Preview: UFC Fight Night ‘Holm vs. Correia’

Here, you will find my “Super 8” fight ratings for UFC Fight Night 111. Every UFC card is a mixed bag, and often the highlights are sprinkled throughout the entire lineup. However, fight night is always full of distractions for the home viewer. You know how it is: You need to make a beer run, pay the pizza delivery guy or head to the bathroom every half hour. In order to time your intermissions wisely, please consult this helpful list, wherein I have ranked the top eight fights -- the Octagon has eight sides, of course -- on the card from most promising to least, based on relevance, style matchup and the promise of action:

1. Jingliang Li vs. Frank Camacho
I cannot fathom this fight turning into anything other than a barnburner. Li is a technical boxer-puncher who fights through adversity and forces openings with his sharp combination punching. Camacho is a dyed-in-the-wool brawler with enough craft to keep Li guessing and enough power to potentially put him away early. This fight was made for watching, and I aim to do so.

2. Tarec Saffiedine vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Saffiedine is not always involved in exciting fights, but dos Anjos will put the pressure on him early. The result will be a fascinating battle for control. Will Saffiedine create space and counter dos Anjos on the way in or will dos Anjos keep him cornered and go to work? In fights like this, it is the journey we show up to watch, not the destination. Whatever happens, the struggle will be thoroughly entertaining.

3. Kwan Ho Kwak vs. Russell Doane
Kwak’s name may not ring any bells for mainstream MMA fans, but the 27-year-old South Korean gave blue-chip prospect Brett Johns a seriously tough test in his UFC debut. He repeatedly scrambled free of Johns’ power wrestling and scored significant blows at every opportunity, including a hellacious flurry to end the third round. In Doane, Kwak’s dynamic striking finds a perfect partner, as Doane’s length, power and precision have allowed him to trouble several elite opponents; and while those men stifled Doane by wrestling him, Kwak should allow him the kind of fight he wants. Looks like one heck of a violent chess match to me.

4. Alex Caceres vs. Rolando Dy
Caceres is a win-some-lose-some fighter, but he also shows up to fight. That he does so erratically means that a young prospect like Dy will have numerous opportunities to capitalize on a mistake. Both men bring enough creativity and manic enthusiasm to the cage to satisfy any fan. The commentary team for PXC 51 quoted Dy as saying, “Sir, there is nothing I like more to do than get in a cage.” It should be a pleasure to watch these two creatives go at it.

5. Justin Scoggins vs. Yuta Sasaki
It is a little sad to see Scoggins give up on his dream of a bantamweight career after only one loss, especially because Pedro Munhoz was losing when he wrapped up the fight-ending guillotine. Regardless, Scoggins is a fantastic talent, an exciting karate-style kickboxer with a strong takedown game and a knack for transitional grappling. Sasaki has found new life of his own in the flyweight division, and if the tough fight he gave Wilson Reis is any indication, he will not allow Scoggins to rest on his laurels.

6. Naoki Inoue vs. Carls John de Tomas
Finally, the UFC is making substantial moves to build its flyweight division. Inoue and Tomas are undefeated, dangerous and only 20 years old. No matter what happens here, both will have plenty of room to grow as members of the UFC’s 125-pound weight class. As for the matchup itself, Inoue’s aggressive striking and grappling pair nicely with the counterstriking instincts of Tomas.

7. Cyril Asker vs. Walt Harris
As of right now, this matchup is hurting for relevance, but Harris is certainly working his way toward a meaningful position in the UFC heavyweight rankings. Asker proved in his last fight that he can be a tough opponent even for a much larger and more athletic fighter, but he will most likely play the part of target practice for Harris, who has a penchant for dazzling KOs.

8. Dong Hyun Kim vs. Colby Covington
This one may not turn into a brawl, but the grappling exchanges between Covington and Kim could very well be fascinating. Covington will have the chance to show off his steadily improving standup, and Kim is always a second away from going full berserker. For those interested in divisional relevance, this is Covington’s opportunity to break through into the top 10 and announce himself as a contender. Expect him to try to put on a show for his big moment.

Connor Ruebusch is an analyst of striking and boxing technique for Sherdog.com, as well as BloodyElbow.com and BadLeftHook.com. He has written hundreds of articles examining fighting form and strategy, and he is not done yet. Every Wednesday he talks about the finer points of face-punching on his podcast Heavy Hands. Though he dabbles in fantasy MMA, he is not a regular gambler, nor is he an expert in the field. If you use these predictions as a betting guide, please do so in combination with your own best judgment and a healthy pinch of salt. It is your money.