UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2

Big Brady picks Figueiredo but notes red flags: COVID false positive, travel issues, weight miss history. He believes Figueiredo's power is decisive and will knock out Benavidez again, likely in the first three rounds. He thinks Benavidez's volume could win rounds if it goes to decision, but expects Figueiredo to land the harder shots and finish. He will wait for weigh-ins before betting.

Daniel Levi believes Figueiredo won every area in the first fight: stand-up, wrestling, and jiu-jitsu. He notes that Figueiredo landed the harder shots, easily sprawled on Benavidez's takedowns, and even had a deep armbar. He dismisses the headbutt excuse, stating it was Benavidez's fault for charging in head first. He expects Figueiredo to finish Benavidez again, citing that rematches usually go the same way and that Benavidez chokes in title fights.

The MMA Guru picks Figueiredo, reversing his first-fight prediction. He notes Figueiredo showed superior grappling in the first fight, nearly submitting Benavidez. He believes Benavidez's chin is weaker after the TKO loss and at 35 years old. He predicts Figueiredo cracks Benavidez and TKOs him in the first round.

Big Brady picks Hermansson as his fourth underdog, citing his length, reach, superior striking volume (4.9 vs 3.86), and excellent wrestling. He questions Gastelum's mindset after two losses and believes Hermansson can take him down, noting Gastelum has been submitted before. He predicts Hermansson will fight smart, use kicks, and win a decision.

Daniel Levi picks Kelvin Gastelum to win by third-round TKO. He argues that Gastelum has a better chance if he survives Hermansson's early takedown attempts and clinch work. He notes that Hermansson is too smart for his own good and may psych himself out when the fight gets tough. He believes Gastelum's left hand can drop Hermansson, and that Hermansson cannot recover from a knockdown. He also mentions that Gastelum performs best when counted out, and that he expects a motivated Gastelum.

The MMA Guru picks Hermansson, questioning Gastelum's wins over prime fighters. He compares Hermansson to a better-chinned Chris Weidman with better striking. He notes Hermansson has a huge reach advantage and good chin. He predicts Hermansson submits Gastelum in the first round via guillotine, similar to his win over David Branch.

Big Brady likes Diakiese, believing he is better overall with a wrestling advantage he has used in recent fights. He thinks the striking will be close but Diakiese's takedowns will seal rounds. He notes Diakiese has a good chin and has never been knocked out, and might bet him if the line is right.

Daniel Levi leans toward Marc Diakiese, emphasizing that Diakiese should use his full MMA arsenal rather than trying to outkickbox Fiziev. He notes that Diakiese has matured and improved his wrestling and calf kicks. He warns that Fiziev is a dangerous kickboxer and that Diakiese must keep him guessing with takedown threats. He expects a tough fight but thinks Diakiese can win if he fights smart.

The MMA Guru picks Diakiese, noting he has fought better competition and is always competitive. He believes calf kicks will be a huge factor, with Diakiese chopping Fiziev's legs and cruising to a unanimous decision. He mentions Diakiese has become more patient and has a reach advantage.

Big Brady initially leaned toward Carolina but changed his pick after learning she broke her spine months ago and couldn't move for a month. He thinks Lipski has power and is motivated, while Carolina gets hit a lot. He predicts Lipski will win by third-round knockout, but admits the fight is volatile and he wouldn't bet it.

Daniel Levi picks Luana Carolina as a dog. He notes that Lipski has power but fades when pressured and has poor ground game. He thinks Carolina's volume and durability will be key as the fight goes longer. He acknowledges Lipski's knockout power but believes Carolina can edge a decision if she survives the early rounds. He calls it a 50/50 fight and says the line is appropriate.

The MMA Guru picks Lipski (da Silva) due to her experience advantage. He notes Luana Carolina has decent skills and long reach but hasn't fought the same level of opponents. He predicts Lipski narrowly out-strikes Carolina for a decision win, 30-27.

Big Brady favors Pantoja strongly, citing superior striking (more power, volume) and BJJ. He thinks Askarov's only advantage is wrestling, but Pantoja's scrambles and reversals negate that. He predicts Pantoja will land harder shots and win a decision, and would consider betting if the line gets closer.

Daniel Levi picks Pantoja to win by knockout. He argues that Pantoja has the edge in almost every area and that Askarov's best chance is to stall on top, but Askarov is not the wrestler that Dustin Ortiz is. He notes that Askarov is vulnerable after scrambles when returning to the feet, and Pantoja's power will be too much. He also mentions that Pantoja has beaten top guys like Moreno twice and Kai Kara-France.

The MMA Guru picks Pantoja, citing his power at flyweight and speed advantage over Askarov. He notes Pantoja has good jiu-jitsu, as Figueiredo wanted none of it. He predicts Pantoja cracks Askarov during a sloppy takedown and gets a submission in the second round after striking in the first.

Big Brady picks Dolidze but is not overly confident. He criticizes Ibragimov's poor gas tank and high strikes absorbed (6 per minute), expecting Dolidze to weather the early storm and finish him in the third round via knockout. He notes Dolidze has power and a good submission game, and predicts an exciting fight with a likely under on total rounds.

Daniel Levi reluctantly picks Ibragimov, noting that if Ibragimov can pace himself, he can win. He points out that Ibragimov has experience against higher-level competition like Da Un Jung and Ed Herman, while Dolidze is 6-0 but untested. He is skeptical of Dolidze's regional footage, calling it unimpressive. However, he admits he doesn't know if Ibragimov has learned from his past mistakes of gassing out.

The MMA Guru picks Ibragimov as his underdog of the card. He notes Ibragimov is younger, bigger with a reach advantage, and has more experience. He mentions Dolidze is coming off a long layoff since 2018. He believes Ibragimov will have fun striking with Dolidze.

Big Brady picks Narimani as his third underdog, believing Dawson's striking is poor and his wrestling will be neutralized by Narimani's excellent takedown defense (75%). He notes Narimani's BJJ black belt means he can hang on the ground, and on the feet Dawson gets hit too much. He predicts Narimani will stuff takedowns and win a decision, possibly betting it.

Daniel Levi picks Grant Dawson, citing his relentless takedown attempts and cardio. He notes that Narimani is tough but tends to get sloppy when slowed down, leaving his chin in the air. He believes Dawson's work rate will be too much for Narimani, especially in later rounds. He does not consider Dawson a future top-15 guy but thinks he is solid and will edge out a decision.

The MMA Guru picks Dawson, noting he is a huge guy for the weight class and has great grappling. He believes Narimani hasn't faced that level of grappling. The catchweight favors Dawson as he won't have a bad weight cut. He warns Dawson is a bit green on the feet but predicts a decision win.

Big Brady picks Johns as an underdog after watching tape, noting Jackson's vulnerability to takedowns and tendency to give up his back when getting up. He believes Johns' wrestling and submission threat will be key, predicting Johns will secure multiple takedowns and control time to win a decision, possibly nearly submitting Jackson. He mentions the line is closing and he would have liked to bet it wider.

Daniel Levi is very confident in Montel Jackson, calling him a future champion. He notes that Jackson has unique physical attributes and can do things other men can't, referencing his escape from a bad position in his UFC debut. He believes Jackson will take Johns down to prove a point and then dominate on the feet. He warns that Johns tends to shell up and eat unnecessary punches, which could lead to a knockout against Jackson's power.

The MMA Guru picks Jackson, citing his clear stand-up advantage, ridiculous 4.5-inch reach advantage, and good power. He notes Jackson showed cardio in his last fight by going three rounds after trying to finish multiple times. He believes Jackson can avoid submissions and has great wrist control, as seen against Brian Kelleher.

Big Brady is confident in Gordon as an underdog, believing he is better everywhere: striking (harder hits, improved technique) and grappling (BJJ black belt, excellent scrambles). He thinks Gordon's 83% finish rate and hunger make him a live dog, and predicts a second-round submission. He notes Gordon's three KO losses but doesn't think Albazi has the power to exploit that.

Daniel Levi picks Amir Albazi, noting that he has been solid and his only losses are to top flyweights outside the UFC. He mentions that Gordon has a questionable chin but can scramble. He expects an exciting fight but leans toward the Swede.

The MMA Guru initially picks Albazi but then reverses, picking Gordon. He notes Gordon has a better record, more experience, and has beaten decent guys outside the UFC. He predicts Gordon gets a TKO finish.

Big Brady picks Tsarukyan but expresses concern about him taking down Ramos, who is dangerous on the ground. He thinks Tsarukyan is the better striker with more variety and will win a grinding decision by pinning Ramos against the cage and landing more strikes. He notes the line is too wide but still expects Tsarukyan to get the job done.

Daniel Levi picks Arman Tsarukyan, citing his youth and potential for improvement. He notes that Tsarukyan fought Islam Makhachev tough and has a high ceiling. He believes Tsarukyan will dictate the center of the cage and use relentless takedown attempts. He acknowledges Ramos's jiu-jitsu and power but thinks Tsarukyan's wrestling and pace will be too much, leading to a decision win.

The MMA Guru picks Tsarukyan, noting he has the jiu-jitsu level to avoid Ramos' submissions, as shown by Austin Hubbard surviving. He believes Tsarukyan has a striking advantage, natural size and reach advantages, and more experience despite being younger. He predicts Tsarukyan wins every round by decision, 30-27.

Big Brady is confident in Spivac despite acknowledging he's not great. He notes Spivac's submission skills (60% of wins by submission) and believes Felipe's layoff (3 years, steroid suspension) and poor gas tank will be decisive. He predicts Spivac will take Felipe down and win a grinding decision.

Daniel Levi picks Carlos Felipe to win by first-round knockout. He notes that Felipe is an unknown quantity with power, and that Spivak has looked slow and been taken down in recent fights. He thinks Felipe might come out and bomb on Spivak early. He is curious about Felipe's ground game but believes the power advantage could end the fight quickly.

The MMA Guru picks Spivac because he is the bigger guy with better experience, having faced tougher competition like Walt Harris and Tybura. He notes Felipe hasn't fought anyone of Spivac's level and rates Spivac's losses higher than Felipe's wins. He also mentions Spivac has grappling to fall back on and is slightly better on the feet.