UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Ige

Big Brady picks Calvin Kattar to win, noting that the five-round fight favors Kattar's superior cardio. He believes Dan Ige will struggle to get takedowns due to Kattar's 77% takedown defense, and that Ige's cardio is questionable even in three-round fights. He predicts a finish in the fourth or fifth round, calling Kattar the 'Boston Finisher' and referencing his nasty elbow in his last fight.

Daniel Levi picks Calvin Kattar to finish Dan Ige, citing Kattar's best hands in the division and his ability to maintain pressure over five rounds. He believes Ige may have early success but Kattar will take over and knock him out, possibly earning a title shot.

The Guru picks Calvin Kattar, highlighting his impressive wins over Jeremy Stephens, Josh Emmett, Shane Burgos, and Ricardo Lamas. He believes Kattar's jab and power will be key, and that Dan Ige lacks the power to knock him out. He predicts Kattar may lose the first round due to Ige's volume but will adjust and land a big shot for a TKO in round 2. He also notes Ige's underrated grappling but thinks Kattar's takedown defense is solid.

Big Brady picks Tim Elliott but is hesitant due to Elliott's gas tank issues. He believes Elliott can get takedowns and dominate early rounds, but worries about him gassing out in the third. He notes Elliott has never been knocked out, which neutralizes Benoit's path to victory. He predicts a decision win for Elliott but says he can't bet on it because of the cardio concerns.

Daniel Levi picks Ryan Benoit, noting his power and improved wrestling defense. He believes Elliott's chin is declining and that Benoit will knock him out late second or early third round, even if Elliott gets takedowns early.

The Guru dismisses both fighters as 'trash' but picks Tim Elliott due to his activity and recent Fight of the Night bonus. He notes Ryan Benoit has a 10-6 record and is not at Elliott's level. Elliott has been more active and should get a submission win.

Big Brady picks Jimmie Rivera, believing he is the better striker and faster fighter. He thinks Rivera's 95% takedown defense will neutralize Stamann's wrestling, and that Rivera will land more and harder strikes. He predicts a decision win, noting neither fighter is a finisher, and suggests betting on Rivera by decision or the fight going to decision.

Daniel Levi picks Cody Stamann as a live underdog, citing his versatility, fight IQ, and ability to fight in multiple stances. He believes Rivera has an old-school style and hasn't evolved, while Stamann can outpoint and outwork him, possibly even knocking him down.

The Guru picks Jimmie Rivera, noting his losses are to elite fighters (Petr Yan, Aljamain Sterling, Marlon Moraes) while his wins include John Dodson, Thomas Almeida, and Urijah Faber. He believes Rivera's takedown defense and reach advantage will be key. Cody Stamann's best win is over Song Yadong, but that win has lost value. Rivera is a level above and should win by decision.

Big Brady picks Molly McCann, believing she can take Santos down and control the fight on the ground. He notes McCann absorbs too many strikes but thinks Santos can be taken down and that McCann's ground game will be decisive. He predicts a decision win, as McCann is not a knockout threat and Santos has only lost by decision.

Daniel Levi picks Molly McCann, calling Santos a potential fraud with a padded record. He highlights McCann's improved boxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, and intensity, and believes she will dominate on the feet and on the mat, possibly by submission or ground-and-pound.

The Guru initially criticizes Taila Santos's record as extremely padded, then briefly retracts, then reaffirms it's padded. He picks Molly McCann based on her scrappy style and better competition (wins over Cori Lipski, Priscila Cachoeira). He also uses a 'food chain' argument: Mara Romero Barela beat Santos by split decision, and McCann is at a similar level. He believes McCann's toughness will carry her.

Big Brady picks Abdul Razak Alhassan, citing his insane power and 100% knockout rate. He notes that Lazzez gets hit too much, which is a recipe for disaster against a power puncher like Alhassan. He predicts a first-round knockout, calling it an easy pick and suggesting it could be parlayable.

Daniel Levi picks Abdul Razak Alhassan by first-round knockout, citing his best knockout power in the welterweight division. He notes that even with a missed weight and potential cardio issues, Alhassan's power is always there and he expects a violent finish.

The Guru picks Abdul Razak Alhassan, who is returning after a long layoff due to legal issues (proven innocent). He believes Alhassan will have pent-up rage and take it out on Mounir Lazzez. Alhassan has better wins (Niko Price, Abubakar Nurmagomedov) and KO power, while Lazzez's best opponents are not at that level. The Guru predicts a first-round KO.

Big Brady picks Khamzat Chimaev, calling him 'the real deal' with great ground game and power. He notes John Phillips has a 100% finish rate but has lost by submission four times, and Chimaev will take him down and submit him. He predicts a first-round submission, though he acknowledges Phillips has a puncher's chance.

Daniel Levi picks Khamzat Chimaev, noting his wrestling ability to take Phillips down and avoid Phillips' first-round knockout power. He believes Chimaev is smart enough to not stand and bang, and will win by decision or submission.

The Guru picks Khamzat Chimaev despite the short notice and weight class change (welterweight moving to middleweight). He notes Chimaev has fought decent opponents and has KO power, while John Phillips is inconsistent and was embarrassed in his last fight against Jack Marshman. Chimaev is younger, bigger, and rangier, and the Guru expects a first-round KO due to Chimaev's speed and flurries.

Big Brady picks Ricardo Ramos, believing he can get Murphy to the ground and submit him. He notes Ramos is a BJJ black belt with improved striking, while Murphy is the better striker but has decent takedown defense. He predicts a first-round submission, saying if Murphy stuffs takedowns it could be different, but he leans Ramos.

Daniel Levi picks Ricardo Ramos, citing his ability to overcome adversity and his jiu-jitsu. He believes Ramos will get Murphy down, take his back, and potentially finish by submission. He respects Murphy's composure but doubts his grappling ability.

The Guru favors Ricardo Ramos due to his versatility and experience at featherweight. He notes that Ramos moved up from bantamweight and beat Luis Eduardo Garagorri in his featherweight debut. Lerone Murphy had a close draw with Zubaira Tukhugov, but the Guru thought Tukhugov won. Ramos has more ways to win, and the Guru predicts a submission (rear-naked choke) in the second round.

Big Brady picks Modestas Bukauskas but is not confident. He notes Michailidis is coming up a weight class on short notice, which is a big disadvantage. He thinks Michailidis is the more talented fighter and dangerous early, but his cardio is poor. He predicts Bukauskas will weather the storm and finish in the third round.

Daniel Levi picks Modestas Bukauskas, noting his karate style and ability to pop back up from takedowns. He believes Andreas Michailidis goes super hard in the first round but fades, and that Bukauskas will come back to knock him out in the second or third round.

The Guru picks Andreas Michailidis based on his slightly better competition and experience. He notes that Modestas Bukauskas has lost to some questionable opponents (one with a 5-11 record). Michailidis is older, similar size, and a scrapper. The Guru believes Michailidis gets the job done due to more seasoned opposition.

Big Brady picks Chris Fishgold as an underdog, citing Jared Gordon's questionable chin and Fishgold's dangerous ground game. He thinks Fishgold can get takedowns and control on the mat, possibly even submitting Gordon. He predicts a decision win, with Fishgold winning the first two rounds and Gordon taking the third. He says he probably won't bet it but finds the odds tempting.

Daniel Levi leans Jared Gordon to take over in the second half of the fight, citing Fishgold's lack of composure and padded record. He notes Gordon's chin is a liability but believes Gordon is the smarter, more consistent fighter if the fight settles down, and that Fishgold is first-round-or-bust.

The Guru initially confused Jared Gordon with someone else but after remembering Gordon's recent KO losses (three in four fights), he switched to Chris Fishgold. He notes Fishgold was a monster before entering the UFC with a 16-1 record, and despite recent losses, he is still young (28) and has many first-round finishes. The Guru believes Fishgold will crack Gordon's weak chin and get a first-round finish, either by submission or punches.

Big Brady picks Liana Jojua as an underdog, noting Belbiţă is the better striker but has poor takedown defense. He thinks Jojua can take the fight to the ground where she is dangerous with submissions. He predicts an ugly decision or submission win for Jojua, calling it likely the worst fight on the card.

Daniel Levi picks Diana Belbiţă, calling her the tougher fighter and noting that Liana Jojua has not impressed, pulling stunts in her last fight. He acknowledges Belbiţă has been submitted multiple times but believes she showed toughness against Molly McCann and can keep the fight standing to outpoint Jojua.

The Guru dismisses both fighters as terrible, but gives the edge to Diana Belbiţă due to her experience, size, and reach advantage. He criticizes Belbiţă's padded record but notes that Liana Jojua has not beaten anyone of note and lost to Sarah Moras. He ultimately picks Belbiţă because experience and physical attributes tend to matter in low-level matchups.

Big Brady picks Jack Shore, calling him a beast and very high on him. He believes Shore can take Phillips down easily and dominate on the ground. He predicts a third-round submission, as Phillips has never been finished but hasn't faced anyone like Shore. He says Shore will be a known name soon.

Daniel Levi picks Jack Shore by submission, noting that Shore is a Welsh phenom who doesn't waste time and knows his strengths. He believes Shore will take the fight to the ground and finish quickly, as Aaron Phillips has historically struggled to stuff takedowns.

Jack Shore is a highly touted prospect with a 12-0 amateur record and 12-0 pro record, showing elite grappling and submission skills. He completely dominated his UFC debut against Nohelin Hernandez, landing few strikes but securing a submission in the third round. His opponent Aaron Phillips is a short-notice replacement who has lost both of his previous UFC fights. The Guru expects Shore to get an easy submission in the first two rounds, likely a rear-naked choke.