UFC 320: B/R Main Card Staff Predictions
After a slew of international events, the UFC is back on home turf in Las Vegas this Saturday, and it will bring a solid pay-per-view card along with it. The event will be topped by two title fights—and very good ones, at that.
In the main event, popular Brazilian knockout artist Alex Pereira will look to reclaim the UFC light heavyweight title from the man he lost it to earlier this year: Magomed Ankalaev.
It could be Pereira's last crack at UFC gold, and at the same time, it could be the beginning of Ankalaev's own impressive reign atop the division.
Before we get to the main event, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili will look to extend one of the most impressive win streaks in the sport against Cory Sandhagen.
The champion is rightly favored, but he will need to be perfect for every moment of the fight against a crafty finisher like "The Sandman."
Earlier on the main card, we'll be treated to a fantastic light heavyweight showdown, as knockout artists Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree Jr. face off in a bout that is rife with title implications.
The main card will also feature a compelling clash of featherweight contenders, with veteran power-puncher Josh Emmett taking on the rising Youssef Zalal.
Finally, the main card will be kicked off with a middleweight bout between a pair of rising contenders in Joe Pyfer and Abus Magomedov—a solid appetizer for the smorgasbord of violence to come.
Keep scrolling to see how the B/R combat sports squad sees it all going down in Sin City.
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira II
1 of 5
Tom Taylor: When Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira first met in the Octagon earlier this year, the prevailing belief was that Ankalaev would need to get the fight to the ground if he wanted to win the title.
In the end, it defied a lot of expectations, as Pereira denied all 11 of Ankalaev's takedown attempts, only to lose the fight on the feet over five rounds.
That first fight provided all the information I needed to make a prediction for the rematch. Ankalaev showed he is far more well-rounded than Pereira, and perhaps more importantly, he is not afraid to stand and strike with the Brazilian.
He will carry even more confidence into the rematch, and in another display of his versatile skill set, he will finish Pereira before the championship rounds.
Pereira is a legend, but I fear his time has now passed.
Prediction: Ankalaev by TKO, Rd. 3
Lyle Fitzsimmons: Maybe it's a case of one guy's style simply being all wrong for the other guy, which makes me think Ankalaev wins another grinder.
But I've still got a bit of a vibe left about Pereira—and you've got to believe the brass is pulling for him, too—so I think he lands a strike that changes the landscape, gets a quick hook and moves him into a second run at 205.
Prediction: Pereira by TKO, Rd. 2
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen
2 of 5
Tom Taylor: Sometimes you just have a feeling about a fight. I consider Merab Dvalishvili one of the top-three pound-for-pound fighters in MMA right now, and he has proved he has all the skills to beat a challenger like Sandhagen.
Still, I just can't shake the feeling this matchup is going to go badly for him.
I imagine he will spend a good portion of the fight controlling Sandhagen against the cage and on the mat—like he does to everyone. However, his hard-charging, no-brakes style is ultimately going to play right into Sandhagen's plans.
The challenger is a fantastic striker with impeccable timing and stopping power in his hands and legs. Whether it's an uppercut or a knee, I see him catching the champ sometime in the middle of the fight.
Prediction: Sandhagen by KO, Rd. 3
Lyle Fitzsimmons: The day will (probably) come when someone solves Merab, either by landing a strike that leaves him compromised or by getting enough work done in between muggings that allows for a scorecard victory. But I don't think Sandhagen is that guy.
This one feels like lather, rinse, repeat.
Prediction: Dvalishvili by unanimous decision
Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
3 of 5
Tom Taylor: Rountree and Prochazka are two of the most dangerous strikers in all of MMA, which means this matchup could end in either man's favor at a moment's notice. That makes it very hard to confidently predict the outcome, but I'm going to side with Rountree.
The only thing that works against an enigma like Prochazka is extremely high-level kickboxing. Rountree has that. He's also got an iron chin, as he proved in his valiant title bid against Alex Pereira.
I think he avoids Prochazka's strange, loopy, power shots long enough to land a more conventional fight-ending punch of his own. I can also see a head kick landing for him.
Prediction: Rountree by KO, Rd. 2
Lyle Fitzsimmons: I bought in on the Prochazka hype early but rode his train far longer than I should have—through both losses to Pereira. Then I flipped and figured Hill would beat him and he made me look silly for thinking so.
So, I'm conflicted heading into this one, but I don't see anything in Rountree that makes me think he'll win.
Prediction: Prochazka by TKO, Rd. 2
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Josh Emmett vs. Youssef Zalal
4 of 5
Tom Taylor: Josh Emmett has the power to flatten anybody below the middleweight division, so there's a solid chance he'll come out on top in his featherweight fight with Youssef Zalal.
However, there's been a bit of a changing of the guard at featherweight lately, and it will continue here.
Zalal avoids Emmett's power shots over three rounds and wins a decision with higher striking volume and submission attempts if the fight hits the ground.
Prediction: Zalal by unanimous decision
Lyle Fitzsimmons: Four straight wins in UFC stint No. 2 gets Zalal a date with Emmett, who's evolved into a formidable gatekeeper at 145.
Three losses in four fights have me thinking the older man's best-by date has passed. But the truth is he's only lost to top-level guys, and I'm not convinced Zalal has that sort of stuff in him. Gimme the long shot.
Prediction: Emmett by KO, Rd. 1
Joe Pyfer vs. Abus Magomedov
5 of 5
Tom Taylor: I still haven't seen anything from Joe Pyfer that makes me believe he'll get anywhere near the UFC middleweight title. But he'll be able to handle Abus Magomedov this weekend—even if his delicate stomach can't handle cuisine prepared outside Philly.
Magomedov will have some veteran tricks in his pocket, but we've seen him lose enough that it's easy to believe it will happen again against Pyfer, who is one of the hardest punchers in his weight class.
I'm not discounting Magomedov winning by points or sub, but if he can't take control of this fight early, he'll be a punching bag for the duration.
Prediction: Pyfer by unanimous decision
Lyle Fitzsimmons: Pyfer has done everything asked of him since graduating from the Contender Series except carry his mojo over five rounds, which he failed to do in losing to Hermansson in their Fight Night main event.
He's bounced back with two nice wins since, though, and his high level simply feels superior to Magomedov's, especially in a three-rounder.
Prediction: Pyfer by unanimous decision
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