UFC on Fox 31: Lee vs. Iaquinta 2 - Predictions and Picks

#6 The Prelims: Fight Pass card

The monstrous Juan Adams makes his UFC debut on the Fight Pass portion of the card

Headlining the Fight Pass portion of Saturday’s card is former Heavyweight Adam Milstead, who faces Mike Rodriguez at 205lbs. Milstead looked like a man to watch after a successful debut in 2016, but a bad knee injury in a fight with Curtis Blaydes slowed him down and he struggled in his last fight against Jordan Johnson. Rodriguez meanwhile was comfortably beaten in his own UFC debut by Devin Clark. It’s a tough one to pick given Milstead’s issues with coming back from a bad injury, but he should be more comfortable this time and so I favour him by decision.

In a real battle of grinders at 185lbs, Trevor Smith fights Zak Cummings. It’s hardly the most alluring fight given the styles of both men – even if Smith is somewhat more exciting to watch – and I’m going with the slightly larger, more durable Smith to come out on top via decision.

Finally, Chris de la Rocha takes on Juan Adams at Heavyweight. A somewhat sloppy striker, de la Rocha has lost 2 of 3 UFC outings and only came out on top over the far smaller Rashad Coulter. Adams meanwhile looks like a man to watch – at 6’5” and 265lbs he’s a giant Heavyweight who lives up to his ‘Kraken’ nickname, and he looked incredibly violent and dangerous in his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series. This looks like a squash to me to showcase Adams in his official debut, and I think he takes out de la Rocha by early stoppage.