UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga Preview

UFC on FOX 8 takes place Saturday at Key Arena in Seattle and features a Flyweight Championship fight, pitting Demetrious Johnson against rising challenger John Moraga. A great welterweight fight between Jake Ellenberger and Rory McDonald should provide some clarity in the welterweight title contention picture. It’s a free card too! No reason to not watch.

Bantamweight: Liz Carmouche (8-3) vs. Jessica Andrade (9-2)
I don’t know much about women’s MMA, it’s just a fact. But what I do know is that Carmouche is coming off a title fight against champion Ronda Rousey, and gave her a relatively decent fight. That’s enough for me, I see Carmouche winning by submission and getting her name back in the title chase.

Carmouche

Welterweight: Robbie Lawler (20-9) vs. Bobby Voelker (24-9)
Lawler finally seems to be pulling things together. His last fight was a TKO of the always tough Josh Koscheck at UFC 157. He landed 16 shots on his way to the first round knock out. Add to that, 17 of Lawler’s 20 wins have come by TKO/KO and you have a pretty good picture of his plan. Voelker is coming off a decision loss to Patrick Cote. His other wins have come in the now defunct Strikeforce Challengers series, not exactly the highest competition. This is Lawler’s fight to lose and I expect him to crush Voelker in a TKO/KO victory.

Lawler

Welterweight: Jake Ellenberger (29-6) vs. Rory McDonald (14-1)
In a potential Fight of the Night candidate, Jake Ellenberger meets Rory McDonald with a potential title shot on the line. Both fighters have won four of their past five fights with Ellenberger on a two fight win streak and McDonald on a four fight win streak. McDonald is the future of the division, his ground game (6-0 Submission) is as well rounded as his striking (6-1 TKO/KO). Ellenberger has twice the amount of fights as McDonald and his 18-1 TKO/KO is evidence that he packs some serious power. The potential for fireworks is there, but I see McDonald taking a decision.

McDonald

UFC Flyweight Title: Demetrious Johnson (17-2-1) vs. John Moraga (13-1)
The flyweight division is still being built up, but make no mistake, the 125er’s bring the action. Johnson is the reigning champion after moving down from Bantamweight (135lbs) where he fought, but lost, for the title. Since then went through UFC’s mini-flyweight tournament, won the title, and defended it once (a somewhat close fight in Chicago against John Dodson). Moraga has only two fights in the UFC, won by TKO/KO and a guillotine choke. Johnson was tagged some by Dodson in his last fight, but Dodson has more power than Moraga, and I don’t think Johnson will let himself get hit like that again. This should end up being Johnson’s fourth straight decision victory.

Johnson

2013 Record: 3-1

UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga is live from Key Arena in Seattle, Saturday, July 27 on Fox.

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