Cynthia Calvillo vs Jessica Eye
This is a weird fight to book as the main event with no offense to the fighters. However, this is still a relevant match up in the women’s flyweight division. Cynthia Calvillo is coming off a draw with Marina Rodrigues in a fight where she missed the strawweight limit, as a result, she has been forced to move up to a new weight class where she will look to immediately become a title contender. Jessica Eye rebounded from her loss to Valentina Shevchenko with a decision victory over the highly touted Viviane Araujo.
Cynthia Calvillo is an interesting yet frustrating fighter. It was evident from her UFC debut that she is a highly skilled grappler with a natural feel for submissions, however, she hasn’t always been able (or willing) to consistently take her opponents down. This has resulted in a lot of her fights becoming striking matches and thus much closer than they needed to be. As a striker, Calvillo isn’t out of her depth by any means but she doesn’t possess the weapons that would put a stamp on her fights.
Jessica Eye made a remarkable career turnaround since dropping down to flyweight, having gone 4-1. Eye is mainly seen as a boxer and she does have some technically sound striking but since moving down she has become more of an all-rounder. This is because she now enjoys a size and strength advantage over most of her opponents. Therefore, Eye is able to bully her opponents in the clinch as well as take them down and control them from top position.
This is a very close fight but I think that I have to favor Jessica Eye’s size and experience. Although, Cynthia Calvillo is definitely the more dangerous fighter should she be able to get on top I believe that Eye should be able to keep this fight upright. On the feet, Eye is the more skilled and experienced striker but I don’t expect her to blow Calvillo out of the water. Instead, I think that Eye will be able to outpoint Calvillo on the feet en route to a decision.
Karl Roberson vs Marvin Vettori
An intriguing fight between two of the better prospects at middleweight with the winner likely entering the top 15. Both fighters are two-fight winning streaks, Roberson beating Wellington Turman and Roman Kopylov meanwhile Vettori bested Cezar Ferreira and Andrew Sanchez. This is the third time the two fighters have been scheduled to face each other.
Karl Roberson comes from a kickboxing background, having fought in Glory. His striking skills are evident, Roberson combines his kicks and long punches well which allows him to pick his opponents apart from range. He is also a good clinch fighter and often looks to take the fight to the ground, sometimes to his detriment.
Marvin Vettori came from a grappling background but since aligning himself with Rafael Cordeiro, the Italian has steadily improved his striking. Much like other Cordeiro students, Vettori is an aggressive striker on the feet. As a grappler, Vettori has a good guillotine but we haven’t seen him on the ground for a prolonged amount of time since his UFC debut.
This seems like a very even fight. I would even go as far as saying it’s a 50/50, however, Roberson’s propensity to grapple even if it doesn’t benefit him combined with the small cage makes me lean towards ‘The Italian Dream’. I think that although Roberson might be a slightly better striker the fight will eventually end up on the ground where I favour Vettori to get top position and win the rounds. Marvin Vettori will extend his win streak by picking up a decision.
Merab Dvalishvili vs Ray Borg
This was originally scheduled to be a fight between Merab Davlishvili and Ray Borg but unfortunately, Borg had to withdraw from the fight due to personal reasons. Combate Americas bantamweight champion Gustavo Lopez steps up on less than 3 days’ notice. Merab Dvalishvili is riding a 3 fight win streak, most recently beating Casey Kenney by decision.
Merab Dvalishvili is a very exciting fighter despite most of his fights going to a decision. The Serra-Longo product brings an insane pace and a great chain wrestling game that eventually wear out his opponents. He isn’t particularly dangerous on the mat but will frustrate his opponents with constant mat returns and non-stop pressure. On the feet, Dvalishvili isn’t the most technical but makes up for it with his tenacity. He has the habit of throwing wild strikes which can get him in trouble against good counterpunchers. From the limited tape I’ve seen on Gustavo Lopez, it seems that he is at his best in wrestling exchanges. On the ground, he has shown pretty good ground and pound combined with a solid submission game. Lopez is also happy to engage in a brawl on the feet if the opportunity presents itself.
There aren’t many tougher matchups on short notice in the bantamweight division than Merab Davilishvili. Gustavo Lopez has some skills which will serve him well in his UFC career, however, I do not see a realistic path to victory for him in this fight. I expect ‘The Machine’ to overpower him in the wrestling exchanges and eventually wear him out with his crazy pace. I expect Merab Davilishvili to win by decision.
Andre Fili vs Charles Jourdain
A potential fight of the night contender in the featherweight division between Andre Fili and Charles Jourdain. Andre Fili will be looking to rebound from his loss to Sodiq Yusuff and continue rising up the ranks. Charles Jourdain is coming off the biggest win of his career, where he knocked out Doo Ho Choi in his own backyard.
Andre Fili has had a long UFC career and has had his share of ups and downs. I believe that this has helped him become a better fighter and he has been putting it all together in the last couple of years. Fili is a good striker with a variety of tools and has recently started developing some surprising power. He also trains with Team Alpha Male and thus has some good offensive wrestling which he can use to steal rounds and disrupt his opponents’ rhythm. Charles Jourdain is still young in his career but has shown a lot of positives. I believe that the best word to describe him is ‘scrappy’, he isn’t the most polished striker but is happy to exchange with his opponents and will throw wild strikes like flying knees.
I think that is a relatively easy fight to predict. Andre Fili is the much more experienced and well-rounded fighter. I favour him to win the fight wherever it takes place. On the feet, I think that Fili has the advantage with his kickboxing and might be able to catch Jourdain if he gets too wild. However, I believe that Fili’s best path to victory is through his wrestling as it will keep him safe from Jourdain landing any wild strikes. My prediction is Andre Fili to win by decision.
Jordan Espinosa vs Mark De La Rosa
A matchup between two flyweights competing a division up due to the current climate. Both fighters will be looking rebound from losses in their most recent fights. Jordan Espinosa was submitted by Alex Perez in January. Whilst Mark De La Rosa lost by knockout to Raulian Paiva in February.
Jordan Espinosa comes from a wrestling background but is equally comfortable on the feet. Espinosa posses great physical gifts with his speed being his best weapon. As a striker, Espinosa is happy to fight on the back foot and relies on sudden bursts of offense to catch his opponents off guard, he is often able to hurt his opponents with his blitzes. He is also a good wrestler but doesn’t seem to have much top control. Mark De La Rosa has a well-structured game with pressure striking, decent wrestling, and a solid ground game. However, he isn’t the best athlete and sometimes unable to trouble his more athletic opponents.
This is an interesting fight as both fighters have the tools to give each other a lot of trouble. De La Rosa’s consistent pressure can wear out Espinosa as the fight goes on. However, I believe that Jordan Espinosa’s speed will be too much for De La Rosa and he will be able to counter him coming in. I expect Espinosa to pick up a close win by decision.
Hannah Cifers vs Mariya Agapova
A flyweight fight between a debutant in Mariya Agapova and Hannah Ciffers who is moving up in weight due to stepping in on short notice. Agapova competed on DWCS in 2019 but was unsuccessful. Since then she has gone 2-0 in Invicta. Hannah Ciffers has gone 2-3 in the UFC with wins over Jodie Esquibel and Polyana Viana, she will be making a quick turnaround from a submission loss to Mackenzie Dern.
Mariya Agapova is a striker with a very come-forward, aggressive style. You could compare her to a much less refined early career Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Her aggressiveness often puts her in the clinch where she can be taken down from. Hannah Cifers is an interesting fighter, she is undersized for the weight class and thus has to rely on her striking technique to win fights. She has some power for the but most of her wins do tend to end up being very close. Cifers has shown some deficiencies on the ground in her losses.
I think this will be a fun action fight between two strikers. Agapova will enjoy size and reach advantage over the smaller Cifers. I think that she is also the more dynamic striker and will be able to use her size in the clinch. Cifers is not out of this fight, she is a decent striker and has shown good clinch work in her most recent fight. Overall, I think Mariya Agapova put on a fun performance and pick up a decision.
Charles Rosa vs Kevin Aguilar
This is quite a weird but oddly compelling fight between two featherweights looking to rebound from losses in Charles Rosa and Kevin Aguilar. Charles Rosa came back from a long lay off with an upset submission win over Manny Bermudez but dropped his most recent fight to Bryce Mitchell. Kevin Aguilar will look to snap a two-fight losing streak and get back to the form he showed early in his UFC career.
Charles Rosa comes from a grappling background and is BJJ black belt under Ricardo Liborio. He is very comfortable off his back and has submitted several people who took him down. On the feet, he likes to use a lot of kicks and keep his opponents at range. He was getting the better of Shane Burgos in the striking department before getting stopped in the third round. Kevin Aguilar is a good striker with a lot of power and solid boxing fundamentals. He is comfortable to let his opponents pressure and catch them coming in. He showed good takedown defense in his recent fights. Aguilar’s weakness is perhaps his lack of speed which allows quicker opponents to land on him.
In my opinion, this is a good stylistic matchup for Kevin Aguilar. He will get to face an opponent who will throw a lot of kicks and perhaps leave himself open for a counter. Aguilar had success against a kick heavy style when he knocked out an accomplished striker in Thanh Lee. I expect Rose to do well early but eventually, Aguilar will be able to time the counters and pick Rosa off. My prediction is Kevin Aguilar to win by decision, perhaps picking up a knockdown on the way.
Gina Mazany vs Julia Avila
A bantamweight fight where Julia Avila will be looking to improve to 2-0 in the promotion when she takes on Gina Mazany who steps in on short notice. In her UFC debut, Julia Avila was able to score several knockdowns on her way to a decision victory over Pannie Kianzad. Gina Mazany will be making a UFC comeback after picking up a win on the regional circuit.
Julia Avila is an aggressive fighter who likes to punch her way into the clinch. Her power is what separates her from the other fighter in the division. She also has pretty good boxing which makes her striking even more dangerous. Gina Mazany is somewhat of an all-rounder and has shown a decent clinch game which will likely come in handy in this fight.
I rate Julia Avila very highly and I think this is a good matchup for her to extend her winning streak and start building some hype around her. I don’t think that Mazany will be able to trouble Avila anywhere in this fight. Avila will be capable of landing hard punches whilst coming forward. In my opinion, Julia Avila will win this fight by a 2nd round T/KO.
Tyson Nam vs Zarrukh Adashev
This promises to be an intriguing fight as two natural flyweights meet in the bantamweight division. Tyson Nam will be looking for his first UFC win after going 0-2 with the promotion. Nam is a seasoned veteran and has made his name on the regional circuit with his most notable win being the upset knockout of Eduardo Dantas. Zarrukh Adashev will be making his UFC debut, he is only 3-1 in MMA but has previously competed in kickboxing including a win under the Glory banner.
Tyson Nam is a solid fighter with quite a well-rounded skill set. Nam prefers to stay on the feet where he has a decent jab which he will use to set up the bigger shots. He also has good kicks and will mix it up by going to the body. Nam is able to wrestle if the opportunity presents itself and has solid takedown defense. He does sometimes give fights away on inactivity. There isn’t a lot of tape on Adashev and the tape that we do have comes against regional level opposition. He seems like a solid technical kickboxer that attacks in flurries and is comfortable in either stance. Adashev has also shown good takedown defense, especially in the clinch.
This is a much closer fight than it looks on paper. Despite being only 3-1 in MMA, Adashev clearly has very good striking and has been working on his grappling too. Furthermore, Nam is likely to give him the striking fight he wants. However, I still have to side with the grizzled veteran in Tyson Nam. He will enjoy a size advantage which may be crucial in this fight, as the small cage will likely mean more clinch exchanges. I expect this fight to be very close with Adashev having his moments but eventually, Nam’s experience and size will takeover. My prediction is Tyson Nam to win by decision in a fun striking match.
Darrick Minner vs Jordan Griffin
This will be a rematch of a fight from 2018 which Minner largely dominated before getting caught in an armbar in the second round. Darrick Minner is coming off an unsuccessful debut where he was submitted by Grant Dawson and will be looking to earn revenge as well as his first UFC win. Jordan Griffin is coming off a spectacular submission over TJ Brown in his most recent fight.
Jordan Griffin is an all-out action fighter, that will take whatever fight his opponents give him. I believe that Griffin is at his best on the feet where he can use his long limbs and power to hurt his opponents. However, Griffin is more than willing to engage on the ground even when he is the better striker. He isn’t a bad grappler by any means but can be controlled on the bottom. Darrick Minner is a very aggressive grappler and often prefers submission over position. His style has led to only 3 of his fights going to a decision.
I think that this fight might play out in a similar way to their first fight. I expect Minner to have a strong start and secure takedowns and threaten with a couple of close submissions. However, I trust Griffin’s toughness and submission defense enough for him to survive the early onslaught. As the fight goes on, Griffin will start taking over as Minner likely won’t be able to sustain the pace he set. My pick is Jordan Griffin to win by 2nd round T/KO.
Anthony Ivy vs Christian Aguilera
The opening fight of the evening comes from the welterweight division as two debutants will clash. Anthony Ivy was actually scheduled to step in as a short-notice replacement against Gerald Meerschaert last week but now gets an extra week to prepare. Ivy is on a 5 fight winning streak and has never seen the judges’ scorecards in his career. Christian Aguilera has 10 wins by T/KO and is on a 2 fight winning streak.
Anthony Ivy is primarily a wrestler which is backed up by his athleticism. On the feet, he doesn’t seem to possess much danger for his opponents. Ivy tends to rely on blitzing his opponents to close the distance and get into the clinch against the cage. From there he has a good variety of takedowns. As a grappler, Ivy is good at taking the back and mixing in ground and pound to open up submissions. Christian Aguilera is an interesting striker, he likes to come forward, throw in combinations and go to the body. Throughout his career Aguilera has shown that he has a lot of power in his hands and is always dangerous.
This is a classic grappler vs striker match up so it will be interesting to see who will be able to impose their game. I think I have to favor Ivy here, mainly due to his wrestling and size. Furthermore, the small cage will favor the grappler as there will be less space to operate. Aguilera will be the more dangerous striker and can cause Ivy a lot of problems on the feet if he is able to stuff the takedowns. Overall, I think that Anthony Ivy will utilize his wrestling and win this fight by decision.
Quick Picks
Jessica Eye by decision
Marvin Vettori by decision
Merab Dvalishvili by decision
Andre Fili by decision
Jordan Espinosa by decision
Mariya Agapova by decision
Kevin Aguilar by decision
Julia Avila by 2nd round T/KO
Tyson Nam by decision
Jordan Griffin by 2nd round T/KO
Anthony Ivy by decision