UFC Paris: Imavov vs Borralho Full Card Analysis

UFC Paris: Imavov vs Borralho – 9.6.2025 – Fight Predictions and Analysis

Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC Fight Night Paris: Imavov vs Borralho. Fights are back at the Accor Arena in Paris, France for this great event loaded with talented fighters and future title contenders. Be sure to check out our full reasoning for every pick as our records will not reflect confidence in each selection. We will be picking every fight, but likely only recommend betting on a select few.

Current Record

• Anthony: 219-129-1 (Last Year 321-191-0, 63%)
• Nick: 224-124-1 (Last Year 316-196-0, 62%)

*Fight odds were last updated from Bet99 on 9-5-2025 at 9pm EST

Preliminary Card- Starts 12:00pm EST

Sam Hughes -300 vs Shauna Bannon +240

• Anthony: The card begins at strawweight between Shauna Bannon and Sam Hughes. This is the one women’s contest on the card but a very good fight between solid athletes. Bannon has looked good in both previous victories. Sam Hughes has fought much tougher competition than Bannon and her veteran savvy could give her the slight edge here. Bannon is comfortable boxing but Hughes is improving in terms of her striking with each performance. She should be quicker than Bannon here, allowing her to land the more frequent offense. Bannon also has the option of bringing this fight to the mat if she so desires. Hughes has struggled with her takedown defense in the past but I do not expect Bannon to pursue many takedowns here. Bannon does have strong judo throws but she is not the type to grapple very aggressively. Hughes will continue to throw offense throughout rounds two and three of this fight. I believe that she is a rightful favorite in this matchup but I would not bet her at the current odds. I do not think Bannon will do much to hurt her here with karate and basic boxing attacks. Sam Hughes by Decision
• Nick: Sam Hughes is fairly well rounded, tough and relatively durable. However, offensively she really doesn’t carry any stand out skills. She is 10-6 professionally and while she has shown improvement in all facets of her game, it’s tough to expect she’ll ever climb the ranks of 115 lbs. While she may not pose much of a threat offensively, she is technically sound and a good barometer for the unranked fighters in this division. She trains out of a solid camp via Fortis MMA and she enters this match-up on a two fight win streak. Shauna Bannon is 7-1 professionally, with four of her last five wins coming by decision. She is most recently coming off an impressive submission win over Puja Tomar, but she was nearly finished via strikes before she secured an arm bar amid a chaotic exchange.. Bannon is athletic, but fairly raw in her abilities. She can be predictable both on the feet and in grappling exchanges. Additionally, most of her wins have come against a questionable level of competition. It does seem she’s improving, but at 31-years old it seems she could be hitting a plateau in terms of her career trajectory. This is a low level match-up so the line does feel wide. Still, I’m siding with the favourite. Hughes is the more aggressive fighter here and I expect she can stay a step ahead no matter where this one goes. Sam Hughes by Decision

Andreas Gustafsson -130 vs Rinat Fakhretdinov +110

• Anthony: This is a fight at welterweight between Rinat Fakhretdinov and Andreas Gustafsson. Gustafsson performed above my expectations in his last fight against Khaos Williams. I think the best version of him should do well here facing off with Fakhretdinov. Gustafsson can secure takedowns as needed and that skill tends to be useful when opposing Fakhretdinov. Normally Fakhretdinov will attempt to mix in his wrestling but I think that will be a challenge here facing a longer fighter. While Fakhretdinov is tough to ground he can struggle against strong wrestlers when it comes to getting back to his feet. Gustafsson has the power to takedown Rinat but he can also sit him down with his punches. Fakhretdinov may oblige Gustafsson in a brawl but he will likely struggle to match his volume. Gustafsson is averaging 5.83 significant strikes landed per minute. He is a very accurate boxer with the more significant power too. I like his ability to mix in overhands and connect with powerful hooks. This should be an entertaining bout but I think Gustafsson is the more well-rounded athlete. At near pick’em odds I am going to be betting on him to win here tonight. Andreas Gustafsson by Decision
• Nick: Andreas Gustafsson is coming off an impressive win in his UFC debut over a tough out in Khaos Williams. Gustafsson is 12-2 professionally, but getting a late start to his career as he made his promotional debut at 34-years old. Primarily a striker, Gustafsson has won three of his last four fights via KO. He usually fights at a ridiculous pace. He prefers to push his opponents against the cage where he strikes aggressively and chases the finish. In this particular match-up his defensive grappling is going to be a key to victory against a dangerous grappler in Rinat Fakhretdinov. Primarily a grappler, it’s a bit surprising to see eleven of Fakhretdinov’s twenty-four professional wins have come via KO. He has an impressive record at 24-3-1, coming off a narrow decision win over a tough out in Carlos Leal. Fakhretdinov is a gifted wrestler who does exceptional work against the cage. He throws powerful strikes but mostly as a means to set up his grappling. It seems his striking has come a long way over the past few years. That being said, his cardio and durability are still a bit of a question mark at this level. As dangerous as he is, we have seen Fakhretdinov fade at times late in fights. Fakhretdinov is the better grappler in this match-up and I expect he will look good early. That being said, I doubt he can keep up with Gustafsson’s pace as this fight wears on. Gustafsson will need to stay safe early, but as long as he does I expect he will pull away here. Andreas Gustafsson by Round Three KO

Brad Tavares -220 vs Robert Bryczek +180

• Anthony: Next is a fight at middleweight between Brad Tavares and Robert Bryczek. Since 2010, Tavares has been competing with elite competition in the UFC. I do think this is going to be the end of the line for him soon, fighting now once again at the age of 37. His last victory came against Gerald Meershaert and really all of his recent wins are against lackluster competition. Bryczek is a strong and athletic opponent that will challenge Tavares throughout these three rounds. It is telling that Tavares has fallen this far down onto the prelims of events. He no longer commands the respect he once did as a title contender. While I do believe Tavares is quicker than Bryczek and more technically skilled, I think he will struggle to win this fight decisively. Bryczek has solid power in his hands and I think he can challenge Tavares by putting a pace on him here. Tavares should not be bet on as the favorite at this stage of his career. Bryczek can win minutes by controlling Tavares on the fence and landing the more powerful combinations. He also has equity to win with a quick knockout, having ten wins by first round finish. Robert Bryczek by Decision
• Nick: Brad Tavares is a talented vet who had been ranked at middleweight for years. With a win in this match-up, he would pass Michael Bisping for the UFC record in wins at middleweight. At his best, Tavares does a good job mixing in leg kicks to keep his opponents at range. He works well behind his jab, he throws meaningful shots and we’ve seen his chin tested on multiple occasions. Tavares is a competent wrestler, especially defensively. Still, there is no denying his speed and general athleticism have been declining over his past few fights. Robert Bryczek is 17-5 professionally, with eleven of his seventeen professional wins coming via KO. Bryczek has fought a quality level of regional opponents, primarily fighting for Oktagon MMA in the Czech Republic. Bryczek is a physical specimen with explosive power on the feet. He finds most of his success just overwhelming his opponents with strength and power. He can be hittable in exchanges, but he has a solid chin. His durability generally allows him to score a KO before he’s KO’d himself. As impressive has he’s been regionally, he suffered an ugly decision loss in his UFC debut to a relatively low level opponent in Ihor Poteiria. While Tavares is far past his prime, he should still be the better fighter no matter where this one goes. Bryczek is dangerous, but Tavares is durable. Brad Tavares by Decision

Sam Patterson -175 vs Trey Waters +140

• Anthony: This is a matchup at welterweight between Trey Waters and Sam Patterson. I expect to see a great fight here between prospects looking to continue to climb the division ranks. Both are on good win streaks entering this fight and seemingly in great form. Patterson is big for welterweight and uses all of his 6‘3 frame, whether that be by catching opponents at the ends of his punches or stepping in to land knees to the body. Waters has the better overall boxing and more power in his strikes. He could really hurt an opponent like Patterson who tends to hold his chin high. Patterson has been finished twice before in round one while Waters also has rather porous defense. This fight will likely result in one of these two finding a win by stoppage. Patterson may be at the striking disadvantage but he can clearly out grapple Waters when this fight hits the mat. He can utilize his jiu jitsu blackbelt here in grappling situations. Patterson is strong and does very well transitioning into chokes from top position. He should have the better wrestling in this bout and the slight advantage in terms of speed. I expect to see Patterson scoring takedowns in this fight and living up to the odds as betting favorite. He should draw some local support here going up against the American. Sam Patterson by Round Two Submission
• Nick: Sam Patterson is 13-2-1 professionally, with five wins coming via KO and seven coming via submission. He has a long frame for the division, but his striking defense is generally flawed as his chin is there to be hit in exchanges. He’s decent everywhere offensively, he has an effective choke series, and he wisely looks to grapple aggressively in most of his match-ups. Patterson has looked much better since moving up to welterweight, securing an impressive upset win over Danny Barlow when he was last in action in March. Trey Waters is 9-1 professionally, with three wins coming via KO and three coming via submission. He’s a lengthy striker who can be deceptively dangerous in exchanges. He works well behind his jab and puts out a lot of volume. He is 2-0 in the UFC, and even at 30 years old he continues to make major improvements every time we see him fight. These are two interesting prospects, but Patterson seems to be the more well-rounded of the two. I expect Waters could be susceptible to the submission here against Patterson and his dangerous choke series. Sam Patterson by Round Two Submission

Kaue Fernandes -175 vs Harry Hardwick +140

• Anthony: Next is a bout at lightweight between Kaue Fernandes and Harry Hardwick. This fight was made on short notice with Fernandes originally scheduled to face Fares Ziam here today. Ziam was a sizeable favorite in that matchup and now Fernandes will instead be the A-side today. Hardwick makes his promotional debut here after years of success fighting in Cage Warriors. Hardwick was featherweight champion and this appearance at 155 pounds should not be too drastic. He has always had a great frame for featherweight with long arms and legs. Fernandes will likely take advantage of Hardwick striking, landing heavy low kicks and consistent attacks. He is a powerful muay thai striker with good aggression early in his bouts. I am expecting a very strong start from Fernandes as this bout gets underway. Hardwick is known for his solid cardio and ability to win fights late. I am not sure we will see the best version of Hardwick implementing that gameplan here on short notice. Fernandes figures to have the advantage here thanks to his power and striking skills compared to Hardwick. He also appeared noticeably bigger at faceoffs. I do not feel confident betting on either side of this one. Kaue Fernandes by Decision
• Nick: Kaue Fernandes is primarily a striker, fighting out of a solid Brazilian camp in Nova Uniao. He seems competent everywhere, but his wrestling defense is certainly more of a weakness than a strength. He can be dangerous on the feet, with massive power in his kicks at range, but he’s been inconsistent against even lower level opponents. In spite of his flaws, he has been showing dramatic improvements. He’s coming off back-to-back wins under the UFC banner, including a massive upset over Guram Kutateladze via decision when he last fought in March of this year.Harry Hardwick will be making his UFC debut here, taking this fight on short notice as a replacement for Fares Ziam. Hardwick breaks into the promotion on a five-fight win streak as the Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion. Hardwick is a tough and gritty fighter who can be dangerous everywhere offensively. He generally uses his length well and does a good job pushing a pace on his opponents, but it is notable that he’ll be taking this fight up a weight class at 155 lbs. Hardwick is a scrapper and he deserves to be in the UFC, but I have trouble backing him here up a weight class against a well rounded opponent on short notice. Kaue Fernandes by Decision

Ante Delija -110 vs Marcin Tybura -110

• Anthony: This should be an interesting scrap at heavyweight between Marcin Tybura and Ante Delija. This is a rematch as Tybura defeated Delija back in 2015 when fighting in M1 Global. It is hard to take much from that first fight as Delija’s leg snapped on a checked kick early in round one. Both men have evolved as fighters since that meeting and now they tend to rely more on their wrestling than striking. Delija has made a career outside of the promotion, generally beating weak opponents Tybura is at his best when effectively grappling his opponents. He can potentially use his weight to control Delija here against the cage, easily winning minutes. Tybura should also be in position to let his hands and kicks go here as neither man is known for landing with cracking power. While I am tempted to take Delija here in this matchup, there is no real clear path to victory for him here facing Tybura. While Delija has found success in recent years, Tybura has been consistently testing himself against top tier competition. I do not think he will see anything new from Delija that he has not encountered before inside of the octagon. He should have a slight advantage in terms of grappling and overall speed. Tybura has also proven to be reliable in fights that go the distance. At near pick’em odds there is too much risk backing Delija who is 35 and just now debuting in the UFC. Marcin Tybura by Decision
• Nick: Ante Delija will be making his UFC debut here, with a 25-6 record at 35 years old. Delija is best known for a lengthy career in the PFL, where he captured the 2022 Heavyweight World Championship. Delija is dangerous everywhere,with an extensive background in both wrestling and Sambo. While he telegraphs many of his strikes and he’s somewhat small for the division, he carries one shot KO power and his durability allows him to find success in extended exchanges. Marcin Tybura is decent on the feet, but most of his success has come via his wrestling. Tybura is a BJJ black belt and one of the better offensive grapplers in the division. His career does seem to be on a bit of a decline, but he’s really only fallen to the best fighters in the division. He’s coming off back-to-back wins over Mick Parkin and Jhonata Diniz, but at 39 years old his skills do seem to be on a bit of a decline. These are two fighters with similar styles, but Tybura is the bigger and the better striker of the two. I expect he can mostly stay standing here and then pull out a win by a narrow decision by outvoluming his opponent. He should also be able to mix in takedowns if and when he needs to. Marcin Tybura by Decision

Oumar Sy -500 vs Brendson Ribeiro +380

• Anthony: Next is a fight at light heavyweight between Brendson Ribeiro and Oumar Sy. While Sy entered his previous matchup undefeated, he did suffer his first professional loss there at the hands of Alonzo Menifield. That bout saw Sy have his wrestling opposed where today it should be much easier for him to get his grappling going. This is a very bad stylistic matchup for Ribeiro here against the French fighter. Sy is very big for light heavyweight and at a decisive size advantage against Ribeiro. His strength will be felt when this fight hit the mat and Sy completely smothers Ribeiro down on the ground. Through six UFC fights, Ribeiro has failed to defend a single attempted takedown by his opponents. Sy does very well dragging opponents to the mat and establishing position on top of them. He can land heavy shots even from the back thanks to his very long arms. Ribeiro will fall back into his guard and struggle to fight back upright in this matchup. It would not surprise me to see Ribeiro stopped very early in this fight. Ribeiro tends to get worse the later that his fights tend to go. I am very confident picking Sy to secure this victory. Odds on this match would probably be much higher if Sy were to enter this bout still perfect at 12-0. Oumar Sy by Round Two KO
• Nick: Oumar Sy is 11-1 professionally, and 29 years-old. He’s relatively well-rounded with four of his professional wins coming via KO and four coming via submission. He’s 2-1 in the UFC, coming off a hard fought decision loss to Alonzo Menifield which marked the first of his professional career. Sy has been wildly impressive at times, but he really has yet to secure any wins over a high level of opponent. He has primarily fought for a regional promotion in France called King of Fighting, and as athletically gifted as he is there is no denying he’s still raw in his abilities.  Brendson Ribeiro is primarily a striker with a kill-or-be-killed level of aggression. He is extremely dangerous on the feet offensively, but he leaves himself open to be countered in exchanges. Fifteen of his sixteen professional wins have come via finish, and he has continued to show improvement on the mat.  Ribeiro is a dangerous finisher no matter who he’s up against, but Sy is the better technical fighter no matter where this one goes. As long as he stays safe early, I expect he’ll find the finish on a counter. Oumar Sy by Round Two KO

Main Card- Starts 3:00pm EST

William Gomis -280 vs Robert Ruchala +220

• Anthony: The next fight comes at featherweight between Robert Buchala and William Gomis. I have had a solid read on Gomis and I feel he can produce another victory here in this matchup. Through five appearances in the UFC we have seen a very consistent product out of Gomis. He is skilled at using his range as a weapon when striking and mixing attacks low and to the body. Watch for his kicks to land here opposing Ruchala. Gomis is also comfortable when it comes to engaging his opponents on the mat. The southpaw will be faced with fighting Ruchala who attacks violently from a muay thai stance. Ruchala is reckless but effective with his striking. He is not very graceful when it comes to entering the pocket and it may be hard for him to land consistent offense if Gomis’ jab is staying in his face. He is not afraid to make his fights scrappy and really push the issue against opponents. I think his aggressive style will only work for a few minutes here against a composed sniper like Gomis. The French fighter can score takedowns easily here if Ruchala does not respect his wrestler. Gomis can normally dictate range well and nullify opponents who are strictly looking for a brawl. I trust him to fight smart and win two rounds here today. William Gomis by Decision
• Nick: William Gomis does a good job moving in and out of range on the feet. He’s athletic and an explosive striker in exchanges, and he does a good job throwing powerful high kicks with both of his legs. He sometimes leaves himself open to be countered and he doesn’t wear damage well, but when he’s pressuring his opponents he is very dangerous offensively. Gomis suffered a decision loss to Hyder Amil his last time out, his first under the UFC banner. He can be tentative at times as he favors a point fighting style. Still, he has shown excellent cardio and overall durability, and at 28-years old he continues to make improvements in all facets of his game.  Robert Ruchala will be making his UFC debut here, but he’s already a mainstay in his home nation of Poland. Ruchala captured the Interim KSW Featherweight Championship twice, and he successfully defended the title his last time out at KSW 100 with a KO win against Kacper Formela. Ruchala is 27 years old and 11-1 professionally, with three wins coming via KO and three coming by submission. While he’s relatively well-rounded, Ruchala is most dangerous on the feet where he does an excellent job mixing powerful and flashy kicks into his combinations. While his wrestling is somewhat unrefined in general, he has dangerous BJJ which he uses to find opportunistic finishes. Ruchala is the more dangerous fighter in this match-up and the more potent finisher both at striking range and on the mat. That being said, Gomis and his point fighting style can be a tough puzzle to solve. The line feels wide, but I’m siding with the favorite to edge this one out here in front of his home crowd. William Gomis by Decision

Axel Sola -130 vs Rhys McKee +110

• Anthony: Next on the card is a fight at welterweight between Rhys McKee and Axel Sola. This is the UFC debut for Sola who was formerly champion in Ares FC. The level of competition has not been great for Sola but he has showcased strong grappling and great toughness throughout his fights. Sola is a fluid striker that stays light on his feet. His style is a bit similar to card headliner Imavov, feinting often and using his footwork to win fights at range. Sola is also the slightly superior grappler in this matchup. While McKee has showcased some improved takedown defense, he is still going to be challenged when facing opponents who have strong wrestling. Sola may not elect to grapple much in this fight but I expect him to find success if he does. McKee will try to fight behind his long frame and land meaningful strikes at distance. Sola will not be afraid to engage at closer range where McKee will have a harder time defending. While I am expecting a back and forth match on the feet, Sola should be able to duck under and score the takedowns he needs to win here. He should be stronger than McKee in clinch positions since he is not nearly as tall. At near even odds I am not going to pick against the unbeaten French fighter. Axel Sola by Decision
• Nick: Axel Sola will be making his UFC debut here, after recently capturing the Ares FC Lightweight Championship via decision over Ghiles Oudelha. Sola will be one of the French fighters fighting in front of his home crowd on this card, entering this match-up with a 10-0-1 professional record at 27 years old. Sola is relatively well rounded, but finds most of his success at striking range. Five of his ten professional wins have come via KO. Sola is a southpaw boxer who does a good job throwing in combination. He’s competent on the mat, but he really hasn’t been tested extensively against high level wrestlers or grapplers. He has solid footwork and he has shown an ability to weaponize his cardio at times, but there is no denying he’s taking a step up in competition here against Rhys McKee in his promotional debut. Rhys McKee is only 29-years old, but this is already his second stint in the UFC. He fell to tough competition in Khamzat Chimaev and Alex Morono before he was cut in 2020. He is now 1-2 since making his return, securing his first UFC win his last time out, which came via Doctor Stoppage KO of Daniel Frunza. McKee has a long frame, but his best striking takes place in the clinch. He has a solid chin and he’s very durable, but he sometimes waits for fights to come to him and his defensive grappling is average at best. This should be a competitive match-up, but I slightly prefer the Sola side. Sola can be a slow starter, but he builds into fights and McKee really hasn’t been all that impressive at the UFC level. This is a low confidence play and a relatively low level match-up, but I’m siding with the debutant in this one. I expect Sola to mix in his grappling and McKee will likely struggle to keep this one standing. Axel Sola by Decision

Mason Jones -130 vs Bolaji Oki +110

• Anthony: This is a fight at lightweight between Mason Jones and Bolaji Oki. I am expecting a fiercely competitive matchup here between these fighters. While Jones first stint in the promotion was a bit mediocre, he has won five straight bouts since he was originally cut. The Dragon is approaching fights more aggressively and engaging with his boxing more frequently. Jones is the bigger and stronger athlete with better grappling skills. While Oki is poised to continue improving with every appearance, I doubt he has the explosive power to put away an opponent like Jones. Mason Jones has proven to be very durable and willing to battle through wars. He has never been finished before. I do not plan on betting much on this matchup but Jones is without a doubt the rightful favorite. His gameplan likely involves grappling Oki in order to drain his gas tank and challenge his submission defense. Jones also figures to have better cardio with experience fighting five rounds before. I expect him to take over in rounds two and three of this bout. Mason Jones by Decision
• Nick: Mason Jones was once one of the more highly regarded prospects in the division, but he was cut from the UFC after suffering a decision loss to a tough out in L’udovid Klein back in 2022. Since then, he’s strung together five straight victories, including a win over Jeremy Stephens his last time out in his return to the promotion back in May of this year. He carries a black belt in BJJ, Judo and kickboxing. He’s a very well-rounded fighter with no singular standout skill, but he’s shown finishing ability against a decent level of regional competition. Jones is the former lightweight and welterweight Cage Warriors champion. He sometimes leaves himself open to counter-shots as his aggressive style isn’t matched by technical prowess, but he is advanced enough as a boxer to hang with a good chunk of this division. Bolaji Oki is 10-2 professionally with five of those wins coming via KO. He is 2-1 in the UFC, coming off a dominant win via decision over Michael Aswell. He’s extremely athletic, with explosive power and strength. He prefers to stand and strike and he’s shown a high-level understanding of mixing body shots into his combinations. His cardio and durability seemed to have improved considerably since he made his professional debut, but he’s still very raw in his abilities. There are two inconsistent fighters, but Jones is the more well-rounded of the two. In this particular match-up he’d be wise to lean on his grappling. If he does, I expect he can secure a dominant win via decision. Mason Jones by Decision

Modestas Bukauskas -380 vs Paul Craig +270

• Anthony: Next is a fight at light heavyweight between Paul Craig and Modestas Bukauskas. This is a fight between striker and grappler. Craig has not won in more than two years despite competing four times. Bukauskas meanwhile looked great in his three recent wins since rejoining the UFC. He is always a tough opponent at range given his great technical striking skills. Bukauskas has the better hand speed in this matchup and more weapons to attempt attacks against Craig. It is evident that Craig is no threat on the feet while Bukauskas is extremely dangerous. He is going to dominate this fight at kickboxing range. Bukauskas also defends 77 percent of takedowns, often very quickly escaping from opponent’s attempts. He is more skilled than Craig in the clinch and likely to be fresher if this fight gets into rounds two and three. Bearjew at age 37 is a one-trick pony who relies solely on capturing opponents in his guard. Craig’s one path to victory is by submission and I do not believe he will be able to catch Bukauskas in anything exotic here. Bukauskas is a reliable parlay piece and I expect him to win by finish tonight. He is fighting in his prime and so much technically better than Craig. Modestas Bukauskas by Round Two KO
• Nick: Paul Craig has outstanding BJJ, with thirteen of his seventeen professional wins coming via submission.As talented as he is, there is no denying the fact that the 37-year old Craig is in the twilight of his career. His striking defense represents a major hole in his game, and while he does carry some power, his strikes are slow and predictable. He’s always live for an upset via submission, but as he gets up there in age that really is his only path to victory against younger and more athletic opponents. Modestas Bukauskas is 6’3 with a 78-inch reach. He fights even longer than that, as he keeps a wide stance both striking and defending against takedowns. His greatest strength is his powerful striking, but he seems to leave his hands down which leaves him vulnerable against other powerful punchers. His grappling continues to improve, and he is certainly a fighter who has been consistently improving his skills as he is still young for the division at just 31 years old. These are two volatile fighters who have finishing potential but also show questionable durability. Craig is always live for a submission finish, but if he doesn’t find it I expect Bukauskas can justify this line here as a heavy favorite. Modestas Bukauskas by Round Two KO

Mauricio Ruffy -175 vs Benoit Saint Denis +140

• Anthony: The co-main event is a bout at lightweight between Mauricio Ruffy and Benoit Saint Denis. These final two fights share a theme with local French fighters facing dangerous Brazilians from the team Fighting Nerds. It is the first appearance for Ruffy since his win over King Green this past March. That was a sick knockout win by spinning heel kick, putting Ruffy in talks for having knockout of the year. He is a very quick and agile striker, tactically setting up his more powerful attacks. Ruffy is dynamic and creative, always finding effective ways to pressure opponents and forcing them to react to his feints. He will unload his offense against Saint Denis, throwing kicks and setting up combination attacks. Saint Denis is a tough and willing brawler but he has struggled dealing with opponent’s power in this division. Saint Denis is at his best when he can implement his own offensive grappling, pouring pressure onto his opponents from top position. His grappling is a bit more sophisticated than Ruffy although I think it will be difficult for Saint Denis to close the distance against him. The Brazilian will stay light on his feet and work well here from the outside. He has a two-inch reach advantage against Saint Denis and I expect Ruffy to score at least one knockdown. I am confident in picking him to get this victory in enemy territory. Mauricio Ruffy by Round Two KO
• Nick: Mauricio Ruffy is 12-1 professionally, with eleven of those wins coming via KO. Primarily a striker, Ruffy is an explosive athlete who has shown quality skills on the feet. He has tremendous power for the division, but he’s still somewhat unproven against top level competition. He is coming off the best win of his career, a spin kick KO win over divisional mainstay Bobby ‘King Green’. Ruffy fights out of an excellent camp via the Fighting Nerds in Brazil, and many have him pegged as a prospect to keep an eye on at lightweight. Benoit Saint-Denis is a BJJ specialist with a solid wrestling base and an impressive arsenal of submissions at his disposal. Prior to back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano in 2024, he had strung together five straight wins under the UFC banner. He is most recently coming off a submission win over Kyle Prepolec, but Prepolec took that fight on short notice and Saint-Denis was a massive favorite in that particular match-up. On the feet, he works well behind a powerful body kick. He is an aggressive striker who is at his most dangerous in the early rounds. His cardio seems to be somewhat of a question mark, but it is notable that he’s been taking on a mostly elite level of competition. The line feels wide here as Saint Denis is certainly the better grappler in this match-up. That being said, Ruffy has a knack for landing his power when he needs to. I expect he can keep this fight standing long enough to eventually find a finish. Mauricio Ruffy by Round Two KO

Caio Borralho -130 vs Nassourdine Imavov +110

• Anthony: The main event is a fight at middleweight between Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho. Both of these men are firmly in the title picture at 185 pounds. Borralho has been a bit inactive, but he also made weight two weeks ago as backup for Dricus Du Plessis against Khamzat Chimaev. He has won seven fights in a row to begin his career in the promotion. Borralho leads the team Fighting Nerds. He always arrives with a gameplan and executes well in all areas of the fight. His ability to read opponents and make adjustments is hard to match. Imavov has been a bit less steady but his last victory was of course his best to date, stopping Israel Adesanya by round two knockout. While I am tempted to back the red-hot Imavov here fighting on home soil, I think he has too many holes to compete against someone as thoughtful as Borralho. The Brazilian will likely succeed in implementing his grappling and winning this fight by controlling Imavov. He has a decisive jiu jitsu advantage and more physical strength than Imavov. Borralho is going to have a chance to finish Imavov if he begins to rack up a huge amount of control time. I expect that Borralho dominates some of these rounds on the ground while Imavov can win rounds convincingly on the feet. The winner of this fight will be poised to fight the champion next if they can win in dominant fashion. It is pick’em for good reason and I am not confident predicting that Borralho will win. Caio Borralho by Round Four Submission
• Nick: We have a massive fight here at middleweight, in which the winner will likely be awarded a title shot. 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 an impressive win over Jared Cannonier, but he’s been out of action since that fight took place back in August of 2024. Nassourdine Imavov is well-rounded, with a solid wrestling base and dangerous ground and pound. He does a good job circling away from the strengths of his opponents on the feet. He moves well, swinging out of his wide stance and utilizing his solid understanding of angles. He’s a quality wrestler, but more often than not he seems content to stand and trade. Imavov carries a lot of momentum into this match-up, having secured wins over Roman Dolidze, Jared Cannonier, and most recently Israel Adesanya. This should be a competitive fight at a very high level, which makes it a tough one to call. Borralho is the superior grappler here, but on the feet he’s likely going to be outclassed by a wide margin. This is a low confidence play, but I’m siding with Imavov. I like that he’ll have the home crowd behind him here, and knowing Borralho recently cut weight as a back-up fighter for UFC 319, his cardio and durability could be compromised. Nassourdine Imavov by Decision

-Nick Marro

Twitter: @NickMarroDFS

-Anthony Marro

Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_

Photo: UFC.com