UFC Welterweight Championship: Kamaru Usman (c) (17-1) vs. Gilbert Burns (19-3)
Luke Irwin: Seven months later after we were supposed to get it, and two postponements later, we’re finally (fingers crossed) getting Usman-Burns. Usman is impossible to gauge as far as what kind of fight you’re going to get. Will he give you a firefight like he did with Colby Covington, or will there be a lot of clinching and foot-stomping like against Jorge Masvidal. Usman fights incredibly smart, which is great for him, but not always for the viewing public. Usman via UD.
Women’s Flyweight Bout: Alexa Grasso (12-3) vs. Maycee Barber (8-1)
Luke: Barber was a house of fire, elbowing, punching, and kneeing women dead until she ran into the savvy, veteran, Rubik’s cube that is Roxanne Modafferi, who can always ugly up a fight and has the wherewithal to avoid getting into serious trouble. Against Grasso, whose UFC career has been a see-saw, Barber can violence her way to a victory. Barber via R2 TKO.
Middleweight Bout: Ian Heinisch (14-3) vs. Kelvin Gastelum (15-6)
Luke: With his complete lack of momentum or urgency in his fights, I’m not sure I wouldn’t pick you, dear reader, to grind out a decision over Kelvin Gastelum. Heinisch is very limited, and a few years ago this would have been sanctioned murder, but those days, and that Gastelum, are gone. Heinisch via SD.
Featherweight Bout: Brian Kelleher (22-11) vs. Ricky Simon (17-3)
Luke: The question in this fight is going to be how Kelleher deals with Simon’s relentless pressure. He’s either going to catch him in a guillotine, or Simon is going to have him looking at the lights for fifteen minutes. I’ll go out on a limb and say that Kelleher does catch him, but can’t finish the deal, Simon adjusts, and rides his way to a win. Simon via UD.
Middleweight Bout: Julian Marquez (7-2) vs. Maki Pitolo (13-7)
Luke: Pitolo via R1 KO.
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