UFC Nashville: Lewis vs Teixeira Full Card Analysis

UFC Nashville: Lewis vs Teixeira – 7.12.2025 – Fight Predictions and Analysis

Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC Fight Night Nashville: Lewis vs Teixeira. This should be a great event in Nashville tonight with heavyweights headlining at the top of the card. 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: 164-98-1 (Last Year 321-191-0, 63%)
• Nick: 170-92-1 (Last Year 316-196-0, 62%)

*Fight odds were last updated from Bet99 on 7-11-2025 at 11pm EST

Preliminary Card- Starts 6:00pm EST

Fatima Kline -1600 vs Melissa Martinez +800

• Anthony: The card begins with women’s strawweights Melissa Martinez and Fatima Kline. This could be a competitive matchup to open the card although the odds suggest otherwise. Martinez is a skilled southpaw boxer that can match most of her opponents in terms of volume on the feet. Kline is a more imposing and dangerous opponent at this weight but I think Martinez really does size up well against her. Kline has largely been winning by really threatening her opponents with great offensive jiu jitsu. I do not expect Martinez to find success grappling, only the minutes when this match is on the feet. Kline has demonstrated the ability to escape difficult situations and even turn them into offensive opportunities. She is going to have the upper hand here wrestling against Martinez in this bout. It appears that Kline is the stronger athlete and more prepared fighter. She may be looking good in recent performances but that does not mean I am willing to bet her as such a hefty favorite. I will be picking Kline to win here but these odds are completely unjustified. There is clear value on the underdog side when being offered a price of +800 or better. Fatima Kline by Decision
• Nick: Fatima Kline is 7-1 professionally, and just 24-years old. She’s small for the division, but a gifted offensive grappler. She’s 1-1 in the UFC, coming off a dominant win via ground-and-pound over Victoria Dudakova. In her UFC debut she fell to a tough out in Jasmine Jasudavicius, but she did well to extend the fight until the scorecards as she took that fight up a weight class and on short notice. While it is true most of her success seems to come on the mat, her striking has improved considerably over her last few fights. Melissa Martinez is a former Combate Global Strawweight Champion. She is 8-1 professionally, with her only loss coming in her UFC debut against Elise Reed. She secured her first UFC win her last time out in a narrow decision against Alice Ardelean. She’s primarily a striker, who carries decent power for her frame in spite of general technical deficiencies. The line feels wide here given the relatively low level nature of this matchup. That being said, Kline is the rightful favorite. She should manage to outclass Martinez no matter where this one goes, especially if she chooses to lean on her grappling. Fatima Kline by Round Two Submission

Mike Davis -1200 vs Mitch Ramirez +700

• Anthony: Next is a fight at lightweight between Mike Davis and Mitch Ramirez. Davis is -1200 and he’s not even the biggest betting favorite on tonight’s card. He is looking to bounce back from a loss in his last appearance facing Fares Ziam. It is hard to justify Davis as this large a favorite regardless of matchup, but this is stylistically as good as it gets for him drawing into Ramirez. While Davis is incredibly well-rounded with skills everywhere, Ramirez is a fighter that purely wants to box. He will struggle to move forward and strike against Davis who poses too much of an offensive threat himself. He often puts pressure on his opponents with striking and looks for takedown opportunities as they come. I expect Davis will more heavily pursue those takedowns here today. He will dominate Ramirez in terms of wrestling and advancing to strong positions on the mat. Davis could submit Ramirez in this matchup but I do not expect it to be quite the wash that odds would suggest. Davis has great power on the feet and he could give Ramirez a few too many opportunities to box early on. Mike Davis by Decision
• Nick: Mike Davis is a technical brawler who is extremely dangerous on the feet. Seven of his ten professional wins have come via KO. He has underrated wrestling ability as well, and at 32-years-old it seems he’s entering his prime. Davis has been inactive for most of his UFC career, and he struggled his last time out as he fought with an illness against Fares Ziam. That being said, there is no denying he’s going to have the technical advantage here no matter where this fight goes. When he’s at his best, he’s one of the more underrated fighters on the roster. Ramirez is 8-2 professionally, 32-years old, fighting out of a well known camp via Syndicate MMA. He is 0-1 in the UFC, coming off a loss to Thiago Moises via leg kicks back in March of 2024. Ramirez is scrappy, but he really hasn’t found much success against top level opponents. He’s aggressive and generally dangerous, but he’s hittable in lengthy exchanges and his defensive grappling ability leaves a lot to be desired. This price has gotten out of hand, but Davis will be the fighter no matter where this one goes. I expect he can find a quick finish against a considerable step down in competition against Ramirez here. Mike Davis by Round Two Submission

Kennedy Nzechukwu -220 vs Valter Walker +180

• Anthony: The next fight is a heavyweight scrap between Valter Walker and Kennedy Nzechukwu. This should be an interesting clash of styles between the striker and grappler. Walker has really impressed by winning both of his previous UFC appearances via heel hook. I love to see him confidently giving away top position to instead pursue submissions that he can complete. At heavyweight his grappling acumen could be enough to produce a very solid winning streak. Nzechukwu has been challenged by grapplers before but I think Walker can really force him to wrestle. His striking is considered a weakness, but Walker is getting much better when throwing and I actually think he poses a threat to Nzechukwu with his hands. While Walker cannot land clean combinations like Nzechukwu, he can certainly place single shots and use strikes to set up his takedowns. These odds seem too wide in a heavyweight fight between two rather inconsistent performers. Nzechukwu does not always fight reliably from range where he can defend takedowns better. Walker will probably shoot for a double-leg takedown early on and secure it to take round one. Nzechukwu normally starts slow and builds as his fights go later. He can really be aesthetically pleasing to watch when he finds his range and his rhythm. Walker meanwhile wins his fights by making it ugly and draining away the clock. He is a good value bet as the underdog with hopes of beating Kennedy with a good performance on the mat. Valter Walker by Round Two Submission
• Nick: The biggest knock on Nzechukwu is his low output and tendency to stay excessively conservative. He often spends too much time just waiting for fights to come to him. He’s a dangerous striker and technically sound offensively, but his extreme tentativeness prevents him from dominating inferior opponents. He is coming off back-to-back wins via KO and he is 2-0 since moving up to heavyweight. Valter Walker is the younger brother of popular light heavyweight and roster main-stay, Johnny Walker. He is 13-1 professionally, most recently securing a quick win via submission of Don’Tale Mayes. Walker has a massive frame and an 81” reach, but he is primarily a grappler. He finds most of his success working his opponents to the mat and finishing them via ground-and-pound or submission. At 27-years old he’s young for the division, but he’ll need to improve his striking if he has hopes of breaking into the rankings. Walker will be dangerous if this fight hits the mat, but Nzechukwu’s striking advantage here should make it difficult for Walker to close the distance and secure takedowns. The price feels a bit inflated, but I’m siding with the favorite. Kennedy Nzechukwu by Round Three KO

Eduarda Moura -700 vs Lauren Murphy +450

• Anthony: Next is a fight at women’s flyweight between Lauren Murphy and Eduarda Moura. The wide odds in this fight likely come due to the ten year age gap between fighters. It will be Murphy’s final career fight. Her last appearance came at the start of 2023 when she lost a three round decision against Jessica Andrade. Murphy entered that fight as a +380 underdog already showing signs of slowing down at her age. Now Murphy is nearly 42 and clearly past her athletic prime. It will be very difficult for Murphy to navigate through positions on the mat when facing Moura. The Brazilian has a great base in judo and jiu jitsu that is evident in all of her fights. Murphy could maybe hang with Moura while standing, but this will be a one-sided matchup as soon as the bout hits the ground. Moura’s core strength lies in skills navigating the guard and advancing position rapidly. So far Moura has scored multiple takedowns in each of her UFC fights. She excels at dragging down opponents, controlling them on the ground and securing submissions. Her ground transitions are also excellent. She will likely attempt to follow this game plan against Murphy who does have 69 percent takedown defense. Murphy is a scrappy athlete on the feet but only slightly more skilled than Moura. She has a puncher’s chance in this matchup but it is hard to pick her winning when she poses little finishing threat. I predict Moura will earn a convincing victory and Murphy will retire immediately after. Eduarda Moura by Decision
• Nick: Eduarda Moura is 11-1 professionally, and it seems she is rounding into her athletic prime at 31-years old. She is relatively well-rounded with four wins via KO and five via submission. She’s big for the division and competent everywhere, but she has only been fighting professionally since March of 2022. She’s 2-1 in the UFC, most recently winning an impressive decision over a tough out in Veronica Hardy. Lauren Murphy’s greatest strength has always been her toughness. She has no real standout skill, but she’s solid pretty much everywhere and her sheer grit and determination often carries her to victory. Murphy does a good job fighting in the clinch and up against the cage. She can usually outmuscle most of her opponents, but I expect that could be difficult for her here against Moura. Murphy will have a considerable experience advantage here, but she’s 41 years old. It’s also notable she’s been out of action since January of 2021. The price here is absolutely ridiculous as Murphy has been taking on the class of the division. That being said, she’s far past her prime. She’s been slowing down dramatically and she has already declared that this will be her retirement fight. Eduarda Moura by Decision

Chidi Njokuani -165 vs Jake Matthews +130

• Anthony: This should be an exciting clash at welterweight between Jake Matthews and Chidi Njokuani. These are two high-action fighters that love to get into real brawls on the feet. Njokuani is a very skilled striker with elite muay thai and kickboxing. The move down to welterweight has been good to Njokuani but this is the second consecutive appearance where he missed weight. His strikes land with more impact at 170 pounds, but Njokuani also seems to be maintaining better cardio in his fights thanks to more intense training camps. Njokuani will be dangerous here early but Matthews still figures to be the fresher athlete late. He fights with a great motor and high-volume attack. He should be able to keep a pace here that Njokuani will likely struggle to match. Matthews could even mix in his offensive wrestling to further tax Njokuani’s gas tank throughout this bout. He does well boxing in combination but I do worry about Matthews eating too many big counters here. Taking the initiative on offense normally helps when facing Njokuani, but Matthews doesn’t have great defense or a chin that I can really trust enough to bet. This matchup is pick ‘em for good reason and I have a very hard time confidently choosing either side. The momentum should swing into Matthews’ favor with every minute that ticks off the clock. Jake Matthews by Decision
• Nick: Chidi Njokuani is an extremely gifted striker who does his best work at range. He showed in his Contender Series win over Mario Sousa that he has decent BJJ as well, but he is certainly most comfortable when his fights stay standing. His career has seen a resurgence since he moved down to welterweight, and he enters this fight on a three-fight win streak. He’s had issues making the weight at times, but when he does his 80” reach advantage makes him a difficult puzzle to solve for most of the roster at 170 lbs.Jake Matthews has more experience at this level than almost any other 30-year-old in the world. He’s a well-rounded fighter who has found most of his success on the mat. He has 14 wins under the UFC banner since he debuted back in 2014, but most of them have come against fighters that are no longer on the roster/with the promotion. His striking continues to improve, but he can be hittable in exchanges. In this particular match-up he’d be wise to try to lean on his grappling. This is a binary match-up that I could see going either way. I slightly prefer the Njokuani side as Matthews doesn’t always lean on his grappling when he should. Chidi Njokuani by Decision

Chris Curtis -320 vs Max Griffin +260

• Anthony: The featured prelim is a good matchup at welterweight between Chris Curtis and Max Griffin. I am expecting a competitive fight here largely taking place on the feet at boxing range. They both tend to be a bit complacent early and more quick to engage as the fight wears on. Curtis has the better boxing skill set and he’s likely favored largely based on that body of work. Griffin seems confident in his offensive striking but it will be difficult for him to match Curtis’ output. He should only be entering the pocket against Curtis when he wants to step forward and hunt for takedowns. Curtis has landed over 100 significant strikes in each of his last three fights, showcasing high volume output even here at this older age. Curtis has also been dealing with numerous injuries throughout this fight camp. He should not be -300 against anyone and I’d rather fade him here in a fight likely to go the distance. I do not think 170 pounds suits Curtis as well as it does Griffin. It may be tough for Chris to push through adversity later in this fight as he tires. Curtis will probably win this decision thanks to his high output, but I’ll roll the dice on Griffin keeping it close at the current odds. He has previously cashed as a betting underdog in fights against Mike Perry and Carlos Condit. Max Griffin by Decision
• Nick: Chris Curtis is primarily a counter-striker with a tight guard defensively and power in both hands. He has an excellent chin, but he did lose via KO to Roman Kopylov his last time out back in January. Coming off back-to-back losses for the first time since 2019, Curtis will be moving down a weight class here in hopes of finding more success at welterweight. He’s a talented boxer, but he can be tentative at times which means he fights at narrow margins when he’s not securing KOs. Max Griffin is a well-rounded fighter, but his greatest strength is his athleticism. He has a very large frame for a welterweight and he’s shown solid strength against a variety of high level competition. He has notable wins over Carlos Condit, Tim Means, and Mike Perry. That being said, at 39 years old, his speed seems to be rapidly declining. These are two aging and volatile fighters, but Curtis seems to have more left in the tank. He’s going to be the better technical striker in this match-up, which should be enough for him to fight his way back into the win column. Chris Curtis by Round Two KO

Main Card- Starts 9:00pm EST

Junior Tafa -185 vs Tuco Tokkos +150

• Anthony: The main card begins with light heavyweights Junior Tafa and Tuco Tokkos. This will surely be a good brawl between two potent offensive strikers. There is a definite ceiling on Tokkos’ skillset as he enters today’s matchup with a record of 10-5. He is really a mediocre part of this thin 205-pound division and I would not be surprised to see him go with another loss here today. He does not hit hard like Tafa or really take control in his fights. This could end up being a matchup where both men are patiently looking to counter. Tafa is the more powerful athlete and rightful betting favorite. I think his speed and precision striking give him a clear edge over Tokkos. While Tokkos can be difficult to stop, Tafa’s hands are most potent early in round one. These two will likely be throwing face to face with each other, making this a very difficult fight to predict. I trust Tafa to be the more defensively responsible and constantly moving his head. Junior Tafa by Round One KO
• Nick: Junior Tafa had a lot of hype coming into the promotion, but he has been mostly a disappointment so far. He has knockout power, but his cardio is suspect and he hasn’t really shown technical boxing ability on the level of other up-and-comers. He’ll be moving down to light heavyweight here, after mixed results up at heavyweight. He does appear to be in the best shape of his life, but it’s tough to expect we see any major improvements from him technically since we last saw him in action in October of 2024. Tuco Tokkos broke into the UFC as a late notice replacement for Antonio Trócoli against Oumar Sy. He fell via submission in that promotional debut fight back in May, and at 35-years old there’s no denying he’s getting a late start to his career with the promotion. He is 0-2 in the UFC, most recently falling via decision to a rising prospect in Navajo Stirling. He’s been inconsistent across his entire professional career, but he throws powerful strikes and he has dangerous BJJ offensively when his fights hit the mat. Additionally, he trains out of an excellent camp via Kill Cliff FC. Tokkos will be live for the upset if he can lean on his grappling here, but I expect Tafa can stay standing long enough to eventually score a knockout. Junior Tafa by Round Two KO

Vitor Petrino -700 vs Austen Lane +450

• Anthony: Next is a fight at heavyweight between Vitor Petrino and Austen Lane. This is the first appearance for Petrino at heavyweight after struggling to continue making 205 pounds. He appears to be much healthier and more muscular now that he can compete at his natural weight. It was surprising to see him weigh-in even heavier than Lane did on Friday. Now is the appropriate time for Petrino to adjust after consecutive losses. I’d advise against betting on him since he was KOd and submitted in back to back fights. However, Petrino is clearly much more skilled than Lane. He is the far better technical striker with heavy hands and great low kicks. Through six fights in the promotion, Petrino has also scored 16 total takedowns. He is effective at converting his double leg attempts and using technique I expect him to be able to ground Lane. For as bad and as streaky as Petrino appears, Lane is the perfect opponent to get him back in the win column. The 37 year old is coming off another brutal knockout loss in his most recent fight just four months ago. Petrino should be able to put away Lane with his striking just as easy as his grappling. Lane has never shown up and won against a competent grappler or anyone with Petrino’s striking skill set. Vitor Petrino by Round One KO
• Nick: Vitor Petrino is somewhat untested against elite level competition, but there’s no denying his overall athleticism or his power in striking exchanges. Seven of Petrino’s eleven 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 has shown major improvements in that facet of his game. He is 4-2 in the UFC coming off an ugly KO loss to Dustin Jacoby. Coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in his career, Petrino will be moving up to heavyweight here in hopes of finding more success. Austen Lane is athletic for the division as a former NFL defensive lineman. He throws powerful strikes, he has decent offensively grappling ability, but his skills are still rough around the edges as he’s starting his MMA career on the back half of his athletic prime. Lane will have a chance here if he can mix in some grappling and extend this fight into the later rounds. That being said, he has questionable durability for a heavyweight. All six of his professional losses have come via KO. Petrino is overrated and this line is far too wide, but Lane’s lack of durability is likely to prove costly in this match-up. Vitor Petrino by Round Two KO

Morgan Charriere -280 vs Nate Landwehr +220

• Anthony: Next is an exciting featherweight scrap between Nate Landwehr and Morgan Charriere. This should be very compelling television as is normally the case when it comes to Nate the Train. Charriere is generally much more consistent when it comes to his performances fight to fight. Charriere stays light on his feet, keeping a strong position and fighting with his longer weapons from range. He does very well placing his overhand rights and attacks with his legs. His precision landing blows on the feet has led to a high frequency of finishes. I think he certainly has the power to hurt Landwehr today as he is moving forward. The constant motion of Landwehr could tire Charriere as this bout wears on but I really expect to see decisive moments go Charriere’s way on the feet. His kickboxing is more powerful than Landwehr’s and much better at fundamentally chopping apart opponents. I don’t think Landwehr should be such a large betting underdog but I do expect to see this fight result the same way as most others. Charriere just needs to be careful not to get caught in a dog fight against Nate the Train. Morgan Charriere by Decision
• Nick: Morgan Charriere is 20-11-1 professionally, and widely regarded as one of the better prospects to come out of France. Charriere is well-rounded, with a solid wrestling base and a crisp and compact striking style. Twelve of his twenty wins have come via KO, but he frequently looks to grapple if he feels he has that advantage over his opponent. He’s skilled and has a relatively high fight IQ, but he does have a habit of fighting down to the level of his opponent. Almost all of his fights play out closely, regardless of who he is matched up against. Nate Landwehr is a brawler, but he’s fairly well-rounded. He likes to fight on the feet, but he has a solid wrestling base and his overall athleticism allows him to escape tough positions against relatively advanced grapplers. He’s dangerous everywhere offensively, but his fight IQ has put him in dangerous positions in the past. His kill-or-be-killed style makes him a dangerous fighter to back in general, but it’s that same style that makes him a fan favorite and one of the more exciting fighters to watch outside of the rankings at featherweight. Charriere is the better athlete and he’s going to be dangerous early here. That being said, I like the value on Landwehr as the underdog. He tends to get better as his fights wear on, and Charriere is a bit of a front runner. If Charriere can’t land something big early, I expect this plays out closely. Landwehr should have the crowd behind him here as he’ll be fighting in front of his home crowd. Nate Landwehr by Decision

Steve Garcia -130 vs Calvin Kattar +110

• Anthony: The featured bout is a featherweight scrap between Steve Garcia and Calvin Kattar. This fight will surely deliver in front of the live audience here in Nashville. Garcia is going to be aggressive and attack early tonight while Kattar eagerly awaits to meet him in the center of the cage. Kattar is a boxer that feels confident exchanging shots with anyone in the pocket. This is another older veteran in Kattar, taking on a tough test on this fight card. At age 37 he is noticeably slowing down and using worse defensive judgments. I think Garcia should be careful engaging Kattar boxing while I am sure he is going to confidently step forward and do just that. Thankfully we have seen Garcia use his wrestling to great effect, bailing him out of dicey situations. It will be very easy for Garcia to takedown and control Kattar if he decides he does not want to eat any more punches standing upright. Garcia is poised to win again here, extending his active win streak to six. Every victory for Garcia on this streak has come via finish. Kattar is a very tough out but I think Garcia has the perfect skill set to punish Kattar and find a stoppage win. He continues to improve, training with the team at Jackson Wink MMA. Garcia is one of my more confident picks on this card at near even odds.Steve Garcia by Round Two KO
• Nick: Steve Garcia is a decent striker with surprising power for his frame. He is far from technical on the feet, but he can eat a punch and keep pushing forward as he does a good job keeping volume on his opponents. He’s a decent grappler, but he’s certainly more content to stand and trade on the feet. He’s coming off five straight wins via KO, but he’s taking a major step up in level competition here against a talented vet in Calvin Kattar. Calvin Kattar is a high-level boxer, fighting primarily out of a traditional boxing stance. He has excellent footwork and head movement defensively and he works extremely well offensively behind his powerful jab. He’s extremely durable, which was most evident in his loss to Max Holloway where he ate more than 400 significant strikes. He has excellent cardio as well, but he’s been on the decline at 36-years old, coming off four straight losses. Garcia enters this fight with a major momentum advantage, but I still see value in Kattar. He’s been losing, but taking on the class of the division as Garcia has been KO’ing a questionable level of opponent. Additionally, Kattar’s only KO loss came via leg injury. I expect he can stay safe early and pull away as this fight wears on. Calvin Kattar by Decision

Gabriel Bonfim -470 vs Stephen Thompson +350

• Anthony: The co-main event is a fight at welterweight between Stephen Thompson and Gabriel Bonfim. This matchup presents the opportunity for Bonfim to propel into the rankings by beating #12. The Brazilian athlete is entering his fighting prime and looking improved with each appearance inside of the octagon. Bonfim’s only career loss came in a fight against Nicholas Dalby that saw him tire and succumb to a knee in round two. Every other performance has been clean for Bonfim, wrestling well and putting his strength on display. He has a similar frame to Wonderboy and matches him physically on the feet. Thompson is now 42 years old and at this point his style has been solved. His karate is excellent but point-fighting doesn’t yield great results against grapplers. Bonfim is a very intelligent jiu jitsu brown belt and I expect him to dominate Thompson here. Wonderboy has been taken down in his last five fights, ceding 17 total takedowns. Bonfim is at a huge stylistic advantage but these odds seem slightly too wide. Thompson will want to stand up and his combat experience makes him a tough out for anyone. It would not surprise me if he exposes his neck to Bonfim at some point as he tries to rally to his feet. Gabriel Bonfim by Decision
• Nick: Gabriel Bonfim is an aggressive fighter and a potent finisher no matter where his fights go. Thirteen of his seventeen professional wins have come via submission and three have come via KO. He’s an explosive striker who sometimes leaves himself there to be countered, but his speed and ability to roll with powerful strikes have him a class ahead on the feet of a majority of this division. His wrestling is decent, but he has outstanding BJJ. He’s a submission over position grappler and it’s very rare he doesn’t aggressively pursue finishes if he can drag his opponent to the mat. Stephen Thompson is past his prime, but on the feet he is still among the class of this division. He mostly fights in an open stance, using his excellent Karate style to throw off the timing of his opponents. He is light on his feet, constantly switches and generally does an excellent job circling away from danger. He manages range extremely well, and his cardio and durability are still excellent. As excellent as he is on the feet, his defensive grappling leaves a lot to be desired. Almost all of his professional losses have come against grapplers, which makes this a particularly difficult match-up here against Bonfim if he chooses to wrestle. If this fight stays standing, Thompson should absolutely dominate here. That being said, I’m fairly confident in Bonfim to engage in wrestling both early and often. The line is wide here as Thompson is still one of the more gifted strikers in the division. That being said, I expect Bonfim finds the takedowns he needs to edge this one out on the scorecards. Gabriel Bonfim by Decision

Tallison Teixeira -300 vs Derrick Lewis +250

• Anthony: The main event is a fight at heavyweight between Tallison Teixeira and Derrick Lewis. The Black Beast has not fought in more than one year after withdrawing from his most recent booking on fight day. He is now 40 years old but I still expect Lewis to continue fighting ranked opponents moving forward. He holds the record for most knockouts in the promotion’s history. Lewis tends to lose every minute of his fights until he can connect with that seminal blow. Tallison is being propelled up the ladder quickly here getting booked against a real division staple. He is undefeated at 8-0 but his only UFC victory was a win against Justin Tafa in just 35 seconds. Teixeira’s massive frame makes him a terror since he knows how to throw elbows and knees in close. If Teixeira can trap Lewis with his back to the fence, I expect him to unload heavy strikes at close range. Teixeira stands 6’7” with 83” reach making him big even for the heavyweight division. He has not shown much restraint thus far but I’d rather not see him attempt to point-fight Lewis. Teixeira has fought his way into this main event by dominating everyone inside of one round. Lewis may be able to weather that early flurry but I fully expect him to crumble against the Brazilian’s volume striking. Teixeira should explode with energy early in this fight and chase the finish against an opponent known to be a bit too chinny. Tallison Teixeira by Round One KO
• Nick: Teixeira is 8-0 professionally, with seven of those wins coming via KO. Teixeira is still developing as a prospect at just 25-years old, but he’s already an extremely dangerous striker. Additionally, he is more athletic and explosive than the majority of the heavyweight division. He’s coming off a KO win in his UFC debut over Justin Tafa. As impressive as his resume has been so far, this match-up with Lewis represents a dramatic step up for him in terms of level of competition. Derrick Lewis doesn’t throw much volume, but he is an extremely skilled counter-striker who has shown, on several occasions, that he has enough power to end any fight with a single punch. He’s a true knockout artist with twenty-three of his twenty-eight professional wins coming via KO. As is always the case with heavyweights, this is a very volatile match-up. Teixeira will be the faster, longer and generally the better technical striker here, but Lewis’ power and durability seem underrated by the market. Lewis has taken on a much higher level of opponent, and Teixeira really hasn’t been tested against anyone remotely close to his level. This is a low confidence play, but at this price the underdog seems to be holding all of the value here. The longer this fight goes, the better chance I give Lewis to pull off the upset. If he can weather the early strom from Teixeira I expect he can find a finish on a counter. Derrick Lewis by Round Two KO

-Nick Marro

Twitter: @NickMarroDFS

-Anthony Marro

Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_

Photo: UFC.com