UFC 255 - Full Card Breakdown & Predictions
When is UFC 255? Sunday 22nd November, 2020 - 01:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC 255? UFC APEX, Las Vegas, Nevada (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC 255? No tickets are available as this event will take place without spectators
What channel is UFC 255 on? BT Sport 1
Where can I stream UFC 255? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
DEIVESON FIGUEIREDO VS ALEX PEREZ
Deiveson Figueiredo (19-1) makes the first defence of his flyweight strap and there is finally some excitement for the flyweight division especially after his showings against Joseph Benavidez. After Jussier Formiga handed him the first loss of his career with a unanimous decision back in March 2019, he bounced back with a unanimous decision of his own against Alexandre Pantoja and then submitted Tim Elliott which led to his first title fight with Benavidez. He ended the fight with a TKO aided by a clash of heads but as he missed weight, he was ineligible to walk away with the belt. However, he put on a clinic and dominant performance in the rematch leaving no questions as to who is the new flyweight king wrapping up a first round submission.
Alex Perez (24-5) was assigned to take on Brandon Moreno with Cody Garbrandt originally scheduled for the new champion. Garbrandt has just won one of his last four all at bantamweight but he was coming off that amazing walk-off knockout over Raphael Assuncao and it is a quality match-up but for now, Perez steps up replacing him coming off three wins. Benavidez finished him in 2018 but that is his only loss in his last 12 showings. He is coming off a decision over Mark De La Rosa and a submission over Jordan Espinosa, but it was his dismantling of Formiga’s left leg that impressed the UFC enough to earn the title shot.
PREDICTION
We have not seen any flyweight with the finishing prowess of Figueiredo for a long time and he is only just beginning to peak. Many people backed Benavidez to finally pick up the belt as one of the greatest flyweights of all time but Figueiredo completely outclassed him. His jiu-jitsu is his bread and butter as a high-level black belt, but it is his knockout power that separates him from other flyweight at the moment.
Perez has his own weapons with hand speed, wrestling, cardio and leg kicks. We expect him to be cautious of Figueiredo’s power and throw shots from range and he has the speed to test Figueiredo but you have to back the champion in the striking department especially with a three-inch reach advantage.
If the fight goes to the floor, you also have to back the champion as he is a different level when it comes to jiu-jitsu. So, there are not many clear routes to victory for Perez, so he has to stay in the fight for the first two rounds and combine leg kicks with wrestling to tire Figueiredo out and break him down. Perez has the cardio to finish stronger and bank three rounds to sway the judges, but he has to survive the firepower of Figueiredo first.
Prediction: Figueiredo via Submission
VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO VS JENNIFER MAIA
There is a case for Valentina Shevchenko (19-3) being the most skilled and well-rounded fighter in all of MMA let alone her division. She is in a league of her own at flyweight with contenders in short supply. Her only losses in the UFC are to the female GOAT and larger Amanda Nunes who she took to a split decision in their rematch and arguably won. She then dropped down to 125 lbs and has won all her fights convincingly. She earnt a decision over Joanna Jedrzejczyk to win the vacant belt and picked off Jessica Eye, Liz Carmouche and Katlyn Chookagian with ease.
Jennifer Maia (18-6-1) is hoping to scupper Shevchenko’s fourth title defence but it will be one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. She has earnt the title shot with a one-fight win streak illustrating the shallowness of the division. She lost a unanimous decision to Chookagian but is coming off an impressive and dominant win over Joanne Calderwood, submitting her in the first round.
PREDICTION
Maia’s only threat is her jitsu-jitsu, but she is taking on a champion who has seven submission wins and who has never been submitted herself. If the fight does go to the ground, a jiu-jitsu battle would be a fascinating contest with Shevchenko likely to come out on top.
If Shevchenko does see a threat in Maia’s ground game, she has the experience and skill to to dictate exactly where the fight goes and that is likely to be on the feet with clinch work. Maia is a good boxer, but Shevchenko is a decorated Muay Thai and kickboxing champion with some of the best technique in the UFC. Maia has the toughness to take this to a decision but over five rounds we back Shevchenko for a comfortable night and finish.
Prediction: Shevchenko via KO/TKO
MIKE PERRY VS TIM MEANS
Mike Perry (14-6) returns to the cage carrying his bag of personal problems. He seems one incident away from losing his job, but he is back to doing what he does best. He is 7-6 in the UFC but has come up against killers and always puts on a show. The brawler met his match with Vicente Luque who rearranged his face during a decision and Geoff Neal who finally gave Perry his first knockout loss. However, he got back in the win column in his last fight by completely outclassing and overpowering Mickey Gall.
Robbie Lawler was lined up for a mouth-watering pairing, but he got injured giving Tim Means (30-12-1(1)) the opportunity to step up in another great match-up. Means is a veteran with a UFC record of 12-9(1) and has had his fair share of wars. He got starched by Niko Price and submitted Thiago Alves last year and this year he got submitted by Daniel Rodriguez but is coming off a superb decision win against Laureano Staropoli.
PREDICTION
Change of opponent for Perry but the game plan will be the same as Means will come to throw down. Means is the better technical boxer. but Perry has more power and durability. They both have a high volume of significant strikes but also absorb a lot, especially Perry who eats nearly five significant strikes a minute.
Means has solid defence but Perry does not need to make much contact to change the course of the fight. If Means can utilise his four-inch reach and height advantage to control the range, he can frustrate Perry and counter when he rushes in.
Means is a good shout as the underdog but the moment the fight slips into a brawl, you have to back Perry.
Prediction: Perry via KO/TKO
KATLYN CHOOKAGIAN VS CYNTHIA CALVILLO
Katlyn Chookagian (14-4) is coming off two knockout losses in her last three fights, but they were to the best flyweights in the division right now. She earned a title fight against Valentina Shevchenko after a unanimous decision over her next title contender Jennifer Maia. Chookagian was inevitably outclassed but she bounced back with a dominant decision win over her sister Antonina. Her last fight was only a month ago on Fight Island where she welcomed Jessica Andrade to the division but the former strawweight champ abruptly ended the fight sparked by a beautiful liver punch.
Cynthia Calvillo (9-1-1) is also new to the division after struggles making the 115 lb mark. She missed weight badly against Marina Rodriguez but managed to fight to a draw but it has forced a move up to 125 lbs. She had a tough debut getting matched with the bigger veteran, Jessica Eye but she put on a great performance earning the unanimous decision making a strong case for a title shot already.
PREDICTION
The UFC must be hoping for an impressive Calvillo performance to unearth a much-needed contender to Shevchenko. However, Chookagian will be one of her trickiest match-ups. She is a very rangy flyweight and will boast a four-inch reach and five-inch height advantage which she will leverage by trying to keep the fight standing and striking from range.
Calvillo’s stand-up continues to improve but it will be her strong wrestling that will be key to her winning. Chookagian’s takedown defence is only 15% so Calvillo is expected to exploit that at some point.
The stand-up exchanges will be interesting but if Calvillo can get Chookagian to the ground, she can keep her there and even pull off a submission. This is a hard fight for her, but we are backing her to come out of it as the number one contender.
Prediction: Calvillo via Decision
MAURICIO SHOGUN RUA VS PAUL CRAIG 2
The legend that is Shogun Rua (27-11-1) is still battling it out in the UFC and although he has only fought seven times in the last five years, he has only lost once. That was a brutal knockout courtesy of Anthony Smith in 2018. He replied with a vintage Shogun knockout over Tyson Pedro which led to his first fight with Paul Craig. It was a great tussle that ended in a draw and he returned in July for his third fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and went 3-0 with a split decision.
He now gets to settle the score with Craig (13-4-1) who also racked up a win since their first fight. He made quick work of Gadzhimurad Antigulov racking up the 12th submission of his career to go 5-4-1 in the UFC.
PREDICTION
The first fight was an attritional battle but there was some questionable judging. Perhaps the judges were surprised that they were needed as the fight was expected to end in a finish. Shogun is the knockout artist and Craig is the submission wizard, but they were evenly matched on the feet, in the clinch and on the floor.
Shogun nullified Craig’ biggest threat but what was surprising was the Scotsman’s confidence on the feet. He went toe-to-toe with the brawler and finished very strong, but that said, he is still better off looking for the finish on the ground.
A submission for Craig and a knockout for Shogun are still likely outcomes here but it could also be another slow-paced decision. Craig is the favourite, but we are backing Shogun to edge a decision.
Prediction: Shogun via Decision
BRANDON MORENO VS BRANDON ROYVAL
Brandon Moreno (17-5-1) may be a little salty as his original opponent, Alex Perez has been called up for a title fight after Cody Garbrandt pulled out against Deiveson Figueiredo. However, he knows if he continues to put on quality performances, his title shot will just be a matter of time. After two losses in a row, he left the UFC to gain more experience, but he picked up the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) in his first fight and walked straight back into the UFC. He then fought to a draw with Askar Askarov and then put on two phenomenal performances against Kai Kara-France and Jussier Formiga earning two more decisions.
Brandon Royval (12-4) replaces Perez, but this is the number one contender fight everybody wants. Royval has also looked exceptional and after dominating in LFA, he has continued that form in the UFC. He took on Tim Elliott and marked his debut by putting the veteran in a triangle choke and then took on top contender Kara-France in an epic fight notching the eighth submission and best win of his career.
PREDICTION
This is going to be a great scrap. The pace will be relentless and is likely to be a mixture of striking and grappling. Royval has been submitting people for fun and finished all but one of his wins but Moreno is a warrior and never been finished. In fact, Royval has never been finished either. We cannot count out a finish here but a Royval submission is most likely if the fight does not go to the bell.
The stand-up battle should be a war and if Moreno starts to win the exchanges, Royval could look to get the fight to the floor. This is destined to be a close fight and can go either way but we are backing Royval to squeak out a decision and potential submission.
Prediction: Royval via Decision
JOAQUIN BUCKLEY VS JORDAN WRIGHT
Joaquin Buckley (11-3) is coming off one of the best knockouts of all time in the UFC. He was taking on the undefeated Impa Kasanganay who caught a kick, but Buckley hopped off his right and stiffened Kasanganay with a perfect spinning back kick. Whatever happens in his career, Buckley will be remembered for that and it certainly made people forget about getting knocked out on his debut by Kevin Holland two months prior in August.
Jordan Wright (11-0 (1)) still has his unbeaten record intact but that is only because marijuana is considered a performance enhancing drug. Wright got ruthlessly finished by Anthony Hernandez on the Contender Series, but the loss was later overturned to a ‘no contest’. However, ‘The Beverly Hills Ninja’ bounced back with a TKO over Gabriel Checco for the Legacy Fighting Alliance to earn his UFC debut where he added Isaac Villanueva to his knockout column.
PREDICTION
Although Wright is technically undefeated, Buckley is the favourite which is due to a combination of the viral knockout and because Wright’s level of competition has been rather low.
This is an excellent and even match-up and it should be an exhilarating stand-up battle. We know what Buckley is capable of and Wright has made a name for himself with his exciting technique and dangerous kicks. He puts on a show on the feet and has finished all of his fights including five submissions.
They both specialise in knockouts and have been knocked out three times between them so it is likely one of them will get slept. Buckley gets the nod but do not be surprised if Wright pulls off a highlight reel knockout himself.
Prediction: Buckley via KO/TKO
ANTONINA SHEVCHENKO VS ARIANE LIPSKI
Antonina Shevchenko (8-2) is coming off the second loss of her career. Roxanne Modafferi handed her the first loss by grappling her strengths away and earning a split decision. Shevchenko responded by showing off her own grappling skills and pulling off the first submission win of her career over Lucie Pudilova. However, she met Katlyn Chookagian in what was expected to be a great stand-up battle but Chookagian exploited the holes in Shevchenko’s wrestling to hand her a second decision loss.
Ariane Lipski (13-5) is coming off the most impressive win of her career. She mercilessly submitted Luana Carolina in the first round with a kneebar which was her second UFC win after earning a unanimous decision over Isabela de Padua. This is some much-needed form after losing her first two UFC fights against Joanne Calderwood and Molly McCann – both unanimous decisions.
PREDICTION
Both fighters are very well rounded both with a background in Muay Thai, but they also have slick ground games. They are both black belts in Muay Thai, but Shevchenko is a step above as a multiple time national champion.
Lipski is a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but this is her route to victory. She is extremely dangerous on the ground and considering the weakness in Shevchenko’s wrestling, expect her to look for the takedown and hunt a submission.
The fight will start on the feet and will be a great technical contest with Shevchenko having the edge and most likely earning a decision but if Lipski can keep the fight on the ground, she can earn a decision and potential submission.
Prediction: Shevchenko via Decision
DANIEL RODRIGUEZ VS NICOLAS DALBY
Daniel Rodriguez (13-1) has blazed his way on to the UFC scene. We first saw him as a late replacement for Ramazan Emeev who was supposed to take on Tim Means. Rodriguez stepped up on short notice and pulled off a remarkable upset submitting the veteran in the second round. He then earned a unanimous decision over Gabriel Green and is coming off a blistering knockout over Dwight Grant in August.
Orion Cosce was next in line for Rodriguez but as he has had to pull out, Nicolas Dalby (18-4-1(1)) fills in hoping to bounce back from a devastating loss. He made his comeback to the UFC after a successful run for Cage Warriors and outpointed Alex Oliveira in a great win. He then took on Jesse Ronson, but the underdog ended the night quickly with a left hand an eventual submission.
PREDICTION
A year ago, Dalby would be the favourite but now he is the heavy underdog. Rodriguez has looked great, but Grant did almost knock him him out in his last fight. He can be hit and Dalby is very seasoned on the feet so you cannot count the Dane out especially with strong grappling in the locker. However, Rodriguez’ speed and explosiveness could be the difference and will cause Dalby a lot of problems.
Prediction: Rodriguez via KO/TKO
ALAN JOUBAN VS JARED GOODEN
Alan Jouban (16-7) appears for the first time in 19 months. He decided to take some time off after his last fight with Dwight Grant where he lost a close split decision. This came after his great fight with Ben Saunders which he ended in devastating fashion folding Saunders like laundry. However, that was his last win since December 2016 where he outpointed Mike Perry.
He welcomes Jared Gooden (17-4) to the octagon who arrives with a lot of pedigree. He has fought solid competition and after getting knocked out by Bruno Oliveira, he has pocketed three more finishes submitting Marcel Stamps and Jay Jackson before knocking out Trent McCown for the Titan Fighting Championship.
PREDICTION
Gooden is a dangerous man with good experience, but Jouban is big step up in competition. Gooden has knockout power in all limbs and is a huge threat on the mat with ground-and-pound and submissions.
We know Jouban is a seasoned striker and is very hard to put away, but an interesting factor could be his motivation. He has had time off with injuries and has been contemplating retirement at the age of 37 whereas Gooden is a young, hungry savage looking to make a statement of his debut.
The biggest win of Gooden’s career is there for him but if Jouban is healthy and motivated, his skill and experience will tell and outclass Gooden on the feet earning a decision.
Prediction: Jouban via Decision
KYLE DAUKAUS VS DUSTIN STOLTZFUS
Chris Daukaus (9-1) is hoping to bounce back from the first loss of his career. He made his UFC debut stepping up on short notice to fight Brendan Allen. The odds were stacked against him, but he put up one hell of a fight. He lost a unanimous decision but performed well and now has a better chance to showcase the prowess that got him eight submissions in his nine fights.
He welcomes Dustin Stoltzfus (13-1) to the UFC with an impressive record and 10 fight win streak. He has fought for a variety of promotions and after knocking out Jonas Billstein and wrapping Nihad Nasufovic in a beautiful twister for the German MMA Championship, he got a shot on the Contender Series. He took on Joseph Pyfer but the fight was called short after Stoltzfus slammed Pyfer landing awkwardly and suffering a nasty dislocation.
PREDICTION
This is a fantastic match-up between two submission wizards. Their jiu-jitsu is at a high level but as we saw in Daukaus’ fight with Allen, their ground games may cancel each other out forcing a stand-up battle.
They are very evenly matched and the striking battle will be very competitive but expect Daukaus to mix in takedowns. He may not be able to submit Stoltzfus, but he should do enough on the feet adding in takedowns to seal a decision.
Prediction: Daukaus via Decision
LOUIS COSCE VS SASHA PALATNIKOV
Louis Cosce (7-0) makes his UFC debut after stretching his unbeaten record two months ago on the Contender Series. After four knockouts and two submissions on the regional scene, Cosce kept up his 100% finishing rate by flooring Victor Reyna with a left hook in the first round.
Sasha Palatnikov (5-2) also makes his UFC debut coming off a knockout. After losing his first pro MMA fight, he strung four wins together before meeting the prospect who recently made his UFC debut, Mounir Lazzez. He lost via TKO a year ago, but he bounced back against Paulo Henrique for the UAE Warriors promotion.
PREDICTION
Both fighters have a ton of potential, but they do not have any notable wins yet. They are both talented strikers but Cosce is more well-rounded. He is very explosive and has wrestling in the locker that he can call upon whenever he decides to.
If Cosce decides to keep the fight on the feet, Palatnikov has a great chance. The Hong Kong native has fought up at middleweight and will have the height and reach advantage so a stand-up battle will be very interesting. However, Cosce’s wrestling will exploit the holes in Palatnikov’s takedown defence if he does not knock him out first.