Journey Newson

Cody picks Kelleher by decision, noting that Kelleher has underrated wrestling and can control Newson on the ground. He points out that Newson has poor takedown defense against wrestlers and that Kelleher's recent wins have come via wrestling-heavy game plans. He believes Kelleher will fight smart to secure a decision.

Connor also picks Newson hesitantly, citing the short notice and McGhee's potential to gas if he blitzes. He notes Newson's wrestling could be a factor, but McGhee's athletic takedown defense and scrambling are good. Connor thinks the fight could be ugly and low-volume.

Paul picks Kelleher by decision, agreeing with Cody. He notes that Kelleher is on a three-fight losing streak against top competition and this is a must-win. He expects Kelleher to rely on his wrestling and control time to secure a decision. He is surprised the line has moved towards a pick'em and may bet Kelleher.

Angelo gives a slight lean to Sergey Morozov, citing his better takedown defense and ability to stop takedown attempts while getting his own. However, he notes that Journey Newson looked incredible in his last fight and that version could beat Sergey. He believes this should be a 50/50 fight and plans to find a way to bet on Journey Newson as well.

Big Brady likes Morozov to win but is hesitant due to durability concerns, noting Morozov has been finished in four of five losses and gets hurt often. However, he thinks Newson isn't a big power puncher so it shouldn't be a major issue. He expects Morozov to mix in takedowns and grind out a three-round decision. He can't get behind the moneyline at -300 but picks Morozov by decision.

Cody picks Morozov, noting his wrestling and well-rounded skills. He thinks Newson is a boxer with limited MMA skills and Morozov will take him down and control him. He expects a decision win but acknowledges a finish is possible.

Connor picks Morozov, noting he is a high-level fighter with an aggressive, put-together game. He thinks Morozov will be the aggressive one, come forward, wrestle, and land combinations. He notes Newson is not durable and his game seems experimental.

Paul picks Morozov, agreeing with Cody. He thinks Morozov's wrestling will be too much for Newson. He notes Newson's only path is a puncher's chance. He is not excited about the price but sees Morozov as a safe pick.

The MMA Guru picks Sergey Morozov over Journey Newson, citing Morozov's size and strength advantage. He notes that Newson is too small for bantamweight at 5'5" and expects Morozov to implement a grappling clinic. However, he expresses concern about Morozov's chin, as he has been hurt in recent fights by Halley and Paver and Douglas Silva de Andrade. Despite this, he trusts Morozov's grappling to get the job done, as Newson is not a consistent one-punch KO threat at bantamweight.

Angelo gives a slight lean to Fernie Garcia, acknowledging that Garcia is the more technical fighter and uses wrestling better than Newson. However, he worries that Garcia's contender series knockout might make him overconfident in striking exchanges. He hopes Garcia sticks to a wrestling game plan to secure a win.

Big Brady picks Journey Newson to win by decision as an underdog. He believes the line is off because Garcia is getting the contender series hype. Newson has fought tougher competition (Ricardo Ramos, Randy Costa) and is well-rounded with power and a BJJ black belt. Garcia is a good wrestler but has low power and is hittable. Brady thinks the fight will be close on the feet, and Newson's experience gives him the edge. He expects Newson to win a competitive decision.

Cody picks Journey Newson as his third underdog. He notes that Garcia has been in many split decisions and lacks finishing ability. Newson has power and could hurt Garcia if they exchange. Cody acknowledges the unknowns due to Newson's layoff but sees value at +130.

Daniel Levi picks Fernie Garcia, citing his durability and Mexican warrior spirit. He thinks Garcia can eat Newson's best shots and outlast him. He is not confident and does not like the price, so he does not bet. He notes Newson is a liability to get dropped.

The host believes Journey Newson is being disrespected as the underdog. He notes Newson's good jiu-jitsu and takedown ability, and expects him to take the fight to the ground to counter Fernie Garcia's striking pressure. He criticizes Garcia's close decision fights and mediocre competition. He predicts Newson wins via decision or submission.

Paul leans towards Journey Newson as an underdog. He notes that Newson kept it competitive against Ricardo Ramos and has power. Paul thinks Garcia is a boxer by trade but this is MMA, and Newson's power could be a factor. He is not fully confident but prefers Newson.

Big Brady picks Randy Costa to get a first-round knockout, citing Costa's exciting style and willingness to throw with no regard. He notes Newson's path to victory is surviving the early storm or taking Costa down, but Costa has improved takedown defense. He eyes the under 1.5 rounds prop as plus money.

The host believes Journey Newson is the more complete fighter with a brown belt in jiu-jitsu, while Randy Costa is a one-dimensional power puncher who fades after the first round. He expects Newson to weather Costa's early onslaught, take him down, and secure a submission. He notes Costa's lack of grappling experience and poor takedown defense, as seen in his loss to Brandon Davis.

Daniel Levi picks Domingo Pilarte to win a decision. He notes Pilarte's size and reach advantage, and expects him to use his range to keep Newson at bay. He acknowledges Pilarte's defensive liabilities but believes Newson will hesitate to pull the trigger.

The host leans toward Journey Newson as a dog, citing his superior jiu-jitsu and ability to get the better of grappling exchanges. He notes that Pilarte is the better wrestler but Newson may have the edge on the ground. He expects the fight to be a grappling match and sees value in Newson at plus money.