UFC on ESPN 8 Previews & Predictions

This weekend's previews were a fast write-up. Just like other previews in past 7 days, these have been written based on past notes rather than present research, so they are much more inaccurate than my typical previews. Despite this, I am 14 out of 21 since UFC came back in my picks, so I don't think it is impossible to reach at least half the picks right this time around too.

Main Event: Alistair Overeem vs. Walt Harris

I don't know man. Is Overeem's chin finally gone for good? Even if it somehow isn't Harris hits hard. But even if it is gone, Overeem is the kind of guy to be able to avoid the opponents big shots. He did so with Rozenstruik... at least for few rounds. I kinda feel like Overeem should be the better fighter, but in 2020, can you really trust on him? As for Harris, his last couple of fights have been so short we cannot really reliably say where he is at terms of progressing his skills.

Harris via 1st round KO.

Co-Main Event: Claudia Gadelha vs. Angela Hill

Another one where I really don't feel strongly either way. Gadelha probably has this, she seems past he peak but not completely spent force and is the superior grappler. If Hill can stuff some takedowns and keep a high pace, it tilts to her favor though. I just think Hill is a really good fighter but who tends to fall short against the very elite of the strawweight division. Gadelha is kind of on the borderline of that in 2020, but still good enough that she should have this.

Gadelha via UD.

Edson Barboza vs. Dan Ige
I would personally much prefer this as the co-main. Barboza is on a rough patch of 4 losses in last five, and although in terms of name value Ige seems like a bit of a softer target, he really is not much easier than the elite competition Barboza has been fighting. Question is how much toll those wars took on Barboza. If not that much, I think Barboza should still have enough to him to get past Ige. Ige is on the rise and looking better all the time - his speed in the close range could pose problems for Edson, but if Edson stays outside, he can kick Ige to smithereens.






I kinda lean towards Edson, but its too close so I am gonna pick Ige with these odds. Ige via UD.

Eryk Anders vs. Krzysztof Jotko
Bottom of the barrel MWs. Again not really feeling anything strong about this. If anyone is gonna win via KO, it would have to be Anders with his far superior physicality, but it might just be one of those low volume contests that might go either way in a decision. Jotko has bit of a dodgy chin though, so maybe it won't go that far.



Eryk Anders via 2nd round KO.

Marlon Vera vs. Yadong Song
Song is a good fighter with potential to go far, but Vera has quietly started to look one of the very elite fighters of the division. He is just so crafty and offensively potent anywhere.

Vera via 2nd round submission.

Kevin Holland vs. Anthony Hernandez
More bottom of the barrel MWs. Holland is the more experienced one of the two and has faced better competition so far, so I think he will show something more here. Not really feeling strong at all of this one to be honest.

Holland via UD.

Matt Brown vs. Miguel Baeza
Someone on Twitter was suggesting Brown is generally a good pick as an underdog. Problem is his last two fights tell us pretty much nothing of how good he actually is now, he is already 39 and this Baeza guy who he is fighting hits god damn hard.

Sure, he is a bit green, and Brown might definitely be able to withstand the power and find some crafty way to win it, but I cannot trust him to do it. Baeza via 3rd round TKO.

Giga Chikadze vs. Irwin Rivera
I like pure kickboxers in MMA, but I am not entirely convinced Giga will be able to sustain a good run in the UFC. Last time around his cardio seemed dodgy at best. Titan FC champ Irwin Rivera has won his last two fights via KO in 4th round which suggest to me that he at least have ample amounts of cardio. So yea, I am going to predict Irwin either catches Chikadze or wears him out for a decision.

Rivera via UD.

Courtney Casey vs. Mara Romero Borella
Both of these chicks have had a rough time in the UFC, but I am going to go for Casey winning this, she seems the more physical girl and has been facing tougher competition throughout her career in the UFC. Not the strongest criteria, but that is all I have. That, and the impression that Borella is actually not that good.

Casey via UD.

Darren Elkins vs. Nate Landwehr
Well, this should be fun, two guys with basically no defence. Landwehr really looks terrible fighter, just absorbs absolutely everything and at this level it's not gonna work at all. Elkins has at least fought elite competition, but is on a 3-fight skid and his latest performance against Hall was really poor.

So the question is, has the damage started to catch up on the 35-year-old? That is the only hope Landwehr has - for even if he has no defence, he does hit like a truck and if Elkins just can no longer absorb a shot, that is all he needs. There is nothing to suggest though that Elkins no longer has any chin, so for me it is Elkins via UD after brutal war.

Still, Elkins via UD.




Don'Tale Mayes vs. Rodrigo Nascimento Ferreira
Don'Tale got submitted by a kickboxer in his last fight, so it just does not seem like he would have a good time against an unbeaten fighter who is predominantly grappler. Anything might happen in a fight between, big, powerful and inexperienced fighters, but it seems like a pretty straightforward pick on paper.

Ferreira via 2nd round submission.