Taila Santos

Angelo acknowledges Blanchfield's grappling and improved striking, but leans toward Santos because of her power, technical striking, and BJJ. He questions whether Blanchfield can get takedowns against Santos, and if she can't, Santos will light her up. He notes that Blanchfield is a surprising 2-to-1 favorite and thinks the fight should be closer to even money.

Big Brady is torn on this fight, acknowledging both fighters are championship caliber. He favors Blanchfield due to her youth, activity, and improvements, especially in striking. He questions Santos's mental toughness, citing her excuses after the Valentina fight and pulling out of this fight earlier. He expects a close fight and picks Blanchfield by decision, but with low confidence.

Cody picks Blanchfield due to her youth, improving skills, and superior cardio. He believes her wrestling and pressure will wear down Santos, who he sees as a step down from the elite. Cody expects a close decision or late submission.

Daniel picks Erin Blanchfield, praising her mean streak and relentless pressure. He notes that Santos is more physical and a better striker, but Blanchfield's grappling and cardio will take over in later rounds. He mentions that Blanchfield is a lifelong black belt and has a strong chin. He is confident she wins, though he thinks the price is accurate and not a value bet.

James picks Erin Blanchfield, citing her continuous improvement, will to win, and superior grappling chain. He believes she can get takedowns on Santos and dominate on the mat, potentially submitting her. He acknowledges Santos' size and power but thinks Blanchfield's pace and cardio will be decisive. He also notes Santos' inactivity and the emotional letdown from the title loss.

The host acknowledges Taila Santos' strength and performance against Valentina Shevchenko, but believes Blanchfield's technical grappling and top control will be the difference. He notes Blanchfield's dominant win over Jessica Andrade and her ability to pass guard and maintain top position. The host expects a grueling fight but picks Blanchfield by decision.

Paul sides with Blanchfield, noting her grappling advantage and potential to get takedowns. He acknowledges Santos' close fight with Shevchenko but thinks Blanchfield's youth and improvement give her the edge. Paul is not fully confident but leans Blanchfield.

Angelo picks Shevchenko confidently, acknowledging she is the best in the division. He notes Santos is dangerous and the toughest opponent Shevchenko has faced recently, but still believes Shevchenko wins. He mentions the odds are wide but doesn't recommend a bet due to the high price.

Big Brady picks Valentina Shevchenko to win by TKO, expressing high confidence. He notes that Santos' best wins are against lower-level competition and that she lost to Mara Romero Barela. He believes Shevchenko is superior everywhere and will break Santos down, finishing her mid-to-late in the fight.

Cody is confident in Shevchenko, citing her elite skills, wrestling advantage, and championship experience. He questions Santos' level of competition and output, noting she hasn't faced anyone near Shevchenko's caliber. He expects Shevchenko to win by decision.

Daniel Levi confidently picks Valentina Shevchenko, dismissing Taila Santos's chances due to her poor performance against Mara Romero Barella. He believes Shevchenko is in her prime and has never been dominated in any facet. He notes that Santos's best win is against Joanne Calderwood, who gets finished repeatedly, and that Santos's nerves against Barella indicate she cannot handle the pressure of fighting Shevchenko. He expects Shevchenko to impose her will and win decisively.

Shevchenko is the better fighter everywhere. Santos has not shown enough to suggest she can compete with Shevchenko's level. Santos struggled to finish lesser opponents and lost to Mara Romero Borella. Shevchenko has fought Amanda Nunes closely and is on another level. The line is too high to bet, but Shevchenko wins easily.

Paul is confident in Shevchenko, calling her the most skilled female fighter. He dismisses Santos' resume and believes Shevchenko's wrestling, striking, and cardio are superior. He expects a decision win for the champion.

Angelo picks Taila Santos, saying she is better than Joanne Wood everywhere. He notes Taila's power, athleticism, and willingness to mix in takedowns, while Wood is technical but less powerful. He expects Taila to cruise to a decision win, though Wood is tough and could make it competitive. He does not bet due to high DraftKings price (9200) and expects a decision.

Big Brady picks Taila Santos confidently, stating the line is accurate and could be wider. He highlights Santos' phenomenal wrestling and grappling, noting she controlled top grapplers like Jillian Robertson and Roxy Modafferi for long periods. He points out Joanne Wood's 63% takedown defense and age (35), and believes Santos will dominate with takedowns and control. He predicts a one-sided decision.

Cody picks Taila Santos but strongly dislikes the -380 price. He acknowledges Santos's wrestling and grinding style should neutralize Wood's Muay Thai, but he questions the level of competition Santos has faced. He notes that Wood has fought the division's best and has better striking volume. Cody believes Santos wins via grinding against the cage and takedowns, but he would not bet her straight up at that price; he might include her in parlays lower down.

Daniel Levi picks Taila Santos confidently, citing her recent improvements and physicality. He notes that Santos has been looking better each fight, with strong muay Thai and takedown ability. He questions Joanne Wood's mental state, suggesting she may not be fully committed after getting married. Levi believes Santos will be stronger, more physical, and hungrier, and that Wood has a history of being broken mentally.

Lock is high on Santos, noting she looked much better in her second UFC fight. He thinks Santos has a grappling advantage and will land takedowns consistently. He also mentions Wood's distractions (recent marriage, talk of retirement) and that she struggles off her back. Lock expects Santos to win by decision at -135.

Paul argues that if you think Santos will win, the price shouldn't scare you off. He believes Santos's wrestling and strength advantage will allow her to grind Wood against the cage and render her Muay Thai useless. He thinks Santos wins at least 6-7 out of 10 times, which justifies the -380 line. He criticizes the mentality of flipping a pick based on odds and sticks with Santos as the winner.

Angelo picks Santos, highlighting her athleticism, boxing, and fight IQ. He notes she can adjust game plans, as seen in her fight against Molly McCann where she took her down five times. Angelo believes Santos is better everywhere and will cruise to a decision, as Modafferi is tough to finish.

Big Brady picks Taila Santos to win by dominant decision. He emphasizes that Santos is a completely different fighter from her debut, having dominated Molly McCann and Gillian Robertson. He sees Santos as younger, stronger, and better everywhere, with no clear path to victory for Modafferi. He warns against betting on Modafferi based on Santos' first fight.

Cody leans towards Modafferi as a value play, noting her durability, grit, and history of cashing as an underdog. He acknowledges Santos' strength and crisp striking but questions her cardio and the wide price. He is hesitant due to Modafferi's age and torn meniscus.

Daniel Levi picks Taila Santos but is hesitant due to her previous performance against Mara Borella where she refused to throw. He notes that Santos should win dominantly but is concerned about her tendency to freeze, especially with fans returning. He respects Roxanne Modafferi's toughness and ability to upset, but believes Santos is the superior fighter. He advises against betting the -400 line.

Jacob picks Modafferi by submission, following her pattern of alternating wins and losses. He feels this is a fight where Modafferi shouldn't win but will find a way. He notes Santos lacks killer instinct and thinks a weird scramble could lead to a submission.

The host picks Taila Santos to win via decision. He believes Santos is a much better striker with improving takedown defense and get-up ability. He expects Santos to pick Modafferi apart from distance and pass her takedown defense test. He notes Modafferi's durability but thinks Santos is on the ascent while Modafferi is on the decline.

Paul does not have a clear pick. He finds Santos' price too high and is wary of Modafferi's injury and age. He considers Modafferi at plus money but is not confident. He will watch weigh-ins before deciding.

Big Brady picks Gillian Robertson over Taila Santos, emphasizing Robertson's relentless takedown game and BJJ black belt. He notes Santos' inconsistency (bad nerves in the Barella fight, but looked great against McCann). Brady believes if Robertson gets the fight to the mat, she will win by TKO or submission in round three. He also likes the 'fight doesn't go to decision' prop at +155.

The host picks Robertson, believing her grappling and submission threat will be decisive. He notes Santos is a better striker but expects Robertson to drag the fight to the ground and finish via submission or ground-and-pound. He likes the under 2.5 rounds prop.

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.