Dricus du Plessis vs Kamaru Usman
- Dricus du Plessis
- Age: 32
- UFC Record: 9-1
- Key Wins: Submitted Israel Adesanya, Darren Till, a well rounded 7-2-2 fighter, and a well rounded 8-1 fighter. Knocked out Robert Whittaker, Derek Brunson, Trevin Giles, Markus Perez, a 13-2 striker, and a well rounded 30-7 fighter. Beat Sean Strickland and Brad Tavares. Split decision win over Strickland
- Striking: near plus plus (75)
- Power: near plus plus (75)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
- Kamaru Usman
- Age: 39
- UFC Record: 16-3 at 170 lbs.
- Key Losses: Majority decision losses to Khamzat Chimaev and Leon Edwards.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Gilbert Burns and Colby Covington. Beat Jorge Masvidal, Leon Edwards, Demian Maia, Rafael dos Anjos, and Tyron Woodley.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
Chris’ Pick: du Plessis by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: du Plessis -250
Jared Cannonier vs Christian Leroy Duncan
- Jared Cannonier
- Age: 42
- UFC Record: 7-5 at 185 lbs. 10-9 overall.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Gregory Rodrigues, Jack Hermansson, Anderson Silva, and David Branch. Beat Marvin Vettori, Sean Strickland, and Kelvin Gastelum.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
- Christian Leroy Duncan
- Age: 30
- UFC Record: 7-2
- Key Wins: Knocked out Marco Tulio, Eryk Anders, Claudio Ribeiro, Dennis Tiuliulin, a 5-0 grappler, an 8-0 wrestler, and a 10-2 striker. Beat Roman Dolidze and Andrey Pulyaev.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
Still not quite sure what to make of Duncan out striking Dolidze 51 to 9. Possible Duncan’s striking could be a 75 but I doubt it.
Chris’ Pick: Cannonier by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Cannonier -135
Kevin Holland vs Jacobe Smith
- Kevin Holland
- Age: 33
- UFC Record: 7-5 at 170 lbs. 16-11 overall.
- Key Losses: Split decision loss to Jack Della Maddalena.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Alex Oliveira, Jacare Souza, Joaquin Buckley and Anthony Hernandez. Submitted Vicente Luque, Michal Oleksiejczuk, Michael Chiesa and Tim Means. Beat Randy Brown, Gunnar Nelson, and Alessio Di Chirico. Split decisions over Gerald Meerschaert and Darren Stewart.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Grappling: near plus (65)
- Jacobe Smith
- Age: 30
- Pro Record: 12-0
- UFC Record: 4-0
- Key Wins: Submitted Niko Price. Knocked out Josiah Harrell, Preston Parsons, and a 10-1 striker.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
Chris’ Pick: Smith by decision.
Chase Hooper vs Mitch Ramirez
- Chase Hooper
- Age: 26
- UFC Record: 5-2 at 155 lbs. 9-5 overall.
- Key Draws: Fought a 7-8 striker to a draw.
- Key Losses: Lost to Alex Caceres.
- Key Wins: Submitted Clay Guida, Slava Borshchev and Jordan Leavitt. Knocked out Felipe Colares and Daniel Teymur. Beat Jim Miller, Nick Fiore and a 4-0 grappler.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Grappling: near plus (65)
- Mitch Ramirez
- Age: 33
- Pro Record: 8-3
- UFC Record: 0-3
- Key Wins: Knocked out a 5-0 striker and an 11-3 grappler.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Grappling: a little above average (55)
Chris’ Pick: Hooper by 1st round submission.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Hooper -225
Fatima Kline vs Tabatha Ricci
- Fatima Kline
- Age: 25
- Pro Record: 9-1
- UFC Record: 3-1
- Key Wins: Knocked out Melissa Martinez and Viktoriia Dudakova. Beat Angela Hill, a 4-1 striker, and a well rounded 6-3-1 fighter.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
- Tabatha Ricci
- Age: 31
- UFC Record: 7-4
- Key Losses: Split decision loss to Loopy Godinez.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Amanda Ribas. Submitted Jessica Penne. Beat Angela Hill, Gillian Robertson, Polyana Viana, and a 12-4 striker. Split decision over Tecia Pennington.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
Chris’ Pick: Kline by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Kline -250
Tommy McMillen vs Alberto Montes
- Tommy McMillen
- Age: 28
- Pro Record: 10-0
- UFC Record: 2-0
- Key Wins: Knocked out Manolo Zecchini. Submitted a 3-0 grappler. Majority decision over a well rounded 7-0 fighter.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Grappling: above average (60)
- Alberto Montes
- Age: 32
- Pro Record: 9-1
- UFC Record: 2-0
- Key Wins: Submitted Ricky Turcios, a well rounded 6-2 fighter, an 8-2 grappler, and a well rounded 5-1 fighter.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Grappling: near plus (65)
Chris’ Pick: McMillen by split decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: McMillen -135
Jose Miguel Delgado vs Austin Bashi
- Jose Miguel Delgado
- Age: 28
- UFC Record: 4-1
- Key Wins: Knocked out Hyder Amil, Connor Matthews, a well rounded 7-0 fighter, a well rounded 4-1 fighter, and a 7-2 striker. Split decision over Andre Fili.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Grappling: above average (60)
- Austin Bashi
- Age: 24
- Pro Record: 14-1
- UFC Record: 2-1
- Key Wins: Submitted John Yannis, a well rounded 8-2 fighter and a 14-3 striker. Knocked out a 6-1 grappler. Beat an 8-1 grappler and a 9-3 wrestler.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Grappling: near plus (65)
Chris’ Pick: Delgado by 2nd round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Delgado -225
Seok Hyun Ko vs Jean Paul Lebosnoyani
- Seok Hyun Ko
- Age: 32
- Pro Record: 13-2
- UFC Record: 3-0
- Key Wins: Beat Phil Rowe, Oban Elliott, a 9-0 striker, and well rounded 6-1 fighter.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
- Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani
- Age: 27
- Pro Record: 10-2
- UFC Record: 2-0
- Key Wins: Knocked out a well rounded 7-1 fighter. Submitted a 4-0 grappler and a 9-3 grappler. Beat a 5-1 striker. Split decision over Phil Rowe.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Grappling: near plus (65)
Chris’ Pick: Ko by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Ko -200
Felipe Franco vs Levi Rodrigues
- Felipe Franco
- Age: 25
- Pro Record: 9-2
- UFC Record: 0-2
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Grappling: above average (60)
- Levi Rodrigues
- Age: 29
- Pro Record: 5-0
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: a little above average (55)
Franco did well in holding his own against a much bigger Mario Pinto. Pinto only out struck him 20 to 13.
Chris’ Pick: Franco by 1st round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Franco -250
Alden Coria vs Stewart Nicoll
- Alden Coria
- Age: 28
- Pro Record: 12-3
- UFC Record: 2-0
- Key Wins: Knocked out Alessandro Costa and a well rounded 8-3 fighter. Beat Luis Gurule.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Grappling: near plus (65)
- Stewart Nicoll
- Age: 31
- Pro Record: 8-3
- UFC Record: 0-3
- Key Wins: Knocked out a 5-0 striker.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Grappling: above average (60)
Nicoll got knocked out in his last fight from a liver shot, but actually took a step forward as he out struck Alessandro Costa 47 to 41.
Chris’ Pick: Coria by 2nd round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Coria -135
Alvin Hines vs Richard Harris
- Alvin Hines
- Age: 34
- Pro Record: 7-1
- UFC Record: 0-1
- Key Wins: Knocked out a well rounded 4-1 fighter.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
- Grappling: a little above average (55)
- Richard Harris
- Age: 27
- Pro Record: 5-0
- Key Wins: Beat a 5-1 striker.
- Striking: a little above average (55)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Grappling: above average (60)
Chris’ Pick: Hines by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Hines -135
Dione Barbosa vs Anna Melisano
- Dione Barbosa
- Age: 34
- UFC Record: 4-2
- Key Wins: Submitted Diana Belbita and a well rounded 5-1 fighter. Beat Ernesta Kareckaite and Karine Silva. Majority win over Melissa Gatto.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Grappling: plus (70)
- Anna Melisano
- Age: 29
- Pro Record: 6-1
- Key Wins: Knocked out a 7-2 striker.
- Striking: a little above average (55)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Wrestling: a little above average (55)
Melisano technically won her last fight, but it was by doctor stoppage in the 3rd round. And Melisano caught a break because I watched that fight and she lost the first two rounds.
Chris’ Pick: Barbosa by 1st round submission.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Barbosa -350
Damien Anderson vs Ezra Elliott
- Damien Anderson
- Age: 29
- Pro Record: 5-0
- Key Wins: Submitted a 5-1 grappler and a well rounded 4-1 fighter.
- Striking: a little above average (55)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Grappling: above average (60)
- Ezra Elliott
- Age: 26
- Pro Record: 7-0
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Grappling: near plus (65)
Chris’ Pick: Elliott by 1st round submission.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Elliott -225