*I'm going to be doing a sports piece weekly or bi-weekly from now on going forward. I'll most likely stick to talking just about soccer, UFC, and NFL but will do my best to touch on other important news outside of those sports.*
UFC 263
It's awesome that I get to kick off this column by talking about one of the most exciting cards of the year. From top to bottom this is one of the best UFC events of 2021 in terms of star power. The fireworks really get started with the Belal Muhammad and Demian Maia fight. On one hand, Muhammad is eager to show that he is a legitimate top 10 guy in the welterweight division. Unfortunately for Muhammad, he wasn't able to showcase much in his last fight against Leon Edwards which was stopped early due to that terrible eye poke on Muhammad. On the other hand, Demian Maia could be fighting his last fight and, if he wins, would be tying Cowboy Cerrone's record in the UFC for wins. I expect a tough fight for Muhammad who will have to deal with Demian Maia's top-tier grappling. Although Muhammad has plenty of power, I have Maia coming out with the victory in this one. Moving forward in the card, we have another welterweight showdown between iconic UFC legend, Nate Diaz, and up-and-coming British contender, Leon 'Rocky' Edwards. This is a super intriguing fight in multiple aspects. To begin with, Nate Diaz is an absolute maniac for taking this fight. I've been watching all the videos dropped by the UFC in the lead-up to this fight and Nate looks like shit. I don't mean he doesn't look sharp on the pads or rolling, I mean he looks like a sack of shit. He looks and talks like an old man and I just don't think he's ready for the youth and power of Edwards. I love what Nate represents and I respect his legacy as a fighter but I think he's in over his head. I think this could be a really ugly fight for Nate and I predict he will get stopped for the first time since Josh Thompson. Moving on to the first of two title fights is the rematch between Deiveson Figuereido and Brandon Moreno. The first fight between these two is arguably one of the best UFC fights that I have ever seen. Many claimed it was the best fight in the flyweight division if that gives you some perspective. Both of these boys went out there and traded like grown-ass men for five rounds. This fight will be no different and the margins will be razor-thin. My mind reaffirms to me the fact that Deiveson is a fighting machine, but my heart has convinced me that Moreno is just too much of a dog. Moreno by KO in the fourth or fifth. Lastly, the second of two title fights, Adesanya vs. Vettori is going to be an absolute banger. I don't think it will have the same action as the Figgy vs. Moreno fight, however, I think we will witness a historic appearance by Adesanya. I think that Stylebender is on a mission to clean up the middleweight roster and Vettori is just the next body in the way. Marvin Vettori is a bad man, don't get me wrong. He's well-rounded and has power, but that's proven to not be enough when it comes to dealing with Izzy. It was the look in Vettori's eyes at the staredown that sealed it for me. Adesanya KO in the first or second round.
EUROS 2020
Thankfully, the pandemic didn't kill sports altogether and we will be able to enjoy the Euros this summer after them being delayed for a year. The storylines of the tournament are the following: Karim Benzema is back with France, this is most likely Ronaldo's last Euro, what can we expect from powerhouses Germany and Spain who have been a bit irregular in the last major competitions, can Belgium continue to be the best team in the world despite Hazard's nightmarish year, will this new, golden generation of England take the next step, and, finally, how absolutely amazing it is to see North Macedonia in their first major competition. It's going to be a really tactical and close tournament, as the Euros usually are. I can see Portugal not getting out of the group of death (please God let me be wrong). I predict that Italy will make a deeper run than most people expect them to. I really like Chiesa and Immobile up top and, like always, Italians know how to defend, so, I think they have a strong side even if on paper it doesn't seem that impressive. I think that Germany and Spain underwhelm simply because both countries seem to be starting a new cycle in terms of talent, which for most national teams takes a few years to sort out. That all being said, I think that the clear-cut frontrunner to win the tournament is France and there's really nobody else that gets close. The MGB (Mbappe, Griezmann, Benzema) along with Kante and that great backline with Varane is going to be too much for even the likes of England or Belgium. France wins it easily and Deschamps will continue to hide his glaring shortcomings as a tactician. I think Harry Kane ends up being the top goal scorer of the tournament Kante or De Bruyne win player of the tournament.
BONUS
The NBA playoffs are going on and my Bucks are down 2 games to 1 going into this game 4 matchups in Milwaukee. Although I think the Brooklyn Nets will ultimately be too much for us, please remember to fear the deer. Phase 3 of NFL OTA's is set to wrap up soon which means we are that much closer to training camps and pre-season. I can almost hear Chris Anderson's sweet, sweet voice getting ready to kick off NFL Redzone.