Odds provided by Duelbits accurate as of 6/24/2025

Ilia Topuria -500 vs. Charles Oliveira +360

The next Lightweight champion will be crowned in our main event. Ilia Topuria has taken over the sport with his incredible Featherweight run, which saw him utilize his elite boxing skills to knock out both Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway while showcasing his grappling and five-round cardio in other fights against Bryce Mitchell and Josh Emmett. Charles Oliveira is one of the most dangerous finishers in UFC history, boasting a nasty and diverse submission game, as well as aggressive Muay Thai striking with knockout power in his punches.

I believe Topuria gets it done early in this one, as his boxing is as sharp and powerful as it gets, while his ground game is quietly also extremely high-level, giving me confidence that he can defend the submission if need be. At the same time, Oliveira often takes a lot of damage early, which is a recipe for disaster against a finisher of Topuria's caliber.

Prediction: Topuria by 1st Round KO

Alexandre Pantoja -256 vs. Kai Kara-France +205

A dominant champ looks to continue his reign against his most dangerous challenger yet here in a rematch nine years in the making at Flyweight. Alexandre Pantoja is a relentless pressure fighter with world-class grappling, including an outstanding ability to take the back and finish from there, along with an iron chin that helps make up for his sometimes poor striking defense. Kai Kara-France is a big puncher with serious power and good combinations that he consistently throws deep into fights, along with a very high takedown defense percentage, which held up against strong grapplers like Askar Askarov.

I'll take Kara-France as the underdog here, as he has the defensive grappling to keep this fight on the feet for long periods, where he'll have a chance to land his big shots and do more damage.

Prediction: Kara-France by 1st Round TKO

Brandon Royval +100 vs. Joshua Van -122

The top contender spot is on the line in this fun short-notice clash at Flyweight. Brandon Royval is an all-action finisher with good volume striking and a dangerous submission game, although he is hittable on the feet and reacts poorly to big shots at times. Joshua Van has quickly become a notable name in the sport thanks to his impressive activity and high-paced striking style, which has led to Van often overwhelming his opponents with damage but also getting hurt badly in fights, such as against Kevin Borjas, Edgar Chairez, and his loss to Charles Johnson.

I'm going with Van here, as I see his speed and boxing giving Royval trouble. However, I expect chaos in this matchup, which leaves a lot of room for wild moments to swing the fight in either direction.

Prediction: Van by 3rd Round TKO

Beneil Dariush -101 vs. Renato Moicano -120

Lightweights who were initially set to fight in January will now face off after a wild fight-day opponent switch caused their last matchup to fall through. Beneil Dariush returns from a long layoff here after suffering several first-round knockout losses, although when on his game, he is a phenomenal grappler with good power in his hands. Renato Moicano looks to bounce back after losing to Islam Makhachev earlier this year, and he will do so with his high pace kickboxing and body lock takedowns into strong top control.

It is hard to trust either guy in this matchup, but I am going to pick Dariush as I feel he is the more dangerous striker with the grappling defense to force exchanges on the feet.

Prediction: Dariush by 2nd Round TKO

Payton Talbott +155 vs. Felipe Lima -192

A matchup of highly touted Bantamweight prospects is set to open our main card. Payton Talbott returns after his first loss, where Raoni Barcelos exposed issues with his grappling, although he remains a patient and dangerous striker who is very young and likely to make improvements. Felipe Lima is a fun and well-rounded fighter who maintains a high pace with his striking and effectively mixes in takedowns, often leading to submissions.

I lean towards Lima here, as he has a clear path to victory with his grappling advantage. That being said, Talbott is the better and more dangerous striker, giving me some pause with this pick.

Prediction: Lima by Decision

Jack Hermansson +170 vs. Gregory Rodrigues -213

Middleweight veterans square off here in this fun-featured prelim. Jack Hermansson is a tricky fighter with decent boxing and wrestling skills, which, paired with his cardio, can wear down opponents as he did to Joe Pyfer and Edmen Shahbazyan. Gregory Rodrigues is a powerhouse striker who throws caution to the wind, unleashing huge shots at his opponents, which cost him last time out as he slowed down after being unable to finish Jared Cannonier.

I'm picking Rodrigues here as I see his power and pressure being too much for Hermansson, who possesses very little finishing ability.

Prediction: Rodrigues by 2nd Round TKO

Hyder Amil +148 vs. Jose Delgado -182

All action strikers collide in this must-see Featherweight prelim. Hyder Amil is an undefeated brawler who loves to keep a high volume right in his opponent's face, leading to often wild exchanges where Amil has proven very durable and powerful. Jose Delgado is a long striker with good power that led to a first-round knockout of Connor Matthews in his debut, although he has also shown a willingness to mix in the grappling.

I'll take Delgado here as he is the younger guy with a longer reach that he can use to avoid the wild pocket exchanges, and he has the offensive grappling upside.

Prediction: Delgado by Decision

Viviane Araujo +205 vs. Tracy Cortez -263

Flyweights looking to work their way into contention go head to head in this prelim clash. Viviane Araujo is a seasoned veteran who has competed against some of the best in the division over the years, showcasing good striking skills that helped her secure a win over Karine Silva in her last outing. Tracy Cortez is a skilled wrestler who has also demonstrated solid boxing skills in fights, as seen in her win over Jasmine Jasudavicius.

I'll go with Cortez here as she is the more well-rounded fighter who is seven years younger.

Prediction: Cortez by Decision

Terrance McKinney -179 vs. Viacheslav Borshchev +145

Don't blink during this matchup of Lightweight finishers who can end things in a hurry. Terrance McKinney is the epitome of 'kill or be killed,' as he has demonstrated the ability to finish solid competition early, as seen in his wins over Matt Frevola and Fares Ziam; however, he also tends to fall apart in fights when extended past the first round, as was the case against Nazim Sadykhov and Sean Woodson. Viacheslav Borshchev is a technical kickboxer with nasty body shots who has demonstrated considerable toughness, having fought through a difficult second round to draw against Nazim Sadykhov.

I bet Borshchev here, as he has shown he can survive in tough spots many times before, which he may have to if he gets taken down early, and McKinney has consistently collapsed when facing adversity. With that, Viacheslav Borshchev MoneyLine is this week's Underdog Best Bet of the Week.

Prediction: Borshchev by 2nd Round TKO (Best Bet)

Sedriques Dumas +139 vs. Jackson McVey -172

Short notice matchup here between two fun Middleweights looking to build momentum. Sedriques Dumas is a well-rounded fighter who has shown decent striking and developed a significantly improved ground game since his early UFC days. Jackson McVey debuts here with six wins, all coming in the first round having shown a good submission attack and solid power, although he has not faced any legitimate competition.

I'm going with Dumas here, as this is a massive jump in competition, and I'm not confident, based on what I've seen, that McVey belongs at the UFC level.

Prediction: Dumas by Decision

Jhonata Diniz -313 vs. Alvin Hines +230

Heavyweight finishers go head-to-head here early on the card. Jhonata Diniz is a hard-hitting kickboxer with real knockout power, but his ground game has looked awful when tested, as seen in his last fight against Marcin Tybura. Alvin Hines makes his debut here as an undefeated finisher with a strong top game, although he has not faced any remotely difficult competition, leaving many questions about how those skills hold up against better opposition.

I'll pick Diniz, as we have seen him compete against top-level competition and prove he is a threat, while we have not yet seen Hines tested in the cage by any serious opposition.

Prediction: Diniz by 1st Round KO

Niko Price +850 vs. Jacobe Smith -1667

Bigtime prospect opens the card here at Welterweight against a tough veteran. Niko Price is a scrappy veteran with some impressive knockouts, although he has clearly declined with age, having struggled even against lower-level competition. Jacobe Smith is one of my favorite prospects in the sport, as he comes in off a UFC debut where he showcased his explosive power early; he also has high-level wrestling credentials that he has effectively translated to the octagon.

Smith is going to make a statement here with what I expect to be another first-round knockout win on his record.

Prediction: Smith by 1st Round KO