Nassourdine Imavov vs Roman Dolidze
- Nassourdine Imavov
- Age: 28
- UFC Record: 3-2
- Key Losses: Majority decision loss to Phil Hawes.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Ian Heinisch, a 3-0 wrestler, and a 9-1 striker. Beat Joaquin Buckley, Jordan Williams, and a 12-4 grappler.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
- Grappling: above average (60)
- Roman Dolidze
- Age: 34
- UFC Record: 6-2
- Key Wins: Knocked out Jack Hermansson, Phil Hawes, Kyle Daukaus, a well rounded 8-3 fighter, a well rounded 15-4 fighter, and a 13-3 wrestler. Beat Laureano Staropoli. Split decision over John Allan.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Grappling: near plus (65)
Imavov is very similar to Marvin Vettori, except Imavov has more power. I also expect Imavov’s cardio to be better than Dolidze’s too. Expect this fight to be similar to Vettori vs Dolidze.
Chris’ Pick: Imavov by decision.
What I think the odds should be: Imavov -250
Renato Moicano vs Drew Dober
- Renato Moicano
- Age: 34
- UFC Record: 4-2 at 155 lbs. 8-5 overall.
- Key Wins: Submitted Brad Riddell, Alexander Hernandez, Jai Herbert, and Cub Swanson. Beat Calvin Kattar. Split decision over Jeremy Stephens.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: above average (60)
- Grappling: plus (70)
- Drew Dober
- Age: 35
- UFC Record: 13-8
- Key Wins: Knocked out Ricky Glenn, Bobby Green, Terrance McKinney, Alexander Hernandez, and Nasrat Haqparast. Beat Scott Holtzman.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
Chris’ Pick: Moicano by decision.
What I think the odds should be: Moicano -200
Randy Brown vs Muslim Salikhov
- Randy Brown
- Age: 33
- UFC Record: 11-5
- Key Wins: Submitted Alex Oliveira and Warlley Alves. Knocked out Bryan Barbarena. Beat Wellington Turman, Francisco Trinaldo, and Mickey Gall. Split decision over Khaos Williams.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Grappling: above average (60)
- Muslim Salikhov
- Age: 39
- UFC Record: 6-3
- Key Losses: Submitted by Alex Garcia.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Andre Fialho, Nordine Taleb, a 5-1 striker, and a well rounded 6-2 fighter. Beat Francisco Trinaldo, Laureano Staropoli, and an 8-1 wrestler. Split decision over Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
Chris’ PIck: Salikhov by decision.
What I think the odds should be: Salikhov -125
Viviane Araujo vs Natalia Silva
- Viviane Araujo
- Age: 37
- UFC Record: 6-4
- Key Wins: Knocked out Talita Bernardo. Beat Jennifer Maia, Andrea Lee, Roxanne Modefferi, Montana de la Rosa, and Alexis Davis.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Grappling: plus (70)
- Natalia Silva
- Age: 26
- Pro Record: 16-5-1
- UFC Record: 4-0
- Key Wins: Knocked out Victoria Leonardo, Tereza Bleda. Submitted a 3-0 grappler. Beat Andrea Lee and Jasmine Jasudavicius.
- Striking: near plus plus (75)
- Power: near plus plus (75)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
Silva vs Lee is tough for me to figure out. I thought I had figured out once and for all Lee has legit 70 striking. And then Silva out strikes her 70 to 43. So either Silva has 75 striking or Lee has 65 striking.
Chris’ Pick: Silva by decision.
What I think the odds should be: Silva -225
Makhmud Muradov vs Aliaskhab Khizriev
- Makhmud Muradov
- Age: 33
- UFC Record: 4-2
- Key Wins: Knocked out Andrew Sanchez, Trevor Smith, a well rounded 9-2 fighter and a well rounded 13-3 fighter. Beat Bryan Barberena and Alessio Di Chirico.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Aliaskhab Khizriev
- Age: 33
- Pro Record: 14-0
- UFC Record: 2-0
- Key Wins: Knocked out Rousimar Palhares. Submitted Dennis Tiuliulin and a 13-3 striker.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Grappling: above average (60)
Khizriev came in as a massive -1250 favorite last time out against short notice replacement Tiuliulin. I thought the number was bonkers. And sure enough, the fight was much closer, up to the finish. Striking close to equal. And Tiuliulin being able to get back up multiple times after take downs.
Chris’ Pick: Muradov by decision.
What I think the odds should be: Muradov -250
Gilbert Urbina vs Charlie Radtke
- Gilbert Urbina
- Age: 27
- Pro Record: 7-2
- UFC Record: 1-1
- Key Wins: Knocked out Orion Cosce. Submitted a well rounded 5-0 fighter.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Grappling: above average (60)
- Charlie Radtke
- Age: 33
- Pro Record: 8-3
- UFC Record: 1-0
- Key Wins: Submitted a 6-0 striker. Beat Blood Diamond. Split decision over a 3-1 grappler.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
- Grappling: a little above average (55)
I really under rated Radtke going into his UFC debut. Maybe the fight of his I watched outside the UFC, maybe it was an off night for him. Amazingly, he out struck Blood Diamond 27 to 19. And maybe Radtke pulled it off because Diamond’s hands were lower, focused on trying to stuff take downs. Or maybe Radtke’s striking is that good. And I think there’s a slight possibility that Radtke’s wrestling could be a 65 as well.
Chris’ Pick: Radtke by 2nd round knockout.
What I think the odds should be: Radtke: -175
Molly McCann vs Diana Belbita
- Molly McCann
- Age: 33
- UFC Record: 6-5
- Key Wins: Knocked out Hannah Goldy and Luana Carolina. Beat Ji Yeon Kim and Ariane Lipski.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
- Diana Belbita
- Age: 27
- UFC Record: 2-4
- Key Wins: Beat Maria Oliveira and Hannah Goldy. Majority decision win over a 0-2 fighter in 2017.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
Striking between Belbita and Karolina Kowalkiewicz was close to equal after 2 rounds. But Belbita started to run out of gas in the 3rd and Kowalkiewicz took over. McCann usually fights with a much heavier pace, more pressure. But there’s also a slight chance Belbita’s wrestling could be as good as a 65. If that’s the case, it’ll be close.
Chris’ Pick: McCann by 3rd round knockout.
What I think the odds should be: McCann -125
Charles Johnson vs Azat Maksum
- Charles Johnson
- Age: 32
- UFC Record: 2-4
- Key Losses: Split decision loss to Ode Osbourne.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Jimmy Flick and a well rounded 6-0 fighter. Submitted a well rounded 6-0 fighter. Split decision wins over Zhulgas Zhumagulov, a well rounded 7-2 fighter and a 5-1 wrestler.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Azat Maksum
- Age: 28
- Pro Record: 17-0
- UFC Record: 1-0
- Key Wins: Submitted a 8-0 striker, a well rounded 4-0 fighter and a 5-0 grappler. Knocked out a well rounded 7-2 fighter and a 12-3 striker. Beat a 5-1 grappler. Split decision over Tyson Nam.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Grappling: above average (60)
Tyson Nam was robbed. Maksum came in a monster -450 favorite. Couldn’t take Nam down. And most shocking, Nam out struck him 79 to 46. Crazy. I think everybody overrated Maksum.
Chris’ Pick: Johnson by split decision.
What I think the odds should be: Johnson -125
Themba Gorimbo vs Pete Rodriguez
- Themba Gorimbo
- Age: 32
- Pro Record: 11-4
- UFC Record: 1-1
- Key Losses: Knocked out by a well rounded 14-7 fighter.
- Key Wins: Submitted a 6-0 wrestler. Beat Takashi Sato and a well rounded 3-0 fighter.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: average (50)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Grappling: above average (60)
- Pete Rodriguez
- Age: 26
- Pro Record: 5-1
- UFC Record: 1-1
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: average (50)
Slight possibility I’m over rating Gorimbo’s wrestling and striking. I’d like to see more of him to know for sure, but he’s got plenty of margin in being able to take down Rodrigiez.
Chris’ Pick: Gorimbo by decision.
What I think the odds should be: Gorimbo -350
Blake Bilder vs Jeong Yeong Lee
- Blake Bilder
- Age: 33
- Pro Record: 8-1
- UFC Record: 2-1
- Key Wins: Submitted an 11-4 striker, a well rounded 4-1 fighter, and a well rounded 6-0 fighter. Beat Shane Young.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: average (50)
- Grappling: above average (60)
- Jeong Yeong Lee
- Age: 28
- Pro Record: 10-1
- UFC Record: 3-0
- Key Wins: Knocked out a 7-0 grappler and a well rounded 8-3 fighter. Submitted a well rounded 8-3 fighter. Split decision over Zha Yi.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Grappling: a little above average (55)
Chris’ Pick: Bilder by split decision.
What I think the odds should be: Bilder -135
Julija Stoliarenko vs Luana Carolina
- Julija Stoliarenko
- Age: 30
- UFC Record: 2-0 at 125 lbs. 2-5 overall.
- Key Wins: Submitted Molly McCann and Jessica-Rose Clark. Split decision over a 5-0 wrestler.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Grappling: near plus (65)
- Luana Carolina
- Age: 30
- UFC Record: 4-3
- Key Losses: Split decision loss to Joanne Wood.
- Key Wins: Beat Ivana Petrovic, an 8-2 striker, and a 7-0 wrestler. Split decision over Poliana Botelho.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
Chris’ Pick: Stoliarenko by 2nd round submission.
What I think the odds should be: Stoliarenko -175
Landon Quinones vs Marquel Mederos
- Landon Quinones
- Age: 27
- Pro Record: 7-2-1
- UFC Record: 1-0
- Key Losses: Split decision loss to Muhammadjon Naimov.
- Key Wins: Knocked out an 8-2 wrestler, a 4-0 striker, and a 9-3 wrestler.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
- Marquel Mederos
- Age: 27
- Pro Record: 8-1
- UFC Record: 1-0
- Key Wins: Knocked out a well rounded 12-3 fighter and a well rounded 5-1 fighter. Beat a 5-0 wrestler.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: a little above average (55)
Mederos’ fight on the Contender didn’t last long. Four minutes. Small sample. Possible his striking could be a 65.
Chris’ Pick: Mederos by 2nd round knockout.
What I think the odds should be: Mederos -125
Thomas Petersen vs Jamal Pogues
- Thomas Petersen
- Age: 28
- Pro Record: 8-1
- UFC Record: 1-0
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
- Jamal Pogues
- Age: 28
- Pro Record: 9-4
- UFC Record: 1-1
- Key Wins: Beat Josh Parisian, a 10-1 striker, a well rounded 8-0 fighter, an 11-0 striker, and a well rounded 7-2 fighter.
- Striking: a little above average (55)
- Power: fringe average (45)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
Petersen’s wrestling could be a 65. Dominant on the Contender against Chandler Cole. Doesn’t have any quality wins, but looked good against Waldo Cortes-Acosta in LFA.
Chris’ Pick: Petersen by 2nd round knockout.
What I think the odds should be: Petersen -300