Jose Delgado

Angelo picks Jose Delgado, praising his footwork, tight guard, and ability to stay at range. He acknowledges Robert Ruchała's pressure and toughness but believes Delgado's superior technique and movement will allow him to avoid trouble and win. He notes the odds are -400 and that it could get weird if Ruchała's pressure frustrates Delgado, but he is squarely on Delgado.

Big Brady picks Jose Delgado by decision. He praises Delgado as a great prospect with well-rounded skills, good striking, cardio, and takedown defense. He expects Delgado to stuff takedowns and out-strike Ruchała over 15 minutes, noting Ruchała is tough but outmatched.

Cody picks Delgado due to his high-volume, accurate striking and takedown defense. He expects Delgado to outwork Ruchała on the feet and win a decision, as Ruchała is tough but slower and lower volume.

The host finds the odds wide but is not interested in betting pre-fight. He notes Delgado is more technical on the feet but Ruchała is tough and mixes in grappling, which could cause problems. He sees it as a good live betting fight but not for pre-fight.

James confidently picks Jose Delgado, stating he is better everywhere and should dominate. He notes Delgado's composure, decision wins, and ability to read opponents, while Ruchała is limited outside of top position. He predicts a decision win but expects a beatdown in round three. He mentions Delgado's past fight where a corner stoppage didn't happen due to Contender Series rules.

The host believes Delgado's striking edge will be too much for Ruchała, who will struggle to get takedowns and will get countered. He expects Delgado to win by decision, as Ruchała is durable but outmatched on the feet. He likes the over 2.5 rounds as a betting spot instead of taking the heavy chalk on Delgado.

Paul picks Delgado, noting his accuracy and volume. He believes Delgado's footwork and striking will be too much for Ruchała, who is flat-footed and slower.

Angelo picks Jose Delgado, praising his spectacular striking and talent. He acknowledges Delgado's takedown defense issues but dismisses them because 'Las Vegas doesn't care about wrestling.' He notes that Andre Fili has been wrestling more lately but chooses not to warn viewers, implying that wrestling won't be scored heavily.

Big Brady picks Jose Delgado to win by first-round knockout. He loves Delgado's power and aggression, and criticizes Fili's chin and striking defense (51%). He believes Delgado will come forward with reckless abandon and knock Fili out early, calling it the best fight on the card.

Cody picks Delgado confidently, citing his knockout power and improved cardio. He notes Fili's path is wrestling, but Delgado's knees and takedown defense are deterrents. He expects Delgado to catch Fili eventually.

Connor picks Delgado, agreeing that Fili will get caught taking pictures. He notes Delgado's flow state striking and that Fili's defensive habits make him vulnerable to being timed.

James picks Rolando Delgado to win by first-round knockout. He believes Delgado's dynamic striking, speed, and power will be too much for the older Fili, who has been knocked out early in recent fights. He notes that if Delgado doesn't finish early, Fili can compete over three rounds, but his prediction is a round one stoppage.

The host picks Delgado to win by knockout, citing his power and speed. He believes Delgado's striking will be too much for Fili, who is inconsistent and aging. However, he is hesitant about the high price and would prefer a line closer to -185. He suggests looking at the KO prop if it offers value.

Paul agrees with Cody, noting Delgado's power and the old guard being replaced. He thinks Fili's wrestling path is possible but Delgado is working on it. He expects Delgado to win.

The Guru picks Jose Delgado, citing his finishing ability and size. He thinks Fili is finishable and may switch off in clinch exchanges, where Delgado can land elbows or knees. He predicts a nasty finish, noting Delgado's previous wins over Connor Matthews and Destroyer.

Angelo picks Nathaniel Wood as an underdog, emphasizing his superior experience and resume with wins over fighters like John Castañeda, Charles Jourdain, and Andre Fili. He believes Wood is faster, busier, and more tested than Jose Delgado, who has only been a finisher and hasn't faced adversity. Angelo placed a half-unit bet on Wood at plus 133 odds.

Big Brady picks Jose Delgado but with low confidence, calling it a 'minute winner vs moment winner' fight. He acknowledges Nathaniel Wood is more experienced and talented, with good striking, volume, and cardio. However, Wood is a small bantamweight moving up, has been hurt often, and Delgado has a 100% finish rate with significant power. Brady believes Delgado's power will eventually catch Wood's chin, predicting a second-round KO.

Cody picks Jose Delgado, citing his height and reach advantage and powerful knees up the middle. He notes that Wood is short for 145 and has been knocked out before, and Delgado's striking is dynamic. Cody believes Delgado will win by KO, possibly early.

Connor picks Delgado based on a gut feeling, noting his fluid striking, calmness under pressure, and natural finishing instinct. He acknowledges that Wood is more proven but believes Delgado's flow and confidence could overwhelm Wood, especially if Wood loses focus as he did against Sharaa. Connor also notes that Wood tends to get crushed in moments and that Delgado is dangerous.

Daniel Vreeland is high on Delgado's size, power, and finishing ability, and believes he is ready for this step up. He notes that Wood is smaller (former bantamweight), gets hurt often, and has mentioned retirement, which could affect his focus. He thinks Delgado's training at MMA Lab will help him handle Wood's leg kicks, and that Delgado's pressure and size will overwhelm Wood.

The host likes Wood in this spot, expecting him to thwart Delgado's power striking, be competitive on the feet, and use grappling opportunities to grind out a decision win.

Paul also picks Delgado, noting his training at MMA Lab and his dangerous knees. He believes Wood's chin may be compromised after moving up in weight, and Delgado's power will be too much. Paul suggests Delgado KO prop at plus 250 as a good bet.

The MMA Guru picks Jose Delgado by TKO in round two or late round one. He believes Delgado is a large featherweight with finishing ability, while Nathaniel Wood is small for the division and has been hurt in fights before. He notes that Wood often lets fights get too competitive and has been nearly finished by Charles Rosa and Andre Fili. He expects Delgado's knee up the middle and wild shots to catch Wood, and that Wood's clinch escapes won't work against a bigger opponent.

Angelo picks Hyder Amil because he believes Amil's durability and pace will be key against Jose Delgado, who is a dangerous finisher but untested in deep waters. He notes that Amil can take a beating and set a pace for 15 minutes, while Delgado may fade if he doesn't get an early finish. He thinks Amil's willingness to engage without hunting finishes will benefit him.

Big Brady is torn because he likes both fighters but leans toward Jose Delgado due to his youth, size, and well-roundedness. He notes Delgado is eight years younger, has a reach advantage, and can wrestle and submit opponents. Brady expects a war and thinks Delgado might mix in wrestling to get a submission. He picks Delgado by second-round submission, but acknowledges it could be a fight to just enjoy as a fan.

The host likes Amil's pressure and pace to negate Delgado's technical striking advantage, similar to Delgado's previous loss. He expects Amil to win on the scorecards via grappling pressure.

Angelo picks Jose Delgado, noting that Delgado is well-rounded with good power, control, and grappling. He thinks Delgado is slightly better than Connor Matthews, except maybe cardio. He expects Delgado to be the favorite and would bet him if he's an underdog. He notes that Matthews is 'just okay' while Delgado is 'okay plus five.'

Big Brady picks Delgado by second-round knockout, calling Matthews a walking punching bag who is not UFC caliber. Delgado is much more skilled and aggressive, though defensively irresponsible. Matthews may be tough but will take a beating; the fight could be hard to watch.

Connor picks Jose Delgado, agreeing with Zane that Matthews has no defensive instincts and a weak chin. He compares Matthews to Phil Hawes but with less technique and athleticism. Connor notes that Delgado is a violent fighter who will exploit Matthews' vulnerabilities, and that Matthews' only path to victory would be a lucky shot, which is unlikely given his lack of power and defense. He also criticizes the matchmaking, suggesting Matthews should not be in the UFC.

Delgado is the superior striker and overall mixed martial artist. Matthews' physicality and power will not translate. Delgado touches him up from distance even off his back foot and wins on the scorecards.

The MMA Guru picks Jose Delgado over Connor Matthews, trusting in Delgado's gym (MMA Lab) and its history of producing good fighters. He notes Matthews' loss to Dennis Buzukja and believes Delgado will be more well-rounded and cleaner on the feet, predicting a decision win.