UFC Vancouver: De Ridder vs Allen Full Card Analysis

UFC Vancouver: De Ridder vs Allen – 10.18.2025 – Fight Predictions and Analysis

Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC Fight Night Vancouver: De Ridder vs Allen. Last weekend we had a great event from Brazil and now we head north to Canada for fights at Rogers Arena here tonight. 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: 261-151-1 (Last Year 321-191-0, 63%)
• Nick: 264-148-1 (Last Year 316-196-0, 62%)

*Fight odds were last updated from Bet99 on 10-17-2025 at 7pm EST

Preliminary Card- Starts 4:00pm EST

Melissa Croden -120 vs Tainara Lisboa +100

• Anthony: The event today begins at women’s bantamweight with this fight between Melissa Croden and Tainara Lisboa. Croden is elevating from competing in LFA to now fighting in the UFC against an opponent that is 2-1. Luana Santos was able to control Lisboa on the mat in her last fight and Croden will likely attempt to follow that same path to victory here. Croden has seen all six of her professional wins come by stoppage. This fight will likely end inside the distance and Croden is fighting for a lot here in Canada. She has the ability to finish by submission but also with powerful strikes from top mount. Lisboa is confident in her own grappling but I do not think she is strong enough to win in scrambles here. Lisboa can test Croden’s cardio and potentially expose some defensive gaps as the fight wears on. Croden seems unlikely to get caught early and this is an opponent I expect her to handle in her debut. At near even odds I suggest a bet on Croden. She has more advantages than what these odds imply, with great striking and good size here at bantamweight. Melissa Croden by Round Three KO
• Nick: Tainara Lisboa is 7-3 professionally and 34-years old, with a 2-1 record in the UFC. She most recently suffered an ugly submission loss to Luana Santos, but she’s in a more favorable stylistic match-up this time around. Lisboa is relatively well-rounded with three professional wins via KO and three via submission, but she certainly prefers to stand and trade on the feet. She puts out a lot of volume and she’s more than willing to eat a shot in order to return one of her own. Melissa Croden will be making her UFC debut here, entering the promotion with 6-2 professional record. Croden has a long frame for the division and she’s been taking on a decent level of regional opponent, having each of her last three fights taking place in a solid promotion in LFA. She’s relatively well-rounded, with decent but aggressive BJJ if she can drag her fights to the mat. Her striking is far from refined, but she tends to use her length well as a means to force her opponents to fight off their back foot. This is a low level match-up and a low confidence play. I slightly prefer the Lisboa side as she’s the much better striker and I expect Croden has issues taking her down. Tainara Lisboa by Decision

Azamat Bekoev -300 vs Yousri Belgaroui +240

• Anthony: Next is a fight at middleweight between Yousri Belgaroui and Azamat Bekoev. Belgaroui finally makes his promotional debut today after earning his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. Belgaroui has been training with Alex Pereira and the team at Teixeira MMA and Fitness. He should be making significant improvements as he trains with a champion that has a very similar frame and fighting style. Bekoev earned a Performance of the Night bonus in his last fight this May, knocking out Ryan Loder in the very first round. He has won by stoppage in three consecutive fights and again this is an opponent that Bekoev could hurt badly. Belgaroui is a skilled kickboxer with great technical skills but poor defensive awareness. While Belgaroui uses his length to great effect when attacking he also leaves his chin exposed to counters at all times. Bekoev will likely engage Belgaroi early in this fight and look to land heavy strikes in close. Belgaroui does well throwing his kicks and won’t be able to do so if faced with pressure here from the very start. Bekoev will land hooks to the body of Belgaroui and likely connect with a big attempt upstairs. Bekoev also has a clear grappling advantage in this fight if he does elect to go there. Belgaroui has struggled when faced against strong wrestlers with good fundamental takedowns. He is going to really have his hands full in this matchup against the streaking Russian. Azamat Bekoev by Round Two KO
• Nick: Azmat Bekoev is 29-years old and 20-3 professionally, coming off an impressive KO win over Ryan Loder. Bekoev has shown major improvements since breaking into the UFC. He is 2-0 under the UFC banner, on an eighth fight win streak, and he hasn’t lost a fight since September of 2021. Bekoev had taken on a quality level of regional opponents, fighting primarily in ACA and LFA. Bekoev is decent everywhere, but most of his success has come on the mat. He has KO power on the feet, but he certainly prefers to grapple when the opportunities are there for him. Yousri Belgaroui will be making his UFC debut here, coming off an impressive Contender Series win via KO over Taiga Iwasaki. He is 8-3 professionally, and 33 years old. He’s getting a late start to his MMA career, but he has an extensive resume in kickboxing with an extended resume in that sports top promotion, Glory. Belgaroui is a dangerous striker at range and he’s long for the division. That being said he can be slow and plodding at times as he relies on counters, and his defensive grappling leaves a lot to be desired. The line feels a bit wide here, but Bekoev is the rightful favorite. He is the much better grappler in this match-up, and that should present a clear path to victory for him against a one-dimension striker in Belgaroui. Bekoev will need to stay smart and safe when closing the distance, but as long as he does he should win here. Azamat Bekoev by Round Two Submission

Stephanie Luciano -300 vs Ravena Oliveira +240

• Anthony: This is a fight at women’s strawweight between Stephanie Luciano and Ravena Oliveira. This will likely be a matchup that goes to decision with these two young Brazilians battling for a win. Compared to Oliveira, Luciano has the much tighter striking attacks with a balanced offense and defense. I am expecting Luciano to overwhelm Oliveira using her muay thai attacks in close here. Luciano will land good leg kicks in this fight and likely be forced to defend attempts at takedowns. Oliveira is quick to attack opponents with the double-leg and threaten with her brown belt in jiu jitsu. Luciano has judo skills and strong hips to keep opponents honest in scrambles. I trust the betting favorite to defend these shots and continue to move forward with her offense. I do not trust the judges to necessarily get this decision scored correctly. Competitive scrambles from Oliveira may make these early rounds difficult to score. I’d proceed with caution if betting on Luciano but she is the rightful favorite for sure. Stephanie Luciano by Decision
• Nick: Ravena Oliveira is 7-2-1 professionally, but only one of those wins has come over an opponent with a winning record. It’s very difficult to know what to expect from her here as she has been out of action since October of 2023. Her regional film suggests she’s dangerous on the feet with six of her seven wins coming via KO. She suffered a loss in her UFC debut, but gave a decent showing of herself against Tainara Lisboa. She’s moving down two weight classes here, making her even more of a mystery. Stephanie Luciano is 25-years old and 6-121 professionally. She’s a high volume striker who fights at a torrid pace and does a good job keeping pressure on her opponents. She’s coming off an ugly decision loss to Sam Hughes in which she struggled to stay standing. In spite of that loss, her takedown defense seems to improve every time we see her in the cage, which is a key to her success as her high volume striking style has led to most of her victories. The line is wide here given the questions surrounding Oliveira and the low level nature of this match-up. Still, I expect Luciano to stay a step ahead. Stephanie Luciano by Decision

Drew Dober -480 vs Kyle Prepolec +350

• Anthony: This will be a good fight at lightweight between Drew Dober and Kyle Prepolec. Dober is normally featured much higher in the bout order than these early prelims. The veteran always produces very exciting fights on the feet. Once a man known for his durability, Dober has now lost by knockout in consecutive fights. I do not think Dober should be such a heavy favorite given his age and recent form. These two southpaws will be brawling very early and I am expecting to see a back and forth war. Prepolec should be able to hang for a while with Dober here in the pocket, but I think he is more susceptible to a knockout the later that this bout goes. Prepolec has good power but not as tight combinations as his opponent. He was impressive in his fight against Benoit Saint-Denis but still came up short of earning the victory in that contest. Dober attempts to move his head and fight as clean as he can despite averaging 4.36 significant strikes per minute. Prepolec is no threat to grapple and he also gets outstruck in most of his matchups. Preopolec is 0-3 in his UFC career despite all three appearances taking place in Canada. He will lose tonight unless he can land a lucky knockout very early. Drew Dober by Round Two KO
• Nick: Drew Dober throws extremely heavy and precise strikes, his timing is excellent offensively, and the power in his counters make him a threat against almost anyone on the feet. As dangerous as Dober is standing, his grappling ability leaves a lot to be desired. Four of his nine UFC losses have come via submission. He has notable KO wins over Bobby Green, Rafael Alves, and Nasrat Haqparast, but he is coming off three straight losses for the first time in his career. In spite of the recent skid, he’s in a “get right” spot here as a heavy favorite. Kyle Prepolec is 18-9 professionally, coming off a loss in his return to the UFC. While he was dominated by Benoit Saint-Denis in that fight, it is notable that he took on an elite level of opponent on short notice. He’s relatively well-rounded, but he prefers to compete at striking range. He has decent footwork and surprising power for his frame, but he’s somewhat slow for the division. The line is far too wide here as Dober’s chin seems to be deteriorating to an extent. Still, he should be the more skilled fighter no matter where this one goes. As long as he tucks his chin, he should eventually manage to find a finish of his own. Drew Dober by Round Three KO

Danny Barlow -300 vs Djorden Santos +240

• Anthony: This is a matchup at middleweight between Danny Barlow and Djorden Santos. Barlow appears to be getting a softer test here in this matchup after losing in his last fight against Sam Patterson. I credit Djorden Santos as a dangerous middleweight but I do not think he will hold up well here facing Barlow. He will probably struggle keeping his back off of the fence when facing a technical southpaw like this. Santos has been durable thus far but Barlow is the most potent finishing threat he has faced. It would not surprise me to see the Brazilian utilize his grappling in an honest attempt to win this fight as the underdog. Santos is a brown belt in jiu jitsu and he has showcased effective offensive wrestling in the past. Barlow does appear to be weaker on the ground and perhaps susceptible to a finish by submission. Barlow should dictate the striking exchanges here and have plenty of opportunity to land his left hand against Santos. He does well using feints to freeze his opponents and find his openings early on. Barlow is the rightful favorite in this fight but I recommend bettors proceed with caution. Danny Barlow by Round Two KO
• Nick: Barlow is 9-1 professionally, with five of those wins coming via KO and one via submission. Five of Barlow’s last eight wins have come via first round KO. Barlow was once one of the more highly regarded prospects in the division, but his stock took a major hit his last time out when he suffered a round one KO loss to Sam Patterson. The 30-year old striker generally does a good job using his 79” reach to frustrate opponents. He does a good job setting up his power shots and the power in his left hand is heavy. He has excellent footwork, and his speed and athleticism make him a difficult fighter to take and keep down. He’s moving up a weight class here, which should help improve the cardio and durability issues he had shown across his last few fights. At 28 years old, Santos is 10-2 professionally. He’s generally well rounded, with three wins coming via KO and four coming via submission. He suffered a loss his last time out in his UFC debut, but that came in a narrow decision to Ozzy Diaz on relatively short notice. At his best, Santos is a dangerous striker at range, especially early in his fights. He seems to have decent offensive BJJ, but he doesn’t really have the wrestling to take fights to the mat consistently. The line feels wide here as Barlow has been disappointing so far across his UFC tenure. Still, he’s the much more skilled striker here in a fight that is likely to take place at range. Danny Barlow by Round Two KO

Hyun Sung Park -220 vs Bruno Silva +180

• Anthony: Next is a bout at flyweight between Bruno Silva and Hyun Sung Park. In his last fight Park suffered his first professional loss going up against Tatsuro Taira on short notice. It was not surprising to see Park overwhelmed by the better grappler in that spot having such limited time to prepare for a five round matchup. Park still has a bright future ahead of him and I like his chances of stringing together wins against lower caliber opponents in this weight class. He has a good chance of bouncing back today. Silva is a live underdog in this fight and almost worth betting at the current odds. I expect the Brazilian to find early success here, landing boxing combinations and potentially hurting Park. The issue is fights tend to unravel for Silva when they get into rounds two and three. He is a potent finisher who swings hard and forces action very early. Park should be the more measured athlete here and carefully engage against Silva. I expect to see a fair mix of grappling in this fight as well with Silva forced to exert energy while defending takedowns. Park is the longer and more dynamic athlete. He should win this matchup as the younger man, taking advantage of Silva late and winning critical scrambles throughout this fight. If this fight does go the distance I expect Park to earn this victory unanimously. Hyun Sung Park by Decision
• Nick: Hyun Sung Park is coming into this fight off his first career loss, but that fight came against an elite opponent in Tatsuro Taira and it took place on just a weeks’ notice as Park was a replacement for the then injured Amir Albazi. Park is 10-1 professionally, and 2-1 in the UFC. Park has surprising power for his frame. He’s unconventional in his approach to striking, but he’s very athletic and has a decent understanding of angles offensively. He does a good job circling away from the strengths of his opponent and when he enters the pocket he does so with conviction. He seems to have solid offensive grappling ability with a decent understanding of BJJ, and he doesn’t settle on his back if his opponents take him down. Bruno Silva is fairly well-rounded with powerful boxing technique and decent offensive grappling ability. He has impressive power in exchanges and he’s excellent out of breaks from close range. He is 14-6-2 professionally, and one of the older fighters in the division at 35-years old. While he is certainly dangerous offensively, he’s hittable in exchanges and he’s coming off back-to-back KO losses for the first time in his career. Silva will be live as an underdog as long as this fight is standing, and he has the BJJ to work his way back to his feet if he’s grounded. This is a low confidence play, but all the value seems to be on the Silva side here. Park really hasn’t been tested extensively yet at this level. Bruno Silva by Decision

Charles Jourdain -175 vs Davey Grant +140

• Anthony: The featured prelim is a fight at bantamweight between Charles Jourdain and Davey Grant. In his past two fights, Grant has turned back young contenders in this division. Jourdain poses a dangerous threat to the veteran Grant but I expect this to be a close fight here nonetheless. Jourdain will always fight to the level of his opponents, scrapping for large portions of the fight and looking for opportunistic grappling positions. He has six wins by submission as well as eight victories by knockout. Jourdain is a very capable finisher but Grant is not going to fall over quickly. Both men are black belts in jiu jitsu with great confidence engaging on the mat. Each love to attack the front headlock position and go for guillotines and other chokes. Grant does well rallying late in his fights but he will be up against the judges here against a local Canadian. Jourdain should be able to fight aggressively here against Grant and score well with his offense in the early going. He is a much faster and more explosive fighter. Charles Jourdain by Decision
• Nick: Charles Jourdain has flashed knockout power, which was fully on display in his UFC debut against Doo Ho Choi. He throws a wide range of flashy strikes, pushing an excellent pace and controlling the cage against lower-level opponents. As his time in the UFC has gone on, he’s leaned more on opportunistic BJJ and grappling, and he seems to be entering a new stage of his career after moving down a weight class to bantamweight. Davey Grant is a well-rounded fighter who manages to outmuscle most of his lower level opponents at bantamweight. His striking is somewhat unconventional, but he carries surprising power. He has a solid wrestling base and does a good job in the ground and pound department if he can take his opponent to the mat. He does a good job moving out of range after throwing combinations and his footwork is solid in spite of his unconventional style. The one knock on Grant is that he is entering the twilight of his career at 39-years old. He’s slowing down in general, and his reaction time seems to have turned from a strength to a weakness. Grant is always dangerous, but Jourdain’s speed and athleticism are likely going to present a difficult puzzle to solve for him here. I expect Jourdain can find a finish on the mat as he capitalizes on any opening Grant presents him. Charles Jourdain by Round Two Submission

Main Card- Starts 7:00pm EST

Matt Frevola -120 vs Kyle Nelson +100

• Anthony: The main card begins at lightweight with a fight between Kyle Nelson and Matt Frevola. Nelson is moving up to lightweight here after missing the limit at featherweight in his last appearance. He has always had the frame to fit this division and I think this is a natural move up. Nelson is getting up there in age and this could be a retirement fight for him here in Canada. Both men suffered losses by knockout in their most recent performances. Frevola has lost by knockout in two straight but he always shows up and fights aggressively. Nelson is 34 years old while Frevola is 35 years old and having a more grueling career. I am not confidently betting on this fight but I do side with the Canadian fighter here. Nelson can effectively switch stances and land good shots from distance against his opponents. These two both have negative striking differentials, absorbing more strikes than what they land. I think Nelson will hold up well in the early brawl and keep consistent offense throughout rounds two and three. Nelson has been profitable throughout his career for bettors, never finishing lower than even odds at betting close. He is an underdog I would target tonight with finishing equity and a good chance of winning via decision. Kyle Nelson by Round Two KO
• Nick: Kyle Nelson is a powerful striker, but fairly unconventional in his approach. He has flashed decent power, but mostly against mediocre competition. He’s often there to be countered in exchanges due to his hyper-aggressive style. He usually comes out strong, but we do see him fade at times if he can’t put his opponents away early. Matt Frevola is fairly well-rounded, but his durability can be considered a weakness as he was KO’d in four of his five professional losses. He has been out of action since back in September of 2024, after he was brutally KO’d by Fares Ziam with a Knee. Frevola has done well against most unranked opponents at lightweight, and that’s exactly what he’ll be seeing here against Kyle Nelson. It is notable that Nelson will be moving up a weight class here, and there is a chance we see him retire if he can’t secure a win in this spot. These are two kill-or-be-killed style fighters and they’re both as volatile as they are dangerous. I slightly prefer the Frevola side given the questions surrounding Nelson. Additionally, he’s the much better grappler here if he chooses to lean on that part of is game. Matt Frevola by Round Two KO

Cody Gibson -185 vs Aoriqileng +150

• Anthony: Next is a fight at bantamweight between Aoriqileng and Cody Gibson. This should be a fun matchup looking at two aggressive strikers squaring off. I find it very difficult to trust Gibson here as the betting favorite. This fight will almost certainly go to decision and I am expecting Aoriqileng to land the more damaging strikes throughout. Gibson could perhaps get his grappling going here but I am not confident relying on his wrestling skills and laying this number to back him. He will often pull guard in an attempt to score submissions from his back. Aoriqileng will pick his shots from the outside and use his reach to keep Gibson standing. As these two engage in back and forth exchanges, he should be the one landing meaningful shots and perhaps scoring the knockdowns. He even could take advantage of holes in Gibson’s takedown defense. These two both go through some brutal weight cuts and tend to fade late into rounds two and three. Aoriqileng is one of few quality underdogs that I will be betting on this card tonight. Aoriqileng by Decision
• Nick: Cody Gibson is 21-11 professionally, coming off a submission loss to a tough out in Da’Mon Blackshear. Gibson was looking good early in that fight, but he was dominated on the mat after he was unable to put Blackshear away. He’s well-rounded, with seven of his professional wins coming via KO and five coming via submission. He’s getting up there in age, but he’s extremely durable with a very high fight IQ. Gibson does a good job pushing a pace and forcing his opponents to fight moving backwards. He can be hittable in extended striking exchanges, but he has solid cardio and durability for someone his age. Aoriqileng is extremely aggressive, but when he faces highly technical strikers he sometimes puts himself in danger overexerting himself and leaving his chin open to counter shots. He throws a lot of volume, landing more than 4.6 significant strikes per minute. However, he also absorbs more than 5.4 significant strikes per minute. While always dangerous, he’s a kill or be killed type of fighter and his grappling is below average for the division. Gibson’s durability is somewhat of a concern against the hard hitting Aoriqileng, but I expect he can lean on his wrestling here to justify his price as a favorite. Cody Gibson by Decision

Manon Fiorot -240 vs Jasmine Jasudavicius +190

• Anthony: Next is a women’s flyweight fight between Manon Fiorot and Jasmine Jasudavicius. This is an extremely high-level matchup between top level fighters in the division. She has looked very impressive on her current winning streak. Jasudavicius may be Canada’s best chance at winning championship gold. From the outside, Fiorot does very well using her size and constantly touching up her opponents. She is going to land more total strikes than Jasudavicius throughout this fight and I expect her to stuff a lot of takedown attempts. Jasudavicius will need to cut off Fiorot and find her way into more exchanges at close range. Although her grappling skills are solid I am not sure she will have the strength to outwrestle Fiorot. These odds reflect Fiorot’s great hips and historically solid takedown defense. The Beast did fall short in her fight against Valentina Shevchenko but in terms of grappling she certainly held her own. Coming off a title loss I expect Fiorot to build back toward another shot at gold soon. Jasudavicius has been on a five fight winning streak and has the same aspirations to win the belt. Fiorot defends 87 percent of opponent takedowns and really should be able to stuff the early shots here. Fiorot will land damaging strikes throughout these three rounds and I do not think Jasudavicius can garner enough control time to emerge victorious here. Manon Fiorot by Decision
• Nick: Manon Fiorot is primarily a striker. She times her kicks well to set up her punches. She can still show power even as she backs away from her opponents and while she’d prefer to stand and trade, her grappling is more than sufficient as a decorated judoka. She has an excellent gas tank as she already has multiple five round wins under her belt. She’s coming off her first loss since her professional debut in 2018, but it came in a narrow decision to Valentina Shevchenko in a fight in which she was challenging for the title. Jasmine Jasudavicius is decent everywhere, but she’s found more success grappling than she has striking. Her takedown entries are somewhat predictable, but she’s surprisingly strong for her frame so she’s able to secure them even when her opponents see them coming. She is 14-3 professionally and 8-2 in the UFC, most recently securing a dominant win via submission over Jessica Andrade. Jasudavicius has a chance here if she can keep this fight on the mat, but that is likely going to be difficult against a bigger and stronger opponent in Fiorot. The price is a bit wide, but Fiorot is the rightful favorite. This is especially true when you consider how close she came to capturing the title her last time out. Manon Fiorot by Decision

Aiemann Zahabi -130 vs Marlon Vera +110

• Anthony: The featured bout is a fight at bantamweight between Marlon Vera and Aiemann Zahabi. In his last fight Zahabi beat Jose Aldo to extend his current win streak to six. He is a tactical striker that does well landing consistent offense throughout each of his fights. Vera is an opponent that will compete with Zahabi at kickboxing range but he has historically started very slow in almost all of his fights. Vera is very cautious in round one getting his reads and finding his entries to hurt his opponents. Vera is often reliant on knockdowns in order to win and I think he will struggle in this match. Zahabi is very light on his feet and effective at landing strikes even when moving backwards. Despite being the older fighter in this matchup Zahabi still moves well and lands very good kicks. I like the momentum that he has currently training with the team at Tristar Gym. Vera is going to be live competing against Zahabi here but winning rounds convincingly will be an issue. I am expecting the Quebec native to win by decision here tonight. This could be a more mellow fight for viewers as both men tend to work at a rather pedestrian pace. Aiemann Zahabi by Decision
• Nick: Aiemann Zahabi is a talented striker who can throw quick and effective combinations. He works well behind his jab and he generally does a good job staying out of danger and striking on the outside. He has underrated BJJ, but he’s often tentative in the cage and his lack of activity often costs him either defensively or on the scorecards. He’s on a five fight win-streak, coming off a narrow decision win over a tough out in Jose Aldo. Marlon Vera is one of the tougher guys in this division, borderline impossible to put away and he’s shown a serious ability to up his pressure and pace as the fight gets into the later rounds. He’s excellent at striking in the clinch. He works well up against the cage and he’s shown a willingness to mix devastating elbows into his combinations. Vera is considered a slow starter, but he almost always gains momentum as his fights build into the later rounds. As talented as he is, he is coming off back-to-back losses and he’s been out of action since August of 2024. Vera is the more dangerous fighter in this match-up, but Zahabi has the footwork to mostly stay safe at distance and pick him apart at range. Aiemann Zahabi by Decision

Mike Malott -110 vs Kevin Holland -110

• Anthony: The co-main event is a contest at welterweight between Kevin Holland and Mike Malott. This is a pivotal fight in the division between the staple Holland and up and coming Malott. Malott is a small star in Canada, representing Ontario and winning all but one of his UFC appearances. He is a very skilled submission grappler who leads the training at Team Alpha Male. In addition to his grappling, Malott has developed good kickboxing skills with a potent offensive attack. Malott is confident exchanging blows with his opponent and spending a lot of time in the pocket. He won his last fight via knockout against Charles Radtke. Holland will probably struggle with imposing his will on Malott if he is considerably slower and moving backwards too often. Holland has been a force competing here at welterweight but Malott has a clear advantage here against him if this fight hits the mat. I do not think he is in position to win many minutes here striking with Malott or holding him against the fence. Holland needs to get his jab going early while landing big attacks behind each entry. He has been very active this year with tonight’s appearance already his fifth. Holland is very much reliant on a knockdown to win in my opinion. The crowd will be in full support of Malott for this matchup. At near even odds I like him here fighting again at home in Canada. Holland also has four career losses by submission. Mike Malott by Round Two Submission
• Nick: Mike Malott has been a coach at American Top Team for years, but he began re-engaging in professional competition after a lengthy hiatus. Since is return, he’s been on a nice run, but most of his wins have come against a questionable level of competition. He’s a dangerous BJJ player, but his takedown entries and overall wrestling base is far from refined. He is a creative striker offensively, but he often leaves himself open to be countered. Malott is 5-1 in the UFC, most recently securing a win via KO over Charles Radke. Kevin Holland has developed a reputation as one of the more exciting fighters in the UFC. He talks constantly, both insulting and congratulating his opponents for the entire time he’s in the cage. He’s a rangy and creative striker with surprising power for his frame, but he has a clear hole in his game via his takedown defense. While he struggles at times against wrestlers, he has dangerous BJJ as a black belt under Travis Lutter. His grappling has looked a lot better overall since he made the move down to welterweight, but he’s been wildly inconsistent as he fights as often as anyone on the roster. Malott has the better wrestling in this match-up, but Holland is the much better striker, much faster, and he has superior footwork. Things could get dicey early, but I expect Holland will find the finish here as this fight wears on. Kevin Holland by Round Three KO

Reinier de Ridder -210 vs Brendan Allen +170

• Anthony: The main event is a fight at middleweight between Brendan Allen and Reinier De Ridder. This bout does serve as a title eliminator of sorts as De Ridder has had a monster year in 2025. Since joining the promotion as a former KSW champion, he has really taken this division by storm. In his last fight De Ridder gutted out an incredible win against the former champion Robert Whittaker. It was impressive seeing De Ridder able to grind out a victory in that fight despite losing rounds and suffering a very big knockdown. This man is in search of his fourth win already this year and clearly De Ridder can be a title contender. He blends elite kickboxing and high-pressure striking with strong offensive grappling. Allen is also a top tier grappler with fourteen wins by submission. Although Allen has found a lot of success within the promotion I do not want to overate his numerous wins. The best middleweight competition that Allen faced recently was able to beat him when striking. Anthony Hernandez was also able to dictate the exchanges on the ground. De Ridder should be able to roll with Allen on the mat and take over grappling exchanges here in the championship rounds. Allen will struggle to keep pace with De Ridder in what will likely be a very grueling fight. De Ridder has been very active all year and his cardio is better than Allen as the two enter the ring. I expect De Ridder to hold serve here as the betting favorite and win rather convincingly in this fight. While Allen is a top level contender at middleweight this is a fight that on paper RDR should certainly win. It is unlikely that Allen could submit De Ridder or find a finish with his hands. Reinier de Ridder by Decision
• Nick: Reiner de Ridder is primarily a grappler, and his offensive BJJ is extremely high level even by UFC standards. Fourteen of his twenty-one professional wins have come via submission. His striking has come a long way over the past few years, but he mostly uses it as a means to drag his opponents to the mat. He’s 4-0 in the UFC, coming off an impressive win over Robert Whittaker back in July of 2025. He has a massive frame for the division, and his cardio and durability both have proven to be major strengths for him as he climbs the rankings at middleweight. Fourteen of Brendan Allen’s twenty-five professional wins have come via submission. He has excellent BJJ, with a solid wrestling base, but he makes questionable decisions in many of his fights. He often plays into the strengths of his opponents and he seems overly emotional at times as he engages in brawls. His striking continues to show improvements, which isn’t surprising as he has made major strides in that area ever since he shifted to an excellent camp in Kill Cliff FC and more recently Valley Flow Striking. Allen will be dangerous early here, but de Ridder is the much stronger fighter here and the better grappler overall if this fight hits the mat. It is also notable that Allen is taking this fight on relatively short notice. de Ridder should be able to pull away here after weathering an early storm. Reinier de Ridder by Round Three Submission

-Nick Marro

Twitter: @NickMarroDFS

-Anthony Marro

Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_

Photo: UFC.com