UFC 249 Early Prelims & Prelims - Preview & Picks

The Main Card of UFC 249 won't be the only exciting cards of the event. The Early Prelims feature a nice card of up-and-coming fighters while the Prelims card features a good mixture of young and veteran talent. The Early Prelims Card will be kicked off by Shamil Abdurakhimov taking on Ciryl Gane followed by Hunter Azure versus Umar Nurmagomedov, Karl Roberson versus Makhmud Muradov and finally Sijara Eubanks versus Sarah Moras. The Prelims Card will start with Gian Villante going against Ben Rothwell followed by Ottman Azaitar against Kham Worthy, Lyman Good versus Belal Muhammad and lastly Uriah Hall versus Ronaldo Souza.

*Be sure to check back with us closer to UFC 249 for prop picks!*

*Odds provided courtesy of Bovada*

Abdurakhimov vs. Gane (No odds available for fight)

This heavyweight fight features a matchup between veteran Shamil "Abrek" Abdurakhimov and undefeated up-and-comer Ciryl "Bon Gamin" Gane. Shamil Abdurakhimov carries a 20-4-0 professional record into this bout with a 5-3 record since joining the UFC and nine career wins by knockout. Ciryl Gane comes in at 5-0-0 with three of those wins coming in the UFC. Three of his victories came by submission while two more were by knockout.

PICK : Ciryl "Bon Gamin" Gane

This was the latest addition to the card, and I'm glad that UFC did add it. Ciryl Gane has a one-inch height advantage, five-inch reach advantage and approximately an 11-pound weight advantage as well. Both fighters are solid, but Gane has been much harder to hit. Abdurakhimov lands 2.44 significant strikes per minute while absorbing 2.24 per minute. Meanwhile, Gane lands 3.57 significant strikes a minute while only taking 1.67 himself. Expect Gane to take care of business in this opening fight of the night.

Nurmagomedov(-240) vs. Azure(+190)

No, this isn't the same Nurmagomedov from the main event. Umar Nurmagomedov is the younger cousin of Khabib, and he is making his UFC debut. He is carrying a 12-0 professional record and he may be just as impressive as his cousin. He's got his hands full in another undefeated fighter Hunter Azure. He comes in with a 7-0 professional record and he's fought one previous UFC fight in which he won.

PICK : Hunter Azure(+190)

Fighting may be in Umar Nurmagomedov's blood, but he's got a tough UFC debut fight scheduled and I don't think he can get the job done. Nurmagomedov is not quite the striker that his cousin is, and a lot of his fights in the "amateur" circuit have come down to a decision. Azure is a solid all-around fighter who doesn't really stand out in any category, but he has the striking and takedown ability to control a fight. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if this fight came down to a decision, and I believe that the expectations are a little too high for someone making their UFC debut going against someone who has already won a UFC match.

Roberson(+105) vs. Muradov(-135)

Another exciting bout, this one will see Karl "Baby K" Roberson take on Makmud "Mach" Muradov. Karl Roberson brings the lesser experience despite being in the UFC longer. He comes into this fight with a 9-2 professional record with a 5-2 record since joining the UFC. Makmud Muradov owns a 24-6 professional record and although he's only fought two fights in the UFC, he is riding a 13 fight win streak and hasn't lost since December of 2016.

PICK : Makmud "Mach" Muradov(-135)

This is not to take anything away from Karl Roberson as he is a great ground fighter and has a ton of potential, but he's out-matched here. Both are good strikers with Roberson landing 3.08 significant strikes per minute while only absorbing 1.81 a minute and Makmud Muradov landing 4.97 a minute while only taking 2.57 per minute himself. The key for victory for Roberson is to get this fight on the ground, and that is going to be hard to do as Muradov hasn't been taken down yet in two UFC fights. I expect Muradov's experience to play key as he will wear down Roberson and win this fight.

Eubanks(-325) vs. Moras(+250)

Both of these ladies need a win in this women's bantamweight bout between Sijara "Sarj" Eubanks and Sarah "Cheesecake" Moras. Sijara Eubanks comes in with a 4-4 professional record and she is only 1-2 since joining the UFC. She's now lost two fights in a row and could be in danger of being cut if she were to lose here. Sarah Moras is carrying a 6-5 professional record although she is only 3-4 since coming into the UFC. She broke a three-fight losing streak with a third-round TKO last fight, and she could also be on the chopping block with a loss.

PICK : Sijara "Sarj" Eubanks(-325)

I expect Sarj to get back on the path with a win here. She's giving up two inches in height although these two women's' reaches are the same. A big problem for Sarah Moras has been defense. She's taking 3.18 significant strikes a minute while only landing 1.85 per minute. Sijara Eubanks is landing 4.64 significant strikes a minute while only absorbing 3.24 per minute. Eubanks also has 2.33 takedowns per 15 minutes while Moras prefers to keep the fight standing up with only 0.95 takedowns per 15 minutes. I believe that Sarj's striking and takedowns will provide the difference needed to pull a much-needed victory in this bout.

Villante(+190) vs. Rothwell(-240)

One of the more under-rated bouts on this card, this one features a fight between veterans Gian Villante and Ben Rothwell. Villante comes into this contest with a 17-11 record and ten career wins by knockout. He only has a 2-4 record since the beginning of 2017 and he's been up and down lately. Rothwell carries a 37-12 career professional record with 28 career wins by KO/TKO. He snapped a three-fight losing streak in his last piece of action with a second-round TKO of Stefan Struve where the 38-year-old showed he still had something in the tank.

PICK : Gian Villante(+190)

I am riding Gian Villante for this fight between two UFC veterans. He's stepping up a weight class for this bout, and although he's giving up a two and a half inch reach advantage and approximately sixty pounds in weight, he's got the speed to make up for the difference. The key to victory for Villante is to avoid the big strikes from the big man. Villante has the slightly better defense of these two fighters, and before catching Stefan Struve just right in his last fight with a second-round TKO, Ben Rothwell had lost three straight bouts albeit two of them were to Junior dos Santos and Andrei Arlovski. I see Villante being able to avoid the big pops from Rothwell as he pulls the victory out two avoid a two-fight losing streak.

Azaitar(-165) vs. Worthy(+135)

Both of these guys are new to UFC with only one fight under the brand under their belts, and both are putting win streaks on the line in this fight between Ottman "Bulldozer" Azaitar and Khama "The Deathstar" Worthy. Ottman Azaitar brings an undefeated 12-0 professional record to this one. He has nine career wins by KO/TKO and he's been fighting professionally since June of 2014. Khama Worthy carries a 15-6 career record with nine wins coming via KO/TKO. He's won six straight fights and has been on the professional circuit since June of 2012.

PICK : Ottman "Bulldozer" Azaitar(-165)

These two fighters are great strikers and this is sure to be an exciting, quick match. Teasing ahead to my future prop bets article, I see this one ending in a KO/TKO early. Khama Worthy may have a three-inch height and reach advantage, but he's giving up approximately 15 pounds in weight. Both of these guys were electric in their UFC debuts and there's a lot at stake with both riding win streaks, but I see Azaitar remaining undefeated. Worthy has only been able to finish three fights in his career in the first round while Azaitar has nine first rounds wins with seven of them coming via KO/TKO. Expect him to finish this fight early as well.

Good(+120) vs. Muhammad(-150)

Another under-rated bout featured in the Prelims, this match will see Lyman "Cyborg" Good battle with Belal "Remember the Name" Muhammad. Lyman Good carries a 21-5 professional record into this fight with 11 wins by KO/TKO and one no contest in the past. He has a 3-2 record since joining the UFC and won all three of those fights by KO/TKO as well. Belal Muhammad brings a 16-3 professional record to the table with 11 of his victories coming via decision. He has a 7-3 record in the UFC and he is also riding a two-fight win streak coming into this fight.

PICK : Lyman "Cyborg" Good(+120)

Although Belal Muhammad has been a great fighter since joining the UFC brand, he's relied on a lot of decisions for his win and this could spell trouble against the superior striker in Lyman Good. Cyborg lands 5.32 significant strikes per minute while only taking 3.46 a minute. Meanwhile, Muhammad only lands 4.37 significant strikes per minute while being hit with 3.81 a minute. Muhammad is going to have to rely on takedowns and controlling the tempo of the fight to pull a victory, and I don't see him being able to do so as Good boasts a very good standup game.

Hall(+125) vs. Souza(-155)

Talk about a solid bout to wrap up the Prelims card! This battle features two veteran fighters in Uriah "Primetime" Hall and Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza. Uriah Hall brings a 15-9 professional record into this fight with 11 wins coming by way of KO/TKO. He's on a two-fight win streak and has been with the UFC since April of 2013. The submission specialist Ronaldo Souza comes in with a 26-8 professional record with 14 wins by submission under his belt. The veteran has lost two straight bouts as well as four of his last six and has been with the UFC since May of 2013.

PICK : Uriah "Primetime" Hall(+125)

As much as I would love a little nostalgia with a Ronaldo Souza submission win, I don't expect that to happen. Uriah Hall owns a seven and a half inch reach advantage and I see him taking advantage of that in this fight. Hall lands 3.43 significant strikes per minute while absorbing 3.82 of them a minute. Meanwhile, Souza isn't a solid striker as he only lands 2.85 significant strikes per minute while being hit with 5.08 a minute. I expect Hall to dominate this fight up and down as he has won two in a row while Souza has lost two straight. I'm not sure the 40-year-old Souza has much left in the tank and I see him taking another loss here.