3/1.38 TERRANCE MCKINNEY vs ISMAEL BONFIM u1½ -219
1.41/4 LUAN LUIZ LACERDA +283
3/1.83 JAILTON ALMEIDA IN ROUND 1 -162
3.08/2 GABRIEL BONFIM -154
Dalby's near 40 but his grinding wrestling style seems tailor-made to control Alves on the mat.
Bonfim has the gas tank to punish McKinney after the first round, but he has to get there first...easier said than done.
Stamann is a Bantamweight gatekeeper. A stout wrestler that's capable of controlling most prospects on the mat, but a lack of a finishing instinct often leaves avenues for opponents to gain control. This one is a tossup so gimme the odds.
An underrated HW throughout 2016-2019, Abdurakhimov’s career appears to have run its course. Three straight stoppages to Blaydes, Daukaus, and Pavlovich are terminal on paper – yet the drop in speed and punch resistance on tape are far moretelling.
A close fight with Bonfim’s athletic edge proves the difference.
Moises 's claim to fame revolves around hitting a takedown on LW champion, Islam Makhachev. Melquizael Costa is an athletic prospect who runs (or spins) head-first into danger – Moises should be able to find a way to Costa’s back relatively early.
As a MW of shorter stature, Ferreira’s power is impressive, but he hasn't shown the quality required to handle Rodrigues’ BJJ base if called upon.
a strange piece of UFC match-making as it begs the question of whether the UFC is looking to push Ihor Potieria. The 26-year-old has little fanfare behind him, while his paper record was exposed in his UFC debut against Nicolae Negumereanu. Even so, Potieria as the less weathered fighter has the natural power and speed to abruptly end Shogun Rua’s dreams of a fairytale ending.
Craig Sub ...You cannot deny Craig’s outrageous submission chops – the issue has always been figuring out how to coax fighters into his guard. For all his physical gifts, Johnny Walker was not blessed with a fighting brain, or at least it's not apparent. If any fighter was to hurt Craig and dive straight into his clutches – it's likely the John Kavanagh-trained Johnny Walker. Craig’s chin is not uncrackable, but Walker’s strangely patient counterstriking attack may be to his detriment tonight..
JESSICA ANDRADE VS LAUREN MURPHY (16-5) (125)
Andrade KO ...Murphy should have considered retirement after her one-sided championship loss to Shevchenko. At 39 she had climbed close to the top before hitting her head on an athletic and technical ceiling. Murphy is solidly built and well-rounded, but she lacks the technical supremacy to contain Andrade’s explosive offense.
GILBERT BURNS (20-5) VS NEIL MAGNY (170)
Burns ...Almost a year since we saw Gilbert Burns in his barn-burner FOTN with Chimaev. Durinho was the first fighter to neutralize Chimaev’s oppressive grappling, as well as drop him at the end of the second round with a huge overhand right. Neil Magny is WW’s top gatekeeper, however. The Haitian Sensation better utilized his long frame in his last outing against Daniel Rodriguez – showing more intensity on the feet from the opening bell.
I would really like to back Moreno but it looks like Figgy is really peaking at 29. He had no issues with his cut and looked amazing on the scale. Don't get me wrong, Brandon has improved too, especially in his striking, particularly his kicking game. You can't discount that Krause betting fiasco as it had to disturb his camp and he may not have dialed in a gameplan. He needs to force the pace and try and wear Figgy down mostly on the mat IMO but more likely he stands and bangs and finds himself on the wrong end of early exchanges too often. So I'll be on Figgy, likely by decision in a very close call.