UFC Fight Night 166 graces its presence in the state of North Carolina, Raleigh to be exact for the state capital’s first ever UFC combative sporting event. The event is headlined by the main event featuring the number 3 ranked heavyweight Curtis Blaydes, versus the feature Hall of famer and #4 ranked heavyweight of the world Junior Dos Santos.
Blaydes, the Chicago native who enters the bout with a professional record of 12-2, 9 by a way of knockout, looks to continue his rise of the heavyweight ranks.
This past Wednesday BSO was able to catch up with the highly motivated and talented Curtis Blaydes to ask him his response of Junior Santos admitting he wants to get into a brawl Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 166 versus playing into the ground game of Curtis.
Curtis stated,
“Why would I stand in there and bang with him if I don’t have to; Im trying to limit CTE, Wrestling is apart of my longevity”
His opponent, Junior Dos Santos took a more respectable approach when asked about his opponent turning the narrative into introducing the UFC’s history to the city of Raleigh telling reporters,
“They like to send me, for places that I need to introduce MMA to that city; I need to go in there and put on a good performance”
Dos Santos, ( winner of 3 out of 4) also revealed his game-plan against Curtis is to brawl, throwing continued strikes coveted by his nasty right uppercut.
Styles make fights; Curtis has went on record acknowledging he doesn’t like getting hit in the head period, and would much prefer being cautious, solidifying his grappling and ground and pound game versus standing in the middle of the ring brawling.
Moreover, Dos Santos admits he wants to make this fight ugly and display an arsenal that demonstrates not only hand speed but power behind that speed.
My prediction: Curtis Blaydes by submission.
In addition the co-main event which features Rafael Dos Anjos vs ranked welterweight Michale Chiesa could be potential fight of the night.
Chiesa who has professional record of 15-4 states this is his toughest test yet fighting RDA. Michael stated RDA is still relevant and admits Dos Anjos was a former world champion so not only does he have the experience but he’s still dangerous and can’t be taken lightly.
Chiesa continued telling BSO,
“I’m expecting a 3 round fight, I’m expecting to be there for 15 minutes; I’m expecting at some point to be on the bad end of some exchanges but im also expecting to be on some good end of exchanges”
Rafael Dos Anjos who is focused on this fight and the rest of 2020 is just happy to be fighting January 2020 revealing,
“2020 will be a great year for me; Im sure about it, start of the year with a great win this Saturday; I’m looking to be more active this year, at least 3 fights. “
The UFC is not complete without seeing the ladies throw down notably Raleigh’s own Hannah Cifers looks to put on for the hometown crowd, fighting the first African American female to compete in the UFC Angela Hill in the straw weight division.
Cifers who is on a two fight win streak, winner of 7 out of 8, looks to continue her win streak against Angela Hill whose road into the UFC got off into a rocky start including getting cut at one time reveled what was the catalyst of her not quitting on her dreams.
Angela told BSO,
“My mom didn’t raise no quitter, I ain’t a quitter”
Hill, further stated that the difference in the bout with Cifers will be her speed.
Cifers who is known to apply pressure consistently looks to cut off the octagon, forcing Hill to fight off the cage which could offset Hills speed from being more comfortable engaging in the middle of the octagon.
Hill further states Cifers is more of a counterpuncher, and the key will be her baiting Cifers in then landing combos.
Continued on the undercard is another Chi-town native and undefeated pro fighter Jamahal Hill who is making in UFC debut against seasoned veteran Darko Stosic in the light heavy weight division.
Hill was all about business when discussing his debut telling BSO,
“Everybody nice in the UFC, I’m not here to be nice, Im here to take this game over, he’s just a bump in the road; He’s not on my level”
Catch UFC FightNight on ESPN Plus, with Preliminary fights starting at
For a look at behind the scene interviews with Curtis Blaydes, RDA, Michael Chiesa, Jamahal Hill, Angela Hill as well as photos and videos from the open workout flip the pages to see all of the events leading up to UFC Fight Night 166.
