UFC 252: Miocic vs. Cormier 3 - Predictions and Picks

#7 UFC 252 Prelims: UFC Fight Pass card

Rising star Herbert Burns headlines the UFC Fight Pass portion of the show

Ever since the ESPN deal began, the UFC’s own Fight Pass streaming service hasn’t been used as much as it once was. That’s why it’s a surprise to see three fights on the platform on this show.

At the top of the portion is a Featherweight fight between Herbert Burns – brother of top Welterweight contender Gilbert – and the returning Daniel Pineda.

The circumstances around Pineda’s UFC return are a little strange given he’s coming off an NSAC suspension for a positive drug test, but he’s a solid fighter in all areas with a really nasty submission game. Will that be enough to get him past Burns? Personally I’m not so sure.

MMA Math suggests so as Pineda TKO’d Movlid Khaybulaev, who beat Burns by decision in 2017. However, Burns has looked great since making his UFC debut, showing a dangerous ground game to go along with an improving striking one. Pineda has never been the greatest with submission defense either, so I’m taking Burns by submission.

Also at Featherweight, TJ Brown takes on UFC debutant Danny Chavez. A graduate of the Contender Series, Brown is exactly what you’d expect from a fighter to enter the UFC from that show. Aggressive, tons of finishes on his ledger, but perhaps not ready for the elite level – as we saw in his loss to Jordan Griffin in February.

Footage on Perez seems remarkably sparse, to the point where I’ve only been able to track down a couple of clips. He appears to be a counter-striker, but his record is somewhat worrying. He’s been fighting since 2010, but has just 12 fights to his name and hasn’t actually been active since 2018. With all of that in mind, I’m going to take Brown via TKO here.