Magomed Ankalaev vs Alex Pereira 2
- Magomed Ankalaev
- Age: 33
- UFC Record: 12-1-1
- Key Losses: Knocked out Anthony Smith. Submitted by Paul Craig with 1 second left in the fight.
- Key Draws: Fought Jan Blachowicz to a split draw.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Ion Cutelaba twice. Knocked out Johnny Walker, Dalcha Lungiambula. Beat Alex Pereira, Aleksandar Rakic, Thiago Santos, Nikita Krylov, and Klidson Abreu.
- Striking: near plus plus (75)
- Power: near plus plus (75)
- Wrestling: near plus plus wrestling (75)
- Alex Pereira
- Age: 38
- UFC Record: 5-1 at 205 lbs. 9-2 overall.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Khalil Rountree, Jiri Prochazka twice, Jamahal Hill, Israel Adesanya, Sean Strickland, Andreas Michailidis and a 6-0 wrestler. Beat Bruno Silva. Split decision over Jan Blachowicz.
- Striking: near plus plus (75)
- Power: near plus plus (75)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
Chris’ Pick: Pereira by 2nd round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Pereira -135
Merab Dvalishvili vs Cory Sandhagen
- Merab Dvalishvili
- Age: 34
- UFC Record: 12-2
- Key Losses: Submitted by Ricky Simon at the very end of the fight. Split decision loss to Frankie Saenz.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Marlon Moraes. Submitted Sean O’Malley, Petr Yan, Jose Aldo, Casey Kenney, Cody Stamann, John Dodson, and Brad Katona.
- Striking: near plus plus (75)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: near plus plus (75)
- Cory Sandhagen
- Age: 33
- UFC Record: 11-4
- Key Wins: Knocked out Frankie Edgar, Marlon Moraes, and Iuri Alcantara. Submitted Mario Bautista. Beat Rob Font, Yadong Song, and Raphael Assuncao. Split decision wins over Marlon Vera and John Lineker.
- Striking: near plus plus (75)
- Power: near plus plus (75)
- Wrestling: near plus plus (75)
Chris’ Pick: Sandhagen by 2nd round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Sandhagen -135
Jiri Prochazka vs Khalil Rountree
- Jiri Prochazka
- Age: 32
- UFC Record: 5-2
- Key Draws: Fought a well rounded 6-1 fighter to a draw.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Jamahal Hill, Aleksandar Rakic, Dominick Reyes, Volkan Oezdemir, a well rounded 6-0 fighter, a well rounded 13-4 fighter, an 8-2 striker, a 14-4-1 grappler, a 5-0 striker, a well rounded 6-1 fighter, and a 12-4 wrestler. Submitted Glover Teixeira. Beat a 5-1 wrestler.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
- Khalil Rountree Jr
- Age: 35
- UFC Record: 11-7
- Key Losses: Submitted by Tyson Pedro.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Anthony Smith, Chris Daukaus, Karl Roberson, Modestas Bukauskas, Paul Craig, and Gokhan Saki. Beat Jamahal Hill and Eryk Anders. Split decision over Dustin Jacoby.
- Striking: near plus plus (75)
- Power: near plus plus (75)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
Chris’ Pick: Rountree Jr by 2nd round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Rountree -225
Josh Emmett vs Youssef Zalal
- Josh Emmett
- Age: 40
- UFC Record: 8-4 at 145 lbs.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Bryce Mitchell, Ricardo Lamas, Michael Johnson and Mirsad Bektic. Beat Dan Ige and Shane Burgos. Split decision over Calvin Kattar.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
- Youssef Zalal
- Age: 29
- UFC Record: 7-3-1
- Key Losses: Split decision loss to Sean Woodson.
- Key Draws: Fought Da’Mon Blackshear to a majority draw.
- Key Wins: Submitted Jack Shore,Jarno Errens, Billy Quarantillo, and a well rounded 6-2 fighter. Beat Calvin Kattar, Jordan Griffin and a 7-0 fighter.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: above average (60)
- Grappling: plus (70)
Chris’ Pick: Emmett by 1st round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Emmett -135
Joe Pyfer vs Abus Magomedov
- Joe Pyfer
- Age: 28
- UFC Record: 5-2
- Key Losses: Submitted by a 5-3 striker.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Gerald Meerschaert, Alen Amedovski, a well rounded 7-1 fighter, and a well rounded 3-0 fighter. Submitted Abdul Razak Alhassan. Beat Kelvin Gastelum.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Abus Magomedov
- Age: 35
- UFC Record: 4-2
- Key Wins: Knocked out Dustin Stolztfus, Jessin Ayari, an 11-2 striker, a well rounded 15-5 fighter, and a 10-3 grappler. Submitted Brunno Ferreira and a 12-0 striker. Beat Michel Pereira and Warlley Alves.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
Chris’ Pick: Magomedov by split decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Magomedov -125
Ateba Gautier vs Tre’ston Vines
- Ateba Gautier
- Age: 23
- Pro Record: 8-1
- UFC Record: 3-0
- Key Wins: Knocked out Robert Valentin and a well rounded 6-0 fighter.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
- Tre’ston Vines
- Age: 29
- Pro Record: 10-3
- Key Wins: Beat a 4-0 grappler and a 5-1 striker.
- Striking: a little above average (55)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Wrestling: a little above average (55)
All 3 of Vines losses have been 1st round KO’s. Last decent opponent he went up against, a 5-1 striker, Vines got rocked a couple times during the fight.
Chris’ Pick: Gautier by 1st round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Gautier -350
Daniel Santos vs Joo Sang Yoo
- Daniel Santos
- Age: 30
- Pro Record: 11-2
- UFC Record: 3-1
- Key Wins: Knocked out John Castaneda, a well rounded 8-0 fighter and a well rounded 7-0 fighter. Submitted a 7-2 striker. Beat Jeong Yeong Lee, Johnny Munoz Jr., and a well rounded 11-3-1 fighter.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Joo Sang Yoo
- Age: 31
- Pro Record: 9-0
- UFC Record: 1-0
- Key Wins: Knocked out Jeka Saragih. Beat a 5-1 striker.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
Chris’ Pick: Santos by 1st round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Santos -350
Patchy Mix vs Jakub Wiklacz
- Patchy Mix
- Age: 31
- Pro Record: 20-2
- UFC Record: 0-1
- Key Wins: Submitted Sergio Pettis, Andre Ewell, Tony Gravely, an 11-1 grappler, a well rounded 9-3 fighter, and a well rounded 11-2 fighter. Knocked out a 19-1 wrestler. Split decision over a 20-3 grappler.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Grappling: plus (70)
- Jakub Wiklacz
- Age: 28
- Pro Record: 16-3-2
- Key Wins: Submitted a well rounded 4-0 fighter, a well rounded 12-3-1 fighter, and a 5-1 grappler. Beat a 5-1 wrestler and a 10-3 grappler.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: average (50)
- Grappling: near plus (65)
Chris’ Pick: Mix by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Mix -225
Edmen Shahbazyan vs Andre Muniz
- Edmen Shahbazyan
- Age: 27
- UFC Record: 9-5
- Key Wins: Knocked out Dylan Budka, AJ Dobson, Dalcha Lungiambula, Brad Tavares, and Charles Byrd. Beat Andre Petroski.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
- Andre Muniz
- Age: 35
- UFC Record: 8-3
- Key Wins: Submitted Eryk Anders, Jacare Souza, Bartosz Fabinski, a 5-0 striker, and a 6-0 striker. Beat Uriah Hall and an 8-2 grappler. Split decision over Jun Yong Park
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Grappling: plus (70)
Chris’ Pick: Shahbazyan by 1st round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Shahbazyan -225
Punahele Soriano vs Nikolay Veretennikov
- Punahele Soriano
- Age: 32
- UFC Record: 2-0 at 170 lbs. 6-4 overall.
- Key Losses: Split decision loss to Nick Maximov.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Uros Medic, Dalcha Lungiambula, Dusko Todorovic, Oskar Piechota and a 5-1 striker. Beat Miguel Baeza, Jamie Pickett, and a 7-3 striker.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Nikolay Veretennikov
- Age: 35
- Pro Record: 13-6
- UFC Record: 1-3
- Key Wins: Knocked out Anthony Ivy and a 5-2 grappler. Beat an 8-1 wrestler. Split decision over Francisco Prado.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: near plus (65)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
Chris’ Pick: Soriano by 2nd round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Soriano -175
Macy Chiasson vs Yana Santos
- Macy Chiasson
- Age: 34
- UFC Record: 8-5
- Key Wins: Submitted Pannie Kianzad twice. Knocked out Mayra Bueno Silva, Sarah Moras and Gina Mazany. Beat Marion Reneau. Split decision over Norma Dumont.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Yana Santos
- Age: 35
- UFC Record: 6-4 at 135 lbs.
- Key Losses: Split decision loss to Karol Rosa.
- Key Wins: Beat Miesha Tate, Chelsea Chandler, Ketlen Vieira, Marion Reneau, and Lina Lansberg.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
Chris’ Pick: Chiasson by 2nd round knockout.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Chiasson -175
Chris Gutierrez vs Farid Basharat
- Chris Gutierrez
- Age: 34
- UFC Record: 9-2-1
- Key Draws: Fought Cody Durden to a draw.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Batgerel Danaa and Vince Morales. Beat Quang Le, Alateng Heili, and Andre Ewell. Split decision wins over John Castaneda, Felipe Dias Colares, and Geraldo de Freitas.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: plus (70)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Farid Basharat
- Age: 28
- UFC Record: 5-0
- Key Wins: Submitted Kleydson Rodrigues. Beat Victor Hugo, Taylor Lapilus, Da’Mon Blackshear, a well rounded 7-1 fighter, and a well rounded 4-0 fighter.
- Striking: plus (70)
- Power: above average (60)
- Grappling: plus (70)
Chris’ Pick: Gutierrez by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Gutierrez -125
Ramiz Brahimaj vs Austin Vanderford
- Ramiz Brahimaj
- Age: 32
- UFC Record: 4-3
- Key Losses: Lost to an 8-3 grappler and a 10-4 wrestler.
- Key Wins: Knocked out Mickey Gall. Submitted Billy Ray Goff, Sasha Palatnikov, and a 9-3 striker.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: average (50)
- Grappling: near plus (65)
- Austin Vanderford
- Age: 35
- Pro Record: 13-2
- UFC Record: 2-0
- Key Wins: Knocked out Nikolay Verettenikov, a 6-0-1 wrestler, and a 7-2 striker. Submitted a 6-2 grappler and a 7-2 striker. Beat a well rounded 9-1 fighter, a well rounded 9-3 fighter, a 7-2-1 grappler, and a well rounded 9-3 fighter.
- Striking: near plus (65)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Wrestling: plus (70)
I’m hesitant to grade Vanderford’s wrestling a 70, but with how he was able to take down Veretennikov and out class him on the ground, a 70 grade for Vanderford is most plausible.
Chris’ Pick: Vanderford by decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Vanderford -200
Veronica Hardy vs Brogan Walker
- Veronica Hardy
- Age: 29
- UFC Record: 4-5
- Key Wins: Submitted Polyana Viana. Beat JJ Aldrich and Juliana Miller. Split decision over Jamey Lyn Horth.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: average (50)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Grappling: a little above average (55)
- Brogan Walker
- Age: 36
- Pro Record: 7-4
- UFC Record: 0-2
- Key Wins: Beat Miranda Maverick and a 10-3 grappler. Split decision over a 4-0 grappler.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: average (50)
- Wrestling: above average (60)
Chris’ Pick: Hardy by split decision.
What odds I think the favorite should be at: Hardy -135