Dominick Reyes meets Dustin Jacoby in the UFC on ESPN 57 co-main event. Will the former title challenger stop his skid?
[autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] and [autotag]Dustin Jacoby[/autotag] meet Saturday in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 57 from KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
Dominick Reyes vs. Dustin Jacoby UFC on ESPN 57 preview
Reyes (12-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) entered his title shot against Jon Jones in 2020 as an undefeated fighter at 12-0. After coming up short on the scorecards, he has failed to record a victory since, as he enters the UFC on ESPN 57 co-main on a four-fight skid that includes three straight stoppages. … Jacoby (19-8-1 MMA, 7-5-1 UFC) has struggled to gain traction as of late, going 1-3 in his last four. His last victory came in a first-round stoppage against Kennedy Nzechukwu last August, followed by a setback against Alonzo Menifield in December.
Dominick Reyes vs. Dustin Jacoby UFC on ESPN 57 expert pick, prediction
The co-main event in Kentucky features a light heavyweight showdown between Reyes and Jacoby.
Despite arguably beating the great Jon Jones three rounds to one back at UFC 247, Reyes’ career took a dramatic downswing in the subsequent years, dropping three consecutive fights due to stoppages from strikes.
Now, almost a year and a half since his last defeat, Reyes will attempt to stop the bleeding of a four-fight skid when he steps into the octagon with “The Hanyan” this Saturday.
Jacoby is the more active fighter, coming from a solid camp in Factory-X Muay Thai. That said, Jacoby’s durability has also cost him in past performances due to his propensity to find himself in close fights.
Couple that with the fact that Jacoby has a .500 record against southpaws (currently standing at 2-4 opposite UFC-level lefties), and I have a sneaky suspicion that Reyes can get back on track by reminding Jacoby that left hands are his common culprit.
Although an early knockout on either side wouldn’t shock me, I’ll take a flier on the underdog Reyes to land the more impactful offense en route to a narrow decision win.
Dominick Reyes vs. Dustin Jacoby UFC on ESPN 57 odds
The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the more active man, listing Jacoby as a -230 favorite and Reyes as a +176 underdog, via FanDuel.
Dominick Reyes vs. Dustin Jacoby UFC on ESPN 57 start time, how to watch
As the co-main event, Reyes and Jacoby are expected to make their walks to the octagon at approximately 10:05 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 57.
Jared Cannonier faces a younger contender in Nassourdine Imavov. Will age be the biggest factor in the UFC on ESPN 57 main event?
MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom goes in depth to break down the biggest fights in the UFC. Today, he takes a closer look at the UFC on ESPN 57 main event between former middleweight title challenger [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] and [autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag].
Supplemental info:
+ Regional MMA titles
+ 10 KO victories
+ 2 submission wins
+ 7 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Improved ability to counter
^ Dangerous hooks and uppercuts
+ Hard leg kicks
^ From both stances
+ Strong inside the clinch
+ Serviceable wrestling ability
^ Defensively and offensively
+ Shows improved getups/scrambles
+ Works well from topside
^ Heavy ground-and-pound
Supplemental info:
+ Regional MMA title
+ 5 knockout victories
+ 4 submission wins
+ 7 first-round finishes
+ Solid feel for range and movement
+ Works well off of lead hand
^ Hard hooks and uppercuts
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Frames well for knees and elbows
+ Strikes well off the breaks
+ Serviceable wrestling ability
^ Defensively and offensively
+ Deceptive front-choke acumen
+ Grapples well from topside
Jared Cannonier vs. Nassourdine Imavov point of interest: Middleweight mashup
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 17: (L-R) Jared Cannonier punches Sean Strickland in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on December 17, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
The main event for UFC on ESPN 57 features another middleweight matchup between two men who are incredibly offensively-minded.
Steadily developing a hard-hitting game since stepping onto the UFC scene, Cannonier has made marked improvements under the care of John Crouch and the rest of the coaching staff at The MMA Lab. Now, moving much more smoothly, Cannonier can shift his stance pre or post-combination, punctuating his presence with greater effect than before.
Typically utilizing pressure to create openings for offense, Cannonier keeps hard shots on a hair trigger, ready to come forward or counter at the drop of a dime. The 13-year pro has also seemingly picked up his stablemate’s knack for throwing the calf kick (or low leg kicks), showing the ability to attack his opponent’s lower extremities from both stances.
However, Cannonier is still not beyond being kicked or countered himself, so I’ll be curious to see how he approaches someone like Imavov.
Although he appears to possess a natural aptitude for countering, Imavov also has a penchant for piecing together offense off of his lead hand.
From active feints to sneaky hooks off of his jab, Imavov seems to have a solid sense of range that helps fuel his attacks. And when Imavov can corral his opposition toward the cage, the Russia-born fighter is not afraid to unleash everything from hooking combinations to flying knees.
Nevertheless, Imavov’s low-handed guard and sometimes lackadaisical approach to his offense have cost him both when coming forward (in the form of counters) and when going backward in extended exchanges (as Imavov’s head will also go upright when retreating in straight lines).
Jared Cannonier vs. Nassourdine Imavov breakdown: Potential grappling threats
Jun 10, 2023; Vancouver, BC, Canada; Nassourdine Imavov applies a hold against Chris Curtis during UFC 289 at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Considering the potential for chaos on the feet, no one should be shocked if this party hits the floor on Saturday.
Even though the fighter from France doesn’t have a lot of takedown attempts on the stat sheet, Imavov’s offensive nature often finds himself flowing or crashing into clinch space in his fights.
Imavov will sometimes parlay this momentum into opportunistic level-changing takedown attempts that either score or allow him to secure his foes along the fence.
Imavov has seemingly absorbed a lot of the muay Thai swagger seen in a lot of Fernand Lopez fighters, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see the 28-year-old utilize his solid framing game in close to land some vicious elbows and knees of his own. That said, Imavov now has a new team behind him, and I’m not sure how much he’ll want to go strength-for-strength with a guy like Cannonier in closed quarters.
Spending a decent chunk of his UFC career fending off grapplers, Cannonier has proven to be absolute dynamite in small spaces.
From his improved ability to defensively scramble to the slugging shots that he sneaks in mid-transition, the 40-year-old has come a long way from the light heavyweight who was prone to playing guard when taken down. And when Cannonier is the one who ends up on topside, the “Killa Gorilla” is quick to unleash hell from above in the form of unforgiving ground-and-pound.
Imavov is a solid transitional grappler from topside (particularly when working against the fence), but he’ll need to demonstrate improved urgency should he end up underneath Cannonier.
Jared Cannonier vs. Nassourdine Imavov odds
The oddsmakers and the public are slightly siding with the younger fighter, listing Imavov as a slight favorite at -128 and Cannonier a slight underdog at +100, via FanDuel.
Jared Cannonier vs. Nassourdine Imavov prediction, pick
Even though part of me expected Imavov to be a larger betting favorite, it’s still hard to be confident in him over five rounds due to his propensity to flag in fights. That said, it’s also difficult to be too bullish on Cannonier considering that the 40-year-old competitor is coming off a decent layoff and knee injury.
If Imavov can pull some bad defensive reactions out of Cannonier early via feints or double jabs, then nobody should be surprised if the native of France can finish the American early with a well-placed cross.
Aside from struggling against southpaws, fighters who can both counter and offer straight shots down the pike have traditionally provided problems for Cannonier, regardless of stance.
Still, I have a hard time picking against Cannonier in this spot.
Not only is Cannonier the more proven fighter, but the MMA Lab product has shown that he can come back from adversity and fight hard for five frames without flagging. For that reason, I’ll swing the other way and side with Cannonier to edge out the scorecards with the more impactful blows down the stretch.
Prediction: Cannonier by decision
Jared Cannonier vs. Nassourdine Imavov start time, where to watch
As the main event, Cannonier and Imavov are expected to make their walks to the octagon at approximately 10:30 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 57.
UFC on ESPN 57 ceremonial weigh-ins are complete, and the fighters came face-to-face one final time before Saturday’s event.
UFC on ESPN 57 weigh-ins took place Friday, and the fighters came face-to-face one final time before Saturday’s event.
The weigh-ins took place at the UFC host hotel in Louisville, Ky. The nearby KFC Yum! Center hosts Saturday’s event (ESPN/ESPN+). Check out the videos below to see the fighters from the main and co-main events come face-to-face.
Former middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier (17-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) and Nassourdine Imavov (13-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC), who meet in the main event. In addition, Dustin Jacoby (19-8-1 MMA, 7-5-1 UFC) takes on former light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes (12-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) in the co-feature.
Check out the results from the official UFC on ESPN 57 fighter weigh-ins.
Official weigh-ins for UFC on ESPN 57 are in the books, and the card is official.
In the main event, former middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier (17-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) takes on Nassourdine Imavov (13-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC). They were the first two to come to the scale during the official two-hour window, and each was 185 pounds on the nose.
It took significantly longer for the co-main event to get set. Dustin Jacoby (19-8-1 MMA, 7-5-1 UFC) takes on former light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes (12-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) in the co-feature. The fighters didn’t come to the scale until about 90 minutes into the session, but Jacoby was under at 204.5, and Reyes hit 205.
There appeared to be issues with the scale or scale operator early and many fighters had to use the box to make weight – and appeared surprised on videos posted to social media that they were above weight. Eventually, Marc Ratner, the UFC’s VP for Regulatory Affairs, operated the scale in an unofficial capacity before the Kentucky commission official gave the OK.
In the end, Eduarda Moura (10-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) was a half-pound over for her women’s strawweight fight against Denise Gomes (8-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC), who was 116. Moura was fined 20 percent of her purse (H/T Spinnin’ Backfist). She now has missed weight for both her fights in the UFC after making weight on Dana White’s Contender Series.
The weigh-ins took place at the UFC host hotel in Louisville, Ky. The nearby KFC Yum! Center hosts Saturday’s event (ESPN/ESPN+).
The full UFC on ESPN 57 weigh-in results included:
MAIN CARD (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET)
Jared Cannonier (185) vs. Nassourdine Imavov (185)
Dustin Jacoby (204.5) vs. Dominick Reyes (205)
Raul Rosas Jr. (136) vs. Ricky Turcios (136)
Brunno Ferreira (186) vs. Dustin Stoltzfus (184.5)
Julian Marquez (185.5) vs. Zach Reese (185)
Miguel Baeza (171) vs. Puna Soriano (171)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET)
Ludovit Klein (156) vs. Thiago Moises (156)
Carlos Prates (169.5) vs. Charlie Radtke (171)
Jesse Butler (136) vs. Brad Katona (136)
Montana De La Rosa (126) vs. Andrea Lee (126)
John Castaneda (136) vs. Daniel Marcos (135.25)
Denise Gomes (116) vs. Eduarda Moura (116.5)*
Taylor Lapilus (135.5) vs. Cody Stamann (135.75)
Rayanne Amanda (116) vs. Puja Tomar (116)
*Moura missed the women’s strawweight limit and will be fined 20 percent of her purse.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 57.
The main event for the UFC’s long-awaited return to Louisville, Ky., is official after the headliners made weight Friday.
The main event for the UFC’s long-awaited return to Louisville, Ky., is official after the headliners made weight Friday.
Ahead of UFC on ESPN 57 (ESPN/ESPN+), which takes place Saturday at KFC Yum! Center, former middleweight title challenger [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] (17-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) and opponent [autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) stepped on the scale.
Check out the video from their trips to the scale below.
Dominick Reyes hopes to return to his original form at UFC on ESPN 57.
[autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] hopes to return to his original form at UFC on ESPN 57.
Reyes (12-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) meets Dustin Jacoby (19-8-1 MMA, 7-5-1 UFC) in Saturday’s co-main event (ESPN/ESPN+) at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.
Reyes was forced to withdraw from his UFC on ESPN 54 matchup vs. Carlos Ulberg in March upon discovering that he had deep vein thrombosis – blood clots in his leg. The former title challenger, who once pushed Jon Jones to the brink, will look to snap a four-fight losing skid against Jacoby.
“The UFC’s light heavyweight division is very performance based,” Reyes said during Wednesday’s media day. “I have the pedigree to get me back to the top. Pretty much anyone in the division has the opportunity to put a couple (of wins) together, but it’s one of the hardest divisions in terms of, one punch and it’s over.
“… I was thinking about this the other day actually. I was like, ‘Man, I put together six in a row in the UFC’s light heavyweight division. That’s pretty wild.’ I’m right back to it. I’m right back to that style of fighter. That’s what Dustin was asking, and that’s what he’s going to get.”
Jacoby will also look to rebound after losing three of his past four. Reyes noticed a main tendency in Jacoby’s game that he knows he has to be wary of.
“He’s extremely durable. He’s not a guy you’re going to be able to put away easily,” Reyes said. “He’s athletic. He moves well. He has good feet. His pressure is constant. He likes to come on strong in the second half of a fight. That’s my main takeaway is he comes on strong at the end. So if we make it that far, I need to be ready to stay on my P’s and Q’s, because that’s when he capitalizes on his opponents’ mistakes.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 57.
Dustin Jacoby won’t underestimate Dominick Reyes because of his losing skid.
[autotag]Dustin Jacoby[/autotag] won’t underestimate [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] because of his losing skid.
Jacoby (19-8-1 MMA, 7-5-1 UFC) meets former title challenger Reyes (12-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 57 (ESPN/ESPN+) co-main event at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.
Jacoby, who’s lost three of his past four, relishes the opportunity to face a notable name in the division like Reyes.
“I love the matchup,” Jacoby said of Reyes during Wednesday’s media day. “I’m very well aware Dominick Reyes is a big name. He’s one of the best guys in the division. He’s on a little bit of a skid right now, but this is not an easy job.
“It’s a tough job to do and he’s fought a murderer’s row of individuals. I know I have my hands full. I know Dom’s going to be dangerous, and I’m really looking forward to the opportunity of taking out a so-called legend and building my legacy.”
Reyes was an unbeaten rising contender when he challenged Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title in February 2020, losing a razor-thin decision that many thought he won. But since then, the 34-year-old has struggled by losing four straight, three by knockout.
Jacoby won’t take Reyes’ recent struggles too much into account.
“I’m prepared for both (versions of Reyes),” Jacoby said. “I’m very well-prepared. It’s my job to go in there and execute. He could come forward, he could stay back. Either way, I think he’s going to go in there looking for the kill. I think his back’s against the wall. I think he knows that, and he’s got to go out there and make something happen.
“I’m expecting the best Dominick Reyes, the best version there is. I have no doubt he’s going to be on that night and again, I’m just looking forward to the opportunity to go in there and face a guy like him. He’s definitely one of the best guys in the division.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 57.
Watch Nassourdine Imavov get a win in his home country of France, defeating Joaquin Buckley.
[autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag] got to give his people one of his best career performances.
Fighting in his home country of France in September 2022, Imavov defeated dangerous striker Joaquin Buckley in a unanimous decision. Imavov had success on the feet and on the ground, reminding everyone why he’s a force to be reckoned with.
You can watch Imavov’s win over Buckley in the video above.
Nassourdine Imavov (13-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) returns to the cage this Saturday in the main event of UFC on ESPN 57, which takes place at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. He takes on former UFC middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier (17-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC).
