All articles tagged with #mma predictions
UFC 331 in Los Angeles features a flyweight title rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja; staff predictions heavily favor Van to retain, while readers are more divided, with the main card also including Tsarukyan vs. Ruffy and Choi vs. Freire, along with full event analysis and picks from MMA Junkie.
CBS Sports’ panel predicts Islam Makhachev to defend his welterweight status against Ian Garry at UFC 330, with Makhachev favored (-360) over Garry (+285). While most writers expect Makhachev to win—by decision or a late finish—a few see Garry as a live underdog capable of pulling an upset. The card also features Mackenzie Dern defending her strawweight title against Gillian Robertson and several other bouts (Turner vs. Fernandes, Abdul-Malik vs. Stoltzfus, Ribovics vs. Barboza). Five CBS analysts submitted picks, with the main event drawing the most debate among them.
Conor McGregor says Ian Garry will upset Islam Makhachev at UFC 330, predicting a right high kick KO; Garry is the underdog who has sparred with McGregor in the past and recently scored a high‑kick knockout, while Makhachev seeks a title defense and continues to be a focal point of the event.
Jose Aldo analyzes UFC 329’s McGregor vs. Holloway, saying Holloway is the more active, sharper fighter and McGregor remains a big question mark after years away; he leans toward Holloway winning, though a knockout upset isn’t impossible. Aldo also notes that a McGregor rematch isn’t realistic given his retirement and lack of recent training.
Tom Aspinall, the reigning heavyweight champion, is favored to win against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321, with predictions pointing to a knockout or submission victory, despite returning from a 15-month layoff. The fight takes place in Abu Dhabi on October 25, with various predictions highlighting Aspinall's knockout power and grappling advantage.
The article provides predictions for UFC Vancouver, highlighting key fights including Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen, Kevin Holland vs. Mike Malott, and others, with a focus on Canadian fighters and potential implications for titles and rankings.
Darren Till predicts that Khamzat Chimaev will finish Dricus du Plessis before the championship rounds at UFC 319, based on his experience training with both fighters and his assessment of their skills and strategies.
Sean O'Malley, despite losing twice to Merab Dvalishvili, shares his insights and predictions for the upcoming UFC 320 fight between Dvalishvili and Cory Sandhagen, highlighting the strengths and styles of both fighters and expressing uncertainty about the outcome.
The article provides predictions for UFC Atlanta, highlighting Kamaru Usman's return against Joaquin Buckley, with Buckley favored to win due to Usman's recent inactivity. It also covers other key fights, including Rose Namajunas vs. Miranda Maverick, Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Andre Petroski, and Cody Garbrandt vs. Raoni Barcelos, offering insights into each matchup and potential outcomes.
UFC Atlanta features a main event between Kamaru Usman and Joaquin Buckley with title implications, and a co-main event between Rose Namajunas and Miranda Maverick, with predictions favoring Buckley by knockout and Namajunas by decision, respectively.
Ahead of UFC 302, many UFC fighters predict that lightweight champion Islam Makhachev will defeat Dustin Poirier, citing Makhachev's dominant style and current form. While some fighters hope for an underdog victory for Poirier, the consensus leans heavily towards Makhachev retaining his title.