UFC 264 GEEKS VISION BREAKDOWN

UFC 264 is back in Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena with a sold out crowd featuring some of the UFC's biggest stars such as Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, Suga Sean O'Malley, and Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson to name a few. Know what's going on Saturday night so you don't look like a complete bot when you're out watching the fights with all your friends. The official picks are posted to our Instagram page, these are summarized breakdowns of our favorite fights coming up Saturday.

Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier

It's always such a blessing to be able to watch a McGregor fight, he truly is the face of the fight game and a global icon. He never fails to impress the crowd with his violent striking techniques and his pure will to be the best, but Saturday will put that statement to the test. In this trilogy bout, where they both have separate knockout wins over one another, I'm taking McGregor to get the job done. The last fight was going great for Conor in the first and most of the second round until he started to feel the effects of all the leg kicks Dustin was throwing and he lost mobility. This definitely had a lot to do with the fact that almost 80% of Conor's camp for their last fight was boxing based and preparations were aimed at Manny not even Dustin. Don't get me wrong, Dustin is probably the much more well rounded fighter in terms of being a complete mixed martial artist, but I seriously don't think he's going to have any kind of advantage on the mat even if it got there that would pose any threat to Conor. Conor was lighting him up on the feet but just eating calf kicks, if McGregor comes out on Saturday with a much more established game-plan against the low kicks and his cardio holds up enough to stay off the fence then he might make some quick work out of Dustin like the first time. The other way I see this fight going is Dustin pushing him against the fence and shooting constantly in an attempt to get takedowns and wind down time in the early rounds when McGregor is statistically the most dangerous and try to take him deep before he stands with him. I'd love to see the old spread out out stand-up McGregor Saturday but we'll see what tricks he's got up his sleeve. If he loses this fight he will always be known as a Legend but a legend who fell off, we get to see if the money and the fame has really got to McGregor or if he still has that true fire in him to be the best again. PREDICTION: If I had to make an exact prediction I'd say McGregor 3rd Round KO.

- Tha Geek

Stephen Thompson vs Gilbert Burns

The co main event spot is a battle of two very different styles. We have the laser accurate ninja vs the powerful handed Burns with an amazing ground game. At first glance, it would seem like an easy road to victory for Burns, which would be take him down and finish him there as Wonderboy isn’t the best on the ground, but he has remarkable takedown defense.He is stopping opponents takedowns at a 78% clip. On the flip side, even though Burns is great on the ground, he has trouble getting his opponents to the mat. If you go back and watch his most recent fight against Kamaru Usman, there are times where, after his failed takedowns he is just laying on his back in hopes that Usman would have came down to him. With that being said, if he does get Wonderboy down than this fight could be over quickly. Wonderboy's ability to move and keep space will create trouble for Burns and if it stays on the feet, with the accuracy of Wonderboy and not to mention at 170 Burns doesn’t have the granite chin that others in that division have, so if the smooth striking Wonderboy can clip a chin Burns will fall. This fight is a must win for both as both fighters are in the top 5 of the rankings and if Wonderboy loses, at 38 years old, his title shot hopes are slim to none. Wonderboy opened up at +135 odds with Burns at a -155, but the odds have flip flopped with Wonderboy now at -165 and Burns at a +135 mark. If you got Wonderboy plus money for this fight, you should be very happy as I think the speed and accuracy of Wonderboy will leave Burns a step behind. PREDICTION: Stephen Thompson by Decision

- Dirty Dan

Tai Tuivasa vs Greg Hardy

This fight is a heavyweight banger and the Geeks are excited for it. These guys are going to come in at the UFC weight limit and let it fly on their feet. Tai ‘Bam Bam’ Tuivasa is 11-3 and on the verge of getting into the rankings with a win. Tuivasa is a young stud that could make a run in the heavyweight division. His striking is well rounded, mixing it up with the kicks and punches. The ground game is serviceable, especially against an opponent like Greg Hardy. Hardy is coming into this fight with a record of 7-3. The former NFL star turned villain is going to be the slight underdog on fight night with a line around +115. His skillset is one that gives him a chance any time out in the heavyweight division, and that is his combination of elite size and speed. His NFL background shows in his athleticism in the octagon. The power in his hands is impressive and something Tuivasa definitely needs to avoid getting clipped by, especially early. The weaknesses in his game show on the ground, and I expect him to try to avoid it in this fight. The longer this fight goes the more it favors Tuivasa as he has shown a better gas tank. Expect the fight to be close early as both men are dangerous on the feet. The first round is going to be big and probably require a finish from Hardy if he is going to win. However, I see this fight grinding on and Tai Tuivasa wearing him out with the better overall skill set and getting a finish late in the 2nd. PREDICTION: Round 2 Tuivasa TKO.

- Goosey

Sean O'Malley vs Kris Moutinho

Suga Sean O'Malley is a protected and highly honored piece of stock that the UFC isn't quite ready to let off the leash quite yet. This fight was supposed to be against Louis Smolka who apparently got staff infection and had to drop the fight leaving the whole roster chanting to get that main card spot with O'Malley. Despite all the awesome challenges presented to us fight fans on twitter and Instagram talking about Merab or Stamann, he chose a 9-4 kid named Kris Moutinho with colored hair like his and half the striking skillset not to mention size. This fight was literally made for a Suga highlight and I imagine it does deliver. Kris is a pretty good all around fighter but what O'Malley brings to the table on his feet with his quickness and mobility it will be TUFF trying to get your hands on him like imagine the plan is for Kris. This one's a shit show on the book so if you wanna toss a little bit of money on Suga somehow, hit the Submission prop. Kris will eventually start taking sloppy takedown attempts if he can outlast the first couple minutes and O'Malley is looking to prove his worth on the mat. Watch for the guillotine. PREDICTION: Suga Submission

-Tha Geek

Carlos Condit vs Max Griffin

Condit stepping into this one on a 2 fight win streak against two notable veterans like himself in Matt Brown and Court McGee. A couple weeks ago these wins weren't very impressive, but after watching McGee and Brown further, they aren't exactly washed as we all just watched Brown put Lima in a casket. Condit still can hang in there and perform but Max Griffin will be his toughest test to date in a long time. Griffin brings a good pace and volume striking to the table which makes him a much safer pick in the case we see a decision, which is currently sitting at -225. Griffin has shown that he still has strong power in his hands with a quick KO in his fight 2 bouts ago against. a younger guy. I wouldn't be surprised to see Griffin spark him early and get home fast with a check, but I also would't be surprised to see Condit pull a snake out of his boot and turn this into a grimy, nasty, body to body rub match and catch a stupid sub. This one sucks to pick. PREDICTION: Max Griffin by Decision

-Tha Geek

Niko Price vs Michel Pereira

Two of the most wild fighters in the UFC today facing off with full fans in Vegas is almost guaranteed to be fireworks. This matchup is an interesting one because it involves two guys that tend to throw technique out the window to brawl with their opponents. It is a strategy that has shown success for both men largely due to the fact that they are very big welterweights with solid gas tanks. Niko ‘The Hybrid’ Price is coming off a 6 month suspension handed out from the Nevada State Athletic Commission for a failed drug test after his last fight. He failed it for marijuana, which is a bit of a head scratcher considering it is legal recreationally in Nevada. Regardless, he is back and looking to make a statement in his comeback fight. Niko lives up to his nickname of ‘The Hybrid’ as he is good wherever the fight takes him. He has two knockouts off his back in his career which should show his impressive yet underrated power. His power comes from throwing wild shots from crazy angles. That is a trait he shares with his opponent in this one. Michel Pereira is an absolute maniac in the octagon. He uses mid-fight backflips, running along the fence and a constant barrage of feints in attempts to catch his opponents off guard. Those movements paired with his size often overwhelm opponents in the cage, and can set up big power shots. That is something I do not see happening with Price, who is battle tested with the best at 170 lbs. This fight has all the makings of a Fight of the Night Candidate. I see the fight playing out close early, but a calculated Niko Price outlasting him with the better gas tank in this one. PREDICTION: Niko Wins By Decision

- Goosey

Ryan Hall vs Ilia Topuria

A true veteran, Ryan Hall, returns from a 2 year hiatus to take on one of the UFC’s brightest prospects in this one. Hall won season 22 of the Ultimate Fighter and looked like a bright prospect when he came into the UFC. The hype has definitely faded despite being 3-0 in the UFC. I don’t know if it is by choice or just bad luck, but Hall’s fights always seem to fall through leaving him on the sidelines. Just in the past year alone he has had 3 bouts scheduled but none came to fruition. Regardless, I am excited to see him fight this weekend. Hall has some of the best jiu jitsu skills in the UFC and a fight IQ second to none. His striking is a karate style that utilizes kicks and straight punches to keep his opponent outside. A spot where he could have success against Topuria in this one. Topuria is an exciting prospect in the featherweight division. Coming into this one unbeaten with a record of 10-0, he will look to break into the rankings with a win. Topuria is an explosive wrestler with very good boxing skills.On the feet, he will look to get inside and hit Hall with hard punches. He uses his wrestling more offensively trying to set up ground and pound from top position. This fight will be a definite clash of styles as Topuria tries to overpower his opponents while Hall will use a savvy attack to try and catch his opponent overreaching. Topuria has shown no weaknesses to this point in his career, but this fight marks a definite step up in competition for him. Look for Topuria to come out and have success early, probably winning a close first round. The longer the fight goes the more it benefits Hall as he will constantly be computing his opponents attack and looking for openings. I expect Hall’s distance striking to frustrate Topuria as he starts to figure him out leading to a forced takedown attempt and Hall catching him with a late submission. PREDICTION: Hall Catches the Submission 3rd Round

- Goosey

Trevin Giles vs Dricus Du Plessis

The South African phenom is back in the octagon after about 9 months since his last fight. He faces off against Trevin Giles who is coming off an underdog win against a Georgian powerhouse in Roman Dolidze. These two were scheduled to fight in March of 2021, but that fight got pushed back until this weekend. Starting with Dricus, he is a big fighter for the division that utilizes his kicks and creates good spacing for himself. He has dangerous power in his hands and is tricky on the ground, as he has 9 submission wins. Giles is the type of fighter that wants to stand and bang and constantly moves forward while in the octagon. Du Plessis is a lot like someone else we have on the card this weekend in Niko Price, he throws strikes and moves wildly but is effective and can end the fight at any time he connects. Giles has good combinations and I believe that is when he is at his best he can compete with anyone. His hand speed and ability to throw combos could be troubling for Du Plessis because there are some instances where Du Plessis keeps his chin in the air. Giles strikes with a 3.26 strikes per minute (just below the UFC average) while taking 1.88 strikes per minute. Those are really good numbers, but he is facing someone totally different than his last few fighters. Du Plessis, I believe, will throw with volume and he will use his kicks to create space. If Giles can get past the kicks and get into the pocket to trade, I can definitely see him coming out on top, however Du Plessis speed and style of fighting will keep Giles guessing and hesitant. PREDICTION: Du Plessis Inside the Distance

- Dirty Dan