Melissa Gatto

Angelo picks Dione Barbosa, citing her superior takedown ability as a judoka. He notes that Melissa Gatto has poor takedowns and that Barbosa can close the distance, take her down, and control on top. He worries about potential judging bias similar to Barbosa's last loss but believes Barbosa will win a close decision.

Big Brady picks Melissa Gatto as a slight underdog. He notes Barbosa has power and can get takedowns early, but fades as the fight goes on. He likes Gatto's cardio, volume, and kicks, and expects her to take over in later rounds. He predicts a close decision win for Gatto.

Cody picks Gatto, citing her youth, improved skills, and ability to scramble and strike. He expects her to win a decision, as Barbosa's grappling-heavy style may not score well.

Connor leans toward Barbosa, agreeing that she is more disciplined. He notes that Gatto's footwork is worse and she tends to collapse when pressured, leading her to wrestle. Barbosa is as big as Gatto and a better grappler, which should neutralize Gatto's advantages.

James leans toward Melissa Gatto as the underdog, citing her striking kicks and cardio advantage, while noting Barbosa's tendency to tire. He admits he hasn't done tape study and is unsure about the grappling dynamics. He predicts a decision win for Gatto but emphasizes low confidence and the need for further analysis.

The host picks Gatto as a dog, citing her damage-based striking and grappling advantage. He notes Barbosa's recent loss where control wasn't enough, and trusts Gatto's volume and damage to win on the scorecards despite a two-year layoff. He sees a good stylistic matchup for Gatto.

Paul leans towards Gatto, noting her two-year layoff may have helped her improve. He expects her to win a close decision due to her striking and scrambling.

The MMA Guru picks Dione Barbosa but seems hesitant, acknowledging that her win over Diana Belbita isn't impressive. He notes that Melissa Gatto has a body kick KO win but lost to Tracy Cortez. He thinks Barbosa is slightly more well-rounded but doesn't sound fully convinced.

Angelo is shocked that Melissa Gatto is the biggest favorite on the card at -820 despite being on a two-fight losing streak, moving up in weight, and having poor takedown accuracy (0 for 7 in her last fight). He believes Tamires Vidal is big, strong, and has a grappling advantage. He plans to bet on Vidal, watching the line movement to decide when to place the bet.

Cody views this as a clear bounceback fight for Gatto, who has lost two close decisions to top competition. He notes Vidal has massive limitations in every area: poor footwork, no head movement, low volume, and no power. Gatto is stronger, more technical, and a better wrestler. Cody believes Gatto will dominate on the ground and get back in the win column.

Vidal is reckless with wide hooks and was out-grinded in her last fight. Gatto is the toughest opponent Vidal has faced and should provide a ton of resistance. Expects Gatto to pressure Vidal, use the clinch, take her down, and eventually find a finish. The line should be closer to -400 or -500.

Paul sees Gatto as much more powerful and technical than Vidal. He notes Vidal's only UFC win came via flying knee against a low-level opponent, and she was dominated by Montserrat Ruiz. Paul expects Gatto to manhandle Vidal with her grappling and physicality, despite moving up a weight class.

Angelo picks Ariane Lipski (da Silva) based on her last performance against JJ Aldrich, where her hands and wrestling looked great. He acknowledges the logical pick is Melissa Gatto due to Lipski's history of being outgrappled, but he goes against logic. He suggests a plus 3.5 point buy on the scorecard for Lipski as a safer bet.

Big Brady picks Melissa Gatto to win by first-round submission. He notes Gatto has improved significantly, with better striking and takedown defense, and has power. He points out that Ariane da Silva (Lipski) has been dominated on the ground by fighters like Montana De La Rosa and Antonina Shevchenko, and Gatto's top game is dangerous. He expects Gatto to get on top and finish early.

Cody sees Lipski as a live underdog. He notes Gatto's low volume (17 significant strikes in nearly 3 rounds against Eubanks) and poor defensive wrestling. Lipski showed improved wrestling at ATT and has high volume (101 significant strikes against Aldrich). Cody thinks if Lipski can stuff takedowns, she wins the striking battle. He also notes Lipski is only 29 and improving.

Daniel confidently picks Gatto, citing her superior heart, durability, and grappling. He notes Lipski's history of quitting when pressured and her poor defensive grappling, while Gatto showed toughness against Tracy Cortez, reversing positions and landing takedowns. He believes Gatto's chin and submission threat are key, and that Lipski's recent win over JJ Aldrich is overrated. However, he missed the opening line (-150) and won't bet at -230, but expects Gatto to win.

Paul is tempted by the CF dog model. He notes Lipski's last performance against Aldrich was impressive and that Gatto's wins are over low-level competition. He questions if Lipski has turned the corner and thinks the line is off. Paul believes Lipski has a legitimate chance.

Angelo picks Tracy Cortez based on her wrestling, expecting her to grind out a decision. However, he admits his bet will be on Melissa Gatto to win inside the distance (decision no action), indicating a lack of full confidence in Cortez. He notes Cortez's layoff and Gatto's submission threat.

Big Brady picks Tracy Cortez to win by decision, but he is hesitant. He acknowledges that Gatto has shown impressive striking and grappling, but her takedown defense is poor. Cortez will look to take Gatto down and control her, and Brady believes she will succeed in getting takedowns. However, Gatto is dangerous off her back with submissions, so Cortez will have to fight off submissions for 15 minutes. Brady thinks Cortez will win by controlling the fight on the ground, but he would not count out Gatto completely.

Cody picks Tracy Cortez, but emphasizes monitoring the scales. He notes Cortez's wrestling advantage and that she trains at Fight Ready MMA. Cody believes Cortez can get takedowns and stay on top, avoiding Gatto's submissions. He thinks Gatto's guard is active but Cortez's wrestling and pace will prevail. Cody is confident if Cortez makes weight.

Daniel Levi leans toward Melissa Gatto as an underdog, citing her cleaner striking, power, and opportunistic submissions. He expects Cortez to have early wrestling success but thinks Gatto can survive and turn the fight in later rounds. He is worried about Cortez's top control but sees value in Gatto at plus money. He has not bet yet, noting he missed better lines.

The host picks Melissa Gatto but is not betting the fight due to volatility. He notes Cortez's strong wrestling but concerns about her weight miss and cardio. He highlights Gatto's impressive UFC performances, her ability to work from bottom, and her vicious striking. He expects Gatto to pressure, attack the body, and possibly find a submission or win via striking. He acknowledges Cortez will land takedowns but thinks Gatto will do enough to win.

Paul picks Melissa Gatto as an underdog at +147. He believes the fight is more 50/50 and that Gatto's grappling is legit, with an active guard and submission threats. He fears Cortez's wrestling could control the fight, but thinks Gatto's strength and jiu-jitsu could lead to a submission. Paul acknowledges the Arizona home cooking factor but took the dog shot.

Angelo picks Melissa Gatto with a half-unit bet at +190. He believes Gatto is a young up-and-comer with real potential, while Eubanks is a .500 fighter whose cardio issues may not be fully resolved. He notes that Gatto has good striking, can set up takedowns, and is aggressive on top. However, he cautions that if Eubanks' cardio holds up, she is a giant beast at 125 and could be a problem. He emphasizes that Gatto must stay on top and not pull guard.

Big Brady picks Sijara Eubanks by decision, citing her experience, BJJ black belt, and path to victory via takedowns and ground control. He has concerns about Eubanks' age (36) and cardio if the fight extends. He notes Gatto's poor takedown defense and submission-over-position style, but acknowledges Gatto looked improved in her last fight. He says he may not bet Eubanks due to cardio worries.

Cody leans Eubanks due to her BJJ, size, and physicality. He notes her wrestling is solid for the division and she is aggressive. However, he worries about her cardio and weight cuts. Gatto is more wily and could pressure late. Cody says it's not a high-confidence play and wants to see weigh-ins.

Daniel Levi picks Melissa Gatto as an underdog. He likes Gatto's scrappiness, aggression, and improvement, especially her arm submissions. Levi is concerned that Eubanks's jiu-jitsu could neutralize Gatto's sub attempts, but he believes Gatto's tenacity and desire to prove herself after a layoff will carry her. He thinks Gatto can make it close if she doesn't get held down for two rounds, and sees value in the plus money.

Jacob is extremely confident in Melissa Gatto, calling it his lock of the week. He placed 5 units on her moneyline at +146, 4 units on her inside the distance (decision no action) at +170, and 2 units on under 2.5 rounds at +165. He believes Eubanks cannot bully Gatto, who has good striking and aggressive grappling. He compares it to the Miranda Maverick fight where the favorite was dominated. Jacob thinks Gatto will finish Eubanks, possibly by submission, and that the odds are moving fast.

The host picks Eubanks by decision, highlighting her superior wrestling and jiu-jitsu. He notes that Gatto plays off her back and Eubanks should be able to control her on top. He likes the decision prop at +150, as Eubanks is not a proactive finisher.

Paul does not give a clear pick for this fight. He mentions that Eubanks is the rightful favorite but notes concerns about her cardio and weight cuts. He says to pay attention to weigh-ins. He does not commit to a pick.

Angelo picks Leonardo, citing Gatto's long layoff (2.5 years due to USADA suspension) and that Gatto is a grappler who likes to fight off her back. He thinks Leonardo will be on top and win a decision. He calls Leonardo a solid underdog pick.

Big Brady is hesitant on this fight due to many question marks. He thinks Melissa Gatto is sub-or-bust and has poor takedown defense, while Victoria Leonardo is more active and likely the better striker. He picks Leonardo to win by decision but warns that Gatto could pull off an armbar from guard. He advises staying away from betting this fight.

Cody picks Gatto, citing the narrative of Brazilian fighters improving after long layoffs. He notes her BJJ skills and potential improvements in wrestling. He thinks she can get the fight to the ground and submit Leonardo.

Daniel Levi picks Melissa Gatto to win by opportunistic submission, citing that Victoria Leonardo is a punching bag on the feet and has been stopped multiple times. He notes that Gatto is young and may have improved during her USADA suspension, and that Leonardo's takedown attempts could lead to submissions. He does not put much stock into the suspension for a young fighter and believes Gatto has the skills to finish.

Gatto is a BJJ specialist who relies on takedowns, but Leonardo has a purple belt and good enough grappling to nullify submissions. Leonardo is stronger, has better striking, and better cardio. The longer the fight goes, the more success Leonardo will have, likely finishing Gatto in the third round via ground and pound.

Paul does not make a clear pick. He is surprised by the pick'em line and notes the lack of tape on both fighters.