The Bloody Elbow staff has submitted its predictions for UFC 203, and would you believe that Alistair Oveeem has been given the slight edge over Stipe Miocic in the main event? Probably, it is a really tough fight to call, but yes, a rare instance in which the challenger is the one who has been backed by the majority of the staff to become a new UFC champion.

Only two people (Eddie Mercado and Tim Bissell) think Travis Browne wins his rematch vs. Fabricio Werdum. Victor Rodriguez and Fraser Coffeen have CM Punk beating Mickey Gall. They’ll either be geniuses or face eternal mocking from everyone else.

Note: Predictions are entered throughout the week and collected the day before the event. Explanations behind each pick are not required and some writers opt not to do so for their own reasons. For example, if Victor Rodriguez entered all of his predictions on Monday without adding in any explanations, he has no idea if he’s going to be the only one siding with one fighter for any given fight.

Stipe Miocic vs. Alistair Overeem

Anton Tabuena: While Miocic is the better wrestler, I’m not sure if his pressure/cagework will be as successful against someone like Overeem who is so dangerous in the clinch. I also believe that while the first big punch can (will?) turn the tide, Overeem is the better overall striker here. Miocic could probably do well if he can box, avoid the early shots in the clinch, and go for takedowns to mix things up and open up Overeem’s defense. Stylistically though, I think this is a tough matchup for him. It can go either way, but I think Overeem is more likely to come out with the UFC belt (and add it to his already impressive collection). Alistair Overeem by TKO.

Mookie Alexander: Wow, I’m a tad surprised at the number of Overeem picks. I suppose it isn’t that surprising given this is a genuinely compelling fight and no one seems to want to successfully defend the heavyweight title even more than once. I’m really torn here. The Uberknees, kicking game, and body attacks of Overeem could break down Miocic’s durability pretty quickly. Miocic has great boxing on the counter and has developed into a consistent finisher. It’s up to Miocic to control the pace of this fight, and the longer it wears on, the more you have to go with the champion to defend his title. Also, Overeem has been great, but his reputation has being a little on the fragile side in terms of getting hit flush is well deserved and didn’t erase itself during the winning streak. If Overeem wins, it’ll be early, otherwise, Miocic takes this. Stipe Miocic via TKO, round 3.

Victor Rodriguez: This is a bit complicated. While Overeem has hit a nice little stride here, he continues to hunt that one single KO killshot to win fights. On the other hand, Miocic has great combinations and timing, plus he’s probably the most dynamic all-around athlete in the heavyweight division. Overeem’s defense has gotten better, but I still can’t trust it. Sure, dos Santos is probably the still the one of the best boxers in his division (if not the best), and Overeem fought extra smart against him as well as against Arlovski – another feared striker that has good boxing offense. To replicate that aspect of those performances in this bout will be interesting, but mixing the boxing with wrestling and excellent cardio, I have to go with Miocic here. I don’t see Overeem doing well with the speed and Miocic pushing the pace and controlling the range as well as where the fight takes place. Stipe Miocic by KO/TKO.

Eddie Mercado: You know what I kneed? I kneed to see Alistair Overeem win the UFC heavyweight title. Questionable chin/gas tank aside, the devastating knees of Overeem will be the great equalizer. Stipe Miocic has not faced an opponent who was willing, or sometimes able, to utilize knee strikes since Stefan Struve back in September of 2012. And new! Alistair Overeem by TKO (Knees) Rd. 1.

Dayne Fox: I hate picking heavyweight title fights. I’m not going to try and break this down because both hit hard and can certainly put the other one down. My reason for picking Overeem? It’s the Year of Title Changes. That’s about as scientific as I’m getting. Overeem via KO RD2

Zane Simon: The Overeem that fought Andrei Arlovski looked slower. He was still doing his very smart stick and move thing that he’s put together over the last couple years, but he was doing it with less speed and efficiency than before. The fact that he was fighting Andrei Arlovski, who himself has to be cautious about pace (and getting KO’d) meant that it didn’t really matter that Overeem didn’t look amazing. I think it matters here. Stipe (unlike a lot of heavyweights) actually does a very good job returning fire at opponents as they try and drop in on him. It’s what got him the win over Werdum. And unlike Arlovski, Stipe has never showed any real durability problems (aside from a funky KO loss to Struve). Against Roy Nelson, playing his new, safety-first style, Overeem still almost got lit up a few times. Against someone faster who can maintain his output better, I just don’t see Overeem lasting. Stipe Miocic via KO, Round 2.

Staff picking Miocic: Victor, Mookie, Stephie, Zane, Tim
Staff picking Overeem: Nick, Eddie, Phil, Dayne, Anton, Coffeen, Bissell

Fabricio Werdum vs. Travis Browne

Anton Tabuena: They’re heavyweights, so anything can happen, but Werdum has already shown how far they are skillwise, even when playing to Browne’s strengths. Unless he gets careless or runs into punches again, this should be a similar bout. Fabricio Werdum by TKO.

Mookie Alexander: Yeah, short of Browne winning this early because heavyweights are weird that way (and Browne certainly has some big KOs on his record), there’s nothing to suggest the rematch is any better for Browne than the first fight was. The only difference is the beating will only last up to 15 minutes instead of 25. Fabricio Werdum by submission, round 2.

Victor: Remember the last time these two fought? Browne hit the early blitz and Werdum went on to put on a dazzling clinic en route to a decision where despite spurts of offense, Travis ended up looking tired and shot.

Eddie: I remember the first time these guys fought. Browne hurt Werdum early but couldn’t put the Brazilian away leaving Hapa petered out for the rest of the bout. Somehow, Browne managed to last the entire 25 minutes. Now I’m not sure if that’s a testament to the toughness of Browne or if it says something about Werdum not being able to finish a gassed Hapa? If Werdum couldn’t finish in 5 then I can’t see him finishing in 3… Especially after the chin check he recieved from Stipe. I expect a respectful and cautious Werdum on the feet and do not see this ending in his favor. Travis Browne by KO, Rd. 1.

Dayne: Werdum responded really well the last time he was embarrassed in the cage. Anyone remember his last loss before falling to Miocic? In Strikeforce as he fell to his back time and again inviting Overeem into his guard. He revamped a lot of things and it took him to the pinnacle as UFC heavyweight champion. I think he got complacent wearing the gold and losing it should give him his edge back. Plus, do you really think a Travis Browne coached by Edmund Tarverdyan is going to take out an elite fighter? Werdum via decision

Zane Simon: Browne could obviously win this. He hits stupid hard, he’s huge, and he has fast hands and reasonably fast feet. But moment to moment he’s all over the place technically. There’s no real rhyme or reason to what he does or when he does it. It’s the kind of style that can surprise a lot of people but isn’t actually great for winning fights over the run of a round.Fabricio Werdum by decision.

Staff picking Werdum: Nick, Victor, Phil, Dayne, Anton, Mookie, Stephie, Fraser, Zane, Tim
Staff picking Browne: Eddie, Bissell

Mickey Gall vs. CM Punk

Anton Tabuena: He seems to have shown a lot of improvements since the early footage from his entry in Roufusport, but I’m not sure if that will be enough. Gall is much younger, faster, and way more experienced. He is also a BJJ brown belt who showed promise even against top grapplers. Not only is Punk having his very first fight ever, he is also having his very first weight cut. All the odds seem stacked against him, and I guess this is why I am really rooting for CM Punk to land something big on the feet. I doubt it happens though. Mickey Gall by Submission.

Mookie Alexander: CM Punk isn’t going to win and there is quite frankly no need to dive deep into any sort of analysis. Mickey Gall by whatever he wants, in no longer than 2.5 minutes.

Victor: Yeah, I’m the guy that wrote that thing. It seems that more than anything, the ramifications of the bout appear to be more interesting than the fight itself, seeing as there isn’t as much buzz as the UFC may have anticipated for a Brooks fight when he was first brought on board. Putting that aside, we’ve seen Brooks’ progression via the documentary series and saw the open workouts where he still looks clunky and stiff. Besides, Gall has actual experience with 3-0 as an amateur and 2-0 as a pro. Punk has a stiff European uppercut and specializes in ladder matches. You know what? Fuck it – I’m going with Team Chaos and picking Punk. Gall could be coming into this a bit too confident and get dropped by those hands. Yes, Gall looked great holding his own against eventual dark horse EBI tournament winner Gordon Goddamn Ryan. I don’t care. Let’s just hope Punk walks in to Cult of Personality to really spoil the party for the haters. Phil Brooks by TKO.

Eddie: So, I suppose it’s time for this to go down. I think CM Punk and Mickey Gall are getting an opportunity that a lot of people could only dream of. Are they deserving? Mickey Gall isn’t exactly sure and neither am I. I really hope CM Punk brings something of value to the ocatagon aside from eyeballs, whether it be in heart, skill, or hopefully both. I pray this isn’t Randy Couture vs. James Toney II and that somehow this match will morph into a competitive display of grit and determination that the crowd can get behind. If Forrest were here, Gump not Griffin, he would say that this fight is like a box of chocolates. Mickey Gall by Disqualification due to CM Punk using a steel chair 🙂

Phil Mackenzie: The tired, laconic, sad-looking guy is finally going to fight. There will be lots of digital ink spilled whatever happens; about hubris, or ordinary men compared to fighters, or bravery, or maybe even defying the odds. Whatever the outcome it’ll generate… stuff. Brooks looks very much like someone who got into the sport to test himself, but couldn’t bring himself to turn down the opportunity to make lots of money doing it. So no pro-wrestling firebrand for you, UFC. Instead, a guy who looks like a roadie, doing nothing so much as exuding a steady hum of guilty hangdog defiance. Mickey Gall looks like he has good instincts and at least baseline UFC-level athleticism. Mickey Gall by submission, round 1.

Fraser Coffeen: OK, look, I get that Gall is the obvious pick. I get that it’s Punk’s first fight, that he looks tired, that his early training footage was dicey to say the least, that he has a history of injuries, etc, etc, etc. But I also have followed the career of CM Punk for a long time (it’s pretty much required of anyone who lives in Chicago and has a passing interest in/knowledge of pro wrestling). And this is a guy with an insane work ethic and an insane will to succeed. He’s not very physically gifted, he wasn’t formally trained at first, yet he made it to the absolute pinnacle in pro wrestling. He simply would not do this if he did not think he was going to win. Now, thinking you’re going to win and WINNING are two different things, as Diego Sanchez’s face can attest after it met BJ Penn. So everyone’s right – Gall probably wins. But I’m going for it. CM Punk, TKO, round 1

Zane Simon: I’m prepared to be totally astonished if Punk wins this. Mickey Gall via sub, round 1.

Staff picking Gall: Nick, Mookie, Eddie, Phil, Dayne, Anton, Stephie, Bissell, Zane, Tim
Staff picking Punk: Victor, Fraser

Urijah Faber vs. Jimmie Rivera

Anton Tabuena: Rivera seems promising, but this is a massive step up for him and I’m not picking someone yet to prove himself against this level of competition. At 37, Faber is probably close to the end of his career, but I’m still very surprised that people have him as an underdog. In the past 6 years, Faber beat everyone except for champions in Cruz, Edgar and Barao. I’m not sure if Rivera is on those guys’ level just yet. He may have problems standing up, but I think Faber will once again find an opportunity to scramble, and that’s where he’s going to seal the deal. Urijah Faber by Submission.

Mookie Alexander: There’s going to come a point in time when Faber doesn’t beat the non-champions. We arguably should’ve seen it vs. Francisco Rivera before the eye poke, andFrankie Saenz really gave Faber everything he could handle. In steps Jimmie Rivera, who is only 27, has great takedown defense, sharp hands and real tight and technical boxing, and looks like a bad stylistic matchup for 2016 Faber. Urijah’s veteran savvy (has cliched as that is) combined with his ability to still win scrambles on the ground could get him to victory once again, but I think Father Time has finally caught up and I see Jimmie as a new contender at 135.Jimmie Rivera by unanimous decision.

Eddie: I have always been a fan of Faber and appreciate the elite talent that he has brought to the table. His hyper-athleticism, scrappy grappling, and serviceable striking has kept the California Kid right at the top of the bantamweight division for half of a decade. In recent memory, we have seen Faber go from Renan Barao to Alex Caceres and from Frankie Edgar to Frankie Saenz. Repeating the pattern, Urijah Faber will be dipping outside of the top 10 following a loss to face a lesser known but highly dangerous Jimmie Rivera. Rivera is on a hot streak and possesses the sort of firepower that could likely achieve a finish if the California Kid shows any signs of slowing down. Will this fight spell the beginning of the end for Faber? I hope not because of my fandom for Faber, but Rivera will be a guy who gets through that gate.Jimmie Rivera by KO, Rd. 1.

Phil Mackenzie: Faber’s ability to win consistently still genuinely surprises me. Not because I expect him to fall off, but just because he somehow makes such good use of a fundamentally limited game. A big right hand which mostly just serves as the setup for the clinch, decent but not overwhelming offensive wrestling, and genuinely great scrambling ability. Fearlessness, moxie, and killer instinct have carried this skillset a very long way. Rivera is a tough matchup- a barrel-chested guy with rock solid takedown defense, but also a quicker, more technical and more diverse striker. If someone is fast enough and consistent enough to stifle Faber’s one route in, he gets awful limited awful fast. Jimmie Rivera by unanimous decision.

Fraser Coffeen: Faber’s loss to Edgar makes the simple “title fight = loss; non-title = win” metric a bit harder to use. But I still think he’s a ways away from losing to this tier. Urijah Faber, sub R3

Zane Simon: I really have my doubts that this was a great fight for Faber to take. A sort of no-name-value/all-danger-value matchup. Faber tends to excel when he can push a slight skill advantage into a huge one. If he’s a slightly better wrestler than his opponent, he’ll wrestle them all fight. If he’s a slightly better striker than his opponent, he’ll out-strike them every round. With Rivera, I’m not sure he’s boldly either. And the other side of turning a slight advantage into a big advantage is that Faber tends to turn slight disadvantages into big disadvantages. If he can’t outstrike an opponent, he’ll get badly outstruck, if he can’t out-wrestle an opponent, he’ll get firmly out-wrestled. This is the kind of dynamic that has led to incredibly definitive title losses, and a lot of non-title wins. But Rivera’s takedown defense is solid to the point that Faber may have to strike with him, and Rivera hits hard, may have faster hands, and can’t be pushed out of his game. Jimmie Rivera via decision.

Staff picking Faber: Nick, Anton, Bissell, Fraser, Tim
Staff picking Rivera: Eddie, Phil, Dayne, Mookie, Stephie, Zane

Jessica Andrade vs. Joanne Calderwood

Mookie Alexander: Damn right I’m hedging my bets. Picked Andrade on Three Amigos Podcast but I’m picking Calderwood here. There’s every reason to believe Andrade can just bully and blitz her way into a quick stoppage against Calderwood, who at times is prone to slow starts, but Calderwood is the most polished striker Andrade has dealt with. Calderwood makes great use of her kicks and has a considerable height and reach advantage. This is a fascinating fight that may see multiple knockdowns, but I’m juuuuuuust leaning towards Calderwood to win in rounds 2 and 3. Joanne Calderwood by unanimous decision.

Victor: This is a tough one, because Jojo is just so good and capable of frightening violence when she’s focused. Here she faces a hard-nosed former bantamweight that takes a lot of damage and hits pretty hard. Andrade can be sneaky with her takedowns and is very aggressive in her overall game. Still, Calderwood’s striking and timing can easily fluster Andrade. Calderwood’s range and ability to mix up her striking levels are a surefire way to deal with on opponent like this, as long as she doesn’t spend too much time pinned against the cage. Joanne Calderwood by decision.

Phil Mackenzie: The best fight on the card for pure, near-guaranteed action. The heavyweights could get sloppy, Rivera could strand Faber on the outside, but it’s difficult to see this one having a boring moment. I have a confession though: I’ve never really seen the Jojo hype. I thought most of her regional wins were fun but not evidence of anything but a solid clinch game, that she was an average athlete and a terribly slow starter who heavily relied on her opponents being inexperienced or out of fight shape. I was wrong. One of the most impressive things about her fight against Letourneau wasn’t that she actually won the first round(!) it was the steady diet of front kicks and teeps she fed the bigger fighter. Andrade is a near-pure swarmer, so it will be essential from Calderwood that she can hit those kicks on the outside and the clinch on the inside. Calderwood’s slow starting and lesser physical talent means there is a very strong chance she just gets murderthumped or that Andrade builds an unassailable lead, but Joanne Calderwood by unanimous decision.

Zane Simon: I’ve believed for a little while now that Joanne Calderwood will hit and athletic barrier that will (at least largely) keep her out of title contention. I thought Letourneau may have been that barrier, and she might have been were it not for some ill fitting sports equipment. However, I’m more sold on Andrade being that barrier, just because she’s a bully in a way that really sets up to exploit Calderwood’s lack of athleticism in a way that Letourneau wasn’t. While Letourneau was happy to trade kickboxing exchanges from distance with a more creative striker who was more willing to change up her approach, Andrade is going to look at Calderwood’s willingness to throw and willingness to get hit as unlimited opportunity. Maybe she gasses out and maybe Calderwood is old-boot tough enough to weather a storm and rally hard. But I’ll pick Andrade to overwhelm her for the early TKO. Jessica Andrade via TKO, round 1.

Staff picking Andrade: Nick, Fraser, Zane
Staff picking Calderwood: Victor, Dayne, Anton, Phil, Mookie, Stephie, Bissell, Tim

Bethe Correia vs. Jessica Eye

Mookie Alexander: It’s entirely possible that Eye seeing a sports psychologist will truly benefit her, because otherwise she doesn’t fight with a consistently good strategy for me to trust her to win damn near any fight against a ranked opponent. I think Correia wins this in the clinch in a bit of an ugly fight. Bethe Correia by split decision.

Victor: Guh. Bethe looked better in her last bout, and her work at AKA is paying off (provided she’s still spending a substantial amount of time there). Not just that, but this fight should be more of an indication of her true potential since mixing her her training. Problem is, she’s facing a much more technical and experienced boxer in Jessica Eye. Granted, wrestling has been the biggest weakness in Eye’s game, but Correia isn’t going to hunt for takedowns, so her best hope is eating a shot or two coming in and dominating in the clinch. Even so, Eye can easily turn that around, create distance and continue to establish her range. I want to see Correia do better (even though I’m still a bit irked by her shenanigans at the weigh-ins against Kedzie), but this isn’t a favorable bout at all. Jessica Eye by decision.

Phil Mackenzie: If Eye wins this one, it’s because she showed up, which she hasn’t been doing lately. The new sports psychologist she’s started seeing may be the missing ingredient, and she’s shown that she can beat up aggressive brawlers by asploding Leslie Smith’s ear, but I’m still going to pick Correia. As much as people might dislike her, she just plain deserves to win this. Eye is a gifted fighter who has consistently underperformed, whereas Correia is deeply physically underwhelming, but has gotten consistently better through sheer force of will. I respect her borderline-delusional levels of self confidence a lot. She deserves to win this. Admit it. Bethe Correia by unanimous decision.

Zane Simon: I can’t see picking Jessica Eye against any reasonably well trained fighter with a consistent approach to fighting. Correia may be nobody’s idea of an athletic marvel, but she works hard, she’s improving her skills, and she has a solid approach to winning rounds. Eye could just out-athlete her, but she hasn’t done that to anyone in a while. Bethe Correia via decision.

Staff picking Correia: Phil, Mookie, Stephie, Fraser, Zane
Staff picking Eye: Nick, Victor, Dayne, Anton, Bissell, Tim

Nik Lentz vs. Michael McBride

Victor: Fun fact: McBride is 8-1 and all of his wins have come by submission. Here’s another fact, Lentz isn’t slowing down that much, and has great wrestling plus a crazy submission defense game. Experience and suffocating top grappling win out here. Nik Lentz by decision.

Phil Mackenzie: It has taken top-shelf MMA grapplers to beat Nik Lentz in that phase, namely Oliveira, Dunham and Mendes. Even then it was never easy. Lentz is aggressive enough that he can still get himself into trouble because he’s constantly trying to convert everything into offense, so this isn’t a stylistic layup, but it’s still a fight in Lentz’ core competency. Nik Lentz by unanimous decision.

Zane Simon: I’m a big fan of Lentz’s cage work and think he gets way too much hate, considering how hard he seems to work at finding ways to beat opponents up. He’s not a finisher, but he is the kind of grinder who never stops working a guy over if he doesn’t have to. Give him an uninspiring wrestle-grappler like McBride and that just seems like it should be license to show off. Nik Lentz via decision.

Staff picking Lentz: Nick, Victor, Phil, Eddie, Dayne, Anton, Mookie, Stephie, Bissell, Fraser, Zane, Tim
Staff picking McBride:

Caio Magalhaes vs. Brad Tavares

Mookie Alexander: Well this is definitely a middleweight fight. Magalhaes has power, Tavares might be the least powerful striker in the division. I guess he wins on volume alone. Maybe?Brad Tavares by unanimous decision.

Phil Mackenzie: I really, really struggled over this one. Went back and forth. One way, then the other, tussling with the only question which really matters here: “Is Magalhaes a BJJ Guy With a Suspect Gas Tank?” I’m going to say… not quite. He doesn’t go for takedowns as much since, like, the Ring fight. But on second thoughts… maybe he is though? His gas tank is certainly pretty suspect, that’s for damn sure. I give up. Brad Tavares by unanimous decision.

Zane Simon: For one shining moment, Brad Tavares fought like he was a real top 10 middleweight. It was his Lorenz Larkin fight, and he put the screws to Larkin like he’s never done to anyone before or since. Otherwise, Tavares has a terrible habit of coasting through rounds and giving opponents every opportunity to chase him down and hurt him if they’re willing to. Given that Magalhaes is unchecked pathological aggression in the form of a human gargoyle, I’m betting against Tavares staying safe for three rounds. Caio Magalhaes via Submission, round 2.

Staff picking Magalhaes: Bissell, Zane
Staff picking Tavares: Nick, Phil, Eddie, Dayne, Anton, Mookie, Stephie, Fraser, Tim

Yancy Medeiros vs. Sean Spencer

Phil Mackenzie: Medeiros has been a bit of a puzzler. Clearly talented, makes fight-to-fight improvements, but never quite getting over the hump. Spencer is very much a low-power but technical kickboxer who lives off the jab. I’m going to pick Medeiros- more dynamic, and he showed he could play against a good jab with Makdessi (yes he didn’t actually deserve to win that fight but shhh). He might be an example of the golden rule of Cheater Arms Good / Being Tall Bad, in that he never really learned to use his height at lightweight. If you think of him getting hit, it’s always someone getting underneath and crushing him with an overhand as he stands bolt upright, as per Poirier and Trinaldo. I think some more height parity and a bit less speed to contend with might do wonders, but this is a very tough pick. Yancy Medeiros by unanimous decision.

Eddie: I dig Yancy’s moxie. His tenacity will put him in a crazy scramble where he will locate a funky submission. Yancy Medeiros by Submission (High Elbow Guillotine), Rd. 1.

Zane Simon: Hopefully welterweight gives Medeiros a bit more gas to be a bit more consistent, because at lightweight he was basically Travis Browne. A weird grab bag of striking tricks that would be flashy one moment and then just a punch bag the next. Spencer could win as a high volume striker who has slowly looked to add power to his game, but I don’t know that his power additions haven’t lead to gas tank subtraction or that he actually has the chin or athleticism to really plant his feet and exchange with guys. Yancy Medeiros via Split Decision.

Staff picking Medeiros: Nick, Phil, Eddie, Anton, Mookie, Stephie, Bissell, Fraser, Zane, Tim
Staff picking Spencer: Dayne

C.B. Dollaway vs. Francimar Barroso

Phil Mackenzie: Barroso is less of the pure clinch grinder that he once was and has a added in sloppy but fairly powerful kickboxing. He’s improved from being a first-ballot contender for “most boring modern MMA fighter” into someone who is merely very very boring. Dollawayhas never been the most durable fighter, but he should have enough of a speed advantage that he can land his left hook and overhand, and he still hits pretty hard. Clarence Byron by TKO, round 1.

Zane Simon: CB really should win this. He really really should. But moving up in weight + not being durable is a great way to lose fights you really should win. I’m picking Dollaway, but not with any of the certainty I feel I should have. CB Dollaway via decision.

Staff picking Dollaway: Nick, Phil, Eddie, Dayne, Anton, Mookie, Stephie, Bissell, Fraser, Zane
Staff picking Barroso: Tim

Drew Dober vs. Jason Gonzalez

Phil Mackenzie: Dober is a representative of what I think of as being the Elevation Team’s core strengths and weaknesses. He’s a decent, high-pace kickboxer if not an overwhelming one, with an underrated takedown game in his back pocket. This said, fighters at the gym have a consistent tendency to throw themselves into grappling engagements which get them in trouble (Zingano-Pena with the disastrously over-ambitious crucifix(?), Sims-Trujillo guillotine are the more recent ones I can think of) but against someone without much in the way of a counter-submission or sweep and guard game, his takedowns should be a useful rhythm breaker against the bigger but less experienced fighter. Drew Dober by unanimous decision.

Zane Simon: Read what Phil said about throwing yourself into trouble? That. Gonzalez is way bigger than Dober and can match him for pace on the feet. I think that could force Dober into some sloppy takedowns and into a fairly aggressive guard game from Gonzalez. Against bigger/better fighters Gonzalez’s grappling could be a real hangup for him, but here I think it gets him the win, especially when coupled with the fact that he seems more likely to KO Dober standing than Dober is to KO him. Jason Gonzalez via Submission, Round 2.

Staff picking Dober: Nick, Phil, Eddie, Dayne, Anton, Mookie, Stephie, Fraser, Tim
Staff picking Gonzalez: Bissell, Zane