The UFC on ESPN 59 fight card underwent a series of changes, including a main event replacement. And while the card is rather small, there are multiple high-level fights to look at. Here are our early Namajunas vs Cortez predictions.
UFC Denver Predictions: Best Main Card Picks
Namajunas vs Cortez Prediction
Rose Namajunas currently holds a record of 12 wins and 6 losses. The former champion is 32 years old and won her last fight decision over Amanda Ribas. Before that, she suffered disappointing losses to Manon Fiorot and Carla Esparza, which lost her the Strawweight title. She is currently fighting at Flyweight.
There's a reason she's a fan favorite 🤩
We take a look at some of @RoseNamajunas best finishes in the UFC!
Tracy Cortez is an American fighter with Mexican roots, and her record consists of 11 wins in 12 fights. She suffered her only defeat in her MMA debut, losing to a little-known opponent by submission in the 2nd round. But now, she is on an 11-win streak and five in the UFC.
Nevertheless, Rose should be better in every component of MMA fighting. Namajunas has some of the best boxing skills among females and her wrestling has always been at a decent level. We have to side with the former champ for our Namajunas vs Cortez predictions and we also expect it to come via decision.
Ponzinibbio vs Salikhov Prediction
Santiago Ponzinibbio, a 37-year-old fighter from Argentina with a record of 29-7-0, is one of the most exciting strikers in the UFC welterweight division. His career began in 2013 when he won The Ultimate Fighter in Brazil. Since then, Ponzinibbio has proven himself to be a dangerous and experienced fighter, despite recent setbacks in the Octagon.
He prefers to work at medium and long range, actively attacking his opponent from different angles. In recent fights, Santiago has not shown the best form, losing three out of four fights. However, his victory over Alex Morono demonstrated that he is still capable of top-level performances.
Muslim Salikhov, a 40-year-old fighter from Russia with a record of 19-5-0, is a master of wushu sanda and kickboxing. His UFC career began in 2017, and despite initial setbacks, he quickly gained momentum, winning five in a row. Salikhov’s recent fights have been unsuccessful, losing two of three fights.
Salikhov is known for his varied striking technique and excellent sense of distance. He prefers to work at medium range, using fast combinations of punches and kicks. Muslim defends well against takedowns and is able to maintain a high tempo of the fight.
The main question is whether Salikhov can cope with Ponzinibbio’s aggression and powerful punches. If Muslim can avoid Santiago’s strikes and impose his own rhythm on the fight, he has every chance of winning. However, Ponzinibbio has a big advantage in endurance and experience, which could be the deciding factor in this fight.
All in all, we have to side with Santiago for our Namajunas vs Cortez predictions.
Blink and you might miss it 👀
Muslim Salikhov aims for another thrilling victory in this weekend's co-main event
Drew Dober, a 35-year-old fighter from the United States with a record of 27-13-0, has long established himself as one of the most durable and aggressive fighters in the UFC. He is known for his unbreakable chin and endless attempts to get a knockout even when it seems that his strength is running out. He has been competing in the UFC since 2014 and has given us many spectacular fights during this time.
Jean Silva, a 27-year-old fighter from Brazil with a record of 13-2-0, is one of the most promising young fighters in his division. He finds inspiration in his aggressive fighting style and always strives for a stoppage victory. He recently scored a knockout victory over Charles Jourdain, which was his second victory in the UFC. It is worth noting that this fight took place just two weeks ago, which makes his appearance against Dober even more impressive.
Dober will use his power and experience to try to finish the fight by knockout. Silva, despite the short notice, will be looking to impose his style and use his speed and punching technique.
Dober has a big advantage in durability and experience at the highest level, which could be the deciding factor in this fight. Combined with the short notice appearance, we have to side with Dober for our Namajunas vs Cortez predictions.
UFC on ESPN 59 Predictions: Top Prelim Picks
Van vs Johnson Prediction
Joshua Van is a young and ambitious fighter from Myanmar with a record of 10-1-0. At 22 years old, Wang has already established himself as a dangerous striker with a powerful punch and excellent takedown defense.
Having started his career in 2021, he won the championship belt in Fury FC, which attracted the attention of the UFC. Joshua is known for his aggressive style, excellent combination work, and ability to control the fight.
Charles Johnson is an experienced fighter from the United States with a record of 15-6-0. At 33 years old, Johnson has excellent speed and stamina, allowing him to keep a high pace throughout a fight. As he trains at Tiger Muay Thai, he demonstrates a good command of both striking and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Taking all factors into account, we have to add a Joshua Van win to our Namajunas vs Cortez predictions. His youth, power, and aggressive style give him the advantage in this fight. Van will likely be able to keep the fight standing and get a knockout.
Santos vs Agapova Prediction
Luana Santos, a 24-year-old Brazilian with a 7-1-0 record, turned pro in 2021. After several successful performances in the LFA, she moved to the UFC, where she alreadt won twice. In her debut, she knocked out Juliana Miller, and then defeated Stephanie Egger by unanimous decision.
Luana is a versatile fighter, skilled both on and off the ground, but prefers to work on the ground.
Mariya Agapova, a 27-year-old Kazakh with a 10-4-0 record, has had a tough time lately. Since her UFC debut, she has suffered three losses in her last four fights, all by stoppages. She last fought in the Octagon in 2022, losing to Gillian Robertson via submission.
Luana Santos looks more balanced and ready to fight both on the feet and on the ground. If she can impose her game, she can dominate and possibly finish the fight early.
Agapova will have to fight for every opportunity and try not to make mistakes. After taking all factors into account, we have to pick the Brazilian for our Namajunas vs Cortez predictions.
Fremd vs Petroski Prediction
Josh Fremd is a 30-year-old fighter from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a record of 11-5-0. He made his UFC debut in 2022 after a successful career in LFA, where he reached a title fight.
A versatile fighter, he prefers to work on his feet, but also has a strong Brazilian jiu-jitsu background. However, he is very susceptible to knockouts, as was the case in his last fight against Roman Kopylov.
Fremd is known for his anthropometry – he is 193 cm tall and has a reach of 193 cm, which gives him a significant advantage over most opponents in this division. However, Josh lacks aggression and persistence, which often leads to a loss of initiative in fights.
Andre Petroski is a 33-year-old fighter from the same state – Pennsylvania, and has a 10-3-0 record. He quickly made a name for himself in the UFC, racking up five straight wins before suffering two knockout losses.
Petroski specializes in wrestling, which is his strongest component, but his cardio leaves much to be desired. His poor stamina and inability to maintain a high pace throughout the fight could work against him, especially if the fight goes three rounds.
Petroski will try to get close to Fremd early on, using his wrestling skills. If Petroski can get the fight to the ground and keep Fremd under control, he could get a TKO or an easy decision win.
Josh Fremd has an advantage in anthropometry and striking technique, which can help him control the fight at a distance. The outcome of this bout depends on who will impose his style more successfuly. We like Petroski’s chances even with his bad cardio and pick him for our Namajunas vs Cortez 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.
