UFC Fight Night: Lemos vs Jandiroba main card picks & predictions

The main card for UFC Fight Night: Lemos vs Jandiroba at the Apex in Las Vegas this Saturday features several combatants fighting for their contracts. Brad Tavares will be under pressure to perform when facing Park Jun-yong, former headliner Choi Doo-ho needs a win over Bill Algeo to revive his career, while the exciting Bruno Silva might have too much ammunition for Cody Durden.

Amanda Lemos v Virna Jandiroba

Amanda Lemos vs Virna Jandiroba

Lemos vs Jandiroba at the Apex in Las Vegas this Saturday shapes as a potential challenger decider between two top-ranked women’s strawweights. See our UFC Fight Night main event preview here.

Brad Tavares v Park Jun-yong

Brad Tavares vs Park Jun-yong

Brad Tavares (20-9-0) has faced a tough two years inside the octagon with three losses and one win since 2022. Two of the losses came via knockout, and the 36-year-old might be nearing the end of his MMA career. The American holds the dubious distinction of appearing in the most middleweight fights to be settled via the judges, and he appears unlikely to reverse that trend here.

Park Jun-yong (17-6-0) boasts a superior recent record with four wins and one loss since 2022. The Korean is coming off a disappointing decision loss to Andre Muniz, breaking his impressive win streak. The 33-year-old will be the fresher athlete, and with a more rounded game, he shapes as the likely victor as the fight enters the latter rounds.

Steve Garcia v Choi Seung-woo

Steve Garcia vs Choi Seung-woo

Steve Garcia (15-5-0) is an all-action fighter with devastating power and a knack for finding an opponent’s chin. The 32-year-old has finished his last three contests within two rounds and will be hunting another stoppage win in Las Vegas. Garcia has only been stopped once throughout his career, and his fearless approach might earn a Performance of the Night bonus if he can establish the early range.

Choi Seung-woo (11-6-0) returned to the winners’ list with a gritty decision victory over Jarno Errens to snap a three-fight losing streak. The Korean normally enjoys a height advantage at 145 pounds, but that will not be the case against a similarly built adversary. The 31-year-old might have a cardio advantage but will need to evade the heavy early shots to realise this edge.

Kurt Holobaugh v Kaynan Kruschewsky

Kurt Holobaugh vs Kaynan Kruschewsky

Kurt Holobaugh (20-8-0) has fought twice at UFC level since earning a recall to the premier promotion in 2023, winning his comeback fight via second-round submission and dropping the second bout by unanimous decision. The 37-year-old’s first UFC run ended with three straight losses, and he fought on the regional circuit to revive his career. He still appears fresh and hungry despite being on the MMA scene since 2011.

Kaynan Kruschewsky (15-2-0) earned his UFC contract with a submission win on Dana White’s Contender Series but lost his debut fight in a first-round knockout. The 33-year-old is a submission artist, with nine of his wins coming via that method, but can drop his hands slightly in the standup, which leaves him open to straight and accurate punches.

Cody Durden v Bruno Silva

Cody Durden vs Bruno Silva

Cody Durden (16-5-1) is coming off a submission loss to Tagir Ulanbekov, snapping a four-fight win streak. The 33-year-old has proved vulnerable in the grappling department and will need to avoid the mat against a proven BBJ exponent. Durden can strike at a high level, with six wins coming via KO/TKO.

Bruno Silva (13-5-2) enters on a run of wins over Tyson Nam, Victor Rodriguez, and JP Buys. The 34-year-old was also beaten by Ulanbekov but was more competitive than Durden. The Brazilian has improved his boxing in recent times and looks like a more rounded athlete than this opponent.

Choi Doo-ho v Bill Algeo

Choi Doo-ho vs Bill Algeo

Choi Doo-ho (14-4-1) has not been the same since a wild brawl with Cub Swanson in 2016. Prior to that defeat, the Korean appeared destined for title contention, but he has since lost three straight fights and registered one draw. The 33-year-old still boasts the same skills, but his chin has been tested too often recently to be afforded much hope of turning the slump around.

Bill Algeo (18-8-0) is coming off a first-round knockout loss to Kyle Nelson and might also be a little reluctant to engage in the opening minutes of this contest. The 35-year-old is a volume striker who also looks good on the ground, so he might try to set up takedown opportunities to avoid being stopped again.

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