-Kamaru Usman: For me, it’s not a question of will Usman beat Rafael dos Anjos. It’s a question of, how dominant will Usman be, compared to Colby Covington. Usman and Covington are pretty similar. Although, I think Covington’s cardio and striking is better. Either way, I see Usman seeing how the fight goes on the feet. It’s possible dos Anjos out strikes him. But even if that does happen, Usman will go to his bread and butter, taking dos Anjos down. So I’m picking Usman by decision.
-Justin Frazier: UPSET SPECIAL: Yes, Juan Espino’s stand up has gotten better. But keep in mind, he only has 1 career knockout. He’s a wrestler who gets most of his wins via submission. He’s 38 years old. Only 9 pro fights, so his body doesn’t have a lot of miles. His best path to win would be taking Frazier down, but I don’t think he’ll be able to do that. Frazier is way more in his prime. 29 years old. 10-2 pro record. And all 10 wins have come via 1st round knockout. And his 2 losses came via being knocked out in the 1st round. He blitzes and goes for broke right away and I think that’s going to overwhelm Espino. So I’m picking Frazier by 1st round knockout.
-Macy Chiasson: Pannie Kianzad is where she’s at based on a decently well rounded game. Average striking. Average wrestling. She exposed holes in opponents to win, usually. But Kianzad’s natural weight class is bantamweight. And Chiasson is an actual featherweight who makes a tough weight cut to 145 lbs. Chiasson is 27 years old with only 2 pro fights. 2-0 pro record. She has a ton of upside and looks like a potential contender. I see Kianzad having nothing for Chiasson. Chiasson has the take down defense to keep the fight standing up. And Chiasson has way more power, and is faster. She’s going to dominate and knock Kianzad out in the 1st round.
-Pedro Munhoz: Grappler vs grappler. Bryan Caraway is super underrated. The past few years he’s only lost to the best. Raphael Assuncao. Cody Stamann. But his biggest problem has been staying healthy and not fighting that often as a result. His body is wearing down. He’s 34 years old. This is going to be a really close fight. I just like Munhoz’s career trajectory better. He’s lost to Assuncao. And split decision losses to Jimmie Rivera and John Dodson. But he only has 19 pro fights and even at 32 years old, I think he’s still getting better. He’ll probably be healthier than Caraway in the fight. And I see Munhoz being able to keep the fight on the feet and make this a stand up fight, where Munhoz will have the advantage. Because of this, I like Munhoz to pick up the decision win.
-Edman Shahbazyan: It’s possible Shahbazyan could be an elite prospect at 185 lbs. 21 years old. 7-0. 7 knockouts. All first round. So, he looks like he has elite striking. Is he well rounded? Too early to tell. But this is a pretty safe fight for him to make his UFC debut, against Darren Stewart. And by safe, I mean, Stewart is a one dimensional striker. So he’s not going to test Shahbazyan in wrestling or the ground game. Stewart might have the upside of a lower tier gate keeper. He’s 2-3 in the UFC so far. But I see Shahbazyan’s speed being too much for Stewart and it’s going to be another 1st round knockout.
-Antonina Shevchenko: Ji Yeon Kim is a solid, well rounded fighter. But she has no standout tools and as proven in her loss to Lucie Pudilova, she can be out struck. Now she takes on Shevchenko, who’s an even better striker than Pudilova. So Kim’s only pathway to success is taking the fight down, but I don’t think she’ll be able to. Shevchenko will win the stand up and get the decision.
-Rick Glenn: I was pretty underwhelmed by Kevin Aguilar in his fight with Joey Gomez. Not sure if it’s because Gomez is that good. Or Aguilar has that big a weakness in take down defense. But either way, I don’t see him beating Glenn. Aguilar is taking the fight on a week and a half’s notice. Glenn is 3-2 in the UFC and looks like he’s going to become a solid gate keeper. He’s mostly a striker. Has sneaky wrestling too though. Aguilar is purely a striker. I see Glenn being able to win on the feet with his long reach. And even if he struggles, I actually think Glenn will take Aguilar down. Because of this, I’m going with Glenn by decision.
-Alex Perez: There’s going to be a changing of the guard here. It’s a shame Joseph Benavidez hasn’t become champion. He’s only lost to 3 other fighters. Dominick Cruz. Demetrious Johnson. And just lost to Sergio Pettis. Benavidez isn’t in his prime anymore, but can still be a serviceable upper tier gate keeper. But Perez is the best prospect in the division and he looked light years better in his last fight where he starched Jose Torres. 26 years old. 4-0 in the UFC so far. Perez is on his way to a title shot and a win over Benavidez will likely get him there or 1 fight away from it. I like Perez by 1st round knockout.
-Maurice Greene: You wouldn’t know it from TUF, but Greene is actually more of a grappler and submission guy than a striker. But as shown on the show, he has made solid improvements with his hands. Taking on Michel Batista, who’s best tool is his wrestling, I think the fight stays on the feet and they see who has the best striking. I think the striking technique is close to equal, but Greene definitely has more power and think that Greene knocks Batista out in the 1st round.
-Leah Letson: Letson is a pretty good prospect. 26 years old. And very well rounded, with the exception of a lacking submission game. She takes on Julia Stoliarenko who’s a submission specialist. She’s got a 4-2 pro record and every single win came via armbar. But I don’t think her grappling is good enough to be able to take Letson down. I think the fight stays on the feet and Letson gets the knockout win in the 2nd round.
-Roosevelt Roberts: Darrell Horcher losing to Khabib can count as a mulligan. But I was really underwhelmed in his other 2 fights barely beating Devin Powell by split decision and getting shutout by Scott Holtzman. Roberts is a top prospect. 24 years old. 6-0. I’m not that high on Horcher’s wrestling so I see Roberts being able to keep the fight on the feet. And standing up, Roberts is going to knock him out. 2nd round.
-Tim Means: Means is a quality mid tier gate keeper with a 9-7 UFC record. Ricky Rainey is a journeyman fighter with a 13-5 pro record who is in the UFC because he took a short notice fight. Both Means and Rainey are strikers. But Means striking is on a whole other level. Means by 1st round knockout.
-Raoni Barcelos: Pretty easy fight to pick. Barcelos is cutting down to 135 lbs for the 1st time, so it’s possible that this might be the best version we ever see of him, depending on how well the cut goes. He has a track record of beating quality competition. And Chris Gutierrez does not. He’s beaten up mostly journeyman fighters. And the few times he’s taken a step up in competition, he’s lost. Stylistically, both are similar fighters. Primarily strikers. Average wrestling. But Barcelos striking and confidence will be on a way higher level. I like Barcelos by decision.