UFC Vegas 113: Bautista vs Oliveira – Full Card Analysis

UFC Vegas 113: Bautista vs Oliveira – 2.7.2026 – Fight Predictions and Analysis

Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC Vegas 113: Bautista vs Oliveira. Tonight we get to watch a fun card from Las Vegas with fights taking place at the newly renovated Apex. 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: 15-9-0 (Last Year 331-183-3, 64%)
• Nick: 16-8-0 (Last Year 326-188-3, 63%)

*Fight odds were last updated on 1-30-2026 at 8pm EST

Preliminary Card- Starts 5:00pm EST

Klaudia Sygula -160 vs Priscila Cachoeira +135

• Anthony: The card begins with this women’s bantamweight fight between Klaudia Sygula and Priscila Cachoeira. It is a low-level matchup here as Cachoeira continues to fight at 37 years old. This is actually a step down in competition for her as she faced a lot of talented opponents, building a few prospects’ resume in recent years. The Brazilian is always a threat to finish the fight early as she lands powerful attacks with her hands in round one. While Cachoeira is always good for a few minutes using strong boxing, her defense is always porous and worsens as the fight wears on. Cachoeira does not have reliable cardio and when she does get taken down to the mat she rarely finds her way back to the feet. Sygula is more diverse with her attacks and much better technically when compared to Cachoeira as a kickboxer. Sygula can likely use her speed to stay safe here, evading most attacks from Cachoeira and landing her own offense in between. Cachoeira telegraphs most of her attempts from range and I do not think she will be able to catch Sygula. The favorite here can also score takedowns or at least threaten with her grappling here if she does get hit hard. I expect her to win via decision or even find a finish if Cachoeira does decide to quit. Klaudia Sygula by Decision
• Nick: Klaudia Sygula is 7-2 professionally, 28-years old, and coming off a win via decision over Irina Alekseeva. She is relatively well rounded, with two wins coming by KO and one by submission. Sygula is decent everywhere, but she’s somewhat awkward in her approach. Additionally, there’s a chance she’ll be outmuscled by a good portion of her division. She recently shifted camps to American Top Team, so it seems there is a good chance we see an improved version of her here in her first fight of 2026. Priscila Cachoeira is very compact in her stance, she throws fairly effective combinations and she does a good job using her volume to keep pressure on opponents. She can take a shot and keep moving forward, and she puts enough volume on her opponents to eventually find openings to land power shots. That being said, she takes a ridiculous amount of damage. She absorbs nearly eight significant strikes per minute and her aggressive style also presents opportunities for her opponents to find takedowns. This is an extremely low level match-up between dangerous but volatile fighters. I slightly prefer the Sygula side as Cachoeira seems to be aging out of competition. Klaudia Sygula by Decision

Muin Gafurov -130 vs Jakub Wiklacz +110

• Anthony: Next is a fight between Jakub Wiklacz and Muin Gafurov. On Friday at weigh-ins Gafurov was more than five pounds heavy. You would think that Gafurov benefits from this weight miss at bantamweight but fighters who have missed by a margin this wide almost never emerge victorious. Gafurov also seems tough to read as he generally fights to the level of his opponents. He does not wrestle by pursuing takedowns often but Gafurov does have great upper body strength and controls opponents well at this weight class. His short frame allows him to keep underhooks and grind opponents against the fence. I do think that style works well for Gafurov but in this fight he could tire out chasing Wiklacz. The former KSW champion really looked good in his debut for the promotion last year. Wiklacz is a jiu jitsu blackbelt with ten career wins via submission. He does well not only snatching onto sub attempts but also scrambling throughout his fights and never accepting bottom position. Gafurov will really struggle to hold down Wiklacz and if he does score any takedowns they will be wasted energy as Wiklacz fights back to his feet. At near even odds I think he is going to be able to win in the latter half of this bout. Gafurov will likely lose his energy by round three after struggling so much to cut down to the bantamweight limit. Jakub Wiklacz by Decision
• Nick: Jakub Wiklacz is coming off an impressive win in his UFC debut, which came via narrow decision over Patchy Mix. With a 17-3-2 professional record at 29 years old, Wiklacz has found most of his success in the respectable Polish regional promotion KSW. Wiklacz is decent on the feet, but most of his success has come on the mat as ten of his seventeen professional wins have come via submission. He has excellent cardio and he fights at a torrid pace, but he relies on volume more than power on the feet and it seems he can have issues closing the distance against longer strikers. His durability is also somewhat of a concern, as he’s been finished in all three of his professional losses. Muin Gafurov is fairly well-rounded, 20-6 professionally, with eleven wins coming via KO and seven via submission. Gafurov is dangerous everywhere, but he’s small for the division. While his aggressive style can be tough for lower level opponents to deal with, his cardio and durability seem to be more of a weakness than a strength. His striking continues to improve from fight to fight, but most of his success at the UFC level has come on the mat. It is notable that Gafurov missed weight by five pounds for this match-up. This should be a competitive matchup, but I prefer the Wiklacz side as he is likely to be the aggressor here. Jakub Wiklacz by Decision

Wang Cong -350 vs Eduarda Moura +280

• Anthony: Next is a matchup between Eduarda Moura and Wang Cong. Both fighters missed weight yesterday by a pound but neither will forfeit their purse to the other. I do not expect the weight cut to really impact either athlete here. This is Moura’s third fight missing weight since joining the promotion. She has proven to be a very talented fighter but a loss here would likely see her released. Moura could also be forced to move up weight even with a victory. In this matchup against Cong we will probably see Moura utilize her grappling. Moura might have the confidence to exchange shots with a fighter like Cong but that is recipe for disaster. Cong is a skilled kickboxer that mixes her attacks and uses feints well. She is going to be touching Moura here constantly and landing more meaningful strikes every time that these two exchange. I think Cong will land good kicks throughout here and pick apart Moura from all levels while primarily just defending the boxing. Moura’s size and durability do make her an intriguing underdog here in this fight. She will likely have her moments while Cong scores more consistent offense throughout this fight. Wang Cong by Decision
• Nick: Wang is 33-years old and 8-1 professionally. She’s getting a late start to her MMA career, but she’s been kickboxing for years and she’s quite athletic compared to the majority of the women’s flyweight division. Wang is fairly well-rounded, but it’s certainly at striking range where she finds most of her success. She puts out a ton of volume on the feet, and while she doesn’t carry much power, her speed and precision give her finishing upside against lower level opponents. As talented as she is, she suffered a brutal upset loss in her UFC debut in which she was club-and-subbed by Gabriella Fernandes as a massive -900 favorite. She has since corrected her trajectory with back to back decision wins, but her defensive grappling remains a major hole in her overall game. 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 Lauren Murphy. Moura can keep this competitive early, especially if she tries to grappler. Tat being said, I expect Wang to utilize her superior footwork and striking to pull away as this fight wears on. Both women missed weight for this fight, but I’m still siding with the favorite. Moura is hittable and I expect her durability will be tested here. Wang Cong by Round Three KO

Javid Basharat -750 vs Gianni Vazquez +525

• Anthony: Next is a fight between bantamweights Gianni Vazquez and Javid Basharat. This is a booking on short notice after Basharat was originally scheduled to face Said Nurmagomedov. Vazquez appears here on just days’ notice and weighed-in a bit heavy for that reason. He is 31 years old but each of Vazquez fights are exciting and tense. He tends to land offense on his opponents despite questionable decision making and poor footwork. I think a lot of Vazquez’s overall success has come while facing awful competition. The best athletes that Vazquez competed against all ended up beating him handily. Basharat is not as talented as his brother who fights tonight, but Javid does have fast hands and much better striking than Vazquez. These two will spend the whole fight competing at a range where Basharat will land using his offensive kickboxing. On short notice I expect Vazquez to end up falling apart as he absorbs 100 strikes or fewer. Basharat will look to justify these odds by completely outclassing Vazquez. If Basharat gets clipped or even knocked down here, I trust that he can find a way to wrestle down Vazquez in order to buy time to recover. I am confidently picking Basharat to win here. Javid Basharat by Round Two KO
• Nick: Javid Basharat is a highly regarded prospect, coming into this match-up with an undefeated 14-2 professional record. He is 3-2-1 so far in the UFC, coming off a brutal KO loss to Ricky Simon back in February of 2025. He’s extremely well-rounded, with an advanced understanding of footwork in striking exchanges. He fights long for his frame and throws at a fast and aggressive pace. He’s also an effective grappler, especially defensively as he’s shown to be excellent in scrambles. Gianni Vasquez will be making his UFC debut here, taking this fight on short notice as a replacement for the injured Said Nurmagomedov. He’s moving up a weight class for his debut here, and he still notably missed weight for this match-up. That being said, he is generally well-rounded. He fights at a torrid pace, he throws a lot of volume in exchanges, and his offensive grappling seems to be improving at a dramatic rate. He enters this fight on a five fight win streak and he has taken on a quality level of regional opponents. That being said, this match-up certainly feels like too much too soon. Basharat will be the bigger and faster fighter here, and he should be able to flex his technical advantages wherever this one goes. Javid Basharat by Decision

Ketlen Souza -160 vs Bruna Brasil +135

• Anthony: Here is a bout between Bruna Brasil and Ketlen Souza at women’s strawweight. I am not confidently picking this matchup but it does seem bettors all like the same side. Souza has flipped to a -160 favorite now after opening as the betting underdog. Brasil has the grappling credentials to perhaps challenge Souza here on the ground but otherwise I do favor Souza to get this victory thanks to her striking. Souza lands with power despite her size and averaged 4.56 significant strikes landed per minute. Her high volume and aggressive attack varies from the more measured approach from Brasil. Souza will be the more likely fighter to win by finish here in this strawweight bout. Brasil does not respond well to eating damage and again I highlight that her grappling is not used to great extent in every fight. As Brasil fights on the outside and attempts to land counters, Souza should consistently apply pressure and bring this fight to her. Ketlen Souza by Decision 
• Nick: Bruna Brasil is 11-5-1 professionally, with three of those wins coming via KO and two via submission. Brasil is strong with a large frame for the division. She’s shown a well-rounded skill set, but there is no denying she has found most of her success on the mat against inferior grapplers. She’s decent on the feet, but she is as hittable as she is dangerous in extended striking exchanges. It does seem she is improving from fight to fight, which is likely due to the fact she has recently been training with an excellent camp via Fighting Nerds in Brazil. Ketlen Souza is a former Invicta FC Flyweight Champion. She is 15-4 professionally, with eight of those wins having come via KO. She is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in her career. Souza is well rounded, but her strength for the division is what stands out when you watch her on film. She has surprising power and explosiveness, both beyond what would be expected of a fighter with her frame. This fight will be competitive early, but I expect Brasil can win the striking exchanges as this fight wears on. Souza has a power advantage, but her cardio could cause her issues here in what should be a fast paced match-up. Bruna Brasil by Decision

Nikolay Veretennikov -300 vs Niko Price +240

• Anthony: This is a matchup at welterweight between Nikolay Veretennikov and Niko Price. I do not think Price should be fighting much longer now at 16-9 but the promotion seems to be giving him one of few winnable matchups left for him at this weight. Veretennikov is a streaky fighter like Price, occasionally making poor decisions in the cage and never sticking to one gameplan. Veretennikov also has poor cardio and very bad takedown defense. That being said, this is a fighter that gives opponents a lot of trouble from the opening bell. Veretennikov hits so hard at this weight and often can rattle opponents. His base comes from fighting wushu sanda although his boxing has also come a very long way. Both men here are 36 years old but at very different stages of their career. It seems the fighter from Kazakhstan has more gas left in the tank, improving between each fight and appearing to be durable. I do not think Price has the skills or patience to wrestle throughout this fight in order to secure a win. Veretennikov is someone that I will include in my parlays despite the fact he has proven unreliable in the past. Price is somebody that I am starting to bet against more each passing year. Nikolay Veretennikov by Round One KO
• Nikolav Veretennikov enters this fight with a 13-7 professional record at 35 years old At his best, Veretennikov does a good job fighting at range and he carries surprising power even when he’s backing away from his opponents. He’s dangerous everywhere, but primarily a striker with nine of his thirteen professional wins coming via KO. Niko Price will have a massive experience advantage in this match-up. He’s fairly well-rounded, but he’s found most of his UFC success trading on the feet with notable wins over Alex Oliveira, Tim Means, Randy Brown, and most recently Alex Morono. Ten of his sixteen professional wins have come via KO. In his prime, he was quick and explosive. However, there’s no denying he’s in the twilight of his career. Price will have a size and power advantage here, but his durability is a major concern as he’s getting up there in age. He’s taken a lot of damage in most of his fights, and there’s no denying he’s a step slower both in striking exchanges and in scrambles. The price is  somewhat ridiculous, but Veretennikov is the rightful favorite. Nikolay Veretennikov by Round Two KO

Daniil Donchenko -750 vs Alex Morono +525

• Anthony: The featured prelim is a welterweight fight between Daniil Donchenko and Alex Morono. Donchenko won The Ultimate Fighter by beating Rodrigo Sezinando in their tournament final last year. I think the future is bright for this 24 year old, fighting out of Ukraine and blending great boxing skills with some great jiu jitsu. Donchenko is able to finish fights with his hands but also on the mat. He is a strong athlete at this weight and certainly at a power advantage here compared to Morono. This matchup seems easy to predict as Donchenko faces a veteran opponent that is now a bit over the hill. Morono has been in poor form lately losing in four of his last five fights. I expect Morono to pressure forward and brawl here as he always does. However, Donchenko will not give much respect to Morono’s power as he wails away counters. I think if Donchenko looks half as good as he did in his previous showing, this will be a first round victory against a skilled opponent in Morono. I am confidently picking Donchenko to win. Daniil Donchenko by Round One KO
• Nick: Danil Donchenko is The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 Welterweight Tournament.Champion. Danil Donchenko is 12-2 professionally and 24 years old. He’s an explosive athlete with true KO power in all of his limbs. Eight of his twelve professional wins have come via KO, and in most of his fights he does a good job overwhelming his opponents with his highly aggressive style. Donchenko does a good job forcing himself into the range of his opponents. He does a good job mixing kicks into his combinations and his durability and speed allow him to have success countering. It seems he’s a capable grappler as well, but he hasn’t really been tested extensively against high level wrestling. Alex Morono is a well rounded fighter, but his greatest strengths are likely his sheer grit and toughness. He always moves forward, even when he’s taking damage. He has solid cardio, underrated power, and he’s well-versed on the mat as a BJJ black belt. Morono is a coach at Fortis MMA, and he has one of the better minds for the sport at welterweight. In spite of his strengths, Morono is anything but athletic and at 35-years old he does seem to be entering the twilight of his career. In his prime, Morono would be a live underdog in this match-up. Unfortunately, he is well past that point of his career. Danil Donchenko by Round One KO

Main Card- Starts 8:00pm EST

Dustin Jacoby -185 vs Julius Walker +150

• Anthony: The main card begins at light heavyweight as Julius Walker will face Dustin Jacoby. Odds seem fair for this matchup although I am still siding with Jacoby as a sizable favorite. Walker presents some challenges to lower-level opponents here at light heavyweight but a skilled kickboxer such as Jacoby should be able to have his way here. Walker is very sloppy with his entries and in terms of his overall striking defense. Walker will confidently strike against Jacoby but that is an area he simply cannot win this evening. The gameplan here for Walker must include takedowns and offensive wrestling in order to win. It would not surprise me to see Walker score a few takedowns against Jacoby but I do not trust him to convert any attempts into real meaningful control. Jacoby does very well stuffing the initial shot and punishing opponents who fail takedown attempts. Neither man is very big for this weight class but I do think Jacoby stacks up well for this bout. Walker will struggle to get Jacoby off of his spots or moving backward at all here. I am expecting another vintage performance from Jacoby, scoring a knockout as was the case in both of his previous two fights. Dustin Jacoby by Round Two KO
• Nick: Julius Walker is 26 years old and 7-1 professionally, coming off a decision win over Raffael Cerqueira. Walker is lean for a light heavyweight, but he also has tremendous speed and athleticism. A former NCAA basketball player, he works well behind his jab, and his ground game seems to be rounding into form. He would be wise to lean on his grappling in this fight, as he’s set to take on a gifted striker in Dustin Jacoby. Dustin Jacoby has excellent striking ability. A former Glory Kickboxer, he presents a diverse arsenal of kicks and he generally does a good job using them to keep his opponents at range. Jacoby has a nice jab, a strong left hook, and he has continuously shown an ability to eat punches in order to throw them. He’s been inconsistent over his last few fights, but he’s still a tough out for the majority of the division. Jacoby’s durability is a bit of a concern here, but he’s been taking on a much higher level of competition compared to Walker. This is a low confidence play but I’m siding with the favorite. Dustin Jacoby by Round Two KO

Farid Basharat -300 vs Jean Matsumoto +240

• Anthony: Next is a bantamweight fight with Jean Matsumoto facing Farid Basharat. Last year Matsumoto tasted defeat for the first time ever and now he faces another undefeated fighter. Unlike his older brother, Farid is 14-0 and much more sound in terms of his defensive awareness and fight IQ. He is a highly skilled wrestler who averages 3.60 takedowns landed per fight. I like seeing Basharat mix his striking with grappling, changing levels quickly and shooting far underneath opponent strikes. He does well chaining together his takedowns and forcing opponents to constantly react to each move. Matsumoto will have a hard time taking rounds off of Basharat since he is not very dynamic at all himself. The Brazilian’s best and perhaps only chance of winning will be by securing a guillotine choke. Basharat will leave his neck exposed when shooting for takedowns but even a blackbelt like Matsumoto will struggle to take advantage. Basharat is dedicated to his wrestling and grappling so a position like the guillotine will be one he can fight out of. These odds seem fair for what is another matchup Basharat should be able to thrive in stylistically. Farid Basharat by Decision
• Nick: Farid Basharat is the younger brother of Jahvid Basharat, who is a rising contender in his own right. Similarly to his brother, Baharat is highly skilled no matter where the fight goes. He is 14-0 professionally, but he’s been out of action since October of 2025. He does a good job working behind his jab. He throws lengthy combinations and he generally does a good job forcing his opponents to fight at a very high pace. His grappling is solid, especially defensively. He’s dangerous in scrambles and very difficult to take down. Jean Matsumoto is 17-1 professionally, coming off a decision win over a tough out in Miles Johns. He’s putting together an impressive resume at just 26-years old. He’s well-rounded, with six of his professional wins coming via submission and six coming via KO. He is fast and athletic, and his cardio paired with solid durability allows him to fight aggressively for fifteen minutes. This fight should play out much closer than the line suggests. Still, I do expect Basharat can stay a step ahead. He’s going to be the faster fighter here with the superior footwork, and that should be the difference. Farid Basharat by Decision

Michal Oleksiejczuk -480 vs Marc-Andre Barriault +360

• Anthony: The next bout comes at middleweight between Michal Oleksiejczuk and Marc-Andre Barriault. This should be a thrilling matchup for as long as it lasts. Both men here are potent finishing threats and I expect the scrap tonight will certainly end inside of the distance. Oleksiejczuk is a technically gifted southpaw with big power in his hands at 185 pounds. The two most recent victories for him have been best as Oleksiejczuk has continued training with the team of Fighting Nerds. He seems to be more patient when it comes to attacking opponents, waiting to counter before unloading long combination attacks. Barriault tends to move forward and pressure opponents so I am certain these two will end up in an early brawl here. Barriault does land 5.70 significant strikes per minute which is an insane pace for any opponent to try and match. We are likely going to see Oleksiejczuk succumb to that crazy pace if he cannot find a stoppage win early. Barriault can also pull him into a clinch brawl which would limit Oleksiejczuk’s offense. I do expect Oleksiejczuk to find a round one knockout here due to his immense power and Barriault’s rather suspect chin. He will be eating quick uppercuts from Michal each time that he is moving forward. Michal Oleksiejczuk by Round One KO
• Nick: Michael Oleksiejczuk has serious KO power and he does a good job putting consistent pressure on his opponents. Additionally, he has developed a reputation as a fast starter with a lot of quick finishes. Oleksiejczkuk has shown a propensity to fade late in fights, but he’s always dangerous early. His striking is far from refined technically, but he carries a lot of power and works well when he’s countering. In spite of his skills on the feet, his defensive grappling ability is mediocre at best. Marc-Andre Barriault fights at a torrid pace. He has decent power and does a good job putting pressure on his opponents. His durability allows him to easily close distance and while his striking isn’t all that technically sound, he’s powerful enough to win exchanges on the feet. His greatest attribute is certainly his cardio, as many of his victories come via taking damage easy and waiting for his opponents to drain their gas tanks then taking over late. As durable as he’s been for most of his career, it is worth mentioning he suffered KO losses in three of his last four fights. Barriault can pull off the upset if he can extend this fight, but that’s likely going to be a tall task for him at this advanced stage of his career. Michal Oleksiejczuk by Round One KO

Jailton Almeida -160 vs Rizvan Kuniev +135

• Anthony: The featured bout is a heavyweight fight between Jailton Almeida and Rizvan Kuniev. I think this will end up being a bit of a lopsided matchup but the same was true in Almeida’s last fight which he lost via decision. Almeida controlled Alexander Volkov for more than ten minutes, securing seven takedowns and holding position as he does so well. Nonetheless, Almeida did not earn the judge’s favor in what many viewed as a fight he could have done more. He seems to really struggle against big and strong heavyweights or at least too scared to attempt to pass and risk losing top position. Betting on him as the favorite seems like it won’t pay off in the long run but I do find myself choosing him to win the fight today. Almeida is always going to force the issue and secure his first takedown immediately to start round one. Threatening Kuniev with submission attempts and wrapping him up early will likely make this fight much easier as it goes. The Russian is known for being durable and grinding out tough fights in the past but he is also now fighting without abusing drugs. Kuniev served a year suspension after testing positive for numerous prohibited substances. I predict a finish will eventually present itself to Almeida as Kuniev will run out of energy defending himself on the mat. Jailton Almeida by Round Two KO
• Nick: Jailton Almeida is extremely explosive and athletic for a heavyweight. He has solid striking ability and outstanding BJJ. Almeida has shown excellent takedown entries, weight control and sweeping ability. He has dominated most grappling exchanges so far in the UFC and he has shown a very high fight IQ since he signed with the promotion. He’s dangerous everywhere, and he does an excellent job exploiting the weaknesses of his opponents. All that being said, it seems he doesn’t like being hit. He can be tentative at times, and he isn’t always the aggressive finisher that he seemed to be earlier in his career. It is notable that Kuniev tested positive for anabolic steroids drostanolone, metenelone, boldenone, and 19-norandrosterone before breaking into the UFC. He suffered a debut loss his last time out, but it came in a narrow decision loss against an elite opponent in Curtis Blaydes. Kuniev is relatively well-rounded, but most of his success has come on the feet. He’s a potent finisher no matter where his fights go, but it’s tough to gauge his level as it seems he had been heavily reliant on PEDs. Almeida should have grappling success early, but as this fight wears on it seems likely Kuniev can keep things standing and then win on the feet. He’s a tough fighter to get a read on, but Kuniev seems to be the more well-rounded fighter in this matchup. Rizvan Kuniev by Decision

Kyoji Horiguchi -400 vs Amir Albazi +300

• Anthony: Ranked flyweights compete in the co-main event with Amir Albazi facing Kyoji Horiguchi. This is great matchmaking that will propel the winner toward fighting for a title very soon. Horiguchi will be expedited toward gold soon as he competes today at 35 years old. The former title challenger looked incredible in his return to the promotion last fall, beating Tagir Ulanbekov as a +190 underdog. I predicted Horiguchi would win that one but it seems the betting market has really overcorrected to now favor him in this spot. Horiguchi should perform very well in this fight against Albazi but for him to be -400 seems very impractical. Horiguchi is the stronger and more technically skilled striker but Albazi can present some problems for him when this fight hits the mat. Albazi has been nursing some injuries lately but I can only hope he is entering this fight feeling near full health. The best version of him would challenge Horiguchi’s wrestling and force him into submission attempts as these two scramble around. Albazi’s speed and longer frame will give him the edge in those positions and I believe this is a fight that he can definitely win. Thankfully Albazi is very durable since his striking defense is rather poor. Amir Albazi by Decision
• Nick: Amir Albazi has a solid wrestling base which works well in combination with his aggressive submission style. His striking is decent, he has a powerful uppercut and does a good job mixing in body shots. He sometimes leaves himself open to counters, but he mostly strikes to set up his takedowns so he’s able to stay safe in most exchanges. He is 17-2 professionally, and 4-1 under the UFC banner. He’s been out of action since November of 2024 after suffering a loss to Brandon Moreno. This will be Kyoji Horiguchi’s second fight within his second stint in the UFC. He left the promotion in spite of a 6-1 record back in 2016, and he returns here after successful runs in both RIZIN and Bellator. Horiguchi has a 35-5 professional record, with fifteen wins coming via KO and six coming via submission. He held the Bantamweight title in both RIZIN and Bellator, and he also captured the Flyweight championship for RIZIN. He secured an extremely impressive win his last time out via submission of Said Nurmagomedov. While he seems a bit past his athletic prime, Horiguchi is still an explosive striker with advanced grappling ability both offensively and defensively. He prefers to stand and trade, but he has a high fight IQ and he generally does a good job exploiting the weaknesses of his opponent. This fight should be competitive, but Horiguchi is well-rounded enough to dictate where things play out. The line is wide but I am siding with the favorite. Kyoji Horiguchi by Decision

Mario Bautista -150 vs Vinicius Oliveira +125

• Anthony: The main event is a great fight between bantamweight contenders Vinicius Oliveira and Mario Bautista. This is the first time both men have ever appeared in a five round main event. Bautista lost in his last bout against Umar Nurmagomedov, snapping what was an eight-fight winning streak. Bautista is remarkably consistent, landing high output and winning against most opponents by mixing in wrestling well. He has not proven to be a very potent finisher but Bautista is durable, seemingly poised and ready for a longer five round fight. Oliveira’s last victory was in a fight against Kyler Phillips who is a friend and primary training partner of Bautista. Phillips did win one round of that fight but he also failed on all five attempts to take down the Brazilian. Oliveira moves with a striking style that is extremely awkward and hard to deal with. He generally stalks his opponents with his hands at his sides, offering powerful attacks in the form of short combinations and loaded kicks. He also does well landing off-balance from one attack and quickly following up with a punch to reset. Throughout all of these striking exchanges I am expecting Oliveira to get the better of Bautista. He lands with much more significant power. Bautista will spend large portions of the fight clinching Oliveira and attempting to wrestle, but those scrambles may not necessarily be the deciding factor here. Oliveira’s power needs to be respected and for every minute spent upright, Bautista will need to stay defensively sound. Oliveira could end up getting tired given his aggressive style but he seems like an incredible athlete and I trust him to survive into rounds four and five. The odds for this matchup have become much closer but I still prefer the value taking Oliveira. Lok Dog’s ceiling seems even higher than Bautista. Vinicius Oliveira by Decision
• Nick: Vinicius Oliveira is 30 years-old, 23-3 professionally, with sixteen of those wins coming via KO. Oliveira is an extremely powerful striker who seems to do his best work in the pocket. He’s a physical specimen for a bantamweight. His kill-or-be-killed style makes him dangerous against anyone, but it also means he can be open to be countered in exchanges. He is 3-0 in the UFC, and he carries a lot of momentum into this match-up. Mario Bautista is a powerful striker at range. He does a great job managing distance and he uses feints well to set up his combos. While he’s most comfortable standing and trading, he is also a competent grappler as a brown belt in BJJ. He has a solid wrestling base, which he uses to control position against a wide range of opponents. Against good strikers, he can lean on his grappling. Against good grapplers, he can lean on his striking. In this particular match-up it seems he’s likely going to try to keep things standing. Oliveira is the more potent finisher here and I expect he’ll have success early. That being said, Bautista’s durability and cardio are much more proven and he has been taking on a higher level of opponent. With this being a five round fight, I see Bautista gaining momentum and pulling away as this fight wears on. Mario Bautista by Decision

-Nick Marro

Twitter: @NickMarroDFS

-Anthony Marro

Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_

Photo: UFC.com