Standing favors Van's volume, pressure and knockout power; the floor is where Pantoja's top game turns the fight. The central question is positional: if Van keeps it upright and busy, his output and late-round pace compound over five rounds. If Pantoja ties up and gets it down, his control, which has been trending upward, can stall Van's offense and drain the exchanges Van wants.

Tsarukyan brings the deeper tested résumé, but the matchup turns on Ruffy's finishing threat versus Tsarukyan's grappling. If Ruffy keeps it standing and uses his length to land, his power becomes the central danger. Tsarukyan's answer is to change levels, score the takedown, and grind from top position, taking Ruffy out of striking range. Over five rounds, repeated trips to the mat tilt the exchanges away from the knockout.

Pitbull carries the deeper résumé from years elsewhere, but the matchup-specific tools favor Choi's striking. Choi's volume and forward pressure, backed by an 8 cm reach edge, let him work behind range and force the pace across three rounds. If he can stuff level changes and keep this on the feet, his recent power and finishing form become the central danger. Pitbull's route runs through closing that distance and dragging exchanges into grappling.

Steveson's finishing threat makes the early minutes the danger zone for Sharaf, while the longer man's cardio and reach matter more the deeper this goes across three rounds. The central question is space: Sharaf's height and reach give him room to fight at distance, but Steveson's pressure and forward volume are built to close that gap and take away the range Sharaf needs.

Standing favors Baraniewski's pressure and output, but Menifield's distance management and 8 cm of reach give him the tools to keep that volume at arm's length. The central tension: can Baraniewski close the gap and impose his pace, or does Menifield's range control and sturdy chin blunt the pressure and drag the fight into longer exchanges where his durability becomes the deciding factor over three rounds?

Standing, Jourdain's volume and pressure give him something to build on across three rounds. The grappling tilts the other way: Vera can dictate where this plays out, taking it down or stuffing Jourdain's own entries to keep it where he prefers. That matters because Jourdain's recent danger runs through his submission game, and getting there against a grappler who controls the takedown battle is the central problem he has to solve.

The striking phase splits the fight: Tuivasa's pressure and volume want a short-range exchange, while Despaigne's 23 cm reach and 13 cm height let him fight long and keep the range to himself. If Despaigne manages the distance behind his jab and rising output, he dictates the geometry; if Tuivasa closes and forces close-quarters trades, his pace there becomes the problem. The crossed stances will shape the lead-hand battle.

Standing, Yoo's reach and distance management give him room to work at the end of his punches, and his finishing threat adds danger if he strings exchanges together. Aswell's asset is durability: he's shown he can absorb what comes and hasn't been finished recently, which matters against an opponent who'd prefer to end it early. If Aswell weathers the range game and drags this into deep water across three rounds, the durability gap narrows Yoo's edge.

Gandra's forward pressure and volume meet Diaz's length, and how that plays out likely decides the fight. Diaz's 13 cm reach advantage gives him room to work at distance, but Gandra's distance management and defense are built to close that gap and get inside. If Gandra walks him down and empties combinations, his durability lets him wear the exchanges. Diaz needs to keep Gandra at the end of his range across three rounds.

Standing, Shahbazyan's reach, rising volume and power shape the range, and his takedown defense points toward keeping it there. That matters against Ferreira, whose main path is his finishing threat, which stays live in any exchange or scramble. If Shahbazyan controls distance and stuffs entries, he dictates where this plays out; if Ferreira closes the gap and lands clean, his ability to end things suddenly reshapes the fight across three rounds.

Brito's drive to get the fight to the mat runs straight into Chikadze's range-controlling striking and stand-up defense. If Chikadze keeps it at distance, his reach and height help him govern the space and stay in his striking. The moment Brito closes and grounds him, his top control and ground finishing become the central danger. Whoever dictates where the fight lives largely dictates the outcome over three rounds.