Holloway
vs.
Kattar
Brown
vs.
Condit
Jingliang
vs.
Ponzinibbio
Buckley
vs.
Di Chirico
Soriano
vs.
Todorovic

MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2021: 0-0

Holloway
(68%)

Condit
(63%)

Ponzinibbio
(82%)

Buckley
(85%)

Todorovic
(57%)

Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2021: 0-0
2020 Champion

Holloway

Condit

Ponzinibbio

Buckley

Soriano

Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2021: 0-0

Kattar

Condit

Ponzinibbio

Buckley

Soriano

Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2021: 0-0

Holloway

Condit

Ponzinibbio

Buckley

Todorovic

Nolan King
@mma_kings
2021: 0-0

Kattar

Condit

Ponzinibbio

Buckley

Soriano

Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2021: 0-0
2014 Champion

Holloway

Condit

Ponzinibbio

Buckley

Todorovic

Simon Head
@simonhead
2021: 0-0
2019 Champion*

Holloway

Condit

Ponzinibbio

Buckley

Todorovic

Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2021: 0-0
2017 Champion

Kattar

Condit

Ponzinibbio

Buckley

Soriano

Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2021: 0-0

Holloway

Brown

Jingliang

Buckley

Soriano

Dave Doyle
@davedoylemma
2021: 0-0

Kattar

Condit

Ponzinibbio

Buckley

Todorovic

Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2021: 0-0
2018 Champion

Holloway

Brown

Jingliang

Buckley

Soriano

George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2021: 0-0

Kattar

Brown

Ponzinibbio

Buckley

Soriano

John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2021: 0-0

Kattar

Condit

Ponzinibbio

Buckley

Soriano

Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2021: 0-0

Holloway

Condit

Ponzinibbio

Buckley

Todorovic

Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2021: 0-0

Kattar

Condit

Ponzinibbio

Buckley

Soriano

The UFC is back for its first event of 2021 – and the first of three cards in eight days on “Fight Island.”

UFC on ABC 1 takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on ABC and ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, former featherweight champion Max Holloway (21-6 MMA, 17-6 UFC) takes on Calvin Kattar (22-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC). Holloway is a slight favorite at BetMGM at -165, but for the first headliner of the year, our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts are split down the middle at 7-7.

In the co-feature, longtime UFC welterweights Matt Brown (22-17 MMA, 15-11 UFC) and former interim champion Carlos Condit (31-13 MMA, 8-9 UFC) meet. Condit is the slight favorite, but he’s got a big 11-3 lead from our pickers.

Also on the main card, Li Jingliang (17-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) is a heavy underdog at welterweight against Santiago Ponzinibbio (27-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC), and Ponzinibbio has a big 12-2 lead in the picks.

Joaquin Buckley (12-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is the only unanimous pick from our staff members in his middleweight fight against Alessio Di Chirico (12-5 MMA, 3-5 UFC). He’s nearly a 3-1 favorite at the sports books, and he’s got a 14-0 shutout from our staff members.

And to open the main card, Punahele Soriano (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is a slight underdog at middleweight against Dusko Todorovic (10-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC). Both are undefeated, but it’s Soriano with a 9-5 picks lead.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Holloway (68 percent), Condit (63 percent), Ponzinibbio (82 percent), Buckley (85 percent) and Todorovic (57 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/ufc-on-abc-1-predictions-picks-max-holloway-vs-calvin-kattar

ABU DHABI – Punahele Soriano spoke to the media on Wednesday ahead of the UFC on ABC 1 event.

Soriano (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) discussed his middleweight bout with Dusko Todorovic (10-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), returning from a long layoff, Dana White hyping his fight and more.

UFC on ABC 1 takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena. The main card airs on ABC and ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+.

Watch the complete video of Soriano’s media day appearance above.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/ufc-on-abc-1-punahele-soriano-hopes-to-make-up-lost-time-return-injury

ABU DHABI – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Friday’s official UFC on ABC 1 weigh-ins, which kick off at 4 a.m. ET (1 a.m. PT) at the Crowne Plaza hotel.

Etihad Arena hosts Saturday’s card, which has a main card on ABC and ESPN+, with prelims on ESPN+.

Among those weighing in are former featherweight champion Max Holloway (21-6 MMA, 17-6 UFC) and Calvin Kattar (22-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC), who meet in the main event, as well as Matt Brown (22-17 MMA, 15-11 UFC) and Carlos Condit (31-13 MMA, 8-9 UFC), who fight in the welterweight co-feature.

Complete UFC on ABC 1 weigh-in results include:

MAIN CARD (ABC/ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET)

• Max Holloway vs. Calvin Kattar
• Matt Brown vs. Carlos Condit
• Li Jingliang vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio
• Joaquin Buckley vs. Alessio Di Chirico
• Punahele Soriano vs. Dusko Todorovic

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, noon ET)

• Phil Hawes vs. Nassourdine Imavov
• Joselyne Edwards vs. Wu Yanan
• Carlos Felipe vs. Justin Tafa
• Ramazan Emeev vs. David Zawada
• Vanessa Melo vs. Sarah Moras
• Jacob Kilburn vs. Austin Lingo

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/ufc-on-abc-1-holloway-vs-kattar-weigh-ins-results

Max Holloway

Holloway (21-6 MMA, 17-6 UFC) has lost three of his past four fights, but not all 1-3 stretches are created equal.

At UFC 236, Holloway, as featherweight champion, went up in weight and endured five rounds before losing a decision to Dustin Poirier in an interim title fight. At UFC 240, he defeated Frankie Edgar in a title defense. At UFC 245, he suffered a clear-cut loss to Alexander Volkanovski via unanimous decision. At UFC 251, Volkanovski won a highly controversial split decision, as many – including this reporter – felt Holloway won the fight.

A 1-3 under these circumstances, fighting the best competition in the world, going the distance in each fight, and arguably getting robbed in one, is a whole lot different than a fighter losing three of four and looking like they’re done.

But this still doesn’t mitigate the cold facts of the situation: Volkanovski is still the champ; Holloway will have a long road back as long as that’s the case, and the competition isn’t getting any easier. Kattar (22-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is on a tear, and as such, Holloway’s first non-title fight since 2016 should serve as a gauge as to whether he’ll get to another shot.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-on-abc-1-holloway-vs-kattar-5-burning-questions

While the first part of 2020 was not as productive as it could have been for strawweight Loveth Young with a loss in January to Vanessa Demopoulos at LFA 81 followed by the Covid-19 lockdown, the end of the year went decidedly better.

In her second bout of 2020, Young picked up a devastating first round TKO of Reena Norville at LFA 94 in October to get things back on track and build momentum heading into 2021.

“It was kind of a rough year for everybody, including me,” Young told MMAWeekly.com. “Covid brought down everything, but to go out with glory at the end of the year had me happy for sure. I’m grateful for the opportunity.

“I was very focused and very happy with my (fight) performances but I want to do more. I’m very focused. I’m very organized in what I do. I hope to stay focused to the end. That’s it. I did great.”

Young is looking to build off the positive energy she ended 2020 with and have what could very well be a breakout year for herself in 2021.

“Everything in life is an opportuniy,” said Young. “It’s the ability to go out there and give them what they’re looking for; to make the organization happy, to make the fans happy; that’s what I’m looking for. I’m very happy with where I’m at.

“Compared to last year we had just two fights, so this year I think is going to be better. The training camps, the opportunities, everything is coming together. This is going to be a better year for all of us.”

This Friday in P ark City, Kansas, Young (2-1-1) will look to build a winning streak for herself when she faces Kelly D’Angelo (4-3) in a 115-pound main card bout at LFA 97.

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“Every opponent is different, and like I’ve said I don’t underestimate anybody, anybody who steps into the cage to fight has the ability to believe they’re going to win,” Young said.

“Everybody who comes to fight me knows they are not coming to play. They know who they are coming to face. I’m not underestimating (D’Angelo). I know she’s coming prepared. I’m coming prepared too.”

Following just two bouts in 2020, Young is looking forward to having a hopefully more productive year in 2021.

“I want to keep myself busy,” said Young. “When this fight is over I’m on to the next fight. When they call me I’m going to stay ready and be ready to go – that’s it.”

LFA 97 Preview

(Video courtesy of LFA)

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/loveth-young-coming-prepared-at-lfa-97-on-friday