UFC 306 Predictions

It's time for UFC 306 or UFC Noche for marketing purposes, and I’ve made some predictions.

PRELIMS:

Raul Rosas Jr.(9-1) V Aoriqileng(25-11)

Fun bantamweight action starts the card at the Sphere. Rosas Jr is the star the UFC want to promote and this fight is a great challenge but also fairly winnable for him. Aoriqileng is a good fighter but is very beatable. He will be able to test Rosas Jr but I feel its leaning Rosas Jr’s way for a win over a good name.

Prediction: Rosas Jr. By Sub R3

Edgar Cháirez(11-5) V Joshua Van(10-2)

Another fun fight on the prelims here. Cháirez is a solid fighter and has a great chin, which will be useful in this fight. Joshua Van is a prospect that I’m a big fan of, but he recently suffered his first loss to a very good fighter in Charles Johnson. He’s rebounding very quickly after his medical suspension, which would be my worry, but I still favour him as I think he will learn from his defeat and continue to grow.

Prediction: Van by DEC

Yazmin Jauregui(11-1) V Ketlen Souza(14-4)

Our first female fight of the night is between Jauregui and Souza. Jauregui is someone I think has good potential for the division, and up until she got KOed early by Denise Gomes, she was looking good. She won her last one, but I feel she will want to get back to looking confident and dominant in her fights here. Souza doesn’t have much to go off in the UFC other than losing by submission in her first and winning her last one. She is a former Invicta flyweight champion, which is something. I still favour Jauregui to win well here.

Prediction: Jauregui by DEC

Manuel Torres(15-2) V Ignacio Bahamondes(15-5)

This is a fun banger between Torres and Bahamondes. Torres has been good since joining the UFC with 3 first round finishes. Bahamondes is one of the better examples of a prospect who once it clicks could dominate a division. He’s been overall good but can have hickups. Torres is coming in with a bit more momentum but I feel Bahamondes will shock him and pull off the win.

Prediction: Bahamondes by DEC

Irene Aldana(15-7) V Norma Dumont(11-2)

Some ranked bantamweight action here with Aldana and Dumont. Aldana is a solid boxer who is a pereenial contender who tends to have solid fights. Dumont is strong in the clinch and knows how to win which will be useful here to negate Aldana’s boxing. I do feel we see an upset and Dumont clinches her way to the decision win but easily Aldana could control it on the feet.

Prediction: Dumont by DEC

MAIN CARD:

Ronaldo Rodríguez(16-2) V Ode Osbourne(12-7)

Kicking off the main card we have an up and coming fighter in Rodríguez and a solid fighter in Osbourne. Rodríguez was strong in his debut and seems to have a solid personality that if he has respectable skill he could be a star. Osbourne is a solid puncher but also has some submissions on his record. Osbourne has lost his last two by submission which Rodríguez is solid on the ground. I feel this fight is set up for Rodríguez to get a good win against a known name in the division.

Prediction: Rodríguez by Sub R2

Daniel Zellhuber(15-1) V Esteban Ribovics(13-1)

Really fun lightweight fight here with Zellhuber and Ribovics. Zellhuber is on a roll after losing his debut to Trey Ogden. He’s long and uses his range well, which will be handy against the smaller fighter Ribovics. Ribovics is coming in on a fantastic 37-second head kick over Terrance McKinney and a very nice striker. Zellhuber is the favourite for this fight and the safe bet, but I feel Ribovics will shock Zellhuber and win. I’m a fan of both and either guy can have a solid future after this fight.

Prediction: Ribovics by DEC

Brian Ortega(16-3) V Diego Lopes(25-6)

Great fight at featherweight here with Ortega and Lopes. Lopes has had a breakout year with good wins over good opponents. He’s won four in a row since losing to Movsar Evloev in his debut. Ortega seems to be back in a rhythm after a couple of years of ups and downs. He beat Yair Rodriguez last time out, and a win here puts him in title contention. For Lopes a win here against number 3 could also shoot him into title contention depending how good he looks. I like both guys, but I feel Lopes is on a run and will surprise Ortega and might even catch him in a choke, which would be a big deal.

Prediction: Lopes by DEC

Alexa Grasso(16-3-1) V Valentina Shevchenko(23-4-1)

The co main is the trilogy bout between Grasso and Shevchenko. Grasso surprised Shevchenko when she beat her in their first fight and the rematch ended in a draw. Shevchenko is and will be one of the best women fighters we will ever see and even though she’s closer to the end than the start she still is capable of winning and it depends on the game plan she comes out with. I feel Grasso might have Shevchenko’s number and think she will retain here.

Prediction: Grasso by DEC

Sean O’Malley(18-1) V Merab Dvalishvili(17-4)

This is one of my most anticipated fights of the year. I love both these guys, and Merab is someone I’ve known about since his fight against former Bellator bantamweight champion Raufeon Stots that got him into the UFC and have seen him grow over the last seven years. O’Malley is also someone I’ve seen grow since he won on the Contender Series. O’Malley is such a slick and smart striker who no one really matches at 135 and also has impressive takedown defence, which will come in handy here. Even though Merab is a great wrestler, his best attribute is his cardio, as it almost seems that he gets less tired the longer the fight goes. O’Malley may win the first few rounds, but it will be all about whether his cardio can hold up if he doesn’t get it done early, as Merab will not waver and will keep going. The smart and safe prediction is O’Malley, but I’ve always been a Merab guy, so I’m picking him, but it’s not my smart pick.

Prediction: Dvalishvili by DEC