-Israel Adesanya: It’s important to note anytime the UFC has a young star that they think has star potential like Adesanya, they match the fighter up very carefully. That trend continues with Adesanya being booked to fight Brad Tavares. Tavares is a points fighter. Mainly a striker who’s patient, doesn’t take much risk. Volume puncher. Has a superb 12-4 UFC record and serves as a quality upper tier gate keeper. Tavares loses though when he takes on superior strikers. When out struck, Tavares has no answers. He was out struck by champion Robert Whittaker, he was out struck by Tim Boestch. And he’ll be out struck by Adesanya. 2nd round knockout win for Adesanya.
-Joe Giannetti: The UFC might have found a contender in Giannetti. Very rare for a fighter to debut in the UFC who is so good everywhere. Wrestling. Striking with a lanky frame, big reach. And standout submissions. He’s going to steamroll Mike Trizano who probably thinks his only path to win is taking Giannetti down and having top control. But Giannetti is bound to catch Trizano when he goes for one of his take down attempts. Giannetti by 1st round submission.
-Brad Katona: Not a difficult fight to pick at all. If Jay Cuccinielo thought he had problems with Bryce Mitchell, he’ll really have problems with Katona as Katona showed he’s an even better grappler than Mitchell, who beat Cuccinielo on TUF. Katona will follow the same game plan. He’ll get Cucciniello on the ground and will submit him in the 1st round.
-Martin Bravo: UPSET SPECIAL 1: Hard to believe Alex Caceres is only 30 years. Even harder to believe he has so many loses with a 13-11 pro record. Caceres made a little bit of a push towards contention a few years ago, but that’s in the past now and Caceres has become a lower tier gate keeper. Bravo is an elite prospect, despite getting upset in his last fight. He’s well rounded, but will have an advantage on the feet against Caceres. Got to pick Bravo by 2nd round knockout.
-Barb Honchak: Roxy Modafferi has had a bit of a career resurgence lately with improved wrestling and ground and pound. However, Honchak is a bad matchup for that as Honchak has vastly superior wrestling. I think Honchak will find a way to take Modafferi down and put her on her back, a place she’s not used. Honchak will do enough on the ground to win a boring decision.
-Julian Marquez: Marquez has been establishing himself as a very good prospect in his first 2 UFC fights. Marquez is more of a striker but what’s interesting is that he might have a submission gamer emerging as shown in his last fight submitting Darren Stewart. Alessio Di Chirico hasn’t done that great in the UFC so far. He’s well rounded. And I don’t think he can get the fight to the ground so I like Marquez to knock him out in the 1st round.
-Rachael Ostovich: UPSET SPECIAL 2: Ostovich is well rounded. 13 total fights between amatuer and pro. Montana de la Rosa is a pure grappler and submission specialist. Bad matchup for her as Ostovich’s wrestling will keep the fight on the feet where Ostovich will out point de la Rosa for a decision win.
-Luis Pena: Both Pena and Richie Smullen are green. Pena is 2-0 as a pro. Smullen is 3-0. Combine Smullen’s pro and amateur record and he has 10 wins and 7 of them came by submission. So you know where he wants to take the fight. Unfortunately Pena’s best skill right now is wrestling and he’s going to use that to keep the fight on the feet where he should have the advantage to take a decision win.
-John Gunther: On the surface, this fight might look like a mismatch being that Allan Zuniga is 13-0 and Gunther is just 4-0. But if you look closer, you’ll find that Zuniga failed to finish 6 of his 13 wins. And most of those 6 decision wins were against below average competition. Zuniga reminds me of Enrique Barzola who relies on his wrestling and just controlling fighters on the ground to win decisions. But I think Gunther has the better wrestling. Will keep the fight on the feet. Has the better stand up. And will win by decision.
-Tyler Diamond: I think Bryce Mitchell has a ton of talent and at 23 years old, should develop and get a lot better. But he’s not going to win this fight because Mitchell is a submission specialist and won’t be able to take Diamond down. Diamond also is going to have a striking advantage and expect Diamond to knock Mitchell out in the 1st round.
-Matt Bessette: Bessette reminds me alot of Brian Kelleher as a late bloomer. Upon signing with the UFC, Bessette had finished and won the last 9 out of 10 fights over pretty decent competition. He made his UFC debut on a week’s notice and got out wrestled by gate keeper Enrique Barzola. No shame there. Opponent Steven Peterson is on the lower end of the division. He’s moving up in weight to 145 lbs, but I don’t think it’ll make a difference. Both fighters are well rounded, but there’s levels in this game and Bessette is better everywhere. I like Bessette to win by 2nd round knockout.
-Oskar Piechota: Gerald Meerschaert showed off a much improved striking attack last time out against Eric Spicely. But unfortunately for him Piechota is a nightmare stylistic matchup. Meerschaert will want this fight on the ground but I think Piechota’s wrestling is good enough to keep the fight on the feet where Piechota will have a sizable advantage. Gotta go with Piechota by 2nd round knockout.