Jamie Varner vs. James Krause
USA TODAY Sports
Jamie Varner (right) hits Abel Trujillo.
Kontek
Which Jamie Varner will show up Saturday night? Will it be the one who dominated Melvin Guillard and Edson Barboza, or will the inconsistent one rear his head? James Krause is a solid opponent, but Varner has consistently fought guys better than him. Varner should do enough to earn the judges' approval.
Varner, unanimous decision
Amos
Varner is hoping to rebound from a wild defeat by the hand of Abel Trujillo, while Krause is similarly looking to get back in the win column. Both men have put in good performances lately, and the matchup has Fight of the Night potential, to say the least. Varner wins by first hurting Krause with strikes, then following him to the mat for a submission finish.
Varner, submission, Rd. 2
MacDonald
Varner could use a little luck. Having put in several good performances and come out on the losing end, it would be nice to see him catch a break. He has a tough task ahead against Krause, though, who finds himself in a similar spot. I see Varner securing the takedown with enough consistency to grind out a much-needed win.
Varner, unanimous decision
Smith
Since beating Melvin Guillard, Varner has had some rough breaks in his recent UFC outings. He was narrowly beaten by Gleison Tibau on the scorecards and got caught while putting a beating on Abel Trujillo.
Krause should be a sufficient step down in competition to get Varner back into the win column this weekend. Krause is excellent offensively on the ground, but he also has some defensive holes, which Varner should be able to capitalize on.
Varner, submission, Rd. 1
Harris
Neither of these men have what you call an iron constitution. The rangy Krause does everything well, but he’s easy to hit and take down. Varner should play it safe here. He’ll avoid a mistake, which means avoiding risks, which means avoiding big offense, which means wall and stall. But hey, take the W, Jamie, and don't ask questions. Good for what ails ya.
Varner, unanimous decision