UFC 238: Cejudo vs. Moraes - Predictions and Picks

#6 The Prelims: ESPN card

Tatiana Suarez could net herself a title shot with a win over Nina Ansaroff

The main portion of prelim fights for this card will be shown on the ESPN network, and to be honest, the four fights on offer are arguably better than the cards that the UFC has shown on ESPN thus far in their deal!

Headlining is a likely title eliminator at Strawweight between Tatiana Suarez and Nina Ansaroff. Suarez, the winner of the 23rd season of TUF, is a former Olympic-level wrestler and she’s used that skill to absolutely dominate every opponent she’s faced thus far in her career. Counting TUF she’s 10-0 and most recently destroyed former champion Carla Esparza. Essentially, nobody’s been able to stop her takedown, and she’s equally ruthless with ground-and-pound and submissions.

Ansaroff – the partner of UFC Bantamweight/Featherweight champ Amanda Nunes – has been on a stirring run recently, upsetting former title challenger Claudia Gadelha and contender Randa Markos, but I just can’t see her stopping Suarez’s takedown as I suspect Suarez will eventually hold the title in this weight class. Suarez via second round submission is my pick.

At Bantamweight, Aljamain Sterling faces Pedro Munhoz in a fight that could well decide the next title challenger. Both men are coming off huge wins; Sterling thoroughly outpointed Jimmie Rivera in the best performance of his career, while Munhoz knocked out former champion Cody Garbrandt. It’s a tricky fight to call really, but for me Munhoz’s biggest win was a gift from Garbrandt’s poor fight IQ, while Sterling has finally seemed to click, finally using his athletic gifts to link his striking with his tremendous grappling game. I like Sterling to win a decision here.

Strawweights Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Alexa Grasso will be looking to turn around recent slides, as Kowalkiewicz has lost two in a row and Grasso hasn’t fought since a loss to Tatiana Suarez last May. It’s a tricky one to pick but I like Kowalkiewicz’s slick counter striking and clinch work to pull her through a tough outing, probably by decision.

Finally Featherweights Ricardo Lamas and Calvin Kattar throw down, with Lamas looking to continue his rise back to the top and Kattar trying to break into the upper echelon of the division. A Kattar win would be better for the division but I’m not sure if he has enough to deal with the grappling skill of Lamas. With that said, Lamas is an ageing fighter now and his chin has been cracked before, so I’m taking the slight upset with Kattar winning by KO.