UFC 201: Lawler vs. Woodley · Jul 30, 2016 · Women's Strawweight · Completed
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Age 40
Height 5' 3"
Reach 64.0"
Weight 115 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Age 33
Height 5' 5"
Reach 65.0"
Weight 125 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Career Averages - Karolina Kowalkiewicz
5.54 SLpM
42.0% Str. Acc.
5.77 SApM
56.0% Str. Def.
0.36 TD Avg
23.0% TD Acc.
74.0% TD Def.
0.2 Sub. Avg
Career Averages - Rose Namajunas
3.5 SLpM
41.0% Str. Acc.
3.38 SApM
63.0% Str. Def.
1.47 TD Avg
48.0% TD Acc.
62.0% TD Def.
0.3 Sub. Avg
Karolina Kowalkiewicz - Fight History
LOSS vs Julia Polastri
KO R3 2:56 · UFC Fight Night: Oliveira vs. Gamrot · Oct 11, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Julia Polastri 0 137 of 253 54% 142 of 261 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:46
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 72 of 192 37% 75 of 196 1 of 4 25% 0 0 0:31
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Julia Polastri 0 53 of 93 56% 58 of 101 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:46
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 22 of 61 36% 25 of 64 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Julia Polastri 0 46 of 96 47% 46 of 96 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 30 of 68 44% 30 of 69 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:31
3 Julia Polastri 0 38 of 64 59% 38 of 64 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 20 of 63 31% 20 of 63 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Julia Polastri 137 of 253 54% 85 of 193 42 of 49 10 of 11 123 of 233 14 of 20 0 of 0
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 72 of 192 37% 24 of 121 36 of 57 12 of 14 71 of 189 1 of 3 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Julia Polastri 53 of 93 56% 31 of 67 17 of 20 5 of 6 43 of 80 10 of 13 0 of 0
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 22 of 61 36% 7 of 40 13 of 18 2 of 3 21 of 60 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Julia Polastri 46 of 96 47% 29 of 79 14 of 14 3 of 3 42 of 89 4 of 7 0 of 0
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 30 of 68 44% 7 of 32 16 of 29 7 of 7 30 of 66 0 of 2 0 of 0
3 Julia Polastri 38 of 64 59% 25 of 47 11 of 15 2 of 2 38 of 64 0 of 0 0 of 0
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 20 of 63 31% 10 of 49 7 of 10 3 of 4 20 of 63 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Julia Polastri
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Polastri (-450), Kowalkiewicz (+350)

Round 1
Strawweights take center stage as the prelims roll on. With a 12-year youth advantage on her side, a win for Polastri (13-5, 1-2 UFC) would lead her to a .500 record in the Octagon while dumping Kowalkiewicz (16-9, 9-9 UFC) below that threshold. A chasm of high-level experience separates the two, but it is “Psycho” who will serve as a significant betting favorite. The two ladies will be joined in the cage by referee Marc Goddard, who clocks them in as they clap hands.
Kowalkiewicz takes right to the center of the cage, and as booming chants of “Uh Vai Morrer” rain down, Polastri flashes a wry grin. The ladies toss out low kicks, and Kowalkiewicz strings together a combination ending with a left hand. Polastri resets and pitches a leg kick, only for Kowalkiewicz to counter over the top. Kowalkiewicz rips a body kick in the midst of her strike combos, and Polastri is not a fan and fires back with one much heavier. The former title challenger grimaces from the strike to her midsection, and Polastri explodes into a flurry of punches and kicks. Kowalkiewicz protects herself against the wire, and she smiles when Polastri peels back. The smile quickly turns to a frown when Polastri drives a knee home to the body, but she is able to back off and shake it off. Kowalkiewicz throws a kick, changes stances and works the body. Kowalkiewicz slips a punch and connects with a right, and she takes a few on the chin to hit the Brazilian back.
Kowalkiewicz spins with a back fist, and it collides into the guard but she is not far enough away to avoid counters. Kowalkiewicz thinks about a trip takedown when catching one of Polastri’s kicks, but she lets the limb down where there is nothing to it. Polastri again tries to tie up the Polish woman, where she spams knees to what might be an already compromised midsection. Polastri goes over the top with an elbow, and she uses her weight to press Kowalkiewicz on the fencing. Kowalkiewicz gives her back a few knees and elbows to think about, forcing a break. Kowalkiewicz whiffs on the subsequent spinning back fist. A front kick from her does split the guard, and any cheers from her corner are completely drowned out from the chants of the crowd. They trade heavy blows while standing right in the pocket, with Polastri appearing to have the power advantage and the superior speed too. Kowalkiewicz feebly spins when under fire, and Polastri lays into her with an onslaught of punches that knock the former KSW fighter into the wall. As Polastri keeps connecting, the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Polastri
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Polastri
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Polastri

Round 2
They clap hands again to start off the second stanza, and some swelling has developed under Kowalkiewicz’ right eye. She pays it no mind as Polastri comes right at her throwing caution to the wind. Kowalkiewicz tries to take her off her feet with a takedown attempt, but Polastri shuts it down and punches her square in the face. Kowalkiewicz meanders forward to grapple again, and Polastri’s intercepting knee and uppercut shut that down. Polastri senses that Kowalkiewicz is struggling, and she walks her foe down and beats on her relentlessly. Kowalkiewicz bounds off the fence to reset, and Polastri drops her hands and takes several deep breaths to get her wind back from going all-out. Kowalkiewicz is tough as nails, and she takes advantage of this opening with distant strikes. Once Polastri is ready to engage again, she raises her hands and cracks the Polish woman. Polastri fearlessly approaches her opponent, even with her energy reserves far from full, and she welcomes striking exchanges. Kowalkiewicz puts volume together as Polastri is looking for big power blows, and although Kowalkiewicz takes some on the chin, she evades the worst of the blows…until she doesn’t.
Totally unafraid of anything that comes back at her, Polastri connects with a flurry of punches and kicks that knock Kowalkiewicz back to the wall again. When Kowalkiewicz tries to get away, Polastri raises her arms in the air to further lather up the ravenous audience. Kowalkiewicz attempts a takedown, and Polastri takes longer to stop it but still manages to stonewall the former title challenger. Polastri flashes out a jab directly on the swollen cheek, and Kowalkiewicz kicks her back in the body. Polastri slaps her midsection, and she walks through the potshots of Kowalkiewicz to land heavy punches that bust open Kowalkiewicz’ nose. Kowalkiewicz spins with an elbow that bangs off the forehead, and Polastri energizes herself into one final assault before the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Polastri
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Polastri
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Polastri

Round 3
After 10 minutes of action, the strawweights come together in the center of the cage to hug it out. Polastri lands a single power strike, and Kowalkiewicz lets her have it with a long, effective flurry of fists and feet. Kowalkiewicz swings and ducks away to evade counters, and Polastri is still sporadically swinging for the bleachers. Kowalkiewicz sticks her foe with a short right hand, and she stuns the Brazilian for a second with another scooping uppercut. Polastri steels herself and boots Kowalkiewicz upside the head, and that only spurs Kowalkiewicz into more activity with a lengthy stretch of punches. Polastri connects with a hard body shot, and Kowalkiewicz’ body language and expression changes. Polastri digs several more strikes to the torso, and Kowalkiewicz bends over to try to take some of the sting out of them and has to actually sprint away to fully reset. Polastri walks her down like a Terminator, and her punches have developed more swelling and damage on Kowalkiewicz’ face.
With a full head of steam, Polastri steps in with a booming head kick that shakes up the ex-title challenger. Putting Kowalkiewicz’ on ice skates, Polastri marches forward and delivers a ruthless combination of punches to the head and body that have Kowalkiewicz in all sorts of trouble. With a couple minute still left on the clock, Polastri is cognizant that she does not want to punch herself out, but she knows that Kowalkiewicz is in trouble.
“Psycho” lets loose with all of her remaining energy, busting up Kowalkiewicz further and knocking her head around like a speed bag. As Kowalkiewicz is barely on her feet, possibly because the cage is behind her, Goddard intervenes to save the Polish woman from her toughness.
The crowd goes wild for the first Brazilian tonight to beat a foreign opponent, and Polastri hands Kowalkiewicz her second knockout loss—the first came from the mighty fist of Jessica Andrade. That is good company to be in.

The Official Result
Julia Polastri def. Karolina Kowalkiewicz R3 2:56 via TKO (Head Kick and Punches)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean pick date unknown
Julia Polastri

Angelo leans towards Julia Polastri, citing her better striking, speed, and cleaner technique. He notes Karolina is too old and slowing down. However, he does not trust Julia enough at the current odds and prefers the over 2.5 rounds prop instead of the moneyline.

over 2.5 rounds
"I think Julia's a better striker. I think she's faster. She's cleaner. Because of that, I think she wins here. I do not trust her enough at these odds. But the over two and a half is good as gold."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Julia Polastri

Big Brady picks Julia Polastri, citing her youth (27 vs 39), and being better everywhere: striking, wrestling, and grappling. He expects Polastri to come forward landing bigger shots and win a decision in Brazil. He acknowledges Karolina is tough and has decent volume, but believes Polastri's advantages are clear.

"Pastri, I think she's just better everywhere, you know, especially at the both stages of their career."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Julia Polastri

Cody picks Polastri but is not confident, noting Kowalkiewicz's experience and potential to make it close. He believes Polastri's youth and speed will be key, but expects a decision that could go either way. He suggests Polastri by decision.

decision
"I just can't pick Karolina but I will fully admit this is a lot closer to the CF dot model."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident pick date unknown
Julia Polastri

Lucrative James is very confident in Julia Polastri, citing Karolina Kowalkiewicz's age (turning 40) and lack of improvement. He believes Polastri is the better striker and grappler, and expects her to dominate. He notes that Kowalkiewicz is a striker and won't be able to wrestle effectively. He sees a finish as likely, pointing to Polastri's submission skills and the poor odds on the under 2.5 rounds (+334) and KO (+900) as value. He picks Polastri confidently.

under 2.5 rounds (+334), Julia Polastri by KO (+900), Julia Polastri by submission (+450)
"I side with the big favorite in this fight, boys. I side with Julia Palestri."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Julia Polastri

Manpreet is confident in Polastri, citing her youth, speed, and well-rounded game. He expects her to mix takedowns with striking and win a clear decision, as Kowalkiewicz is past her prime and on a losing streak. He doesn't mind the chalky odds.

Polastri by decision
"I don't mind Palatstri at chalky odds here. She's just in a far better place than Kowalkiewicz is in her career."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Julia Polastri

Paul picks Polastri but is hesitant, calling it close to a 'CF dot model.' He notes Kowalkiewicz's age and 0-4 record against Brazilians, but expects a competitive decision. He suggests Polastri by decision.

decision
"I did end up taking her because with Karolina, if it wasn't the end her last fight, I think it's going to be the end this one."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Julia Polastri

The MMA Guru picks Julia Polastri over Karolina Kowalkiewicz, believing Kowalkiewicz is past her prime at nearly 40 and has looked poor recently. He notes Polastri has wins over decent competition and is fighting in Brazil. He predicts a decision win, likely 29-28.

over 2.5 total rounds (for prize picks)
"I'm going to trust in Julia Palastri to get this one done by decision. Maybe 30-27, maybe 2928."
LOSS vs Denise Gomes
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Magny vs. Prates · Nov 09, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Denise Gomes 0 46 of 98 46% 61 of 115 0 of 1 0% 0 0 1:02
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 73 of 144 50% 91 of 166 0 of 3 0% 1 0 5:47
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Denise Gomes 0 7 of 16 43% 11 of 21 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:15
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 22 of 36 61% 32 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 2:11
2 Denise Gomes 0 13 of 31 41% 21 of 39 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:15
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 23 of 45 51% 28 of 52 0 of 3 0% 0 0 2:15
3 Denise Gomes 0 26 of 51 50% 29 of 55 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:32
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 28 of 63 44% 31 of 68 0 of 0 --- 1 0 1:21
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Denise Gomes 46 of 98 46% 16 of 57 19 of 24 11 of 17 39 of 89 7 of 9 0 of 0
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 73 of 144 50% 30 of 85 33 of 44 10 of 15 53 of 115 20 of 28 0 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Denise Gomes 7 of 16 43% 0 of 5 5 of 5 2 of 6 4 of 12 3 of 4 0 of 0
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 22 of 36 61% 8 of 17 12 of 15 2 of 4 12 of 25 10 of 11 0 of 0
2 Denise Gomes 13 of 31 41% 5 of 19 4 of 6 4 of 6 12 of 29 1 of 2 0 of 0
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 23 of 45 51% 9 of 24 9 of 15 5 of 6 18 of 36 5 of 9 0 of 0
3 Denise Gomes 26 of 51 50% 11 of 33 10 of 13 5 of 5 23 of 48 3 of 3 0 of 0
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 28 of 63 44% 13 of 44 12 of 14 3 of 5 23 of 54 5 of 8 0 of 1
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Denise Gomes

Big Brady sees Gomes as much younger, more powerful, and with grappling upside. He believes she can win on the feet or via takedowns. Despite the -500 line, he thinks Gomes gets her hand raised, likely by decision.

Gomes by decision
"give me GES here minus 500 it's absolutely ridiculous but at the end of the day I think she gets her hand raised and I think it's by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident pick date unknown
Denise Gomes

Cody disagrees with Paul, arguing that Kowalkiewicz's wrestling is not good enough to exploit Gomes' weakness. He notes that even when opponents wrestle Gomes, she still lands significant strikes. Cody believes Gomes' youth, power, and speed will overwhelm the 39-year-old Kowalkiewicz, likely by decision or knockout.

"I actually think that Denise Gomez probably knocks her out might knock her out but more than likely just wins a 29-28 fairly comfortably."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Lean pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Connor picks Kowalkiewicz, assuming Gomes doesn't knock her out immediately. He thinks Kowalkiewicz's experience and grappling advantage will take over as Gomes fades. He notes the odds are too wide in favor of Gomes, who he considers not good and prone to mistakes.

Odds too wide; Gomes should not be such a heavy favorite.
"I'll take Kovalkiewicz and the assumption that Gomes doesn't knock her out immediately."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident pick date unknown
Denise Gomes

Daniel Vreeland picks Denise Gomes due to her youth, physicality, and momentum, contrasting with Karolina Kowalkiewicz's age (39) and decline. He notes Kowalkiewicz's past success but believes Gomes' power and aggressive style will be too much. However, he has zero interest in betting at -500 odds.

"I'm going with Denise, the age, the physicality, the momentum on her side, but I have zero interest in laying minus 500 on her."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident pick date unknown
Denise Gomes

Lucrative James picks Denise Gomes to win by knockout, citing her heavy power and Karolina's declining career trajectory. He believes Gomes will be too physical and that Kowalkiewicz won't be able to implement her game plan of volume and grappling. He expects a brutal knockout.

by KO
"I'm picking Denise Gomez here and I think she gets a knockout potentially a brutal knockout"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Denise Gomes

Gomes is expected to control the striking with her power and possibly get some grappling success to win on the scorecards, similar to how Yasmin Lucindo beat Kowalkiewicz.

"look for Gomez to control the Striking round with the power that she possesses but maybe even get some grappling success of her own to get some control time and win this fight on the scorecards"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Paul is considering the underdog Kowalkiewicz at +390, noting that Gomes has shown takedown defense issues. He thinks if Kowalkiewicz can replicate her performance against Syana Gomez Warez, she could make it competitive. Paul admits it's a sucker bet but is tempted by the price.

"Karolina plus 390 is in consideration for me this week Cody and it's gross."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Denise Gomes

The Guru picks Denise Gomes, expecting a brutal assault. He notes Kowalkiewicz's age (39) and her scared reaction when hit. He believes Gomes is a big, physical fighter for the division and will get a TKO win.

TKO win
"I'm going with Denise Gomez getting this one done over kolina kovalovich by TKO"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Denise Gomes

Zane picks Gomes but is hesitant. He notes that Gomes has power and can knock out Kowalkiewicz early, but if she doesn't, she runs out of ideas and makes mistakes. He acknowledges Kowalkiewicz's grappling and backtake game could be a threat, but thinks Gomes' youth and power give her the edge.

"I think I'm going to pick Gomes though, still."
LOSS vs Iasmin Lucindo
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC 301: Pantoja vs. Erceg · May 04, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Iasmin Lucindo 0 42 of 111 37% 47 of 119 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 83 of 136 61% 91 of 144 2 of 6 33% 0 0 5:56
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Iasmin Lucindo 0 7 of 18 38% 8 of 19 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 25 of 36 69% 31 of 42 1 of 3 33% 0 0 2:48
2 Iasmin Lucindo 0 26 of 61 42% 26 of 61 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 38 of 72 52% 38 of 72 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Iasmin Lucindo 0 9 of 32 28% 13 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 20 of 28 71% 22 of 30 1 of 3 33% 0 0 3:08
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Iasmin Lucindo 42 of 111 37% 17 of 73 15 of 22 10 of 16 40 of 108 2 of 3 0 of 0
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 83 of 136 61% 53 of 100 23 of 28 7 of 8 57 of 105 13 of 18 13 of 13
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Iasmin Lucindo 7 of 18 38% 4 of 13 1 of 1 2 of 4 5 of 16 2 of 2 0 of 0
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 25 of 36 69% 18 of 28 6 of 7 1 of 1 9 of 17 9 of 12 7 of 7
2 Iasmin Lucindo 26 of 61 42% 9 of 38 11 of 13 6 of 10 26 of 61 0 of 0 0 of 0
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 38 of 72 52% 23 of 53 13 of 16 2 of 3 37 of 71 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Iasmin Lucindo 9 of 32 28% 4 of 22 3 of 8 2 of 2 9 of 31 0 of 1 0 of 0
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 20 of 28 71% 12 of 19 4 of 5 4 of 4 11 of 17 3 of 5 6 of 6
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Iasmin Lucindo

Angelo picks Lucindo due to her youth and grappling advantage, but warns the odds are too rich. He notes that if Lucindo can't get takedowns, she's clueless on the feet and Kowalkiewicz could run away with it. He advises caution.

Angelo says 'the minus 330 odds they're just a little too rich for my blood'
"eisan lucendo is the pick but please be careful"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Iasmin Lucindo

Big Brady views Lucindo as a big step up in competition for Kowalkiewicz. He believes Lucindo is better everywhere, with power and takedown ability. He expects Lucindo to win a decision, controlling the fight wherever it goes.

"I'm going to go decision for Lucindo."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident pick date unknown
Iasmin Lucindo

Cody picks Lucindo, citing her youth, speed, wrestling advantage, and submission win. He notes Kowalkiewicz's recent wins are over lower-level competition and she's 38. Cody expects Lucindo to mix takedowns and win.

"I think lucendo can win on the feet but yeah mix in those takedowns..."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Lean pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Daniel Vreeland picks Kowalkiewicz by decision, citing her experience, volume striking, durability, and strength of schedule. He notes that Lucindo is young and talented but has never faced someone with Kowalkiewicz's level. He mentions Kowalkiewicz's recent four-fight win streak and improved confidence. He considers the decision prop as a potential value play.

Kowalkiewicz by decision
"I'm gonna go out on a limb I'm not confident but I'mma pick kolina kovak kavich"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Iasmin Lucindo

Lucindo is a 22-year-old at minus-400 odds, but stylistically she should be able to drag the fight into her realm with grappling and heavy top pressure. Kowalkiewicz has the striking advantage, but Lucindo has a great chin and ability to crash the pocket and change levels. Lucindo grinds out a decision win.

minus-400 odds
"look for lucino to utilize her grappling to grind out kovok kavich over 15 minutes to get her hand raised by decision"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident pick date unknown
Iasmin Lucindo

Paul picks Lucindo, emphasizing her speed, power, and wrestling. He notes Kowalkiewicz is on a four-fight win streak but against weak opposition, and her takedown defense is suspect. Paul sees Lucindo as the future and expects her to win.

"Gotta go Lucindo... young hot Brazilian prospect in Brazil who's got legitimate skills..."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Iasmin Lucindo

The MMA Guru picks Iasmin Lucindo, citing her youth (22) and power advantage over the 38-year-old Kowalkiewicz. He notes Lucindo's win over Poana Viana and her ability to inflict damage, while questioning Kowalkiewicz's recent level of competition. He believes Lucindo's physicality and aggression will be decisive.

"Yasmin lendo wins"
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Dawson vs. Green · Oct 07, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 141 of 267 52% 155 of 283 1 of 6 16% 0 1 2:15
Diana Belbiţă 0 99 of 261 37% 108 of 270 2 of 2 100% 0 1 0:53
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 39 of 74 52% 41 of 78 1 of 1 100% 0 1 1:12
Diana Belbiţă 0 35 of 83 42% 41 of 89 1 of 1 100% 0 1 0:13
2 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 41 of 76 53% 52 of 87 0 of 4 0% 0 0 0:46
Diana Belbiţă 0 30 of 66 45% 33 of 69 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:40
3 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 61 of 117 52% 62 of 118 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:17
Diana Belbiţă 0 34 of 112 30% 34 of 112 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 141 of 267 52% 94 of 203 42 of 58 5 of 6 123 of 244 17 of 21 1 of 2
Diana Belbiţă 99 of 261 37% 57 of 199 33 of 50 9 of 12 85 of 241 13 of 18 1 of 2
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 39 of 74 52% 29 of 60 10 of 14 0 of 0 29 of 62 10 of 12 0 of 0
Diana Belbiţă 35 of 83 42% 21 of 64 11 of 14 3 of 5 25 of 70 10 of 13 0 of 0
2 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 41 of 76 53% 31 of 62 7 of 11 3 of 3 34 of 66 6 of 8 1 of 2
Diana Belbiţă 30 of 66 45% 18 of 49 10 of 15 2 of 2 26 of 60 3 of 4 1 of 2
3 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 61 of 117 52% 34 of 81 25 of 33 2 of 3 60 of 116 1 of 1 0 of 0
Diana Belbiţă 34 of 112 30% 18 of 86 12 of 21 4 of 5 34 of 111 0 of 1 0 of 0
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Big Brady picks Karolina Kowalkiewicz, noting her recent three-fight winning streak and that her previous losses came against elite competition. He believes Diana Belbiţă is a step down in competition and criticizes Belbiţă's losses to lower-tier fighters. He thinks Kowalkiewicz can have success with grappling, as Belbiţă has been taken down frequently. He predicts a decision win but is not in love with the price tag.

decision win for Karolina Kowalkiewicz
"give me Carolina kovak cavich to win this fight I'll take her to win this fight by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Cody picks Kowalkiewicz, citing her experience, resurgence, and superior grappling. He notes that Belbiţă has only fought low-level opponents and has poor takedown defense. Kowalkiewicz should be able to mix in takedowns and control the fight, likely winning a decision.

Kowalkiewicz by decision
"I gotta go with Carolyn colvikovich all day... that really does come down to the back class"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Daniel Levi leans Karolina Kowalkiewicz, citing her historical level and recent confidence boost from a three-fight win streak. He notes her improved grappling and high output in her last fight. However, he acknowledges she is 37 and has had inconsistent performances, and that Diana Belbiţă has good striking volume. He is not fully confident but picks Kowalkiewicz based on her overall career.

"I'm gonna go Carolina because I think historically she's always been the better fighter"
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident pick date unknown
Diana Belbiţă

Lucrative James is confident in Belbiţă, having bet her at +160. He argues that the market overvalues skill-for-skill while ignoring intangibles: Belbiţă hits harder, is younger (37 vs prime), and has a reach and height advantage. He believes Kowalkiewicz has a magnet for 4-ounce gloves and will get knocked down or finished. He thinks the line should be a pick'em or Belbiţă favored.

bet at +160, line should be -120 or so
"I bet Diana B at plus 160 about a week ago now she's plus 120 or something... I think this fight should be a pick him if not Bel beat a favorite"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean pick date unknown
Diana Belbiţă

Belbiţă is younger and has been improving, using volume striking and forward pressure. Kowalkiewicz is the more technical striker but has been inconsistent. If Belbiţă can keep the fight standing and avoid being controlled on the ground, her volume could sway the judges. She is worth a shot as an underdog, though Kowalkiewicz has more experience. Expect a decision win for Belbiţă.

"give me a shot on the underdog here in belza and I think she picks up her win... by decision"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Paul picks Kowalkiewicz, noting her ability to win via volume or grappling. He mentions Belbiţă's reach advantage but believes Kowalkiewicz's experience and takedown ability will be decisive. He likes the moneyline and also considers the decision prop.

Kowalkiewicz by decision
"I like Carolina... Carolina by decision is probably that's Plus 105... I think the money lines just fine as it is minus 160"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

The MMA Guru picks Karolina Kowalkiewicz over Diana Belbiţă, though not very confident. He notes Kowalkiewicz looked good in her last fight against Vanessa Demopoulos and is on a three-fight win streak after a long losing streak, building confidence. He dismisses Belbiţă's wins over Maria Oliveira and Molly McCann as unimpressive, and points out that Belbiţă was finished by an Instagram model. He believes Kowalkiewicz's momentum and better competition give her the edge.

"I'm gonna go with Carolina kovalkovich over to Yahoo beta not the most confident but I think I'm all right with this one"
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Hill · May 20, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 139 of 237 58% 148 of 249 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:52
Vanessa Demopoulos 0 68 of 221 30% 83 of 237 0 of 4 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 42 of 84 50% 42 of 84 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:23
Vanessa Demopoulos 0 28 of 71 39% 36 of 79 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 55 of 82 67% 56 of 84 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Vanessa Demopoulos 0 22 of 86 25% 22 of 86 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
3 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 42 of 71 59% 50 of 81 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:29
Vanessa Demopoulos 0 18 of 64 28% 25 of 72 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 139 of 237 58% 94 of 187 30 of 33 15 of 17 134 of 230 5 of 7 0 of 0
Vanessa Demopoulos 68 of 221 30% 49 of 190 13 of 23 6 of 8 65 of 216 3 of 5 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 42 of 84 50% 33 of 73 7 of 8 2 of 3 37 of 77 5 of 7 0 of 0
Vanessa Demopoulos 28 of 71 39% 20 of 62 4 of 5 4 of 4 25 of 66 3 of 5 0 of 0
2 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 55 of 82 67% 30 of 55 16 of 17 9 of 10 55 of 82 0 of 0 0 of 0
Vanessa Demopoulos 22 of 86 25% 13 of 71 7 of 13 2 of 2 22 of 86 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 42 of 71 59% 31 of 59 7 of 8 4 of 4 42 of 71 0 of 0 0 of 0
Vanessa Demopoulos 18 of 64 28% 16 of 57 2 of 5 0 of 2 18 of 64 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident pick date unknown
Vanessa Demopoulos

Angelo picks Vanessa Demopoulos because he thinks Karolina is aging out and didn't look good in her last fight, needing grappling to get a sketchy decision. He believes Vanessa is a solid grappler herself, sets a nice pace, and can hang with the striking. He expects Vanessa to outwork Karolina and win by decision.

Bet on over 2.5 rounds (round line)
"I like Vanessa to win this fight she probably wins by decision but these are the fights right these are the fights where the veteran can sort of take advantage of the situation"
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Vanessa Demopoulos

Big Brady picks Vanessa Demopoulos as the underdog to submit Karolina Kowalkiewicz in the second round. He notes Demopoulos has improved her wrestling and has a dog mentality, while Kowalkiewicz is the better striker but has been inconsistent. He believes if Demopoulos can get takedowns, she can control and submit Kowalkiewicz. However, he admits he doesn't have a ton of confidence in the pick.

submission in round 2
"I'm going to take Demopolis as the dog here I'm gonna say she goes out there and gets Carolina down to the man and submits her in the second round"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Cody believes Kowalkiewicz's striking and takedown defense will be enough to outpoint Demopoulos. He notes Demopoulos's grappling is a threat but Kowalkiewicz has faced high-level grapplers and should be able to keep the fight standing and win a decision.

"I too will take care of the cavage."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Connor picks Kowalkiewicz, noting that she has shown signs of a renaissance in her last two fights, looking like she knows how her game works again. He highlights her surprisingly strong clinch and ground game, which could overwhelm Demopoulos. However, he acknowledges that Kowalkiewicz has been in dark places and her striking at range is not damaging, making this a hesitant pick.

"I'm riding with Kovalkavers. I think Demopolis is going to be one of those fighters that like I was just totally coming in..."
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Daniel Levi picks Karolina Kowalkiewicz, citing her experience and recent win. He believes Kowalkiewicz at her best is clearly ahead of Demopoulos, who is still developing. He acknowledges Demopoulos's grit and Jiu-Jitsu but thinks Kowalkiewicz's striking and veteran savvy will earn her a decision. He has a soft spot for Kowalkiewicz since she cashed a plus-215 underdog bet for him against Rose Namajunas.

Kowalkiewicz by decision
"I'm still gonna go with Carolina because I like the fact that she got back on track"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Vanessa Demopoulos

The host picks Vanessa Demopoulos as an underdog, believing her BJJ black belt and strength in clinch and wrestling positions will allow her to take the fight to the ground. He thinks Kowalkiewicz's improved grappling confidence may get her into trouble. He predicts a submission win for Demopoulos, though notes if it stays standing, Kowalkiewicz has the advantage.

submission
"give me the underdog here give me Vanessa Demopolis and I think she wins this fight by submission"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Paul is surprised by the line and sees value on Kowalkiewicz. He notes her experience and recent wins, and thinks Demopoulos's grappling is not at a level to trouble her. He expects Kowalkiewicz to win a clear decision.

"Caroline is the pick for me."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

The MMA Guru sides with Karolina Kowalkiewicz, believing she is more well-rounded and has better striking. He dismisses Vanessa Demopoulos as not very talented and suggests she has received gifted decisions due to promotability. He notes Kowalkiewicz's recent wins over Silvana Gomez Juarez and her competitive losses to top fighters. He expects Kowalkiewicz to outbox Demopoulos and win a decision.

"I'm gonna go with Carolina ... I think she's gonna get this one done"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Lean pick date unknown
Vanessa Demopoulos

Zane picks Demopoulos, believing she is a good athlete who is improving quickly and will keep showing up and surprising. He thinks Kowalkiewicz may get a round of dominant grappling but will have trouble controlling Demopoulos and putting a stamp on other rounds. Zane is not confident in Kowalkiewicz's current form and sees Demopoulos's athleticism and power as potential factors.

"I'm going to take Demopolis. I think she's just going to keep showing up and surprising."
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira · Nov 12, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 74 of 202 36% 90 of 230 2 of 2 100% 0 0 4:03
Silvana Gómez Juárez 0 77 of 263 29% 79 of 267 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:10
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 5 of 15 33% 20 of 41 2 of 2 100% 0 0 3:45
Silvana Gómez Juárez 0 6 of 31 19% 7 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 31 of 86 36% 31 of 86 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:03
Silvana Gómez Juárez 0 27 of 105 25% 27 of 105 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 38 of 101 37% 39 of 103 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:15
Silvana Gómez Juárez 0 44 of 127 34% 45 of 130 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:10
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 74 of 202 36% 55 of 170 13 of 25 6 of 7 71 of 198 3 of 4 0 of 0
Silvana Gómez Juárez 77 of 263 29% 46 of 224 24 of 30 7 of 9 75 of 259 2 of 4 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 5 of 15 33% 4 of 12 1 of 3 0 of 0 5 of 15 0 of 0 0 of 0
Silvana Gómez Juárez 6 of 31 19% 3 of 27 2 of 2 1 of 2 6 of 31 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 31 of 86 36% 21 of 71 8 of 13 2 of 2 30 of 85 1 of 1 0 of 0
Silvana Gómez Juárez 27 of 105 25% 18 of 95 7 of 8 2 of 2 27 of 105 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 38 of 101 37% 30 of 87 4 of 9 4 of 5 36 of 98 2 of 3 0 of 0
Silvana Gómez Juárez 44 of 127 34% 25 of 102 15 of 20 4 of 5 42 of 123 2 of 4 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Silvana Gómez Juárez

Angelo acknowledges that Kowalkiewicz is the more technical striker, but he is swayed by Gómez Juárez's raw power and durability. He notes that both are 37 years old and that Kowalkiewicz's five-fight losing streak, even against top competition, is hard to ignore. He picks Gómez Juárez based on a gut feeling but encourages viewers to fade his pick and not bet on this fight because it is evenly matched.

"the pick here is going to be Gomez Juarez I encourage you to fade this pick don't bet on this fight"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Silvana Gómez Juárez

Big Brady picks Silvana Gómez Juárez to win by first-round knockout. He notes Kowalkiewicz has looked awful in recent fights, absorbs many strikes, and has poor striking defense. He highlights Gómez Juárez's power, having dropped Vanessa Demopoulos and knocked out Liang Na. He doubts Kowalkiewicz will wrestle, as she has only two takedowns in her UFC career. He believes if it stays on the feet, Gómez Juárez will land a big shot and finish her.

Gómez Juárez by KO in round 1
"give me Juarez to win or as to win by first round KO"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean pick date unknown
Silvana Gómez Juárez

Cody leans towards Gómez Juárez, noting that Kowalkiewicz has poor takedown accuracy and likely won't grapple, leading to a striking battle. He thinks Gómez Juárez has significant power and that Kowalkiewicz's chin may not hold up. However, he acknowledges that Gómez Juárez is one-dimensional and could be submitted if taken down, so he is not confident.

"I'm gonna go with a slight lean towards uh Silvana Juarez actually the other way."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Connor picks Kowalkiewicz, noting that her win over Felice Herrig showed she still has the tools to win, even if she had to convince herself to absorb damage. He points out that Gómez Juárez is a one-dimensional striker with poor grappling, and Kowalkiewicz is a surprisingly good wrestler. Connor believes that if Kowalkiewicz can survive the early exchanges, she can take the fight to the ground and win.

"I got to take Cola Cabbage to get the win here."
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Daniel Levi picks Karolina Kowalkiewicz, citing her experience, clinch work, and well-roundedness. He notes that Gómez Juárez has one-punch knockout power but is one-dimensional and hasn't faced this level of competition. Levi believes if Kowalkiewicz fights smart—using clinch, knees, and takedowns—she can win. He is concerned about her recent skid and durability but thinks she has a path to victory.

"I think Carolina's the more well uh more well-rounded fighter and I'll pick her for that reason"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

The host believes Kowalkiewicz has the technical striking advantage and superior Jiu-Jitsu, which she can use to drag the fight to the ground and potentially submit Juarez. He dismisses concerns about Kowalkiewicz's chin, noting she took hard shots from Yanan and didn't go down. He sees her as the better overall fighter and expects her to get her hand raised, possibly via submission.

"I do like Carolina here I don't mind the line that she's currently at around that pick him spot"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Paul picks Kowalkiewicz, believing she is being disrespected. He notes that she is a more complete fighter and that Gómez Juárez is a one-trick pony with power but no backup plan. Paul thinks Kowalkiewicz's chin and heart have held up against elite competition, and that she can win by volume and experience. He sees the pick'em price as fair.

"Carolina kovalkovich... I think she's kind of getting disrespected I think she's a much more complete fighter... Carolina for me."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Silvana Gómez Juárez

The MMA Guru picks Silvana Gómez Juárez, citing her nasty hands and quick boxing combos. He notes Kowalkiewicz's history of being KO'd and hurt, and her tendency to close her eyes when punching. He believes Gómez Juárez will land big boxing combos and get a quick win, possibly a first-round KO.

"I'm going with silver Silvana Gomez Suarez she's got nasty hands"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Zane picks Kowalkiewicz, emphasizing that Gómez Juárez is a clean puncher but has no grappling game and can be taken down easily. He notes that Kowalkiewicz's style relies on absorbing damage, but she has only been knocked out once. Zane also points out that Gómez Juárez's submission attempts are based on poor positional understanding, making her a liability on the ground.

"I think that's a very fortunate out for Cola Cabbage if things do start to get messy."
WIN vs Felice Herrig
Submission (rear-naked choke) R2 4:01 · UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Rozenstruik · Jun 04, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 55 of 122 45% 59 of 126 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:01
Felice Herrig 0 82 of 123 66% 102 of 146 0 of 2 0% 2 0 3:10
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 30 of 73 41% 34 of 77 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:01
Felice Herrig 0 48 of 70 68% 50 of 72 0 of 2 0% 0 0 1:16
2 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 25 of 49 51% 25 of 49 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Felice Herrig 0 34 of 53 64% 52 of 74 0 of 0 --- 2 0 1:54
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 55 of 122 45% 34 of 92 20 of 28 1 of 2 49 of 116 6 of 6 0 of 0
Felice Herrig 82 of 123 66% 54 of 94 23 of 24 5 of 5 57 of 96 17 of 18 8 of 9
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 30 of 73 41% 15 of 50 15 of 22 0 of 1 25 of 68 5 of 5 0 of 0
Felice Herrig 48 of 70 68% 30 of 51 15 of 16 3 of 3 34 of 55 14 of 15 0 of 0
2 Karolina Kowalkiewicz 25 of 49 51% 19 of 42 5 of 6 1 of 1 24 of 48 1 of 1 0 of 0
Felice Herrig 34 of 53 64% 24 of 43 8 of 8 2 of 2 23 of 41 3 of 3 8 of 9
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert pick date unknown
Felice Herrig

Angelo calls this a coin flip fight with too many variables. He notes Karolina is the better fighter but looks like a shell of herself, while Felice is scrappy and well-rounded. He reluctantly picks Felice because he believes she still has passion, but advises not to bet on this fight.

advises not to bet on this fight
"honestly i don't want to pick it i don't want to bet it there's too many variables to work on here"
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Big Brady picks Karolina Kowalkiewicz to win by a very close decision. He thinks the fight will play out like their first fight, with Kowalkiewicz stuffing takedowns and out-striking Herrig. However, he is very hesitant because both fighters are on long losing streaks and he questions Kowalkiewicz's mindset after five straight losses. He calls it a 'complete mess' and an 'unbeatable fight' from a betting perspective.

"give me carolina to win i'll say she stuffed the takedowns and out strikes felice herrig"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Cody picks Kowalkiewicz, arguing that her losses came against elite competition while Herrig has been inactive. He notes Herrig's takedown-dependent style and thinks Kowalkiewicz can stuff takedowns and win on volume. He is hesitant due to both fighters' age and recent form.

"i'll go with carolina but i don't know if i can put money my hard-earned dollars on karolina kovalkovic in the year 2022."
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Daniel Levi picks Karolina Kowalkiewicz as a slight underdog, noting she won their first fight and that both fighters are past their prime. He mentions Herrig's long layoff and focus on OnlyFans, while Kowalkiewicz has health issues. He calls it a 'dog or pass' fight and advises against betting, but leans toward Kowalkiewicz for the pick.

"i'll go with the underdog who actually beat the favorite one so let's go with carolina to get back on track"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Paul picks Kowalkiewicz, noting her superior striking and takedown defense from their first fight. He acknowledges both fighters are washed but believes Kowalkiewicz's activity and training at ATT give her an edge. He is not confident due to women's MMA volatility.

"give me uh give me carolina kovakovich but of course women's mma so you just you can't have a ton of confidence"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

The MMA Guru picks Karolina Kowalkiewicz but with clear disdain and low confidence. He calls the fight a 'sympathy bout' and questions why it's on the card. He notes Kowalkiewicz has good grappling defense and is scrappy, and she won the first fight, so he expects her to win again. However, he admits 'who knows' and seems to care little about the outcome.

"i'm going to go kovalkavich she's got good grappling defense in her career she's scrappy on the feet"
LOSS vs Jessica Penne
Submission (armbar) R1 4:32 · UFC 265: Lewis vs. Gane · Aug 07, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jessica Penne 0 8 of 12 66% 28 of 36 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:26
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 12 of 19 63% 21 of 30 1 of 1 100% 1 0 3:13
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jessica Penne 0 8 of 12 66% 28 of 36 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:26
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 0 12 of 19 63% 21 of 30 1 of 1 100% 1 0 3:13
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jessica Penne 8 of 12 66% 3 of 7 0 of 0 5 of 5 4 of 7 0 of 0 4 of 5
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 12 of 19 63% 9 of 16 3 of 3 0 of 0 4 of 10 0 of 0 8 of 9
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jessica Penne 8 of 12 66% 3 of 7 0 of 0 5 of 5 4 of 7 0 of 0 4 of 5
Karolina Kowalkiewicz 12 of 19 63% 9 of 16 3 of 3 0 of 0 4 of 10 0 of 0 8 of 9
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Angelo picks Kowalkiewicz, stating she is on a different level than Penne. He notes she was almost a champion and should win, though Penne can make it ugly by leaning on her. He mentions she has trained with a new team and expects her to piece up Penne.

"Carolina is gonna put an absolute whooping on Penne... she's on a completely different level."
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Big Brady thinks both fighters are past their prime but favors Kowalkiewicz due to her higher volume and better striking. He notes Penne will want takedowns but Kowalkiewicz has solid takedown defense (75%) and trains with JJ. He worries about Penne controlling rounds if she gets takedowns, but ultimately picks Kowalkiewicz by decision.

"I'm gonna take Carolina here I think it's a solid matchup for her."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Cody picks Kowalkiewicz but with hesitation. He notes her losing streak and potential motivation issues, but believes she is the more skilled fighter. He expects a close decision win.

fight goes to decision
"i will go with karolina kovakiewicz but whereas it should be just like let's hammer this baby home it's like there's buyer beware now"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean pick date unknown
Jessica Penne

Daniel Levi slightly leans Jessica Penne as the underdog, citing that both fighters are past their primes but Penne has been more active and showed some offensive output in her last fight. He notes that Karolina Kowalkiewicz has not been the same since her diagnosis and has taken a lot of damage. He believes Penne can win a split decision by taking the back or having top control, though he acknowledges Kowalkiewicz is better on the feet.

"I'll actually slightly lean towards the dog Jessica Penne"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Kowalkiewicz should keep the fight on the feet and use her striking to outwork Penne. Penne needs to grapple to win, but Kowalkiewicz has good movement and should avoid the clinch. The striking difference is wide, and Kowalkiewicz may even get a TKO. She is coming back after a long layoff but has a favorable matchup. Decision is most likely, but a KO prop has value.

Kowalkiewicz by KO/TKO +900; Kowalkiewicz by decision +120
"I do like Carolina here I think she gets a victory out for you know after uh her extended layoff um decision is probably the most likely outcome."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert pick date unknown

Paul does not make a clear pick. He acknowledges the narrative around Kowalkiewicz's motivation and Penne's hunger, but does not commit.

TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Karolina Kowalkiewicz

The MMA Guru picks Karolina Kowalkiewicz over Jessica Penne. He argues Kowalkiewicz has faced much better competition and is more technical, despite being older (35). He criticizes Penne's striking and notes she didn't deserve her last win. He predicts Kowalkiewicz will outstrike Penne to a 30-27 unanimous decision.

"i'm going to go with karolina kovalkovic way more experienced way better technically and i think she'll just outstrike jessica penney to a 30-27 unanimous decision win"
Rose Namajunas - Fight History
LOSS vs Natália Silva
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC 324 · Jan 24, 2026
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Natália Silva 0 51 of 133 38% 63 of 147 1 of 2 50% 0 0 1:24
Rose Namajunas 0 26 of 94 27% 46 of 119 1 of 5 20% 0 0 2:09
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Natália Silva 0 15 of 44 34% 15 of 44 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Rose Namajunas 0 13 of 39 33% 13 of 39 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Natália Silva 0 8 of 27 29% 15 of 34 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:37
Rose Namajunas 0 5 of 18 27% 25 of 43 1 of 3 33% 0 0 2:09
3 Natália Silva 0 28 of 62 45% 33 of 69 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:47
Rose Namajunas 0 8 of 37 21% 8 of 37 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Natália Silva 51 of 133 38% 25 of 95 8 of 14 18 of 24 50 of 132 1 of 1 0 of 0
Rose Namajunas 26 of 94 27% 11 of 64 3 of 13 12 of 17 26 of 92 0 of 2 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Natália Silva 15 of 44 34% 10 of 32 1 of 3 4 of 9 15 of 44 0 of 0 0 of 0
Rose Namajunas 13 of 39 33% 4 of 22 1 of 6 8 of 11 13 of 39 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Natália Silva 8 of 27 29% 4 of 22 0 of 1 4 of 4 8 of 27 0 of 0 0 of 0
Rose Namajunas 5 of 18 27% 3 of 16 1 of 1 1 of 1 5 of 17 0 of 1 0 of 0
3 Natália Silva 28 of 62 45% 11 of 41 7 of 10 10 of 11 27 of 61 1 of 1 0 of 0
Rose Namajunas 8 of 37 21% 4 of 26 1 of 6 3 of 5 8 of 36 0 of 1 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident pick date unknown
Natália Silva

Angelo picks Natália Silva, calling her faster, cleaner, and a better athlete. He praises her footwork and timing. He acknowledges Rose Namajunas's experience and fight IQ but believes Silva's youth and speed will prevail. He suggests over 2.5 rounds as a likely lock.

I think over two and a half is likely the lock of the card.
"I'm going to go with the younger, faster, better athlete here, and I think that is Natalya Silva."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Natália Silva

Big Brady believes Silva is one of the best flyweights, with elite takedown defense (92%) and great striking volume and power. He thinks Rose will struggle similar to her fight with Fiorot, and Silva will piece her up over 15 minutes for a dominant decision win.

Silva by decision
"I think Silva's going to kind of kind of piece her up over the course of 15 minutes. I think it's going to be a pretty frustrating fight for Rose."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident pick date unknown
Natália Silva

Cody confidently picks Natália Silva, citing her 92% takedown defense and striking volume. He believes Rose Namajunas struggles at 125 pounds and won't be able to secure takedowns. Cody expects Silva to win a unanimous decision, outworking Rose on the feet.

"I do I do have Silva to get the job done by unanimous decision."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident pick date unknown
Natália Silva

Connor also picks Silva, agreeing that Rose Namajunas has not adapted well to flyweight. He notes that Rose's power and speed have diminished, and that she now has to outwork opponents—a style she never excelled at. Connor points out that Silva is faster, hits harder, and throws more, and that Rose's best chance (wrestling) is untested against Silva. He believes Silva's dynamism will be too much for Rose to handle.

Silva opened at -150, now -350; Namajunas opened at +130, now +285. Connor says the odds seem reasonable.
"I think it's a good matchup. I do over feel that I have to pick Silva."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident pick date unknown
Natália Silva

Daniel Vreeland picks Natália Silva to win by decision. He praises Silva's confidence, well-rounded game, and impressive wins over former champions. He notes that Silva is younger, hungrier, and has speed that matches Namajunas. Vreeland believes Silva will beat Namajunas decisively and earn a title shot against Valentina Shevchenko.

"I'm calling a 3027 decision by Natalya Silva in this fight."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident pick date unknown
Natália Silva

James is confident in Silva, noting her superior footwork neutralizes Namajunas's best asset. He expects Silva to win via decision, possibly hurting Namajunas with kicks but not finishing her. He mentions Silva's taekwondo background and that she has cashed for him multiple times.

"Natalia Silva is literally taking away Rose's Namunis' best asset and attribute in this fight."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean pick date unknown
Natália Silva

The host leans towards Silva by decision, praising her distance management and blitzing style. However, he finds the -410 line too wide and believes Rose Namajunas is live as a plus-310 underdog. He notes Namajunas's experience, improved grappling, and ability to counter mobile strikers. He suggests the over 2.5 rounds is a no-brainer and recommends betting on Namajunas for value.

Over 2.5 rounds, Namajunas moneyline recommended for betting
"minus 410 Silva is whack. That is way too far out of whack. I I am gonna lean her in terms of a prediction. Obviously, over two and a half would be a no-brainer here."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident pick date unknown
Natália Silva

Paul agrees with Cody, emphasizing Silva's speed and combination punching. He doubts Rose can get the wrestling going and believes Silva's quickness will overwhelm her. Paul sees a decision win for Silva, noting that a knockout prop is not worth the price.

"I think it just really comes down to speed. I don't know if Rose is going to be able to get the wrestling going. And on the feet, there's really nobody quicker um men or woman really out there than …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Natália Silva

The MMA Guru picks Natália Silva, praising her kicking game and ability to fight off the back foot. He notes that Rose Namajunas often leaves fights close and lacks offensive grappling at flyweight. He predicts a decision win, possibly 30-27.

decision, 30-27
"Natalyia Silva is going to get this one done by decision."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident pick date unknown
Natália Silva

Zane picks Natália Silva confidently, highlighting her incredible speed and high output. He notes that Silva's bad defensive habits (chin in the air) are mitigated by her speed and ability to counter, and that she has hurt every opponent she's faced. Zane argues that Rose Namajunas has lost power and speed at flyweight, and that she can no longer rely on fight-changing shots. He believes Silva's volume and pace will overwhelm Rose over three rounds.

Silva opened at -150, now -350; Namajunas opened at +130, now +285. Zane says the odds seem reasonable.
"I am going to be picking Natalia Silva. She is the coming woman in this division."
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Usman vs. Buckley · Jun 14, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rose Namajunas 1 25 of 86 29% 46 of 118 2 of 4 50% 0 0 6:33
Miranda Maverick 0 25 of 74 33% 52 of 108 0 of 2 0% 1 1 1:48
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rose Namajunas 0 17 of 59 28% 18 of 60 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:15
Miranda Maverick 0 20 of 58 34% 20 of 58 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Rose Namajunas 0 5 of 17 29% 9 of 26 2 of 2 100% 0 0 3:05
Miranda Maverick 0 5 of 14 35% 22 of 33 0 of 0 --- 1 1 0:45
3 Rose Namajunas 1 3 of 10 30% 19 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 3:13
Miranda Maverick 0 0 of 2 0% 10 of 17 0 of 2 0% 0 0 1:03
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rose Namajunas 25 of 86 29% 22 of 75 3 of 10 0 of 1 23 of 83 1 of 1 1 of 2
Miranda Maverick 25 of 74 33% 14 of 61 5 of 6 6 of 7 25 of 73 0 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rose Namajunas 17 of 59 28% 15 of 50 2 of 8 0 of 1 16 of 58 1 of 1 0 of 0
Miranda Maverick 20 of 58 34% 11 of 47 4 of 5 5 of 6 20 of 57 0 of 1 0 of 0
2 Rose Namajunas 5 of 17 29% 5 of 16 0 of 1 0 of 0 5 of 17 0 of 0 0 of 0
Miranda Maverick 5 of 14 35% 3 of 12 1 of 1 1 of 1 5 of 14 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Rose Namajunas 3 of 10 30% 2 of 9 1 of 1 0 of 0 2 of 8 0 of 0 1 of 2
Miranda Maverick 0 of 2 0% 0 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Angelo picks Rose because she is the better striker with superior footwork and technique. He acknowledges Miranda's wrestling threat but believes Rose can defend takedowns and out-strike her. He expresses concern about Rose's training situation but hopes she strings it together like she did against Tracy Cortez.

"Rose Namayuma should absolutely be the just better fighter across the board."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Big Brady picks Rose Namajunas by decision. He believes Rose is the better fighter overall, with superior striking and the ability to get takedowns against Maverick's sub-50% takedown defense. He worries slightly about Maverick's strength but notes Rose has done well at flyweight. He thinks Rose should win at least two rounds in a three-round fight.

"I'll take Rose to win this fight and win it by decision."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Connor picks Namajunas, agreeing that Maverick is a 'Jake Matthews of women's flyweight'—athletic but aimless, with no clear idea how to win. He notes that Namajunas is much better in the clinch than she used to be and that Maverick's wrestling entries are poor. Connor believes Namajunas's speed, accuracy, and combination punching will allow her to outwork Maverick, and that Maverick's tendency to float and try things without a plan will be her undoing.

Namajunas opened at -289, now -249; Maverick opened at +214, now +220.
"I think this is just a really good style matchup for nami units"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

This is a closer fight than the odds suggest, but Namajunas's striking will reign supreme. She may have issues with Maverick's strength and clinch work, but she will get into open space, land more damage, and win a clear decision.

odds comment: closer fight than the odds suggest
"This is a closer fight than the odds suggest, but I expect Nama Ununas is striking to reign supreme here..."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

The Guru picks Rose Namajunas, calling her a much better technical martial artist. He notes her grappling defense and standup are superior, and she has size at flyweight. He expects a unanimous decision win, 30-27, as Rose outclasses Maverick everywhere.

"I'm going to go with Rose Namunas. She's a much better martial artist. This is a bit of a mismatch. Um a very big mismatch."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Zane picks Namajunas, citing her superior craft, movement, and jab-heavy striking as a clear advantage over Maverick's aimless, unprincipled game. He notes that Maverick lacks a clear process and often gets caught up striking when she should wrestle, while Namajunas is accurate, fast, and effective at kicking range. Zane believes Namajunas can outpoint Maverick over three rounds, as Maverick has consistently lost to fighters with a strong game plan.

Namajunas opened at -289, now -249; Maverick opened at +214, now +220. Zane thinks the line could get longer.
"I think rose is fully capable of just kind of being much craftier and more consistent than maverick and and taking a decision off of her"
Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 48–47, 48–47) R5 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Albazi · Nov 02, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Erin Blanchfield 0 110 of 281 39% 193 of 387 2 of 8 25% 0 0 8:54
Rose Namajunas 0 94 of 245 38% 101 of 254 1 of 4 25% 0 0 0:15
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Erin Blanchfield 0 19 of 68 27% 19 of 68 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Rose Namajunas 0 30 of 61 49% 30 of 61 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Erin Blanchfield 0 25 of 67 37% 28 of 70 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:15
Rose Namajunas 0 23 of 65 35% 26 of 69 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:08
3 Erin Blanchfield 0 11 of 28 39% 48 of 82 1 of 2 50% 0 0 3:38
Rose Namajunas 0 9 of 21 42% 10 of 22 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
4 Erin Blanchfield 0 40 of 93 43% 43 of 97 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:53
Rose Namajunas 0 25 of 79 31% 25 of 80 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:07
5 Erin Blanchfield 0 15 of 25 60% 55 of 70 1 of 3 33% 0 0 4:08
Rose Namajunas 0 7 of 19 36% 10 of 22 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Erin Blanchfield 110 of 281 39% 81 of 248 15 of 16 14 of 17 103 of 269 2 of 6 5 of 6
Rose Namajunas 94 of 245 38% 68 of 212 18 of 24 8 of 9 91 of 241 3 of 4 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Erin Blanchfield 19 of 68 27% 11 of 58 3 of 4 5 of 6 19 of 68 0 of 0 0 of 0
Rose Namajunas 30 of 61 49% 22 of 52 2 of 3 6 of 6 30 of 61 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Erin Blanchfield 25 of 67 37% 21 of 61 2 of 2 2 of 4 25 of 65 0 of 2 0 of 0
Rose Namajunas 23 of 65 35% 17 of 58 5 of 5 1 of 2 22 of 64 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Erin Blanchfield 11 of 28 39% 7 of 24 2 of 2 2 of 2 10 of 24 0 of 2 1 of 2
Rose Namajunas 9 of 21 42% 7 of 18 2 of 3 0 of 0 7 of 19 2 of 2 0 of 0
4 Erin Blanchfield 40 of 93 43% 29 of 82 6 of 6 5 of 5 40 of 93 0 of 0 0 of 0
Rose Namajunas 25 of 79 31% 16 of 67 8 of 11 1 of 1 25 of 78 0 of 1 0 of 0
5 Erin Blanchfield 15 of 25 60% 13 of 23 2 of 2 0 of 0 9 of 19 2 of 2 4 of 4
Rose Namajunas 7 of 19 36% 6 of 17 1 of 2 0 of 0 7 of 19 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Angelo picks Rose Namajunas confidently, calling her an all-time great and a better striker than Erin Blanchfield. He notes Blanchfield's inability to get takedowns was exposed against Manon Fiorot, and without that, she is stuck in a striking match with a superior striker. He thinks five rounds help Rose, as she can afford to lose a round if taken down. He placed a half unit bet on Rose at plus 100 (even money).

half unit on Rose Namajunas at +100
"Rose should absolutely win this fight five rounds only helps Rose because if she does get taken down in a round and gives one up she's got four more to cover the distance she's not only the pick but she …"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Big Brady picks Rose Namajunas to win by decision. He questions Erin Blanchfield's wrestling, noting her low takedown accuracy (33%) and failure to take down opponents like Fiorot and Santos. He believes on the feet, Rose is clearly superior, and even if taken down, Rose's scrambling is good. Brady likes the plus money and thinks the big cage favors Rose.

plus money
"at plus money I'm going to I'm going to take the dog here and and Rose nunas I think it's going to be a very close fight... I'll take her to win this fight by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Cody picks Rose Namajunas as an underdog, arguing that Blanchfield's takedown struggles against Manon Fiorot (0 for 3) and Taila Santos (0 for 14) show she can't reliably take down elite grapplers. He believes Rose's striking, footwork, and takedown defense will keep the fight standing, where she has the advantage. He also notes Rose's experience in five-round fights and her ability to mix in takedowns herself.

"I do kind of feel like maybe the plus money on Rose Nom units is a little more warranted so I'm going to go with that and I'm going to take RADS."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident pick date unknown
Erin Blanchfield

Daniel Vreeland picks Erin Blanchfield to win, arguing that the line is influenced by recency bias from Blanchfield's loss to Manon Fiorot. He points out that Rose Namajunas has poor takedown defense (under 60%) compared to Fiorot's 93%, and that Blanchfield's grappling is a different level—she can take the back and submit opponents. Vreeland expects Blanchfield to pressure Namajunas, get takedowns, and potentially finish via ground-and-pound or submission.

"I'm going Aaron blanchfield to get back on track regain her hype"
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident pick date unknown
Erin Blanchfield

Lucrative James picks Erin Blanchfield to win inside the distance, emphasizing her grappling advantage. He notes Rose has been taken down in recent fights and that Blanchfield's wrestling will be decisive. He believes Rose has lost some athleticism and that Blanchfield can finish via submission, likely a rear-naked choke.

wins inside the distance
"I'm taking Aaron blanchfield in this one and I actually think she gets it done inside the distance"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Namajunas has shown tremendous defensive grappling improvements, and that will get her a victory over Blanchfield. She will win at least three of the five rounds by out-pointing and out-damaging Blanchfield, winning on the scorecards and positioning herself for a title shot.

"Namajunas has shown tremendous defensive grappling improvements and I believe that will get her a victory here over Blanchfield look for Namajunas to win at least three of the five rounds here by out pointing and out damaging Blanchfield and …"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Paul sides with Rose but is less confident, expecting a close split decision. He notes that Blanchfield's path to victory is through takedowns, but Rose has shown improved takedown defense and can win on the feet. He mentions the common opponent Jessica Andrade, where Rose won by decision and Blanchfield by submission, but sees the fight as competitive. He plans to bet the split decision prop rather than the moneyline.

split decision prop
"I expect the fight to be incredibly close on the feet on the mat and I'm going to side with rose but I don't plan on betting this but yeah I'll be looking for the split decision prop."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

The Guru picks Rose Namajunas over Erin Blanchfield, calling Blanchfield overrated. He praises Namajunas's technical skills, scrambles, and wrestling reactions. He notes Blanchfield's poor performance against Manon Fiorot and believes Namajunas will win as an underdog.

"I'm going to go Rose wellt Tred fighter I don't think she's like man on fioro level but she took it to man on fioro and she broke her hand in that fight"
WIN vs Tracy Cortez
Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–46, 48–47) R5 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Namajunas vs. Cortez · Jul 13, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rose Namajunas 1 96 of 180 53% 119 of 215 5 of 5 100% 0 0 6:36
Tracy Cortez 0 58 of 198 29% 85 of 233 2 of 5 40% 0 0 0:58
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rose Namajunas 1 26 of 50 52% 30 of 55 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:28
Tracy Cortez 0 12 of 43 27% 14 of 45 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Rose Namajunas 0 26 of 46 56% 27 of 48 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:23
Tracy Cortez 0 11 of 41 26% 12 of 42 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:16
3 Rose Namajunas 0 5 of 12 41% 15 of 31 2 of 2 100% 0 0 3:47
Tracy Cortez 0 2 of 9 22% 8 of 16 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:03
4 Rose Namajunas 0 11 of 28 39% 17 of 35 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:06
Tracy Cortez 0 12 of 44 27% 15 of 49 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:24
5 Rose Namajunas 0 28 of 44 63% 30 of 46 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:52
Tracy Cortez 0 21 of 61 34% 36 of 81 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:15
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rose Namajunas 96 of 180 53% 66 of 146 17 of 20 13 of 14 93 of 175 3 of 5 0 of 0
Tracy Cortez 58 of 198 29% 31 of 162 14 of 17 13 of 19 52 of 189 6 of 9 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rose Namajunas 26 of 50 52% 16 of 39 4 of 5 6 of 6 26 of 50 0 of 0 0 of 0
Tracy Cortez 12 of 43 27% 4 of 32 1 of 1 7 of 10 12 of 43 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Rose Namajunas 26 of 46 56% 16 of 33 5 of 7 5 of 6 25 of 45 1 of 1 0 of 0
Tracy Cortez 11 of 41 26% 7 of 36 2 of 3 2 of 2 10 of 40 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Rose Namajunas 5 of 12 41% 5 of 12 0 of 0 0 of 0 3 of 10 2 of 2 0 of 0
Tracy Cortez 2 of 9 22% 1 of 7 1 of 1 0 of 1 1 of 8 1 of 1 0 of 0
4 Rose Namajunas 11 of 28 39% 8 of 25 2 of 2 1 of 1 11 of 27 0 of 1 0 of 0
Tracy Cortez 12 of 44 27% 7 of 37 4 of 5 1 of 2 10 of 40 2 of 4 0 of 0
5 Rose Namajunas 28 of 44 63% 21 of 37 6 of 6 1 of 1 28 of 43 0 of 1 0 of 0
Tracy Cortez 21 of 61 34% 12 of 50 6 of 7 3 of 4 19 of 58 2 of 3 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Angelo picks Rose Namajunas, citing her superior striking and overall skill. He believes Tracy Cortez's path to victory is through wrestling, but doubts she can take Rose down for 25 minutes, especially since Cortez was training for a three-round fight and now faces five rounds at elevation. He notes that Rose was taken down four times by Amanda Ribas, but Ribas used clinch tosses rather than traditional shots, which are easier to defend. Angelo plans to have multiple bets on Rose.

Plans to have a few bets on Rose.
"I got to go rose rose should win this fight she should probably dominate this fight"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Cody picks Rose Namajunas, citing her experience at altitude, full camp, and superior striking. He notes Tracy Cortez's inactivity and short notice, and believes Rose's wrestling defense and offensive takedowns will be key. He expects a decision win for Rose.

"I think Thug Rose is a very rightful favorite here at minus 200."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident pick date unknown
Tracy Cortez

Daniel Vreeland picks Tracy Cortez to upset Rose Namajunas. He argues that Cortez has a legitimate wrestling background, which historically gives Rose trouble, and that Rose is a 'hot and cold' fighter who struggles when faced with adversity. He notes Cortez's 11-fight win streak and that she was already preparing for a fight next week, so short notice isn't a major issue. He also mentions Rose's age and mileage, suggesting she may be slowing down. He calls it a 'dog or pass' situation and prefers the plus 185 underdog.

"I'm gonna go ahead and pick Tracy Cortez to upset Rose nunas and surprise a lot of people."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Rose Namajunas has the striking advantage and the cardio edge, especially at altitude. Cortez will land some takedowns, but over 25 minutes, Namajunas will land better strikes and even some takedowns of her own late, cruising to a decision. The line is a bit wide, but the former champion reigns supreme.

Namajunas by decision; odds comment: line a bit wide, wouldn't hate an underdog shot on Cortez
"I think from there she should be able to cruise to a decision the line for my liking a little bit too wide again I wouldn't hate anybody taking an underdog shot on Cortez but I do think the former …"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Paul agrees with Cody, emphasizing Rose's full camp, altitude advantage, and five-round experience. He points out that Cortez's wrestling has been neutralized by upper-echelon opponents and that Rose's scrambling ability will nullify takedowns. He sees Rose winning by decision.

"I agree she's a rightful favorite I'm picking her to win."
WIN vs Amanda Ribas
Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–46, 48–47) R5 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Ribas vs. Namajunas · Mar 23, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rose Namajunas 0 83 of 270 30% 137 of 342 4 of 8 50% 0 0 1:38
Amanda Ribas 0 93 of 188 49% 169 of 281 1 of 3 33% 0 1 6:59
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rose Namajunas 0 16 of 47 34% 30 of 63 2 of 3 66% 0 0 0:18
Amanda Ribas 0 23 of 34 67% 35 of 55 0 of 0 --- 0 1 1:55
2 Rose Namajunas 0 15 of 49 30% 22 of 57 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Amanda Ribas 0 19 of 39 48% 43 of 65 0 of 1 0% 0 0 2:00
3 Rose Namajunas 0 18 of 50 36% 31 of 70 2 of 3 66% 0 0 1:20
Amanda Ribas 0 19 of 36 52% 20 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:24
4 Rose Namajunas 0 10 of 39 25% 29 of 66 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Amanda Ribas 0 7 of 25 28% 45 of 68 1 of 1 100% 0 0 2:40
5 Rose Namajunas 0 24 of 85 28% 25 of 86 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Amanda Ribas 0 25 of 54 46% 26 of 55 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rose Namajunas 83 of 270 30% 39 of 195 19 of 42 25 of 33 76 of 259 4 of 6 3 of 5
Amanda Ribas 93 of 188 49% 45 of 124 44 of 60 4 of 4 81 of 176 12 of 12 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rose Namajunas 16 of 47 34% 8 of 33 2 of 6 6 of 8 14 of 45 2 of 2 0 of 0
Amanda Ribas 23 of 34 67% 6 of 16 16 of 17 1 of 1 16 of 27 7 of 7 0 of 0
2 Rose Namajunas 15 of 49 30% 7 of 34 3 of 8 5 of 7 14 of 48 1 of 1 0 of 0
Amanda Ribas 19 of 39 48% 12 of 27 6 of 11 1 of 1 18 of 38 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Rose Namajunas 18 of 50 36% 10 of 39 3 of 5 5 of 6 15 of 44 0 of 1 3 of 5
Amanda Ribas 19 of 36 52% 11 of 26 7 of 9 1 of 1 17 of 34 2 of 2 0 of 0
4 Rose Namajunas 10 of 39 25% 3 of 28 2 of 5 5 of 6 10 of 39 0 of 0 0 of 0
Amanda Ribas 7 of 25 28% 4 of 19 3 of 6 0 of 0 7 of 25 0 of 0 0 of 0
5 Rose Namajunas 24 of 85 28% 11 of 61 9 of 18 4 of 6 23 of 83 1 of 2 0 of 0
Amanda Ribas 25 of 54 46% 12 of 36 12 of 17 1 of 1 23 of 52 2 of 2 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Angelo picks Rose Namajunas despite rooting for Amanda Ribas. He acknowledges Rose's superior skills and accomplishments but is concerned about her mental state and training camp. He notes that Rose has not looked bad in recent losses, being outstruck by a larger striker in Manon Fiorot and having a boring fight with Carla Esparza. He hopes Ribas wins but cannot pick against Rose's talent.

"I got to pick rose rose is going to be the pick Amanda's going to stay in her face hopefully Amanda rips her to the ground and just beats on her and breaks her and wins this fight let's have …"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Big Brady picks Rose Namajunas, stating she is the much better fighter with a better resume. He notes Rose is the better striker, has good grappling, and has gone five rounds before. He points out Ribas is less durable (knocked out three times) and this is her first five-round fight. He predicts a decision win for Rose.

"I got to go Rose here I mean I I just think she's the much better fighter... I'm going to take rose on my un to win this fight and to Win It by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Cody acknowledges Rose's technical skills and well-rounded game, but highlights her mental inconsistency and tendency to have flat performances like the Carla Esparza fight. He notes that Rose is capable of looking like a -500 favorite or just handing rounds away. He ultimately picks Rose but with hesitancy due to these red flags.

"I will take Rose but again there's always going to be some hesitancy there."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Lean pick date unknown
Amanda Ribas

Daniel Vreeland leans toward Amanda Ribas if the fight goes past the first two rounds, citing Rose's tendency to fade or lose focus when extended. He notes Ribas has better output, wrestling, and durability in later rounds, while Rose's path is an early knockout. He acknowledges Rose's danger but prefers the dog at plus money.

"if this fight gets extended I think that her output's on the higher side as well and it's one of those things where Rose is very momentum based"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Namajunas has superior technical striking and should be able to set traps and land clean shots. Ribas is durable but leaves openings and has been finished by technical strikers before. Namajunas should stop takedowns and control the striking, likely finishing by TKO in the third round. The under on 4.5 rounds is favored, indicating a finish is expected.

Namajunas by TKO (round 3); under 4.5 rounds
"I think we see Nami yunas control this fight in the Striking realm I think she stops the takedowns... and then I think we obviously see Nami unas find that knockout I'm going to call it round three."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Paul points out that Amanda Ribas has been bouncing between weight classes and hasn't filled out her frame at 125. He credits Rose's performance against Manon Fiorot, where she fought through a broken hand, and believes Rose will learn from her flat performance against Carla Esparza. He picks Rose but acknowledges the possibility of another lackluster showing.

"I got Rose as well... I'll hope that she's learned her lesson from that absolutely flat performance."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

The MMA Guru picks Rose Namajunas over Amanda Ribas, citing Rose's shot placement and five-round experience. He thinks Ribas' chin is suspect and that Rose will hurt her on the feet. He predicts a second-round rear-naked choke after dropping Ribas with a punch.

second round rear-naked choke
"I'm going Rosen am yunas over Amanda Ribas... second round re naked choke to Rose nunas"
LOSS vs Manon Fiorot
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Spivac · Sep 02, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Manon Fiorot 0 58 of 225 25% 62 of 232 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:24
Rose Namajunas 0 60 of 150 40% 60 of 152 0 of 6 0% 0 0 0:25
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Manon Fiorot 0 18 of 88 20% 18 of 89 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Rose Namajunas 0 23 of 56 41% 23 of 57 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Manon Fiorot 0 19 of 69 27% 23 of 75 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:24
Rose Namajunas 0 15 of 40 37% 15 of 41 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:12
3 Manon Fiorot 0 21 of 68 30% 21 of 68 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Rose Namajunas 0 22 of 54 40% 22 of 54 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:13
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Manon Fiorot 58 of 225 25% 39 of 197 15 of 22 4 of 6 53 of 214 4 of 10 1 of 1
Rose Namajunas 60 of 150 40% 32 of 107 15 of 26 13 of 17 59 of 148 1 of 2 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Manon Fiorot 18 of 88 20% 14 of 82 2 of 4 2 of 2 18 of 88 0 of 0 0 of 0
Rose Namajunas 23 of 56 41% 11 of 37 4 of 8 8 of 11 23 of 56 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Manon Fiorot 19 of 69 27% 11 of 55 7 of 11 1 of 3 17 of 62 2 of 7 0 of 0
Rose Namajunas 15 of 40 37% 10 of 31 4 of 8 1 of 1 14 of 38 1 of 2 0 of 0
3 Manon Fiorot 21 of 68 30% 14 of 60 6 of 7 1 of 1 18 of 64 2 of 3 1 of 1
Rose Namajunas 22 of 54 40% 11 of 39 7 of 10 4 of 5 22 of 54 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Manon Fiorot vs. Rose Namajunas
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Fiorot (-185), Namajunas (+154)

Round 1
The bout that likely holds the greatest immediate title implications today comes in the co-main event, between two flyweights. Competing in MMA on French soil for the first time, Nice-born Fiorot (10-1, 5-0 UFC) hopes that a win over former champ Namajunas (11-5, 9-4 UFC) will propel her to the top of the weight class. On the other side of the equation, “Thug Rose” will be making her first jaunt to 125 pounds after multiple championship reigns down at strawweight. The size difference is not as significant as some might expect, and the women will have upwards of 15 minutes to state their case as elite members of the division. As referee Rich Mitchell stands by, the two ladies decide against bumping fists. Namajunas snaps out a quick right hand, and Fiorot responds with a left. Namajunas lands a low kick, and she pushes off with a side kick as Fiorot crowds her. Namajunas misses with a back fist, and Fiorot lands with a stern right hook. Fiorot stands fearlessly in front of her opponent, and she misses with a one-two and tries to catch her with a second. Namajunas slides to the side and sneak out a left hook. Fiorot catches Namajunas before the former champ can get off a combination, and she connects with a body shot when Namajunas closes the distance. Namajunas kicks low and shoots for a single, and the Frenchwoman tosses her aside with little effort. Fiorot keeps her range with a low kick and lunging jab, and her kicks are successfully keeping Namajunas at bay. Fiorot gets off a jab and a one-two, and Namajunas parries the latter. Namajunas beats Fiorot to the punch with a left hand, and she lands this same punch two more times. Namajunas kicks the lead leg, and Fiorot backs her off with short combinations of punches. Namajunas lands one kick and takes three punches off the top before she can reset. Namajunas manages to get in a single left, and Fiorot ignores it. Fiorot misses with a strike, and Namajunas slips her and connects cleanly with a left hand. As the former champ blocks a kick, she meanders forward and evades the other strikes with decent head movement. Namajunas drops down to her knees to snatch up a single, and Fiorot shuts it down and gets away. Fiorot lands cleanly with a left hand on the nose, and she bats Namajunas away with a side kick. The round ends with Fiorot jabbing.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot

Round 2
Between rounds, Namajunas informs her corner that she broke her right pink finger, and partner Pat Barry says “that’s alright, you don’t need her finger.” Namajunas is not discouraged despite the potential injury, and she is ready to resume action. Namajunas gets in Fiorot’s face early with a flurry of punches, and Fiorot stays composed and does not take many strikes cleanly. Fiorot boxes Namajunas up with a few shots ending with a short right hook, and two punches send Namajunas off-balance. Namajunas topples over, and she climbs to her knees and up as Fiorot rushes at her. Namajunas fights her way out of the clinch, only to absorb a flush knee to the body. Namajunas swipes out with a left, and her strikes do not have near the impact compared to her opponent’s – and the size difference does appear to be widening the competitive gap between the two. Fiorot takes a hook kick on the nose, and she leans back to dodge a subsequent spinning wheel kick in the nick of time. Fiorot spams punches, and Namajunas evades every single one and comes back with a right hand over the top. Fiorot times a head kick as Namajunas comes in on her, and Namajunas is able to respond with a huge right hand that shakes Fiorot up at the same time Fiorot tosses a side kick. Namajunas uses the moment to pursue a takedown, but Fiorot outmuscles her and keeps herself upright before breaking free. Namajunas lands a right hand on the break, and she holds her guard high to defend against a kick. Both women swing at the same time and duck down, and their heads clack together as a sizeable cut opens on Fiorot’s right temple. Fiorot pays it no mind and tells Mitchell she is fine, and the blood flow is not presenting any issues. Namajunas times a left hand on that target, and she gets pushed back from a side kick. Fiorot sweeps the leg, and she absorbs a good right hand on the way out. Namajunas scores a short left, but Fiorot lands two back at her. Namajunas swings hard, and she does land a left hook, only for Fiorot to completely ignore it as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot

Round 3
There is no plan on a glove touch to start the last round, and instead Namajunas is ready to go to battle and try to pull off a comeback. Namajunas lets go with a head kick and shoots for a single, and Fiorot blocks the former and stuffs the latter. Namajunas resets and chops at the lead leg, and she darts forward with a pair of punches that whiz past the Frenchwoman. Namajunas whips a left hand over the top, and she lands another before changing levels. Fiorot will not allow herself to be taken down, and she bucks out of the posture and gets back to kickboxing range. Fiorot gets off a stomp kick to the knee, and Namajunas rushes at her opponent only to miss wide. Namajunas sticks Fiorot during an exchange, and Fiorot retaliates with a trio of punches. Fiorot comes up just short when trying to counter a leg kick, and she absorbs a flush right hand but keeps on moving. The former champ scores a right hand, but it is one-and-done as Fiorot is well away from any strikes that could possibly follow. Fiorot snipes with her jab and swiping right hook, using it to stop Namajunas from getting on the inside. Namajunas chases after Fiorot, and they trade head kicks – Fiorot’s lands much harder. Namajunas tries to cut off the cage, but Fiorot is elusive and her timing is erratic enough to not let Namajunas track her down. Namajunas dings her foe with three left hooks, and Fiorot slips but gathers herself and leans back against the wall instead of falling down. Namajunas looks for a few strikes, and Fiorot breaks off and escapes. Namajunas continues her pursuit, and Fiorot gets out of danger and watches a spin kick soar past her as time elapses.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot (30-27 Fiorot)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot (30-27 Fiorot)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot (30-27 Fiorot)

The Official Result
Manon Fiorot def. Rose Namajunas via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident pick date unknown
Manon Fiorot

Angelo is confident Manon Fiorot dominates, citing her size, power, and volume. He notes Rose Namajunas is moving up in weight and lacks volume compared to Manon. He points out Manon has landed more strikes in each of her last five wins than Rose did in five-round fights. He has parlayed Manon with Ange Loosa.

parlayed with Ange Loosa for plus money
"I think mannon dominates this fight... I have parlayed her with Ange loosa for some plus money"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Manon Fiorot

Big Brady picks Fiorot, citing her size, strength, power, and volume advantage over the smaller Namajunas moving up from strawweight. He doubts Rose can outgrapple, outvolume, or knock out Fiorot. He expects Fiorot to win a decision, though he acknowledges Rose's striking talent and calls it an interesting test.

"in terms of a pick I'm gonna pick Fiora to win this fight... fioro does get it done and get it done here by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident pick date unknown
Manon Fiorot

Cody picks Fiorot due to size and strength advantages at flyweight, and questions Rose's motivation after a lackluster performance against Esparza. He notes Rose's striking advantages were not used in that fight and she has been off for a year. Fiorot's kicking game and French crowd support are key factors. Cody sees Rose's offensive wrestling as a potential path but doubts she can take down or hold down a strong flyweight.

"the pick will be minnow Fiero for me"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident pick date unknown
Manon Fiorot

Daniel Levi picks Manon Fiorot, arguing that Fiorot's elusive, outside-fighting style will frustrate Rose Namajunas, who thrives in pocket boxing exchanges. He believes Fiorot will use sidekicks and movement to keep Rose at range, preventing her from letting her hands go. Levi dismisses the size narrative, stating that Fiorot is not a pressure grappler so the weight class difference is irrelevant. He expects a clear 30-27 decision, noting that Fiorot has a history of outpointing tough opponents like Mayra Bueno Silva.

Fiorot by decision
"I think Manon fioro is going to be on the outside and she's gonna make rose now my units come to her... I think she's gonna frustrate her and I see her 30-27 here"
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident pick date unknown
Manon Fiorot

Lucrative James is on Fiorot, having bet on her almost every fight. He thinks Fiorot is legit, top-five material, and that Rose is meeting her at the wrong time. He notes Rose's mental issues, long layoff, career-worst performance, and step up in weight. He believes Fiorot is bigger and stronger, and that Rose hasn't been finished except by Carla Esparza long ago. He likes Fiorot by points at +140, as he doesn't see a finish.

Manon Fiorot by decision (+140)
"I like Pharrell here and I like ferovia points at plus 140. I think that's a good bet."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Manon Fiorot

I'm leaning with Fiorot here. She has great takedown defense and a dynamic striking style with power and volume. Rose is a wild card mentally and may struggle with the weight cut to flyweight. Fiorot's footwork and ability to stay at distance should allow her to land significant strikes. However, I don't have a boatload of confidence because Rose has the experience advantage and could potentially get takedowns if she closes the distance. I think Fiorot wins by decision.

"I'm gonna lean with hero here you know she's gonna have a two inch height Advantage uh uh just an inch reach Advantage but I think it's mainly the power in which he throws and her comfortability in the Striking …"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident pick date unknown
Manon Fiorot

Paul also picks Fiorot, emphasizing her size and strength advantage. He doubts Rose's motivation and notes her inability to engage against Esparza. Paul thinks Rose's offensive wrestling could be a factor but that Fiorot's takedown defense and submission defense are solid. He expects a striking affair where Fiorot's speed and kicking game prevail, likely by decision (29-28 or 30-27).

"I'm gonna go firo five round fight... at least 29 28 hopefully a 30 27."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Manon Fiorot

The MMA Guru picks Manon Fiorot by TKO, citing her physicality and dangerous stand-up, while Rose Namajunas appears mentally checked out. He notes Rose's lack of activity, her poor performance against Carla Esparza, and her loss in a grappling match. He believes Fiorot will overwhelm Rose with a flurry of punches in round one.

"I'm going with man on Fiora TKO is my prediction I think Rose is checked out of the game"
LOSS vs Carla Esparza
Decision (split) (47–48, 49–46, 48–47) R5 5:00 · UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje · May 07, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Carla Esparza 0 37 of 136 27% 38 of 137 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:10
Rose Namajunas 0 30 of 133 22% 30 of 133 2 of 11 18% 0 0 0:22
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Carla Esparza 0 4 of 19 21% 4 of 19 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Rose Namajunas 0 4 of 19 21% 4 of 19 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Carla Esparza 0 3 of 14 21% 3 of 14 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Rose Namajunas 0 4 of 22 18% 4 of 22 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
3 Carla Esparza 0 11 of 36 30% 11 of 36 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Rose Namajunas 0 9 of 32 28% 9 of 32 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:02
4 Carla Esparza 0 6 of 28 21% 7 of 29 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Rose Namajunas 0 8 of 29 27% 8 of 29 2 of 5 40% 0 0 0:20
5 Carla Esparza 0 13 of 39 33% 13 of 39 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:08
Rose Namajunas 0 5 of 31 16% 5 of 31 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Carla Esparza 37 of 136 27% 30 of 122 6 of 12 1 of 2 36 of 135 1 of 1 0 of 0
Rose Namajunas 30 of 133 22% 15 of 108 4 of 11 11 of 14 27 of 128 3 of 5 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Carla Esparza 4 of 19 21% 4 of 18 0 of 1 0 of 0 4 of 19 0 of 0 0 of 0
Rose Namajunas 4 of 19 21% 2 of 17 0 of 0 2 of 2 4 of 19 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Carla Esparza 3 of 14 21% 3 of 14 0 of 0 0 of 0 3 of 14 0 of 0 0 of 0
Rose Namajunas 4 of 22 18% 1 of 17 1 of 2 2 of 3 4 of 22 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Carla Esparza 11 of 36 30% 10 of 33 1 of 2 0 of 1 11 of 36 0 of 0 0 of 0
Rose Namajunas 9 of 32 28% 7 of 28 2 of 3 0 of 1 8 of 31 1 of 1 0 of 0
4 Carla Esparza 6 of 28 21% 6 of 27 0 of 1 0 of 0 5 of 27 1 of 1 0 of 0
Rose Namajunas 8 of 29 27% 3 of 22 1 of 3 4 of 4 6 of 25 2 of 4 0 of 0
5 Carla Esparza 13 of 39 33% 7 of 30 5 of 8 1 of 1 13 of 39 0 of 0 0 of 0
Rose Namajunas 5 of 31 16% 2 of 24 0 of 3 3 of 4 5 of 31 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Angelo picks Rose Namajunas despite acknowledging Carla's wrestling. He argues that Weili Zhang took Rose down five times but still lost, and that Carla's top pressure isn't as good as it should be. He believes Rose only has to worry about the wrestling, whereas Weili was a threat on the feet too.

"rose is the pick i'm gonna be rooting for carla i want carla to win but if five takedowns and 162 strikes landed didn't get wei lee the nod i just don't know what carla's gonna be able to do"
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Big Brady picks Rose Namajunas to win by decision, but he is hesitant. He acknowledges that Esparza will likely take Rose down multiple times, as Rose's takedown defense is only 51% and she hasn't faced many wrestlers. However, he believes Rose's get-up game and activity off her back will prevent Esparza from holding her down for long. On the feet, Rose has a clear advantage. He notes that if this were a three-round fight, he might pick Esparza, but over five rounds, Esparza's wrestling-heavy style is harder to sustain. He is not in love with the price tag.

decision
"I like rose nominee units to win this fight I don't think she like wins every round I do think esparza is going to take off a round or two but I do think as far as picking a winner …"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Cody agrees with Paul, picking Rose Namajunas. He notes that Esparza's wrestling was effective a lifetime ago but Rose has improved her grappling significantly. Cody cites Tatiana Suarez's take that Esparza isn't physically strong and may not outmuscle Rose. He points out that Esparza has never fought into a fourth round, while Rose has championship-round experience. Cody believes Rose can nullify takedowns, get back up, and eventually win by late stoppage or decision.

"i think it's a favorable fight for rose nominess for sure"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Hesitant pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Daniel Levi picks Rose Namajunas but is not confident, calling it a 'dog or pass' fight. He acknowledges Carla Esparza will land takedowns and has a path to victory, but believes Rose has more ways to win, especially on the feet. He says he would take Rose if the odds were closer to pick'em, but at -220 he is not betting. He respects the value on Esparza at plus 180 and thinks the true odds are around Rose -145 to -150.

Daniel mentions he is not betting this fight. He notes the under 4.5 rounds at +155 is interesting but does not bet it.
"I would take Rose if pick'em fight, I'd take Rose. Maybe minus 150 I'd consider, but I just don't want to lay chalk."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

The host picks Rose Namajunas, believing her striking and range management have improved significantly since their first fight. He expects Rose to focus on defending takedowns and getting back to her feet. He notes Carla's takedowns can be sloppy and she doesn't do much damage on top. He thinks Rose's ability to create space and her deceptive power will be key. He is not betting Rose at -205, but likes under 4.5 rounds at +135.

under 4.5 rounds +135
"so give me rose and still"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Paul picks Rose Namajunas, calling it a straightforward striker vs grappler matchup. He believes Rose's camp has focused on sprawl training and that if the fight stays on the feet, Esparza cannot compete. Paul suggests live betting Esparza if she gets an early takedown, but overall expects Rose to retain her title. He notes the -210 line might be a bit wide but still favors Rose.

live betting Esparza if she gets early takedown
"i think rose rates the ship here gets back on track it's a very very straightforward fight for her"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

The MMA Guru picks Rose Namajunas, citing her improved stand-up and grappling. He notes that Esparza's recent wins have been close and that she doesn't dominate on the ground anymore. He believes Namajunas will stuff takedowns, chew up Esparza's legs, and eventually submit her in the fourth round via rear-naked choke. He mentions the odds are close because Esparza has a previous win, but thinks Namajunas is the better fighter.

Rose Namajunas by fourth round finish, rear-naked choke
"i'm going to have to go with rose and amy eunice and i'll go over rose nami eunis by uh fourth round finish real naked choke"
WIN vs Zhang Weili
Decision (split) (47–48, 48–47, 49–46) R5 5:00 · UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2 · Nov 06, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rose Namajunas 0 86 of 168 51% 130 of 219 2 of 2 100% 0 1 7:00
Zhang Weili 0 83 of 173 47% 162 of 272 5 of 11 45% 0 0 3:37
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rose Namajunas 0 20 of 36 55% 22 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Zhang Weili 0 22 of 38 57% 36 of 56 1 of 3 33% 0 0 1:08
2 Rose Namajunas 0 20 of 45 44% 22 of 48 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:31
Zhang Weili 0 16 of 39 41% 21 of 44 1 of 3 33% 0 0 0:38
3 Rose Namajunas 0 14 of 38 36% 16 of 40 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Zhang Weili 0 25 of 51 49% 29 of 55 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:57
4 Rose Namajunas 0 14 of 23 60% 39 of 49 0 of 0 --- 0 1 2:32
Zhang Weili 0 12 of 27 44% 32 of 50 2 of 3 66% 0 0 0:54
5 Rose Namajunas 0 18 of 26 69% 31 of 44 1 of 1 100% 0 0 3:55
Zhang Weili 0 8 of 18 44% 44 of 67 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rose Namajunas 86 of 168 51% 57 of 131 12 of 17 17 of 20 60 of 136 6 of 6 20 of 26
Zhang Weili 83 of 173 47% 36 of 112 14 of 16 33 of 45 64 of 138 5 of 8 14 of 27
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rose Namajunas 20 of 36 55% 11 of 25 3 of 5 6 of 6 17 of 33 3 of 3 0 of 0
Zhang Weili 22 of 38 57% 6 of 19 5 of 5 11 of 14 19 of 34 1 of 1 2 of 3
2 Rose Namajunas 20 of 45 44% 12 of 36 5 of 6 3 of 3 16 of 39 2 of 2 2 of 4
Zhang Weili 16 of 39 41% 6 of 28 4 of 5 6 of 6 13 of 36 1 of 1 2 of 2
3 Rose Namajunas 14 of 38 36% 11 of 33 0 of 0 3 of 5 13 of 37 1 of 1 0 of 0
Zhang Weili 25 of 51 49% 13 of 33 4 of 4 8 of 14 19 of 43 3 of 4 3 of 4
4 Rose Namajunas 14 of 23 60% 9 of 16 3 of 5 2 of 2 10 of 18 0 of 0 4 of 5
Zhang Weili 12 of 27 44% 6 of 20 1 of 1 5 of 6 9 of 16 0 of 2 3 of 9
5 Rose Namajunas 18 of 26 69% 14 of 21 1 of 1 3 of 4 4 of 9 0 of 0 14 of 17
Zhang Weili 8 of 18 44% 5 of 12 0 of 1 3 of 5 4 of 9 0 of 0 4 of 9
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean pick date unknown
Zhang Weili

Angelo picks Zhang Weili, believing she will make adjustments after the first fight. He thinks Weili will protect her chin, push the pace, and use her boxing to outwork Rose. He notes that Rose's win came from a single head kick and that there wasn't much to analyze from the short fight. He sees Weili's power and determination as key factors.

"i'm leaning towards wayley here honestly uh i think she'll make the adjustments she'll protect her chin i think she'll push the pace in this fight"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident pick date unknown
Zhang Weili

Big Brady picks Zhang Weili to win by decision. He notes Zhang's power, volume, and cardio advantage, while Rose may slow down as the fight goes on. Brady thinks the first few rounds will be competitive, but Zhang's pressure and durability will wear on Rose. He also mentions Zhang's move to Fight Ready and her takedown potential, though Rose is dangerous on the ground. He expects Zhang to win down the stretch, possibly with a late finish.

win by decision
"give me zhang waili to win give me zhang wai lee to win by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Cody agrees with Paul, citing Rose's precision striking and ability to find openings. He notes Zhang's durability but believes Rose's technique and submission game give her the edge. He compares it to Rose's first win over Joanna and sees value in the champion as an underdog.

"i agree 100 with you my friend i don't think you can turn away from it i think it's a live dog shot"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Daniel Levi picks Rose Namajunas to defend her belt, expressing that the line is disrespectful to Rose at plus 105. He believes Rose is the better striker with more power and setups, and that Zhang Weili may be in denial about the first fight. Levi expects adjustments from Zhang, such as calf kicks, but thinks Rose's toughness and experience in rematches (3-0) will carry her. He notes that Rose is undefeated at Madison Square Garden and that Zhang's cardio advantage may be overstated.

plus 105 underdog
"why is rose nominees the underdog in this spot i mean ... i am going to pick her to defend her belt here against wylie"
JA
Jacob Lines Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Jacob picks Rose Namajunas, saying he will never bet against her again. He believes Weili's new focus on wrestling with Henry Cejudo could backfire, as Rose has excellent jiu-jitsu. He has a moneyline bet and a submission prop on Rose. He thinks Rose has the 'it factor' and thrives in big moments.

Submission win prop; Moneyline bet at -102 (2 units)
"i'm never gonna bet against rose again man i think she's burned me so many times... i put a money line bet on her like a two unit bet i even put so i put a submission win on her …"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean pick date unknown
Zhang Weili

The host leans Zhang by decision, expecting her to use takedowns to sway judges in close rounds. He thinks the fight goes 25 minutes and likes the over 4.5 rounds at -125. He notes Zhang's new camp but limited time to adjust.

Over 4.5 rounds (-125), Zhang by decision (+250)
"i'm going to go wildly zhang i'm going to pick her by decision"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

Paul picks Rose as a live underdog, noting she knocked Zhang out in the first fight and is being undervalued. He questions Zhang's wrestling improvements with Cejudo and believes Rose's precision striking and submission threat are key. He sees the line as too easy to pass up.

"rose is the pick for me"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident pick date unknown
Rose Namajunas

The Guru picks Rose Namajunas, citing her youth, reach advantage, and grappling edge. He believes Zhang's mindset will be affected by her first KO loss and the crowd booing her. The Guru predicts a third-round rear-naked choke submission, noting Namajunas' ability to bounce back and her training with Trevor Wittman.

third round rear naked choke
"I'm going to go over eunis uh mainly because."