UFC Belgrade Predictions

Light heavyweight bout: Jan Blachowicz vs. Navajo Stirling

The co-main event is an intriguing light heavyweight bout between former champion Blachowicz and up-and-coming prospect Stirling. At age 43, Blachowicz is among the oldest fighters right now on the UFC roster, and he hasn’t looked good in recent years. Stirling, meanwhile, is 5-0 in the UFC and looking like a future contender in his own right. He did take this fight on short notice, though, so it won’t be a walk in the park. Still, expect Stirling to win a decision.

Pick: Navajo Stirling via decision

Heavyweight bout: Aleksandar Rakic vs. Marcin Tybura

Rakic moves up to heavyweight for the first time in his UFC career when he takes on the longtime heavyweight gatekeeper in Tybura. While you can’t completely count out Tybura as he’s won many fights as an underdog during his UFC career, Rakic should have the knockout power to touch Tybura’s chin and put him out cold.

Pick: Aleksandar Rakic via TKO

Middleweight bout: Dusko Todorovic vs. Robert Valentin

Two inconsistent middleweights meet when Todorovic takes on Valentin in a battle of European fighters. But with the Serbian crowd cheering on Todorovic, look for him to have the extra juice he needs to grind out a decision in an otherwise close fight.

Pick: Dusko Todorovic via decision

Middleweight bout: Vlasto Cepo vs. Gilbert Urbina

Cepo is one of the many exciting UFC newcomers on this card, and he has been given a very favorable matchup against a chinny, inconsistent, and inactive fighter in Urbina. This should be Cepo all day, and look for him to win by brutal knockout.

Pick: Vlasto Cepo via TKO

Lightweight bout: Milos Janicic vs. Noah Gugnon

Two promising UFC newcomers collide when Janicic takes on Gugnon at lightweight. Given how much knockout power both of these men possess, this fight is unlikely to go the distance. With Janicic coming into this fight on a long win streak, with most of the wins coming by way of knockout, look for that to be the case here once again in his UFC debut.

Pick: Milos Janicic via TKO

UFC Belgrade Preliminary Card Preview & Picks

Lightweight bout: Ludovit Klein vs. Tofiq Musayev

The preliminary card headliner should be a very competitive fight between two fine lightweights in Klein and Musayev. But with Klein being the superior striker and theoretically having the takedown defense to keep this fight on the feet, look for him to win the decision.

Pick: Ludovit Klein via decision

Welterweight bout: Oban Elliott vs. Michael Oliveira

Elliott is someone who started off his UFC career well, but who has completely fallen off a cliff. Meanwhile, Oliveira is one of the top welterweight prospects in the UFC. Look for him to win this fight with a devastating knockout victory in his UFC debut.

Pick: Michael Oliveira via TKO

Bantamweight bout: Borislav Nikolic vs. Mark Vologdin

This should be a great fight between a promising newcomer in Nikolic and someone who we know will fight for your money in Vologdin. Look for a competitive bout, but with Vologdin being so tough and durable and having previous UFC experience, look for him to win by decision.

Pick: Mark Vologdin via decision

Featherweight bout: Dennis Buzukja vs. Bogdan Grad

Grad should have a significant advantage when it comes to knockout power, so look for him to land a big shot on the chinny Buzukja and put him away for a spectacular knockout victory.

Pick: Bogdan Grad via TKO

Lightweight bout: Mateusz Rebecki vs. Kyle Prepolec

Rebecki is a big favorite to defeat Prepolec, and rightfully so, as he’s simply the better fighter everywhere the fight goes. The easiest path to victory here is if Rebecki takes the fight to the mat and wins by submission, so look for that to be the case.

Pick: Mateusz Rebecki via submission

Women’s bantamweight bout: Nina Milosevic vs. Hailey Cowan

One of the top UFC newcomers on a card full of them features Milosevic, who has a very favorable matchup here against an overmatched Cowan. Look for Milosevic to get this fight to the ground, and once it’s on the mat, look for her to tap Cowan out for the submission win.

Pick: Nina Milosevic via submission

Heavyweight bout: Jovan Leka vs. Alexander Poppeck

This heavyweight bout between UFC newcomers Leka and Poppeck is unlikely to go the full three rounds. With Leka being a Serbian native, a natural heavyweight, and having more size and knockout power, look for him to get Poppeck to the mat and finish him with ground and pound.

Pick: Jovan Leka via TKO

Women’s strawweight bout: Marina Spasic vs. Stephanie Luciano

UFC newcomer Spasic gets a tough matchup against Luciano, who has proven to be a solid fighter in her career. Luciano has more UFC experience, and we know she has the gas tank to go 15 solid minutes, so look for her to win this fight on the judges’ scorecards.

Pick: Stephanie Luciano via decision