Tag: Alexander Gustafsson

5 biggest takeaways from UFC on ESPN 14: Dan Hardy vs. Herb Dean, Gustafsson’s next move, more

Thoughts and analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC on ESPN 14, which took place Saturday in Abu Dhabi.

What mattered most at UFC on ESPN 14 at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi? Here are a few post-fight musings …

* * * * *

1. Dan Hardy vs. Herb Dean

One of the bigger talking points from this event was the conflict between referee Herb Dean and color commentator [autotag]Dan Hardy[/autotag], who had what’s now turned into a well-publicized spat stemming from stoppage in Francisco Trinaldo’s TKO of Jai Herbert.

There are two obvious things to be noted about this situation: First, the fight was absolutely stopped late. It was over when Trinaldo landed a bomb that dropped Herbert like a sack of potatoes, and there was no need for Dean to wait for the Brazilian to land four extra shots on his grounded foe. Second, Hardy is well within his right to criticize the finish to not just this fight, but any fight he wants from his commentary position.

The key words there, though, are from his commentary position. The lines started to blur when Hardy went out of his designated position of the booth to vocalize his feelings directly to Dean. Was the face-to-face tongue-lashing justified? Probably. Dean messed this one up. But that’s not Hardy’s role. There are regulators cageside in actual positions of authority who can express opinions and discipline Dean, if merited, after a bad call.

Not to get it twisted: Hardy’s passion is appreciated, and he made it clear both in the moment and in his statement after the event that he’s merely trying to hold the referees accountable and look out for the athletes stepping in the octagon, because he of all people knows how dangerous the sport can be. Those are the kinds of people we need in MMA, but he can’t allow his emotions to spill outside his duties on a live broadcast.

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Despite the UFC’s claim it will investigate the situation, it’s unlikely much comes of this. Ideally, it serves as a learning lesson for all involved. Dean has been the gold standard for refereeing for a long time, and because of that his mistakes are magnified compared to other referees. He’s made some notable errors in recent years, and this was one of them.

As someone who has interacted with Dean and seen what this job means to him, I can confidently say he’s going to be hard on himself about this. Thankfully, Herbert doesn’t appear to have been seriously injured in the loss, and all we can hope for is that Dean does better going forward.

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Who’s next for Darren Till after Robert whittaker loss? | UFC on ESPN 14 matchmaker.mov

MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn plays matchmaker and looks ahead to what makes sense for Darren Till in this edition of “Sean Shelby’s Shoes.”

MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn plays matchmaker and looks ahead to what makes sense for Darren Till in this edition of “Sean Shelby’s Shoes.”

Who’s next for Robert Whittaker after beating Darren Till? | UFC on ESPN 14 matchmaker.mov

MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn plays matchmaker and looks ahead to what makes sense for Robert Whittaker in this edition of “Sean Shelby’s Shoes.”

MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn plays matchmaker and looks ahead to what makes sense for Robert Whittaker in this edition of “Sean Shelby’s Shoes.”

UFC on ESPN 14 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Main event combines for $15k payout

UFC on ESPN 14 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.

ABU DHABI – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 14 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $209,500

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC on ESPN 14 took place at Flash Forum in Yas Island. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 14 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Darren Till[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag]: $20,000
def. [autotag]Antonio Rogerio Nogueira[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag]: $15,000
def. [autotag]Alexander Gustafsson[/autotag]: $15,000

[autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Gadzhimurad Antigulov[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Alex Oliveira[/autotag]: $15,000
def. [autotag]Peter Sobotta[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Rhys McKee[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Francisco Trinaldo[/autotag]: $20,000
def. [autotag]Jai Herbert[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Jesse Ronson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Nicolas Dalby[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Jake Collier[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Mike Grundy[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Raphael Pessoa[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Pannie Kianzad[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Bethe Correia[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Ramazan Emeev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Niklas Stolze[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Nathaniel Wood[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]John Castaneda[/autotag]: $3,500

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Reebok’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $3,500 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,000; 6-10 bouts get $5,000; 11-15 bouts earn $10,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $15,000; and 21 bouts and more get $20,000. Additionally, champions earn $40,000 while title challengers get $30,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2020 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $3,497,500
2019 total: $7,370,500
2018 total: $6,901,000
2017 total: $6,295,000
2016 total: $7,138,000
2015 total: $3,185,000
Program-to-date total: $34,502,000

Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC on ESPN 14, including Darren Till’s ‘intentional silence’

Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 14 event.

While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.

See what the fighters from UFC on ESPN 14 went with as their backing tracks in Abu Dhabi.

* * * *

Robert Whittaker def. Darren Till via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)

[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]: “Can’t Be Touched” by Roy Jones Jr.

[autotag]Darren Till[/autotag]: No walkout song

Mauricio Rua def. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

[autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag]: “Under Pressure” by David Bowie & Queen

[autotag]Antonio Rogerio Nogueira[/autotag]: “Uma Vida Inteira Em Um Dia Recall” by Khadija

Fabricio Werdum def. Alexander Gustafsson via submission (armbar) — Round 1, 2:30

[autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag]: “Fabricio Werdum” by Felipe Name

[autotag]Alexander Gustafsson[/autotag]: “Training Montage (Rocky IV Soundtrack)” via Vince DiCola

Carla Esparza def. Marina Rodriguez via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

[autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag]: “I’m Shipping Up To Boston” by Dropkick Murphys

[autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag]: “Born To The Fight” by Waylander

Paul Craig def. Gadzhimurad Antigulov via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 2:06

[autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag]: “Victory Over The Sun” by Biffy Clyro

[autotag]Gadzhimurad Antigulov[/autotag]: “Lezginka Super” by Kavkaz

Alex Oliveira def. Peter Sobotta via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

[autotag]Alex Oliveira[/autotag]: “Deus é por Nós -” by MC Marks

[autotag]Peter Sobotta[/autotag]: “Bad Boys” by Inner Circle

Khamzat Chimaev def. Rhys McKee via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:09

[autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag]: N/A

[autotag]Rhys McKee[/autotag]: “Congratulations” by Post Malone feat. Quavo

Francisco Trinaldo def. Jai Herbert via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 1:30

[autotag]Francisco Trinaldo[/autotag]: “Promontory (The Last of the Mohicans)” by Trevor Jones

[autotag]Jai Herbert[/autotag]: “Know Better” by Headie One feat RV

Jesse Ronson def. Nicolas Dalby via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:48

[autotag]Jesse Ronson[/autotag]: “Sh*t Hits The Fan” by Obie Trice feat. Dr. Dre

[autotag]Nicolas Dalby[/autotag]: “Der Er Et Yndigt Land (There Is A Lovely Country)” by Dzifa

Tom Aspinall def. Jake Collier via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:45

[autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag]: “Move On Up” by Curtis Mayfield

[autotag]Jake Collier[/autotag]: “Hold Strong” by Rob Bailey & The Hustle Standard

Movsar Evloev def. Mike Grundy via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

[autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag]: N/A

[autotag]Mike Grundy[/autotag]: “Wonderwall” by Oasis

Tanner Boser def. Raphael Pessoa via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 2:36

[autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag]: “Motorcycle” by Colter Wall

[autotag]Raphael Pessoa[/autotag]: “Papai Dos Status” by MC Bobo

Pannie Kianzad def. Bethe Correia via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

[autotag]Pannie Kianzad[/autotag]: “Take A Chance On Me” by ABBA

[autotag]Bethe Correia[/autotag]: “Feel This Moment” by Pitbull feat. Christina Aguilera

Ramazan Emeev def. Niklas Stolze via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

[autotag]Ramazan Emeev[/autotag]: “Because I Am A Highlander” by Marat

[autotag]Niklas Stolze[/autotag]: “No Diet” by Digga D

Nathaniel Wood def. John Castaneda via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

[autotag]Nathaniel Wood[/autotag]: “I’m A Man” by Black Strobe

[autotag]John Castaneda[/autotag]: “Run This Town” by Jay-Z

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

Alexander Gustafsson issues statement after UFC on ESPN 14 loss to Fabricio Werdum

Alexander Gustaffson admits the loss “sucks” but seemed to take it well overall.

[autotag]Alexander Gustafsson[/autotag]’s UFC on ESPN 14 fight against former heavyweight champion [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag] did not play out as he envisioned.

In his heavyweight debut, Gustafsson (18-7 MMA, 10-7 UFC) was submitted in the first round by Werdum (24-9-1 MMA, 12-6 UFC). After some brief exchanges on the feet, Werdum dragged Gustafsson to the mat. From there, Werdum took Gustafsson’s back and eventually worked his way into a fight-ending armbar.

Shortly after the loss, Gustafsson issued a statement on Twitter expressing a mix emotions. He also promoted his teammate, Khamzat Chimaev, who picked up a win earlier in the evening against Rhys McKee.

“It’s [sic] sucks to lose but I’m alive and healthy it’s a sport, a sport that I love!” Gustafsson wrote. “Thanks Werdum for a great fight and the UFC for the opportunity! Now let’s celebrate my brother and teammate kamza borz!!! He’s coming for everyone, be ready”

Gustafsson, 33, now has lost three consecutive fights. Prior to the Werdum loss, Gustafsson was submitted by Anthony Smith, which led to retirement until his return Saturday.

UFC on ESPN 14 took place at Flash Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The card simulcasted on ESPN and ESPN+.

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Twitter reacts to Fabricio Werdum’s submission of Alexander Gustafsson at UFC on ESPN 14

See the top Twitter reactions to Fabricio Werdum’s first-round finish of Alexander Gustafsson at UFC on ESPN 14.

[autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag] spoiled [autotag]Alexander Gustafsson[/autotag]’s heavyweight debut on Saturday at UFC on ESPN 14.

Former champ Werdum (24-9-1 MMA, 12-6 UFC) got his first win since November 2017 when he rejected longtime light heavyweight contender Gustafsson (18-7 MMA, 10-7 UFC) jump in division with a first-round submission victory in the featured matchup, which took place at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi and aired on ESPN.

Check below for the top Twitter reactions to Werdum’s victory over Gustafsson at UFC on ESPN 14.

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UFC on ESPN 14: Fabricio Werdum vs. Alexander Gustafsson odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 14 fight between Fabricio Werdum and Alexander Gustafsson, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Fabricio Werdum and Alexander Gustafsson square off in a heavyweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN 14 Saturday at the UFC’s Fight Island facility on Yas Island, United Arab Emirates. The prelims kick off at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, followed by the main card set for 8 p.m. ET.

Want to place a bet on UFC on ESPN 14? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Werdum (23-9-1) steps into the octagon with a 38-pound advantage, and will likely be looking to take Gustafsson (18-6) to the mat as soon as possible. Werdum doesn’t hold many advantages outside of his weight, but does have a 1.13 to 0.41 submission average over his counterpart. Werdum is coming off a split-decision loss to Aleksei Oleinik at UFC 249, and is on a two-bout skid. Werdum has never lost three consecutive fights in his professional career. In 33 pro fights, he has 11 submission wins and four of his previous six outings have gone the distance.

Gustafsson is also coming off a loss, tapping out against Anthony Smith June 1, 2019. Gustafsson is also 0-2 in his past two outings, and 3-5 in the previous eight bouts. Like Werdum, Gustafsson has never lost three fights in a row at any point of his professional career, so something’s gotta give. Each of Gustafsson’s past three fights have finished inside the distance. The big Swede hasn’t won by submission since he topped James Te Huna at UFC 127 back on Feb. 26, 2011, so you can obviously forget about betting that prop.

Fabricio Werdum vs. Alexander Gustafsson betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 8:55 a.m. ET.

Gustafsson (-358) enters as a huge favorite. The 33-year-old will be looking to snap a two-bout losing skid, and should be able to do it against the 42-year-old Werdum (+275), who is in the twilight of his career. However, Gustafsson is just too expensive, so you’ll have to get a bit creative. GUSTAFSSON BY KO/TKO, DQ or SUBMISSION (+100) is even money, and the far more attractive play on the 5-way line. As long as he doesn’t win on points, or fall to the Brazilian veteran, you’re in good shape.

As far as the length of the fight, Werdum tends to go long into the night, while Gustafsson looks to put the lights out early. Betting NO (-167): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? is a sound play, as is taking UNDER 2.5 ROUNDS (-134), if you want to save a little bit of juice. Another avenue you might want to pursue, if you’re uncertain of the winner, is betting the KO/TKO/DQ (-121) as the method of finish, and it doesn’t matter who comes out with their arm raised.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC on ESPN 14 predictions: Who’s backing Robert Whittaker to rebound on ‘Fight Island?’

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC on ESPN 14 main card in Abu Dhabi.

Whittaker
vs.
Till		 Nogueira
vs.
Rua		 Gustafsson
vs.
Werdum		 Esparza
vs.
Rodriguez		 Antigulov
vs.
Craig		 Oliveira
vs.
Sobotta
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2020: 67-44		 whittaker2020
Whittaker
(65%)		 rua2020
Rua
(87%)		 gustafsson2020
Gustafsson
(80%)		 rodriguez2020
Rodriguez
(56%)		 craig2020
Craig
(63%)		 oliveira2020
Oliveira
(86%)
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2020: 81-30		 whittaker2020
Whittaker		 rua2020
Rua		 gustafsson2020
Gustafsson		 rodriguez2020
Rodriguez		 gadzhimurad2020
Antigulov		 oliveira2020
Oliveira
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2020: 80-31		 till2020
Till		 rua2020
Rua		 gustafsson2020
Gustafsson		 rodriguez2020
Rodriguez		 gadzhimurad2020
Antigulov		 oliveira2020
Oliveira
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2020: 79-32		 whittaker2020
Whittaker		 rua2020
Rua		 gustafsson2020
Gustafsson		 rodriguez2020
Rodriguez		 craig2020
Craig		 oliveira2020
Oliveira
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2020: 76-35
trophy copy 2014 Champion		 whittaker2020
Whittaker		 rua2020
Rua		 gustafsson2020
Gustafsson		 rodriguez2020
Rodriguez		 craig2020
Craig		 oliveira2020
Oliveira
Simon Head
@simonhead
2020: 75-36
trophy copy 2019 Champion*		 till2020
Till		 rua2020
Rua		 gustafsson2020
Gustafsson		 rodriguez2020
Rodriguez		 craig2020
Craig		 oliveira2020
Oliveira
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2020: 75-36		 whittaker2020
Whittaker		 rua2020
Rua		 gustafsson2020
Gustafsson		 esparza2020
Esparza		 gadzhimurad2020
Antigulov		 oliveira2020
Oliveira
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2020: 73-38
trophy copy 2018 Champion		 whittaker2020
Whittaker		 rua2020
Rua		 gustafsson2020
Gustafsson		 esparza2020
Esparza		 gadzhimurad2020
Antigulov		 oliveira2020
Oliveira
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2020: 73-38
trophy copy 2017 Champion		 whittaker2020
Whittaker		 rua2020
Rua		 gustafsson2020
Gustafsson		 esparza2020
Esparza		 craig2020
Craig		 oliveira2020
Oliveira
Dave Doyle
@davedoylemma
2020: 72-39		 whittaker2020
Whittaker		 rua2020
Rua		 gustafsson2020
Gustafsson		 esparza2020
Esparza		 gadzhimurad2020
Antigulov		 oliveira2020
Oliveira
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2020: 72-39		 whittaker2020
Whittaker		 rua2020
Rua		 gustafsson2020
Gustafsson		 rodriguez2020
Rodriguez		 gadzhimurad020
Antigulov		 oliveira2020
Oliveira
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2020: 68-43		 whittaker2020
Whittaker		 rua2020
Rua		 gustafsson2020
Gustafsson		 rodriguez2020
Rodriguez		 craig2020
Craig		 oliveira2020
Oliveira
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2020: 67-44		 whittaker2020
Whittaker		 rua2020
Rua		 gustafsson2020
Gustafsson		 esparza2020
Esparza		 craig2020
Craig		 oliveira2020
Oliveira
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2020: 67-44		 whittaker2020
Whittaker		 rua2020
Rua		 werdum2020
Werdum		 esparza2020
Esparza		 craig2020
Craig		 oliveira2020
Oliveira
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2020: 45-66		 whittaker2020
Whittaker		 nogueira2020
Nogueira		 werdum2020
Werdum		 esparza2020
Esparza		 craig2020
Craig		 sobotta2020
Sobotta

The UFC wraps up its four-event “Fight Island” run this week with a former middleweight champion atop the bill.

UFC on ESPN 14 takes place Saturday at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

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

In the main event, former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] (20-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC) is the overwhelming favorite with from our panel of 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts. Just two of the panel have picked England’s [autotag]Darren Till[/autotag] (18-2-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC) to spring the upset.

In the co-main event, [autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] (26-11-1 MMA, 6-6 UFC) is even more strongly favored, with all 13 of the 14 panelists siding with “Shogun”, who currently stands at 2-0 in his personal series against [autotag]Antonio Rogerio Nogueira[/autotag] (23-9 MMA, 10-9-1 UFC).

Also on the main card, former UFC light heavyweight title challenger [autotag]Alexander Gustafsson[/autotag] (18-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) is set to move up a division to take on former UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag] (23-9-1 MMA, 11-6 UFC), and the panel has given its near-unanimous backing to the big Swede, with 12 of the 14 panelists picking “The Mauler” to pick up a huge win on his divisional debut.

The women’s strawweight battle between former champion [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] (16-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) and Brazilian contender [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag] (12-0-2 MMA, 2-0-2 UFC) was the tightest matchup on the card in terms of the reader vote, with Rodriguez edging it 56 percent to 44. The bout also split our panel, with seven selecting Esparza as their predicted winner and seven siding with Rodriguez.

The panel was split again for the light heavyweight fight between [autotag]Gadzhimurad Antigulov[/autotag] (20-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC) and [autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag] (12-4-1 MMA, 4-4-1 UFC) with the Scot edging it 8-6 with our panel. The readers also lean towards “The Bearjew” to get the victory, with 63 percent picking him to get the win on Saturday night.

And to open the main card, Brazilian [autotag]Alex Oliveira[/autotag] (21-8-1 MMA, 10-6-1 UFC) was a near-unanimous selection for our panel, with only one member picking his opponent, [autotag]Peter Sobotta[/autotag] (17-6-1 MMA, 4-5 UFC). “Cowboy” was also a very popular pick with our readers and, with 86 percent of the votes, he is the second-biggest reader favorite on the main card.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Whittaker (65 percent), Rua (87 percent), Gustafsson (80 percent), Rodriguez (56 percent), Craig (63 percent) and Oliveira (86 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

6 burning questions heading into UFC on ESPN 14

MMA Junkie senior editor Dave Doyle walks you through the key questions UFC on ESPN 14 will answer.

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The UFC’s debut run on “Fight Island” comes to a close on Saturday with a marathon card in Abu Dhabi.

Barring any last-minute dropouts, a whopping 15 fights will go down at UFC on ESPN 14 – the most since UFC 2 in 1994 – and several of those fights are consequential.

None more so than the evening’s main event, in which [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] returns to the cage for the first time since losing the middleweight championship to Israel Adesanya. There, he’ll take on another fighter with something to prove, English star [autotag]Darren Till[/autotag]. Till, a former welterweight title challenger, has successfully transitioned to 185 pounds, and he’s looking to prove he’s here to stay in his new division. 

UFC on ESPN 14 takes place Saturday at Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

Without further ado, here are six burning questions heading into UFC on ESPN 14.

****

Does Robert Whittaker still have it?

We’ll admit that, at first glance, this looks like a bit of a harsh question to ask of someone coming off only one loss, to Adesanya at that, following a nine-fight winning streak. But then you stop and consider that Whittaker has fought only once in the past two years and twice in the past three. 

And that his body doesn’t seem to want to cooperate, from knee injuries to staph infections to a collapsed bowel.

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And you also consider that, even though Whittaker (20-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC) hasn’t yet hit age 30, he’s been through some wars, including 10 absolutely grueling rounds with a killer in Yoel Romero.

Will this all go down as a detour along the way before Whittaker makes adjustments and returns to the top? Or might the lopsided second-round KO loss to Adesanya prove his ultimate turning point? A battle with Till (18-2-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC) should give us a strong indication which way this is going. 

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