UFC 246, McGregor vs. Cowboy: Predictions and picks

#7 The Prelims: UFC Fight Pass card

Aleksa Camur makes his full UFC debut this weekend

The UFC Fight Pass portion of this card is headlined by a Light-Heavyweight clash; Aleksa Camur – a training partner of Stipe Miocic – faces Justin Ledet. Ledet, a boxing-based fighter, hasn’t won a fight since 2017 now, and I think he’s in trouble here as his primary advantage at Heavyweight was his speed, something he no longer has at 205lbs. Camur is unproven but he’s also an explosive athlete who hits like a truck, and I like him to pick up another KO here.

At Flyweight, veteran Tim Elliott faces Askar Askarov. Unbeaten at 10-0 with one draw, Askarov’s primary strength is in his wrestling, so for me, this depends on whether he can avoid one of Elliott’s dangerous chokes while holding him down to punish him with ground-and-pound. As Elliott is getting older at 33 I’ll say yes, so Askarov via decision is my pick.

At Bantamweight, hard hitter Brian Kelleher is back to face newcomer Ode Osbourne, who earned his UFC spot with a win on Dana White’s Contender Series. I like Kelleher here; sure, he’s lost his last two fights, but he still hits incredibly hard and I don’t think Osbourne has fought anyone as good as him previously. Kelleher via KO is my pick.

Finally, at Strawweight, JJ Aldrich faces Sabina Mazo. Not the flashiest fighter, Aldrich nonetheless has improved to become a pretty dangerous technical boxer, while Mazo is still largely unproven. Aldrich via decision is the pick.