UFC Predictions: UFC 272: Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal

#3. UFC 272: The Main Card

Longtime veteran Edson Barboza features on this weekend's main card

In a fantastic featherweight bout, Edson Barboza takes on Bryce Mitchell. This should be a classic battle of striker against grappler, with Mitchell hoping to take ‘Junior’ down and the Brazilian looking to knock the head off ‘Thug Nasty’.

It could honestly go either way based on the fact that Mitchell is yet to face an opponent this good, but Barboza is beginning to slow down. It’s also worth noting that many of his recent losses came at the hands of grapplers.

Mitchell is not as powerful a wrestler as Kevin Lee, but he’s definitely an excellent grappler with the ability to control his opponents. More to the point, he doesn’t know what it’s like to lose. Therefore, the pick is Mitchell via decision.

In a welterweight bout, Kevin Holland drops to 170 pounds for the first time in his UFC career to take on Alex Oliveira. One of the most successful fighters of 2020, Holland has not won since that year, having lost twice in 2021 before falling to a headbutt in a No Contest with Kyle Daukaus.

However, he’s faced with a fighter seemingly on his way down the ladder in the form of Oliveira in this one. ‘Cowboy’ has won just two of his last eight bouts in the octagon and has lost his last three fights.

Assuming Holland can make welterweight with no problems, then, this looks like his fight to lose. He’s got the ability to put too much pressure on Oliveira for the Brazilian to cope with, particularly on the ground, and will likely win via TKO.

Finally, Sergey Spivak faces Greg Hardy in a heavyweight bout. This should be the last chance saloon for Hardy, as he’s lost his last two fights by TKO and has reached the end of his UFC contract.

It’s a tricky match for Spivak as the native of Moldova is not the best athlete. However, if he can put Hardy on his back, then the former NFL star will find things hard going.

Overall, Hardy is the better athlete and if he can land on Spivak, he can win. However, ‘The Polar Bear’ is used to being the lesser athlete and the fact that he was able to beat Tai Tuivasa and Alexei Oleinik bodes well for him. Therefore, the pick is Spivak via TKO.

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#4. UFC 272: The Prelims

Picks in bold

Lightweight: Jalin Turner vs. Jamie Mullarkey

Women's strawweight: Marina Rodriguez vs. Yan Xiaonan

Light heavyweight: Nicolae Negumereanu vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu

Women's flyweight: Maryna Moroz vs. Mariya Agapova

Featherweight: Brian Kelleher vs. Umar Nurmagomedov

Flyweight: Tim Elliott vs. Tagir Ulanbekov

Light heavyweight: Michal Oleksiejczuk vs. Dustin Jacoby

Lightweight: Devonte Smith vs. Ludovit Klein