UFC on ESPN 44 which takes place in Kansas City, is right around the corner with top featherweights Max Holloway and Arnold Allen duking it out in the main event. The co-main will feature surging featherweight Billy Quarantillo taking on veteran Edson Barboza.
The main card will also feature fighters like light heavyweights Dustin Jacoby and Ion Cutelaba, bantamweight fighter Pedro Munhoz and veteran Clay Guida fighting at lightweight.
The MMA community, fighters and analysts alike, gave their thoughts on who would win the co-main and main event of UFC on ESPN 44.
Analyst and color commentator Laura Sanko picked veteran Edson Barboza to win, while former light heavyweight champion and analyst Rashad Evans picked Billy Quarantillo to win the UFC on ESPN 44 co-main event on ESPN MMA.
Here’s what Sanko had to say about the main event:
“Arnold Allen has answered every question that has been asked of him to this point. But in my opinion, the question that needs to be asked for this particular fight was never asked. There’s not a fight [that] I can look at and say, ‘Oh, he can handle that level of volume, the type of volume that Max Holloway puts out there. So, I’m going with Max in this fight but I do think we’re going to see a really special performance from Arnold Allen.”
Rashad Evans picked the former featherweight champion to win against ‘Almighty’ as well.
UFC on ESPN 44: Max Holloway vs. Arnold Allen – Fighter picks
Here’s what the fighters themselves thought regarding who would win the UFC on ESPN 44 main event between ‘Blessed’ and ‘Almighty’. Among the fighters that picked Max Holloway were lightweight Christos Giagos, strawweight Cynthia Calvillo, featherweight Francis Marshall, middleweight Gerald Meerschaert, strawweight Gillian Robertson, and featherweight Julian Erosa, among others.
Here’s what Gerald Meerschaert said:
“I think that [fight is] going to be close. Max hasn’t really lost outside of losing to Volkanovski, I don’t think. But I’ll give Max the edge but Arnold’s been on a tear so that’s going to be a real close fight, I think.”
The fighters who picked Arnold Allen were UFC heavyweight Curtin Blaydes, featherweight Bryce Mitchell, light heavyweight Dustin Jacoby and Chinese featherweight phenom Shayilan Nuerdanbieke.
Here’s what Curtis Blaydes said:
“I’m going to go with Arnold just because I think he hits harder. I think Holloway is the better technician and he does have a jaw, but I just think [that] Arnold hits harder. And I think he’ll be able to hurt him.”
According to CBS Sports, former featherweight champion Max Holloway is the -190 favorite to win against No.4-ranked featherweight Arnold Allen, who is the +160 underdog.