Aljamain Sterling Breaks Down UFC 296 | Full Predictions and Picks

“I think Leon so sharp so crisp we see him on the pads when he's hting elbows elbows elbows kick kick kick clean precise he fights pretty and this is one of the things and believe it or not this this is one of the things I was joking around with somebody and and I was saying I was like uh one thing about us black folks I feel like we like to fight pretty bro we just do you look at Devin Haney you look at Floyd Mayweather you look at myself you look at uh Tyron Woodley you look at Jon Jones Jon Jones has been in a war though but for the most part us brothers except for Michael Perry Mike Mike Perry he's a little bit different kind of a brother you know he he likes to get into n grey in the meat and potatoes of that whole thing you know he likes to get down in that dog fight now for us other brothers for the most part most of us like to fight pretty we like to touch and can't be touched that's most of our style for the most part guys I know I'm generalizing here but if you look at what I'm talking about and just just look at it and you're gon to be like huh maybe there's something to this so with that being said Leon Edwards fights pretty Colby Colby Covington fights dirty he's a dog he's going to be in your face he's willing to bleed and I'm not saying Leon ain't willing to go there cuz he is but if he has the option if I'm going to fight pretty and style on you he's GNA fight Pretty In Style on you you give him that opportunity you give him the space that's what he likes and that's where he's strongest and I think his footwork is pretty solid where he's able to cut angles find his angles to land that stiff jab to land that hard cross and to land those Southpaw body kicks I think that's what's Colby Covington's going to need to deal with in the sense of uh can he handle that adversity and get through that fire to the point where he can cross that like there's a line right there's we call it like the you you call like the one two or three or you could call it a b and c points of fighting and uh you got to be willing to cross that distance that threshold in order to close the gap to get to that three range or that c range a is like in space like ah we're like kickboxing kicks predominantly land or I can slip and rip where you're in the pocket that's more of like a 2B range and then three is like the clinch we're engaged we're like elbows knees that's the type of attacks you're going to land in those sequences in that type of space so with that said that's where Colby Covington needs to get he needs to get to that three range he could sit there and box with you into the two range but let's be honest Leon is the cleaner Striker he's the more comfortable Striker and he's been doing it for a lot longer and I think that's where Colby Covington's going to have a little bit of an issue trying to figure out okay if this is going to be tough um I got to figure out my ways of closing that Gap and getting to that three range C range so that I can getting close attack the legs but I got to use it with punches I can't just go in there and shoot he's got to set it up with punches and if a big strong guy like Kamar usma had a hard time getting down Leon does that mean Colby Covington is gonna have just as hard of a time I don't know I think it's very different styles Colby Covington has very different unique attacks when he's attacking on the cage he has you pressed up against the cage I think the difference when he fought Usman is that uman is a big strong anti- wrestler and can use the wrestling when he wants to Leon knows how to use the anti- wrestling but he's not more of an a a wrestler type of guy where if Usman was able to take down Colby Covington now usman's playing Colby Covington's game and gives him an opport to kind of reverse the position so smart just I'm going to neutralize your wrestling and we're going to stand here and figure it out on the feet now Leon it's not the wrestler I mean even though he got the he got the takedown he got the full mount in the first round against usma right so you got to give him some credit I'm not saying he's a complete dud but you got to lean towards the guy with the offensive wrestling can Leon keep him off of him and stop the chain wrestling attacks of Colby Colby Covington and that's the question mark that we're going to be looking forward to on December I think 16th let me not butcher that let me take a look I think it's EVENT_DETAILS December 16th now this podcast is brought to you guys by draftking sports book so with that being said I got to give you guys the odds for this one so for this Main Event Leon Edwards is let me see this is 148 minus 148 for Leon plus 124 for Colby Covington coverton so for me I the way I look at that it's a very close line but they're giving a slight Edge to Leon Edwards there's something to be said about when you win the belt I feel like you level up now in my case I won the belt by disqualification I didn't feel like I leveled up [ __ ] I felt like i' been the champ when I fought Cory sandhagen but then I had a shitty fight the next one right which was the the first Yan fight so for the most part the rule of thumb is when you win the belt there's like this extra percentage or experience that you gain for whatever reason I think Teddy Atlas said it um I think Joe Rogan said it um and I think they were saying it that Teddy Atlas said it or something along those lines or Daniel Cormier which whichever don't quote me but that's what predominantly people say you get like you kind of get like your peacock feathers and I think Leon Edward is kind of in that mode right now he's in that Groove and that's what I love about him right now I think he's feeling it I think he knows who he is he's comfortable in his own skin and with that being said it is a tough fight for Colby Colby Covington coming off such a long layoff is he gonna have ring rust is he gonna be able to keep that same Pace we don't know he's getting up there in age let's take a look Colby Covington Colby Covington Colby Covington Colby Covington Colby Colby Covington let's take a look he's 35 years years old man it's been a while he hasn't fought since mazol in 2022 of March so it's been quite the layoff he hasn't been very active and before that he fought Kamar Usman in November I mean that's a little bit close to the mol fight but good fight for [Music] Colby Covington so I don't know at at this age can Colby Colby Covington still show those that dog in him like look at this can he still show that dog in him he's okay and willing to live there remember what I said about want to fight pretty and vice versa and I think Colby Covington Colby Covington is uh is comfortable enough to want to do that so again with uh that being said minus 148 for Leon Edwards plus 124 for Colby Covington coving 10 Mr chaos I man I can't wait for this fight this is gonna be such a good fight man I really do believe that Leon Edwards I don't how old is he he's 32 not that old still relatively young got the belt at a really good age he's like right in that those prime years I I would say he's got at least a good two threeyear run and I mean we' seen Glover toera do it at a much later age but on average this is where he's got he's got a strike while the iron hot kind of a thing you know so I'm I'm very much looking forward to this and obviously Colby Covington Colby Covington us American made and then Leon Edwards born in Jamaica grew up in the UK um I love that man and uh this is a tough fight because I I I respect both of these guys both of these guys have been through some [ __ ] to try to get to this position and Colby Covington somehow someway as DC said there's no one who's done more with less than Colby Colby Covington that he could think of and I agree he's not the most Andre Filisically gifted guy he's not the biggest guy had welterweight he's not the strongest he not the fastest but this mofo works hard and he's a dog he's just willing to go to those depths and those places to try and get that win and get his hand raised and you got to respect that and I think Leon needs to make sure he's mentally prepared to go five rounds just in case Colby Covington doesn't go away when he puts when he puts some good shots on him so I'm looking forward to this man that's a big fight I'm super excited about it and I cannot wait”

“the only person who's actually submitted him was panta what are the odds that they're fighting again in what of the OD that he gets re naked choked again I don't know it's a tough one with that said I I don't think there's I don't think there's much else that I can um say about this we know with Alexandre Pantoja what you're gonna get this guy is a Marauder he just comes forward he just starts Ah Ah boha boha that's just pretty much Alexandre Pantoja in a nutshell he just boha whole lot of boha whole lot of gang [ __ ] that's just what he comes to do looking for that re naked choke uh I think he was relatively sloppy in his fight with Brandon Royval Royval where he had the back control multiple times on the takedowns lost a position and I'm not saying Brandon Royval isn't good on the ground because he is that was one of the things I loved about watching the baby assassin on The Ultimate Fighter I thought his ground game was one of those more unique things that we haven't seen in a very long time from people and to see him escape the way that he did against pinia who is known if he gets you back he typically submits you or puts you out man it's just hiso what he does right but Morena was able to escape multiple times and that makes me wonder will Brandon Royval have done enough homework to correct those bad positions to not give up that submission if he does end up there cuz let's be honest Brandon Royval is a freestyle fighter he lets it go he lets it hang out there there's a good chance a great opportunity that he's probably going to end up in that same position again now the difference is will he be able to escape this time or will it be the same ending like their first visit and that would be really shitty to kind of go out the same exact way against a guy now for the belt because if you lose this time there is literally no other chance that you're going to get another crack at this guy anytime soon”

“I think shaa could go out there and show his striking ability and get a exciting finish over a guy like Stephen Stephen Thompson Stephen Thompson yo dude he's now in that conversation for title shot and that's what's so it bugs it bums me out for balow just because I'm like dog I feel you I feel you on that you I know you earned what you earned and you may not get it because of this and that's just the way the game goes but um yeah that's a fun fight if he does get past Stephen Stephen Thompson shaa and Bala or if shaa even fights for the title against the winner there's a there's just a lot of possibilities”

“I think he could beat Paddy Pimblett I think this is a lose lose for Paddy Pimblett because if Paddy Pimblett loses this it's just like oh you lost to Tony Ferguson Tony Ferguson Ferguson that's what the fans the Casual fans are going to say as if Tony Ferguson's not a veteran as if he doesn't have that dog in him he's shown that dog it's just of late he's just been on a shitty run and it has not looked good but to lose to Tony Ferguson Tony Ferguson Ferguson I mean you're losing to to me a freaking Legend I don't think that's all that that I don't think that's all that bad but if Paddy Pimblett wins it's also well you beat Tony Ferguson Tony Ferguson Ferguson but depending on how it looks he's going to acquire that Tony Ferguson Tony Ferguson Ferguson fan base for tuning in to watch el koui el Ki is still the man still got a big name people still love Tony Ferguson I love Tony Ferguson don't don't get me wrong I just think if he doesn't have a good performance in this one it's going to be about that time to look himself in the mirror and really ask himself the question is hey I think it's time I hang these gloves up and it's it sucks to say that sucks to see it but he has to have a good performance otherwise I think that's going to be the next best move”

“Bryce Mitchell Bryce Mitchell Mitchell stepping up like the dog he is from Arkansas baby from cersi this is a big fight I was honestly willing to take the fight against Josh Emmett EMT it wouldn't have been the smartest decision but I was willing to do it because it's a Payday before the holidays [Laughter] hey and I could have actually made the weight it wouldn't have been fun I wouldn't have had as much fun as I did the last few days cuz have been training for a fight um but I would have liked to make my introduction to the featherweight division the right way take my time um get a full training camp uh this way there's no excuses I I don't like to have excuses there's always reasons why you lost but I don't want those to be excuses even if they're valid at the end of the day it's still an excuse and I I understand that um it would have been me just taking a shot rolling the dice and I I do think I could give it a good fight three rounds short notice I just don't think my gas tank would have been the greatest that was the only real deterrent for me so thankfully the UFC Saved Me From Myself and Bryce Mitchell Bryce Mitchell Mitchell Saved Me From Myself and he stepped in and didn't allow me to make a rash decision that could have been a a really really bad mistake because Josh Emmett EMT is a tank man he's a dog”

“Josh Emmett EMT is a tank man he's a dog um Irene Aldana Irene Aldana Aldana versus KY Karol Rosa that's an interesting one aren alonna I think she looked really good when she who did she fight um she fought someone she looked really good but she lost to Amanda nunz and it didn't look good Macy chison okay but yeah when she fought Amanda she just didn't open up it was like a weird I don't even know what that was that was just strange um but see if she could get back on track with this one Cody Garbrandt garbrandt Brian Kelleher kellerer Bon weights former champion in Cody Garbrandt gar taking on Brian Kelleher kellerer a former teammate that I used to train with over at Team bomb squad occasionally trained with him down in Long Island haven't really trained with him much in the last three years so um yeah this is a very interesting one I I you know I don't know who's going to win this Kell her had neck surgery I think he had a fusion I'm not sure if he got the the same disc thing that I got for some reason I feel like he went with the fusion I hope he didn't cuz the fusion you're going to be right back there in a couple years needing to get the next disc um fuse he's on a two- fight losing skid Mario Batista Renea choke finish and Umar Nam magov Rea choke finish now if I'm Cody Garbrandt garbrandt I'm thinking if I utilize my wrestling and I could get this man down without getting caught in a GU tetin because kellerer has a nasty gu te I'm thinking I could finish him by rear Naka choke just by the trend you got to wonder when guys who is it Darren crook shank got rear nak choke I think three or four times in a row and I'm just perplexed because I'm just like my brother at what point does your coach say hey maybe we should work on the defense for this because your opponent coming up might look at the other fights and think that this is the way to get you if I can get him there mind blown it is the craziest thing because he's such a talented fighter too Dan crook Shang was fun to watch except when he got on the ground he didn't know what the hell he was doing thatone there very very odd um Cody Garbrandt garbrandt on a one-fight win streak right now which snapped a two-fight losing skid to rafon and Kai cata France um let's call it what it is his fight against trevan Jones was not what we expected was not the most entertaining fight um but here's an opportunity Kell Her Go goes forward he has a dynamite of a left hook and catches guys with that when they least expect it I don't know how he does it but he does it I'm looking forward to this one I think this is GNA be a very very interesting fight um this would be huge for garb to get on two fight win streak and kind of reassert himself in that top 15 pitcher if he can beat a guy like Kell her and if kellerer could bounce back in a big Way by beating a former Champion that is huge for his career that is a that is a great Scout to get to your resume but I don't know how's Kell her gonna look after being out for so long losing two fights in a row it's been a while since he's been on the winning the winning side of things he beat Kevin kro I believe that was at 145 took it on short notice by decision his last fight Mario Batista June of 2022 that's a good fight uh let's get the odds on that one actually why not the odds are wait where is it why is it oh okay minus 205 for Cody Garbrandt garbrandt and plus 170 for Brian Kelleher Keller now Casey O'Neal she's back she's taking on arene lipsky o oh that's who this girl was Queen of violence is her name I seen her around the pi I call her that elbow Queen by accident my bad good fight now Alonzo Menifield Menifield versus Dustin Jacoby oh that is gonna be a banger tar Ulan beckov versus Cody Garbrandt Duran Andre Andre Fili Andre Fili versus uh Lucas Almeida Lucas Almeida Almeida Shamil Shamil Gaziev gazave versus Martin Martin Buday Martin Buday and salikov versus Randy Brown the card opener touch and go damn this is a huge card Randy Brown's on the freaking opener it's nuts a lot of good fights man I'm I'm pumped about this I hope you guys are too there's a lot of great stuff coming in um so we're g to wrap it with that I think we did more than enough talking I hope you guys enjoyed the show guys please like subscribe drop a comment tell me who are your main card picks um I was goingon to say maybe I'll put mine down um but then yeah I I typically try not to bet because it it gets gets weird because then I see these guys in the pi and they're like yo Mo you better against me unless it's like my boy you know um so leave me your main card picks in the comments hit the like button don't forget to subscribe thank you guys for tuning in I'll see you guys soon peace”

“Irene Aldana Irene Aldana Aldana versus KY Karol Rosa that's an interesting one aren alonna I think she looked really good when she who did she fight um she fought someone she looked really good but she lost to Amanda nunz and it didn't look good Macy chison okay but yeah when she fought Amanda she just didn't open up it was like a weird I don't even know what that was that was just strange um but see if she could get back on track with this one”

“I think this is GNA be a very very interesting fight um this would be huge for garb to get on two fight win streak and kind of reassert himself in that top 15 pitcher if he can beat a guy like Kell her and if kellerer could bounce back in a big Way by beating a former Champion that is huge for his career that is a that is a great Scout to get to your resume but I don't know how's Kell her gonna look after being out for so long losing two fights in a row it's been a while since he's been on the winning the winning side of things”

“Alonzo Menifield Menifield versus Dustin Jacoby oh that is gonna be a banger tar Ulan beckov versus Cody Garbrandt Duran Andre Andre Fili Andre Fili versus uh Lucas Almeida Lucas Almeida Almeida Shamil Shamil Gaziev gazave versus Martin Martin Buday Martin Buday and salikov versus Randy Brown the card opener touch and go damn this is a huge card Randy Brown's on the freaking opener it's nuts a lot of good fights man I'm I'm pumped about this I hope you guys are too there's a lot of great stuff coming in”

“tar Ulan beckov versus Cody Garbrandt Duran Andre Andre Fili Andre Fili versus uh Lucas Almeida Lucas Almeida Almeida Shamil Shamil Gaziev gazave versus Martin Martin Buday Martin Buday and salikov versus Randy Brown the card opener touch and go damn this is a huge card Randy Brown's on the freaking opener it's nuts a lot of good fights man I'm I'm pumped about this I hope you guys are too there's a lot of great stuff coming in”

“Shamil Shamil Gaziev gazave versus Martin Martin Buday Martin Buday and salikov versus Randy Brown the card opener touch and go damn this is a huge card Randy Brown's on the freaking opener it's nuts a lot of good fights man I'm I'm pumped about this I hope you guys are too there's a lot of great stuff coming in”

“Shamil Shamil Gaziev gazave versus Martin Martin Buday Martin Buday and salikov versus Randy Brown the card opener touch and go damn this is a huge card Randy Brown's on the freaking opener it's nuts a lot of good fights man I'm I'm pumped about this I hope you guys are too there's a lot of great stuff coming in”