UFC Belfast and UFC Sao Paulo Main Card Staff Predictions
UFC Middleweight Gegard Mousasi: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
In an attempt to capitalize on UFC 205’s momentum, the promotion booked two events on the same day the following week. Cage Pages has predictions for today’s 10 main card bouts.
The first event up for debate is UFC Belfast. After losing the original headliner of Gunnar Nelson vs. Dong Hyun Kim a few weeks before fight night, Gegard Mousasi and Uriah Hall stepped up to fill the slot in a highly anticipated rematch.
Cage Pages picked nine fights for UFC 205 including the FOX Sports 1 prelims. The draw between Stephen Thompson and Tyron Woodley was not counted as a loss, and 11 of the 21 writers picked more than half of the eight tallied fights correctly.
Four writers took home a 6-2 record for the night, eight writers went 5-3, six writers split the card evenly, two went 3-5, and one trailed with only two correct picks.
The first set of main card fights for the day are as follows:
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| Cage Pages UFC Belfast Predictions | ||||
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| Staff Writers | Lobov vs. Ishihara | Volkov vs. Johnson | Ray vs. Pearson | Hall vs. Mousasi |
| Nick Strickland (10-4) |
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| Farzin Vousoughian (10-4) |
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| Jake Krier (108-58) |
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Nick Dwyer (9-5) |
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| Harry Davies (9-5) |
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Paarth Pande (9-5) |
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| G. Gonzalez (28-16) |
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| Dan Forkapa (5-3) |
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| Jack Kopanski (85-52) |
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| Mitch Williams (84-53) |
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| Anthony Mazziotti (96-64) |
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| Sean Bio (102-69) |
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| Ryan Wagner (35-24) |
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Dan Doherty (99-72) |
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| Eddie Law (8-6) |
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| Griffin Youngs (8-6) |
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| Jason Payne (21-19) |
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The closest fight on the card is the co-main event, with just one more writer picking Ross Pearson than Stevie Ray. The hype of former Bellator champion Alexander Volkov is not catching on, 12 of 17 writers picked Timothy Johnson. Teruto Ishihara is the heavy favorite in the matchup of fan favorites with 14 picks to Artem Lobov’s three. The widest margin on the card is the main event, where only two fighters picked against the quickly rising Gegard Mousasi.
Check out our UFC Sao Paulo Predictions below!
Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
UFC Sao Paulo Main Card
Like UFC Belfast, this card underwent a main event change when Alexander Gustafsson pulled out of his fight with Little Nog due to injury. In stepped top-five contender Ryan Bader.
Cards in Brazil typically equal mismatches slanted towards the home country’s fighters, but this card has produced some interesting matchups. The main card reads as follows:
Related Story: UFC Belfast/Sao Paulo: Top Five Fights
| Cage Pages UFC Sao Paulo Predictions | ||||||
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| Staff Writers | Ottow vs. Moraes | Usman vs. Alves | Leites vs. Jotko | Casey vs. Gadelha | Almeida vs. Morales | Bader vs. Nogueira |
| Nick S. (10-4) |
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| Farzin V. (10-4) |
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| J. Krier (108-58) |
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Nick D. (9-5) |
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| Harry D. (9-5) |
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P. Pande (9-5) |
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| Gabe G. (28-16) |
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| Dan F. (5-3) |
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| Jack K. (85-52) |
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| Mitch W (84-53) |
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| A. Mazz. (96-64) |
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| Sean Bio (102-69) |
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| Ryan W. (35-24) |
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Dan D. (99-72) |
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| E. Law (8-6) |
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| Griffin Y. (8-6) |
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| J. Payne (21-19) |
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Next: Conor McGregor: Promotions, Timing, and Matchups
Only one truly close matchup on the main card, with Thales Leites receiving 10 votes to Jotko’s seven. Zak Ottow earned six picks of the 17. Warlley Alves only took home five picks after having plenty of hype behind him early in his career. Only one person decided to go against heavy favorites Claudia Gadelha and Ryan Bader separately. Thomas Almeida is the lone unanimous pick of the day.
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