This will be the second UFC event on the same Saturday, and it offers another main event rematch just like the earlier event – UFC Fight Night 99. Believe it or not, it's likely we might see the next light heavyweight title challenger come out of this card if Ryan Bader comes out on top against 'Little Nog'. Apart from that, we'll see how promising fighters Claudia Gadelha, Thomas Almeida and Warlley Alves bounce back from losses.
What: UFC Fight Night 100
Where: Ginásio do Ibirapuera, São Paulo, Brazil
When: Saturday, Nov. 18. The two-fight UFC Fight Pass prelims begin at 6 p.m. ET, the four-fight FOX Sports 1 preliminary card begins at 7 p.m. ET, and the six-fight main card begins airing on FOX Sports 1 at 9 p.m. ET.
Ryan Bader vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Since they first fought at UFC 119 back in 2010, Ryan Bader has improved a good amount. Bader is more experienced, his fight IQ is much higher, his striking has improved dramatically, and his takedowns and ground game have also improved although they were already solid back then. Meanwhile, Nogueira, I'm sure has improved his all-around skills, but has mainly remained the same fighter.
I see the same outcome as their first bout, but this time I think Bader puts on a more dominant performance, and likely gets a finish. I also believe that Bader can now strike with 'Little Nog' and find success. I don't think he needs to rely on his wrestling as much as he did in the first fight.
Pick: Bader
Thomas Almeida vs. Albert Morales
The common thought going into this one is that Almeida is going to smoke Morales. Although that's likely to happen, I think this fight is bit closer than what people may think.
Morales is less experienced than Almeida, but his striking technique is not too far from Almeida's. Both guys have a very technical standup game, and I'm sure both will have their moments in this fight. The difference here is that Almeida is way more dangerous with his striking than Morales, and is a bit quicker on his feet too. I see this fight being competitive until Almeida lands a flashy shot.
Pick: Almeida
Cortney Casey vs. Claudia Gadelha
Claudia Gadelha reminds me a bit of Joseph Benavidez a few years ago. She's clearly the No. 1 challenger in the strawweight division despite just challenging for the belt, and every time she fights the champion, she puts on a tough fight, but doesn't quite do enough to get the win. As of now, I see Gadelha beating every strawweight out there that's not the champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk. And like Benavidez, she's going to beat every top contender they throw at her until she fights for the belt again.
I do acknowledge that Casey is a solid fighter, with good striking and range, and that can pose a problem to Gadelha as we saw that against Jedrzejczyk. Still, I favor Gadelha going into this fight.
Pick: Gadelha
Krzysztof Jotko vs. Thales Leites
This should be a fun fight. Jotko has looked very impressive in his UFC run, compiling a record of 5-1 in the promotion. His last fight was a brutal knockout over veteran Tamdan McCrory in June. Now, he's facing another veteran in Leites with a somewhat similar skill set as McCrory.
Leites has never been knocked out, and I don't think that will change this fight. Leites is mostly seen as a jiu-jitsu guy, but let's not forget that the man gave Michael Bisping a hard time on the feet. I see the combination of striking and grappling from Leites overwhelming the well-rounded Jotko.
Pick: Leites
Warlley Alves vs. Kamaru Usman
Alves is a very talented fighter, but he can be a bit of a hot head in the octagon and that can cost him a fight. He's sometimes too aggressive and compromises his cardio. Usman, on the other hand, is very patient and paces himself very well. I think this is a bad match up for Alves. I see Usman waiting on Alves to over commit and implementing his grappling in an opening. I say Usman grinds this one out.
Pick: Usman
Ottow truly impressed me with his UFC debut, defeating Josh Burkman on short notice. He stays composed under the bright lights, and has a well-rounded skillset. However, taking on Moraes in Brazil and on short notice is no easy task. I think Moraes is just a bit better everywhere, and with the home-town advantage, he should have the edge here. But don't be surprised if we see an upset.
Pick: Moraes
Undercard:
Cezar Ferreira def. Jack Hermansson
Marcos Rogerio de Lima def. Gadzhimurad Antigulov
Johnny Eduardo def. Manny Gamburyan
Luis Henrique def. Christian Colombo
Justin Scoggins def. Pedro Munhoz
Francimar Barroso def. Darren Stuart