Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Darren Elkins
Can Aspen Ladd take care of business against "The Iron Lady" Saturday in Sacramento? Jon Litterine breaks down four key fights and makes his picks for the rest of the card.
Several young fighters, including Alexander Volkanovski, are poised for a great 2019, including multiple that are fighting in Brooklyn this weekend. Evan Dahl returns for RotoWire to profile the sport's various risers and fallers.
Edson Barboza put the hurt on Dan Hooker en route to one of the higher fantasy scores of the night. Richard Mann breaks down the main card by the numbers.
Richard Mann is back to recap a night full of finishes, many of which were unexpected.
While there was some main-event shuffling, Buenos Aires ended up with one of its own to headline the card. Jon Litterine offers up his picks from a DraftKings angle.
More Fantasy News
To fight Hall in Sacramento
Elkins will face off against Ryan Hall in a featherweight matchup at UFC Sacramento on July 13.
ANALYSIS
Elkins is coming off of two straight losses, but his relentless, brawling style has allowed him to put up respectable striking numbers in each. He landed 82 significant strikes against Alexander Volkanovski a year ago -- a significantly greater mark that Jose Aldo was able to land last weekend at UFC 237. He'll now focus his efforts on Hall, who is 3-0 in UFC with a recent victory via heel hook submission against B.J. Penn in the first round. Hall has just three UFC fights, but has absorbed just a combined 17 significant strikes over that span. Elkins should be able to change that, provided he can avoid the takedown. His career takedown defense rate is a mediocre 57 percent.
Elkins is coming off of two straight losses, but his relentless, brawling style has allowed him to put up respectable striking numbers in each. He landed 82 significant strikes against Alexander Volkanovski a year ago -- a significantly greater mark that Jose Aldo was able to land last weekend at UFC 237. He'll now focus his efforts on Hall, who is 3-0 in UFC with a recent victory via heel hook submission against B.J. Penn in the first round. Hall has just three UFC fights, but has absorbed just a combined 17 significant strikes over that span. Elkins should be able to change that, provided he can avoid the takedown. His career takedown defense rate is a mediocre 57 percent.
Gets dominated in Argentina
Elkins lost to Ricardo Lamas via TKO (punches and elbows) at 4:09 of Round 3 at UFC Fight Night 140 on Saturday in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
ANALYSIS
Elkins simply couldn't get anything going in this one, as Lamas stuffed his takedown attempts and battered his face and legs on the feet. "The Damage" is rightly lauded for his toughness but has taken an obscene amount of punishment in his last five fights, which may lead some to question if he is long for this sport. He has now suffered back-to-back losses for the first time in his career, and holds a 24-7 record in professional MMA
Elkins simply couldn't get anything going in this one, as Lamas stuffed his takedown attempts and battered his face and legs on the feet. "The Damage" is rightly lauded for his toughness but has taken an obscene amount of punishment in his last five fights, which may lead some to question if he is long for this sport. He has now suffered back-to-back losses for the first time in his career, and holds a 24-7 record in professional MMA
Set for Argentina co-main event
Elkins will take on Ricardo Lamas in a featherweight matchup at UFC Argentina on Nov. 17.
ANALYSIS
Elkins had been riding a six-fight winning streak before his last time out, when he hanged tough with up-and-coming Alexander Volkanovski but ultimately fell short via decision. He'll draw a tough customer in Lamas, against whom he owns a two-inch reach advantage. Elkins has the ability to withstand any type of beating -- hence the nickname "The Damage" -- so if he enters as an underdog, he could represent a worthwhile fantasy play. He sports better striking volume and takedown numbers than Lamas, though Lamas has been facing a much higher caliber of competition over the last five years.
Elkins had been riding a six-fight winning streak before his last time out, when he hanged tough with up-and-coming Alexander Volkanovski but ultimately fell short via decision. He'll draw a tough customer in Lamas, against whom he owns a two-inch reach advantage. Elkins has the ability to withstand any type of beating -- hence the nickname "The Damage" -- so if he enters as an underdog, he could represent a worthwhile fantasy play. He sports better striking volume and takedown numbers than Lamas, though Lamas has been facing a much higher caliber of competition over the last five years.
Displays toughness in lost to Alex Volkanovski Saturday
Elkins lost to Alexander Volkanovski via unanimous decision (27-30, 28-29, 28-29) at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Boise, Idaho.
ANALYSIS
Elkins is stupidly tough. As has been the case time and time again, "The Damage" has proven that he can take plenty of it and keep in ticking. It didn't result in a victory on Saturday, but any other mere mortal would have been stopped in Round 1 and Elkins not only saw the final bell, but he was returning fire on Volkanovski until the dying seconds of the bout. Elkins is limited from an athletic standpoint and he doesn't have much power left in his hands at age 34, but his ability to take a beating gives the Indiana native a chance in most every fight he competes in. The loss snaps a six-fight win streak for Elkins.
Elkins is stupidly tough. As has been the case time and time again, "The Damage" has proven that he can take plenty of it and keep in ticking. It didn't result in a victory on Saturday, but any other mere mortal would have been stopped in Round 1 and Elkins not only saw the final bell, but he was returning fire on Volkanovski until the dying seconds of the bout. Elkins is limited from an athletic standpoint and he doesn't have much power left in his hands at age 34, but his ability to take a beating gives the Indiana native a chance in most every fight he competes in. The loss snaps a six-fight win streak for Elkins.
To fight Alex Volkanovski at UFC Boise
Elkins will fight Alex Volkanovski at UFC Boise on July 14, Shaun Al-Shatti of MMAFighting.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Elkins (24-5) has won his past six fights, notably defeating Michael Johnson via second-round submission and completing a huge comeback over Mirsad Bektic. His opponent, Volkanovski, is an impressive 17-1. Notably, he secured a victory over the previously undefeated Jeremy Kennedy at UFC 221 via second-round knockout.
Elkins (24-5) has won his past six fights, notably defeating Michael Johnson via second-round submission and completing a huge comeback over Mirsad Bektic. His opponent, Volkanovski, is an impressive 17-1. Notably, he secured a victory over the previously undefeated Jeremy Kennedy at UFC 221 via second-round knockout.