UFC Vegas 26 Predictions

The good times kept rolling last weekend at UFC Vegas 25 for this predictions column, as I hit a bullseye on eight of the 10 fights on the card. So, while I’m back on a heater, let’s not waste any time and get right into my 100% totally correct nothing but winners UFC Vegas 26 predictions.

All odd courtesy of PointsBet

UFC Vegas 26 Predictions

Marina Rodriguez (-225) vs Michelle Waterson

This is my lock pick of the week – I just see no path to victory for Michelle Waterson in this hastily arranged main event. Marina Rodriguez will be much bigger in this women’s flyweight (125 pounds) bout (Waterson should really be fighting at 105 pounds by the UFC doesn’t have an atomweight division), she’s a much more dangerous and powerful striker, and shouldn’t have any trouble with the Waterson’s grappling. Squash match.

Alex Morono (+145) vs Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone

Alex Morono will be taking this fight against the legendary Cowboy on only a few days’ notice, but with several of his Fortis MMA teammates on this fight card, he surely has been working hard in camp already. I’ll gladly take him at plus money against the shopworn Donald Cerrone, as I see the much younger Morono being able to outstrike Cerrone and maybe get himself a stoppage victory.

Geoff Neal (-195) vs Neil Magny

The battle of the Neal/Neils. I’ll go with the younger, more powerful ‘Handz of Steel’ Geoff Neal. After winning his first five UFC fights, Neal lost his last against Stephen Thompson (no shame there), but I see a bounceback in this one due to his power and striking.

Maurice Greene (+170) vs Marcos Rogerio de Lima

Another plus money pick in this #chunkyguy heavyweight tilt. Maurice Greene has a very clear path to victory here – to submit Marcos Rogerio de Lima, who has been tapped out five times. In fact, all five of his most recent losses are via submission. Additionally, more than half of Greene’s victories (five out of nine) are via submission. Sounds like a nice prop bet opportunity.

Gregor Gillespie (-190) vs Diego Ferreira

This is a classic wrestler vs jiu jitsu battle, and I’m siding with the wrestler, Gregor Gillespie. With Khabib Nurmagomedov retired, it can be argued that Gillespie is now the best wrestler in the lightweight division, which is no small feat. I see him controlling Diego Ferreira in this one with his smothering top wrestling game.

Amanda Ribas (-190) vs Angela Hill

This women’s strawweight battle pits two fan favorites in Amanda Ribas and Angela Hill. I’ll take the chalk in this one, as Ribas’s amazing grappling and jiu jitsu, not to mention her toughness, should carry the day here. Which means we’ll get another legendary Ribas uberbubbly post fight interview!

Philipe Lins (-112) vs Ben Rothwell

Yet another #chunkyguy heavyweight fight, this one currently a pick ’em on the board. I’m leaning towards the 2018 PFL Heavyweight Champion Philipe Lins, as I think he has more tread left on his tires than Ben Rothwell, who made his pro MMA debut way back in 2001.

Kyle Daukaus (-130) vs Phil Hawes

The smaller of the Daukaus brothers in the UFC, Kyle, is my pick to win this middleweight fight. He’s bigger and younger than Phil Hawes, is a better and more active striker as well as a better grappler. All signs point to him getting his hand raised on Saturday night.

L’udovit Klein (-260) vs Michael Trizano

No, that’s no typo – that’s how you spell L’udovit. A winner of eight straight, and coming off an impressive head kick knockout in his UFC debut, look for the Slovakian to live up to his nickname ‘Mr Highlight’ again this weekend, in violent fashion.

Ryan Benoit (-155) vs Zarrukh Adashev

Two flyweights desperate for a win collide on the prelims Saturday, with Zarrukh Adashev going 0-2 thus far inside the octagon and Ryan Benoit dropping two straight and only scoring one win in his last four. I feel Benoit is the better all around fighter, superior to Adashev in all aspect of the sport, so he’s the pick.

Tafon Nchukwi (-145) vs Jun Yong Park

Tafon Nchukwi is another violence machine, winning four of his five pro fights via knockout. I think that number will be five out of six come Saturday, if you want to throw a prop down on this one also.

Christian Aguilera (+130) vs Carlston Harris

The hardest man to Google, Christian Aguilera (no Google, I’m NOT searching for a pop star – I typed the name in correctly) is a knockout artist, putting the lights out on 11 of his 14 pro victims. I expect him to give the debuting Carlson Harris a rude welcome to the UFC.

Overall Record: 405-330

2021
Record: 96-72
Earnings: -($1842.91)
Return on Investment: -(11.0)%