UFC 260 Preview & Predictions

Main Event: Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou

I guess it all comes down to whether Miocic can still take multiple Ngannou shots without dying. I think if they only ever had fights against each other in the primes of their career, Miocic would have 5 fight series either 3-2 or 4-1, but cause there is already career of damage behind him, one has to wonder if Miocic can pull off the same thing again.

Obviously they are not exactly same fighters as last time around, but same truths are still present. Miocic is better wrestler and overall the better fighter, but Ngannou just is a physical specimen. Miocic is just a little bit older and chinnier with all the damage sustained in DC fights, Ngannou probably bit better conditioned and bit more skillful with another couple of years of training. 

So I don't know. I still kinda feel Miocic should be the favorite, after all it's not that hard to pin someone down to the fence in the Apex, but on the other hand I really don't feel confident at all about Miocic's chin holding up.

It's like I want to bet on Miocic cause the purist in me wants to fade someone who makes lot of mistakes (and Ngannou obviously does, he just gets away with it because of his size). Even in the last fight he just kinda rushed into range with Jairzinho, defensively all over the place but he landed and Jairzinho didn't and that's all that was needed. I think Stipe beats Ngannou even in pure kickboxing fight... except Francis needs like 1/3th of the shots to KO him.

Still Stipe was easily outstriking Ngannou even in the first round of the first match. Add in the grappling and in the end it was pretty wide gulf in quality. 

I think the picks are Francis KO 1st, Stipe decision or Stipe by KO later on 3th to 5th.

Prediction: Stipe Miocic

Confidence in winner: 2

Co-Main Event: Tyron Woodley vs. Vicente Luque

Tyron has had some of the worst fighting of the roster since the Darren Till fight. The guy just doesn't go any more. It does not really help that he is getting up there in age too. I don't think anyone has ever lost 15 rounds straight in three fights.

So all in all I think Woodley kinda coasts to a decision loss again, or wilts fast under Luque's striking pressure. Either way I gotta believe what I have seen, that Woodley just doesn't have any fire to fight any more. Even if he does, it is probably too little too late fighting against excellent, durable young fighter only entering into his prime. 

Prediction: Vicente Luque

Confidence in winner: 5

Sean O'Malley vs. Thomas Almeida

Interesting fight cause both of these guys are young prospects that have ran into durability issues in their career. For Almeida, it is matter of being chinny against top competition, and for O'Malley it's been the matter of having very brittle legs. Still, if I had to rely on one I would go for O'Malley's legs, cause for Almeida it is not just the chin but also the fact how easy it is to find.

O'Malley is a sniper that hits hard and Almeida's chin will be there for the taking, so I expect O'Malley to get a nice bounceback win here and finish it quickly.

Prediction: Sean O'Malley

Confidence in winner: 3

Gillian Robertson vs. Miranda Maverick

Robertson tends to either dominate you with her grappling or get absolutely smashed. She is a specialist in that one part and very good at getting it there, but if you can stop her only weapon, she is a very limited fighter. Obviously she has overall improved given she is 4-2 in her last six. 

When you look at her last three losses though, the girls had something in common, and that is being strong physical women. That's Miranda Maverick right there. She isn't the most mobile or flashiest fighter, but she is very strong and ought to be able to beat Robertson up on the feet. Still this isn't one of my most confident picks of the night, Robertson is still experienced and probably has the grappling advantage if she can only drag it down.

Prediction: Miranda Maverick

Confidence in winner: 2

Jamie Mullarkey vs. Khama Worthy

Khama has a history of getting KOd and obviously got finished fast by Azaitar last time around, but think we cannot put too much emphasis on that, after all Azaitar hits remarkably hard. Mullarkey has started his UFC career with couple of losses, but to be fair he is tough and durable guy and has been fighting really tough opposition.

Worthy is probably not as difficult challenge as say Riddell, but he still is the better fighter of the two. Still, Mullarkey has a way to win this by just pressuring forward and making the fight really ugly.

Still I think Worthy should be a favorite here, however with Mullarkey being tough and durable I would have him if he is big enough underdog.

With close to even odds, Worthy is easy pick here.

Prediction: Khama Worthy

Confidence in winner: 2

Alonzo Menifield vs. Fabio Cherant

Menifield has a great physique and looked like a monster in his early UFC run in, but then started fighting real fighters and turns out to not have much else beyond his power. 

So now I just can't trust him any more after that donkey performance against OSP. I will have to fade him, even against UFC newcomer like Cherant - at least Cherant is a solid grappler and fought 5 rounds last time, so he has exact weapons to beat Menifield, cardio and grappling.

Prediction: Fabio Cherant

Confidence in winner: 3

Jared Gooden vs. Abubacar Nurmagomedov

Gooden did put together a competitive fight against Jouban, but was getting hit way too much. Nurmagomedov has obviously famous last name and obviously very solid wrestling, but so far results have not matched near his more famous family members. Still, think his UFC debut was more of an accident, and this time he gets a better result.

Gooden has the advantage on the feet, but I don't see him keeping it there enough and there is even some chance Abubakar catches him with something on the feet. Still, more likely is that Nurmagomedov gets his hands on him and positionally controls his way to a decision win.

Prediction: Abubacar Nurmagomedov

Confidence in winner: 3

Modestas Bukauskas vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk

Back to the prelims for Oleksiejczuk after co-headlining against Crute. No shame in losing to Crute, but when you basically get ragdolled with wrestling by him, it's not a good look. Gotta wonder if Oleksiejczuk would consider dropping down a division cause he really look undersized, but guess he really likes his speed and stamina advantages or just doesn't like cutting weight.

Bukauskas here is a big man, but stylistically he is a live match-up for Oleksiejczuk - seems unlikely he is gonna grapple against Oleksiejczuk like how his last two opponents did. In a volume kickboxing match, Michal always has a good chance, but there is just good chance he gets cracked at some point cause he has to keep engaging and Bukauskas hits hard & has 4 inch reach advantage.

Still, when it comes to just striking, Oleksiejczuk has the volume and makes less mistakes, think he will win this most of the time if he doesn't get flattened.

Prediction: Michal Oleksiejczuk

Confidence in winner: 3

Shane Young vs. Omar Morales

Morales did not exactly impress against Chikadze, kinda showed low fight IQ not wrestling him, but this should be far more winnable match-up for him than stand-up fight against one of the world's best kickboxers.

Still Young isn't bad either, but he did get KOd last time around which is never a good sign. Still, I think Young should be at least close to Morales' level in stand-up if not better. However Morales is the naturally bigger man and should have overall the edge in this fight. Still I see it as a close one, Morales small favorite in my mind. 

At present odds though, Young is worth a punt to edge a tight striking match.

Prediction: Shane Young

Confidence in winner: 2

Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Abu Azaitar

Honestly close fight on paper, and ought to be pretty violent too, however given Azaitar's long lay off, it is really hard to say anything with confidence. He did look good against Miranda, winging powershots, putting on a high volume, but Miranda was very old already and still managed to score some takedowns.

So I feel like Barriault here is too solid everywhere to let Azaitar settle the ring rust. He will put pressure, probably absorb some of Azaitar's hard shots going in, but take them cause he is durable and keep piling the damage of his own and clinching or scoring a takedown if he gets a bit hurt. Think more often than not Barriault gets at least two rounds here, but KO either way is also a very real possibility. 

Prediction: Marc-Andre Barriault 

Confidence in winner: 3