UFC 237: Namajunas vs. Andrade - Predictions and Picks

#6 The Prelims: ESPN card

UFC legend Rogerio Nogueira headlines this weekend's prelims

Saturday’s main prelim card will air on the ESPN network and there’s a huge name headlining things for once as Light-Heavyweight legend Antonio Rogerio Nogueira returns to face Ryan Spann.

Nogueira has been written off more times than I can count at this point – understandable as he’s now 42 and has taken a ludicrous amount of punishment in his career – but I’m actually going with him here; his boxing looked remarkably sharp in his win over Sam Alvey last year and I just don’t see anything special from Spann that makes me think he can blitz ‘Lil Nog’ as the likes of Anthony Johnson and Ryan Bader did. Nogueira via TKO is my pick.

At Lightweight, Thiago Moises takes on Kurt Holobaugh in a fight flying under the radar somewhat given neither man actually has a UFC win under their belt. I’m taking Moises here – Holobaugh has never really looked that great on the ground to me while Moises is a noted jiu-jitsu player. Moises via submission is my pick.

Bethe Correia – who once challenged Ronda Rousey in Rio de Janeiro for the Bantamweight title – returns to face Irene Aldana in what sounds like a tricky fight for her given Aldana’s length, toughness and striking ability and Correia’s own lack of athleticism and questionable chin.

Correia would probably be best looking for takedowns here but I’m going with Aldana in a mild upset, probably a decision win.

In a downright bizarre fight at Featherweight, UFC legend BJ Penn is back despite facing some serious legal issues, to take on fellow veteran Clay Guida. In his prime Penn would’ve absolutely throttled Guida, but ‘The Prodigy’ hasn’t won a fight since 2010 and has looked downright awful since moving to 145lbs. I’m taking Guida via first round TKO here.