Darrick Minner – Page 4 – Syndication Server

How to watch UFC Fight Night, with Eye-Calvillo odds and fight card

How to watch Eye vs. Calvillo, with betting odds for the full UFC Fight Night fight card.

The UFC is back at UFC APEX in Las Vegas for UFC Fight Night 172 Saturday night. Jessica Eye will meet Cynthia Calvillo in a Women’s Flyweight bout as the Main Event. All the action will be available on ESPN and ESPN+ beginning at 6 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the betting odds for the full UFC Fight Night fight card.

How to watch UFC Fight Night 172

Where can I watch UFC Fight Night – Eye vs. Calvillo?

The main card is available on ESPN and ESPN+; sign up for ESPN+ here.

Prelim bouts are available on ESPN and ESPN+.

What time is UFC Fight Night?

The main card is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET.

Prelims are set for 6 p.m. ET.

When is UFC Fight Night 172?

Saturday, June 13.

Where is UFC Fight Night taking place?

UFC Fight Night 172 will be held at UFC APEX in Las Vegas.

UFC Fight Night 172 odds featuring Eye vs. Calvillo and full main card

Betting odds courtesy of BetMGM. All lines last updated Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.

UFC Fight Night’s main card is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET.

Jessica Eye (-120) vs. Cynthia Calvillo (+100)

Women’s Flyweight – Main Event. Eye is the division’s No. 1 contender with a record of 15-7. Calvillo is the 10th-ranked women’s flyweight and is 8-1-1.

Karl Roberson (+185) vs. Marvin Vettori (-228)

Two unranked middleweight fighters. Roberson is 9-2, Vettori is 14-4-1.

Merab Dvalishvili (-400) vs. Ray Borg (+310)

Bantamweight bout. Both fighters are unranked. Dvalishvili is 10-4, Borg is 13-5. It’s the most lopsided betting line on the main card.

Andre Fili (-228) vs. Charles Jourdain (+185)

Fili (20-7) takes on Jourdain (10-2) in a featherweight bout.

Jordan Espinosa (-164) vs. Mark De La Rosa (+135)

The 13th-ranked Espinosa enters UFC Fight Night at 14-7. De La Rosa is 11-4 heading into this bantamweight fight.

Want to place a bet on UFC Fight Night 172? 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!

UFC Fight Night 172 prelims card

The prelim card is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. ET.

Mariya Agapova (-250) vs. Hannah Cifers (+200)

The 5-foot-8 Agapova (8-1) is seven inches taller than Cifers (10-5), heading into this women’s flyweight bout.

Charles Rosa (+145) vs. Kevin Aguilar (-176)

Lightweight bout. Rosa is 12-4, Aguilar is 17-3.

Julia Avila (-500) vs. Gina Mazany (+375)

Avila puts her 7-1 record on the line against Mazany (6-3) in a women’s bantamweight fight.

Tyson Nam (-125) vs. Zarrukh Adashev (+100)

One of the closest betting lines of the night. The highly-experienced Nam (18-11-1) takes on Adashev (3-1) in a bantamweight bout.

Jordan Griffin (-164) vs. Darrick Minner (+135)

Two veteran fighters. Griffin (18-7) battles Minner (24-11) in what’s projected as a tight featherweight contest.

Anthony Ivy (-189) vs. Christian Aguilera (+155)

Welterweight bout. Ivy enters at 8-2; Aguilera is 13-6.

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

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

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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Dana White reveals full UFC lineup for June 13 in Las Vegas

UFC president Dana White has announced the full June 13 lineup for the promotion’s event, which is expected to take place in Las Vegas.

Nine days prior to its June 13 event, the UFC has announced its full lineup of fights.

UFC president Dana White revealed the 10-fight card in an interview with ESPN on Thursday. Eight of the fights had already been revealed, but two new matchups were confirmed: [autotag]Kevin Aguilar[/autotag] (17-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) vs. [autotag]Charles Rosa[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC) and [autotag]Jordan Griffin[/autotag] (18-7 MMA, 1-2 UFC) vs. [autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag] (24-11 MMA, 0-1 UFC). Both fights will be contested at featherweight.

Headlined by a women’s flyweight fight between [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag] and [autotag]Jessica Eye[/autotag], the main card lineup also features [autotag]Karl Roberson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Marvin Vettori[/autotag], [autotag]Ray Borg[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag], [autotag]Andre Fili[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Charles Jourdain[/autotag], and [autotag]Mark De La Rosa[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jordan Espinosa[/autotag].

The event will take place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, pending Nevada Athletic Commission approval at a meeting scheduled for this Monday. Broadcast plans have yet to be announced.

With entire lineup for the June 13 UFC event is as follows:

MAIN CARD (9 p.m. E.T.)

Cynthia Calvillo vs. Jessica Eye
Karl Roberson vs. Marvin Vettori
Andre Fili vs. Charles Jourdain
Ray Borg vs. Merab Dvalishvili
Mark De La Rosa vs. Jordan Espinosa

PRELIMINARY CARD (6 p.m. E.T.)

[autotag]Mariya Agapova[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Melissa Gatto[/autotag]
Kevin Aguilar vs. Charles Rosa
[autotag]Julia Avila[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Gina Mazany[/autotag]
[autotag]Ryan Benoit[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tyson Nam[/autotag]
Jordan Griffin vs. Darrick Minner

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UFC on ESPN+ 27 post-event facts: Joseph Benavidez’s title-fight struggles continue

All the notable stats and figures to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 27, which saw Deiveson Figueiredo beat Joseph Benavidez in the main event.

The UFC returned to Virginia for the fifth time in company history on Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 27, which went down at Chartway Arena in Norfolk and streamed on ESPN+.

A new flyweight champion should’ve been crowned in the main event. However, despite knocking out [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) in the second round of the headliner, [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) was ineligible to take home the gold because he missed weight.

For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for 35 post-event facts to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 27.

* * * *

General

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The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $119,500.

Debuting fighters went 2-5 at the event.

[autotag]Megan Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Jordan Griffin[/autotag], [autotag]Kyler Phillips[/autotag] and [autotag]Gabriel Silva[/autotag] earned $50,000 UFC on ESPN+ 27 fight-night bonuses.

UFC on ESPN+ 27 drew an announced attendance of 7,098 for a live gate of $402,958.

Betting favorites went 6-6 on the card.

Betting favorites fell to 4-2 in UFC headliners this year.

Total fight time for the 12-bout card was 1:36:08.

Main card

Figueiredo has earned 15 of his 18 career victories by stoppage.

Figueiredo has earned four of his five UFC stoppage victories by knockout.

Benavidez became the seventh fighter in UFC history to go 0-3 in title fights.

Benavidez has suffered both of his career stoppage losses by knockout.

[autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has earned six of her eight career victories by stoppage. That includes both of her UFC wins.

[autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag] (6-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC) suffered the first knockout loss of her career.

[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag]’s (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at light heavyweight is tied with Jon Jones for the longest active streak in the division.

Ankalaev has earned all three of his UFC stoppage victories by knockout.

[autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] (15-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC) suffered the first knockout loss of his career.

Anderson’s (11-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) three victories in UFC women’s featherweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Cris Cyborg (four).

Anderson’s three stoppage victories in UFC women’s featherweight competition are most in divisional history.

Anderson’s two knockout victories in UFC women’s featherweight competition are tied with Cyborg for most in divisional history.

[autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag] (4-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) had her four-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of her career.

[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has earned 14 of his 15 career victories by stoppage.

[autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag] (24-11 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered 10 of his 11 career victories by stoppage.

Preliminary card

Silva (8-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career 8-0.

Silva has suffered both of his career losses by decision.

[autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned 13 of his 14 career victories by stoppage. That includes both of his UFC wins.

[autotag]Tom Breese[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) fell to 1-1 since he moved up to the UFC middleweight division in May 2018.

Breese suffered the first knockout loss of his career.

[autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag] (10-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) suffered the first decision loss of his career.

[autotag]Steve Garcia[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered three of his four career losses by decision.

[autotag]TJ Brown[/autotag] (14-7 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered six of his seven career losses by stoppage.

[autotag]Spike Carlyle[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned eight of his nine career victories by stoppage.

[autotag]Aalon Cruz[/autotag] (9-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has suffered all three of his career losses by stoppage.

Cruz suffered the first knockout loss of his career.

[autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag] (12-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned both of his UFC victories by decision.

[autotag]Ismail Naurdiev[/autotag] (19-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has suffered both of his UFC losses by decision.

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

UFC on ESPN+ 27 rookie report: Grading the newcomers in Norfolk

Fighters from around the globe dream of the day they’ll step into the octagon the first time – so how did the seven newcomers perform on Saturday?

Fighters from around the globe dream of the day they’ll step into the UFC octagon for the first time. For seven athletes, Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 event marked that special moment in their career.

Check out this week’s rookie report to see what kind of first impression they made on the sport’s biggest stage from Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va.

* * * * *

Spike Carlyle

Division: Featherweight
Result: Spike Carlyle def. Aalon Cruz via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1.25
Record: (9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Grade: A

[autotag]Spike Carlyle[/autotag] certainly isn’t an average MMA featherweight, and he gave us a glimpse of his potential with an impressive quickfire finish of fellow debuting prospect Aalon Cruz.

“The Alpha Ginger” danced his way to the octagon and giggled his way through Bruce Buffer’s introduction before blasting Aalon Cruz to a first-round TKO defeat in a performance that was as impressive as it was clinical.

After Cruz had started with a succession of range-finding kicks, Carlyle stunned Cruz with a superb leaping left high kick of his own as he closed the distance and looked to rough up the taller, leaner man at close quarters.

Cruz looked to grab a double-leg, but the California native stuffed the takedown and connected with a huge elbow behind the ear that clearly rocked his opponent. A host of elbows later, Cruz was on the mat with Carlyle unloading a barrage of punches until the referee dived in to call it after just 85 seconds.

All in all, it was hugely impressive against a man who had produced a highlight-reel performance in Dana White’s Contender Series to earn his UFC deal. Carlyle proved he certainly deserved his, then showed his unique personality with a short, to-the-point post-fight interview with Michael Bisping.

Carlyle looks like a man who’s going places, and we may find out more about how fast and how far when he gets his next assignment, which might come pretty quickly.

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UFC on ESPN+ 27 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Deiveson Figueiredo’s pay downgraded after missing weight

UFC on ESPN+ 27 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.

NORFOLK, Va. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $119,500.

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+ 27 took place Saturday at Chartway Arena. The entire card streamed ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN+ 27 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag]: $30,000

[autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Megan Anderson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Kyler Phillips[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Gabriel Silva[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Tom Breese[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Luis Pena[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Steve Garcia[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Jordan Griffin[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]TJ Brown[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Spike Carlyle[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Aalon Cruz[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Ismail Naurdiev[/autotag]: $4,000

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:

“UFC on ESPN+ 27: Benavidez vs. Figueiredo” – $119,500
“UFC on ESPN+ 26: Felder vs. Hooker” – $130,000
“UFC on ESPN+ 25: Anderson vs. Blachowicz 2” – $186,500
“UFC 247: Jones vs. Reyes” – $243,000
“UFC on ESPN+ 24: Blaydes vs. Dos Santos” – $169,000
“UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cowboy” – $165,000

Year-to-date total: $826,500
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: $31,831,000

Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC on ESPN+ 27 with Queen, Steppenwolf, Chili Peppers

Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 event in Norfolk, Va.

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.

Inside, see what the fighters from UFC on ESPN+ 27 went with as their backing tracks in Norfolk, Va.

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UFC on ESPN+ 27 predictions: Is anyone picking Figueiredo over Benavidez?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC on ESPN+ 27 main card in Norfolk, Va., where Joseph Benavidez goes after the flyweight title.

	Benavidez vs. Figueiredo	Fairn vs. Spencer	Ankalaev vs. Cutelaba	Anderson vs. Dumont	Dawson vs. Minner
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2020: 28-16	Benavidez (71%)	Spencer (95%)	Ankalaev (63%)	Anderson (82%)	Dawson (87%)
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2020: 34-10 2017 Champion	Benavidez	Spencer	Ankalaev	Anderson	Dawson
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2020: 33-11	Benavidez	Spencer	Ankalaev	Anderson	Dawson
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2020: 33-11	Benavidez	Spencer	Ankalaev	Anderson	Dawson
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2020: 33-11	Benavidez	Spencer	Ankalaev	Anderson	Dawson
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2020: 32-12 2018 Champion	Benavidez	Spencer	Cutelaba	Anderson	Dawson
Simon Head @simonhead 2020: 32-12 2019 Champion*	Benavidez	Spencer	Ankalaev	Anderson	Dawson
Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2020: 32-12	Benavidez	Spencer	Ankalaev	Anderson	Dawson
Nolan King @mma_kings 2020: 32-12	Benavidez	Spencer	Ankalaev	Anderson	Dawson
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2020: 32-12	Benavidez	Spencer	Ankalaev	Anderson	Dawson
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2020: 32-12	Benavidez	Spencer	Cutelaba	Anderson	Dawson
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2020: 30-14	Benavidez	Spencer	Ankalaev	Anderson	Dawson
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2020: 30-14 2014 Champion	Benavidez	Spencer	Ankalaev	Anderson	Dawson
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2020: 27-17	Benavidez	Spencer	Ankalaev	Anderson	Dawson
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2020: 20-24	Benavidez	Spencer	Cutelaba	Anderson	Dawson

The UFC returns to Virginia this week, and the vacant flyweight title is on the line at the top of the bill – but only for one of the fighters.

UFC on ESPN+ 27 takes place Saturday at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va. The card streams on ESPN+.

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

In the main event, two-time flyweight title challenger [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-5 MMA, 15-3 UFC) gets his third crack at the belt when he takes on [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC). Figueiredo is not eligible to win the title after he missed weight by 2.5 pounds Friday. Benavidez is just a slight favorite from the oddsmakers at -145, but he pitched a shutout in the picks from our 14 MMA Junkie editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers.

The co-main event features one of three other unanimous picks on the five-fight main card. [autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) is the biggest favorite on the card at 8-1 against [autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag] (6-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in their women’s featherweight bout. Not surprisingly, Spencer has a 14-0 picks shutout.

[autotag]Megan Anderson[/autotag] (9-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC), who like Spencer is a former Invicta FC champion, also has a unanimous nod from our pickers against [autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag] (4-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who is making her UFC debut. Anderson is a -235 favorite in the fight.

And [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] (14-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), who is a 4-1 favorite in his featherweight fight against [autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag] (24-10 MMA, 0-0 UFC), is our fourth unanimous pick in five fights on the main card.

The only contentious fight among our pickers is at light heavyweight. Still, [autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag] (12-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC), a -225 favorite, has a big lead in the picks against [autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC). Only three of our 14 pickers are taking Cutelaba in an upset.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Benavidez (71 percent), Spencer (95 percent), Ankalaev (63 percent), Anderson (82 percent) and Dawson (87 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

Grant Dawson rips UFC on ESPN+ 27 opponent Darrick Minner: ‘He doesn’t belong here’

Grant Dawson on his opponent: “He doesn’t belong here with me. He doesn’t belong here with any of these guys.”

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – UFC featherweight [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag]’s year is off to a roller-coaster start.

Originally scheduled to compete against Chas Skelly at UFC 246 in January, Dawson (14-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) was removed from the card during fight week by the Nevada Athletic Commission.

Despite the commission’s move, Dawson was rebooked to compete against Skelly at UFC on ESPN+ 27.

While Dawson waited for his NAC hearing, Skelly pulled out of the matchup due to injury. Ten days prior to his fight date, Dawson reached an agreement with the NAC, in which the commission would test him a minimum of two times per month through June.

One day after the deal was reached, [autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag] stepped in as Dawson’s next opponent. The lead up to Saturday has been a wild ride for Dawson, but he’s taking it in stride.

“I really feel like it’d be weird if I went through a camp where something weird didn’t happen,” Dawson told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “I’m used to it by now. I’m good at calling audibles. I’ll be here on fight night, ready to fight. Life happens. Sometimes things in life happen that you don’t want to deal with that isn’t your fault. You’ve got to roll with the punches. We’re here. We’re ready to fight. I can’t wait for Saturday night.”

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Despite being a new face to many fans, Minner (24-10 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is a fighter Dawson knows. The two combatants are both originally from Nebraska and have previously competed on the same card. Dawson said he isn’t impressed by his opponent and even went as far as to say he’s not UFC caliber.

“He posted the other day saying he’s where he belongs,” Dawson said. “He doesn’t belong here. He doesn’t belong here with me. He doesn’t belong here with any of these guys. This is the top pinnacle of the sport, and he’s going to find out real quick what the level difference is.

“Every time he’s given a big opportunity, he comes up short. He came up short (in) LFA. He came up short on the Contender Series. Saturday night, he’s going to come up short again.”

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The difference in their skills lies in the duration of their attack, Dawson said. Dawson sees Minner as being a fighter who finds success in the first two minutes of the fight. After that, Dawson said it’s his fight to lose.

“I’m dangerous through 15 (minutes),” Dawson said. “I think he’s dangerous through two (minutes). He’s going to come out hot. He’s going to come out ready, but I’m ready for it. I think I’m going to shut him down and he’s going to realize what a big level difference this is.”

UFC on ESPN+ 27 takes place Saturday at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va. The card streams on ESPN+. Hear more from Dawson in the video above.

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UFC on ESPN+ 27: Make your predictions for Joseph Benavidez vs. Deiveson Figueiredo in Norfolk

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 27 event in Norfolk, Va.

Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).

Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the UFC on ESPN+ 27 event staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC on ESPN+ 27 takes place Saturday at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va. The card streams on ESPN+.

Make your picks for all six main card fights inside:

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34-fight veteran Darrick Minner to fight Grant Dawson at UFC on ESPN+ 27 on short notice

It took Darrick Minner 34 fights, but he can finally call himself a UFC fighter.

It took [autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag] 34 fights, but he can finally call himself a UFC fighter.

After winning back-to-back bouts on the regional scene, Minner steps in on days’ notice against Grant Dawson at UFC on ESPN+ 27. The last-minute booking comes on the heels of a Chas Skelly withdrawal due to injury.

Two people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the booking on Thursday. The people asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. MyMMANews was first to report the change.

Minner (24-10 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has won two of his most recent three outings. His lone loss came on “Dana White’s Contender Series” against future UFC signee Herbert Burns.

As for Dawson (14-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), the up-and-coming prospect is unblemished under the UFC banner. The James Krause protege was supposed to compete at UFC 246 in January. However, due to a drug testing abnormality, the Nevada Athletic Commission removed him from the bout.

On Wednesday, the NAC announced it’ll require Dawson to undergo six months of drug-testing before it re-licenses him to fight. However, he’s free to compete outside of the state’s jurisdiction.

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UFC on ESPN+ 27 takes place Feb. 29 at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va. The card will stream on ESPN+.

With the change, the current UFC on ESPN+ 27 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

Joseph Benavidez vs. Deiveson Figueiredo – for vacant flyweight title
Zarah Fairn vs. Felicia Spencer
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cutelaba
Megan Anderson vs. Norma Dumont
Grant Dawson vs. Darrick Minner
Kyler Phillips vs. Gabriel Silva

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET)

Brendan Allen vs. Tom Breese
Alex Munoz vs. Luis Pena
Serghei Spivac vs. Marcin Tybura
T.J. Brown vs. Jordan Griffin
Spike Carlyle vs. Aalon Cruz
Sean Brady vs. Ismail Naurdiev

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