(#24430) Ailin Perez | ML | . 

Having faced a couple of solid opponents recently, I have not liked what I've seen from USA's Macy Chiasson. She's maybe lost five consecutive rounds inside the octagon and doesn't really turn things on until the final round, when there's nothing really to fight for anymore. Chiasson has been finished by both knockout/submission in her career and I wouldn't be surprised if she got finished in this fight on Saturday. 

Ailin Perez is one of the known up and coming fighters inside the women's game at the moment. The internet has gone crazy with some of her dance moves after the fights and I wouldn't be shocked if she pulls them out again after this one. I'm shocked that the Argentinian is at this price. In my eyes, she should be around -300. Having said that, Perez is on a tear, winning five consecutive bouts. Expect another demolition here at UFC Fight Night in Mexico City. 

Burns' Prediction: Perez via. Submission (Round 2.)

(#24225) Eduarda Moura | ML | . 

While the oddsmakers aren't giving much respect to Eduarda Moura for this fight, I'm jumping all over this price on Saturday. It's not always easy to predict a +285 outright winner in any sport. But, given Moura's history inside the octagon, there's no reason why this upset couldn't take place. Moura's only career loss was a controversial split-decision. She then followed it up with consecutive wins against very solid opponents. 

Cong Wang will be her opponent today. Yes, she's got the kickboxing experience and has some deadly striking. She's got the signature win over Valentina Shevchenko in kickboxing and is searching for UFC gold now with Shevchenko as the champ. But, I don't think that she's as strong as that win makes her seem. She's gone to decisions in consecutive fights and already has lost by submission inside the octagon. 

That's exactly what Moura wants to hear with five submission wins of 12. I get that this is a long shot, but I'd be silly not to play this one as a massive selection. If Moura gets her to the ground, it well definitely wear Wang down by the third round if she survives. Give me the Brazilian dog. 

Burns' Prediction: Moura via. U-DEC.

(#24145) Keiichiro Nakamura | ML | . 

The Japanese fighter comes into this bout feeling very good about himself. He's a training partner of UFC bantamweight and former "Road to the UFC" winner Rinya Nakamura. Now, even Keiichiro brings a different style of fighting and he's a legit striker opposed to a grappler like Rinya. I do believe that being able to train with someone like that will be able to help Keiichiro Nakamura though and help with his grappling. I believe that he's going to be the much better fighter on the feet in this one. On the other hand, Sebastian Szalay is a Karate fighter and I don't think that his style of fighting is going to work too much in this one. The Aussie is fighting in his home country, but he's got a four and a half inch reach disadvantage and that's a very large number when we're talking about two guys that like to stand up. I don't see Szalay getting the knockout and Nakamura will most definitely go for some himself. He's the more aggressive fighter. Expect that to help him get the win on Saturday. 

Burns' Prediction: Nakamura via. 3rd Round KO.

(#24642) Luana Santos | ML | . 

To be completely honest, I'm not very high on Melissa Croden. I get that she's a "knockout artist" with six KO's in her nine fights as a professional. However, she's never won a decision and that definitely shows that the cardio simply isn't there. Yes, she's Canadian and so am I. But, in a fight like this against an outstanding grappler, I don't believe that she's going to have much of a chance if this fight goes past the first or second round. 

Luana Santos has never been finished in her career and won by submission already in 2025. I believe that there's definitely the possibility of another submission finish on Saturday at UFC Fight Night in Vegas. Santos will be confident and she will get the job done with ease. 

Burns' Prediction: Santos via. Submission in Round 3.

(#24530) Maycee Barber | ML | . 

Although Karine Silva has a very solid record for the women's flyweight division, I do believe that she's a step below some of the top names. Silva suffered a loss not long ago against Viviane Araujo and followed it up by barely beating in her next fight (who's 8-4 now.) 

On the other hand, Maycee Barber is on a mission to claim UFC Gold. She's built up another phenomenal winning streak of six consecutive including fighters like Maverick, Eye & Ribas. Now, it's time for Barber to fully unleash her skillset and keep rising in the ranks. Although a KO is definitely on the cards, I'll go the safe route and just say Barber to win on Saturday. 

Burns' Prediction: Barber via. U-DEC.

(#24210) Muslim Salikhov | ML | . 

Even though he's 41 years of age, Muslim Salikhov is a force to be reckon with in the Welterweight Division. Watching his last fight in July, it was electric as he finished the guy in the opening round. That's consecutive fights now that he's done that. He throws a unique variety of attacks, from spinning, to extremely quick. Salikhov is very accurate with his strikes and has great technique and is full of confidence at the moment. 

Looking at his opponent, Uros Medic doesn't care for decisions. As a matter of fact, in 14 pro fights, he's never been to a decision. That means that we're likely to see blood early and often in this fight, as it should be one of the best brawls of the night. Medic has already been finished in 2025 and I don't see him having much of a chance against a clinical "King Of Kung Fu" master. This is so big that it's my WELTERWEIGHT 'DOG OF THE YEAR. 

Burns' Prediction: Salikhov via. 1st or 2nd Rnd KO.

(#24102) Steve Garcia | ML | . 

Despite being ranked as just the #12 contender in the Featherweight Division of the UFC, Steve Garcia is a very, very good fighter. In my eyes, he's top 10 in this weight class and deserves a higher ranking. That being said, he's taking on someone lower in the rankings this weekend and should be a much bigger favorite. He's won six consecutive fights, five of them by knockout in the first or second round. 

On the other hand, I do believe that David Onama is strong himself. However, the Uganda born fighter doesn't have the best resume and his last fight against Giga Chikadze was extremely close and he was slightly lucky after losing the first. 

Garcia has an excellent gas tank despite going big in the early rounds. He just completely dominated Calvin Kattar for three rounds and he's on a mission to claim UFC gold in this division that's not as strong as recent years. I'm big on Garcia and I've got him taking this one inside the distance. 

Burns' Prediction: Garcia via. 2nd Round KO.

(#24533) Jose Delgado | ML | . 

I believe that this fight is another fight where Jose Delgado should be able to get his guy finished early. He's coming off an unbelievable flying knee in his last fight and has knocked his opponent in his first round of both of his UFC fights. He's won seven fights in a row, all finishes (five by KO and two by submission.) 

On the other hand, Nathaniel Wood might be the more technical fighter, but definitely lacks in the knockout category. Since June of 2020, he's fought 10 times and has gone to a decision in every single one of them. While that may mean he has a strong chin, he hasn't faced someone with this knockout strength and showman mentality yet. I've got the slight fav in this one. 

Burns' Prediction: Delgado via. 1st or 2nd Round KO.

(#24422) Matt Frevola . 

In a fight like this, between two guys that are coming off losses and haven't fought in nearly a year, it's sometimes hard to predict. Having said that, I believe that there's definitely value on playing on this matchup. 

Kyle Nelson, the Canadian, actually has a losing 4-5-1 record inside the octagon now. Although Frevola's isn't much better at 5-5-1, his head should still be high considering the level of opponent that he's suffered defeat against. I mean, none of Nelson's losses other than his latest (Steve Garcia) even come close to Frevola's. The level of opponent a guys faced should matter in a fight like this and I'm expecting Frevola to showcase his ability on Saturday evening. Give me the American, even on the "road" in opposing territory. 

Burns' Prediction: Frevola via. 2nd Round KO.

(#24701) Alex Pereira | ML | . 

Despite losing the first fight, many people believe that Pereira should've won that fight. While I'm not going to say I have much of an opinion on that fight, I believe that this is an excellent opportunity for Poatan to get back what's his and regain UFC gold. He's a dominant force in the striking department with some of the best leg kicks and counter striking that you'll ever see. Talking about the leg kicks those are going to be key in this fight. He has to establish it early and cause Ankalaev to have a response or try and counter. That will open things up and the door to many different opportunities for Pereira to capitalize on. Ankalaev was 0/12 in the first fight in takedown attempts. He's clearly going to have to win this fight on the feet again. I expect the Brazilian to be up for the challenge and win this fight inside the distance on Saturday evening. These odds are too good to pass up on. 

Burns' Prediction: Pereira via. 4th Round KO.

(#24986) Canelo Alvarez | ML | . 

This has been the most highly anticipated fight in a very long time and I absolutely love Canelo in this one. Even though he's got a couple of losses on his record (63-2-2,) Alvarez is the only undisputed super middleweight champion in history. He's got the experience advantage by far, and he's definitely more used to the 12 round system, unlike Crawford who mostly sees eight rounds. 

Talking about the American, don't get me wrong, his 41-0-0 record (39 KO's) is extremely impressive. I mean you can't get any better than perfect. However, the strength in opponents that he's fighting compared to Canelo is very significant and Crawford is much less accurate with his punches than the Mexican. 

It's going to be tough to knockout the guy that's got no losses on his record and is a knockout artist himself. However, I like Canelo's head movement much more than Crawford's and I also like his counter striking ability when Crawford's sucked in looking for the big punch. Give me Canelo Alvarez to win this bout. 

Burns' Prediction: Canelo via. Decision.

(#24971) Ivan Dychko | ML | . 

Despite being just a slight favorite on Saturday, Dychko definitely is a fighter that I believe should be able to beat Jermaine Franklin. At one point, some people believed that Franklin was going to be huge in this sport. However, he hasn't really performed when the lights have gotten bright with two losses in his past four fights. Consecutive wins have him matched up with Dychko this evening and I don't see him having much success. 

The Kazakh fighter is a perfect 15-0 and he's stopped his opponent in 14 of those. Even though Franklin's never been finished, the knockout power of Dychko might be too much for him here. Dychko is gigantic, standing at 6ft 9inches with an 81 inch reach. Don't get me wrong, I normally like the smaller fighter in that instance. But, I expect the long arms as well as the height will cause problems for Franklin here. Expect another Kazakh knockout. 

Burns' Prediction: Dychko via. 8th round KO.

(#24405) Mauricio Ruffy | ML | . 

Despite this Fight Night being in Paris, I believe that this is a perfect opponent for Mauricio Ruffy. He's a striker, who's a former bodyguard for a Chinese Billionaire. He's never lost inside the octagon and he smells blood this weekend. The Brazilian also does not like when fights head to a decision. He'll go for the knockout which is much better than settling for a decision. 

Looking at his opponent, Benoit Saint-Denis has definitely had his ups and downs inside the UFC so far. His most recent fight, was a win over Kyle Prepolec and it was pretty impressive. However, prior to that, he'd lost consecutive UFC bouts against Renato Moicano as well as Dustin Poirier. With a couple of losses recently, that might get into his head in this fight as he's up against a fighter that fights a similar style, but maybe just slightly better. Give me the favorite in this massive fight. 

Burns' Prediction: Ruffy via. 2nd Round KO

(#24338) Uran Satybaldiev // MONEYLINE //. 

Despite being the first fight on the card, there's a lot at stake in this Light Heavyweight bout on Saturday in China. Diyar Nurgozhay, a Kazakh fighter, is coming off a Kimura (Submission) defeat in his most recent fight. Now, that was the first loss that he's suffered in professional fighting so far, but it wasn't a great look, in his first UFC appearance against a fighter that doesn't have a great track record. 

On the other hand, Uran Satybaldiev, a fighter out of Kyrgyzstan, also suffered a loss in his first UFC fight. However, his was a decision loss where he stole a round against a pretty solid fighter in this weight class in Martin Buday (who's 7-1 inside the octagon.) Satybaldiev doesn't shy away from the bright lights and he's going to come out with revenge today. He's also got a five inch reach advantage which will help massively. Give me the Kyrgyz on Saturday at UFC Fight Night. 

Burns' Prediction: Uran Satybaldiev via. U-DEC.

(#24637) Edson Barboza vs. (#24638) Drakkar Klose // OVER //. 

Even though Edson Barboza is the slight favorite, I do believe that the more he ages, the less knockout power he's going to have in his hands. Same could be said about his grappling although he's more known for his stand up. Barboza has gone to a decision in consecutive fights and this fight is supposed to be quite evenly matched as well. 

On the other hand, I actually kind of like Drakkar Klose in a decision in this fight. 9-1 Opposed to 9-6 over his career in decisions, he's been much more successful in those fights. He is coming off a poor knockout defeat in round one of his last fight, but that was against Joel Alvarez who's got a lot more power than Barboza in my opinion. Expect them to throw it down, but not hurt each other enough to knock the other one out on Saturday. 

Burns' Prediction: Drakkar Klose via. Split Decision.

(#24533) Priscila Cachoeira vs. (#24534) Joselyne Edwards // UNDER //. 

Although female fights tend to have a higher chance of going to a decision, which probably makes the totals favor the "over" a lot more, I believe that this is a perfect opportunity to snatch the "under." Priscila Cachoeira is Brazilian. However, she's never submitted anyone (been submitted four times.) Having said that, it levels out the playing field and may even give the edge to Panamanian fighter who's got four submission wins herself. 

As the big favorite, Joselyne Edwards will be expected to win. Don't get me wrong, 48% of her fights have finished via. decision. But, Edwards is coming off consecutive wins inside the distance which has her feeling extremely confident about tonight's fight. Both fighters have knockout ability and power. Expect this fight to be ended inside the first three rounds and before the 2.5 mark in the third round. 

Burns' Prediction: Joselyne Edwards via. 2nd Round KO.

(#24345) Nicolle Caliari // ML //. 

Despite being a big underdog this weekend, Nicolle Caliari is better than people give her credit for. She owns an 8-3 record which includes four wins out of her past five fights. In her most recent fight, she was an underdog to a similar extent and lost a questionable split decision. I believe that she very well could've won that fight had it had different judges who liked control time more. Either way, I expect her to be improved for this fight against Carli Judice who isn't too experienced in the UFC either. 

The American also has two split decision losses in her career, one of those to the same person that just beat Caliari by SD. Other than the losses, she's pretty much a knockout artist who will try to put the Brazilian out with blitzes or head kicks. Good thing for Caliari is that she's never been knocked out and that should help her tremendously in this one. Look for the Brazilian to take advantage of her ground game and look to submit Judice as she gains the upper edge. This line is excellent value. This is my WOMAN'S FLYWEIGHT UNDERDOG OF THE YEAR. 

Burns' Prediction: Nicolle Caliari via 2nd Round Submission.

(#24801) Derrick Lewis // ML //. 

While this might seem like a big upset if it were to happen, I don't think it should be considered as one. As well all know Derrick "The Black Beast" Lewis is one of the icons of the Heavyweight Division and I believe that he is better than people give him credit for. He's an absolute "Beast" against these up and coming fighters and always seems to get the job done. 

In his last fight, Lewis dominated Rodrigo Nascimento in his first big fight. This time, it's against another Brazilian in Tallison Texeira. While Texeira possesses a perfect record, which I normally like, he has not faced too much competition and he's getting used to his first round KO's a little bit too much. I don't believe that he'll find that success against Lewis here today. This line value is too good to pass up on an already established fighter in the division that knows how to win over a crowd. 

Burns' Prediction: Derrick Lewis via. 2nd Round KO.

(#24809) Calvin Kattar vs. (#24810) Steve Garcia // OVER //. 

Even though Calvin Kattar is probably the more well known fighter, he's kind of on the Tony Ferguson trajectory at the moment. The 37yr old has lost four fights in a row and five out of his past six since getting dismantled by Max Holloway back in 2021. Don't get me wrong though, Kattar has a very good chin, which could see him grinding out this fight until the later stages.

Steve Garcia, who's on a five fight winning streak, will be his opponent on Saturday. Yes, the "Mean Machine" is known for his knockout ability and is off consecutive first round KO's. However, I believe that he's going to have to work for his finish against Katter this weekend. Don't expect a fast knockout this time around. 

Burns Prediction: Garcia via. U-DEC.

(#24714) Beneil Dariush // ML //. 

While Moicano had the most recent shot at glory between these two fighters, it should didn't last long when he was tapped out by the former king Islam Makhachev. Now, there's a lot on the line between these two guys on Saturday. With a win here, it puts them right back into the conversation with maybe one more quality win. Having said that, this fight should be electric. 

Dariush may appear as just a "nice guy." However, when he steps in the octagon, this guy is as dangerous as anyone I've ever seen. Check out some of his best highlights if you don't believe me. Both guys are getting on the older end of things and need this win badly. I trust Beneil's stuff more than Renato's in this one. 

Burns Prediction: Dariush via. 3rd Round KO.

(#24613) Rizvan Kuniev // MONEYLINE //. 

Although he's not as known as some of the other fighters out of Dagestan, Rizvan Kuniev is an absolute beast. He doesn't use his grappling skills as much as some of the other guys, but he's deadly on the ground as well as on the feet. Over his past 12 fights since 2017 he's won them all (even though one was called a no contest due to failed drug test.) That means that he hasn't lost in over 10 years. This will be his first fight in the UFC and he's already getting put up against a real contender. That's respect right there. 

While these two fighters were already supposed to fight this year in February (rescheduled) as well as March (Blaydes illness) they finally will get to go at it. Coming off the illness as well as two losses in his past three fights, Blaydes might be in for it this evening. I believe that he's a bit overrated even with his most recent loss coming against Tom Aspinall. Blaydes is on the downfall and this is the perfect opportunity to hop on the newest Dagestan talent in the heavyweight division. I'm all over Kuniev on Saturday evening. 

Burns' Prediction: Rizvan Kuniev via. 2nd Round KO.

(#24537) Jose Ochoa // ML //. 

While Ochoa isn't too well known in the UFC with only eight professional fights (one in the UFC,) he's already fought a very dangerous opponent in Lone'er Kavanagh. As a matter of fact, I believe that Kavanagh is a name that people should keep an eye on in the coming years of the Flyweight Division. He's going to be a beast. Okay, back to Ochoa. He won a round in that fight and held his own against the top prospect. At just 24 years of age, I believe that he's a dangerous fighter himself and should be in the mix of the rankings in the coming years as well. On the other hand. Cody Durden is nearly 10 years older than the Peruvian. Yes, Durden has fought some very good competition in the UFC. However, he's also coming off a loss and has actually now lost three of his past four fights. I believe that this is a great opportunity for Ochoa to knock off a known name in the industry and build his own name up. Look for him to take advantage of it this weekend. 

Burns' Prediction: Jose Ochoa via. U-DEC.

(#24449) Patchy Mix // ML //. 

Making the move from Bellator to the UFC, I sometimes believe that the more experienced UFC fighter holds the advantage. However, in this situation, I simply believe that Patchy Mix is the really deal. He owns just one defeat on his record in 21 pro fights. Mostly a grappler, don't be surprised to see him take this fight to the ground and bully Mario Bautista on Saturday. 

Talking about Bautista, he would be called more of a grappler as well with six submission wins to just three knockouts. However, I do believe that he's worse at it than Mix. This is not the best fight that Bautista could have had as it doesn't suit him well as the styles are way too similar. Patchy is just better. Give me the favorite. 

Burns' Prediction: 3rd Round Submission - Patchy Mix.

(#24305) Ludovit Klein // ML //. 

Despite being the underdog in this fight, Klein won't be fazed at all by it. He's been the underdog before and shocked the world like against Ignacio Bahamondes back in 2023. He's a very versatile fighter with excellent takedown defense, who also has the knockout power to take someone's head off if he goes for it. 

On the other hand, Mateusz Gamrot is probably to more well known fighter. He's coming off a lot of big fights recently and has a very good record to show for. However, Gamrot tasted defeat for the third time in his latest fight, losing a split decision to Dan Hooker which set his title hopes back. Who knows what he'll feel after that controversial defeat. I don't think that this is a good matchup for him though either way. Klein will be able to expose Gamrot on the feet. If you haven't heard of Ludovit Klein, you most definitely will after tonight's fight. 

Burns' Prediction: 3rd Round Submission - Ludovit Klein.

(#24842) Hyun Sung Park // ML //. 

Since making the move from kickboxing to the MMA, Hyun Sung Park has been flawless. In nine professional fights in Mixed Martial Arts, the Korean fighter is undefeated and has eight finishes. Of those eight finishes, he's split them evenly with four knockout & four submissions. I believe that he could be someone to keep an eye on for the rest of the flyweight division. 

Looking at Park's opponent, Carlos Hernandez is on a bit of an inconsistent run. Don't get me wrong, his most recent fight was a solid performance with him ending up on the winning side. However, it was a split decision. Prior to that, he lost three of four. I believe that he's on the down skid and the younger fighter will be able to control most of this fight and end up with the win.

Fight Prediction: Park via. 2nd Round TKO

(#24706) Valentina Shevchenko // MONEYLINE //. 

Manon Fiorot is one of the most dangerous women alive and there's no debating that. Her stand up game is great and she's got a will and determination that many fighters don't have. That being said, this is a bad matchup for her. Considering that Fiorot is more of a striker, that leaves her much more vulnerable on the ground. 

Although also known more for her striking abilities and techniques, Valentina Shevchenko is more than just that. She has a phenomenal ground game that people don't give her credit for. No, none of the French woman's fights have been decided by a submission, win or loss. But, that could change right here if the champ gets a hold of her. 

The #1 pound for pound woman's fighter is not being respected whatsoever with this line this weekend. She's a proven winner and might be coming off her best fight yet. It was a flawless performance against Grasso in the 3rd fight of the trilogy. She had to win it. Having said that, I believe that her overall game will be way too much for the woman of France this evening. Expect the champ to retain her belt at UFC 315. 

Fight Prediction: Shevchenko by U-Decision.

(#24610) Santiago Ponzinibbio // MONEYLINE //. 

Despite having eight losses on his record, the Argentinian is going to be ready for this matchup with Daniel Rodriguez. Ponzinibbio is coming off a win already here in 2025 when he knocked out Carlston Harris. That knockout should give him lots of confidence to go on another run in the UFC Welterweight Division. 

On the other hand, Daniel Rodriguez also won his most recent fight. However, he's lost three of his past four. That win was just a split decision and was very controversial against Alex Morono. As a matter of fact, his last two wins were both by split decision. I don't expect any split decisions here as I simply believe that Ponzinibbio will be able to be the aggressor for most of this fight. He's got great grappling skills if this goes to the ground as well. More UFC experience will help him win today's bout. 

Fight Prediction: 2nd Round Submission

(#24405) Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett // Moneyline //. 

Out of the three UFC selections, Paddy Pimblett is probably the biggest. He's one of the best grapplers on the planet and even though Chandler comes from a grappling background, he's not going to be ready for what the Brit has in store. Pimblett has yet to lose here since coming into the UFC. He's ready for another big name if not a title shot with a win here. 

On the other hand, Michael Chandler had been sitting out of the game for months, and months waiting to fight Connor McGregor. Now that he's finally given up, he's stepping in against one of the hottest fighters in the MMA. Chandler is known to be the best fighter in the UFC that losses. He's 2-4 since switching from Bellator to the UFC. Expect another loss on that record today. 

Fight Prediction: Paddy Pimblett via. Rear Naked Choke (3rd Round.) 

Line Parameter: play until -170..

(#24409) Jean Silva vs. (#24410) Bryce Mitchell // Under //. 

A part of "The Fighting Nerds," Jean Silva and his crew are still undefeated in the UFC. Now, Bryce Mitchell believes that it will all end today and I'm all here for it. Silva is a striker that has some of the best knockouts that you'll see in the Featherweight Division. He's climbing up the ranks quickly and this is just one more stepping stone for him. 

Both fighters will be looking for a finish this evening. Mitchell loves to grapple and Silva loves to strike. Silva can grapple as well, given that he's got a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as well. That gives him a bit of an edge in my opinion here. Expect lots of fireworks, don't expect this fight to sniff going the distance. 

Fight Prediction: Jean Silva via. TKO (2nd Round.) 

Line Parameter: play until 2.5, -145..

(#24413) Dominick Reyes // Moneyline //.

Despite being the underdog in this fight, Dominick Reyes expects to win every fight and is most definitely able to win every fight that he's ever been in. Reyes was able to push prime Jon Jones into a dark place (even though he lost) and has looked back to himself in consecutive fights now. Reyes might be the older fighter, but he'll be ready to go come Saturday evening.

Yes, Krylov is expected to win with the odds in his favor. However, I believe that he's not going to be ready for what's coming today. Krylov has nine loses over his career. Yes, he's got a lot of win too. But, losing nine times is a lot. He lacks the confidence and "top level" experience that a guy like Reyes has. Give me the American.

Fight Prediction: Reyes via. U-Decision.

Line Parameter: play until +110..

Burns' Selection // Ronaldo Rodriguez [Moneyline] . 

Ever since Ronaldo Rodriguez became a fighter, he's been pretty dominant. I mean the guy has yet to be finished (knockout or submission) and this is not the matchup to make that happen for the first time. Rodriguez has the striking to compete with anyone in this weight class in my opinion and I expect him to have the edge there in this one. Grappling will also be a strength for him as his opponent has yet to finish someone by submission. 

Kevin Borjas comes into this fight having lost consecutive bouts. Yes, both of those opponents were fairly strong. But, I don't believe that Borjas is going to have much confidence going up against another strong and upcoming fighter. The Peruvian just got knocked out for the first time in his career and a repeat could be on the cards today. 

I wouldn't be shocked one bit if the line increases even more than it has. Rodriguez is the better fighter and in much better form here. It's also in his home country which should make him even more comfortable. Expect another big win for the Mexican. 

Fight Prediction: 2nd Round KO. - Rodriguez.

Burns' Selection // Mick Parkin [Moneyline] . 

Marcin Tybura has been really up and down throughout his time in the UFC so far. He's fought some excellent opponents over his career, but maybe none with the potential that this guy has. Tybura has been knocked out five times and submitted once. That will be a problem for him today. 

If you've followed my UFC selections in the past, you'd probably see that I tend to like "perfect" fighters. Well, I do. But, it's not as simple as that. Mick Parkin fights brilliantly and I don't see him losing this bout. A lot of fighters who are "perfect" actually have a loss at sometime in their career, in the amateurs say. Not for Parkin. He's a knockout artist that will mix in chokes if he gets your back. I expect him to continue his perfect run here this weekend. 

Fight Prediction: Mick Parkin via. 2nd Rnd KO.

Burns' Selection // Andre Lima vs. Daniel Barez [Over] . 

Andre Lima might be 10-0 and have a perfect professional record. However, the Brazilian seems to be in decision fights a lot. Four of his wins are by decision, including the two most recent fights. I believe that his opponent today will be able to handle the striking for the most part of Lima and not be knocked out. 

Looking at the other side of the octagon, Barez is very solid. He owns a 17-6 record and is also fresh off a decision win in his last fight. The Spanish fighter might be a heavy underdog here, but he has never been knocked out in his career. Surprisingly, Lima has no submission wins (as a Brazilian fighter) so submissions aren't really a concern here. Expect this one to go the distance. 

Fight Prediction: Andre Lima via. UDEC.

Ignacio Bahamondes (Moneyline) .. 

Although Ignacio Bahamondes hasn't faced the best of competition quite yet in the octagon, his kicks are something to be scared of that's for sure. The Chilean fighter is a knockout artist who loves to high head kick. He'll pound you into the ground as well. His recent loses have been by decision, and that's not how I see this fight ending as both guys will be looking for a finish. 

Looking at Jalin Turner, he's definitely fought more competition. Having said that, he hasn't done well against the top names. As a matter of fact, he's lost three of his past four fights including his most recent one against Renato Moicano. That puts him at just 14-8 in his professional career. Bahamondes definitely has more potential and I expect him to get the job done against Turner here this evening. 

Fight Prediction: Bahamondes via. 2nd Round KO.

Jean Matsumoto (Moneyline) .. 

If you haven't heard of Jean Matsumoto before, you soon will. Not only does Matsumoto currently hold a perfect 16-0 MMA record. But, he's also both a really good stand up fighter as well as wrestler. The Brazilian will be looking for his signature Guillotine Choke if he's got the opportunity, but will not shy away from looking to take Font's head off on the feet this one. 

Yes, Rob Font has fought some legends. He's definitely the more known fighter between these two guys. Having said that, I don't believe that Font stands much of a chance this evening. Font was able to pull through and beat Kyler Phillips in his last fight as a +350 underdog. Now, I believe that he's getting too much respect with this line against a fighter who I believe could beat Phillips without much trouble as well. Expect a 17th consecutive win for Matsumoto as he keeps climbing the ranks. 

Fight Prediction: Matsumoto via. 3rd Round Submission.

Nazim Sadykhov (Moneyline) .. 

Looking at this fight, I believe that the oddsmakers have shifted the line the wrong way. Yes, people give respect and have plenty of it to the Brazilian. However, Nazim Sadykhov is an absolute savage. He's the much better wrestler and his opponent tends to struggle up against this style of fighter. Sadykhov is much more explosive and should be stepping on the gas from the opening bell. 

As good as Ismael Bonfim and his brother have been over their time in the UFC, this is different the harder matchup for the to of them. Bonfim is a striker, who probably has the edge on the feet, which makes him a threat to do damage. However, Sadykhov has never been knocked out before and the only loss of his career was his first professional fight. I believe that underdog will take advantage of his strength in the ground game and look for a Rear-Naked Choke, a submission that Bonfim has been prone to giving up. 

Fight Prediction: Sadykhov via. Rear Naked Choke (3rd Rnd)

Tallison Texeira (Moneyline) .. 

Tallison Texeira is not a very well known fighter quite yet in this Heavyweight Division. Although he owns a perfect 7-0 record, Texeira will be making his UFC debut today after winning in Dana White's Contender Series back in September. Him and his opponent have defensive flaws which is concerning. However, the 9-inch reach advantage that Texeira boasts makes me a whole lot more confident in him being able to dictate striking range and not allow Tafa to get in close without taking damage. 

As good as Tafa has been over the past few years now, he is coming off a Unanimous Decision loss against Karl Williams in his most recent fight. That puts him at 7-4 over his professional MMA career which is solid but most definitely not brilliant. Tafa is a bigger fighter who isn't as talented as some might say. He relies more on his sheer strength to beat his opponents. 

All in all, I expect the undefeated martial artist to continue his run of perfection on Saturday. He's going into the "home" of his opponent in Tafa today as this fight is being held in Oceania. However, I'll take the more complete fighter at UFC 312. 

Fight Prediction: Texeira by UDEC.

Viacheslav Borshchev vs Tom Nolan (Over) .. 

This is a fight between two very equal fighters that could really go either way. Now, the odds are looking like this fight should be ended sometime early. However, I believe that this gives us tremendous value on the "over." Not only are they equally matched in my opinion, neither guy wants to go down without a fight. Now, I do expect a lot of strikes to be thrown and early. But, I also believe that both guys will be able to take a punch and stay in this fight for at least a round and a half. This one could go the distance as much as getting stopped early. There's plenty of value on the "over" and I expect a very solid watch in this Lightweight bout at UFC 312. 

Fight Prediction: Tom Nolan. by 3rd Rnd KO.

Isreal Adesanya (Moneyline) .. 

The UFC returns to Saudi Arabia where Israel Adesanya takes on Nassourdine Imavov in a high stakes Middleweight battle here this afternoon in America. Coming in as a slight favorite, Izzy will look to establish his dominance early. Now, it's been a couple of L's in a row for the former champ. However, he's taken plenty of time off and is ready to get back in the octagon and fight for belts again. 

Imavov is an excellent contender who's definitely got potential to stay at the top of this weight class. However, he's not as technically strong as Adesanya is by any means. The Frenchman's most recent defeat was against Sean Strickland in 2023. This is going to be a great fight because I believe that Imavov won't be scared of Adesanya. However, when it's all said and done, I simply do not see Izzy losing a third consecutive fight and therefore I'm playing on him this afternoon. 

Fight Prediction: Izzy by U-DEC.

Reinier De Ridder (Moneyline) .. 

Entering a Kevin Holland fight, nobody knows what's really going to happen. Well, there's one thing that's certain. There's going to be lots of attempts to finish the fight by both fighters today. Holland is a stand up fighter who loves the attention. Even off consecutive defeats, he pleases the crowd with his fight style. Having said that, it doesn't result in all that many wins, especially recently. 

Reinier De Ridder isn't a very known name quite yet in the Middleweight Division. However, with a win here today, he will be known. De Ridder loves his submission game. As a matter of fact, he's coming off an Arm Triangle Choke finish on Gerald Meerschaert for his 13th win by submission in his career. I expect him to attempt many against Holland here today. Let's not forget that Holland suffered a rib injury which took him out of his last fight. Expect a win for De Ridder this evening. 

Fight Prediction: 2nd Rnd Submission - De Ridder

Oleksandr Usyk (Moneyline) .. 

After these two guys fought back in May, I thought to myself. Is this the first time I'd ever seen someone look like they own Fury? With 30 seconds left in round nine, Usyk rocked Fury with a one-two combo which was then followed up by Usyk running him down for the remainder of the round and basically knocking him to the ground. That round was the difference maker in what was a very close fight. Although Wilder knocked Fury down, it wasn't the same. Having said that, I do believe that someone who's beaten somebody before in the ring has so much more confidence that they can do it again. In UFC, it happens all the time. Even though Usyk got stripped of the (IBF) title due to accepting this rematch, he's still got plenty of belts to his name. Five of them in fact. Usyk owns the WBA(Super), WBC, WBO, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight championships. For this fight, Usyk's WBC, WBA and WBO belts will be on the line, making this fight very enticing. I expect another close fight, but for Usyk to take advantage of Fury's bad chin and knock him out this time. Usyk is faster and we've seen him look dominant over the course of his pro-boxing career. I'm playing on the undefeated fighter in this one. 

Fight Prediction: Oleksandr Usyk - by 8th Rd Knockout.

Charles Radtke (Moneyline) .. 

Despite losing his last fight, Charles Radtke (9-4) should be ready to bounce back this weekend. Not only is his opponent also coming off a loss, but Matthew Semelsberger (11-7) has actually tasted defeat in three consecutive fights. The Maryland native loves being in the octagon which is why he's fought so many times recently. However, his struggles are really concerning. Semelsberger is simply not getting the job done right now and he could be fighting his last fight in the UFC if he fails to win this fight. Radtke, on the other hand, should be able to bounce back after that defeat. Prior to that loss, he had won six straight bouts. He's got some knockout power and will mix in a couple of submission attempts as well. This variety of abilities that Radtke possesses will mess with the head of Semelsberger and ultimately result in a win for the favorite. I believe that this is great value on the 34yr old. 

Fight Prediction: 2nd Round KO. - Radtke

Carla Esparza (Moneyline) .. 

While Esparza comes into this fight as the underdog, I believe that she's the better fighter. Tecia Pennington owns a poor 13-7 record in the octagon and hasn't really fought much competition. She also enters this bout having lost each of her last two fights against Mackenzie Dern & Tabatha Ricci. She's gone to decision in every single fight except for two over her career and doesn't really possess much threat to finish the fight inside the distance. 

Having said that, I give the finishing edge to Esparza. The Cookie Monster lost her last fight as well. But, that was against the now champ Weili Zhang. The fight before, she beat Rose Namajunas. Esparza owns a much better record at 20-7 as well. This is actually her retirement fight. Expect her to go out with a bang at UFC 307. 

Prediction: 3rd Rnd Ground and Pound - Win

Israel Adesanya (Moneyline) // - Despite having lost the belt a couple of times in recent fights, Izzy is back and ready for this new challenge. As you probably all know, there is some bad blood between these fighters. Du Plessis is the current champ, but believes that he became the first true African champion after securing the belt. Therefore, Adesanya does not appreciate him, coming from Nigeria himself. Having said all of that, "The Last Style Bender" is ready for the fight of his life to regain the title that he deserves. If you don't remember, Izzy was as dominant as anybody when he was king a few years ago. He would fight anybody and even moved up a weightclass and attempted double champion status. That being said, I expect a fight with lots of fireworks and I expect Izzy to come away victorious. He's got more UFC experience and is technically as sound as anyone in the entire business. Give me Izzy on Saturday night in Perth. 

Fight Prediction: Izzy by DEC.

Victoria Dudakova (Moneyline) // - While one fighter enters this bout with a perfect 8-0 record, the other one comes in with just an 8-6 record in Mixed Martial arts. Yes, Dudakova does not have very much experience, especially in the UFC. She's won her first two and now has Sam Hughes ahead of her. However, the Russian fighter is still perfect and she's not going to let someone with such a poor record beat her. Sam Hughes is coming of a loss herself and is now just 3-5 since arriving in the UFC. While Dudakova has finishes in both decisions, submissions as well as KO's, the American has lost in every single one of those as well. I simply just don't see the Russian fighter losing this bout on Saturday. Play on Victoria Dudakova at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dabi. 

Fight Prediction: Victoria Dudakova via. U-DEC.

Paddy Pimblett (Moneyline) // - After winning seven consecutive fights, Paddy "The Baddie" Pimblett is receiving no respect whatsoever. He completely picked apart Tony Ferguson in his last fight, even though he wasn't able to get the finish. Paddy has also never been knocked out over his pro-career which should help him tremendously here today. 

Looking at his opponent, Bobby Green has been nothing special since becoming a fighter. His 32-15 record is actually quite poor compared to many of the great UFC fighters as well as compared to Pimblett's 21-3. The Baddie will also be at home in the UK as this fight is in Manchester. As he is eight years younger, he should be more in his "prime" than Green. I expect the better fighter to come away victorious in this Lightweight bout on Saturday in England. 

Fight Prediction: Paddy Pimblett by 3rd Rnd Sub

Loik Radzhabov (Moneyline) // - While both of these two fighters have similar records, I believe that "The Tajik Tank" is the superior fighter in this one. Radzhabov is coming off a big win against Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady and has faced some very strong fighters in his career so far. 

On the other hand, Trey Ogden doesn't have the same experience against the stronger fighters. Yes, he's coming off a win of his own. However, the American fighter has never knocked an opponent out. Loik Radzhabov is a complete fighter that gets both knockouts and submissions. He's never been submitted himself and I believe that he won't once again tonight. 

Whether this fight goes the distance or gets finished inside the 15 minutes, expect Look Radzhabov to come away with the very important victory here on Saturday in Vegas. 

Fight Prediction: Loik Radzhabov via. U DEC

Jean Silva (Moneyline) // - Although Jean Silva isn't as well known as some of the other Brazilian fighters on the roster, he's definitely capable of putting together strong performances. Coming off ten consecutive wins, Silva hasn't lost a fight since 2018. Nine of those ten fights were finishes. That being said, Silva hunts for blood and he'll be ready for this fight against Drew Dober tonight. Talking about Dober, he's been either knocked-out or submitted in six of his thirteen defeats. Looking at his last three fights, Dober has lost two of them. Yes, Dober has been fighting better competition as a result in being in the business longer. However, Silva is still fairly young and I believe that people will start to talk about him a lot more after tonight. With the O/U for this fight set at 1.5, I believe that this fight will not go the distance. Therefore, I'm giving the edge to the fighter that has 13 wins and 12 finishes. Give me Jean Silva on Saturday night in Denver. 

Fight Prediction: 2nd Rnd KO (Punches) - Jean Silva

While these two fighters fought back in November in an absolute war, they are back at it again in UFC 303 to replace Conor McGregor/Michael Chandler. In that first fight, Alex Pereira came away victorious. For Prochazka, he's coming off a big win against Alexandar Rakic back in April (I had him) to get him into this position to be fighting for the belt again. Yes, he ended up winning. But, he didn't look all that comfortable in that fight until he turned it up a notch. 

Alex Pereira has sure climbed up the popularity as well as overall dominance leaderboard over the past couple of years. Let's not forget that a few years ago this guy wasn't even in the UFC. He's now won belts in two divisions and has made people look silly. Pereira is also quietly developing a nice ground game. You can expect him to be strong in all facets in this one. Don't expect the champ to lose his belt on Saturday in what should be another win for the Brazilian. 

Fight Prediction: 3rd Rnd KO/TKO.

With his perfect 14-0 record in professional fighting, Ian Machado Garry is entering this fight more confident than ever. He originally wanted to fight Colby "Chaos" Covington, but the UFC set him up with Michael "Venom" Page. Page, who's only fought once in the UFC, was a legend in the Bellator game. Yes, he owns a fantastic 22-2 record. But, Page isn't ready for a guy like Garry. 

Garry is one of the best strikers in the entirety of the UFC. He owns a perfect record for a reason and I don't see him losing until he fights someone that's more complete. He's off consecutive decision wins against Geoff Neal and Neil Magny. Page won a decision against Kevin Holland. I think that Garry is simply the better overall fighter. Play on the Irishman. 

Fight Prediction: Garry by U-DEC.

Robert Whittaker was originally supposed to fight Khamzat Chimaev. After he pulled out due to injury, Ikram Aliskerov stepped in as his replacement. Aliskerov's only defeat was actually against Chimaev which might make this fight slightly "easier" for the Australian. While I do believing that Whittaker is an absolute savage who's willing to fight anybody & anywhere, I do know that he's been very inconsistent in recent fights. He's seen six of his last seven fights go the distance. As a matter of fact, his last seven wins were all by decision. As the favorite in this fight, you'd expect this line to be slightly higher. While Aliskerov doesn't normally go too far into his fights, he's yet to really face any competition other than Khamzat. Yes, he works in the same gym as Khabib and Islam. But, he's up against one of the best in the game in Robert Whittaker on shorter notice. Expect this fight to go "over" the total and exceed 2:30 into the third round. 

Fight Prediction: Whittaker by DEC.

Ailin Perez is simply the better fighter. She owns a better record and enters off consecutive wins. Perez has never been knocked out before which should give her confidence against a kick boxer in Joselyne Edwards. Yes, this line has came down a lot since it opened. But, I don't believe that that will impact the Argentinian fighter here on Saturday.

Edwards is coming off a unanimous decision loss in her last fight. She isn't all that great on the ground and could be taken advantage of quite easily in that department in this meeting. This fight is most likely to go to a decision. But, I believe that the ability to control on the ground will do Perez wonders. Give me the favorite in this one.

Fight Prediction: Ailin Perez by U-Dec.

Ramiz Brahimaj loves to grapple. As a matter of fact, he owns 10 submission wins in his pro career as a martial artist. Having said that, Themba Gorimbo is a very solid wrestler himself. He probably doesn't want this fight to go to the ground, so I believe that he'll use his excellent takedown defese to his advatange. Neither guy is really a knockout artist. I believe that both fighters are strong and that we will see a very close fight here today. Expect this fight to go "over" the 1.5 round mark in the second round on Saturday.

Fight Prediction: Gorimbo by DEC.

As good as Waldo Cortes-Acosta's 11-1 record sounds, you can't get any better than perfect. Robelis Despaigne hasn't had many pro fights. But, he's sure made it count when he has. In five professional fights, he's a perfect 5-0 and looks to stay flawless tonight. He's an absolute killer, who's finished every single fighter that he's faced in the first round. 

Looking at Cortes-Acosta, he's gained some momentum back after losing for the first time in his career against a veteran in Marcos Rogério de Lima. I do believe that Waldo has what it takes to become a strong fighter in the HeavyWeight division. However, time is running out and this is definitely not the right matchup for him. Despaigne is a man on a mission. Despite being 35 already, I expect Despaigne to finish Cortes-Acosta, just like he has done to all his opponents to date. Hammer the short favorite before this line gets out of hand. 

Fight Prediction: 2nd Rnd KO

(#24801) Jamahal Hill @ (#24802) Alex Pereira - 12:30am EST 

Alex Pereira -130 

As good as Jamahal Hill was prior to his injury, I believe that the activity portion between both of the fighters will be something that hurts the American. Hill tore his achilles back in July of last year and actually had to vacate his title. Although we've seen guys recover from it in recent days, it's still a significant injury which shouldn't be taken very lightly. 

Alex Pereira has taken the UFC by storm over the past year now. He's won the title in two divisions already and he's eager to keep this one for a long time. Pereira is a knock out artist, who will make you pay. This style of fighting that we'll see in this fight favors him in my opinion as Hill doesn't love to go to the ground either. 

I have plenty of respect for Jamahal “Sweet Dreams” Hill. However, I believe that he won't be ready for this challenge as it's his first fight in a very long time. All Alex Pereira has done is fight champion or former champion since he arrived in the UFC and that should help him very much in the experience department. 

This is a max rated selection on the fighter out of Brazil, Alex “Poatan” Pereira. 

Fight Prediction: 4th Rnd KO 

(good until -200) 

(#24821) Aleksandar Rakic @ (#24822) Jiri Prochazka - 9:05pm EST 

Jiri Prochazka +100 

Even after losing against Alex Pereira in the Light Heavyweight title fight last time out, Prochazka should be able to get the job done tonight. He was actually fighting pretty well in that fight and according to some, may have even been winning. Therefore, he's definitely got the skill to beat anyone in this weightclass. Rakic also lost his last fight, back in 2022. Having said that, he hasn't won a fight in three years. Yes, he's a solid fighter. But, I don't see him winning this fight against the unique style of Prochazka. I've got the Czechia fighter here. 

(good until -120) 

(#24701) Chris Curtis @ (#24702) Brendan Allen - 8:00pm EST 

Brendan Allen -210 

Although this line is quite expensive, I'm willing to lay the price today. Allen is the much better fighter and looks for revenge in this fight after losing the first meeting. In that fight, Allen was unprepared, and not ready for the type of fight Curtis was as Curtis took the fight on short notice. Allen has significantly improved his overall MMA abilities since that meeting and should be able to take control throughout the entirety of this fight. Yes, Curtis has good takedown defense. But, in the end, it won't be enough to beat the fighter who's on a six game winning streak since that fight. 

(good until -225) 

(#24601) Manon Fiorot @ (#24602) Erin Blanchfield - 12:15am EST 

Manon Fiorot +170 

Both of these fighters have definitely earned my respect in the octagon in their respective careers to date. I believe that both will be challenging for the title soon enough. This is a must win for Fiorot however, as she 10 years the senior of Blanchfield. Blanchfield has yet to really face any real tough competition and this is going to be one of them the French fighter is someone to watch out for. Her striking is next level and she should win if this fight stays on the feet. The five rounds instead of three certainly favors the American. Having said that, I believe that this +170 value is too good to pass up on an 11-1 deadly striker. 

(good until +160) 

(#24437) Ode Osbourne @ (#24438) Jafel Filho - 5:50pm EST 

Jafel Filho -145 

While these two fighters are keen for a victory, I believe that Filho is simply the better fighter. He owns a much better record and has some quality wins over his career. Osbourne is coming off a loss and I don't believe that he'll be ready for Filho. This play is on Jafel Filho on Saturday night. 

(good until -170) 

(#24317) Yadong Song @ (#24318) Petr Yan - 11:10pm EST 

Petr Yan +107 

Song Yadong has made a name for himself in Asia with how he's presented himself so far in the UFC. However, this will prove to be a tough challenge for the Chinese fighter. Petr Yan, former champ, has a lot on his shoulder today. This is a must win fight for him to get back to the top of the leaderboards. In my opinion, he was screwed in a couple of his fights due to the judges scorecards. Having said that, I believe that he's still a top fighter in this weightclass. I'm taking Yan here. 

(good until -145) 

(#24613) Geoff Neal @ (#24614) Ian Machado Garry - 11:00pm EST 

Ian Machado Garry -240 

This fight really shouldn't be that close. Geoff Neal has had some nice wins in his career, but he is nowhere near the caliber  that Ian Garry is. Garry is an undefeated fighter out of Ireland, who's trying to take over the Welterweight Division. A win today would put the Irish fighter in a great spot to contend for a title. Neal lost his last fight against Shavkat Rakhmanov and I could see him falling down in the rankings with another loss here. With a lot on the line for both fighters, the play is on the undefeated favorite at UFC 298. 

Fight Prediction: 2nd Rnd KO. 

(good until -260) 

(#24305) Raquel Pennington @ (#24306) Mayra Bueno Silva - 

Mayra Bueno Silva -159 

Despite the fact that she's fighting for this title, Pennington doesn't really have anything going for her. Even though she's on five consecutive bouts, the American owns just a 15-9 record as a professional. Every time Pennington fights the “better fighters" of this division, she falls short. 

Bueno Silva has the much better resume entering this fight. Her 10-2-1 record shows that she's more than capable of becoming the champ. She's a submission artist who actually beat Holly Holm in her last fight, but it was ruled a no contest after tested positive for Ritalin. 

Having said that, Bueno Silva is the better fighter all around and I don't see her losing this fight. Both fighters enter on a winning streak, but Pennington is due for a loss, as her record suggests. The American is getting to be in her later stages of her career and might have problems chasing down the Brazilian. The play is on Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 297 in Toronto. 

Fight Prediction: 3rd Round Submission 

(good until -190) 

(#26705) Brandon Royval @ (#26706) Alexandre Pantoja - 11:25pm EST 

Alexandre Pantoja -180 

Brandon Royval has the talent to beat anybody in this weight class and he knows it. He's an all around fighter that specializes on the ground. However, this is a whole different challenge for him going against someone he's already lost to earlier on in his career. 

When you become the champ, something changes inside of you. You become that much more dangerous and it's something that everyone wants to feel inside the octagon. Pantoja recently claimed the belt in an epic battle against Moreno and he's ready for his next challenge. His jaw is unbelievable and I expect him to rise once more to the occasion. 

If these two hadn't already fought with the champ winning that fight, I would be more cautious about this selection. But, Pantoja is the champ now and he's ready for anything that Dana puts in front of him. He's the best in the weight class as of right now and don't expect that to change after this fight. 

Fight Prediction: 4th Rnd Ko. 

(good until -200)

(#24309) Deiveson Figueiredo @ (#24310) Rob Font - 8:25pm EST 

Deiveson Figueiredo +113 

Joining a new weight class is never easy. But, I firmly believe that the two-time flyweight champion is up for the challenge. This will be a lot closer to his normal weight, meaning he won't have to cut nearly as many pounds. Figueiredo is a known feared striker and he should be able to out power Font, even while moving up a weight class. 

Though Rob Font still is dangerous, he's definitely not as strong as he was in his prime. The 36yr old is starting to fade and shouldn't be the favorite in this bout. He's not as fast as Figgy and I don't believe that he'll be able to really get anything going, at least until late. 

Both fighters need this win and need it badly. The Brazilian has been in camp for a while now and should be fully prepared as he's been working with Henry Cejudo. I expect him to win this fight and have a nice run in the bantamweight division. Therefore, this is a maximum rated 5% play on Deiveson Figueiredo to win against Rob Font this Saturday. 

(good until -135)