Antonina Shevchenko Best Sports Picks Gina Mazany Jamie Pickett Kevin Aguilar Michael Chandler Mike Grundy Sean Soriano Shane Burgos UFC 262 UFC Betting ufc predictions Viviane Araujo

What’s Next for the Losers of UFC 262?

May 22, 2021
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You win some and you don’t win some. UFC 262 was another brutal pay purview from the UFC with more audible bone breaks and even a delayed death punch knockout.

We have spoken extensively about what could be next for fighters like Edson Barboza and the UFC’s brand new champion at 155 pounds,Charles Oliveria, so let’s touch on what or rather, who will be next for the losers of UFC 262.

From there, we can handicap these fights as we see fit, and here’s not a secret. Preparation breeds confidence.

It was another particularly devastating night at UFC 262 for more aging fan favorites. This was almost a rerun, though, because these two guys have been fighting at the highest level of mixed martial arts for over a decade.

The heel hook that Benny had Tony in and he wouldn’t tap was just awful. I didn’t mind the arm break but that heel hooks give me the creeps. I’ll admit it. When I’m rolling, I don’t even play around like that.

El Cucuy’s face and him rolling around in pain told us all we needed to know and anyone who understands the level of devastation that goes along with the technique, already knew Tony’s knee was completely shredded.

I feel for the guy because it’s almost as if he can’t help himself right now. He wants to fight again, he says. No word yet on Jacare who will be recovering from a not so funny humerus fracture at the hands of countryman, Andre Muniz.

We can leave Tony and Jacare out of the conversation since we covered that earlier, but let’s talk briefly about what could be next for the losers of UFC 262.

Sean Soriano

I think the UFC and Sean want to be down at Featherweight. When you take a fight on as short of notice as he did, sometimes making weight in your natural weight class is impossible so the UFC is looking for 145ers to fight a Lightweight last minute pull out.

I think a fight with him and Lando Vannata makes sense.

Both are technically new to the division and each man loves to mix it up. I like the matchup for Soriano, actually, even though it is Lando Vannata who is coming off of a win, and Sean was finished with a choke.

Lando doesn’t appear to be a threat on the mat but hey, neither did Christos Gaigos but he is much larger than Sean who had to go all out because he knew he didn’t have the gas tank anyway.

This is such a fun fight and I think there would be a lot of value on Soriano because of the recency bias. We have the stylistic matchup we want, though, and I would hammer Sean all the way up to (-140), though, I think he would be the underdog.

These are the betting spots you have to be on the lookout for. Fighters coming off of a loss but this one had extenuating circumstances. It was short notice. He wasn’t even an employee of the UFC two weeks before he made his debut.

Now, he could be fighting Lando Vannata, a former lightweight who just looked better than ever. I think the books would make Lando the favorite and people would bet on him hard but the style is there for us and Soriana to beat Vannata.

It probably won’t happen but maybe one day.

Kevin Aguilar

This guy really needs to take a step back and analyze his career trajectory. I would make some smart investments because he has not looked like a UFC-level fighter in his last two appearances inside the Octagon.

Tucker Lutz is a stud. I like that kid and we are now 3-0 predicting his fights but Charles Rosa, no. That is a bad bad look for Aguilar who went into that matchup with a record of 17-2. He has power. His takedown defense is very good.

It’s a mystery and maybe it is like the story of Ken Griffey Jr. His career was amazing and he did receive a lot of credit but I think he deserves much much more praise because he did it without that pharmaceutical help.

How do I know this? Well, I don’t but the eye test tells us that his body was much different than Sammy, Mark, or Barry’s. Look at all the injuries that plagued Griffey also. Steroids are recovery, essentially, and in the case of major injuries, aren’t your worst bet when looking to return to world class form as fast as possible.

Griffey stayed hurt in the second half of his career while the other guys were shooting up and shooting stars out of the sky with steroid missiles flying off their bats at the highest rate ever.

Maybe Kevin Aguilar is a guy who isn’t using any extra help and has just fallen victim to a string of injuries. That’s how it works sometimes.

What’s next for Kevin?

I would say give him one more prospect and if he can’t do anything with him, then it’s pink slip time.

This is a tough one. I say let Andre Fili get some confidence back and both men will get the fight they want. The fans will get the fight they want to see as well with a striking battle between two powerful guys for 145 pounds.

We have to make Andre Fili the favorite here. He is in form while Kevin appears to be quite lost.

Handicap:
Fili
-190
Kevin Aguilar
+160
Place Bet Now!

Gina Mazany

Turning your back standing up and looking at the referee for help is every fighters’ worst nightmare. You might think it is getting knocked out, or losing several front teeth, a cracked skull, a shredded knee, a ruptured spleen, I can keep going.

These things heal but one thing that never ever will is quitting. Quitting never heals and I don’t want to come off like I’m scolding Gina. I am too scared of Priscila to even step inside the Octagon much less keep fighting when a real life Zombie is attacking me.

It is true, though, and she will never be the same. Gillian Robertson is the same way. Once you go out like that, it is very hard to come back. I say let’s give Gina the aforementioned Savage Gillian Robertson and see who quits.

No, I don’t think either lady will because they aren’t power punchers and that seems to be their fear. Both women are good wrestlers, though, and this fight would be interesting to see who can impose their will on the other.

I have to give Gillian the nod here, though, but I don’t think I would be betting it unless we got Gil down at (-130) or so. I think that would be a nice spot but I would line this a little differently.

Handicap:
Robertson
-165
Mazany
+135
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Antonina Shevchenko

A lot of people were backing her against Andrea Lee but not us! That one felt good because I changed my mind but I changed it correctly. Things are just clearer as the week progresses. It starts out very foggy at times like this week has with such a strange fight card.

I give you guys some leans early on in the week but we will always be in a better position to make the right choice later in the week. Betting odds change, though, and value can appear and disappear without our control.

So, sometimes hitting them really early like we did with Dariush at (+100) 2 months ago is the way to go. Generally speaking, though, we have a much better idea on Friday than we do the preceding Monday on how the event will go from a betting perspective.

Antonina is 37 now but still looks good. I think she just ran into a force that refused to take no for an answer in Andrea Lee. She was much more desperate having lost her last 3 fights. Nina can kind of feel at this point that she has a ceiling and she isn’t going to break through and become a lot better overnight.

I would say give her Gillian Robertson but The Savage is taken. That doesn’t leave much. Lara Procopio is a girl with a ground game good enough to stop Nina but the wrestling remains a mystery.

On the feet, it isn’t even close but Nina is the bigger and far better athlete so I would favor her (-170).

Handicap:
Antonina Shevchenko
-170
Lara Procopio
-143
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Jamie Pickett


The road, jack.

Mike Grundy

Give ‘em Darren Elkins!

The old man will break Mike Grundy’s soul into a million little pieces.

Actually, no. I don’t think it would be that bad.

Mike can outwrestle him, though, and would be favored.

Age and miles are a real thing and we can’t overlook The Damage he has done to himself over the years fighting the way he does inside the Octagon.

I don’t think Darren has quite the sauce to simmer down the wrestling game of Mike Grundy. His loss at UFC 262 was more of Vannata looking better than ever than it was him having a bad night.

Handicap:
Grundy
-175
Darren Elkins
+155
Place Bet Now!

Shane Burgos

Man, I would take some time off. That delayed reaction he had from getting knocked out over the weekend was something else.

If we had to match him up soon, though, I would say to give Shane someone who isn’t a big puncher. I think it is respectful to a fighters’ health but you can’t get carried away, though, and be a helicopter parent.

Shane has lost two in a row so I want to give him someone who has also dropped some recent fights but there isn’t anyone lose to him in the rankings on a losing streak. Bryce Mitchell is a good name.

I think these two match up wonderfully.

Bryce has a filthy ground game and okay wrestling. Shane has the hands and defense to piece of up Mitchell, though, for sure. Don’t get it twisted, guys. Burgos just fought Edson Barboza. He will be fine on the feet against Bryce.

This one comes down to wrestling and I have to side with the front foot fighter. Wrestling is difficult if you’re moving backward and I think Bryce would be on his bike for much of the fight against Burgos.

He can do a reactive double leg from there but all that backward momentum takes away from the amount of range he can cover on a shot.

I think Burgos takes 2 out of 3 pretty handily.

Handicap:
Shane Burgos
-210
Bryce Mitchell
+170
Place Bet Now!

Viviane Araujo

Your next opponent, Vivi, and I say this with all due respect, needs to be the road/yourself. Run farther than you normally do because you are all explosion and no endurance.

She had top position for a few minutes on Katlyn, the mount, and still gassed halfway through the round. She gassed on top, not late in the third but halfway through the fight. She really needs to work on this.

You know she is putting in the work because her skills are there and the muscles are going to make a fighter gas sooner but not that bad.

She couldn’t even defend punches from Katlyn Chookagian at UFC 262. I think Vivi needs a step down in competition and get some cardio.

She might lose a little bit of muscle but she will be a better fighter for it.

I say give her Andrea Lee. They both like to strike and have good takedowns. Andrea will be at a power disadvantage but certainly has a better gas tank.

Handicap:
Andrea Lee
-125
Viviane Araujo
+105
Place Bet Now!

Michael Chandler

He was so close! One or two more clean shots when he had Charles hurt and the MMA world would be singing an entirely different tune today.

As my dad would say, though, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Who is next for Michael Chandler?

Well, Justin Gaethje is the obvious next choice. Both men are phenomenal wrestlers and have power in each of their hands. I love that matchup but I think Justin wants to wait on the winner of Conor and Dustin.

You can’t blame him for that.

How about Benny?

Beneil Dariush has the ranking now so let’s do it. They are already on the same schedule.

I would favor Chandler here, though. Many of their talents match up but there is a massive gap in athleticism and movement. That’s where Mike wins this fight most likely.

Handicap:
Michael Chandler
-166
Beneil Dariush
+141
Place Bet Now!

In Conclusion

Losers need love too and the L-word happens to be the foundation of growth. It shouldn’t be celebrated.

I am not one of those guys who thinks everyone deserves a trophy but fighters usually improve after a loss.

That is if it isn’t a loss like Jacare took against Kevin Holland or the losses that Tony took at the hands of Justin Gaethje. Those are career changers for sure but take your average prospect who is 9-0.

He is cocky and his confidence is, of course, not an issue. He is an All American wrestler from a Division I school and is really feeling himself. He fights a wily Brazilian who has seen his best days but catches the young lion in a guillotine as the wrestler shot in for a takedown.

These losses are the good ones because there is a direct learning opportunity and it almost always works. You have to be careful with a fighter’s confidence, though, because fighting is more mental than physical.

If you go into a fight with the logical attitude that you could lose, then you could have already lost. That’s just the way it goes. If you are very logical then it is going to be hard for you to do this job.

This is why we are seeing Tony Ferguson the way he is. He was SO CONFIDENT!

He still is and that is scary.

PLACE YOUR BETS NOW!

https://www.thesportsgeek.com/blog/whats-next-for-the-losers-of-ufc-262/

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