SMUGGLING DUDS UFC 223 GAMBLING GUIDE UPDATE...

Tony Ferguson pulls out with an injury. With 6 days notice Max Holloway and Brian Ortega get offered the fight. Both accept but Holloway gets first dibs as he was asked first so the Hawaiian steps in to face the Russian . Turns out Holloway can’t make weight. Step up Anthony Pettis....hang on wait, there are money issues, Pettis Vs Khabib is off before the UFC designers can even knock up a new poster. Meanwhile Khabib and his team mates gang up on Artem Lobov (Conor McGregor’s best mate - should you need reminding) in a hotel corridor. It’s caught on camera. Standard. On Thursday night McGregor, a long with 20 friends, allegedly sneaks through some secret back via his own UFC press certified staff and trashes the UFC bus, full of pre fight press con fighters...including Khabib Nurmagomedov. Everything is caught on camera. Standard. Dana White gives an emergency statement to the press, McGregor gets arrested and appears in court. Vince McMahon is no where to be seen, the UFC gets record high Embedded hits. To top it off, just when the UFC was about to make that grizzly bear an offer, Al Aiaquinta saves the day and takes the fight with Khabib!

Artem Lobov gets sacked and bunch of other fights are off due to various reasons caused by McGregors behaviour, but the show goes on.

And breath.

MAIN CARD
Al Iaquinta Vs Khabib Nurmagomedov (LW)
Here we are again. New opponent, same outcome.
WINNER: Nurmagomedov
METHOD: Decision (possibly TKO in the later rounds)

Rose Namajunas (c) Vs Joanna Jedrzejczyk (STRAW)
Nobody (including us) expected ‘Thug Rose’ to not only take the belt but take out JJ in the first round, crushing a 14 fight unbeaten streak, of their November 2017 bout. JJ tasted defeat and she absolutely hated it. Fans will be keen to see if the Polish superstar will keep up the bad girl image or whether it will be 100% business this time. Namajunas has always had the heart of a champion but is much more developed as a fighter now. This is such a hard one to call and we have changed our mind more than once that’s for sure but Namajunas could well be JJ’s kryponite. Time will tell.
WINNER: Namajunas
METHOD: Submission

Calvin Kattar Vs Renato Moicano (FW)
Moicano‘s only defeat was at the hands of the unstoppable Brian Ortega. Up until then he’d been pretty solid performance wise. Facing a Boston native will mean the crowd won’t be on his side but that shouldn’t matter with the outcome.
WINNER: Moicano
METHOD: Decision

PRELIM CARD (Fox Sport 1)
Karolina Kowalkiewicz Vs Felice Herrig (STRAW)
A very tough bout to call. If Herrig can score at least a few successful takedowns this might just be enough to get the judges approval.
WINNER: Herrig
METHOD: Decision

Joe Lauzon Vs Chris Gruetzemacher (LW)
Potentially a loser leaves town match, maybe not so much for Lauzon who might be given one more chance if he loses here. The MMA veteran really has to pull it out the bag here but has looked very poor lately.
WINNER: Lauzon
METHOD: KO/TKO

Bec Rawlings Vs Ashlee Evans-Smith (FLY)
Yet another tough one to call! Neither have really set the octagon alight during their time in the UFC or managed a significant title. The runner up in this one will definitely be shown the door.
WINNER: Evans-Smith
METHOD: Decision

PRELIMS (UFC Fight Pass)
Evan Dunham Vs Mairbek Taisumov (LW)
Seasoned veteran Evan Dunham has his work cut out against an athlete who has smoked his last five opponents. Thanks for your service Evan.
WINNER: Taisumov
METHOD: KO/TKO

Zabit Magomed Sharipov Vs Kyle Bochniak (FW)
Russian native Sharipov is building up some decent momentum and shouldn’t have too many problems against Bochniak.
WINNER: Sharipov
METHOD: Submission

Devin Clark Vs Mike Rodriguez (LHW)
Rodriguez makes his UFC debut on the back of four 1st round knockouts. We expect him to add another.
WINNER: Rodriguez
METHOD: KO/TKO