UFC 228: Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Predictions
After a bit of a lull of action, UFC 228 is nearly here.
For those who don't remember, or those who haven't seen it yet, the full card stands as follows:
Main Card (Pay-Per-View)
- Tyron Woodley vs. Darren Till
- Nicco Montano vs. Valentina Shevchenko
- Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Brandon Davis
- Jessica Andrade vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
- Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Niko Price
Preliminary Card (Fox Sports 1)
- Carla Esparza vs. Tatiana Suarez
- Aljamain Sterling vs. Cody Stamann
- Jimmie Rivera vs. John Dodson
- Charles Byrd vs. Darren Stewart
Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)
- Diego Sanchez vs. Craig White
- Jim Miller vs. Alex White
- Irene Aldana vs. Lucie Pudilova
- Jarred Brooks vs. Roberto Sanchez
- Geoff Neal vs. Frank Camacho
It's a card that will likely fizzle at the box office, but is utterly stacked in terms of fan-favorite names and legitimate, high-end contenders.
But who's going to win? Well, we here at Bleacher Report have you covered as we give our picks for the UFC 228 main card fights.
Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Niko Price
1 of 5
Matt Ryder
An action fight between two guys who are probably a touch underappreciated. Price is a wildman altogether and Alhassan has some dynamite in his striking, so they should work well together. I’ll take Alhassan to get it done with periodic bursts of big action broken up by longer periods of octagon control.
Alhassan, unanimous decision
Nathan McCarter
This feels like a fight where it is pretty simple: Alhassan pounces early or Prices weathers the storm and wins easily after one. I'm more in the camp of the latter. Alhassan has all the tools to win, but after a high-paced first round where Price survives we'll see him fade. From that point forward, Price dominates.
Price, unanimous decision
Scott Harris
It's a slugfest to start the pay-per-view. Al-hassan will want the knockout, and he'll get it early.
Alhassan, TKO, Rd. 2
Steven Rondina
Nathan's analysis is spot on. I'm expecting Price to be able to eke this one out on the scorecards in a spirited fight but Alhassan has a real chance to take this one.
Price, unanimous decision
Jessica Andrade vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
2 of 5
Ryder
This should provide the next strawweight title contender, with the bullish Andrade battling the beloved Kowalkiewicz. There’s a path to success for Andrade, and it’s clear: Rush her opponent with force and horsepower, dominate positionally, get the win. For all her strengths, Kowalkiewicz has a game built to fall victim to that path.
Andrade, unanimous decision
McCarter
I love this fight. It will tell us exactly where Andrade is at with her progression. She looked sensational against Claudia Gadelha, but her showing against Tecia Torres left a lot to be desired. Will she take that next step and claim a title berth? In the immortal words of Lee Corso, "Not so fast my friend!" Kowalkiewicz poses all the right problems for Andrade, and that gets her through this war. She'll take her lumps from the strong, hard-hitting Brazilian but she'll stand tall. A cleaner striking attack with underrated ground work leads Kowalkiewicz to a surprise upset.
Kowalkiewicz, unanimous decision
Harris
Both fighters want to make it three in a row with a win here. Andrade is a very good fighter who swings early and often, and that will make this a fun fight if nothing else. Kowalkiewicz won't be able to stand up to it over three rounds.
Andrade, unanimous decision
Rondina
Kowalkiewicz is good, but I'm expecting this to go about as well as her fight with Claudia Gadelha did. And for anybody that didn't see it the first time around, it didn't go well.
Andrade grinds her out en route to a convincing decision win.
Andrade, unanimous decision
Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Brandon Davis
3 of 5
Ryder
Davis is in late and Magomedsharipov is the most impressive prospect MMA has had since Jon Jones. This should resemble a particularly rough sparring session for Magomedsharipov, and create a long, unpleasant night for the fairly orthodox Davis.
Magomedsharipov, TKO, Rd. 2
McCarter
Poor Brandon Davis. He is going to get tuned up.
Magomedsharipov, TKO, Rd. 2
Harris
Not much more than a showcase fight for Magomedsharipov. This is the latest Dagestani to draw attention for his skills; his striking is devastating and electrifying and will win the day.
Magomedsharipov, TKO, Rd. 1
Rondina
Yeah, what else is there to say? This one was made for Zabit to win, and look good in the process.
Magomedsharipov, TKO, Rd. 3
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Nicco Montano vs. Valentina Shevchenko
4 of 5
Ryder
This one proves the total futility of awarding a world title to the winner of a reality show that was mostly devoid of talent (and that no one was watching anyway).
Shevchenko is the best flyweight in the UFC after only one fight at the weight, after being one of the best bantamweights alive before her new weight class opened. Montano, conversely, is a 4-2 competitor who will defend a belt she won on TV, but who is really more set up as canon fodder than anything else.
This will be utterly uncompetitive.
Shevchenko, TKO, Rd. 3
McCarter
This will be one of the most lopsided UFC title fights, and that will shock nobody. Montano was a surprise on TUF, but Shevchenko is one of the two best bantamweights in the world. And she's better at flyweight. This will get ugly.
Shevchenko, TKO, Rd. 2
Harris
Montano can try to dirty it up in the clinch or, if she can get it there, on the ground. Shevchenko is the favorite for a reason, however, and should be able to finish this on the feet without much of a struggle.
Shevchenko, TKO, Rd. 2
Rondina
Just in general, I think that everyone is going a bit crazy about Valentina Shevchenko. Yes, she's good. Yes, she should be the favorite here. Still, she doesn't have the pure finishing skills that would warrant Montano being the eight-to-one underdog she currently stands as.
This will be a competitive fight and I'm expecting Shevchenko to win, but I don't think it'll be a blowout.
Shevchenko, unanimous decision
Tyron Woodley vs. Darren Till
5 of 5
Ryder
This will be exciting early or dull late, and we’re all just waiting to see which way it goes. If it ends and we’re all thrilled, it was probably because someone landed a big shot and closed the show early. If Twitter is alight with rage tweets once UFC 228 goes off the air, we probably got a 25-minute chess match akin to the fights both men had with Stephen Thompson.
My money is on the version that produces rage tweets, just based on how the styles match up. I personally enjoy watching both guys, but they seem unlikely to mesh in a way that will entertain. Woodley takes it based solely on savvy and instincts—the defining features of his reign, really.
Woodley, split decision
McCarter
I've been impressed with Till and he is a massive welterweight. That massive part is going to play a role in his loss. He has been struggling with a weight cut, and Woodley will be able to stymie him against the cage and on the ground. It will be a taxing fight that keeps the gold around Woodley's waist. Till going up to 185 after this failed bid wouldn't be a shock either.
Woodley, unanimous decision
Harris
I certainly understand why people like Till, but Woodley's the man here until proven otherwise. He's just too big and too strong. His stifling clinch work reminds me of the wares of a venerable street food vendor: He only does one thing, but he does it extremely well.
Woodley, unanimous decision
Rondina
Till is good...but can he cut down to 170 pounds in a way whereby he won't lose a step in the cage? Oh, and how will he handle a wrestler?
I don't know, and I'm certainly not going to pick against Tyron Woodley until that's the case.
Woodley, TKO, Rd. 3
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