Rani Yahya

Angelo is confident Victor Henry wins but refuses to touch the -500 line, calling it 'kick rocks.' He notes Rani Yahya looked old and slow in his last fight, getting knocked out, and that good things don't happen after that in MMA. He points out Henry has lost to a 40-year-old before (Raphael Assunção), making him unreliable at such short odds. He picks Henry but says if he were -150 he'd love it.

Cody picks Henry, calling him the best favorite on the card. He notes Yahya's one-dimensional BJJ and poor striking, and believes Henry's wrestling and grappling will neutralize Yahya. He expects a dominant decision or late finish.

Daniel notes Henry has never been finished in 29 fights and has a catch wrestling background. He thinks Henry's output and striking will overwhelm Yahya, who is 42 and relies on jiu-jitsu. He expects Henry to look like a -400 favorite and win comfortably.

Henry has good defensive grappling and should be able to keep the fight upright, using his movement and output to chip away at Yahya. Yahya is dangerous on the ground but Henry's takedown defense is high level. I expect Henry to win on the scorecards. The over 2.5 rounds is also a good prop.

Paul agrees, citing Yahya's age (40), inactivity, and lack of wrestling. He thinks Henry can mimic Ricky Simon's game plan of stuffing takedowns and landing strikes. He considers Henry a solid favorite despite the poor line.

Angelo picks Montel Jackson easily, stating he should defend every takedown from Yahya and light him up on the feet. He notes Yahya's low takedown accuracy (24%) and that he relies on opponents shooting takedowns to get to the ground. He recommends parlaying Jackson.

Big Brady picks Montel Jackson to win by first-round knockout. He notes that Jackson is the biggest favorite on the card and has a huge reach and size advantage over the 38-year-old Yahya. Jackson has a ton of knockdowns and Yahya has been dropped in recent fights. Brady believes Jackson will stuff takedowns, keep the fight on the feet, and knock Yahya down repeatedly until the fight is stopped. He sees this as a terrible matchup for Yahya.

Cody picks Montel Jackson, citing his massive reach and strength advantages. He notes Yahya is old (38), has poor wrestling and striking, and relies on flopping to his back to avoid damage. Cody believes Jackson can keep the fight standing and use his reach to pick Yahya apart, possibly getting a knockout. He mentions a prop on PrizePicks for under 1.5 takedowns for Jackson, as he expects Jackson to avoid grappling.

Connor picks Montel Jackson, believing he is improving despite himself and that his natural athleticism and size will be too much for Yahya. He notes that Jackson's ability to easily shut down takedowns, as seen against Ricky Simon, will be key. However, he acknowledges that Jackson tends to make fights more competitive than needed and that Yahya is a dedicated grappler who can take a mile if given an inch.

Montel Jackson has significant speed and power advantages, and his kicks can keep Yahya at distance. Yahya is a jiu-jitsu specialist who struggles to get takedowns and has poor cardio. Jackson should be able to pick him apart and eventually land a knockout. However, Jackson has lacked killer instinct and has been taken down by grapplers before. If Yahya gets a hold of him, he could grind out a win. Jackson by knockout in the second round is the pick, but with low confidence.

Paul also picks Jackson, agreeing with Cody's assessment. He adds that Yahya's Jiu-Jitsu is good but his wrestling is bad, and Jackson has good takedown defense. Paul notes that judges now favor damage, so even if Yahya gets takedowns, Jackson's striking should win rounds. He expects Jackson to win, possibly by knockout.

The MMA Guru calls this the lock of the card, stating there is no chance Rani Yahya wins. He highlights Montel Jackson's wicked striking and improving skills, and his ability to stuff takedowns with good wrist control. He notes Yahya's age, injuries, and inability to get the fight to the ground. He predicts a KO in the first or second round.

Angelo picks Rani Yahya but calls it razor thin. He notes Yahya's relentless takedown attempts and superior grappling should be the difference, but Kang is the better striker and could keep it standing. He is concerned about Yahya's age (36) but says it's not as old as he thought. He expects Yahya to smother Kang with wrestling.

Big Brady picks Kyung Ho Kang to win by decision. He notes that Kang is the more well-rounded fighter, younger, and has better cardio. He believes Kang's 71% takedown defense and good grappling will keep him safe from Rani Yahya's submissions. He sees Kang having multiple paths to victory, including out-striking Yahya or using his own takedowns. He predicts a clear decision win.

Cody picks Kang but with low confidence. He notes that Kang often goes to split decisions and judges don't always favor his style. However, he believes Kang has the physical strength, judo, and grappling to implement a game plan similar to Ricky Simone's: box, defend the guard pull, pass, land a few strikes, and back out. He thinks Yahya is limited, with poor cardio and a one-dimensional guard-pulling game. Cody is not sold on Yahya's striking or wrestling improvements.

Daniel Levi picks Kyung Ho Kang, citing his well-rounded skills and better cardio. He notes that Kang has never been submitted in the UFC and can scramble well. He points out that Rani Yahya tends to gas out after seven minutes, shooting from a mile out, and that Kang can take advantage of that. Levi believes Kang has more weapons and less damage in his career, making him the pick.

Lock leans Kang but is not confident. He notes Kang has a height, reach, and youth advantage, and that Yahya gasses out. However, Kang has been off for two years and Yahya is dangerous on the ground. Lock thinks Kang by decision is the most likely outcome, but also likes a round three sprinkle because Yahya fades.

Paul agrees with Cody, noting that Yahya has looked a bit sharper recently but is still a guard puller with terrible cardio. He thinks Kang's path to victory is sprawling and brawling, and that Yahya will likely flop to his back in round three. Paul is not confident because Yahya is crafty and has burned tickets before, but he leans Kang due to Yahya's limitations.

Big Brady picks Rani Yahya, emphasizing his superior wrestling and grappling. He notes that Rodriguez gets taken down in every fight and has been submitted multiple times, including by Chris Gutierrez. He expects Yahya to get the fight to the mat and finish via submission in the first round. He acknowledges the line might be wide but believes Yahya should win.

Daniel Levi picks Rani Yahya via submission, believing Yahya's grappling will be too much for Ray Rodriguez. He notes Yahya's early submission series is dangerous, but if Rodriguez survives the first round and a half, Yahya may gas out. He suggests live betting on Rodriguez if the fight goes past seven minutes. He acknowledges Yahya's history of losing to wrestlers but thinks Rodriguez lacks the grappling to avoid a submission.

Lock thinks Yahya might be worth the chalk despite the wide line, because Rodriguez 'does not look good.' He believes Yahya could snatch a quick submission. However, he hasn't run tape yet and wants to confirm. He's leaning towards Yahya but not fully committed.

Daniel is confident in Barzola, citing his wrestling advantage and size at bantamweight. He thinks Barzola's wrestling defense will hold up and that he can take Yahya down or keep it standing. He predicts a decision win, possibly a finish.