UFC 232 Main Card Staff Predictions

For better or worse, UFC icon Jon Jones is returning to the Octagon this Saturday in Las Vegas. 

No, wait. Los Angeles. Sorry, yes. Definitely Los Angeles.

After a fairly questionable week leading up to the event, where the promotion stole away in the middle of the night to drag its circus tent over state lines in hopes of locking down a cage fight (and the sweet profit that comes with it).

Jones will battle Alexander Gustafsson, the only man to truly test him in an MMA fight, and the winner will become the UFC light heavyweight champion. Cris Cyborg will engage in a superfight for her featherweight title, defending against bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes. Names such as Carlos Condit, Michael Chiesa, Ilir Latifi and Chad Mendes will all also get some work as well.

Matthew Ryder, Scott Harris, Nathan McCarter and Steven Rondina are here for the final time in 2018 to take a crack at making some predictions for Bleacher Report.

Chad Mendes vs. Alexander Volkanovski

John Locher/Associated Press

Ryder: Mendes has always been elite, and there might even be a timeline in the galaxy where he was once a longtime featherweight champion. I believe he has one last run to the cusp of gold in him, and he gets it done here.

Mendes, unanimous decision

Harris: Only a fool would pick against Mendes after his previous win, in his first fight back in years. Call me a fool, then—you wouldn't be the first. Volkanovski is well-rounded and 5-0 against increasingly stiff competition. He's looking like the real deal at featherweight, and this is a giant feather in his cap. The Aussie takes a close decision in a memorable curtain-jerker.

Volkanovski, split decision

McCarter: This is an interesting spot for Mendes, but he looked sensational in his return fight. I am thinking he can reinsert himself among the division's elite with a strong performance. Power wrestling stifles Volkanovski, and Mendes is able to land some strong elbows to bloody him up as well.

Mendes, unanimous decision

Rondina: Make no mistake, Mendes has not yet re-established himself as an elite featherweight after his lengthy suspension and people are jumping the gun to an absurd degree with him right now. That said, we know what he's good at, and Volkanovski likely doesn't have the tools to beat him. Mendes wins this and gets everyone to buy into him even further.

Mendes, TKO, Rd. 2

Ilir Latifi vs. Corey Anderson

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Ryder: Latifi has been a quiet success since he slipped into the UFC as a late-notice replacement all those years ago, and a win here might actually put him into a title eliminator. Anderson is still developing and might get there one of these days—but not this weekend.

Latifi, unanimous decision

Harris: Get ready for some wrestler-on-wrestler violence. It may not always be a thing of beauty, but Latifi will hold the line against the younger man.

Latifi, unanimous decision

McCarter: Anderson has been coming on strong as he realizes his potential, and I don't think there's much resistance to be had in this matchup. Latifi has a puncher's chance, but it's going to be hard to land off his back. That is where he will be all fight.

Anderson, unanimous decision

Rondina: This one could go either way from a wrestling perspective, but I'm ever-so-slightly leaning in Latifi's direction solely based on his superior stopping power. If Anderson gets the ball rolling, it will be tough for Latifi to stop, but if the Swede can keep standing, he will be able to do damage with his punches in a way that either scores points with judges or possibly leads to a finish.

Latifi, unanimous decision

Carlos Condit vs. Michael Chiesa

John Locher/Associated Press

Ryder: These guys should, if nothing else, provide some major fireworks. Condit is a staggering 2-7 since beating Nick Diaz at UFC 143 and has dropped four straight. Chiesa is coming up from lightweight, though, so it will be curious to see how his skills transfer to the higher weight class. My money's on even a shopworn Condit being a bad style matchup for Chiesa here.

Condit, unanimous decision

Harris: Condit is continuing his inevitable decline from the summit of elite MMA. Chiesa is a real gadfly, especially on the ground, where most of this fight will unfold. Condit's jiu-jitsu has always been underrated, but it will be smothered and overpowered here.

Chiesa, unanimous decision

McCarter: At one time, Condit used to be among the world's elite. At another time he was still among the best at 170. And then another time he was still one of the most exciting fighters in the game. All of those times have passed. Chiesa pieces him up and finishes.

Chiesa, TKO, Rd. 2

Rondina: There's an off-chance Condit finds the fountain of youth and manages to outscramble and outwork the younger, healthier Chiesa—but I doubt it.

Chiesa, unanimous decision

Cris Cyborg vs. Amanda Nunes

Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images

Ryder: For how good Nunes has been as a bantamweight, I've always felt she was something of a front-runner—which suits her fine, because she gets out in front early in her fights and blows the opponent away from there.

Cyborg is a different animal, though. She has been destroying opponents for over a decade and has been refining and honing her tools during her UFC run. She's going to win this, and I feel like it may be surprisingly lopsided. 

Cyborg, TKO, Rd. 1

Harris: This is going to be a humdinger, but my spidey sense tells me Cyborg's size and efficiency will win the day.

Cyborg, TKO, Rd. 4

McCarter: This is an intriguing clash of styles, and Nunes is without a doubt the best fighter Cyborg can fight. Will she be able to give Cyborg any trouble? It is possible, but it won't happen with Nunes' penchant for fading. Nunes' well-rounded abilities and strong leg kicks make her a live dog. She could wear down Cyborg and then use her grappling to win the day. But Cyborg is bigger, stronger and has shown more championship-round experience.

Cyborg's biggest advantage is her game planning and fight IQ. She'll start conservatively to break down Nunes and slowly ramp up the offense. She'll finally oust a tired and battered Nunes in the fifth.

Cyborg, TKO, Rd. 5

Rondina: I'm on board with Nathan. Nunes is very, very good, but Cyborg is very, very good and bigger. Size matters in MMA and fans will get a reminder of that here.

Cyborg, TKO, Rd. 3

Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson

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Ryder: All the baggage that comes with Jones draws attention away from the simplest fact about him: He is the best mixed martial artist we've ever seen. Gustafsson, on the other hand, is most famous for almost beating Jones and is a meagre 3-2 since that night, all the way back in 2013.

You folks like Lord of the Rings? Because you're about to watch The Return of the King.

Jones, submission, Rd. 4

Harris: Great champions find weird ways to motivate themselves. It's their way of making chicken salad out of chicken feathers. Lots of chicken feathers for the making this weekend.

Jones, unanimous decision

McCarter: Their first fight may be the greatest light heavyweight bout ever. I don't expect the second to follow suit. Jones will establish himself as the division's best and then cut a promo on Daniel Cormier afterward. Sadly, I am really not expecting this to be all that competitive. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Jones, TKO, Rd. 2

Rondina: Gustafsson is good but Jones is the GOAT, and y'all know it. He probably takes the fact that many (dubiously) scored the first fight in favor of the Swede as a personal slight and will deliver, at bare minimum, a lopsided unanimous-decision win over him.

Jones, unanimous decision