MMA is a sport based on opportunity and split second decision making. The breakdowns that we try to focus on here will be looking at stylistic differences between fighters and how they will impact the card. Although the breakdowns won't usually be long, they'll have info on fighter strengths and weaknesses and how we expect them to be exploited. Towards the end of the article there will be the five best bets on the slate for you to tail!
All my information is from https://fightodds.io/ and https://paydirtdfs.com/mma-ranks-and-leverage-model/
Zubaira Tukhugov (Striker) vs Elves Brenner (Striker/Grappler)
This one shouldn’t be close. Brenner probably won’t be in the UFC after this one.
Blake Bilder (Striker/Grappler) vs Shane Young (Striker)
I think this one is going to be very close. I believe Young is the more talented fighter, but it seems he fades out of fights sometimes. Not going to pick a side here.
Loma Lookboonmee (Striker) vs Elise Reed (Striker)
Reed is going to try and strike with her and that’s not a good idea…..
Jack Jenkins (Striker/Grappler) vs Don Shainis (Striker/Grappler)
Jack is going to take this exactly where it needs to go for him to win it. He should be able to do work on the ground here.
Jenkins -360
Jamie Mullarkey (Striker/Wrestler) vs Francisco Prado (Striker/Grappler)
Yeah this shouldn’t be the first person Prado is fighting in the UFC…
Mullarkey -300
Shannon Ross (Striker) vs Kleydson Rodrigues (Striker)
Think this one is closer than the line suggests! Ross is going to be a tough fight for Kleydson because of his aggressiveness and pace. Kleydson wins with that being said.
Joshua Culibao (Grappler) vs Melsik Bagdasaryan (Striker)
Melsik is probably the better fighter all around. The problem is Culibao is going to come in and know how to win this fight and I am a fan of his. Give me Culibao.
Culibao -115
Tyson Pedro (Striker/Grappler) vs Modestas Bukauskas (Striker)
Pedro never really fights anyone. I think he can be a good fighter, but he has been fighting cupcakes the past few fights. Modestas is definitely a step up, but I don’t think it’s the step up to Tyson’s level though.
Jim Crute (Striker/Grappler) vs Alonzo Menifield (Striker)
Love this fight here. Also like the dog here. I think Alonze reach will be a factor and I think these two men are going to throw down in the middle of the cage. GOnna be a good one!
Menifield +150
Justin Tafa (Striker) vs Parker Porter (Striker)
Man, how is this on the main card… they both have KO potential, but Porter is the more technical striker. I am definitely not picking this one.
Jack Della Maddalena (Striker) vs Randy Brown (Striker)
There is a CHANCE that Randy gets an early KO, but I think Jack gets through the early fight and then dominates this one.
Josh Emmett (Striker/Wrestler) vs Yair Rodriguez (Striker)
Really like both of these guys. I have been a fan of Josh since he absolutely slept Lamas. I thought Yair was solid until I saw him vs. Max. He was hurting Max pretty bad late in his fight with him. For that reason, I am loving Yair here.
Rodriguez -185
Islam Makhachev (Sambo) vs Alex Volkanovski (Well Rounded)
What a fight here. 1 and 2 in P4P rankings. I was never a huge fan of Volk because he was always fighting my man Max. He absolutely destroyed Max in his last fight. No one has EVER done that. Islam may be the best fighter in the UFC, but I think Volk has something for him that he hasn't seen yet.
Volk +290