UFC Predictions: UFC 300: Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill - The Preliminary Card
This weekend, UFC 300 finally goes down in Las Vegas, and it's safe to say that it looks like one of the biggest events ever.
UFC 300: Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill not only features an epic main card, but the preliminary card is also better than most other events, too.
With former champions, hot prospects, and exciting fighters in action, there's not a fight worth missing here.
Here are the predicted outcomes for the preliminary card at UFC 300: Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill.
#1. UFC light-heavyweight bout: Jiri Prochazka vs. Aleksandar Rakic
In many ways, it's hard not to feel bad for Jiri Prochazka. 'BJP' burst onto the scene in the UFC in 2020, and two big wins over Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes immediately moved him in line for a title shot.
When the native of Czechia then defeated Glover Teixeira to claim the title in one of the craziest five-round bouts in octagon history, it looked like a brand new star was born.
However, disaster struck before Prochazka could usher in a new post-Jon Jones era at 205 pounds. He completely destroyed his shoulder, forcing him to vacate his crown before he even had one defense.
'BJP' returned to action last November but didn't quite look like the same fighter. It was finished by Alex Pereira in a fight for the vacant title.
The loss was actually Prochazka's first since 2015, snapping a 13-fight win streak. So, can he rebound here?
A lot depends on the status of Aleksandar Rakic. 'The Rocket' was once considered a future title challenger in his own right, particularly when he smashed Jimi Manuwa back in 2019.
The native of Austria saw his hype train slow down slightly with two decision wins over Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos, but his rise continued until he fought Jan Blachowicz in 2022.
Rakic struggled in the fight and blew his knee out in the third round, resulting in a loss and the best part of two years on the shelf.
If 'The Rocket' is returning at his best, then this should be a thrilling fight between two of the light-heavyweight division's best strikers. Neither man is a renowned grappler, so we can expect the fight to stay standing for the most part.
However, overall, it's hard not to favor Prochazka here.
Firstly, Rakic's lengthy time on the shelf means that his physical state could be a major question mark.
Secondly, 'The Rocket' has tended to rely on his length and reach to land his best strikes, and he'll actually be at a disadvantage in that area here.
Add in the fact that Prochazka will be desperate to get back into title contention and could secure a title shot with a win here, it's unlikely that he'll come in looking anything but at his best.
If he's at his best, regardless of Rakic's skills, the Austrian is probably in trouble.
The Pick: Prochazka via second-round KO
#2. UFC featherweight bout: Calvin Kattar vs. Aljamain Sterling
This bout is a fascinating one for both men, as neither man can really afford to lose this one.
For Aljamain Sterling, the fight is his first at 145 pounds and also his first since losing his bantamweight title to Sean O'Malley last summer.
If 'The Funk Master' can win this one, he'll instantly crash into contention as a featherweight. If he loses, though, his entire future will fall into question.
Calvin Kattar, meanwhile, is still ranked at No.8 in the rankings, but he hasn't fought since October 2022 when he blew his knee out in a fight with Arnold Allen.
'The Boston Finisher' has also won just once in his last four bouts, and while there's no shame in his defeats to Max Holloway and Josh Emmett, a record of 1-4 since the start of 2021 is a bad look.
On the face of it, this one should be a classic striker vs. grappler bout, with Sterling looking to ground Kattar and 'The Boston Finisher' attempting to knock his foe out.
However, while Kattar is a supremely skilled striker, it's worth questioning whether he's any better than some of the strikers that Sterling dispatched at 135 pounds.
Not only was 'The Funk Master' able to ground the likes of Petr Yan and TJ Dillashaw, he also strangled Cory Sandhagen in their 2020 bout and made it look easy.
Kattar does have good takedown defense, but to be fair, he hasn't fought a truly great wrestler in a long time now. More to the point, at 145 pounds, Sterling should be more powerful and should enjoy a speed advantage, too.
Overall, then, assuming the O'Malley knockout hasn't affected him too badly, he should be favored.
The Pick: Sterling via decision
#3. UFC bantamweight bout: Holly Holm vs. Kayla Harrison
Given the hype around Kayla Harrison's signing with the UFC earlier this year, it's a surprise to see her debut so far down the card.
Of course, UFC 300 isn't like any other card, and so there's likely to be plenty of eyeballs on this bout regardless.
Given she's been around for nearly a decade now, everyone knows what Holly Holm brings to the table. 'The Preacher's Daughter' is an excellent technical striker with the ability to knock opponents out if they play into her hands.
However, she's also a little too willing to sit on the outside and simply pick an opponent off in dull fashion, which often makes for boring fights.
The quality of this fight, then, probably depends on Harrison.
An Olympic gold medallist in judo, Harrison has been around a long time, although she's largely snacked on overmatched opponents in the PFL. For the most part, this has been because she's fought primarily at 155 pounds, a veritable wasteland in female MMA.
There are two big questions here, then. Firstly, can Harrison actually meet the 135-pound bantamweight limit safely? And secondly, can she find a way to get inside Holm to take her down and take her out of her comfort zone?
A couple of things are worth noting here. Firstly, Holm is no longer in her prime, at the age of 42.
Secondly, in her last bout - a submission loss to Mayra Bueno Silva that was overturned due to a positive drug test - she was all too willing to clinch rather than remain on the outside.
Therefore, assuming Harrison does manage to hit the 135-pound mark, there's every chance she gets inside, takes Holm down, and taps her out.
It isn't worth betting on this one until the weigh-ins are done, but the pick just about, is Harrison.
The Pick: Harrison via second-round submission
#4. UFC featherweight bout: Sodiq Yusuff vs. Diego Lopes
Despite this fight being one of the few at UFC 300 to not feature two ranked fighters, it's still a strong bout between two excellent talents.
Of the two, Sodiq Yusuff is more proven. 'Super Sodiq' has used his brutally heavy hands to put together an excellent UFC record of 6-2, with his only losses being razor-close calls against Arnold Allen and Edson Barboza.
Diego Lopes, though, might be the more exciting prospect. The Mexico-based Brazilian put an insane fight up against the unbeaten Movsar Evloev in his octagon debut and has since dispatched Gavin Tucker and Pat Sabatini with serious violence.
Lopes seems to have a killer instinct, skills in all areas, and judging by his bout with Evloev, he doesn't slow down, either.
This one is very difficult to pick, primarily because while Yusuff is the more proven fighter, he's also got a tendency to fight flat at times, which could play into Lopes' hands.
Overall, if Yusuff can keep this one standing and really crack Lopes, he should win. However, the Brazilian is more dangerous in all areas and more aggressive, too, making him the pick.
The Pick: Lopes via decision
#5. UFC 300: The Early Prelims
In a lightweight bout, Jalin Turner takes on Renato Moicano. This striker vs. grappler bout should depend on whether Turner can keep Moicano at the end of his strikes.
If the Brazilian can take 'The Tarantula' down then the fight is likely over. However, Turner is a huge and quick lightweight, and Moicano is not the best natural athlete, making his chances of getting his foe down in a rush slim. Therefore, the pick is Turner via KO.
At strawweight, Marina Rodriguez battles Jessica Andrade. This one, logically, depends on whether Rodriguez can pick Andrade apart before she eats a huge punch.
Rodriguez simply doesn't appear to have the chin to stand up to the power of 'Bate Estaca', and unfortunately, while she is probably capable of picking Andrade apart, the chances of her doing so for three rounds are slim. The pick, therefore, is Andrade via TKO.
In another lightweight tilt, Jim Miller takes on Bobby Green. This is a curious bout for a few reasons. Firstly, Miller is somehow the only fighter to compete at UFC 100, UFC 200, and now UFC 300. His longevity is legendary, and even if he's past his prime, he's won five of his last six fights.
Can he win a seventh here? The answer is probably. Green, worryingly, has only been out for a few months after suffering a truly dangerous knockout at the hands of Jalin Turner. He's also just as past his prime as Miller. With that in mind, the pick is Miller via submission.
Finally, a crazy bantamweight fight will open the night as Deiveson Figueiredo faces Cody Garbrandt. Both of these men are former UFC champions, but of the two, Figueiredo is probably closest to his best right now.
The Brazilian has looked excellent since his move to 135 pounds last year, and he appears to have the same dangerous skills he had at 125 pounds while not struggling to make the weight.
Garbrandt is capable of dispatching any fighter with his punching power, but he's still very fragile, and if he involves himself in a firefight here, he might be done. This could go either way, but the pick is Figueiredo via KO.