UFC Predictions: UFC Vegas 32: Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw predictions

#2. UFC Vegas 32: The Main Card

Prospect Kyler Phillips highlights UFC Vegas 32's main card

In a UFC bantamweight fight, Kyler Phillips faces Raulian Paiva. Both of these men have been on solid winning runs. With 20 wins to his name, Paiva is clearly the more experienced fighter. In fact, he’s got more wins than Phillips has fights.

However, he doesn’t have any win to match Phillips’ last one over Song Yadong. That fight saw ‘The Matrix’ unleash a tremendous striking game that threw the Chinese star off entirely, leading to a decision win for Phillips. If Paiva can get Phillips down then he could have some success. However, it feels more likely that ‘The Matrix’ will pick him apart for another decision win.

At featherweight, Darren Elkins takes on Darrick Minner. A clash of two experienced, workmanlike fighters, this one could probably go either way. Despite a lengthy 26-11 record, Minner simply hasn’t fought the kind of competition that Elkins has.

Elkins is clearly on the downswing of his career now – his loss to Nate Landwehr was probably the worst display of his UFC career – but against a fellow grappler like Minner, he should have enough to grind out a decision.

In a flyweight bout, two hot prospects meet as Miranda Maverick takes on Maycee Barber. Quite why the UFC hasn’t kept these two apart is anyone’s guess, but here we are. Of the two, Maverick has been on better form – winning both of her UFC fights impressively, while Barber hasn’t quite looked the same since her serious knee injury against Roxanne Modafferi.

Barber can win this fight if she keeps things standing and unleashes her hands, as she’s got some serious power and is solid from a technical standpoint too. But if the fight leaves the first round, then ‘The Future’ may be in trouble. Overall this could go either way, but Maverick by decision is the pick.

Finally, Mickey Gall faces Jordan Williams in a welterweight bout. Gall hasn’t quite reached the potential he showed in his early UFC days, but it’s probably fair to say that he’s only lost to higher level fighters, too. Williams looks like a fairer opponent for him and, based on what he’s shown in the UFC, Gall may be able to outgrapple him. Therefore, Gall by submission is the pick.

---

#1. UFC Vegas 32: The Prelims

Picks in bold

UFC middleweight division: Punahele Soriano vs. Brendan Allen

UFC heavyweight division: Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Chris Daukaus

UFC middleweight division: Nassourdine Imavov vs. Ian Heinisch

UFC bantamweight division: Randy Costa vs. Adrian Yanez

UFC bantamweight division: Julio Arce vs. Andre Ewell

UFC flyweight division: Sijara Eubanks vs. Elise Reed

UFC strawweight division: Diana Belbita vs. Hannah Goldy