After its biggest event of the year, the Ultimate Fighting Championship returns with one of the best Fight Nights we will ever see. UFC Vegas 63 will have Calvin Kattar face Arnold Allen in a fight that could determine one of the future contenders for the Featherweight title next year. Here are our predictions for the Main Card and Prelims of the event.
Josh Fremd vs Tresean Gore
Josh Fremd Preview
Josh is a 28-year-old American fighter. He started his professional career in 2017. Before moving to the UFC, Fremd played in a string of second-rate promotions. Josh achieved his greatest success in the LFA league, where he reached the title fight in May 2021. He fought against Gregory Rodriguez, a current UFC fighter, whom he lost to by knockout in the 1st round.
In April 2022, Dricus Du Plessis pulled out of his fight against Anthony Hernandez. UFC matchmakers offered Josh to come out on short notice. He accepted and lost by unanimous decision.
Josh prefers to fight on the stand. He is distinguished by impressive knockout power, aggression, and high speed. Fremd crushes the opponent in the standing position and tries to finish him quickly. But Fremd is an inexperienced fighter. He has not performed at a high level yet and it is not known how he will show himself in fights against strong opposition.
Tresean Gore Preview
Tresean's debut took place in February 2022 in a duel against Bryan Battle, whom he lost to by unanimous decision. Gore last fought in July 2022. His opponent was Cody Brundage. Tresean lost by knockout in the 1st round.
Tresean is distinguished by physical power, due to which he can knock out an opponent or take him to the ground and control him there, scoring points and occupying dominant positions.
Gore lacks activity and experience. Worrying about cardio, he gently probes the opponent with a jab and attacks without serious blows. So he gives the opponent the opportunity to interrupt him and take the fight on points.
Fremd vs Gore Prediction
I agree that Josh Fremd is the favorite in this fight. This is a more experienced, smart, and skilled fighter. Tresean, of course, can knock out Fremd at the start of the fight, but in a longer fight, Josh will break his opponent at a distance, and if necessary, he will take space from him, going into the clinch or on the ground.
Dustin Jacoby vs Khalil Rountree Jr.
Dustin Jacoby Preview
Dustin is a 34-year-old American fighter. In August 2020, Jacoby came to Dana White's Contender Series show, where he defeated Ty Flores by unanimous decision and received a contract with the UFC. In total, Jacoby had 7 fights: 6 won, and 1 fight ended in a draw.
Dustin stands out for good combinational work and fast and accurate punches. We have to note the good footwork of the fighter and his rather strong jaw.
Jacoby has mediocre wrestling. I note that in moments Dustin can stagnate in the stance and lower his hands, which makes it easy to hit him.
Khalil Rountree Jr. Preview
Khalil is a 32-year-old American fighter. In 2016, he took part in the 23rd season of TUF, and reached the final, where he lost to Andrew Sanchez by a unanimous decision. Despite losing the show, Rowntree received a contract with the UFC. Khalil had his last fight in March 2021. His opponent was Karl Roberson. Rowntree won by knockout in the 2nd round.
Khalil prefers to fight in a standing position. He has impressive knockout power and is able to finish an opponent with one punch.
Khalil's first problem is cardio. The fighter gets tired very quickly. In the middle of the 2nd round, he starts to give up and gives up the initiative. Rowntree's second problem is the ground game. He easily allows himself to be translated and controlled in the clinch near the net too.
Jacoby vs Rountree Jr. Prediction
There is a high probability that the duel between the two strikers will not reach a decision. The outcome of this fight will depend on Khalil Rountree. If he again demonstrates aggressive pressure at the start of the fight, he will be able to demolish the undefeated Jacoby in the UFC. A couple of accurate hits are enough for him to knock out an opponent.
On the other hand, if Rowntree swings at the start of the fight and doesn't knock Dustin out, he will quickly get tired and become an easy target for Jacoby. Dustin in the last fight showed that he has a powerful blow, tightly knocking out an unbroken Korean. I think it will not be difficult for him to finish a tired fighter who has been knocked out 2 times in the last 6 fights.
Roman Dolidze vs Phil Hawes
Roman Dolidze Preview
Roman is a 34-year-old fighter from Ukraine. He came to the UFC in 2020 as an undefeated fighter with the status of the champion of the Ukrainian WWFC promotion. In the UFC, Roman began to compete in light heavyweight, where he had 2 fights and won 2 victories.
Roman is a universal fighter. In the standing position, he throws a large number of punches, tries to work on different levels, and has knockout power. On the ground, Roman demonstrates tenacious control. He seeks to take a dominant position to submit or hammer an opponent in the ground and pound. But Roman sometimes has drawdowns in cardio and closer to the 3rd round he gets seriously tired.
Phil Hawes Preview
Phil is a 33-year-old American fighter. He made his UFC debut in October 2020 against Jacob Malkoun, whom he knocked out in 18 seconds. In February 2021, Phil defeated Nassurdin Imavov by a majority of judges' votes, and 3 months later he won on points over Kyle Daukaus.
Phil received his only defeat in the UFC in November 2021, when he was knocked out by Chris Barnett in the 1st round. Howes last fought in June 2022. His opponent was Deron Winn. Phil won by TKO in the 2nd round.
Phil is a versatile fighter with a wrestling base. He works well on his feet, where he throws powerful punches. Due to his physical strength, Hawes controls his opponents well on the ground and in the clinch, due to which he scores points.
The duel with Nassurdin Imavov showed that Hawes has problems with cardio. The fighter is seriously tired after the equator of the fight and loses concentration. In a duel with Imavov, this almost led to Phil being knocked out.
Dolidze vs Hawes Prediction
In my opinion, Roman Dolidze has more in his skill set that will help him win. It is due to tenacious and passive control that he will be able not only to wear down the opponent but also to score points on the judges' cards. Hawes' gas tank is less capacious than Roman's, so I expect the American to get tired closer to the middle of the fight, Dolidze will seize the initiative and finish the fight, dominating the opponent.
Andrei Arlovski vs Marcos Rogerio de Lima
Everyone's eyes will be focused on the main event of UFC Fight Night 213 but in this fight, we have one of the legends of MMA and the Ultimate Fighting Championship – Andrei Arlovski.
Andrei Arlovski Preview
Andrei is a 43-year-old fighter from the USA. His debut in the UFC took place in November 2000 and years later, he became the heavyweight champion.
Arlovski prefers to work in the rack. He relies on counterattacks, keeps his distance, and hits his opponent with hard punches. He works well on different levels, pulling opponents apart, and has good endurance for his age.
Arlovski is a martial arts veteran. He went through tough fights in the octagon and it took a toll on his health. He does not withstand serious hits, and his slowness does not allow him to respond to opponents' attacks in time.
Marcos Rogerio de Lima Preview
Marcos is a 37-year-old fighter from Brazil. In 2014, Marcos took part in the 3rd Brazilian season of TUF, where he impressed management and received a contract with the UFC. His debut took place in May of the same year in a duel against Richardson Moreira, whom he knocked out in 20 seconds.
In total, De Lima had 14 fights in the UFC: 8 won, 6 lost. Marcos quickly defeated outright sacks, but at the slightest increase in the level of opposition, he always lost.
Marcos last fought in May 2022. His opponent was Blagoy Ivanov. De Lima lost by unanimous decision.
Marcos is a kickboxer. Thanks to the basic style, the Brazilian works great on different levels and has a wide arsenal of tricks. De Lima is distinguished by knockout power, 13 of 19 victories he won by knockouts.
Even though Marcos perfects his wrestling, it is too late for him to be able to match BJJ specialists. So, he allowed himself to be swept and submitted by Stefan Struve, who by 2019 had lost his skills in conducting submissions, despite having a brown belt in BJJ.
Arlovski vs Lima Prediction
I think that Andrei can deal with Marcos Rogerio de Lima. He approaches every fight tactically, doesn't get into dangerous exchanges and shoots his opponents from a distance.
The Brazilian, on the contrary, seeks to get into close range, from where he can inflict powerful punches. So he tries to demolish the opponent. But Arlovski is different in that he avoids hacks. Due to his superiority in anthropometry, he will keep the distance, stopping the opponent with deuces and single kicks to the body. So he will score points in the usual manner and win a pragmatic victory by the decision of the judges.