UFC Vegas 96: Cannonier vs Borralho – 8.24.2024 – Fight Predictions and Analysis
Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC Vegas 96: Cannonier vs Borralho. We are back at The Apex in Las Vegas for the event this evening. Our analysis includes a pick for every bout from Dynes Sports contributors Anthony Marro and Nicholas Marro.
As coverage continues, we will keep our records up to date below. Be sure to check out our full reasoning for every pick though as records will not reflect confidence. We will be picking every fight, but likely only recommend betting on a select few.
Current Record
- Anthony: 213-128-0 (Last Year 307-199-6, 61%)
- Nick: 208-133-0 (Last Year 324-182-6, 64%)
*Fight odds were last updated from Bet99 on 8-23-2024 at 8pm EST
Preliminary Card- Starts 7:00pm EST
Wang Cong -1200 vs Victoria Leonardo +750
- Anthony: The main card begins at women’s flyweight with Wang Cong set to face Victoria Leonardo. This is the promotional debut for Cong who enters a perfect 5-0 professionally. She is a talented athlete with a wealth of experience in kickboxing and Sanda. Her impressive win on Road to the UFC resulted in a signing that many fans are excited about. This favorable draw against Leonardo should allow Cong to put her striking on full display. Leonardo has been used in the past to propel the careers of other women. She will very likely get served her walking papers with another loss here today. We have seen Leonardo finished in three of her past four appearances. While known for being tough, Leonardo lacks in terms of skill and fails to defend herself as damage begins to accumulate. Cong is the much more proficient striker and Leonardo will struggle to close the distance against her. Cong will land as Leonardo comes in, connecting with heavy counters from the southpaw stance. It should be a very easy win for the newcomer but it seems silly to bet her as this price balloons past -1200. I recommend betting Cong to win inside the distance. Wang Cong by Round Two KO
- Nick: Victoria Leonardo pulled off an impressive upset against Chelsea Hackett on Dana White’s Contender Series as a +220 Underdog. Since then, she has gone 1-3 under the UFC banner, most recently suffering a brutal KO loss to a tough out in Natalia Silva. She’s a decent grappler with solid ground and pound, but her striking still appears to be underdeveloped. The line has gotten a bit out of hand here, but there’s really no denying she’s going to be outclassed in this match-up. Cong Wang will be making her UFC debut here. Wang is 32-years old and 5-2 professionally. She’s getting a late start to her MMA career, but she’s been kickboxing for years and she’s quite athletic for a debutante. Wang is fairly well-rounded, but it’s certainly at striking range where she finds most of her success. She puts out a ton of volume on the feet, and while she doesn’t carry much power her speed and precision give her finishing upside against lower level opponents. This price feels wide, but this feels like a layup for Wang. Wang Cong by Round Two KO
Nathan Fletcher -160 vs Zygimantas Ramaska +130
- Anthony: This is a bout at featherweight between Nathan Fletcher and Zygimantas Ramaska. Both were contestants on this season of The Ultimate Fighter but unfortunately removed from competition. Ramaska was not medically cleared to compete in the semifinal due to injuries sustained in fight one. The same circumstance occurred for Fletcher who had fractured his leg. Both are given an opportunity here to prove they belong in the organization. Ramaska seems a bit less polished than Fletcher in terms of his skill but I very much like his chances in this matchup. We’re likely to see both willing to brawl on their feet for their chance at redemption. Ramaska should be in better condition here entering this fight compared to when recording this season. He seems much bigger than Fletcher and more likely of the two to find a finish. Fletcher trains with a good team at Next Generation in Liverpool and I expect to find success later in his fighting career. That being said, Ramaska is a pick I like here getting plus money. Zygimantas Ramaska by Round Two KO
- Nick: Both Ramaska and Fletcher will be making their respective UFC debuts here, having each recently competed on season 32 of The Ultimate Fighter. Nathan Fletcher was eliminated when he dropped a decision to season finalist, Kaan Olfi. In spite of that loss, he’s getting a chance to fight for the UFC as the promotion seems to value his potential. Fletcher is a well rounded fighter who usually hunts for finishes both on the mat and in striking exchanges. He’s athletic, and he generally wears on his opponents with his aggressive and torrid pacing. He’s fought a solid level of regional competition, having primarily fought for Cage Warriors. He trains out of Next Generation in Liverpool, with the likes of Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann. His greatest strength is his dangerous BJJ, but he’s more of an opportunistic submission fighter as he’s certainly content to stand and trade on the feet. Zygimantas Ramaska started the tournament with a win, but was forced to pull out from the competition as he suffered facial fractures that the commission deemed too severe to permit him to compete. Ramaska is a gifted striker who does his best work striking at range. He moves into range to attack his opponents and then quickly retreats to avoid damage. He’s long for the division, and he carries serious power in all of his limbs. Fletcher is the more well rounded fighter in this match-up, but Ramaska size and technical advantages on the feet are likely going to overwhelm him if and when he tries to close the distance. A low confidence play, but I see clear value on the underdog. Zygimantas Ramaska by Decision
Jacqueline Cavalcanti -220 vs Josiane Nunes +180
- Anthony: Next is a women’s bantamweight fight between Josiane Nunes and Jacqueline Cavalcanti. This will likely be a match contested largely on the feet between two strikers. Nunes is coming off a loss her last time out but none of her performances in the octagon have been too compelling. Chelsea Chandler beat Nunes while the three wins have come against more mediocre names like Zarah Fairn and Ramona Pascual. She is always dangerous, landing big over hands on opponents from the southpaw stance. Nunes is a live underdog in this spot but she relies on the knockout to win here. Cavalcanti fights with better length than Nunes. She is the bigger and longer athlete, I’d figure she fairs well here in a kickboxing match. We have seen opponents successfully takedown Cavalcanti before but Nunes does not ever shoot. While standing Cavalcanti will land with consistent volume and defend more strikes than her opponent. She should win comfortably against Nunes as long as that one big shot does not connect. Jacqueline Cavalcanti by Decision
- Nick: Josiane Nunes is 3-1 under the UFC banner, most recently falling via decision to a much bigger opponent in Chelsea Chandler. Nunes is small for the division, but very tough and powerful with surprisingly advanced boxing ability. She throws her overhand right constantly, but her toughness and willingness to eat punches allows her to land it enough to put away lower level competition. Cavalcanti is 6-1 professionally, with three of those six wins coming via KO. She’s an aggressive striker who does a good job closing distance. While she has found a lot of success on the feet, it has to be noted that she’ll be the better grappler in this match-up. No matter where this one goes, I do expect Cavalcanti to outclass the smaller and less polished Nunes. Jacqueline Cavalcanti by Decision.
Viacheslav Borshchev -250 vs James Llontop +200
- Anthony: This is a fight at featherweight between James Llontop and Viacheslav Borshchev. Despite coming up short in two straight fights, Borshchev should be in a great position to win here today facing Llontop. The Russian’s biggest flaw is lack of takedown defense and having no awareness when brought to the mat. Thankfully for Borschev, Llontop is an opponent that will oblige him on the feet. Llontop relies on heavy hands and strong boxing to get the job done. I would anticipate Llontop finding a knockdown here against Borshchev, but over the course of a three round fight I have to favor the better technical striker. Borshchev cannot be taken lightly with his wealth of kickboxing experience. Years of training has rewarded him with impeccable timing and a great variety of attacks. I like how Borshchev strings together his combinations and attacks all levels when his foes are hurt. Llontop may not be outgunned in this fight but it is an uphill battle for him to win. Borshchev will be confident moving forward and I expect him to control this match. Viacheslav Borshchev by Round Two KO
- Nick: Viacheslav Borschev is primarily a kickboxer. He throws extremely powerful shots with all of his limbs and he seems to have excellent head movement and footwork. As talented as he is on the feet, his grappling leaves a lot to be desired. He trains at a grappling focused camp via Team Alpha Male where it can be expected his wrestling will continue to improve, but he’s going to have trouble against the stronger grapplers in this division. James Llontop is primarily a striker, with seven of his fourteen wins coming via KO. He’s coming off a submission loss to Chris Padilla in his UFC debut, but prior to that he was on a twelve fight win-streak having not lost since 2019. Llontop is a tough and gritty fighter and he carries decent power in his strikes. That being said, he’s not really on the technical level of Borschev. Llontop could be live for an upset if he leans on a grappling heavy gameplan, but that’s never really been his style. While I’m a bit concerned about his durability, I do see Borschev as the rightful favorite. Viacheslav Borshchev by Decision
Zach Reese -400 vs Jose Medina +300
- Anthony: This is a bout at middleweight between Zach Reese and Jose Medina. Reese fought and won earlier this summer, stopping Julian Marquez in just moments to earn a bonus for Performance of the Night. He appears to be a tough out given his frame and very reckless nature. Reese has never fought out of the first round since becoming a professional. Oftentimes Reese will blitz into his fights looking to quickly drop opponents. Reese does have good hands but his offensive grappling is really what sets him apart. He is very quick to latch onto submission attempts during the first scramble of every fight. I certainly rate his jiu jitsu much higher than Medina who is more known for his hands. Medina has not competed since a loss last fall against Magomed Gadzhiyasulov on Dana White’s Contender Series. That match saw him blanketed by a grappler and while I do not expect Reese to do the same I think it is an issue that Medina cannot effectively defend takedowns. Reese has a great chance of ending this in round one, most likely by submission. Medina is quite clearly able to take a punch and I think this could become dicey for Reese if he was to just stand and trade shots. Medina is also entering this bout in the best physical shape we have seen him. Reese will not want to go more than five minutes here tonight. The earlier these two get into a scramble, the earlier I’d expect this bout to end. Zach Reese by Round One Submission
- Nick: Zach Reese is 7-1 professionally, coming off a KO win over Julian Marquez. All seven of his wins have come via first round finish, five via KO and two via submission. As impressive as Reese has been, most of his wins have come against a questionable level of competition. Only three of his wins have come over opponents with winning records, and only his most recent came under the UFC banner. Reese is long for the division with dangerous BJJ, but his defense both at striking range and on the mat is questionable at best. Jose Medina will be making his UFC debut here, coming off a loss on Dana White’s Contender Series to Magomed Gadzhiyasulov. Medina was awarded a contract in spite of the loss, as Dana White was encouraged by his style, cardio, and durability. Medina will be moving down a weight class here, as he was extremely undersized at 205 lbs. Reese likely shouldn’t be this wide of a favorite against anyone, but I really haven’t been impressed by anything I’ve seen out of Medina. I expect Reese can find an early finish here, most likely as he takes this fight to the mat. Zach Reese by Round One Submission
Francis Marshall -135 vs Dennis Buzukja +115
- Anthony: The featured prelim comes at featherweight with Dennis Buzukja set to face Francis Marshall. This is a short notice booking for Marshall who steps in to replace Danny Silva. Buzukja was a sizable underdog in that initial matchup but now a fight with Marshall will be much more closely contested. Marshall is coming off consecutive losses in the promotion last year. It will be interesting to see what gameplan Marshall implements facing this style opponent. We often see Marshall utilize his grappling and wrestling as an offensive weapon while that may not be the case here today. Buzukja has strong wrestling and generally he has no issue winning scrambles. If Marshall shoots for takedowns in this fight I figure a majority will likely be stuffed. Conversely I think Buzukja could score takedowns on Marshall if he was to need one. Neither is much better than the other when striking and I do not expect to see a finish from either side here. Buzukja is the slight lean for me today as he had a full camp in preparation for this one. He has proven capable of winning fights with his back to the fence and Marshall will be quick on the pressure here against him. I’ll take plus money in what should be a pick’em fight. Dennis Buzukja by Decision
- Nick: Francis Marshall is 24-years old and 7-2 professionally. He’s well-rounded as an effective offensive striker, but four of his seven professional wins have actually come via rear naked choke. He’s coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in his career, and he’ll be looking to get back in the win column here as he’s taking this fight on short notice as a replacement for the injured Danny Silva. Dennis Buzukja is 12-4 professionally, coming off his first UFC win via KO over Connor Matthews. At his best, Buzukja does an excellent job landing shots out of breaks and if he can close distance here he’s going to be dangerous in exchanges. While he’s generally inconsistent without any true stand out skill, his cardio and durability have allowed him to keep fights close regardless of the level of his opponent. This is a tough fight to call, but I slightly prefer Marshall in this match-up. Marshall recently shifted camps to American Top Team (ATT) which is certainly going to expedite his improvement. Neither fighter has been all that impressive, but I feel Buzukja has plateaued whereas Marshall still has a lot of room for growth. Francis Marshall by Round Two Submission
Main Card- Starts 10:00pm EST
Edmen Shahbazyan -280 vs Gerald Meerschaert +220
- Anthony: The main card begins with middleweights Edmen Shahbazyan and Gerald Meershaert. This is a very binary fight to handicap as the talented striker faces a grappling ace. Meershaert is a BJJ black belt with ten submission wins in the UFC. The veteran of 54 professional fights is certainly starting to get long in the tooth although Meershaert has still proven capable of winning as recently as in March. His slow pace tends to hypnotize opponents, creating an opening for well-timed takedowns and scrambles. Meerschaert has a decisive edge over most opponents on the mat but he could really do some damage here against Edmen. Deficiencies in terms of Shahbazyan’s cardio and grappling were revealed to the masses long ago. I trust that Shahbazyan has worked to improve in these areas, but he will likely get submitted if he is taken down today. With each round starting upright on the feet, Shahbazyan does seem rightfully favored. When striking he will easily land double what Meerschaert does at maybe three times the speed. I am hopeful that Shahbazyan fights from range here today and connects with some meaningful strikes early. I do plan on betting Shahbazyan at this number but I am likely going to hedge out if he cannot find a finish in round one. Edmen Shahbazyan by Round One KO
- Nick: Edmen Shahbazyan is one of the more intriguing up-and-comers at middleweight. He’s only 26, but he’s already shown flashes of elite level striking and a serious ability to finish fights early. While his striking seems to be his greatest strength, Shabazyan also has a Brown Belt in BJJ under Renzo Gracie. He was once considered a future top contender at 185, but he has only won two of his last five fights. Gerald Meerschaert is well-rounded, but most of his professional wins have come via submission. He’s a highly skilled BJJ black belt with a seemingly endless arsenal of attacks on the ground. As good as Meerschaert is on the mat, he sometimes has trouble getting the fight there. His takedown entries leave a lot to be desired and his wrestling ability is questionable at best. Shahbazyan is certainly the rightful favorite here, but things can get dicey if he doesn’t find an early finish. This is a low confidence play, but I do expect he will. Edmen Shahbazyan by Round One KO
Michael Morales -900 vs Neil Magny +600
- Anthony: This is a contest at welterweight between Neil Magny and Michael Morales. I consider Morales prohibitively favored here facing a solid veteran like Magny. Morales is an undefeated 16-0 but the wins thus far have not been the most glamorous. In two showings last year I was not impressed with Morales despite earning victories over Max Griffin and Jake Matthews. He is a very steady presence in the octagon but I do think his offensive output is a bit limited. Morales has a big frame for this weight class and I feel he has been fighting too measured in an effort to conserve his energy. I consider his best attributes the strong takedown defense and the excellent defenses when striking. Magny can of course make this fight interesting but Morales seems likely to clear. The best chance for Magny winning this fight comes via decision in a world where Morales does slow down in rounds two and three. Magny would need to accrue a few minutes of control time by holding Morales up against the fence. I do not think Magny will be able to score traditional takedowns here, instead relying on trips or the body lock to drag Morales onto the mat. I did win betting on Magny at +300 when he faced Mike Malott at UFC 297. He is the value side again here at +600, but I won’t be pulling the trigger this time around. Michael Morales by Decision
- Nick: Morales is only 25 years old, but he already fights with patience and poise. He is undefeated professionally with a 16-0 record, and he is 4-0 in the UFC. He has a decent wrestling base, but he certainly prefers to stand and trade. He does an excellent job mixing kicks into his combinations, he has excellent footwork especially defensively. While his volume on the feet can be low at times, his offensive strikes are both explosive and accurate. He is an underrated grappler with decent BJJ. He continues to show massive improvements fight to fight, but there’s no denying he’s taking a major step up in competition here against a tough vet in Neil Magny. Magny is a rangy striker who arguably does his best work in the clinch.He has a seemingly infinite gas tank and he’s shown an uncanny ability to wear on his opponents and take over as his fights wear on. Magny has solid grappling ability, but he can struggle to get back to his feet once he’s grounded. The line feels far too wide here given the step up in competition for Morales, but his youth and athleticism should allow him to stay a step ahead no matter where this one goes. Michael Morales by Decision
Mairon Santos -195 vs Kaan Ofli +155
- Anthony: Marion Santos and Kaan Ofli will compete for the title of The Ultimate Fighter at featherweight. This should be a rather compelling matchup between two high level fighters. Santos stood out among featherweights for me when it comes to this season of the show. His striking is very good with excellent feints and hard connections with intent. He has a diverse arsenal with attacks, chopping away at opponent’s legs and also engaging with his muay thai. I expect his six-inch reach edge to be felt as he controls distance here against Ofli. The proud Australian Ofli carries some serious momentum into this bout. An active few years led to his place on this TUF season and a semi-final match that he ended by guillotine inside of the first minute. Ofli will be live in this fight if able to engage Santos grappling but in a pure striking match I favor the Brazilian. He is too sound technically to cede much to Ofli in terms of optics when striking. It is likely to be a fight that sees the judge’s and Santos is the rightful favorite if that is the case. I hope he can sprawl and keep his space here against Ofli. Mairon Santos by Decision
- Nick: This match-up between Kaan Ofli and Mairon Santos represents The Ultimate Fighter Season 32 tournament final at featherweight. Kaan Ofli is a well-rounded fighter who shows a solid wrestling base, dangerous BJJ, and serious power on the feet. His ability to work back to his feet if he is taken down allows him to strike aggressively. He likes to throw a lot of straight punches and looping hooks as a means to overwhelm his opponents. He boasts a strong leg kick, and he does an excellent job using his effective striking to bait his opponents into takedowns. As talented as he is offensively, he is somewhat small for the division. Additionally, his aggressive style often creates openings for him to take damage in lengthy exchanges. Mairon Santos is a 24 year old Brazilian fighter that enters this match-up with a 13-1 professional record. He’s big for the division, but he’s had issues making weight consistently. Santos is primarily a striker who throws a lot of kicks to start his combinations. His footwork is sound defensively, but he has a habit of keeping his hands down which can lead to him taking a lot of damage from counter shots. He throws an explosive and effective leg kick, and he has already shown that he has true KO power in both of his hands. While there is no denying the fact he’s dangerous on the feet, his willingness to engage creates openings for his opponents to take him down. His defensively grappling is decent, but against solid wrestlers he could have issues keeping his fights standing. I understand why Santos is the favorite as he’s the better striker with a significant size advantage here. Still, I see value in the underdog as the better grappler. Kaan Ofli by Decision
Robert Valentin -165 vs Ryan Loder +140
- Anthony: This bout between Ryan Loder and Robert Valentin will decide The Ultimate Fighter at middleweight. Valentin is the favorite in this spot after tearing through the competition this season. He has now won five straight fights by finish. Valentin is confident striking and dipping deep into the pocket to engage. His boxing is okay but really I consider his offensive attacks sloppy. He blitzes forward too often and that could spell trouble as he begins to face better competition. Loder works a good jab and has more consistent offensive output than Valentin. I am also very interested to see how grappling exchanges play out in this fight. Loder is a very good wrestler but Valentin has slick jiu jitsu and good attacks even from bottom position. I was very impressed with his submission win over Paddy McCorry. However, I do not think Loder will fall victim to any of Valentin’s submission attempts. This fight will be decided by whether or not Valentin is able to find himself a knockout. Loder has proven to be rather durable and I find this to be a fight that favors him the later that it goes. Valentin is a scary middleweight to bet against, but I will roll the dice taking Loder. I think this fight does go to a decision with Loder outsourcing Valentin in rounds two and three. Ryan Loder by Decision
- Nick: This match-up between Robert Valentin and Ryan Loder represents The Ultimate Fighter Season 32 tournament final at middleweight. Ryan Loder has a solid wrestling base, as a former D-1 All American. He’s getting somewhat of a late start to his MMA career, but he’s an explosive athlete and his striking seems to improve every time we see him in the cage. Loder mostly grapples to control position, which means most of his success comes from winning minutes on the mat. He does have dangerous BJJ when his opponents present him openings, but there is certainly no denying the fact his grappling style is conservative. He usually comes out strong and fades gradually as his fights wear on. His cardio doesn’t seem to be a strength, but his style allows him to stay effective for fifteen minutes. On the feet, he’s tentative. He has power in his strikes, but he doesn’t throw much in terms of volume. Defensively, he’s certainly hittable in exchanges as most of his opponents know he mostly only strikes to set up his grappling. Robert Valentin is relatively well-rounded, but most of his success comes on the feet. He’s a cerebral muay thai striker, who does a good job landing damaging shots both at range and in the clinch. He’s aggressive in his approach, throwing jumping and spinning attacks both frequently and aggressively. He carries power in all of his limbs, but his hyper aggressive style often sacrifices defense for offense. He takes a lot of damage in exchanges, but he’s generally durable. His takedown defense is somewhat questionable, but he has excellent Judo and dangerous offensive BJJ. Loder will be live for the upset if he can slow this fight down and stick to his wrestling, but Valentin’s explosiveness and technical advantages on the feet are going to be a tough wall for him to climb. Robert Valentin by Round One KO
Tabatha Ricci -125 vs Angela Hill +105
- Anthony: The co-main event is a women’s strawweight contest between Angela Hill and Tabatha Ricci. It is good we get to see Ricci tested here against a staple of the division ranking. Hill is a very talented athlete who has turned back several rising prospects in a row. She will look to defend takedowns here from Ricci and keep this fight upright where her best work is done. Hill has defended 76 percent of opponent takedowns in her career. Dominant wrestlers have stymied Hill before but she tends to perform well against jiu jitsu girls such as Ricci. I am a big fan of Ricci’s fights but this matchup is stylistically very tough for her. Ricci’s aggressive striking normally presents her more opportunities to shoot. I expect to see Ricci completely outclassed here standing against a much longer and quicker striker. Hill has very fast hands and the ability to apply pressure to her opponents by simply keeping punches constantly in their face. Ricci will likely score at least one takedown here but Hill has previously shown her ability to defend submissions and rise to her feet. I think she squeaks out a split decision win. Angela Hill by Decision
- Nick: When fighting on the feet, both of these women are high volume strikers. They both like to throw in the clinch, they’re both durable and they’re both capable of carrying a quality pace for fifteen minutes. Tabatha Ricci has solid cardio and can fight at a very fast pace. She’s well-rounded, but her BJJ and offensive grappling ability is certainly her most refined skill. Her wrestling and striking continue to show considerable improvement in each of her fights. As a result of her recent success, it seems the UFC is starting to put their marketing machine behind her. This fight will mark Angela Hill’s 26th with the UFC. Hill is well-rounded, with a powerful muay thai striking base. She is a competent grappler with decent BJJ, but most of her success has come striking both in the clinch as well as in open space. She’s coming off back-to-back wins for the first time since 2020, and she carries a lot of momentum into this match-up. I expect this fight to play out extremely close, so I’ll take a shot on Hill as the underdog. She’s the much better striker in this match-up, and even as she ages she continues to improve her grappling and takedown defense. Angela Hill by Decision
Caio Borralho -260 vs Jared Cannonier +200
- Anthony: The main event is a middleweight fight between Jared Cannonier and Caio Borralho. Borralho has now won six in a row since joining the UFC. A slow build has allowed Caio to showcase his full talents and earn valuable cage time in this very precarious division. His striking has gotten much better. Cannonier is Borralho’s first elite test but he has checked all of the boxes en route to this booking. Borralho’s grappling is no joke with elite jiu jitsu and very strong wrestling. Borralho also has exceptional fight IQ and understanding of position. I do not think he will make any mistakes in this fight, deviating from a game plan I am sure he has set. Cannonier needs to be respected on the feet given his punching power. Borralho would be wise to quickly take this fight to the mat to test Cannonier’s grappling skills. While I do think Jared can defend takedowns I think he will struggle if and when Borralho manages to take his bad. Borralho should be able to kill rounds at a time by sinking in a body triangle on Cannonier. He can make this fight boring and win rather convincingly. It will be very interesting to see how clinch positions play out and if Cannonier can earn any control time of his own here. Cannonier has scored a takedown in both of his previous appearances. I have some concerns about betting Cannonier given his age and recent injuries but at these odds I don’t blame anyone for trying. I think Borralho ultimately does what he needs to, nullifying Cannonier’s offensive game plan and getting the victory. Caio Borralho by Round Three Submission
- Nick: Caio Borralho is light on his feet and does a good job peppering his opponents at range. His striking has been impressive in his short UFC tenure, but he’s found most of his success via grappling and advancing on the mat for submissions. He does a good job scoring takedowns both in open space and against the cage. He has solid cardio and durability, and his fight IQ has proven to be a major strength for him since he made his promotional debut. He’s coming off impressive wins over Paul Craig, Michał Oleksiejczuk and Abus Magomedov, and he carries a lot of momentum into this match-up here in his first UFC main event. Jared Cannonier’s greatest strength is certainly his powerful striking ability. As a former heavyweight, he has true KO power at 185. If he can find a shot to land, he’s capable of putting anyone to sleep immediately. He is most recently coming off an ugly loss to Nassourdine Imavov, his first loss since he fought for the title back in 2022. Cannonier is getting up there in age and he recently underwent surgery to repair his knee/ACL. Cannonier is easily Barralho’s toughest test to date, and he’s going to be the better technical striker in this match-up. He’s always live to win via KO. That being said, it seems likely Borralho can lean on his grappling here as he grinds out a decision on youth, IQ, and athleticism. I expect Borralho can keep momentum going for the Fighting Nerds, one of the hottest teams/camps in the sport today. Caio Borralho by Decision
-Nick Marro
Twitter: @NickMarroDFS
-Anthony Marro
Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_
Photo: UFC.com