from a loss in their last fight and this promises to be a very close contest. They are very well-rounded and Cannetti’s wrestling has been a key weapon in his arsenal but Vera is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu so it will be fascinating to see this fight go to the ground.
If the fight stays on the feet it will also be a close contest, and although Vera is more fluid, Cannetti has the grit and determination to close out a win.
Winner: Cannetti via Decision
Khalil Rountree Jr vs Johnny Walker
Khalil Rountree Jr. welcomes Brazilian Johnny Walker for his UFC debut and on paper, this could easily be a ‘fight of the night’ contender. Although Rountree has looked rather one-dimensional so far in his career, he is a stand-up beast with severe knockout power but Walker has the skills to match.
The Brazilian is also a stand-up specialist and has a huge frame. Add in the fact he has 11 knockout wins, and you have the reason why fans have been eagerly awaiting his UFC debut.
PREDICTION
This will be fireworks on the feet but may not last long. Rountree displayed his confidence by deciding to stand with the multiple time world champion Kickboxer Gokhan Saki and starching him in the first round in his last fight.
Walker is also most comfortable in rendering opponents unconscious and with a sizable reach advantage, he will be confident of lighting Rountree up but he does tend to engage in brawls which is a terrible idea against Rountree. A lot of Walker's knockout wins have come in the clinch and in scrambles but he is going to have to keep the distance in this fight as one mistake will shut the lights off.
Winner: Rountree via KO/TKO
Cezar Ferreira vs Tim Heinisch
Unfortunately, Englishman Tom Breese has suffered yet another injury and has been forced to withdraw from his fight with Cezar Ferreira. However, Ian Heinisch has stepped up fresh off his knockout win on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series.
That was his third knockout in a row and he is going to have to call upon that firepower to stand any chance against the experienced Brazilian who is coming off two great wins against Nate Marquardt and Karl Roberson.
PREDICTION
Ferreira is a wizard on the mat as a 3rd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and if he can get the fight to the ground, it will only be a matter of time before he wraps up a submission. That said, Heinisch is more than capable of causing an upset and the longer the fight lasts on the feet, the more likely that is.
However, Ferreira has too much class to make a mistake and he is likely the guide the fight into his domain and pick up another win.
Winner: Ferreira via Submission
Cynthia Calvillo vs Poliana Botelho
We have a fantastic start to the main card in Argentina in the shape of Cynthia Calvillo and Poliana Botelho. Both ladies are huge prospects and the fact they are unranked proves just how stacked the women’s strawweight division is right now.
They are both incredible athletes with only one loss on their records, evolving drastically between every fight. Calvillo is coming off her first loss which was a close decision to former champion Carla Esparza and Botelho is on a five-fight winning streak with a decision and TKO in her first two UFC fights.
PREDICTION
They are both well-rounded with Calvillo being the stronger grappler and Botelho possessing better stand-up skills as a black belt in Muay Thai. If this fight stays on the feet, you have to back the Brazilian who has the skills, speed and power to smoke any strawweight but Calvillo has been moulded at Team Alpha Male where she has trained specifically for MMA wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Calvillo is a very strong grappler and Botelho is ferocious on the feet so this fight will all come down to the takedown defence of Botelho which has not been tested as much as it will at UFC Fight Night 140.
Winner: Calvillo via Decision
Striking and grappling stats sourced via FightMetric.