Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani

Angelo picks Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani, arguing that despite Phil Rowe's technical striking and experience, Rowe is hesitant and has poor takedown defense. He believes Jean-Paul's forward pressure, wrestling, and ability to get the fight to the ground will secure the win.

Big Brady picks Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani to defeat Philip Rowe, citing Rowe's poor minute-winning and takedown defense. He notes Rowe loses the first round and a half of every fight and has never won a decision. He believes Lebosnoyani is a well-rounded prospect who won't slow down, and predicts a decision win. He acknowledges Lebosnoyani has been knocked out twice but thinks his skill advantage is clear.

Cody thinks Rowe's reach and experience will be key. He notes Lebosnoyani's durability issues and poor cardio. He expects Rowe to win by KO in the later rounds, possibly as a live bet.

Connor picks Rowe, noting that Lebosnoyani's aggressive guard and submission threats are a throwback and not part of a modern MMA game. Rowe is rangier and will win at range. Connor also points out that Lebosnoyani's losses include Spike Carlisle, indicating he's not ready for this level.

The host heavily leans towards Lebosnoyani, citing his legitimate knockout power and dynamic striking against Rowe, who is slow, easy to hit, and has poor takedown defense. He believes Lebosnoyani will likely land the harder shots and knock Rowe out. However, he cannot bet Lebosnoyani at -205 because he is making his UFC debut on short notice, which adds uncertainty.

James leans toward Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani via decision, citing his grappling upside and movement. He notes that Philip Rowe is on a downward trajectory and that Lebosnoyani's in-and-out striking could pose problems. However, James admits he hasn't done full tape study and may change his pick.

Lebosnoyani is a black belt in BJJ with improving striking, and he should be able to crowd Rowe's range and take him down. Rowe struggles with grappling and has poor takedown defense, as seen in recent losses. Lebosnoyani's superior BJJ and cardio should allow him to control the fight and eventually find a submission. The chalk is justified here.

Paul agrees, citing Rowe's BJJ black belt and power. He thinks Lebosnoyani's grappling isn't enough to take Rowe down and that Rowe's reach will be a problem. He expects Rowe to win by decision or late KO.

The MMA Guru picks Philip Rowe as a slight underdog, feeling that the matchup favors Rowe's patience and composure. He notes that Lebosnoyani is a first round TKO merchant who hasn't faced great opponents, and if he doesn't finish Rowe early, he may crumble. Rowe has shown durability and the ability to come back in later rounds.