UFC Fight Night 183 may have lost the much-anticipated Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev main event, but this is still a stacked card with a very worthy main event between Stephen Thompson and Geoff Neal. In addition, Canadian-born Gillian Robertson will be taking on Taila Santos on the prelims. The predictions from the MMA Empire team, along with our guest picker, can be found below for the five-fight main card.
Our guest picker is Canada's own TJ Laramie, who made his UFC debut in September after earning a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series. After falling to Darrick Minner in his debut, Laramie is hoping to be back in the cage in March or April to secure that first UFC win.
2020 standings (thru UFC 256)
1. Sofia Bennett (10-5-1)
T2. Maya Turner (9-6-1)
T2. Isabella Harris (9-6-1)
4. Leo Anderson (8-7-1)
5. Guest picker (7-8-1)
Stephen Thompson vs. Geoff Neal
Sofia Bennett – "Neal's power gives him one edge – he's always one punch away from ending the fight. But that doesn't guarantee he'll land it. Even with the tighter confines of the UFC Apex cage, I expect Thompson to use his jab and movement to work from the outside, chipping away at Neal until he earns a decision victory. Should be a compelling matchup; Thompson is always a pleasure to watch." Pick: Stephen Thompson via unanimous decision.
Maya Turner – "This is a great matchup, and I expect it to stay standing the whole way through. Neal's power is always dangerous, but Thompson brings a far more diverse arsenal of strikes. I see Thompson finishing this one in spectacular fashion." Pick: Stephen Thompson via knockout.
Isabella Harris – "Thompson comes with better credentials on paper, but Neal has had more than a year to gear up for this showdown. He's riding serious momentum, and I don't see that slowing down on Saturday." Pick: Geoff Neal via unanimous decision.
Leo Anderson – "Thompson once looked like a lock for a championship run, but the past four years haven't been kind. He finally broke through with a 1-3-1 skid by beating Vicente Luque. Neal is hot right now and will make Thompson earn every bit of this win." Pick: Stephen Thompson via unanimous decision.
TJ Laramie – "Thompson has thrashed technical strikers more than anyone else in the division, which describes Neal perfectly. He's excellent at breaking down fighters who rely on clean, crisp punching. I expect this fight to mirror their Vicente Luque encounter." Pick: Stephen Thompson via unanimous decision.
Jose Aldo vs. Marlon Vera
Sofia Bennett – "Vera steps up significantly here in competition level. Aldo may be aging, but he remains an elite-level fighter. I expect Aldo to have success on the feet, particularly with his signature leg kicks and body work. Vera has a habit of turning fights into brawls, and the last person you want to brawl with is Aldo. I see Aldo taking care of business." Pick: Jose Aldo via TKO.
Maya Turner – "This is a difficult fight to call because there are so many possible outcomes. Ultimately, I see Aldo's leg kicks and output carrying him through. Vera has never been finished in his career, and I don't see Aldo changing that record, but I do see Aldo winning over three rounds." Pick: Jose Aldo via unanimous decision.
Isabella Harris – "I respect Aldo, but seriously—why is he still competing? He's never looked right after that notorious knockout defeat to Conor McGregor, and his last three bouts have been messy. Like Anderson Silva and Junior dos Santos, his prime has faded, and his showings are starting to cross into embarrassing territory."
Leo Anderson – "Given how long Aldo ruled the division, it's remarkable how rough things have gotten since Conor McGregor stripped his belt in 2015. The game might have moved past Aldo, and he's up against another young prospect, but Aldo should still have enough gas left to grind out a win over the durable Vera."
TJ Laramie – "Aldo has faced stiffer competition and enjoyed greater success across his career, including lately. He put up the best fight against Petr Yan so far. Vera is tough and resilient, but I can't picture him piecing it together for three rounds against Aldo."
Michel Pereira vs. Khaos Williams
Sofia Bennett – "All I can say with certainty is this fight is going to be entertaining. I'll take Pereira based on his experience. He'll likely dodge Williams' power and land strikes of his own on the feet. Williams carries incredible power, but defensively I see some gaps."
Maya Turner – "Expect chaos. Williams enters with consecutive 30-second knockouts to open his UFC career, while Pereira is riding his finest showing yet. Pereira dialed back the distractions last time out, and we finally got a clear picture of his ceiling. If that's the Pereira we get Saturday night, he takes this one."
Isabella Harris – "Pereira carries the momentum from his impressive September victory into Saturday night and secures the decision win."
Leo Anderson – "Pereira brings flash and excitement, but that doesn't always convert to wins (think Connelly vs. Pereira). Williams has been a buzzsaw, arriving in the UFC with two knockouts in a combined 0:57. Pereira's elusiveness could stretch this bout, but I still see Williams remaining undefeated during his UFC run."
TJ Laramie – "Hard to judge this one—we haven't seen enough of Williams. What we have seen is explosive, powerful striking with crisp, straight punches. Pereira tends to fade and becomes more loose and wild with his output. He also hasn't demonstrated much ground game."
Marlon Moraes vs. Rob Font
Sofia Bennett – "Font is exceptionally well-rounded and has never been knocked out, whereas Moraes is known for starting fast. I love this matchup. Font has proven elite status, but I think Moraes can bounce back into the win column. Despite a rough three-bout stretch, he should peak this weekend."
Maya Turner – "A tightly matched contest and a major test for the versatile Font. I doubt he finishes the durable Moraes, but Moraes' speed and power should prove decisive over three rounds."
Isabella Harris – "No reach edge? No issue—Moraes holds black belts in Muay Thai and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Font is simply outclassed in this fight."
Leo Anderson – "Moraes needs a victory to stay relevant at bantamweight; recent losses and a contentious split decision have him hanging onto the No. 3 ranking. Font is on an upward trajectory, winning three of his last four, and absolutely has the tools to pull off a narrow upset."
TJ Laramie – "Moraes has displayed championship-level potential, but his last two outings didn't go his way. Font is highly consistent and well-rounded. I expect him to slowly dismantle Moraes as the fight progresses."
Marcin Tybura vs. Greg Hardy
Sofia Bennett – "I won't pretend to like the guy, but Hardy keeps impressing me more each time he steps inside the octagon. Tybura possesses plenty of heavyweight skill, though he tends to brawl more than I'd prefer. I expect Hardy to connect with a power strike. He holds a speed edge on the feet and almost always outathleticizes his opponents."
Maya Turner – "Hardy's getting a solid opportunity here, and it feels like the right matchup for him. Speed and power have been the foundation of his UFC success so far, and Tybura is definitely vulnerable to both. I'm expecting this one to end quickly." Prediction: Greg Hardy wins by knockout.
Isabella Harris – "Hardy's got elite athletic ability, but his mixed martial arts technique isn't ready for this level of competition. Tybura's Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt is going to be the difference-maker." Prediction: Marcin Tybura wins by submission.
Leo Anderson – "It's disappointing that the UFC continues to give Hardy opportunities. Tybura has three consecutive wins, but he's also shown vulnerability to knockouts—and that's exactly what Hardy brings to the table. I'd love to see Tybura pull off the upset, but betting logic points toward Hardy." Prediction: Greg Hardy wins by TKO.
TJ Laramie – "Athleticism matters tremendously in this division, and Hardy has already demonstrated that throughout his career. His limited technical foundation is more than compensated for by his explosive speed and devastating power—two areas where Tybura appears to fall short." Prediction: Greg Hardy wins by knockout.
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