FW: #1 Jose Aldo (12-0) vs. #6 Korean Zombie (4-1)
Pick: Jose Aldo – If we’re being honest with each other, the Korean Zombie Chan Sung Jung, is getting this title shot because of his popularity. Not because he’s the #1 contender. I watch a lot of UFC and I still George Roop knocking out the zombie with a head kick. Aldo’s leg kicks are a heck of a lot more vicious. Aldo will outclass the zombie and win in very entertaining fight.
LHW: #3 Lyoto Machida (11-3) vs. #6 Phil Davis (7-1)
Pick: Lyoto Machida – If Jon Jones didn’t exist, there’s a good chance Machida would be champion. Typically in a fight like this, when you have a younger fighter who hasn’t accomplished as much in Phil Davis, if you’re picking him, you’re doing it based on the potential of seeing an even better version of him. But I think Davis has reached his ceiling. In his last 3 fights, Davis struggled in his first fight with Wagner Prado before the fight ending eye poke. Submitted Prado in the 2nd round of their rematch. Then fought Vinny Magalhaes and lost the 1st round before coming back and winning rounds 2 and 3. Davis is good, but I don’t think he’s on Machida’s level and will struggle to do anything.
MW: #28 Cezar Ferreira (1-0) vs. Thiago Marreta Santos (0-0, #301 WW Prospect)
Pick: Cezar Ferreira – Seems like Santos is the only Brazilian that would take the fight on short notice against a very good up comer in Ferreira, as Santos was exposed for being average on the 2nd season of Ultimate Fighter Brazil. This will be an easy win for Ferreira.
MW: #32 Thales Leites (5-3) vs. #34 Tom Watson (1-1)
Pick: Tom Watson – One of the tougher fights to pick on the card. I’m picking Watson due to my expectation that he’ll be an even better fighter in this fight. Plus Leites hasn’t fought in 15 months and should have rust.
FLYW: #5 John Lineker (2-1) vs. Jose Maria Tome (0-0, #1 FLYW Prospect)
Pick: Jose Maria Tome – I’m really surprised at the very few amount of people who know how good Maria is. Lineker is a good, very entertaining fighter, but he’s shown to have flaws, especially in the wrestling department. Maria will exploit that and show why he’s my #1 flyweight mma prospect.
LHW: #21 Anthony Perosh (3-1) vs. #27 Vinny Magalhaes (1-3)
Pick: Vinny Magalhaes – This fight is closer than the experts think. Perosh has a stellar 3-1 record in the UFC’s 205 lb division. Meanwhile, Magalhaes, has shown an ability to choke on the big stage. But wins over Mikhail Zayats and Viktor Nemkov is very impressive and finishing UFC gatekeeper Igor Pokrajac is also impressive. And Perosh is old at 41. I think Magalhaes breaks through here, but it may not be easy.
WBW: #8 Amanda Nunes (0-0) vs. #12 Sheila Gaff (0-1)
Pick: Amanda Nunes – Should be a very fun fight. Nunes has been on a bit of a skid as of late losing her last 2 out of 3 fights, but 1 loss was to one of the top 5 elite fighters in Alexis Davis. The other was due to lack of take down defense. However, Nunes won’t have to worry about either of those in this fight.
WW: #44 Neil Magny (1-0) vs. #48 Sergio Moraes (1-0)
Pick: Neil Magny – Both of these fighters are decent UFC prospects in the welterweight division, but Magny is more athletic and has more upside.
FLYW: #13 Ian McCall (0-2) vs. Iliarde Santos (0-0, #28 UFC BW)
Pick: Ian McCall – McCall really needs to on upset alert here. He should win here due to his talent and seemingly better head space he’s in. But Santos was my #8 ranked bantamweight mma prospect when the UFC signed him. And he lost his debut to bantamweight title contender Yuri Alcantara, which is nothing to sneeze at. Now he’s cutting down to 125 lbs. I think Santos beats guys like Louis Goudinot, Phil Harris, Darren Uyenoyama. Lots of guys in the division. But McCall will prove to be too tall of an order.
FW: #12 Rani Yahya (7-4) vs. #40 Josh Clopton (0-1)
Pick: Rani Yahya – This is an Eddie Mendez-like squash here. Yahya will win big. And quickly.
LHW: Ednaldo Oliveira (0-0, #22 UFC HW) vs. Francimar Barroso (0-0, #35 LHW Prospect)
Pick: Ednaldo Oliveira – Very interesting fight in that this will be the first time for both fighters they cut down and fight at 205 lbs. When the UFC signed Oliveira, I had him ranked as my #7 ranked heavyweight mma prospect. He’s a blue chipper. Lost to a tough Gabriel Gonzaga in his debut, but is down cutting down to light heavyweight. Barroso doesn’t have the same resume Oliveira does. He’s more of the type of fighter the UFC will sign because someone got hurt and they need someone to fight on short notice. Which is what happened here. Oliveira has beaten a who’s who on the regional scene in Brazil, beating Geronimo dos Santos, Edson Franca, Jair Goncalves, Joaquim Ferreira. He’ll add Barroso to his list.
WW: Bristol Marunde (0-0, #55 UFC MW) vs. Viscardi Andrade (0-0, #59 WW Prospect)
Pick: Viscardi Andrade – I’m still not sure why they’re giving Marunde another fight in the UFC. Andrade isn’t the best UFC prospect by any means, but he’ll be good enough to beat the very average Marunde.