SMUGGLING DUDS UFC 262 GAMBLING GUIDE

We don’t like to brag but we’ve been doing pretty darn well lately with our UFC fight picks! A lot of winners and few methods nailed in recent weeks, let’s keep it going with what we hope is another successful gambling guide with a super intriguing main event!

Main Card (BT Sport)
Charles Oliveira Vs Michael Chandler (Lightweight)
First and foremost let us make it very clear we are big fans of Charles Oliveira and are super hyped to see the UFC veteran not only headlining this event, but finally challenging for the vacant UFC lightweight title. ‘Do Bronx’ comes into this one on an 8-fight winning streak and has improved in every single fight. The Brazilian has paid his dues and if he is ever going to win a title, it is now. The only problem is, he’s up against ‘Iron’ Mike Chandler who steam rolled into the UFC at the start of 2021, smoking Dan Hooker, who is as tough as they come, out of the Octagon just a few minutes in the first round. Hardcore MMA fans would have liked to have seen Oliveira matched against the likes of Conor McGregor, and let him have a taste of the fame and PPV revenue a fight with McGregor brings but that ship seems to have sailed and he’s almost at the finish line regardless. Many have doubted Oliveira’s chances in a lot of his previous bouts but time and time again he’s ended up with his hand raised. He’s up against a man on a mission here though, a super freak of an athlete desperate to prove what the UFC have been missing. We can’t wait for this one but at the same time can’t see any other outcome.
WINNER: Chandler
METHOD: KO/TKO

Tony Ferguson Vs Beneil Dariush (Lightweight)
There comes a time in a fighter’s career where they were once an untouchable enigma, an athlete who seemed to be not of this earth. Then one day they get beaten so badly the shattering sound of this illusion can be heard across the world. We truly believe this what happened when Ferguson lost to Justin Gaithje at UFC 249. It’s a tale as old as time in the UFC and ‘El Cucuy’ finds himself at a point in his career where he needs a win but we just can’t see it happening. Not just defeats but injuries have meant he isn’t as wild or eccentric (in or out of the ring) which is what made him different, and so good! He’s up against again in Beneil Darisuh, who although may not have the star potential as his opponent, at 32 years of age has really found his rhythm in the lightweight division.
WINNER: Dariush
METHOD: Decision

Katlyn Chookagian Vs Viviane Araujo (Women’s Flyweight)
Most of the time these female flyweight bouts are expected to go the distance and there will be change here. Chookagian often gets overlooked, she may not be pushing for a title challenge anytime soon but she’s not as bad as some people think. We don’t agree that Araujo is the favourite either because she also lost to Jessica Eye! Definitely going the distance and definitely a split decision.
WINNER: Chookagian
METHOD: Decision

Shane Burgos Vs Edson Barboza (Featherweight)
Shane Burgos has one of the best chins in the featherweight division, but depending on Barboza’s game plane, it could be his legs that get tested. A real fight of the night contender that could see both having spells of attacking. Burgos has a glint in his eye that tells he wants to take home a bonus.
WINNER: Burgos
METHOD: KO/TKO

Preliminary Card (BT Sport )
Ronaldo Souza Vs Andre Muniz (Middleweight)
Everyman on the planet will be expecting Souza to lose this one and for the curtain to come down on an entertaining UFC career but you know what…IN JACARE WE TRUST! An MMA legend can’t go out from strikes to an opponent from the bottom, there’s got to be life in the old alligator.
WINNER: Souza
METHOD: Submission

Matt Schnell Vs Rogerio Bontorin (Bantamweight)
Originally lined up tofightAlex Perez, but due to undisclosed reasons the former MTV reality star finds himself matched up in what could be argued an easier bout against Rogerio Bontorin. We feel like Schnell should be more of a household name by now, another win can only help.
WINNER: Schnell
METHOD: Submission

Andrea Lee Vs Antonia Shevchenko (Women’s Flyweight)
When your little sister just happens to be one of the best fighters on the planet, expectations must be a lot tougher for Antonia Shevchenko. A product of The Ultimate Fighter, Antonia’s career hasn’t been as dominant as her siblings and it could be argued some of her performances have been below par. She’ll enter this one the favourite after stopping Ariane Lipski in her previous outing but we think Lee will be underestimated, and despite losing her last three fights, ‘KGB’ might just scrape a split decision.
WINNER: Lee
METHOD: Decision

Early Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Lando Vannata Vs Mike Grundy (Featherweight)
Both fighters could flip the script and keep this one standing but the chances of that happening are very unlikely. Vannata and Grundy aren’t shy of going the distance and letting the judges decide the outcome and we believe Grundy achieves more top control than his opponent and grinds out a decision to get back
WINNER: Grundy
METHOD: Decision

Jordan Wright Vs Jamie Pickett (Middleweight)
The ‘Night Wolf’ takes on the ‘Beverly Hills Ninja’ in what could be a rather interesting middleweight bout. Both products of DWCS, Pickett will try his best to wipe his UFC slate clean after being badly derailed by Joaquin Buckley in November of last year.
WINNER: Pickett
METHOD: KO/TKO

Gina Mazany Vs Priscila Cachoeira (Women’s Flyweight)
Most people only know Priscila Cahchoeira as the woman, who thanks to some truly horrendous referring, that gotabsolutely battered by Valentina Shevchenko. She’s actually half decent and could definitely go two wins on the bounce against a very similar opponent in Gina Mazany. Mazany could take this one if the Brazilian runs out of gas after the first round but we’ll go with Cachoeira for the upset.
WINNER: Cachoeira
METHOD: Decision

Kevin Aguilar Vs Tucker Lutz (Featherweight)
We tend to be a little hesitant to pick Contender Series fighters in their UFC debut but Aguilar just seems a little battle worn and could find himself not only on the end of a unanimous decision, but also looking for another organisation to compete in sadly.Can the man with one of the worst nicknames in MMA (Angel of Death) spoil Lutz’ debut? If he wants to remain employed he has no choice.
WINNER: Aguilar
METHOD: Decision

Christos Giagos Vs Sean Soriano (Lightweight)
An evenly matched scrap to get the party started. We’ve used this expression many times before but this one really could be picked with the toss of a coin. We’ve decided to go with Giagos purely based on the fact Soriano has taken this one on late notice….Actually no….Wait yes we’ll say Giagos. See what we mean!!!!?
WINNER: Giagos
METHOD: Decision

UFC 262 WILD CARD BET: Charles Oliveira to defeat Michael Chandler via KO/TKO