Julia Polastri

Angelo picks Talita Alencar as the underdog, reasoning that the gap on the ground is very wide and if Alencar can get the fight to the ground, she wins. He acknowledges that Alencar's takedowns are not very good, but notes that Julia Polastri's takedown defense is also poor. He compares the two weaknesses to 'expired milk versus a baby diaper left out in the sun' and chooses the expired milk (Alencar). He mentions Alencar is live for a submission but could get beaten badly if she can't get it to the ground.

Big Brady picks Julia Polastri over Talita Alencar. He questions Alencar's competition, noting her wins came against fighters with poor takedown defense. He believes Polastri will be tougher to take down and has better cardio and clinch work. He predicts Polastri will break Alencar and finish her in the second or third round.

Connor picks Polastri as well, citing her ability to rally and finish fights. He notes that Alencar has a solid takedown game but gasses out, while Polastri gets stronger as the fight goes on. Connor also mentions that Polastri is only 28 and should be hitting her prime, making her a good pick.

The host acknowledges this is a tricky fight due to extreme stylistic advantages: Polastri is a striker with terrible takedown defense and ground game, while Alencar is a grappler with no striking and bad cardio. He says the better bet is Alencar because of the risk-to-reward ratio, but he wouldn't personally bet either pre-fight. He prefers live betting and mentions betting Alencar +3.5 rounds.

James picks Polastri, expecting her to survive early takedowns and come back with a third-round finish as Alencar gasses. He notes Polastri's history of late finishes and Alencar's cardio issues.

Polastri is a Muay Thai specialist with good takedown defense and volume striking. She should be able to stick and move, avoid Alencar's grappling, and land significant damage. Alencar's wild striking and shaky gas tank will be exposed as Polastri picks her apart and eventually gets a TKO in the second or third round.

Angelo leans towards Julia Polastri, citing her better striking, speed, and cleaner technique. He notes Karolina is too old and slowing down. However, he does not trust Julia enough at the current odds and prefers the over 2.5 rounds prop instead of the moneyline.

Big Brady picks Julia Polastri, citing her youth (27 vs 39), and being better everywhere: striking, wrestling, and grappling. He expects Polastri to come forward landing bigger shots and win a decision in Brazil. He acknowledges Karolina is tough and has decent volume, but believes Polastri's advantages are clear.

Cody picks Polastri but is not confident, noting Kowalkiewicz's experience and potential to make it close. He believes Polastri's youth and speed will be key, but expects a decision that could go either way. He suggests Polastri by decision.

Lucrative James is very confident in Julia Polastri, citing Karolina Kowalkiewicz's age (turning 40) and lack of improvement. He believes Polastri is the better striker and grappler, and expects her to dominate. He notes that Kowalkiewicz is a striker and won't be able to wrestle effectively. He sees a finish as likely, pointing to Polastri's submission skills and the poor odds on the under 2.5 rounds (+334) and KO (+900) as value. He picks Polastri confidently.

Manpreet is confident in Polastri, citing her youth, speed, and well-rounded game. He expects her to mix takedowns with striking and win a clear decision, as Kowalkiewicz is past her prime and on a losing streak. He doesn't mind the chalky odds.

Paul picks Polastri but is hesitant, calling it close to a 'CF dot model.' He notes Kowalkiewicz's age and 0-4 record against Brazilians, but expects a competitive decision. He suggests Polastri by decision.

Connor picks Godinez but is hesitant, noting that Polastri is a powerful bully who could pressure Godinez into hesitation. He thinks Godinez needs to be the aggressor and use her wrestling to control the fight. He compares her to Sam Hughes in needing consistency and determination.

Angelo picks Cory McKenna, admitting bias toward her aggressive style. He notes that McKenna's decision-making is a concern, but in this matchup she doesn't need perfect decisions. He believes if she stays aggressive with busy striking and takedowns, she can win. He plans to bet on McKenna via plus 3.5 rather than moneyline, as he thinks she can win at least one round.

Big Brady picks Julia Polastri by decision, but is hesitant due to the fight likely going to the judges. He was impressed with Polastri's takedowns and ground success against Josephine Knutsson, though her striking looked poor in that fight. He criticizes Cory McKenna's fight IQ and trustworthiness, recalling her refusal to take down Elise Reed and getting submitted by Jacqueline Amorim. He believes Polastri is the better striker with improving takedown defense, but expects a close decision that could go either way.

Connor agrees with Zane, noting that Polastri is not very good and McKenna should be able to win if she fights patiently. He points out that McKenna has short arms and struggles with range, but Polastri's lack of athleticism makes her beatable. Connor is cautious because McKenna has made poor decisions in the past.

This fight was not discussed in the transcript. No picks were made.

Daniel believes Polastri has a mean streak and can strike with McKenna, who he views as not a threat on the feet. He thinks McKenna's only path is takedowns, but Polastri can stuff them and win on the feet. Daniel is confident Polastri will stuff takedowns and bust up McKenna.

Polastri has improved since dropping to 115 lbs, fighting women closer to her size. She should stop McKenna's grappling attempts and batter her on the feet, possibly having grappling success of her own. Polastri will land the more damaging blows and win on the scorecards.

The MMA Guru hesitantly picks Cory McKenna, primarily because she has a full training camp while Julia Polastri took the fight on short notice. He acknowledges Polastri could pull off the win but favors the full camp advantage. He notes that McKenna's grappling should be the difference, though he hasn't been impressed by her in moments.

This fight was not discussed in the transcript. No picks were made.

Angelo picks Josephine at high confidence, citing her well-rounded game and ability to mix in takedowns. He acknowledges Julia is the more dangerous striker with more power, but believes Josephine will wrestle more if needed. He also mentions he has a bet on Julia by win inside the distance (decision no action) as a hedge, because Josephine is unlikely to finish and Julia could finish.

Cody picks Josefine Knutsson, highlighting her Muay Thai, clinch work, and physical strength. He notes that she has good takedown defense and has been working on her wrestling. Cody believes she can control the fight in the clinch and on the feet, and win a decision. He is confident in her ability to outwork Polastri.

Daniel Vreeland picks Josefine Lindgren Knutsson, citing her technical striking and clinch work. He believes she can outpoint Julia Polastri at range and neutralize her in the clinch. He acknowledges Polastri's chance if she makes it a brawl but thinks Knutsson will pick her apart.

Jacob picks Julia as his lock of the week, though not super confident. He describes Julia as a tough fighter who absorbs damage and returns it with more power, comparing her to vibranium. He thinks Julia will walk forward, eat shots, and eventually overwhelm Josephine with pressure and power. He expects a close decision and notes that Julia's takedown defense and ability to get back up are key.

Knutsson's aggressiveness and physicality will be the difference, allowing her to dictate the pace, put Polastri in bad positions, grind her out, and win a decision.

Paul picks Knutsson but is hesitant, noting that he is not confident in her ability to get takedowns early. He thinks the fight could be competitive and that Polastri has experience against tough opponents. Paul prefers to avoid betting this fight.