UFC Predictions: UFC 258: Kamaru Usman vs Gilbert Burns - Predictions and Picks

#3 UFC 258: The Main Card

Highly-rated Middleweight Kelvin Gastelum stars on UFC 258's undercard.

UFC 258’s main card also has three more fights.

In a Middleweight bout, Kelvin Gastelum faces Ian Heinisch. Gastelum hasn’t been at his best for a while now, and is in fact on a three-fight slide. However, Israel Adesanya, Darren Till and Jack Hermansson are amongst the best Middleweights in the UFC.

Heinisch is tough and aggressive to a fault, but his game – wrestling and boxing – is one that Gastelum does slightly better. Unless Gastelum is really shot, then I think this is his fight to lose. Gastelum via decision is my pick.

In a Bantamweight rematch, Pedro Munhoz takes on Jimmie Rivera. These two fought once already, back in 2015, with Rivera edging a decision. I’m leaning towards the same result here. Munhoz has improved a little, but he’s still a power-punching boxer with a solid ground game more than anything else.

Rivera, meanwhile, has suffered plenty of disappointments during his UFC tenure, but he’s also still an excellent technical striker. And in this fight, as he is the more varied kickboxer who can push a torrid pace, that should count for a lot. Rivera via close – perhaps split – decision is the pick.

Finally, a Middleweight bout between Maki Pitolo and Julian Marquez rounds out the pay-per-view. As he’s 1-3 in the UFC, this is probably the last-chance saloon for Pitolo, but it’s hard to imagine him having that much success against Marquez.

Julian Marquez hasn’t fought since 2018, but in his earlier UFC fights, he looked excellent, knocking out Phil Hawes to earn his roster spot and choking out Darren Stewart on his UFC debut.

A loss to Alessio Di Chirico did take the wind out of his sails, but he’s still a big, well-rounded Middleweight with skill in all areas. I fancy him winning this one comfortably, possibly by a TKO.

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#4 UFC 258 Prelims: UFC on ESPN+ card

Picks in bold

UFC Lightweight Division: Bobby Green vs Jim Miller

UFC Middleweight division: Rodolfo Vieira vs. Anthony Hernandez

UFC Welterweight division: Dhiego Lima vs Belal Muhammad

UFC Strawweight division: Polyana Viana vs Mallory Martin

UFC Featherweight division: Ricky Simon vs Brian Kelleher

UFC Welterweight division: Gabriel Green vs Philip Rowe

UFC Flyweight division: Gillian Robertson vs Miranda Maverick.