Kyle Marley
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Fight Night
Cory Sandhagen -(195) vs. T.J. Dillashaw (+165)
This is an awesome fight on paper but there is no telling how Dillashaw is going to look after his two-year PED suspension. He was using some serious PEDs, and we have no idea how he will look now if he is completely clean after a long layoff. He could also have spent that time improving different parts of his game. I don't think he wants to test his chin against a guy like Sandhagen, so Dillashaw should be looking to mix in his wrestling a lot in this fight. That is his path to victory but with him off the juice, I have a hard time seeing him be able to wrestle heavily for five rounds. I think Sandhagen is a future champion though and his striking is on a different level, so I am going to lean with him to get a knockout in this fight.
(Pick is Cory Sandhagen via (T)KO)
Aspen Ladd (-190) vs. Macy Chiasson (+160)
I think Ladd is just a bit better everywhere in this matchup, so I am going to take her to get the job done. I think she should mix in a takedown each round and if she has success doing that then I see her winning 30-27 with some good top control and GNP time.
(Pick is Aspen Ladd via Unanimous Decision)
Kyler Phillips (-260) vs. Raulian Paiva (+210)
Phillips looks like he could make a real run in this division, and I do think he is the better fighter anywhere this fight goes. I think he will be the more active striker and I also think he can have success on the mat. The line started at -188 for him and I would have been all over that, but now we don't have much value at -260, so I would say he is a parlay option only but still favorite or pass for me.
(Pick is Kyler Phillips via Unanimous Decision)
Darrick Minner (-160) vs. Darren Elkins (+135)
I am going to go with Minner in this one. I expect him to be the better fighter everywhere early in the fight and he might pick up a submission because he is dangerous on the mat. Elkins' path to victory would be to weather the early storm and grind out a win by taking over as the fight moves along. Minner did look good the full three rounds in his last fight, though, and training under James Krause should only make that better. I will pick him to get an early submission, but if he doesn't, I think he wins two rounds on the scorecards.
(Pick is Darrick Minner via Submission)
Miranda Maverick (-140) vs. Maycee Barber (+120)
This is a good matchup and I expect it to be a close back-and-forth fight. I do think Maverick deserves to be favored because she is the better wrestler and Barber won't have much to offer off her back if she is taken down. I do think the striking will be very close though and Barber could have success with takedowns herself and she has mean GNP if she can get it there. I am going to take the underdog in this one because I see this being a split decision type fight and I would rather take the + money in that scenario.
(Pick is Maycee Barber via Split Decision)
Jordan Williams (-180) vs. Mickey Gall (+155)
This should be a striker vs. grappler match with Gall being the one needing to get the fight to the mat. Williams hasn't been submitted yet, though, and Gall also hasn't been knocked out. Either of those could happen here, but if this goes to the scorecards, I do favor Williams and he is going to be my pick for that reason.
(Pick is Jordan Williams via Unanimous Decision)
Puna Soriano (-110) vs. Brendan Allen (-110)
This is a striker vs. grappler matchup and if Allen can't get the fight to the ground, then I see him getting knocked out. Allen is a good wrestler and grappler though and he could also have the cardio edge because we haven't really seen Soriano pushed yet and almost all his fights have ended in round 1. I am going to side with Soriano to get another knockout because I think Allen plays around on the feet more than he should.
(Pick is Puna Soriano via (T)KO)
Ian Heinisch (-160) vs. Nassourdine Imavov (+135)
This should be a pretty close fight, but I favor Heinisch on the ground and Imavov on the feet. I don't see either guy dominating in either area, but I do see this fight mainly playing out on the feet. I see Imavov being the longer and faster striker of the two and I will take him to win two rounds on the scorecards.
(Pick is Nassourdine Imavov via Unanimous Decision)
Adrian Yanez (-240) vs. Randy Costa (+200)
I love this fight, but I am very high on Yanez, so I am going to be picking him over any non-ranked guy in this division. He is the more well-rounded fighter with a lot more experience and if he doesn't get knocked out, I see him winning all three rounds with the first being the closest. All of Costa's wins are first-round knockouts against much lower-level fighters than Yanez. He is a dangerous fighter early, but this is a big step up and I think it is early KO or bust for him. Yanez is a very good striker though and I think he will be too much for Costa. I am going to take him to get a TKO here but they are friends, so you never know how that will play into the fight and maybe he doesn't go for the kill if he is clearly winning on points.
(Pick is Adrian Yanez via (T)KO)
Julio Arce (-200) vs. Andre Ewell (+170)
I think this line should be closer to 50/50. This fight should mainly play out on the feet, and I don't see either guy having a clear edge. Arce is dropping to 135 pounds here, though, and Ewell will have a five-inch reach advantage and he does use it well. I liked the improvements I have seen from Ewell in his last couple fights, and I will take him to win a close striking match.
(Pick is Andre Ewell via Split Decision)
Sijara Eubanks (-340) vs. Elise Reed (+270)
Eubanks is making the drop to 125 pounds here and Reed is jumping up from 115. Eubanks should have a big size advantage and I think she can really have her way on the mat because of it. Reed is quick and a high output fighter, but I think her path to victory would be to drag Eubanks into the late rounds and tire her out enough to win rounds 2 and 3. I don't see that happening though, so I will take Eubanks to get the job done.
(Pick is Sijara Eubanks via Unanimous Decision)
Hannah Goldy (-115) vs. Diana Belbita (-105)
I like the underdog in this one. This could be a high-volume striking match from both sides, I just like Belbita's hands a lot more. Goldy seems too stiff for me with all the muscle she has, and I don't see her attacking Belbita's biggest weakness which is the ground game. Give me Belbita to win two or three rounds by being the better striker landing the cleaner shots.
(Pick is Diana Belbita via Unanimous Decision)