UFC 290 Analysis & Predictions

UFC 290: Volkanovski vs Rodriguez – 7.8.2023 – Fight Predictions and Analysis

Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC 290: Volkanovski vs Rodriguez. We have a stacked card here today as International Fight Week comes to a close in Las Vegas. Two title belts are up for grabs at the top of our show. 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.

Watch our UFC 290 Video Breakdown.

Current Record

Anthony: 143-117-3 (Last Year 320-187-3, 63%)
Nick: 163-97-3 (Last Year 324-183-3, 64%)

*Fight odds were last updated from Bet99 on 7-7-2023 at 11pm EST

Early Prelims- Start 6:00pm EST

Esteban Ribovics -150 vs Kamuela Kirk +125

Anthony: The card today begins with a lightweight matchup of Kamuela Kirk and Esteban Ribovics. This is a good piece of matchmaking with both men in search of their twelfth professional win here. Originally Kirk was slated to face Ribovics back in March but a last minute change forced him out of that bout. Kirk has fought the better overall competition, sharing the cage with Damon Jackson, Billy Quarantillo, Kevin Croom and numerous other UFC veterans. He is a high volume fighter who does well mixing up his attack and keeping opponents moving backwards. I see Kirk having success in this fight if successful scoring some takedowns, while Ribovics conversely figures to be the cleaner athlete on the feet. I very much like the Argentinian’s boxing, rating him the much more proficient striker. Look for Ribovics to have the bigger moments here, landing shots to the head and body of Kirk often to stop his forward momentum. I view him as the more likely to score a knockdown today although Ribovics may need a finish to win this one. Kirk has historically had good cardio and a strong round three. Esteban Ribovics by Decision
Nick: Ribovics is 11-1 professionally, with all of those wins coming via finish. He’s fairly well-rounded with surprising power for his frame. He has decent BJJ, but his wrestling ability is suspect at best. He is coming off a loss in his UFC debut to Loik Radzhabov, a fight in which he was mostly dominated on the mat. Kirk pushes a serious pace which he uses to keep pressure on his opponents. He throws a wide range of powerful strikes, does a good job mixing in body shots, and his grappling continues to improve. I originally had interest in backing Kirk here as an underdog as he should have a grappling advantage in this match-up. However, I recently learned he is coming off a major back injury. He’s moving up a weight class in this match-up so while I do expect he has a chance here, Ribovics is the rightful favorite. If he’s grounded I expect he can work back to his feet, where he should have a considerable advantage. Esteban Ribovics by Round Three KO

Jesus Aguilar -140 vs Shannon Ross +115

Anthony: Next is a flyweight contest between Shannon Ross and Jesus Aguilar. I have had some trouble finding underdog selections to bet on this evening though Ross seems quite live here. The 34 year old certainly has a limited ceiling in this ultra competitive division, but I do want to give Ross one final shot after losing both octagon appearances prior. While the Aussie has come up short in his last two walks, the competition has been tough facing rising contenders Kleydson Rodrigues and Vinicius Salvador. Aguilar is a far less developed opponent with fewer paths to victory facing someone like Ross. Aguilar does not have crushing power for this class, instead utilizing high volume boxing combinations to keep striking exchanges close. Ross will be able to pressure Aguilar more effectively in the standup than has been the case in his previous couple of bouts. Ross should also feel comfortable wrestling and engaging Aguilar here given the limited arsenal of chokes we have seen him pull off in the past. The guillotine has been the most effective finishing move for Aguilar and Ross is not the type of wrestler to shoot in on double leg attacks over and over. I expect him to fight a smart game plan here and prove to be the better athlete over the course of these fifteen minutes. Shannon Ross by Decision
Nick: Jesus Aguilar is 8-2 professionally, coming off a loss in his UFC debut to Tatsuro Taira via Submission. He’s a decent striker and relatively athletic, but his grappling is his greatest strength as six of his eight professional wins have come via submission. Ross is an aggressive fighter that throws a lot of volume on the feet. Most of his success has come from outpacing his opponents, forcing them to fold after forcing them into lengthy brawls. He is 13-7 professionally, coming off a brutal KO loss in his UFC debut to a very dangerous opponent in Kleydson Rodrigues. He lost three of his last four fights, and he could be cut from the promotion if he can’t secure a win here against Aguilar. This is a very low level match-up, so my confidence in predicting the outcome is also low. I’m going to reluctantly back Ross as the underdog. as I expect his high volume striking style to win over the judges on the scorecards. Aguilar will be dangerous if this fight hits the mat, but I expect Ross can mostly keep this one standing. Shannon Ross by Decision

Cameron Saaiman -550 vs Terrence Mitchell +400

Anthony: Next is a contest at bantamweight between Terrence Mitchell and the undefeated Cameron Saaiman. This is a contest signed on short notice after Saaiman had originally been slated to face Christian Rodriguez today. Through two UFC fights thus far we have seen Saaiman look the part, showcasing good kickboxing and a very well rounded skill set at just 22 years of age. The South African has a great understanding of distance and the ability to finish opponents in this sport utilizing his quick hands and combination striking. Mitchell is a long bantamweight hailing from the Alaskan regional scene. I do not see him posing many issues for Saaiman here as it will be difficult to defend takedowns facing such a strong and persistent opponent. Mitchell has won many fights by submission but Saaiman seems very knowledgeable in top position and aware of the threats that he may find himself caught in. Saaiman is the more technical striker of these two also, making it quite the upset if Mitchell is able to pull out a win. I view Saaiman as a safe bet today despite the outrageous odds on this fight. He should be able to land big counters around the guard of Mitchell, eventually hurting his man and putting him away. Cameron Saaiman by Round Two KO
Nick: Cameron Saaiman is a highly regarded prospect, coming off back-to-back wins over Mana Martinez and Steven Koslow. He’s only 22-years old, but he’s gifted athletically and surprisingly well-rounded for his age. He does a good job moving in and out of his opponents striking range. He wears damage well, has decent power, and it’s expected he’ll continue to show considerable improvement every time we see him fight. He’s an effective wrestler who controls his weight well. It seems he mostly favors grappling for position, but it can be expected as his BJJ develops he’ll become more of a submission threat. Terrence Mitchell will be making his UFC debut here, taking this fight on relatively short notice. He is 15-2 professionally, but outside of a short stint on The Ultimate Fighter he really hasn’t been tested against top level competition. Fourteen of his fifteen professional wins have come via finish, but very few of those wins were over opponents with winning records. The line feels too wide here as Saaiman is still raw in his abilities. Still, he’s the more well-rounded fighter in this match-up and he should be better than Mitchell no matter where this one goes. Cameron Saaiman by Round Two Submission

Vitor Petrino -260 vs Marcin Prachnio +200

Anthony: Closing the early preliminary card are light heavyweights Marcin Prachnio and Vitor Petrino. Normally I know what to expect from Prachnio fight to fight, controlling the distance and landing strikes from range whenever possible. Prachnio has very good karate and seems to maintain a steady pace of output throughout a majority of his scraps. I rate Prachnio a far more skiller offensive striker than Petrino despite the fact that power certainly resides on the side of this Brazilian. The 25 year old is quite yoked up, displaying devastating power in his Contender Series appearance and many walks prior to the UFC. Prachnio has been knocked out on four occasions before and while he likely wins if this bout is to see the judge’s scorecards, I worry about his chin eating more than a few clean strikes. Petrino seems like a safe bet to find the finish here if he can cut off Prachnio and get opportunities to unload against the fence. We have also seen Petrino display solid offensive grappling which does give him one more outs here as a sizable favorite. He should find a way to win this fight no matter how ugly it may be. Vitor Petrino by Round Two KO
Nick: Petrino is somewhat untested, but there’s no denying his overall athleticism or his power in striking exchanges. Six of Petrino’s eight professional wins have come via KO. He’s almost always aggressive early in fights. His cardio was a weakness for him earlier in his career, but he showed a solid gas tank his last time out in his UFC debut win over Anton Turkalj. Prachnio is a decent striker at range, but he leaves himself open to counter shots. He is often there to be hit in lengthy exchanges, but at his best he does a good job fighting on the outside of the cage while circling away from the power of his opponents. The line feels wide here as Prachnio is the more experienced fighter and he’s been tested against better competition. That being said, his lack of defense on the feet will likely spell trouble against the powerful Petrino. I don’t like the price, but the Brazilian is the rightful favorite in this one. Vitor Petrino by Round One KO

Preliminary Card- Starts 8:00pm EST

Jimmy Crute -140 vs Alonzo Menifield +115

Anthony: Opening the prelims are Jimmy Crute and Alonzo Menifield, running back a fight that took place this past February. These two athletes fought to a draw in what was a competitive bout, largely highlighted by poor decision making from both corners. Crute was able to score an early takedown against Menifield but the larger and stronger 205er made his way back to the feet. If Crute is content to once again stand and trade strikes when met with adversity, I imagine Menifield again knocks his ass on to the mat. We will need to see Crute execute a game plan properly, getting a takedown and actually securing some control time here. He is a far better grappler than Menifield but a bit too quick to jump onto neck attacks rather than trusting in his BJJ. It is an incredibly tough fight to pick given these near even odds but Crute does seem like the more likely to turn the tables here today. I see the Aussie scoring himself an early takedown once again here this evening, but this time he will refrain from taking his foot off of the gas pedal thereafter. Jimmy Crute by Round One Submission
Nick: This fight is a rematch of a chaotic Draw that took place back in February. Each fighter had their moments in that fight, but they also made considerable mistakes and both left potential finishes on the table. Crute is one of the more exciting prospects we have at Light Heavyweight. He’s a powerful striker, but many of his Wins have come via his outstanding Submission ability. Crute has a better than 60% Takedown Accuracy. He is often so aggressive, that he sometimes gasses out if he can’t put his opponents away early. However, that hasn’t been much of an issue for him as each of his last three wins have come via first round finish. Alonzo Menifield has a massive frame for the division and twelve of his thirteen professional wins have come via finish within two rounds. He has not seen much in terms of quality competition, but he’s shown tremendous power and you can see he’s improving in pretty much every other aspect of his game. Menifield recently left one of the best gyms in the game in Fortis MMA. He’s going to be dangerous early here, but he telegraphs many of his strikes and I’m not confident in his takedown defense as it really hasn’t been tested against anyone with Crute’s level of grappling ability. Crute did have success on the ground the last time these two squared up. Crute is still young and developing so it wouldn’t be shocking if Menifield caught him for an upset KO. That being said, that seems to be his only path to victory. Crute is the more well-rounded fighter and I expect he can ground Menifield here and work him for a submission. Since the last time these two met, I expect the younger fighter to have made the more meaningful improvements and adjustments. Jimmy Crute by Round Two Submission

Yazmin Jauregui -400 vs Denise Gomes +300

Anthony: Next is a contest at women’s strawweight between Yazmin Jauregui and Denise Gomes. Jauregui is a very intriguing prospect, entering today’s bout at a perfect 10-0. This girl is tough, showcasing some phenomenal kickboxing and power already at the age of just 24. While Jauregui’s striking may come across as wild, I like the high volume attack supported by a real power threat behind it in her overhands. She is only going to continue improving in terms of her defensive awareness and ability to string together offense in combination. Gomes is another good draw for Jauregui, testing herself against a young and live opponent. I just imagine we see one way traffic in this bout if Gomes cannot connect with a big early shot of her own. Jauregui figures to be the much more technically sound striker and more efficient over the course of a fifteen minute fight. Yazmin Jauregui by Decision
Nick: Jauregui is 2-0 in the UFC and a former Combate Global Strawweight Tournament Champion. She sits at an undefeated 10-0, with seven of those wins coming via KO. She is only 24-years old, but she’s already a highly skilled striker with excellent pressure and power. Gomes fights aggressively, primarily as a striker, but she is far from technically refined. While effective on the offensive end, her mediocre footwork and head movement often leaves her in compromising positions defensively. She is coming off a solid win over Bruna Brasil, and she is now 1-1 under the UFC banner. I expect Gomes can keep this close early, but as the fight wears on Jauregui’s technical advantages should shine through. She is the better striker both offensively and this fight should mostly take place on the feet. Yazmin Jauregui by Decision

Tatsuro Taira -1100 vs Edgar Chairez +650

Anthony: This should be a fun bout with Tatsuro Taira facing the UFC newcomer Edgar Chairez at 130 pounds. Originally we were promised a banger with fight week with Taira facing another prospect in Kleydson Rodrigues but unfortunately that bout agreement has fizzled. Now Chairez is instead thrown to the wolves and slated to compete with this grappling ace from Japan. The young Taira has a phenomenal base for MMA, mixing excellent jiu jitsu with a strong judo base. Taira’s body lock takedowns land at a very high success rate and I imagine Chairez looks like a fish out of water here today on the mat rolling with him. We often see Chairez utilize attacks of his own on the mat to attempt subs and sweeps, though I seriously doubt any of those moves work here facing such a credentialed grappler. Chairez will instead look to get his hands going, boxing Taira despite the fact finding a knockout here at 130 pounds may be next to impossible. The huge favorite Taira should cash easily here in a fight dominated early via the grappling exchanges. Tatsuro Taira by Round One Submission
Nick: Tatsura Taira is an undefeated prospect who has primarily fought for Shooto in Japan. He’s only twenty-three years old, but he already has a well-rounded skill-set which is highlighted by high-level BJJ. Taira is tall for the division. He’s explosive when he strikes, with solid range management and footwork. He sometimes leaves his chin out in exchanges, but he already has a good grasp of how to utilize his length. He is 2-0 in the UFC, coming off an impressive Submission win over Jesus Aguilar. The UFC seems like they want to build him slowly as a means to capture the Japanese market. Edgar Chairez will be making his UFC debut here as he’s taking this fight on short notice. He is 10-4 professionally, coming off back-to-back wins via submission. In spite of those recent results, Chairez is primarily a striker. He’s explosive out of breaks and does an excellent job throwing from unconventional angles. This fight should be competitive on the feet, but Taira’s advantages on the mat should be dramatic. As long as he’s defensively sound early, he should be able to drag this fight to the mat and fight a finish. Tatsuro Taira by Round One Submission

Niko Price -240 vs Robbie Lawler +190

Anthony: The featured prelim comes at welterweight with NIko Price taking on Robbie Lawler. This is the final UFC fight for Lawler, closing a storied career highlighted by championship wins and Fight of the Night honors on numerous occasions. He is truly one of the best in the game, soft spoken but always bringing violence to the fans when the cage door is locked behind him. Lawler figures to be a very live underdog today despite the fact that this is his final octagon appearance. At 41 years of age we have seen a slight decline in Lawler’s skillset, namely losing some speed and durability over the previous few appearances in the cage. I think the three most recent walks from Lawler proved he can still compete at an elite level against competition outside of the division’s top twenty. Certainly Price is a hittable opponent that Lawler could spark out, though I find it more likely that Price scores points on Lawler while controlling distance a bit better than usual today. Price has the edge in height and reach over Lawler, allowing him to perhaps stop the dogged pressure oncoming by sitting down on a few big strikes of his own. I hope that Lawler can keep this competitive for a full three rounds but it does seem unlikely that he keeps up with Price. I find these odds to accurately reflect today’s showdown, with Lawler needing to land a lucky shot to even the playing field. Niko Price by Decision
Nick: By most accounts, this fight is must-see TV. Both of these guys like to stand and swing, they both have power and they’ve both shown time and time again that they can take a lot of damage. This is slated to be Robbie Lawler’s retirement fight. Lawler is a true fan favorite and a pioneer of the sport. Heis a former champion at 170 pounds, with notable wins over Carlos Condit, Rory MacDonald and most recently Nick Diaz. He’s a powerful brawler who is technically sound everywhere, but he’s most content to stand and trade on the feet. The biggest concern in backing Lawler here is he doesn’t throw a ton of volume. He’s sometimes a bit too content to wait to counter which means he can fall behind on the scorecards. Niko Price will likely have the power advantage here, he’s fairly well-rounded but he’s found most of his UFC success trading on the feet with notable wins over Alex Oliveira, Tim Means, and Randy Brown. Ten of his fifteen professional wins have come via KO. Both of these fighters are past their respective primes, but Lawler is likely further past his. This is a low confidence play and I don’t like the line, but I do see Price securing a win in this matchup. Niko Price by Decision

Main Card- Starts 10:00pm EST

Bo Nickal -2500 vs Valentine Woodburn +1000

Anthony: The main card opens with a middleweight fight featuring rising prospect Bo Nickal. Rarely before have we seens a 4-0 fighter garner the attention and respect that Nickal does warrant. He is a world class wrestler with a championship pedigree, deemed the best NCAA wrestler in multiple years. Nickal not only has exceptional takedowns and grappling but he is a student of the game. Nical has very quickly evolved his Brazilian jiu jitsu and now looks to improve further with his hands. Eventually this kid may just have the tools to be a world beater, but there is still a long climb ahead of Nickal. Fighting no-names like Woodburn on short notice provide Nickal fewer opportunities to grow his brand. I think he wipes the floor with the undefeated Woodburn, suffocating him on the mat as soon as this bout begins. While Woodburn may keep his feet momentarily, I see Nickal making quick work of this fight once he finds the back. There is no money to be made betting the straight moneyline here but I do recommend a prop bet on the first round finish. Nickal has been very quick in engaging as soon as his fights begin. Bo Nickal by Round One Submission
Nick: Bo Nickal is widely considered one of the best prospects in the sport of MMA. He is only 4-0 professionally, but all of those wins have come via first round finish. What Nickal lacks in professional MMA experience, he more than makes up for in wrestling credentials. Nickal was awarded the 2019 Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation’s most outstanding collegiate wrestler for that year. He was a finalist in the 2020 Olympic Team trials, and a three-time NCAA Division I National Champion. Nickal trains at American Top Team where he’s been working on his striking extensively with the likes of Mike Brown and Jorge Masvidal. He’s shown to have true one-shot power, he’s an explosive athlete and he’s expected to climb the rankings at 185 rather quickly. Valentine Woodburn will be taking this fight on less than a weeks’ notice, making his UFC debut with a 7-0 professional record. He’s a powerful puncher and an explosive athlete, but I fully expect he’ll be dramatically outclassed in this match-up. I expect Nickal to look for the early takedown, like he always does. He should secure it with relative ease and from there I expect he’ll score a quick finish via submission or ground-and-pound knockout. Bo Nickal by Round One Submission

Jalin Turner -300 vs Dan Hooker +240

Anthony: Next is a matchup at lightweight between Jalin Turner and Dan Hooker. Turner was the only fighter to miss weight yesterday, coming in more than one pound heavy on the scales. The miss is not very surprising considering the incredible size of Turner for a 155 pounder. The man stands at 6’3 and appeared to add some serious muscle in the camp leading up to this fight. While Turner has realized success against Aussies a few times before, Hooker provides a fun stylistic matchup to really test his striking. Turner is a high volume athlete on the feet, throwing solid output and landing plenty of strikes from range. A more steady output from Turner can be expected while Hooker fights more volatile, throwing a larger number of knee and elbow counters. Hooker is capable of outworking Turner and finding the big moments needed to win in a kickboxing scrap, I just fear Turner may turn the tide in this fight grappling if the standup has not gone his way. Hooker is better than these odds imply anyways but I do feel hesitant backing him as the dog. I’ll really just be happy holding a plus money bet on Hooker if this bout does see a judge’s decision. Dan Hooker by Decision
Nick: Jalin Turner is a well rounded fighter who’s greatest strength is his surprisingly long reach and length for the division. He does an excellent job using his long frame to keep opponents at a distance. He has enough power in his shots to end a fight early with a single strike, but it’s mostly the volume with his jab that makes him so effective. All thirteen of Turner’s professional victories have come by way of finish. At 28-years old, it seems Turner is hitting his prime. He seems to have filled out his wiry frame, his punches are landing cleaner and he’s made dramatic improvements in his BJJ and wrestling. Hooker is an extremely talented kickboxer. He has powerful leg kicks that he combines with high volume and speed to wear on his opponents. He’s a master of angles and does a great job finding openings for big elbows, knees and punches. Hooker has seemingly slowed down over his past few fights. He’s still extremely dangerous, but this feels like two fighters who are seeing their respective careers head in different directions.The line certainly feels wide here, but I expect Turner to mix in his grappling on his way to another victory. Jalin Turner by Round Two KO

Robert Whittaker -400 vs Dricus Du Plessis +300

Anthony: The featured bout is a middleweight fight between Robert Whittaker and Dricus Du Plessis. Perennial title contender Robert Whittaker will likely once again fight for the 185 pound belt with a victory here today. Rising contender Dricus Du Plessis will look to oppose Bobby Knuckles and instead punch his ticket to fighting Adesanya. I would be thrilled to watch Du Plessis land a big overhand and win today but I think this matchup is awful given his rather reckless approach on the feet. Whittaker is a phenomenal counter striker that will eat up Du Plessis on many entries into the pocket. He is also the more diverse kickboxer with footwork miles ahead of DDP. It should be a clinic while standing, with Whittaker upping the volume in each round as Du Plessis begins to fade. Whittaker also has the edge grappling and holding clinch positions, certainly giving him the option to further wear on the gas tank of Du Plessis. It will be a very dangerous round one for Whittaker here but I do believe he batters up Du Plessis over the course of the latter two. He is too quick and technically skilled to get caught by Du Plessis and his telegraphed attacks. I am a big fan of the South African but unfortunately this booking feels like too much for Du Plessis at this stage of his career. Robert Whittaker by Decision
Nick: This is only Du Plessis’ sixth fight under the UFC banner. However, he already has a veteran’s worth of experience as a highly regarded prospect with a fairly impressive resume at 18-2. A former KSW Middleweight Champion, Du Plessis throws a ton of volume on the feet. He has a lot of power in all of his limbs, but he’s also competent on the mat with ten professional wins coming via submission. As dangerous as Du Plessis is, he’s very awkward in his movements and his footwork sometimes leaves him in positions to be countered. His fight IQ is questionable at best and while his cardio does seem decent, he often slows down and looks labored at random times throughout a fifteen minute fight. Dating back to 2015, Whittaker has only lost to the division’s champion, Israel Adesanya. Whittaker is very cerebral defensively and does an excellent job circling away from the power of his opponents. Additionally, he does an excellent job staying on the offensive even when he’s backing up. I also like that Whittaker has been leaning on his leg kicks a lot lately. This will be a valuable weapon for him here as a means to keep Du Plessis from closing the distance. Du Plessis is a potent finisher, but Whittaker’s defensive style should present a brutal match-up for him stylistically. I expect Whittaker can pick Du Plessis apart at range until he finds an opening for the finish. Robert Whittaker by Round Three KO

Brandon Moreno -210 vs Alexandre Pantoja +170

Anthony: The co-main event will decide the flyweight championship as Brandon Moreno will face Alexandre Pantoja. This is a trilogy bout with Pantoja victorious in the two prior meetings with Moreno. While competing on The Ultimate Fighter, Pantoja submitted the lowest seeded athlete Moreno in the second round of their fight. A rematch in Chile two years later saw a similar result with Pantoja dominating Moreno on the mat en route to a unanimous decision win. Now while Moreno has put together a dominant title run, I am not sure his jiu jitsu has developed enough to beat Pantoja with one more try. He is the far better boxer and offensive threat standing, but Moreno cedes plenty of control time to opponents in his scraps. I see him getting put in a few tight submission attempts here once Pantoja gets a hold of him. We may see some competitive exchanges on the feet but Pantoja isn’t going to get his hand raised kickboxing for five rounds. He seems reliant on the finish here to earn himself a world title. I am expecting fireworks and a legitimate Fight of the Night contender when these two get locked inside the cage. I will take Pantoja as the moderate underdog here based solely on the value at this number. Without disrespect to the champion Moreno, -210 is not a price that I can endorse. Pantoja will find his way to the back of Moreno and work cautiously to improve position from there. And New. Alexandre Pantoja by Round Two Submission
Nick: This is an excellent match-up between two of the best flyweights in the world. This is the third time these two have fought, Pantoja is 2-0 in the match-up, but both fighters have made dramatic improvements since they last met in 2018. Pantoja is elite pretty much everywhere. He’s outstanding on the ground and his striking is crisp and explosive. He’s coming off impressive wins over Alex Perez and Brandon Royval, but we haven’t seen him in action since July of 2022. Moreno is one of the better offensive wrestlers at flyweight and he has an excellent gas tank to support his style. He’s somewhat awkward on the feet, but he is technically sound, striking both offensively and defensively. He lands meaningful shots and does a great job stringing together lengthy combinations. Moreno does an excellent job pushing forward and forcing his opponents to fight off their back foot. He can be over aggressive at times and present openings to be countered, which could prove troublesome to him in this match-up with Pantoja. This should be a fairly even fight when it takes place at striking range, but I see Pantoja getting the better of grappling exchanges. I expect Moreno to willingly engage in grappling exchanges here, which will likely backfire as Pantoja’s superior BJJ shines through. This is a low confidence play, but Pantoja should be able to keep this close and either win via decision or score a timely submission. And New. Alexandre Pantoja by Round Four Submission

Alexander Volkanovski -375 vs Yair Rodriguez +280

Anthony: The main event will unify the featherweight title with champion Alexander Volkanovski facing off against Yair Rodriguez. This is going to be a very fun matchup given the volume and pace these two fight. Volkanovski is a cardio machine, constantly moving forward and putting pressure on his opponents when striking with them on the feet. His kickboxing is world class with heavy leg kicks and counters that should work to great effect against Rodriguez. The unorthodox and flashy attacks that Rodriguez tends to utilize leave him very susceptible to return fire from a steady sniper like Volkanovski. The champion is very durable and I expect to see him take chances closing the distance early to stay inside of Yair’s kicking range. Volkanovski would also likely win a large portion of this fight if he elects to implement some offensive grappling. Rodriguez struggled when put on his back previously, namely facing Max Holloway and Frankie Edgar. Volkanovski should have a well crafted gameplan to nullify Rodriguez’ offense and win minutes convincingly. Whether on the mat or on his feet, Volkanovski can be relied on to fight through adverse positions and punish his opponents when they are hurt. I will be betting on Volkanovski with confidence today as he is one of the most complete athletes on the roster. He is without a doubt one of the world’s best and while Yair does seem like a good challenge stylistically, I see this belt being defended quite a few more times. And Still. Alexander Volkanovski by Decision
Nick: Alexander Volkanovsk has an extremely high fight-IQ. He’s a gifted striker who does an excellent job mixing kicks into his combinations. He does a good job closing distance against taller opponents and his low and powerful base makes him difficult to takedown. He’s capable of finding entries for takedowns of his own, but he’s most comfortable fighting on the feet. Volkonovski does an excellent job baiting his opponents with feints. He’s very difficult for his opponents to read and he makes them pay whenever they try to put him on the defensive. His high pressure style makes it difficult for his opponents to find their timing in exchanges, and I expect that will be a major factor here against the challenger, Yair Rodriguez. Yair Rodriguez is a talented striker with surprising power for his frame. He throws a wide range of strikes. He does an excellent job mixing kicks into his combinations and he does a good job leaning on them to keep his opponents at range. Rodriguez throws a lot of spinning attacks. When he lands, they can be extremely effective. However, when he misses he leaves himself open to counter shots and in this specific match-up he could be leaving openings for Volkanovski to capitalize. Rodriguez will be dangerous here, but I expect Volkanovski to stay a step ahead. As long as he’s defensively sound early he should be able to pressure Rodriguez until he eventually breaks. And Still. Alexander Volkanovski by Decision

-Nick Marro

Twitter: @NickMarroDFS

-Anthony Marro

Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_

Photo: UFC.com