Ciryl Gane – TKO Round 4 (At least this time around for Ciryl Gane, he won’t have to fear a wrestling threat from Tai Tuivasa. Instead, the major worry will spring from Tuivasa’s knack for lulling opponents into big strikes. Greg Hardy walked with a naked chin onto a heavy counter, yet Derrick Lewis was broken down in a toe-to-toe striking affair. Gane is far too masterful with his use of angles and strike selection to be troubled by Tuivasa on the outside, yet Bom Gamin can linger at striking distance once he has an opponent pressed to the cage. The clinch may be an area that is exploited by Bom Gamin. Tuivasa enjoyed great success in the clinch during his early UFC run, bullying Cyril Asker and Rashad Coulter with knees and elbows. Against Gane, an athletic specimen who is extremely wily in the clinch, it is an area that Tuivasa may fail to avoid. It is also difficult to see Tuivasa effectively cut off the cage against the fleet feet of Gane. On the outside, peppering away with kicks, Tuivasa’s fleshy body provides a clear pathway for victory)
Robert Whittaker – Decision (Vettori has added a layer of slips, angled entries and educated combinations to his striking. That isn’t to say Vettori should rely on his new tools, yet it does mean he can hang around with most Middleweight’s – especially considering his granite chin. Of note is the three-round nature of the fight, with five rounds favouring the exceptional conditioning and natural adaptation in Whittaker’s game. Vettori provides enough of an early puzzle to threaten a split decision W. I am still backing The Reaper, yet I am expecting a series of trades with Whittaker opening and closing exchanges, yet Vettori catching the former champion with clean single-shots in between)
Roman Kopylov – Decision (Kopylov excelled on the regional scene as a volume striker who thrives as the naturally larger physical specimen in the cage. Now that the athletic gap has been bridged since he arrived at the UFC, Kopylov is far more gun-shy in the face of return damage. Di Chirico represents a decent tactician and attempts to work opponents on to kill shots, yet the Italian rarely leads a fight. The Russian is best set to lay down a blistering early pace, leaning on high volume, preventing Di Chirico from gaining a foothold in the fight)
Nasrat Haqparast – TKO Round 1 (Almost a year and a half out of the octagon since his last victory over Ignacio Bahamondes, the clock is ticking Makdessi. At thirty-seven years old, and entering the octagon cold against a notably faster opponent, don’t be surprised if this is finished brutally in the opening exchanges. Makdessi is a slick defensive operator and could pose the same puzzle as Bobby Green, which Haqparast failed enormously to crack. Age and ring rust are too glaring to avoid, however)
William Gomis – Decision (A powerful, exciting kicker, Gomis’ movement will cause Errens major issues. If Errens waits for Gomis to fall into the pocket with a wild combination, the Dutchman will be offered ample opportunities to wrestle, but Gomis has shown solid grappling chops to date. A well-matched bout between two high-octane prospects that should descend into madness, making it very difficult to predict)
Nathaniel Wood – Decision (The move to Featherweight was necessary for Nathaniel Wood, yet it may well still prove an athletic bridge too far to gap for Wood. Jourdain is an immensely dangerous striker, owing to his unorthodox strike selection and furious aggression. Wood’s pressure should keep Jourdain uncomfortable in the opening round, yet there will always be an underlying danger that Jourdain finds the light switch. Although distant, the loss to Andre Fili and the draw to Joshua Culibao remains stark in memory)
Abusupiyan Magomedov – Decision (Magomedov is slow on the feet for a Middleweight, yet in comparison to Stoltzfus, he is lightning quick. Considering Magomedov’s imposing size, wealth of experience and strong wrestling base, we should witness a debut victory for Abusupiyan. Stoltzfus is well-rounded in all areas of the fight game, however, and should prove a resilient nuisance throughout)
Fares Ziam – Decision (Figlak leans heavily on his boxing and will face an uphill battle working his way inside Ziam’s length. The undefeated Pole carries a level of power that could punish Ziam on the rare occurrence that Figlak sneaks inside, but it isn’t ‘one-shot’ proven quality. Figlak’s higher volume and tempo could swing the judges, but Ziam feels safer to back with cleaner, less risky work on the outside)
Nassourdine Imavov – TKO Round 3 (One of the most explosive strikers on the roster, Buckley is a physical beast plagued with technical flaws- of particular note, is his penchant for eating head kicks. Buckley may struggle to pin Imavov on the inside, owing to Buckley’s leaky TDD and Imavov’s shrewd decision-making. Considering Buckley’s flailing gas tank late and predictable striking patterns, Imavov has to be favoured to eventually crack New Mansa)
Benoit Saint-Denis – Submission Round 1 (Mr Durable, Benoit Saint-Denis finds himself in a very winnable match-up. On the feet, Miranda cannot crack Saint-Denis’ chin nor consistently out-strike. There is more of a toss-up on the mat as both men are willing to throw caution to the wind in pursuit of a sub, but the Frenchman is cleaner in all areas)
Khalid Taha – TKO Round 2 (DWCS winner, Cristian Quiñonez, has all the tools to beat Taha. Quiñonez’s range and accuracy could pepper Taha’s head which sits firmly on the centreline. Unfortunately, Quiñonez likely lacks the sound decision-making to keep the fight on the outside. We are likely to see a battle on the inside, with Taha’s superior durability and comfort in the pocket eventually finding the button)
Stephanie Egger – Submission Round 1 (Egger’s pressure and physical advantages will prove enough to bowl over Perez. It won’t be pretty, but Egger’s confidence in her chin will see her walk down the undersized Perez and bully the Argentinian debutant. The armbar merchant will seize yet another underwhelming highlight reel)
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