Colby Covington vs Joaquin Buckley
- Colby Covington
- Age: 36
- UFC Record: 12-4
- Key Wins: Knocked out Tyron Woodley. Beat Jorge Masvidal, Demian Maia, Rafael dos Anjos, and Robbie Lawler.
- Striking: near plus plus (75)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: near plus plus (75)
- Joaquin Buckley
- Age: 30
- UFC Record: 9-4
- Key Wins: Knocked out Stephen Thompson, Vicente Luque, Andre Fialho, Antonio Arroyo, Jordan Wright, Impa Kasanganay, a 4-0 grappler, a 9-3 grappler, and an 8-2 grappler. Beat Nursulton Ruziboev, Alex Morono and a 9-2 wrestler. Split decision wins over Abdul Razak Alhassan and a well rounded 5-1 fighter.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
Despite the narrative that Leon Edwards out classed Covington, the striking between the two was close to equal with Edwards out landing him only 56 to 44.
Chris’ Pick: Covington by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Covington -200
Cub Swanson vs Billy Quarantillo
- Cub Swanson
- Age: 41
- UFC Record: 14-10
- Key Losses: Split decision loss to Andre Fili.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Darren Elkins and Daniel Pineda. Beat Hakeem Dawodu, Doo Ho Choi, and Kron Gracie.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Billy Quarantillo
- Age: 35
- UFC Record: 7-4
- Key Losses: Knocked out by Michel Quinones.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Alexander Hernandez, Gabriel Benitez, Kyle Nelson, a well rounded 8-2 fighter, a 5-1 wrestler, and a well rounded 6-2 fighter. Beat Damon Jackson and Spike Carlyle.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Grappling: near plus (65)
Chris’ Pick: Swanson by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Swanson -175
Manel Kape vs Bruno Silva
- Manel Kape
- Age: 31
- UFC Record: 4-3
- Key Wins: Knocked out Zhalgas Zhumagulov, Ode Osbourne, and a 14-1 striker. Submitted a 14-5 striker. Beat Felipe dos Santos and David Dvorak.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
- Bruno Silva
- Age: 34
- UFC Record: 4-2
- Key Draws: Fought Casey Kenney and a 4-0 grappler to draws.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Victor Rodriguez, JP Buys, and a 4-0 grappler. Submitted Tyson Nam.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
The judges thought Muhammad Mokaev beat Kape, but I disagree. Thought Kape won by doing more damage. But more importantly, Kape showed up with both improved striking and wrestling. Both 70 tools now.
Chris’ Pick: Kape by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Kape -250
Vitor Petrino vs Dustin Jacoby
- Vitor Petrino
- Age: 27
- UFC Record: 5-1
- Key Wins: Knocked out Modestas Bukauskas, Rodolfo Bellato twice, and Gadzhimurad Antigulov. Submitted Marcin Prachnio. Beat Tyson Pedro and Anton Turkalj.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Dustin Jacoby
- Age: 36
- UFC Record: 8-4-1 at 205 lbs.
- Key Losses: Split decision loss to Khalil Rountree.
- Key Draws: Fought Ion Cutelaba to a draw.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Kennedy Nzechukwu, Da Un Jung, Darren Stewart, Justin Ledet, a 10-3 grappler and a 7-0 grappler. Beat Michel Oleksiejczuk, Maxim Grishin, and a 7-2 grappler.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
Petrino is 27 years old. He may show up with 70 striking. But we haven’t seen it yet. He closed as a huge -485 favorite against Anthony Smith in his last fight, with the market thinking his striking is indeed a 70. But the numbers don’t support it.
Chris’ Pick: Jacoby by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Jacoby -225
Adrian Yanez vs Daniel Marcos
- Adrian Yanez
- Age: 30
- UFC Record: 7-2
- Key Losses: Split decision losses to Domingo Pilarte in 2017 and Miles John in 2018.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Vinicius Salvador, Tony Kelley, Randy Costa, Gustavo Lopez, a 5-2 striker, and a well rounded 11-1 fighter. Submitted a 5-2 grappler. Split decision over Davey Grant.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Daniel Marcos
- Age: 31
- Pro Record: 16-0
- UFC Record: 4-0
- Key Wins: Knocked out Saimon Oliveira and a well rounded 7-1 fighter. Beat John Castaneda, a 6-1 striker and a well rounded 8-2 fighter. Split decision over Davey Grant.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
Marcos’ wrestling is right on the bubble between a 60 and 65 but after seeing him against Castaneda I think it’s closer to a 60.
Chris’ Pick: Yanez by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Yanez -250
Navajo Stirling vs Tuco Tokkos
- Navajo Stirling
- Age: 27
- Pro Record: 5-0
- UFC Record: 1-0
- Key Wins: Knocked out a 6-1 striker.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
- Tuco Tokkos
- Age: 34
- Pro Record: 10-4
- UFC Record: 0-2
- Key Wins: Knocked out a 4-1 striker and a 9-3 wrestler. Submitted a well rounded 5-1 fighter.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
Chris’ Pick: Stirling by 2nd round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Stirling -135
Michael Johnson vs Ottman Azaitar
- Michael Johnson
- Age: 38
- UFC Record: 12-13 at 155 lbs.
- Key Losses: Split decision loss to Jamie Mullarkey.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Alan Patrick and Dustin Poirier. Beat Darius Flowers, Marc Diakiese, and Edson Barboza.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Ottman Azaitar
- Age: 34
- Pro Record: 13-2
- UFC Record: 2-2
- Key Wins: Knocked out Khama Worthy, an 8-2 grappler, and 6-1 striker.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: a little above average (55)
Chris’ Pick: Johnson by 1st round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Johnson -400
Joel Alvarez vs Drakkar Klose
- Joel Alvarez
- Age: 31
- UFC Record: 6-2
- Key WIns: Submitted Marc Diakiese, Alexander Yakovlev, Joseph Duffy, a 5-1 striker, a well rounded 5-0 fighter, a well rounded 14-2 fighter, and a 9-1 striker. Knocked out Elves Brener, Thiago Moises, and a 12-4 striker.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Grappling: plus (70)
- Drakkar Klose
- Age: 36
- UFC Record: 9-2
- Key Wins: Knocked out Joe Solecki. Beat Joaquim Silva, Rafa Garcia, and Bobby Green. Split decision over Marc Diakiese.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
Chris’ Pick: Alvarez by 2nd round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Alvarez -300
Sean Woodson vs Fernando Padilla
- Sean Woodson
- Age: 32
- UFC Record: 7-1-1
- Key Losses: Submitted by Julian Erosa.
- Key Draws: Fought Luis Saldana to a draw.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Collin Anglin and a 6-1 grappler. Beat Alex Caceres, Charles Jourdain, Dennis Buzukja, and Kyle Bochniak. Split decision over Youssef Zalal.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Fernando Padilla
- Age: 27
- Pro Record: 16-5
- UFC Record: 2-1
- Key Losses: Lost to Spike Carlyle.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Julian Erosa. Submitted Luis Pajuelo and Darrick Minner. Knocked out a 6-2 wrestler and a 9-3 striker. Beat a well rounded 6-0 fighter. Split decision over a well rounded 8-2 fighter.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Grappling: above average (60)
Chris’ Pick: Woodson by 2nd round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Woodson -250
Miles Johns vs Felipe Lima
- Miles Johns
- Age: 30
- UFC Record: 7-2
- Key Wins: Submitted a 5-0 striker. Beat Douglas Silva de Andrade, Vince Morales, a 7-1 grappler, a well rounded 11-3 fighter, and a well rounded 6-2 fighter. Knocked out Kevin Natividad. Beat Cody Gibson. Split decision over Cole Smith and a 7-2 striker.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Felipe Lima
- Age: 26
- Pro Record: 13-1
- UFC Record: 1-0
- Key Wins: Submitted Muhammad Naimov, Beat a well rounded 6-0 fighter, an 8-1-1 wrestler, and a 14-5 grappler.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
- Grappling: near plus (65)
Nathaniel Wood is really good. We know this. And when Naimov beat Wood, okay, we can say Naimov is good. But seeing how Lima submitted Naimov, is Lima this good? I think yes, because what’s most scary is he took the fight with Naimov on only a few days notice. Now comes in with a semi full camp this time around.
Chris’ Pick: Lima by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Lima -135
Miranda Maverick vs Jamey-Lyn Horth
- Miranda Maverick
- Age: 27
- UFC Record: 7-3
- Key Losses: Split decision loss to Maycee Barber.
- Key Wins: Submitted Priscila Cachoeira, Sabina Mazo, DeAnna Bennett, and Shanna Young. Knocked out Liana Jojua. Beat Dione Barbosa, Andrea Lee, Gillian Robertson, and a 6-1 grappler.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
- Grappling: near plus (65)
- Jamey-Lyn Horth
- Age: 34
- Pro Record: 7-1
- UFC Record: 2-1
- Key Losses: Split decision loss to Veronica Hardy.
- Key Wins: Submitted a 9-3 grappker. Knocked out a well rounded 3-1 fighter. Beat Hailey Cowan. Split decision over Ivana Petrovic.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Grappling: above average (60)
Chris’ Pick: Maverick by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Maverick -200
Davey Grant vs Ramon Taveras
- Davey Grant
- Age: 38
- UFC Record: 8-6
- Key Losses: Submitted by Damian Stasiak and Manny Bermudez. Split decision loss to Daniel Marcos.
- Key Wins: Submitted Raphael Assuncao. Knocked out Louis Smolka and Jonathan Martinez. Beat Marlon Vera in 2016.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Ramon Taveras
- Age: 30
- Pro Record: 10-2
- UFC Record: 2-1
- Key Wins: Knocked out a well rounded 5-1 fighter. Split decision over Serhiy Sidey.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
- Grappling: a little above average (55)
Chris’ Pick: Grant by 2nd round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Grant -225
Josefine Knutsson vs Piera Rodriguez
- Josefine Knutsson
- Age: 28
- Pro Record: 8-0
- UFC Record: 3-0
- Key Wins: Beat Julia Polastri, Marnic Mann, a 5-1 striker, a 3-0-1 striker, and a well rounded 6-2 fighter. Split decision over a 4-0 grappler.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Piera Rodriguez
- Age: 32
- UFC Record: 3-2
- Key Wins: Knocked out a 13-4 grappler and a 3-1 grappler. Beat Sam Hughes, Kay Hansen, and an 8-2 striker.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
Chris’ Pick: Knutsson by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Knutsson -450