This weekend, Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, will play host to the year’s final UFC event. A crucial bout will be that of Colby Covington versus Joaquin Buckley. Looking back to Covington’s last title fight with Leon Edwards, it fell short of expectations. Covington’s effectiveness as a competitor could be at stake in this match with Buckley. A win here is paramount for him if he wishes to challenge for the title again. Based on Covington’s past performance against Edwards, there are concerns about his physical endurance. This match with Buckley might also be challenging as it will be Buckley’s first five-round combat. However, I foresee Buckley, aka ‘New Mansa,’ extending his winning streak in the welterweight division.
Another exciting matchup to look forward to is Cub Swanson vs. Billy Quarantillo. After joining UFC from Dana White’s Contender Series, Quarantillo had three remarkable victories, effectively positioning him as an upcoming featherweight contender. However, his record has seen highs and lows across his seven most recent fights. Swanson’s performance has mirrored Quarantillo’s, winning some and losing some following the end of his four-match losing streak in 2019. At 41, Swanson’s resilience is commendable but in this fight, my inclination is slightly more towards Quarantillo.
Manel Kape will face Bruno Silva in another interesting bout. Kape narrowly missed earning a title opportunity when he was beaten by Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 304. He is now looking to bounce back into victory against Silva, who is on a winning spree. Silva’s performance in recent fights, particularly his four consecutive victories, has projected him into the flyweight rankings. However, the level of competitors he defeated, apart from Cody Durden, appeared unremarkable. Assuming the fight primarily involves stand-up combat, my prediction is for Kape.
The face-off between Vitor Petrino and Dustin Jacoby merits attention. Petrino suffered a shocking loss to Anthony Smith in his previous fight which trounced his chances to feature in UFC’s light heavyweight Top 15. The upcoming fight won’t help Petrino break into the rankings, but considering Jacoby’s recent sluggish performance, this encounter could serve as an opportunity for Petrino, better known as ‘Icão’, to rebound to a winning trajectory with a knockout.
Coming up is an intriguing matchup between unranked bantamweights Adrian Yanez and Daniel Marcos which is shaping up to be a potential Fight of the Night at UFC Tampa. Yanez, following two defeats, has managed to bounce back commandingly against Vinicius Salvador. I believe that Yanez, at the age of 31, possesses the necessary skillset to hand Marcos his first loss and end the substantial momentum Marcos has gained thus far in UFC.
Let’s move to Navajo Stirling’s bout against Tuco Tokkos. Stirling has proved his mettle during Dana White’s Contender Series and earned his contract. Earlier, Tokkos faced an undefeated finisher, Oumar Sy, in his UFC debut and met a less than favorable end. In his approaching fight against Stirling, I anticipate a similar outcome.
Michael Johnson’s fight against Ottman Azaitar is one to stay tuned for. While it was wise for Azaitar to take a breather after suffering consecutive knockout losses, he has the potential to defeat Johnson early in the match. However, I predict Johnson, also known as ‘The Menace,’ would showcase a seasoned performance and secure his second successive victory.
The fight between Joel Alvarez and Drakkar Klose seems promising as well. Despite Klose’s extensive UFC experience and his four-match winning streak, Alvarez has emerged as a significant favorite. Concerning the upset potential of this fight, I believe Alvarez would use his remarkable height and reach advantage to score a victory.
Attention now turns to the fight between Sean Woodson and Fernando Padilla. There are concerns regarding Padilla’s skills to finish fights and his near-equal reach with Woodson. Nonetheless, my prediction tips towards ‘The Sniper’ Woodson to land another victory as he progresses towards a match against a ranked contender in the featherweight category.
Next, we have Miles Johns vs. Felipe Lima. Lima, regarded as ‘Jungle Boy’, stepped up for a short-notice debut in UFC last June and submitted Muhammad Naimov, and now has quite the buzz surrounding him. Johns will undoubtedly be a challenging adversary for Lima, but I predict ‘Jungle Boy’ to secure his second UFC victory and fourteenth consecutive win.
The match between Miranda Maverick and Jamey-Lyn Horth could be a thrilling one. Horth deserves applause for quickly returning to the Octagon after defeating Ivana Petrovi? last November. Despite her efforts, Maverick might prove to be a substantial step-up in competition for Horth. With the momentum from three consecutive wins behind her, my prediction swings towards Maverick.
Davey Grant will square off against Ramon Taveras. While Taveras seems like the logical choice due to his youthful age and less ware, Grant at 38 still packs a punch and can turn the tides against ‘The Savage’ Taveras. I lean towards an upset win for Grant in this Tampa matchup.
Lastly, Josefine Knutsson will lock horns with Piera Rodriguez. Rodriguez faces an uphill battle to secure her place on the UFC roster following consecutive losses. She is lined up to open UFC Tampa against the undefeated Knutsson, and expecting Rodriguez to overcome this situation seems bleak. Therefore, Knutsson is my pick in this matchup.