Glover Teixeira

Big Brady picks the 43-year-old Teixeira despite age concerns, noting he has been counted out before and keeps winning. He highlights Teixeira's durability, having not been knocked out since 2017, and his excellent grappling and ground and pound. He questions Hill's takedown defense, as he was taken down six times by Thiago Santos. He thinks Teixeira can get takedowns and finish, but has low confidence due to Hill's power. He predicts a finish.

Cody picks Jamahal Hill but admits he is not super confident. He thinks Hill is one of the best strikers in the division with power and calmness, and believes Hill will clip Glover in the later rounds after giving up early rounds. He acknowledges Glover's massive grappling advantage and Hill's poor takedown defense, but thinks Hill's youth and striking will prevail. He suggests live betting Glover after losing early rounds.

Connor picks Jamahal Hill, citing youth, power, and the likelihood that Glover gets hurt and finished early. He compares it to the Anthony Johnson loss where Glover was iced in 13 seconds. Connor admits Glover is better everywhere but feels Hill's speed and one-two power could end it quickly. He acknowledges that if the fight goes past one round, Glover likely wins.

Paul picks Glover Teixeira but is very cautious, admitting bias because he loves Glover. He notes Glover's massive grappling advantage and great wrestling, but acknowledges he is long in the tooth and gives up speed. He sees arguments for both sides and is not betting pre-fight, but might bet live if things go well. He thinks Glover can win via grappling and top control.

The Guru picks Teixeira as an underdog. He rewatched Hill vs Santos and noted Santos took Hill down six times, and Hill gave up bad positions. Teixeira's grappling is superior, and he stayed in shape after a December fight was canceled. The Guru criticizes Hill's physique, saying he had a 'huge belly' in fight announcement videos. He predicts Teixeira will find a rear-naked choke in the second or third round, or possibly after rocking Hill on the feet.

Angelo picks Glover, admitting bias but also providing objective reasoning. He notes Glover has multiple paths to victory (KO, submission, decision) while Jiri only has KO. He highlights Glover's takedown ability and Jiri's poor takedown defense. He believes Glover's chin will hold up and he can weather Jiri's early storm.

Big Brady picks Jiří Procházka to win by first-round knockout. He notes that Procházka has a significant advantage in striking power and reach, while Teixeira's chin is questionable at 42 years old. Although Teixeira has a path to victory via takedowns and ground control, Brady believes Procházka's unorthodox style and power will be too much.

Cody is torn on this fight. He acknowledges Glover's grappling and submission threat, but thinks Procházka's dynamic striking and youth will be too much. He notes Procházka's takedown defense is an unknown but expects improvements. He leans Procházka by KO, but plans to hedge with Glover if needed.

Daniel Levi picks Jiří Procházka but is very hesitant. He acknowledges the value on Glover Teixeira at plus money and admits he has been wrong on Glover many times before. He worries about Procházka's defensive liabilities and small UFC sample size, but ultimately leans on Procházka's unique style, speed, and finishing ability. He also mentions jet lag favoring Procházka since the Czech Republic is closer to Singapore than the US.

Procházka has dynamic striking and power, and Glover's head movement is poor. Glover's path is grappling, but Procházka's length and movement make it hard to take him down. Glover has been knocked out by rangy strikers before. I see Procházka winning by knockout, likely in the first two rounds. The under 2.5 rounds is a strong play.

Paul leans Glover by submission, citing Glover's superior grappling and top control. He questions Procházka's ground game and believes Glover will get a takedown and submit him. He notes Glover's chin issues but thinks his experience and BJJ will prevail.

Big Brady picks Jan Błachowicz to win by knockout. He believes Jan is the better striker and will hurt Glover, who is chinny at 42. Glover's path is takedowns, but Jan has excellent takedown defense (only taken down once in last 10 fights). He expects Jan to be calculated and not rush in, eventually knocking Glover out. He references Jan's performance against Adesanya.

Cody agrees Jan wins but disagrees on finish, thinking Jan is more of a decision fighter. He notes Jan's solid takedown defense, BJJ black belt, and cardio. He picks Jan but sees the fight going over 2.5 rounds, possibly a decision. He mentions Jan by decision is +300 but he's not confident in a finish.

Daniel picks Jan Błachowicz to defend his title, citing Jan's improved accuracy, timing, and ability to mix strikes and takedowns. He notes Jan's career turnaround and his wins over top competition like Dominick Reyes and Israel Adesanya. Daniel acknowledges Glover's dangerous ground game and toughness but believes Jan's composure and polish power will lead to a knockout. He emphasizes that Jan is a black belt and won't panic if Glover gets top position.

Błachowicz has Polish power and solid cardio, and he can stuff takedowns. Teixeira is slow and has been hurt in recent fights, relying on takedowns to bail him out. Błachowicz will find a knockout on the feet, likely in the first round.

Paul picks Jan Błachowicz by knockout, citing Jan's 'Polish power' and Glover's compromised chin. He notes Glover has been stunned in recent fights and thinks over five rounds Jan will crack that chin. He mentions the bet is a small play at +100 by KO, not a massive one.

Big Brady picks Teixeira as an underdog, citing Santos' injury layoff and questionable losses. He thinks Teixeira has more paths to victory, including takedowns and submissions. He notes Teixeira's recent form and improved conditioning.

Daniel Levi leans toward Glover Teixeira as a betting pick, despite acknowledging Thiago Santos should be the favorite. He believes Teixeira's ground game is a huge edge; if he gets Santos down, the fight is likely over via submission. Levi notes that Santos is explosive and powerful on the feet, and Teixeira has been wobbled before, but he thinks Teixeira can take him down and submit him. He calls it a 'dog or pass' situation and picks Teixeira at plus money.

The host is very confident in Glover Teixeira at plus money, citing Thiago Santos coming off a severe ACL injury and a 16-month layoff. He believes Glover's durability, top pressure, and jiu-jitsu will be too much, especially in a five-round fight where Glover can drown Santos. He notes that Santos is not a one-punch knockout artist and that Glover has only been finished once in 3.5 years. He plans to wait for a better line, expecting it to reach +200.

Big Brady picks Anthony Smith, citing Smith's improved BJJ and cardio advantage. He believes Smith can survive takedowns and submissions from Teixeira, tire him out, and finish him in the later rounds (third or fourth). He notes Teixeira hasn't had a knockout since 2015-2016 and that Smith has not been knocked out since moving to 205. He plans to parlay Smith.

Daniel Levi picks Anthony Smith, noting that Smith is a dangerous finisher with length and a comeback ability, especially in five-round fights. He mentions that Smith can be losing but land a big knee or choke, and that Glover is older and smaller. However, he hesitates because Smith is a favorite and he prefers him as an underdog, but ultimately leans Smith catching a finish.