UFC on ESPN 7 predictions: Overeem or Rozenstruik in heavyweight clash in D.C.?

Check out our staff’s picks for the UFC on ESPN 7 main card in Washington, D.C., featuring Alistair Overeem vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

	Overeem vs. Rozenstruik	Calvillo vs. Rodriguez	Rothwell vs. Struve	Kunitskaya vs. Ladd	Stamann vs. Yadong	Font vs. Simon
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2019: 203-123 (62%)	Rozenstruik (56%)	Calvillo (66%)	Rothwell (53%)	Ladd (80%)	Yadong (64%)	Font (51%)
Simon Head @simonhead 2019: 119-65 (65%)	Rozenstruik	Rodriguez	Rothwell	Ladd	Yadong	Font
Nolan King @mma_kings 2019: 115-64 (64%)	Overeem	Rodriguez	Rothwell	Ladd	Stamann	Font
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2019: 209-117 (64%)	Overeem	Calvillo	Rothwell	Ladd	Yadong	Font
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2019: 207-119 (64%) 2017 Champion	Rozenstruik	Rodriguez	Rothwell	Kunitskaya	Stamann	Font
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2019: 206-120 (63%) 2018 Champion	Rozenstruik	Calvillo	Rothwell	Ladd	Yadong	Font
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2019: 204-122 (63%)	Overeem	Rodriguez	Rothwell	Ladd	Stamann	Font
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2019: 203-123 (62%) 2014 Champion	Overeem	Rodriguez	Rothwell	Ladd	Yadong	Simon
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2019: 203-123 (62%)	Rozenstruik	Rodriguez	Rothwell	Ladd	Yadong	Font
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2019: 200-126 (61%)	Overeem	Calvillo	Rothwell	Ladd	Stamann	Font
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2019: 141-69 (60%)	Overeem	Calvillo	Rothwell	Ladd	Yadong	Font
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2019: 193-133 (59%)	Rozenstruik	Rodriguez	Rothwell	Ladd	Yadong	Font
Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2019: 131-103 (56%)	Overeem	Calvillo	Rothwell	Ladd	Stamann	Font
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2019: 172-154 (53%)	Rozenstruik	Calvillo	Struve	Kunitskaya	Stamann	Simon

The UFC is back in the nation’s capital city this week for the first time since 2011, and heavyweights top the bill.

UFC on ESPN 7 takes place Saturday at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

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

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In the main event, [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] (45-17 MMA, 10-6 UFC) takes on the unbeaten [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) at heavyweight. The fight is a virtual pick’em with the oddsmakers, and it’s close with our 13 MMA Junkie editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well. Overeem has the slightest possible edge at 7-6 in our picks.

In the co-main event, [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) badly missed weight for her women’s strawweight bout against [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag] (12-0-1 MMA, 2-0-1 UFC), but the fight will go on. Rodriguez is a slight favorite at the sports books, and she has a slight edge at 7-6 in our picks.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag] (36-12 MMA, 6-6 UFC) meets [autotag]Stefan Struve[/autotag] (29-11 MMA, 13-9 UFC) in a battle of heavyweight veterans. Rothwell has a slight betting edge around -150, but he has a massive 12-1 lead in the picks with only one of our staff members taking the 7-foot Struve.

Another picks blowout belongs to [autotag]Aspen Ladd[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in her women’s bantamweight fight against [autotag]Yana Kunitskaya[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC). Ladd is a -160 favorite, but has an 11-2 lead in the picks.

[autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 4-0 UFC) is more than a 2-1 favorite in his bantamweight fight against [autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag] (18-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), making him the heaviest favorite on the main card. But Yadong has just a 7-6 lead in the picks.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) is just a slight favorite against [autotag]Ricky Simon[/autotag] (15-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in their bantamweight fight. But Font pulled off a big 11-2 rout in the picks.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Rozenstruik (56%), Calvillo (66 percent), Rothwell (53 percent), Ladd (80 percent), Yadong (64 percent) and Font (51 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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6 burning questions heading into UFC on ESPN 7

The UFC hits our nation’s capital Saturday with a card that features several fights worth your time.

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After a two-week break, the UFC is back in business. And the company returns to action with a slate of fights worth checking out.

A heavyweight matchup between the ageless [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] and undefeated [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] headlines the final UFC on ESPN card of 2019. The main event is just one of a string of fights that might not have the star power of the month’s biggest event, UFC 245 with it’s three title fights Dec. 14, but nonetheless have meaningful consequences for the career trajectories of the participants and rankings implications for their respective weight classes.

UFC on ESPN 7 takes place Saturday at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

Without further ado, then, here are six burning questions as the road winds toward Saturday night in our nation’s capital.

Can Jairzinho Rozenstruik make the most of his big opportunity?

We suspect this isn’t the way the undefeated Surinamese kickboxer wanted to get his first UFC main-event opportunity. Rozenstruik (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
stepped up and accepted the bout with Overeem after Walt Harris had to drop out due to the disappearance of his stepdaughter, who was unfortunately found dead last week.

While everyone’s thoughts remain with the Harris family in its time of sorrow, the sport continues on, and Rozenstruik steps into his chance to make a statement that he’s truly arrived.

Rozenstruik has already demonstrated his veteran kickboxing skills have transferred over nicely from the ring to the cage, a point he’s hammered home each time out so far in the UFC octagon. Rozenstruik has won all three of his UFC fights via KO/TKO, with none of his fights lasting six minutes and his most recent triumph being a 29-second knockout of former UFC heavyweight champ Andrei Arlovski in the intense spotlight of UFC 244.

That’s all well and good, but what happens if he fights someone with the ability to wait him out and drag him into deeper waters? Overeem (45-17 MMA, 10-6 UFC) has gotten clipped a few times, too, but he’s one of the game’s craftiest and adaptable fighters, a cerebral competitor who is not likely to be goaded into many mistakes. A victory over Arlovski is nice on a resume, but he’s a clearly diminished fighter. A win over Overeem, however, would be a statement Rozenstruik is ready for this, and ready to join the elite mix.

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UFC on ESPN 7 breakdown: Overeem vs. Rozenstruik might as well be a coin flip

It’s that close, but MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom makes his pick for the UFC DC heavyweight headliner.

UFC on ESPN 7 takes place Saturday and features a heavyweight headliner that pits 52 fights of professional MMA experience vs. just nine.

In the main event, former Strikeforce, K-1 and DREAM champion [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag], whose career kicked off way back in 1999, takes on undefeated up-and-comer [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag], who debuted in the UFC earlier this year and looks to cap off 2019 with a fourth victory.

As mentioned, the pairing of Overeem (45-17 MMA, 10-6 UFC) and Rozenstruik (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) is a clash of fighters whose experience levels couldn’t be wider. However, the matchup remains tricky to pick.

For a closer look, watch MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom’s breakdown in the video above.

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UFC on ESPN 7 takes place at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., and airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

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Jairzinho Rozenstruik explains origin of ‘Bigi Boy’ nickname ahead of UFC on ESPN 7

UFC DC headliner Jairzinho Rozenstruik explains how he got the ‘Bigi Boy’ nickname ahead of his heavyweight clash against Alistair Overeem

WASHINGTON – [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] knows his name is not easy to pronounce.

The Suriname fighter, who’s scheduled to headline Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 7 against Alistair Overeem, has had the inconvenience of people having a hard time with his name far before rising into contender status in the UFC’s heavyweight division. And that’s where his nickname “Bigi Boy” comes in.

“The nickname ‘Bigi Boy,’ I’ve got since I was a child, like when I was 9 or 11,” Rozenstruik said at a Thursday media day. “I was playing basketball and not everybody knew how to pronounce my name, so when I used to take a shot, they would say, ‘Hey, you. Make the ball, “Bigi Boy.”‘ And from that day, everybody started calling me ‘Bigi Boy,’ and still to this day.

“Everywhere I go, everyone is like, ‘How do you pronounce your name?’ So if you call me ‘Bigi Boy,’ that’s OK.”

People around Rozenstruik (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) struggled with his name even at an early age. Rozenstruik’s name is actually Portuguese and not Dutch, which is the main language of his home country of Suriname.

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Rozenstruik will be looking to elevate his name (or nickname) on Saturday night, as he looks to remain unbeaten in MMA and get a win over one of the biggest names in heavyweight history.

“It’s a big chance, it’s a big opportunity,” Rozenstruik said. “Alistair is really famous. He’s a legend of the game. He’s been around forever. It’s a good chance, and I’m going to make it happen and make myself a legend, too.”

Overeem has been on Rozenstruik’s radar for quite some time, but he said that won’t affect him come fight night.

“No jitters,” Rozenstruik said. “I still like him as a fighter. He was doing his thing back in the day with Brock Lesnar and I was like, ‘Hey, that guy is really strong,’ me and my friends. And now I’m facing him in real life. So it’s crazy. But in the same way, it’s awesome – feels great.”

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Alistair Overeem saddened by Aniah Blancard tragedy, would give Walt Harris a hug if he saw him

Alistair Overeem and Walt Harris should have been squaring off in the UFC DC headliner Saturday night, but tragedy struck.

WASHINGTON – [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] and [autotag]Walt Harris[/autotag] should have been squaring off in the UFC on ESPN 7 headliner Saturday night.

But tragedy struck when Harris’ 19-year-old stepdaughter, Aniah Blanchard, went missing. As the search for Blanchard grew longer and longer in duration, Harris made the decision to pull out of the fight.

After weeks of searching, Blanchard’s remains were found Nov. 25. Law enforcement officials allege she was kidnapped at a gas station in Alabama by Iraheem Yazeed, who then shot and killed the college student. Two other arrests were also made in connection with the alleged murder.

Saturday, Overeem (45-17 MMA, 10-6 UFC) will still compete in the UFC on ESPN 7 main event against replacement opponent Jairzinho Rozenstruik (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC).

At Thursday’s media day, Overeem spoke about the tragedy and wished Harris and the rest of Blanchard’s family well. With three daughters of his own, the tragedy hit home for Overeem.

“It’s awful what happened to Walt,” Overeem said. “I was following it every day – the little bits and pieces coming out. Usually, I’d go on Twitter to follow it. It’s really bad. It’s a really bad situation. I have three daughters, myself. So yeah – no words.”

What would Overeem say to Harris if he were at UFC DC?

“I would give him a hug. What can you say to anyone? I can’t really say anything to that. It’s awful, the situation.”

Despite being touched by the tragedy, Overeem said he was able to stay focused. Like any other matchup replacement, Overeem needed to reassess the new task at hand.

“It changed my focus in the sense that my opponent changed,” Overeem said. “Of course you follow the news. But let’s not forget: It’s not my child; it’s not my relative. It’s a little bit further away from me. But still, you’re like, ‘Hey this (expletive) really happens.’ I went into the statistics and this stuff happens kind of often, too. It’s sad. It’s a really bad thing. I don’t know how to fix that.”

UFC on ESPN 7 takes place Saturday at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

Check out MMA Junkie’s full UFC DC pre-fight media day interview with Overeem in the video above.

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Alistair Overeem lays out retirement timeline, but career ‘would not be complete without UFC gold’

Alistair Overeem knows retirement is looming, and he wants to get out before it’s too late – but he’s also missing something.

WASHINGTON – [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] knows retirement is looming, and he wants to get out of the fight game before it’s too late. But first, he still has a final goal to accomplish.

Overeem (45-17 MMA, 10-6 UFC) has been active in combat sports for more than two decades. Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 7 headliner against Jair Rozenstruik (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) will mark his 91st professional bout, be it MMA, kickboxing or muay Thai. That’s a lot of time trading blows, and at 39, “The Reem” is not oblivious to his reality.

“You have to be realistic,” Overeem told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at UFC on ESPN 7 open workouts. “For me, two years (left fighting). Maybe a little bit more, maybe less. Probably a little bit more. But then it’s going to be enough. But I do believe you have to stop on time. It is a dangerous profession. We’ve been fighting for 23 years. Twenty-three years ago was the first fight, so with that also we need to be clever.”

Despite his years and many accomplishments in the fight game, Overeem said he’s continuing to compete because of one reason: the UFC title.

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Overeem, who has claimed belts in Strikeforce, DREAM, K-1 and more during his storied career, fell short of the UFC heavyweight title when he lost to Stipe Miocic at UFC 203 in September 2016. He’s been trying to get back to that spot ever since, and is in good position going into UFC on ESPN 7.

If he’s able to get past undefeated Rozenstruik and push his winning streak to three, Overeem said he believes he could find himself in a title eliminator.

“My career would not be complete without UFC gold,” Overeem said. “I just need to win my fights. If you win Saturday, I’ll probably have to do one more win then we can make noise for a title shot.”

The man standing in the way of Overeem and his next step, though, is Rozenstruik. Like Overeem, Rozenstruik comes from a striking background. He’s finished all three of his UFC wins by knockout, with the past two coming in a combined 38 seconds.

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Although Rozenstruik might not yet have the notoriety of other top heavyweights, Overeem still knows he’s entering the octagon with a dangerous foe, but he intends to give him his first loss.

“The goal is the same,” Overeem said. “We’re going to fight, we’re going to win, we’re going to fatigue (him), we’re going to take him to deep waters, we’re going to take him out and finish him.

“This is just the one they presented. I’ve been training for a long time. I was actually hoping to fight sooner, like in September. It didn’t materialize, so I was just very happy that somebody stepped up. Of course it’s a huge opportunity for Jairzinho, but it’s going to be a good fight.”

UFC on ESPN 7 pre-event facts: Alistair Overeem is the most accurate striker in UFC history

The best facts and figures about UFC on ESPN 7, which features a Alistair Overeem vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik heavyweight main event.

The UFC returns to Washington D.C. for the first time in more than eight years on Saturday with UFC on ESPN 7. The card is set to air on ESPN following early prelims on ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

In the headliner, two heavyweights on winning streaks will attempt to take another step up the divisional pecking order when perennial contender [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] (45-17 MMA, 10-6 UFC) takes on [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who stepped in on short notice as a replacement for Walt Harris.

For more on the numbers behind the main event, as well as the rest of the 12-fight card, check below for 50 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN 7.

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Main event

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Overeem, 39, is the oldest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

Overeem’s two-fight UFC winning streak at heavyweight is tied for the fourth longest active streak in the division behind Rozenstruik (three), Francis Ngannou (three) and Augusto Sakai (three).

Overeem is one of 11 fighters in UFC history to earn 10 or more heavyweight wins.

Overeem has earned 40 of his 45 career victories by stoppage. That includes seven of his 10 UFC wins.

Overeem lands 73.8 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC competition, the highest rate in company history.

Overeem has been on the losing end of the fifth and sixth largest statistical comeback finishes in UFC heavyweight history. He out-landed Antonio Silva by 30 significant strikes before being knocked out at UFC 156, and he out-landed Travis Browne by 27 significant strikes before his demise at UFC Fight Night 26

Overeem’s 13 knockout losses in MMA competition are the most of any active member on the UFC roster.

Overeem’s 11 knockout losses in UFC/WEC/PRIDE/Strikeforce competition are the most in combined organizational history.

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Rozenstruik makes his second UFC appearance in a 35-day stretch. He defeated Andrei Arlovski at UFC 244 on Nov. 2.

Rozenstruik’s three-fight UFC winning streak at heavyweight is tied with Ngannou and Sakai for the longest active streak in the division.

Rozenstruik has earned eight of his nine career victories by stoppage. That includes all three of his UFC wins.

Rozenstruik’s three-fight knockout streak in UFC competition is tied with Ngannou, Amanda Nunes, Maycee Barber, Jared Cannonier and Justin Gaethje for the longest active streak in the company.

Rozenstruik’s nine-second knockout at UFC on ESPN+ 12 is the second fastest in UFC heavyweight history behind Todd Duffee’s seven-second finish at UFC 102.

Co-main event

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[autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag]’s (13-0-1 MMA, 2-0-1 UFC) three-fight UFC unbeaten streak at strawweight is tied for the fourth longest active streak in the division behind Tatiana Suarez (five), Yan Xiaonan (four) and Zhang Weili (four).

Rodriguez fought to the first draw in UFC strawweight history against Randa Markos at UFC Fight Night 137 in September 2018.

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[autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag]’s (8-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) five wins since 2017 in strawweight competition are tied for most in the division.

Calvillo’s three submission victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied with Rose Namajunas for most in divisional history.

Calvillo has completed at least one takedown in five of her six UFC appearances.

Calvillo’s nine submission attempts in UFC strawweight competition are most in divisional history.

Calvillo attempts 2.02 submission attempts per 15 minutes in UFC strawweight competition, the most in divisional history.

Remaining main card

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[autotag]Stefan Struve[/autotag] (29-11 MMA, 13-9 UFC) returns to competition after announcing his retirement from MMA following a victory at UFC on ESPN+ 3 in February.

Struve competes in his 23rd UFC heavyweight bout, the third most appearances in divisional history behind Andrei Arlovski (31) and Frank Mir (27).

Struve’s 13 victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied for fourth most in divisional history behind Arlovski (17), Mir (16) and Junior Dos Santos (15).

Struve’s 11 stoppage victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied with Arlovski and Gabriel Gonzaga for second most in divisional history behind Mir (13).

Struve’s six submission victories in UFC heavyweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Mir (eight).

Struve’s 21 submission attempts in UFC heavyweight competition are tied with Mir for most in divisional history.

Struve’s eight fight-night bonuses for UFC heavyweight fights are second most in divisional history behind Stipe Miocic (nine).

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[autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag]’s (36-12 MMA, 6-6 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since January 2016.

Rothwell is 0-2 since he returned from a nearly three-year layoff in March.

[autotag]Aspen Ladd[/autotag]’s (8-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) two knockout victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are tied for fourth most in divisional history behind Nunes (six), Ronda Rousey (three) and Germaine de Randamie (three).

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[autotag]Yana Kunitskaya[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is 2-0 since she returned to the UFC women’s bantamweight division in October 2018.

Kunitskaya’s two-fight UFC winning streak at women’s bantamweight is tied for the fourth longest active streak in the division behind Nunes (eight), de Randamie (four) and Ketlen Vieira (four).

[autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag] (18-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) has earned all four of his UFC victories by decision.

[autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 4-0 UFC), 22, is the youngest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

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[autotag]Rob Font[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Dec. 15, 2018. The 357-day layoff is the longest of his more than eight-year career.

Font has alternated wins and losses in his past five fights. He won his most recent bout at UFC on FOX 31 in December 2018.

Font’s five stoppages victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for fifth most in divisional history behind T.J. Dillashaw (eight), Urijah Faber (seven), Marlon Vera (seven) and Pedro Munhoz (six).

Font’s four knockout victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Dillashaw (seven) and Eddie Wineland (five).

[autotag]Ricky Simon[/autotag]’s (15-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) victory at the 5:00 mark of Round 3 at UFC Fight Night 128 is the latest stoppage in a three-round UFC fight.

Preliminary card

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[autotag]Thiago Alves[/autotag] (23-14 MMA, 15-11 UFC) competes in his 26th UFC welterweight bout, the most appearances in divisional history.

Alves’ 15 victories in UFC welterweight competition are the third most in divisional history behind Georges St-Pierre (19) and Matt Hughes (16).

Alves’ nine stoppage victories in UFC welterweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Hughes (12) and Matt Brown (12).

Alves’ eight knockout victories in UFC welterweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Brown (10).

Alves’ 13 knockdowns landed in UFC welterweight competition are the most in divisional history.

Alves’ four knockout victories stemming from knee strikes in UFC competition are most in company history.

Alves has landed 380 leg kicks in UFC competition, the second most in company history behind Joanna Jedrzejczyk (430).

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[autotag]Tim Means[/autotag] (28-11-1 MMA, 10-8 UFC) is 8-6 (with one no contest) since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in May 2014.

[autotag]Makhmud Muradov[/autotag] (23-6 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is 17-1 in his past 18 fights dating back to March 2015.

Muradov enters the event on a 12-fight winning streak. He hasn’t suffered a defeat since December 2016.

[autotag]Trevor Smith[/autotag] (15-9 MMA, 5-6 UFC) has earned all five of his UFC victories by decision. He hasn’t earned a stoppage victory since June 2012.

UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.

UFC on ESPN 7 fight breakdown: Overeem vs. Rozenstruik

Check out the MMA junkie’s John Morgan and Dan Tom’s analysis and predictions for the UFC on ESPN 7 main event between Alistair Overeem and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

UFC on ESPN 7 pre-fight facts: Overeem vs. Rozenstruik

Check out the key facts, figures and footnotes for UFC on ESPN 7, which is headlined by Alistair Overeem vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

Spinning Back Clique: Is McGregor-Cerrone or Khabib-Ferguson more compelling?

MMA Junkie’s John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” unpack the latest MMA news and notes in Episode 5 of “Spinning Back Clique.”

Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. In this week’s episode, John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” react to the latest news, notes and fight bookings, as well as look ahead to UFC on ESPN 7 this weekend.

Show rundown:

Finally, we can discuss [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] news that has to do with cagefighting, as the former two-division UFC champion was booked to headline UFC 246 against [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag]. But the Jan. 18 fight isn’t taking place at lightweight; it’s taking place at welterweight. So, what exactly is at stake here?
It’s happening. … We think. … We hope. For the fifth time, [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] has been booked. The 155-pound title fight is set for what should be UFC 249 on April 18 in New York. Will the fifth time be the charm in us finally seeing this fight, and what can we expect from this point on?
Whether it’s MMA or grappling, former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] just seems off. He was cut early before losing a decision to Nick Rodriguez last week at Polaris 12. Combine that with two devastating knockout losses in his last two MMA fights, as well recent comments that his heart isn’t into fighting anymore, and you’ve got to wonder: Where does he go from here with his combat sports career?
UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Tito Ortiz[/autotag], who meets ex-WWE superstar Alberto El Patron this weekend in Combate Americas, got mad at MMA Junkie last week, calling us “click bait” for writing a story highlighting his comments about current UFC light heavyweight champ [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]. “I think I can beat Jon Jones,” Ortiz said. “I think I have a good chance – I really do think I’ve got a good chance.” His words, not ours. So when you hear that, what’s your take on it?
UFC on ESPN 7 this Saturday features [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] in a heavyweight main event. And in the co-headliner, [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag] fights [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag] at strawweight. Of those four fighters, who has the most to gain with an impressive victory?

For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 5 of “Spinning Back Clique” in the video above. And make sure to weigh in on McGregor vs. Cerrone in our poll below.

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