Tag: UFC predictions

Curtis Blaydes vs. Derrick Lewis – UFC Vegas 19 Staff Predictions

Curtis BlaydesIn the UFC Vegas 19 main event, two top heavyweight contenders in Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis will put it all on the line. The winner will move one step closer to a shot at UFC gold, the loser will have some work to do before they can get back into the heavyweight mix. Who’ll […]

Curtis Blaydes

In the UFC Vegas 19 main event, two top heavyweight contenders in Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis will put it all on the line. The winner will move one step closer to a shot at UFC gold, the loser will have some work to do before they can get back into the heavyweight mix.

Who’ll win? Let’s see who the LowKicMMA staff are backing.

Jordan Ellis: I see this fight very much a one-sided fight. If Derrick Lewis is unable to hit and hurt Curtis Blaydes early, he’s going to get out grappled for the duration of this fight. Ultimately, I think Blaydes will do just this and eventually force the stoppage.

Prediction: Curtis Blaydes

Frank Bonada: The smart pick would undeniably be Blaydes. His wrestling prowess is unmatched in the Heavyweight division. However, you can never count The Black Beast out. Derrick Lewis has proved time and time again, that no matter how much the odds are stacked against him, he always retains a punchers chance. Blaydes probably will take him down. But every round starts on it’s feet, and I think there is a chance that Lewis will connect during an exchange. Derrick Lewis to win via second-round KO.

Prediction: Derrick Lewis

Ty Rosson: After months of waiting, we finally get to see this fight happen. Blaydes should win this one. He is the younger, fresher fighter and has more tools to finish the fight than Lewis. However, Lewis seemed very relaxed all week and has been on a nice little run as of late. I’m going with my gut on this one. Lewis KO  2nd round.

Prediction: Derrick Lewis

Chris De Santiago: We finally get Blaydes vs Lewis after all of these months of waiting and rescheduling. While the storyline up to this fight is interesting, the fight itself isn’t so unique. I feel like it will be a one-sided beatdown from Blaydes. His wrestling style is unmatched in the heavyweight division and his only kryptonite to date is Francis Ngannou landing early blows. I believe Blaydes will weather the storm of Lewis’ outburst of strikes and get it down to the ground, round after round. We all know Lewis has met his quota of wrestlers, however he has struggled in the past against the likes of Illir Latifi, who is a powerful yet way smaller wrestler than what Blaydes is. I believe Lewis will gas out and “Razor” will cut him up with elbows to get back in the finishing column of wins.

Prediction: Curtis Blaydes

UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns Staff Predictions

UFC 258Check out the LowKickMMA staff predictions ahead of the UFC 258 main event between welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns. Jordan Ellis: I really have found it hard picking a winner from the UFC 258 main event. Ultimately, I’m backing Kamaru Usman to retain his title for a few reasons. Firstly, he is one […]

UFC 258

Check out the LowKickMMA staff predictions ahead of the UFC 258 main event between welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns.

Jordan Ellis: I really have found it hard picking a winner from the UFC 258 main event. Ultimately, I’m backing Kamaru Usman to retain his title for a few reasons. Firstly, he is one of the most well-rounded fighters in the UFC. Secondly, he has look close to flawless throughout his run with the promotion. Finally, he appears to be a dominant champion and I expect him to prove he’s just that by beating Gilbert Burns who certainly should not be overlooked in this fight.

Prediction: Kamaru Usman

Alex Lough: Kamaru Usman may not be the most exciting fighter, but he is definitely one of the most dominant. Each opponent he has faced has claimed that they have the ability to stop him, only to spend the entirety of the fight underneath him. I don’t see this fight being any different. I’ll give you that Burns has the best grappling Usman has gone up against and a definite advantage on the feet, but it won’t be enough. Usman is just too big and powerful of a wrestler for anyone in the welterweight division to handle right now. He’s cancelled out his opponents output time and time again, and will likely continue to be a puzzle no one can solve for some time to come. It won’t be exciting, pretty, or that outcome that I would want, but Usman by UD.

Prediction: Kamaru Usman

Frank Bonada: There was a time when both these fighters were almost exclusively 1 trick ponies. Usman relied on his impressive wrestling background to physically dominate opponents, whilst Burns’ Jiu-jitsu credentials saw him rack up 3 armbar finishes in his first 5 UFC outings. However, since then, both men have evolved as mixed martial artists, both under the tutelage of Henri Hooft and the Hard Knocks 365 team. This of course adds the caveat that both men have trained together extensively. It will likely be an incredibly close matchup, with Usman having the strength advantage and Burns having an edge on speed. I want to pick Burns, he has an exciting well-rounded style and can produce spectacular finishes. However, looking back at his recent fights, the takedown he gave up to Damian Maia just makes me think that should Usman wish to grind the fight out with himself in a dominant position, he could likely do it at will. If it turns into a standup war, then Usman’s range and use of straight shots will also give him the edge. Usman to win via Unanimous decision, though I hope to be proven wrong.

Prediction: Kamaru Usman

Karim Nathan: This fight is the hardest fight for Usman so far, because when you look at it stylistically you would think that Burns has an answer to Usman’s strong areas. If Usman stays standing you feel Burns is more powerful, if he takes takes him down Burns has the superior grappling. However, saying that I think that Usman knows that its his toughest fight so far and has created a plan with Trevor Wittman and I feel Usman is just a bit stronger and has the higher fight IQ so he will hold him against the fence, use dirty boxing and grind a Unanimous Decision victory.

Prediction: Kamaru Usman

Ross Markey: For one reason or another, Kamaru Usman continuously fails to earn the plaudits he clearly deserves. He’s looking majorly unfazed since assuming the welterweight throne back in March of 2019 — knocking back foes, Colby Covington in an instant classic, as well as taking a one-sided decision win over the then-white hot Jorge Masvidal. While on paper it certainly appears Gilbert Burns will provide his sternest challenge to date — I haven’t seen anything so far from Usman which suggests he’ll be dethroned, however, those words could come back to bite me with Burns involved tonight. The Brazilian would conceivably fair well utilising a pressure-fighting and clinch-heavy approach of his own against Usman, although turning those tables on the recent Trevor Wittman mover is not going to prove an easy feat. Usman simply doesn’t make mistakes, well any that allow his opposition to capitalize on to great affect and possibly sway the direction of the fight away from the fence or the bottom where the vast majority of those opponents find themselves. Usman to remain king of the welterweights via a decision shutout.

Prediction: Kamaru Usman

Who do you think will win at UFC 258? Kamaru Usman or Gilbert Burns?

UFC 258 Undercard Betting Preview

UFC 258In the UFC 258 main event, Kamaru Usman will look to make the third defence of his welterweight title against Gilbert Burns who was previously a long-time training partner of ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’. Away from the main event we have a stacked night of fights from Las Vegas this coming Saturday evening. Especially interesting is […]

UFC 258

In the UFC 258 main event, Kamaru Usman will look to make the third defence of his welterweight title against Gilbert Burns who was previously a long-time training partner of ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’.

Away from the main event we have a stacked night of fights from Las Vegas this coming Saturday evening. Especially interesting is the UFC 258 undercard which is full of unmissable matchups.

Join LowKickMMA as we make our picks for the UFC 258 undercard bouts.

If you’re backing our fight night picks head to meta.reviews. for the best betting offers.

Gillian Robertson vs. Miranda Maverick

Opening up the UFC 258 early prelims is a super interesting fight between two exciting flyweight prospects.

Gillian Robertson seems to have been a key player in the flyweight division for a while now, but is still just 25 years old.

‘The Savage’ holds several impressive wins over the likes of Hannah Cifers, Molly McCann and Courtney Casey.

Unfortunately for Robertson things haven’t gone to plan when she has stepped up her level of competition. Last time out she dropped to a decision defeat against Talia Santos. Robertson also has defeats against Cynthia Calvillo and Maycee Barber.

The Canadian will head into her UFC 258 the +110 underdog.

Miranda Maverick will be the slight -150 favourite in just her second UFC bout. The 23-year-old was super impressive in her promotional debut last year – forcing the stoppage win against Liana Jojua.

Before joining the UFC, Maverick was an Invicta flyweight tournament winner. She holds victories over the likes of Pearl Gonzalez, Victoria Leonardo and DeAnna Bennett.

It a really tough fight for Maverick but one we expect he to come through in style. So we’ll be adding the youngster to our UFC 258 undercard bet.

Gabriel Green vs. Phillip Rowe

Another UFC 258 undercard fight another clash between two interesting prospects. Gabriel Green lost in his UFC debut last time out but looked good in spurts against Daniel Rodriguez. He clearly impressed the bookmakers who have him the -138 favoruite heading into this one.

Phillip Rowe is his opponent tonight. The 30-year-old emphatically earned his way to MMA’s premier promotion on Dana White’s Contender Series. Rowe finished his fight in 16 seconds impressing the UFC boss and fight fans.

In his highly anticipated UFC debut, we are backing the underdog to emerge victoriously from a very tough fight.

Rodolfo Viera vs. Anthony Hernandez

In this middleweight match-up we expect Rodolfo Viera to make good on his favourite tag. The undefeated prospect has picked up back-to-back submission wins since joining the UFC. He’s a BJJ wizard and well worthy of his -400 odds tonight.

The +300 underdog, Anthony Hernandez should provide a tough test for Viera. During his MMA career the 27-year-old has picked up significant wins over Brendan Allen, Jordan Wright and Jun Yong Park.

Ultimately though, we expect Viera to have too much for him. So, we’ll be betting on the Brazilian to score the stoppage win at oods of -225.

Who will you be betting on at UFC 258?

UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns – Betting Preview

UFC 258Welterweight king Kamaru Usman is looking to make the third defence of his title in the UFC 258 main event. Gilbert Burns who was previously a long-time training partner of ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is the man tasked with dethroning the champ. Burns has established himself as the top welterweight contender with signature wins over BJJ […]

UFC 258

Welterweight king Kamaru Usman is looking to make the third defence of his title in the UFC 258 main event. Gilbert Burns who was previously a long-time training partner of ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is the man tasked with dethroning the champ. Burns has established himself as the top welterweight contender with signature wins over BJJ wizard Demian Maia and former 170lb champion Tyron Woodley.

Join LowKickMMA as we make our picks for the UFC 258 main event as well as several other bouts on the card.

If you’re backing our fight night picks head to OlyBet Betting for the best UFC odds.

Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns

In what many believe is a 50/50 fight, Kamaru Usman is actually a significant favourite with the bookmakers at odds of -275. Gilbert is the underdog at +225.

You can see why the oddsmakers are backing Usman to win. He’s looked dominant throughout his welterweight title run and even more so since capturing the belt. The most impressive traits of the champ are his well roundedness and adaptability. Usman is able to seamlessly slip from one martial art to the other depending on who stands in front of him.

Burns has several key advantages in this fight in our opinion. The Brazilian is obviously the better submission fighter. If this fight goes to the ground, you’d fancy him to force the tap. He’s also a better striker. In a fight that probably will be largely contested on the feet this is a key advantage.

Ultimately, we are picking Burns. We’d like to make a hugely convincing argument as to why he will win but the fact is we can’t. This is a genuine 50/50 fight and the reason we are stumping for Burns is because the bookmakers are offering a huge price on someone who is a very live dog in the UFC 258 main event.

Maycee Barber vs. Alexa Grasso

We really like Maycee Barber heading into this fight. The 22-year-old lost last time out and has been nursing a serious knee injury ever since. However, her run through the flyweight division prior to that was super impressive.

Alexa Grasso is a really talented fighter herself but could be undersized in only her second flyweight fight. The Mexican has spent the majority of her career at 115lbs and may struggle to handle someone like Barber who is the slight underdog at +100. Grasso can be found at odds of -125.

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Ian Heinisch

MMA has levels and we expect that fact to become apparent during this fight. Kelvin Gastelum may be on a bad run but he an elite-level fighter that has competed for UFC gold. He’s the -225 favourite and we expect the Ultimate Fighter winner to prove why at UFC 258.

Ian Heinisch is talented, game and tough but in our opinion just won’t have enough to overcome Gastelum. If you fancy him to do so you can find him at odds of +188

Bobby Green vs. Jim Miller

Finally, we have a prediction for this really fun fight that opens up the UFC 258 main card.

Bobby Green is a considerable favourite at odds of -250 to beat +200 underdog Jim Miller.

A quick glance at both men’s recent for and you can see why the bookmakers fancy Green to get the win. He enjoyed a good 2020 picking up three wins in four fights.

Miller hasn’t been poor lately by any means with three wins in his last five fights. However, the 37-year-old is far away from his peak years where he was one of the best lightweight fighters in MMA.

So, we’ll be adding Bobby Green to our bet this weekend.

Alistair Overeem vs. Alexander Volkov Staff Predictions

Alistair OvereemCheck out the LowKickMMA staff picks for the UFC Vegas 18 main event… Jordan Ellis: I expect Alexander Volkov to stop and retire Alistair Overeem at UFC Vegas 18. ‘The Demolition Man’ has started slowly in his last two fights. He was able to eventually beat Walt Harris and Augusto Sakai after weathering the early […]

Alistair Overeem

Check out the LowKickMMA staff picks for the UFC Vegas 18 main event…

Jordan Ellis: I expect Alexander Volkov to stop and retire Alistair Overeem at UFC Vegas 18. ‘The Demolition Man’ has started slowly in his last two fights. He was able to eventually beat Walt Harris and Augusto Sakai after weathering the early storm. However, Volkov is a couple of levels above those guys. I believe the Russian will hit and hurt Overeem early and have the skill to follow up, close the show and end Overeem’s Hall of Fame career.

Prediction: Alexander Volkov

Frank Bonada: I lean towards Volkov in this matchup. His length, and the way in which he utilises it, consistently gives him the advantage in the majority of his fights, His relatively high output and good cardio should see him ride out a decision victory. Overeem may have some luck if he can bring the fight to the mat, where Volkov is notoriously poor. However, Overeems actual takedowns are not particularly impressive, and I believe he will struggle against Volkov’s huge frame. Volkov to win via decision.

Prediction: Alexander Volkov

Ryan MacCarthy: I actually really like Alistair Overeem as the +160 underdog in this one. Both Overeem and Volkov had a very good performance against Walt Harris, but I don’t think Volkov really has the power to hurt Overeem with one shot, and Overeem will put together a full game plan to beat him. I see Overeem utilizing his grappling at some level, which should open up the striking for him. Im gonna go with Overeem by a 3rd round TKO.

Prediction: Alistair Overeem

Ty Rosson: Overeem is one of the big reasons I became a fan of the sport. The “Uber Reem” days were really something to behold. While he is currently years past his prime, he is still competing with the very best of the heavyweight division and stringing together good wins. I can’t go against one of my early favorites in this game. First round KO, “The Reem”.

Prediction: Alistair Overeem

Alex Lough: Volkov and Overeem are two of the most seasoned, high-level fighters in the game, who both prefer to mix things up on the feet. The difference between the two is that Drago likes to use his height & reach to strike from the outside and land knees in the clinch, while Overeem has historically been an old-school head-hunter. The one thing they have in common is that both struggle to produce anything when they’re on their back. In Overeem’s defense, he has made changes to his game over the past few years. After getting knocked out a combined 16 (!!!) times in his MMA & kickboxing career, we’ve seen The Demolition Man utilize a much more methodical, technical approach than he did in his youth, even taking the fight to the ground against Sakai and Harris in his last two fights. What gives me pause in picking him is he was still caught in both those fights and had to stage a comeback for the win. The more time he is willing to spend waiting for an opening on the outside, the more time Volkov has to use his reach and puts him in danger of getting knocked out – which, again, has happened 17 (!!!) times now. Still, I think Overeem has enough tricks in his bag to find ways to get Volkov to the ground and eventually work his way to a finish. Overeem by 4th round TKO, but I genuinely have no idea.

Prediction: Alistair Overeem

Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor – UFC 257 Staff Predictions

Dustin PoirierCheck out the LowKickMMA staff picks ahead of the UFC 257 main event between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor. Jordan Ellis: Six years on from UFC 178 a lot has changed for Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor, however the fundamentals of this fight have not changed at all. McGregor remains the big, accurate puncher he […]

Dustin Poirier

Check out the LowKickMMA staff picks ahead of the UFC 257 main event between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor.

Jordan Ellis: Six years on from UFC 178 a lot has changed for Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor, however the fundamentals of this fight have not changed at all. McGregor remains the big, accurate puncher he has always been. Poirier remains a very hittable fighter. Will he be able to survive the early onslaught? I don’t think so. For that reason, I am picking McGregor to get this done inside two rounds.

Prediction: Conor McGregor

Abhinav Kini: Dustin Poirier has undoubtedly improved significantly since the first fight and at 155, has proven to be very durable. However, damage accumulates, especially given the wars he’s been in with Justin Gaethje, Max Holloway and Dan Hooker. Adding to that, Conor McGregor is still the best striker in the division and has already knocked him out which will play some psychological role one would imagine. I see the same result happening and in the first round as well.

Prediction: Conor McGregor

Alex Lough: It seems the narrative going into this fight is how much both fighters have grown since their first fight. However, I think the same general thought process from that fight still applies. Dustin has become a fan favorite from the absolute wars he’s been in. Those same wars also showed us that Poirier gets hit alot, and although he’s gone up against some of the best in the division, there’s no one quite like McGregor. He hits harder than the furnace scene in Toy Story 3, and as we’ve seen before, one mistake is all it takes for him to end your night. Much like the first fight, the question will be if Dustin is able to get the fight to the ground, where we’ve seen holes in Conor’s game. As much as I like Dustin and want him to win, I think the we saw the answer in their first meeting. Conor by KO.

Prediction: Conor McGregor

Chris De Santiago: I’ve been looking forward to this rematch for many years and it’s finally here. McGregor and Poirier are two of my favorite fighters, so it is hard to pick against each other. The narrative in this one is that Poirier is a totally different fighter than the first time they fought but so is McGregor. He earned dual belts since then and has truly honed his craft as a martial artist, especially now, supposedly hungrier than ever. The longer this fight goes favors Poirier in the later rounds, however McGregor will likely take him out in the early rounds. While Poirier’s chin is a lot better than it what at 145, it is questionable now after all of the wars he has endured in his last few fights. I believe those wars will have taken a toll on how much damage Poirier can take in this fight, so I side with McGregor with mere precision and power.

Prediction: Conor McGregor

Karim Nathan: I always look forward to a Conor McGregor fight, I feel like he is fighting a different Poirier to their first fight and this is obvious in the build-up. I believe that Conor will go out and start fast trying to finish the night early and what is obvious from Dustin’s fights is that he is hittable even though his last couple of wins have come via decision, which shows he can take a punch much better now, it still won’t be enough as Conor’s power is just something else. Conor via second round KO

Prediction: Conor McGregor

Harry O’Connor: There’s nothing quite like a McGregor fight week, and this week has been no different. I prefer this McGregor to the notable trash talking McGregor, he really looks like he’s got his head screwed on and if the way he’s talking is anything to go by, we’re in for a spectacle come Saturday night. I think when Conor said Poirier is great but he isn’t on his level, is a fair representation of how this fight will go. When I look back to the Poirier-Hooker fight, I see a brawler in Poirier who whilst giving out a lot of strikes, also took plenty and he’s not going to be able to take shots against McGregor for long. I predict a McGregor KO at the end of the first round.

Prediction: Conor McGregor

Ty Rosson: Rematches are always difficult to predict. Especially when they are at a different weight class than the first bout. Both fighters are very different people now than they were the first go around. The mental warfare that Conor played on Dustin will be written about in sports psychology books for years. This time it is a much different story, both look to be in phenomenal shape mentally and physically. I predict an all-time classic. A back-and-forth fight for 25 minutes and one that we will remember fondly for years to come. Dustin’s grappling will be the slight edge that he needs to get the split decision win in the main event of UFC 257.

Prediction: Dustin Poirier

Declan Flahive: All indications point towards Conor McGregor putting on a masterpiece against Dustin Poirier this weekend. Poirier’s game plan will probably be to try and put the pressure on McGregor and drag him into a bloodbath, but I think McGregor’s octagon control and evasiveness will be too much for the Louisianan to handle. As the left-hand shots and flashy kicks start to find their home on Poirier, it is only a matter of time before “The Diamond” falls. Whilst Poirier has improved since the first bout, he has also been in quite a few wars. This tendency to get hit and Poirier’s desire to stay on the feet will be fatal against a sharp-shooting McGregor who looks to be in the shape of his life, both physically and mentally. Whilst both fighters have improved since 2014, McGregor has gone through his bouts relatively unscathed. Throw in the fact that McGregor has been spending LeBron-level money on his health year-round, and it all starts to look bleak for Poirier. That being said, if Poirier can weather the storm or catch him in a submission, he could pull off the ultimate upset and move towards a shot at gold. There aren’t many people in the UFC more likeable than Dustin Poirier, but I see Conor McGregor finishing him with a second-round TKO.

Prediction: Conor McGregor

Ryan MacCarthy: If you look at the last time they fought, Conor has improved. Dustin has improved, too. But where Dustin, in my opinion, has not improved is his defense. He still gets hit a lot. And that’s why everybody loves Dustin because he gets in awesome fights. I’m a huge fan of Dustin; I love watching him. But he gets hit and you can’t get hit by Conor McGregor, ya just can’t.  I don’t think it’ll be exactly like last time. I think this gets past the 1st round. I don’t think Conor will just come out and finish him. Poiriers head coach Mike Brown and his team will have a plan ready to go, but I think Dustin is going to do Dustin things and he’s going to get caught in an exchange and then he’ll get finished. I see Dustin landing some shots on Conor, and vice versa in the 1st round. But man oh man, I can really see Conor McGregor finishing this one in the 2nd round by TKO.

Prediction: Conor McGregor