UFC 305 exceeded all expectations and the highlights will be put on repeat for months. But we already have a new card on the way, with Jared Cannonier facing one of the hottest prospects in the Middleweight division in the main event. Let’s look at what this card holds. Here are our early Cannonier vs Borralho predictions.
UFC on ESPN 62 Predictions: Top 3 Main Card Picks
Cannonier vs Borralho Prediction
Jared has been performing in the UFC since 2015 and initially, he started as a heavyweight. This is rather shocking, given that he really made an impact when he dropped to middleweight. Since moving to the division, he has been one of the top fighters, having fought for the title against Israel Adesanya in 2022. His record is 17-7 and he has 10 wins by knockout and 2 by submission.
The promising 31-year-old Brazilian Caio Borralho is on a six-win streak in the promotion. He is a diverse fighter who is capable of finishing fights both on his feet and on the ground. He won his last fight by knockout against Paul Craig. The South American’s record is 16-1, and Caio’s only misfire was at the start of his career.
Although Cannonier has been one of the best Middleweights in the world for years, he is 40 years old and no longer presents the same threat. Caio is almost 10 years younger and hungry for success, so he is the expected favorite. We expect him to wrestle a lot and potentially win a comfortable decision. We pick “The Natural” for our Cannonier vs Borralho predictions.
Hill vs Ricci Prediction
Angela “Overkill” Hill is 39 years old, with a professional record of 17-13. Despite her age, Angela has shown incredible form in recent years, winning four of her last five fights. She won her last fight by submission against Luana Pineiro. In this time interval, only Mackenzie Dern turned out to be a challenge.
Tabatha “Baby Shark” Ricci has been in the promotion since 2021, during which time she has managed to achieve five wins in seven fights. She won her last fight by split decision against Tecia Pennington.
She looks fragile in appearance but is very tenacious and aggressive in the cage. During her career, the Brazilian has won 10 times and suffered two defeats – to Loopy Godinez and Manon Fiorot, who will soon fight for the belt.
Despite her age, it is dangerous to write Hill off. She is capable of surprising exactly when no one expects it. She has faced many star opponents, so Tabatha will hardly surprise her with something new. Betting on a winner here is a terrible idea, so we have to pick an alternative market for our Cannonier vs Borralho predictions. Bet on the fight to reach distance.
Edmen Shahbazyan entered the roster when he was 20 years old and was considered one of the most promising youngsters. He had a few good results at the start but as soon as the level of his opposition improved, his weaknesses got exposed. He lost four of his last six fights but defeated A.J. Dobson in his last outing. Shahbazyan is an incredible striker with 11 KOs in 13 wins but has problems with his endurance and defense.
Gerald Meerschaert is a 36-year-old veteran from the United States, whose record consists of 36 wins and 17 losses. Although his career has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs, his persistence and tenacity know no bounds. In his last fight, “GM3” won against Bryan Barberena by technical submission.
Although Edmen is 10 years younger and far more powerful, we have a feeling that Meerschaert will be inconvenient for him. The American has a stylistic advantage as a BJJ specialist and we believe that he is a worthy pick for our Cannonier vs Borralho predictions.
Viacheslav “Slava” Borshchev entered the roster as a promising prospect and had a brilliant debut against Dakota Bush. Since then, however, his fights have been utterly disappointing, with 3 defeats, 1 draw, and only 1 win since January 2022. In his most recent outing, he lost to Chase Hooper.
James “Goku” Llontop entered the roster through Dana White’s Contender Series but failed on his debut against Chris Padilla. The 25-year-old is clueless when it comes to ground game but this will not be a worry against Borshchev, who is also a striker.
However, we have to side with Viacheslav for our UFC on ESPN 62 predictions. He has more experience performing at a high level while Llontop’s potential is still unclear. He is obliged to overcome the young Peruvian and we even expect a knockout.
Wang Cong has a young 5-0-0 record but is rapidly gaining momentum in the MMA world. As a former Sanda World Champion, she made her MMA debut in 2022 and went on to win a contract with the promotion through the Road to UFC event series. Wang Cong has an excellent sense of distance, and her kicks pose a serious threat to any opponent. Moreover, her recent guillotine choke win over Paula Luna highlighted that she is just as dangerous on the ground.
Victoria Leonardo is a 34-year-old American with a 9-5-0 record. She has extensive experience competing in various promotions, including Bellator and Invicta FC. Despite her solid skills, her UFC career has not been a success. Leonardo has a decent skillset but her tendency to leave her head exposed leaves her vulnerable. Her wrestling base allows her to control opponents on the ground but her lack of defense and bad cardio are a problem.
Given Leonardo’s defensive weaknesses and her tendency to take punches, it will be extremely difficult for her to gain control in this fight. Cong will control the distance and not give Leonardo a chance to take her down. We have to side with the Chinese fighter for our Cannonier vs Borralho predictions.
Vlad is a former amateur MMA fighter. After a series of injuries, he found a different way to connect with the sport and its fanbase - through writing. He's been covering everything-UFC for over 5 years on various platforms and has been part of the team at NYFights since early 2022.
