UFC Atlanta: Usman vs Buckley - Full Card Analysis
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UFC Atlanta: Usman vs Buckley – Full Card Analysis

June 14, 2025
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UFC Atlanta: Usman vs Buckley – 6.14.2025 – Fight Predictions and Analysis

   Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC Fight Night Atlanta: Usman vs Buckley. Action is back in Atlanta this Saturday night after a great pay-per-view last weekend live from New Jersey. 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: 144-83-1 (Last Year 321-191-0, 63%)
  • Nick: 147-80-1 (Last Year 316-196-0, 62%)

*Fight odds were last updated from Bet99 on 6-13-2025 at 9pm EST

Preliminary Card- Starts 7:00pm EST

Jamey-Lyn Horth -600 vs Vanessa Demopoulos +400

  • Anthony: The card event begins at women’s flyweight for this fight between Vanessa Demopoulos and Jamey-Lyn Horth. This is a short notice appearance for Demopoulos, stepping in for the injured Tereza Bleda. Horth is a sizable betting favorite but Demopoulos can never be counted out as the underdog. She does well fighting through tough positions in her fights and always giving the judge’s something to think about. Unfortunately for Demopoulos, her grappling advantage will likely be negated here by Horth’s size and strength. Demopoulos has the better jiu jitsu of these two but I doubt she will get to display much of those skills from the bottom position. Horth is the far better striker of these two, landing with much more power and consistency. I think it will be very difficult for Demopoulos to hurt Horth or get her respect while standing. Jamey-Lyn Horth by Decision
  • Nick: Horth is 35-years old, and 7-2 professionally. She’s 2-2 in the UFC, coming off a hard fought loss to a tough out in Miranda Maverick. She seems fairly well-rounded when you watch her on film, but it’s tough to say she has any singular standout skill offensively. That being said, she is big for the division and her cardio and durability are certainly strengths. Vanessa Demopoulos was recently awarded her BJJ black belt. She has a powerful wrestling base, showing enough ability to score takedowns against lower level opponents. She can be an effective striker, but her defense is questionable at best. She eats a lot of shots against higher-volume strikers, and offensively she often leaves herself open to counter shots. She’s coming off back-to-back losses for the first time since 2020, and there’s a chance she’s fighting to hold her roster spot in this match-up. Horth isn’t anything special offensively, but she’s the better technical striker in this match-up and she’s much bigger and stronger than Demopoulos. The line feels wide here given the low level nature of this match-up, but I do see Horth as the rightful favorite. Jamey-Lyn Horth by Decision

Ange Loosa -145 vs Phil Rowe +120

  • Anthony: Next is a fight at welterweight between Ange Loosa and Phil Rowe. This should be a close matchup and likely a fight that ends up going to the scorecards. These are two conservative fighters with good awareness and self preservation skills. Rowe is a little bit more dangerous striking, benefiting from a six-inch edge in reach. He tends to do better than Loosa in regards to landing strikes with power and closing the distance quickly. I rate Loosa higher in all other areas of the fight. He is very good at winning minutes off of opponents in the clinch and positions where he can land close. It could be hard for Loosa to get past the reach of Rowe here, but once he does I figure he will be the fighter scoring more consistently. The benefit of having the grappling edge makes Loosa a rightful favorite in my eyes. I do suggest taking Loosa here in what is a fight at near pick em odds. Rowe has lost both of his previous appearances via decision. Ange Loosa by Decision
  • Nick: Ange Loosa telegraphs many of his strikes and his footwork is far from refined, but his athleticism and overall explosiveness allows him to find success in exchanges. Loosa lands more than 5.5 significant strikes per minute. He’s a decent grappler and strong for the division, but his cardio has been somewhat questionable. He is 2-2-1 in the UFC, most recently falling via decision to a tough out in Gabriel Bonfim. Phil Rowe is certainly a well-rounded fighter on paper, but he enters this match-up off back-to-back losses. He has a ridiculous 80.5-inch reach as one of the tallest welterweights on the UFC roster. Rowe does his best work fighting at range. He uses his length well, but he does tend to spend more time in the clinch than someone with his reach should. Additionally, most of his success has come against a very low level of opponent. These are two volatile fighters and this is a relatively low level match-up. I slightly prefer Loosa as he’s the more durable of the two and I expect he’ll have a grappling advantage if he should choose to take this fight to the mat. Ange Loosa by Decision

Ricky Simon -500 vs Cameron Smotherman +350

  • Anthony: This matchup is at bantamweight between Ricky Simon and Cameron Smotherman. It is a short notice booking after Simon was originally scheduled to face Charles Jourdain. Now on just a week notice Smotherman is stepping in to take on his toughest test to date. Smotherman had his first loss in the octagon earlier this year, dropping a decision to Serhiy Sidey. He ceded five of twelve takedown attempts in that matchup, ultimately getting controlled for more than four minutes in total. Smotherman is a long and dangerous athlete here at 135 pounds but his frame does not really help when it comes to defending takedowns. Smotherman will really be up against it here facing a credentialed wrestler like Simon. It should be very easy for Simon to rely on his takedowns here, easily grounding Smotherman and making this a fight where he is never at risk of losing. Simon has also got back to winning fights as earlier of this year. He won a bonus for his knockout of Javid Basharat in his last cage appearance. Smotherman may be more live than these odds suggest but I feel confident picking Simon to win here tonight. Ricky Simon by Decision
  • Nick: Ricky Simon is certainly past his prime, but he’s still a tough out for the majority of the bantamweight division. Simon averages more than five takedowns per fifteen minutes. He fights at a torrid pace, and when he’s at his best he does an excellent job weaponizing his cardio. He’s a decent offensive striker, but he’s slow moving in and out of breaks and his footwork is rudimentary at best. After three straight losses, he most recently secured a massive KO win as a heavy underdog against Javid Basharat. He’ll be looking to build on that momentum here against a short-notice replacement in Cameron Smotherman. Smotherman is taking this fight on a weeks’ notice as a late replacement for the injured Charles Jourdain. Smotherman is long for the division and a potent finisher both at striking range and on the mat. He is 1-1 in the UFC, most recently falling via decision to Serhiy Sidey back in May. As effectively as he is offensively, he can be tentative at times and his defensive technical abilities can leave a lot to be desired. This fight could play out closely if Simon doesn’t choose to wrestle here. However, I’m fairly confident he will. Additionally, it’s tough not to favor him as he’s taken on a much better level of opponent, he’s far more experienced, and Smotherman is taking this fight on short notice. Ricky Simon by Round Two Submission

Jose Ochoa -185 vs Cody Durden +150

  • Anthony: This is a fight at flyweight between Cody Durden and Jose Ochoa. Ochoa is a 7-1 pro fighting out of Peru. Ochoa has the classic Chute Boxe Diego Lima style to his attacks, relying on high pressure striking and muay thai attacks in close. At the age of 34, Durden sort of serves as gatekeeper here in the lower weight divisions. His experience and overall wrestling skills should give him the edge in a fight against a young opponent such as Ochoa. I think that Ochoa could have a bright future ahead but from what I have seen thus far he still needs a lot of improvement to cut it against top caliber opponents. Ochoa has very good striking and hand speed but not much power at this weight. He needs to focus more on landing punches in combination since the volume in flyweight fights always stays high. Durden will be shooting and taking Ochoa off of his feet at every opportunity. He will struggle in striking exchanges here facing a more skilled boxer but Durden is very tough and capable of taking punches. I think he is a gritty underdog pick that will fight through knockdowns and tough positions. It is hard to warrant Ochoa at the price of -185. Cody Durden by Decision
  • Nick: Cody Durden is a well-rounded and gritty fighter who finds most of his success using his wrestling to keep pressure on his opponents. He’s more than competent on the feet, but in most matchups we see him try to score takedowns to control position and grind out wins on the scorecards. He is 1-3 in his last four fights, but he’s in a more favorable stylistic match-up this time against a striker in Ochoa. Jose Ochoa is coming off a hard fought loss in his UFC debut, which came against a tough out in Lone’er Kavanagh in November in 2024. He is 7-1 professionally and in spite of the fact his most recent win came via submission, he’s primarily a striker as it seems he mostly prefers to stand and trade. He trains out of Chute Box in Brazil, a camp known for their aggressive sparring sessions and their kill-or-be-killed style. He has solid durability and footwork, and his aggressive fighting pace makes him a tough opponent to handle. This is a tough fight to call, but I slightly prefer the Durden side here. He should be able to lean on his wrestling against a chaotic striker in Ochoa, and I also like the fact he’ll be fighting in front of his home crowd in this spot. Cody Durden by Decision

Malcolm Wellmaker -2000 vs Kris Moutinho +1000

  • Anthony: This is a matchup at bantamweight between Kris Moutinho and Malcolm Wellmaker. It has been tough for Wellmaker to find opponents and thus on just 11 days notice he is fighting Moutinho here tonight. This is Moutinho’s second stint with the UFC after being cut by the promotion in 2022. He has since won five fights in a row, albeit against lackluster competition. Moutinho is a gritty boxer that fights with good pressure and constant forward movement. The issue for Moutinho is his poor striking defense and a complete lack of head movement. I think the +1000 is completely disrespectful, but a skilled fighter like Wellmaker should not have problems piecing him up. Wellmaker is the better offensive grappler and the far better technical striker on the feet. He is 9-0 and fighting Moutinho will not challenge his cardio. Wellmaker should keep himself out of harm’s way and outclass Moutinho handily here. He is faster and a far superior athlete. On short notice Moutinho’s chances are slim to none. Malcolm Wellmaker by Round Two KO
  • Nick: Malcolm Wellmaker is 31 years-old, and he enters this fight with an undefeated 9-0 professional record. He’s coming off an impressive KO win over Cameron Saaiman in his UFC debut, which came via KO back in April. He’s getting a late break into the promotion, but he spent the early part of his career very active on the amateur circuit so he really is more experienced than his record might suggest. He’s relatively well rounded, but his greatest strength is certainly his striking ability at range. He is quick in and out of breaks, and he can land power shots from a variety of unconventional angles. Kris Moutinho will be returning to the UFC here off a five-fight win streak on the regional scene. He was 0-2 in the UFC when he first broke into the promotion in 2021, and he re-enters the promotion with a 14-6 professional record overall. Moutinho is a tough and gritty fighter and he’s generally well-rounded. That being said he is hittable in exchanges and he lacks the athleticism required to find sustained success at the UFC level. The line is getting a bit out of hand, but it feels like the UFC is setting up Wellmaker to secure a highlight reel KO here in front of his home crowd. Moutinho is far past his prime, and Wellmaker is entering his own. Malcolm Wellmaker by Round One KO

Michael Chiesa -350 vs Court McGee +275

  • Anthony: This is a bout at welterweight between Michael Chiesa and Court McGee. It is a good piece of matchmaking between the two longtime veterans in the promotion. Chiesa has gotten back into the win column of late, winning both previous appearances via submission. He has looked good against some of the older opponents he faces, wrapping up the neck and easily getting fights to the mat with his elite grappling. Chiesa has a very tight grip and outstanding takedowns using the body lock on opponents. Over the course of a three round fight I think he will have no problem grounding McGee. The occasions that Chiesa is getting into trouble is when his lack of speed and striking awareness get exposed. I do not think a 40 year old like McGee will really challenge Chiesa in those areas. His cardio is not going to be tested if he is successful controlling when the fight hits the mat. McGee averages 69 percent takedown defense but not many previous opponents did rush to shoot on him. I think he is going to get wrapped up by a bigger and stronger opponent here today. Chiesa is one of my more confident selections on this fight card. Michael Chiesa by Round Two Submission
  • Nick: At his best, Michael Chiesa has an outstanding wrestling style that relies on highly technical body-lock style takedowns and his submission game is extremely creative. Chiesa’s stand-up is serviceable, but his powerful grappling and technical abilities on the mat are certainly his greatest strengths. Chiesa averages more than three takedowns per fifteen minutes and his BJJ is outstanding if he can hold top position. He’s far past his prime, but he’s coming off back-to-back wins for the first time since 2021. Court McGee likes to pressure his opponents. He’s a decent striker, but mostly because he has generally been able to eat shots in order to throw back his own. He rarely looks crisp on the feet, but his solid chin has allowed him to find spots that otherwise might not be there for him for the majority of his career. He has decent entries for takedowns, and he’s stronger than a lot of the other middling contenders in this division. Still, his durability is no longer a strength as he’s been knocked out in two of his last four fights. These are two fighters who have regressed considerably from their athletic prime, which makes this a volatile match-up to call. I prefer the Chiesa side as he’s the more potent finisher, and I expect McGee will be willing to engage with him on the mat. Michael Chiesa by Round Two Submission

Rodolfo Bellato -400 vs Paul Craig +300

  • Anthony: This is a fight at light heavyweight between Paul Craig and Rodolfo Bellato. We were scheduled to see this fight one month ago, but Bellato was forced to withdraw on that Saturday due to an outbreak of herpes. I am not surprised to see Craig moving back up in weight to take on Bellato here. Craig is on a 0-3 skid competing down at middleweight. He matches up well with Bellato and at 205 pounds Craig’s cardio should be much improved. Bellato has not done enough to warrant such a steep price tag but the Brazilian is very technically skilled with good power and composure. Bellato normally fights with a rather steady pace, allowing opponents to walk themselves into his striking range. He does well throwing punches in combination and landing his more focused power shots. Craig has five career losses by knockout and a reputation of being easy to hit. Bellato should be able to put his hands on Craig and hurt him while this fight is upright. Craig may find some success grounding Bellato here but I seriously doubt he will find his way into sustained top position. Jimmy Crute did well grappling Bellato in his last fight but his wrestling is far superior to that of Paul Craig. It seems unlikely that Bellato falls into a submission that Craig throws up off of his back here. He should do well keeping composed throughout this matchup landing a lot of unanswered strikes. Rodolfo Bellato by Round One KO
  • Nick: Rodolfo Bellato is 12-2-1 professionally, with seven of those wins coming via KO and four coming via submission. He is entering his athletic prime at 29-years old and he fights out of a solid camp via Team Nogueira in Brazil. Bellato is a kill-or-be-killed style fighter who tends to succeed in chaos. He nearly lost his promotional debut to Ihor Potieria, but after weathering an early storm, he managed to take the fight over and then as he scored a ground-and-pound finish in the second round. Bellato’s only professional losses came to a rising prospect in Vitor Petrino, but he mostly recently fought to a Draw in a somewhat sloppy fight against Jimmy Crute. Paul Craig has outstanding BJJ, with thirteen of his seventeen professional wins coming via submission. He attempted to fight at middleweight, but that venture resulted in three consecutive losses. He’ll be returning to light heavyweight here, which many feel is his natural and proper weight class. 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 Bellato is well-rounded enough that he should be able to stay safe if this fight hits the ground. I really don’t rate Bellato in terms of his trajectory in the division, but his physical advantages here should be enough to secure a finish. Rodolfo Bellato by Round One KO

Main Card- Starts 10:00pm EST

Oumar Sy -700 vs Alonzo Menifield +500

  • Anthony: The main card begins at light heavyweight between Alonzo Menifield and Oumar Sy. This fight was scheduled to take place earlier this spring but Sy had initially withdrawn. He is 11-0 and slowly taking on better competition each time out. Sy does well using his length when striking against opponents at distance. He has a seven-inch reach advantage in this fight against Menifield. Sy is also a very skilled grappler at light heavyweight. He does well controlling opponents and spending a long time in control on the back. Menifield is proficient when it comes to grappling as well but I think Sy has the size to handle him in this matchup. It will be difficult for Menifield to score his own takedowns or find much success at all on the feet against Sy. I am very confident picking Sy to win this fight but the finish may not materialize. Menifield likes to engage opponents early but he also has seen a lot of fights go to the judge’s scorecards. Oumar Sy by Decision
  • Nick: Oumar Sy is 11-0 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 2-0 in the UFC, coming off a hard fought decision win over a tough out in Da Woon Jung. Sy has been wildly impressive, but he really hasn’t fought 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. Alonzo Menifield has a massive frame for the division and thirteen of his fifteen professional wins have come via finish within two rounds. He has not seen much success against quality competition, but he’s shown tremendous power and you can see his fight IQ has improved considerably over the course of his UFC career. Menifield is the more experienced fighter in this match-up, but he’s somewhat slow and plodding on the feet which is likely going to be a major issue for him here against a physical specimen in Sy. Additionally, Sy is the more dangerous BJJ player if this fight hits the mat. Whether standing or on the ground, I see the favorite securing a finish in this one. Oumar Sy by Round Three KO

Mansur Abdul-Malik -800 vs Cody Brundage +550

  • Anthony: This is a fight at middleweight between Mansur Abdul-Malik and Cody Brundage. Since appearing on Dana White’s Contender Series, Abdul-Malik has done nothing but produce impressive knockouts. The 8-0 athlete has an incredible gift of power and technique that is slowly starting to match. He is training with a great team at MMA Masters and I like the progress we have been seeing. Abdul-Malik can throw a lot of different weapons and really has a sick reach for this weight. He is going to be much bigger than Brundage and likely too much for him to handle. Brundage has proven on many occasions before that he is a very live underdog but I would not be tempted to take him here even at this price. He will struggle to employ his wrestling here against an opponent who is this physical. Having to overcome this reach deficit will also be a big problem for Brundage who does not throw much meaningful offense apart from the occasional overhand. Abdul-Malik is one of my most confident selections on this card. I think he is going to have no problem keeping his KO streak alive against this level opponent. Mansur Abdul-Malik by Round One KO
  • Nick: At 27-years old, Mansur Abdul-Malik is an undefeated prospect with a 8-0 professional record. All of Abdul-Malik’s wins have come via finish. He’s an explosive athlete with an 80” reach. Primarily a striker, Abdul-Malik has found most of his success overwhelming his opponents with pressure early in fights. He’s coming off an impressive KO win over Nick Klein, and he’s now 2-0 in the UFC. Cody Brundage has a powerful wrestling base and he does a good job pouring damage on his opponents if he can find himself in top position. He can be dangerous on the feet, but he telegraphs most of his strikes and recently it seems his cardio has become a major weakness. He is 11-6 professionally, but he’s been wildly inconsistent since he made his UFC debut. While he does have offensive upside if he can take this fight to the mat, he’s going to be outmatched here in terms of both size and athleticism. Abdul-Malik is still rounding into form as a prospect, but this feels like a test he should pass with flying colors. Mansur Abdul-Malik by Round One KO

Raoni Barcelos -220 vs Cody Garbrandt +180

  • Anthony: Next is a fight at bantamweight between Cody Garbrandt and Raoni Barcelos. Garbrandt last competed at UFC 300 opening that card with a loss against Deiveson Figueiredo. He has been booked in winnable fights throughout this part of his career and again today Cody has a fair shot at winning. Barcelos is another aged veteran that can certainly yield a good scrap against Gabrandt boxing. His most recent win was a victory against Payton Talbott where Barcelos won as a +700 underdog. Grappling has been a key for Barcelos at this stage in his career and he successfully converted eight takedowns in that matchup. He has been very active in general as of late and I like this urgency forcing opponents to grapple. Barcelos can really do it all, working more than Garbrandt does in the clinch and certainly the better jiu jitsu practitioner. He is rightfully favored in this matchup, my only concern would be Gabrandt landing a lucky KO. Barcelos has always had great striking defense but he can occasionally leave himself exposed when attacking with extended combinations. His head movement has gotten quite a bit worse with age but that won’t matter as long as he shoots for takedowns tonight. Raoni Barcelos by Decision
  • Nick: Raoni Barcelos was once considered by many to be a future top contender in this division. He’s extremely well rounded as a third-degree black belt in BJJ whose striking is as creative as it is dangerous. He has a diverse arsenal of kicks, which he mixes in well with his boxing to keep his opponents on their heels. As talented as he is, there is really no denying that he is not as dangerous or effective as he was just a few years ago. At 38-years old, he’s now one of the older fighters in the division. Cody Garbrandt, a former bantamweight champion, has been struggling to stay active. His chin and durability seem to have mostly dissolved, as he’s lost five of his last eight fights. At his best, Garbrandt is a highly technical striker who can frustrate his opponents with precision and speed. He has a decent wrestling base as a long-time member of Team Alpha Male, and he’s also shown to have surprising power for his limited frame. He has lost some speed over the years, and he has been out of action since UFC 300 where he suffered a serious case of vertigo in a brutal submission loss against Deiveson Figueiredo. These are two aging fighters that have been inconsistent of late. I prefer Barcelos as the more active of the two. Raoni Barcelos by Decision

Edmen Shahbazyan -150 vs Andre Petroski +125

  • Anthony: The featured bout comes at middleweight between Andre Petroski and Edmen Shahbazyan. This is a very binary matchup between an elite striker and a great grappler. Shahbazyan has top tier kickboxing skills but he has struggled to put together consistent wins against good competition. Shahbazyan really struggles when put into compromising positions on the mat and forced to grapple. He has proven incapable of digging deep and finding three rounds of cardio in any one of his previous fights. He is very much reliant on early knockouts as his only path to winning most matchups. Petroski is an opponent that can certainly exploit Shahbazyan’s grappling deficiencies and poor cardio. Petroski is also a very bad striker that lost fights by knockout before. He is very slow compared to Shahbazyan and it will be hard for him to compete long in a striking match. Shahbazyan will have the edge as long as he can stay upright. It will not be pretty but if Petroski can crash in and get Shahbazyan to the mat just one time I like his chances of winning. He has a good entry to the double-leg takedown and Shahbazyan averages just 65 percent takedown defense. If Shahbazyan does not score a round one knockout we will see the same result play out once again with him fading and quitting on the ground. Andre Petroski by Round Three Submission
  • Nick: Edmen Shahbazyan is one of the more intriguing up-and-comers at middleweight. He’s only 27, 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 three of his last seven fights. He’s always dangerous early, but his cardio and durability seem to deplete rapidly when he can’t find a quick finish. Andre Petroski is a decorated collegiate level wrestler who mostly leans on his powerful grappling to overwhelm and discourage his opponents. He has shown KO power on the regional scene, but he telegraphs his strikes, which means in most matchups he’s best suited to lean on his grappling ability. He is 7-2 since joining the UFC, coming off three straight wins via decision. If this fight is extended, Shabazyan could be in trouble here. That being said, I expect he has enough striking ability to find that early finish. Edmen Shahbazyan  by Round One KO

Rose Namajunas -240 vs Miranda Maverick +190

  • Anthony: The co-main event is a fight at women’s flyweight between Rose Namajunas and Miranda Maverick. Similar to the card’s headliner, this fight has a former world champion facing a rising contender in the division. Maverick has some momentum as she enters tonight on a four fight winning streak. She has started to develop better striking skills and tends to now fight smarter overall. Maverick has always had elite wrestling and great skills against opponents from top position. I think this matchup will allow Maverick to showcase that wrestling even more if she does want to take Namajunas to the mat. It is certain that Namajunas is the better striker in this matchup but with only three rounds here to work, Maverick is a very live underdog. We saw Namajunas drop rounds in her last fight against Erin Blanchfield due to poor takedown defense. She has averaged 61 percent takedown defense in her career but now fighting up at 125 pounds we see Namajunas outsized even more often. Maverick will be the much stronger fighter and far superior wrestler. I am going to take my chances betting her at this juicy price. This fight is favored to go the full distance and I’d expect a split decision if Maverick can at least score two takedowns. Miranda Maverick by Decision
  • Nick: Rose Namajunas is extremely quick when throwing combinations, carries surprising power for her frame and does an excellent job baiting her opponents into strikes. She has dangerous BJJ offensively and her wrestling continues to improve. As talented as she is, she’s been building a reputation as an inconsistent fighter. She’s 2-2 in her last four fights, but the former strawweight champion has faced mixed results since moving up to flyweight. Maverick is a name that’s been building some hype for a while. She’s mostly known for her extremely high-fight IQ and very well-rounded overall game. She’s big for this division, with very powerful hips and more than enough grappling ability to avoid most compromising positions. Maverick continues to show improvement in her striking, but she’s still clearly developing that aspect of her game. Still, she carries a lot of momentum into this match-up as she’s currently on a four-fight win streak. Namajunas is the better technical fighter by a wide margin on the feet here and she’s found success against a much higher level of opponent. I expect she can keep this fight standing long enough to pull away on volume. Rose Namajunas by Decision

Joaquin Buckley -275 vs Kamaru Usman +210

  • Anthony: The main event takes place at welterweight between Kamaru Usman and Joaquin Buckley. It has been nearly two years since Usman last competed, fighting to a decision against Khamzat Chimaev in what was a competitive fight. Usman is now 38 years old and certainly showing some wear from his years as a champion, competing against the very best. This matchup feels like a classic changing of the guard with Buckley on the come-up and riding an impressive winning streak. Buckley has done well against a lot of the older competition at welterweight but his wins are coming in impressive fashion. He is supremely athletic and I think Usman will struggle to match him in terms of power and endurance. Usman could make this bout very interesting by taking Buckley off of his feet. While Usman’s wrestling has always been world class he does not tend to hold opponents down for very long. Buckley has 73 percent takedown defense and he allowed just one of eight takedowns to land in his last matchup against Colby Covington. Buckley should be able to match Usman’s length here and hit him with powerful shots from the southpaw stance. He does well kicking against opponents and forcing them to back up into the fence. Some of Buckley’s best moments come from his sheer power, such as his right hook KO of Stephen Thompson. I am very confident picking Buckley to win in this matchup. He is in prime form, winning six straight and likely fighting for a title very soon. Joaquin Buckley by Round Four KO
  • Nick: Even before he was a fully developed talent, Joaquin Buckley’s knockout ability made him an easy sell for the promotion. His spinning wheel-kick KO of Impa Kasanganay was the knockout of the year in 2020. He’s made major improvements in all facets and his game, and at 31-years old he should continue to improve. Buckley has tremendous power and he can truly end a fight in any moment. He’s coming off impressive wins over Colby Covington, Stephen Thompson and Vicente Luque consecutively. Simply put, there is no denying he’s found a home in the welterweight division after starting his run in the promotion at middleweight. As talented as he is, he can be overly hesitant at times as he waits to counter. He is fairly predictable as a striker as he telegraphs most of his shots. His cardio and durability seem to have greatly improved since he moved down to welterweight. Additionally, he’s fighting with better IQ as he’s been mixing in his grappling more than ever before. Kamaru Usman has been out of action since 2023, after moving up a weight class to take on Khamzat Chimaev and losing that fight via decision on short notice. Primarily a wrestler, and a dominant one at that, Usman has shown both excellent defense and durability on the feet. Training under an excellent striking coach in Trevor Wittman, his jab and his overall boxing ability improved dramatically since he made his UFC debut. While he has made major strides throughout his career, it seems he is slowing down at 38-years old. It’s concerning that he’s been out of action for so long and it is well known that his knees have been a major issue for him over the past few years. Additionally, he is coming off three straight losses for the first time in his career. Usman is the more experienced and the better technical fighter in this match-up, but he’s far past his prime. I expect Buckley’s strength, momentum, and his athleticism will be enough for him to eventually find a finish. Joaquin Buckley by Round Three KO

-Nick Marro

Twitter: @NickMarroDFS

-Anthony Marro

Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_

Photo: UFC.com