Penick's Take
UFC FIGHT NIGHT 66 PREVIEW: Penick's main card thoughts and predictions for "Edgar vs. Faber" event
May 15, 2015 - 6:15:22 PM UFC FIGHT NIGHT 66 PREVIEW: Penick's main card thoughts and predictions for "Edgar vs. Faber" event

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

The UFC hits the Philippines for the very first time on Saturday, bringing an early morning event on television to the fans in North America. The main event pits two of the longtime elite in the lower weight classes together for the first time, with Urijah Faber returning to featherweight to try to derail the title aspirations of former UFC Lightweight Champ Frankie Edgar. Here's what's coming to Fox Sports 1 tomorrow morning on the main card:


Frankie Edgar vs. Urijah Faber (Featherweight): This is one of those fights that seems like it absolutely cannot disappoint. I've been highly anticipating it since it was announced, and it's still exciting as all hell to think about less than 24 hours before the event.

Edgar might be as good as he's ever been right now. He's the very definition of a "well-rounded" fighter in this sport, with increasingly better striking and an immensely improved ground attack. He's got crazy speed, even after dropping down from lightweight. He's got heavy hands. He's got great wrestling, and now even better ground and pound, and he tops all of that with increasingly vicious finishing instincts on the ground. If he hurts you, he will absolutely take advantage.

Faber comes in with one of the great submission games in the sport, where he's capable of catching anyone in a scramble in a lot of different situations. He, like Edgar, is great at taking advantage of openings, but he's been picked apart on the feet by guys who have been able to avoid his takedowns and who were fast enough to stay out of his range. He's absolutely capable of catching Edgar in something, given Edgar's history of getting clipped in past fights.

However, Edgar's in the camp of those elite competitors who have been the bane of Faber's existence in title matchups over the last several years. While Faber has the speed to keep up with Edgar, the strength advantage will be had by the former Lightweight Champ, and I think that will ultimately wear on Faber in a competitive and entertaining fight. This is Edgar's fight to lose, and a title shot awaits him in victory. Edgar by TKO in the fifth round.


Gegard Mousasi vs. Costas Philippou (Middleweight): Mousasi has taken out a couple of fighters whom he's simply better than in his last three fights, while falling to one of the top contenders in "Jacare" Souza. Philippou had a nice KO win over Lorenz Larkin in his last outing, but that came after he got trucked by Luke Rockhold and dropped a decision to Francis Carmont.

At his best, Mousasi is scary with his calm and precision-like striking, while maintaining some submission skills on the ground. Philippou has got some power to his strikes as well, along with a decent wrestling game, and he may try to make this ugly to avoid Mousasi's striking game. I think the talent gap is somewhat significant here, but we've seen Mousasi be a bit flaky in the past as well. I wouldn't be entirely shocked if he failed to do much, but I think he'll be up to the task tomorrow. Mousasi by decision.


Mark Munoz vs. Luke Barnatt (Middleweight): Given Munoz's background as a Filipino-American, the UFC has given him a chance to end his career in front of a crowd that will be cheering him on. Unfortunately, he's been finished in four of his last five fights, landing a total of three strikes in those losses.

Barnatt has dropped a couple of split decisions in a row after letting guys off the hook, fading, and getting out-grappled, so perhaps the UFC sees this as a fight in which Munoz can pin him to the cage and end his career with a win. Maybe it will happen in front of a partisan crowd, but if Barnatt can land on him, it will be an unhappy sendoff. Barnatt by TKO in the first round.


Hyun Gyu Lim vs. Neil Magny (Welterweight): Magny has won six fights in a row, coming in a ridiculous 378 day stretch. He's a very capable wrestler who has shown off a little bit of submission ability with a little bit of stopping power as well.

Lim returns after a bounce back win last September, where he demolished Takenori Sato in the first round. That came after a five round decision loss to Tarec Saffiedine. If Magny can make this ugly and avoid a firefight with the always dangerous Lim, he can grind out a seventh straight. If he can't, despite showcasing a solid chin, I don't like his chances on the feet here. Expect this one to be close for however long it lasts, though. Lim by TKO in the second round.


Philippe Nover vs. Yui Chul Nam (Featherweight): Much like Munoz, Nover is getting the shot here because of his Filipino-American heritage. His first UFC run didn't quite go according to plan, as he went 0-3 despite heavy praise from Dana White on The Ultimate Fighter 8. Since then, he's had a bit of an up and down run outside of the organization, though he remains fairly solid, if unspectacular.

Nam is a decently well-rounded fighter, but he's not great in any one aspect of the game, and instead winds up in competitive distance fights more often than not. That led to a "Fight of the Night" win in his UFC debut last March, but he hasn't fought since then. It's a pick 'em fight here, because both fave the ability to win a decision, and I don't think either is all that likely to stop the other. Coin flip, Nam by decision.


Mark Eddiva vs. Levan Makashvili (Featherweight): It's been almost a year since Eddiva's last fight, where he suffered the first loss of his career. He was stopped by Kevin Souza in that fight, snapping a six-fight winning streak to start his career. Makashvili enters with an identical record, though his sole loss came by majority decision, and he avenged it immediately in his next fight.

Makashvili has some power in his hands, something Eddiva has shown on occasion himself. Still, I think it's in Eddiva's best interest to try to get this to the ground and avoid that power. This one should be a competitive matchup as well to open up the card, with Philippines native Eddiva picking up the win. Eddiva by decision.