Fading Clint

I post the reverse/fades of Clint MacLean aka Mr. Monopoly Man | Home of the Ball Knowers Weekly Report | Subscribe to the Ball Knowers link in bio

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

Ball Knowers Weekly Report #6 ✍️

UFC Vegas 118 Main Card

Contributors for this week's report include @VeneziMMA, @I_AM_SATURDAY, @TheRealDWill__, @strongandjacket, @LudisCharta, @JT_Lines, @finz_the, @Dravhy_, @MMA_RAX, @Walkerbigfan, @Slayer_Tip, @maniacbetsmma, and @HueyPicksMMA.

Thank you to all those that are consistently giving out free game week to week. If I missed you, comment below!

Also, happy to share some wonderful insight from @OctaMetricsHQ for the main event 📈!

Some are backing experience. Others are betting on youth, urgency, and "Father Time". As usual, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

After a week of debates, disagreements, and overreactions, here's what emerged 👇🧵 (1/7)

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

That's a wrap on Ball Knowers Weekly Report #6.

A huge thank you to all of the Ball Knowers who contributed their thoughts, analysis, and questionable takes throughout the week. Whether the room agreed with you or not, the report doesn't exist without the conversation.

If you enjoyed the read, please consider liking, commenting, and following @FadingClint . It helps more fight fans find the report and keeps the Ball Knowers community growing every week.

See you next card. Reverses and fades of Clint MacLean out tomorrow.

(7/7)

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

Ball Knowers Weekly Report #6 ✍️

UFC Vegas 118 Main Card

Contributors for this week's report include @VeneziMMA, @I_AM_SATURDAY, @TheRealDWill__, @strongandjacket, @LudisCharta, @JT_Lines, @finz_the, @Dravhy_, @MMA_RAX, @Walkerbigfan, @Slayer_Tip, @maniacbetsmma, and @HueyPicksMMA.

Thank you to all those that are consistently giving out free game week to week. If I missed you, comment below!

Also, happy to share some wonderful insight from @OctaMetricsHQ for the main event 📈!

Some are backing experience. Others are betting on youth, urgency, and "Father Time". As usual, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

After a week of debates, disagreements, and overreactions, here's what emerged 👇🧵 (1/7)

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

Iwo Baraniewski vs Junior Tafa
Violence. That was the theme.

@TheRealDWill__ wants the under 0.5 rounds. @Slayer_Tip sees real value on a first-round submission, arguing that while Iwo Baraniewski enjoys striking, grappling remains the easiest route available.

@LudisCharta continues to ride with Baraniewski, believing the momentum stretches all the way back to his Contender Series appearance. Interestingly, while others are looking at submissions, he expects a first-round knockout instead.

@VeneziMMA noted that so many bettors have gravitated toward the submission angle that alternative markets may now provide more value.

No matter which side people landed on, nobody appears interested in seeing judges score this fight.

👇🧵(6/7)

[Octametrics @OctaMetricsHQ]

Fantastic article and insight produced by @HueyPicksMMA, now using our data — our leaderboards give you the context on the metrics that actually move fights, then the read's yours to make. Great to see them put to work.

[Huey @HueyPicksMMA]

https://t.co/H2k9UkesS1

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

I STG if Clint MacLean ruins Santiago Luna's career. #UFCVegas118

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

#UFCMacau Results: -8.77u

FadingClint 2026 tracker: -6.06u

Clint MacLean 2026 tracker: -17.41u ❄️
UFC 324: -2.73u
UFC 325: +0.35u
UFC Vegas 113: -0.15u
UFC Houston: -5.1u
UFC Mexico City: +3.6u
UFC 326: -6.41u
UFC Vegas 114: -0.17u
UFC London: -1.95u
UFC Seattle: -3.6u
UFC Vegas 115: -0.75u
UFC 327: -3.50u
UFC Winnipeg: +1.24u
UFC Vegas 116: -4.72u
UFC Perth: +0.25u
UFC 328: -2.2u
UFC Vegas 117: +6.28u
UFC Macau: +2.15u

We both suck.

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

@Snapback_Trivia Turned it off after they couldnt guess Steve Francis. Who are these clowns?

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

@LudisCharta Nice work regardless!

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

Impressive reads by @MMA_RAX , @LudisCharta , and @Gugabed .

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

Zhang Mingyang vs Alonzo Menifield

This fight produced one of the sharper divides on the card.

@finz_the sees disaster looming for Menifield. Nineteen wins, nineteen first-round finishes for Zhang Mingyang. Combined with Menifield's history of early knockout losses, the path feels obvious.

@I_AM_SATURDAY believes Zhang has been handed a gift matchup and sees this as an opportunity for China to continue building a legitimate male contender.

But not everyone is sold.

@MMA_RAX is taking the underdog side with Menifield, citing his profitable history in that role. @LudisCharta believes Menifield is the more technically sound mixed martial artist, while @Gugabed remains unconvinced by Zhang's résumé and sees multiple paths to victory for the veteran.

This fight may come down to a simple question.

Can Menifield survive long enough to make it a mixed martial arts fight?

⤵️🧵

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

Kai Asakura vs Cameron Smotherman

This may be the most polarizing fight on the card.

@HueyPicksMMA is firmly on Cameron Smotherman, believing he is the cleaner striker with superior accuracy and defense. He sees Smotherman winning rounds and getting his hand raised after fifteen minutes.

Most of the room disagrees.

@VeneziMMA sees this as a perfect matchup for Kai Asakura, pointing to Smotherman's lack of wrestling and durability concerns. @maniacbetsmma believes Kai's speed and power advantages will show up immediately, while @I_AM_SATURDAY warned that a loss here would cement Asakura as one of the biggest promotional disappointments in recent memory.

Even @Gugabed, who remains skeptical of Asakura's overall ceiling, acknowledges that the UFC appears determined to find him a favorable matchup.

The fight feels less about who is better and more about whether Asakura can finally justify the hype.

⤵️🧵

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

https://t.co/EOU8jTUiwY

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

Ball Knowers Weekly Report #5
Your weekly one stop shop of the sharpest MMA minds on X giving their thoughts, predictions, and hot takes for UFC Saturdays

UFC Macau Main Card 🇨🇳
The Ball Knowers are preparing for chaos.

@Slayer_Tip summed up the card best with a simple warning: double debuts, new faces, and strange matchups everywhere. He's expecting a bloodbath. Meanwhile, @finz_the pointed out that 92% of Tapology users are picking every favorite on the main card to win, creating the type of consensus that usually makes bettors uncomfortable.

Whether the favorites justify that confidence is another question entirely.

Song Yadong vs Deiveson Figueiredo

The room is overwhelmingly behind Song Yadong.

@finz_the called Song "free." @LudisCharta labeled him his most confident pick on the card, saying the only real question is how long it takes him to get the job done. @TheRealDWill__ landed on the same side, making Yadong his most confident selection of the week.

The case for Song is straightforward. @VeneziMMA believes the betting line is partially inflated by respect for Figueiredo's championship pedigree and grappling accomplishments, but points to Song's strong takedown defense and advantages in most phases of the fight. @RealEnfuegoMMA went a step further, arguing Song would likely be an even larger favorite if he had received the decision against Sean O'Malley.

The debate centers around the finish. @I_AM_SATURDAY believes the inside-the-distance prop is mispriced and sees a late stoppage coming against a 38-year-old former champion. @Gugabed expects a similar outcome, noting that while Figueiredo still has the ability to create dangerous moments early, it becomes increasingly difficult to imagine him matching Song's pace across five rounds.

Not everyone is looking at violence, though. @MMA_RAX is targeting the over, noting how often both fighters have historically gone the distance.

The room agrees on one thing. Song Yadong is the side. The disagreement is whether Figueiredo survives long enough to hear the final horn.

⤵️🧵

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

#UFCMacau Final Card

Loma Lookboonmee +122 1.3u 
Jingnan Xiong -3.5 +130 1.6u 
Rei Tsuruya By Points +135 1u 
Sumudaerji +123 2.8u 
Matthews/Harris O2.5 -110 2.4u 
Jake Matthews -600 1u 
Sergei Pavlovich -600 1u

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

The people want to know if you’re livestreaming sir? @JT_Lines
#UFCMacau

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

@TheRealCobiMMA https://t.co/EOU8jTUiwY

[Fading Clint @FadingClint]

Ball Knowers Weekly Report #5
Your weekly one stop shop of the sharpest MMA minds on X giving their thoughts, predictions, and hot takes for UFC Saturdays

UFC Macau Main Card 🇨🇳
The Ball Knowers are preparing for chaos.

@Slayer_Tip summed up the card best with a simple warning: double debuts, new faces, and strange matchups everywhere. He's expecting a bloodbath. Meanwhile, @finz_the pointed out that 92% of Tapology users are picking every favorite on the main card to win, creating the type of consensus that usually makes bettors uncomfortable.

Whether the favorites justify that confidence is another question entirely.

Song Yadong vs Deiveson Figueiredo

The room is overwhelmingly behind Song Yadong.

@finz_the called Song "free." @LudisCharta labeled him his most confident pick on the card, saying the only real question is how long it takes him to get the job done. @TheRealDWill__ landed on the same side, making Yadong his most confident selection of the week.

The case for Song is straightforward. @VeneziMMA believes the betting line is partially inflated by respect for Figueiredo's championship pedigree and grappling accomplishments, but points to Song's strong takedown defense and advantages in most phases of the fight. @RealEnfuegoMMA went a step further, arguing Song would likely be an even larger favorite if he had received the decision against Sean O'Malley.

The debate centers around the finish. @I_AM_SATURDAY believes the inside-the-distance prop is mispriced and sees a late stoppage coming against a 38-year-old former champion. @Gugabed expects a similar outcome, noting that while Figueiredo still has the ability to create dangerous moments early, it becomes increasingly difficult to imagine him matching Song's pace across five rounds.

Not everyone is looking at violence, though. @MMA_RAX is targeting the over, noting how often both fighters have historically gone the distance.

The room agrees on one thing. Song Yadong is the side. The disagreement is whether Figueiredo survives long enough to hear the final horn.

⤵️🧵