Dennis Buzukja

Angelo picks Márcio Barbosa in his UFC debut, impressed by his power, pressure, and striking. He notes that Dennis Buzukja is a credentialed wrestler but doesn't wrestle enough, and if Barbosa has decent takedown defense, he should win. He thinks Barbosa could even find a finish.

Big Brady is confident in Márcio Barbosa, praising his power and finishing ability. He notes Barbosa has 16 first-round KOs and compares him to Lerone Murphy. He criticizes Dennis Buzukja's hittability and sub-50% striking defense, predicting a first-round knockout.

Cody picks Dennis Buzukja as a live betting underdog. He notes that Barbosa is a one-round fighter with cardio issues and that Buzukja has improved during his time off. He suggests betting Buzukja live if he survives the first round.

Daniel is high on Barbosa's knockout power and believes Buzukja is hittable and lacks top-15 potential. He thinks Barbosa will finish Buzukja early, likely in the first round. He predicts a first-round knockout and a performance bonus.

Buzukja is a value underdog due to his cardio, toughness, and ability to survive early rounds. Barbosa relies on first-round power against lower-level opponents and may fade. Buzukja has faced tougher UFC competition and shown he can go the distance. Even though Barbosa is more likely to win, Buzukja has at least a 35-40% chance, making the odds favorable.

James picks Barbosa to win via round one knockout. He notes Barbosa's aggressive style and power, and that if he doesn't finish early, he tends to gas out. He expects Barbosa to overwhelm Buzukja quickly.

The host expects Barbosa to win by knockout in the first round, sticking to his trend of finishing guys early. He recommends the under 1.5 rounds instead of the chalk on Barbosa, as it covers the possibility of Buzukja countering and putting Barbosa out. He notes that Buzukja is a Muay Thai specialist who won't be intimidated, but Barbosa's power should prevail.

Angelo picks Danny Silva (note: transcript says Danny Silva but fight card says Francis Marshall vs Dennis Buzukja; likely a mix-up, but he refers to Dennis Buzukja as the opponent). He calls Silva a 'very low confidence pick' because Buzukja doesn't wrestle as much as he should. He notes that Silva is a solid striker with clean technique and movement, but gets hit a lot. He mentions that the AI on the website has a knack for picking underdogs and suggests checking it.

Cody picks Silva because of his high volume and wrestling ability. He notes that Buzukja is a generalist who isn't particularly good at anything and has poor cardio. He thinks Silva can outwork Buzukja on the feet or take him down. He also mentions that Silva's performance on Contender Series showed he can throw 200 significant strikes and mix in takedowns.

Daniel Vreeland picks Dennis Buzukja for the upset, citing Marshall taking the fight on short notice and Buzukja's better competition and volume. He admits both fighters are average and not confident, but thinks Buzukja can edge a decision if he keeps it standing.

Brevin picks Buzukja, citing his resilience after overcoming illness, his confidence after his last win, and his experience against tough competition like Sean Woodson. He believes Buzukja is back to his true form. JP disagrees, picking Silva by KO, noting Buzukja's two UFC losses to good competition and Silva's better striking. JP fades Brevin on this one.

Paul agrees with Cody, liking Silva's volume and ability to mix in wrestling. He thinks Silva is fairly priced at -240 and should win. He notes that Buzukja has looked poor in the UFC and doesn't have a clear path to victory.

Angelo leans Dennis Buzukja, praising his wrestling and striking. He notes Connor Matthews is durable and can snatch submissions in scrambles. He is hesitant because Buzukja has back-to-back UFC losses and hasn't proven himself yet. He holds off on betting.

Cody picks Matthews due to Buzukja's low confidence, poor recent performances, and lack of power. He thinks Matthews' wrestling and volume will be enough, though he acknowledges the fight is close and the crowd could influence judges.

Daniel Vreeland picks Connor Matthews, citing his better output and stats in the UFC. He notes Buzukja has low output and hasn't impressed, while Matthews has shown more volume and takedowns. He admits low confidence but thinks the dog has value.

Buzukja is more talented all-around with better experience. Matthews is physical but has a questionable gas tank and struggles if takedowns are stuffed. Buzukja can counter effectively and mix in wrestling to wear on Matthews. The minus 125-130 line is reasonable. Prediction: Buzukja by decision.

Paul tails Cody, citing Buzukja's struggles and Matthews' hunger. He notes Matthews' takedown numbers and believes he can outwork Buzukja, though he admits the fight is a toss-up.

Angelo leans Emmers despite acknowledging Buzukja's potential. He cites Emmers' finishing ability and power, but worries about Emmers' bad luck with judges. He plans to avoid betting on the moneyline and may bet on Buzukja's takedown props.

Big Brady picks Jamall Emmers by decision, but expresses low trust at the price. He believes Emmers is better everywhere except fight IQ and heart: better striker, better wrestler, better grappler. He notes Emmers has a history of losing fights he should win due to bad game plans. He thinks Buzukja's game plan of pushing opponents to the cage and attempting takedowns won't work against Emmers.

Cody picks Emmers, citing Buzukja's poor performances and lack of UFC-level skills. He notes Emmers' wrestling, size, and experience. He thinks Emmers will dominate wherever the fight goes and calls him a good parlay piece.

Emmers has all the skill set advantages over Buzukja except fight IQ. If he utilizes his grappling, it will be the path of least resistance. Expects Emmers to outwork Buzukja over 15 minutes and win by decision, but cautions about fight IQ. Notes the line has moved from -275 to -250 and believes it's generous for Emmers.

Paul picks Emmers, detailing Buzukja's struggles and management's careful matchmaking. He notes Emmers' wrestling and submission game, and thinks Buzukja's poor takedown defense and cardio will be exploited. He expects Emmers to win comfortably.

Cody picks Buzukja as an underdog, citing Woodson's poor takedown defense, questionable chin, and weight cut issues. He notes Buzukja's training at Longo/Weidman and his power. He believes Woodson is prime for an upset due to multiple opponent changes and potential fatigue.

Daniel Levi picks Sean Woodson, citing his size (6'2", 80-inch reach) and striking advantages. He notes that Woodson is a matchup problem for most featherweights and has sneaky submissions. Levi is not fully confident because the matchup was announced last minute and he hasn't done deep research. He acknowledges Buzukja's solid all-around game and wrestling potential, but leans toward Woodson's physical attributes.

James acknowledges Buzukja is on short notice and facing a tough stylistic matchup against Woodson's length. However, he doesn't rate Woodson highly, citing limited offense and a chin issue. He thinks Woodson will probably win but wouldn't bet him due to Buzukja's takedown threat. He picks Woodson on the moneyline but is not confident.

Woodson has durability questions after his last fight, and Buzukja's aggressive striking could give him problems. However, Buzukja had a tough weight cut, missing weight by half a pound, which is a big question mark. Despite that, I'm not a fan of Woodson anymore and think Buzukja can land big shots and win by decision.