Louis Cosce vs Victor Reyna
- Louis Cosce
- Age: 26
- Pro Record: 6-0
- Tools: Louis Cosce has average striking paired with below average power (50-40). He also has above average wrestling (60) and above average grappling (60).
- Victor Reyna
- Age: 34
- Pro Record: 11-4
- Key Losses: Lost to a 20-10 wrestler.Key Wins: Submitted a well rounded 11-3 fighter. Knocked out a 4-0 wrestler and a 6-1 grappler. Split decision wins over Daniel Rodriguez and a 6-2 grappler.
- Tools: Reyna has striking that’s a little above average (55). He also has fringe average wrestling (45).
Striker vs wrestler. The odds started out as a pick em yesterday, but since then, Reyna has been bet up to as high as -210. And it makes sense. Reyna hung in against potential UFC contender Miguel Baeza. And there’s just not a lot of footage on Cosce. And unlike his brother Orion, Louis hasn’t beat a single quality opponent. Only cans. So it’s hard to predict exactly where his tools are at. But just like with his brother Orion, Louis looks explosive and dominates opponents he’s supposed to dominate. Reyna’s wrestling looked a bit iffy to me and I think Cosce will be able to take Reyna down. And that’ll be the difference in the fight.
Chris’ Pick: Cosce by 2nd round submission.
Cheyanne Buys vs Hilarie Rose
- Cheyanne Buys
- Age: 25
- Pro Record: 4-1
- Key Wins: Split decision win over a 3-0 striker.
- Tools: Buys has average striking (50) and average wrestling (50).
- Hilarie Rose
- Age: 27
- Pro Record: 4-1
- Tools: Rose has fringe average striking (45). She also has wrestling that’s a little above average (55) and fringe average grappling (45)
Coin flip fight. I could see either fighter winning. Biggest question is whether Rose can take Buys down. On the feet, Buys should be slightly better. Rose has grappling too, so obviously, she’ll want the fight on the ground. But shockingly, the day before the fight, the odds had Buys at -270. Now Buys is down all the way to -234, so clearly, the money is coming in on Rose. On a fight that could go either way, I’m going with Rose at +200.
Chris’ Pick: Rose submits Buys in the 2nd round.
Orion Cosce vs Matt Dixon
- Orion Cosce
- Age: 26
- Pro Record: 6-0
- Key Wins: Knocked out a 4-0 grappler.
- Tools: Orion Cosce has average striking (50) and above average wrestling (60).
- Matt Dixon
- Age: 24
- Pro Record: 9-0
- Key Wins: Knocked out a 5-2 grappler and a 9-3 grappler.
- Tools: Dixon has fringe average striking (45) and wrestling that’s a little above average (55).
I’m really shocked at the odds of this fight. Dixon in some books is as heavy as -300. People must think Dixon will be able to easily take Cosce down. And there’s also not a lot of footage of Cosce. But the fights I did see, Cosce has explosive wrestling. Good athlete. And he knocked out a 4-0 grappler who had at least 45 grappling. I’m going to go out on a limb to say that Dixon won’t be able to keep Cosce down the whole fight. Part of the fight will be on the feet. Cosce should be better there. I’m picking the upset.
Chris’ Pick: Cosce by 2nd round knockout.
Josh Parisian vs Chad Johnson
- Josh Parisian
- Age: 31
- Pro Record: 12-3
- Key Wins: Knocked out a 24-8 striker.
- Tools: Parisian has striking that’s a little above average (55).
- Chad Johnson
- Age: 34
- Pro Record: 6-1
- Key Losses: Knocked out by an 8-4 striker.
- Key Wins: Knocked out a 6-1 grappler.
- Tools: Johnson has fringe average striking (45).
Striker vs striker. And an interesting nugget on this fight is that Johnson weighed in at 215 lbs. Super light for heavyweight. Parisian, meanwhile, weighed in at 265 lbs. So that’s a 50 lb difference, folks. Parisian should have better striking, but even if he doesn’t, he shouldn’t have a problem clinching Johnson against the fence and smothering him there.
Chris’ Pick: Parisian by decision.
Kevin Syler vs Kenneth Cross
- Kevin Syler
- Age: 26
- Pro Record: 10-0
- Key Wins: Knocked out a 7-1 grappler. Submitted a 7-1 grappler and an 11-4 striker. Beat a 5-0 grappler.
- Tools: Syler has striking that’s a little above average paired with fringe average power (55-45). He also has above average wrestling (60) and above average grappling (60).
- Kenneth Cross
- Age: 25
- Pro Record: 10-3
- Key Losses: Submitted by a 6-3 grappler.
- Tools: Cross has average striking (50) and fringe average grappling (45).
The only place Cross poses a threat is on the feet where he probably has more power than Syler. But that’s it. On the feet, Syler will probably land more. Most likely, Syler will go the path of least resistance, take Cross down, and submit him.
Chris’ Pick: Syler by 1st round submission.