UFC 258: Early Prelims Card Event Picks 

UFC 285 is set to take place on March 4th, 2023 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and it promises to be an unforgettable night of action. With a stacked card featuring some of the top fighters in the sport, fans can expect to see plenty of exciting knockouts, submissions, and hard-fought battles. Here is a preview and prediction on every fight of the Early Prelims Card Event:

Loik Radzhabov vs. Esteban Ribovics

Loik Radzhabov is a rising star in the MMA world, with an impressive record of 16-4-1. He's a well-rounded fighter with a versatile skill set that includes solid striking and grappling abilities. Radzhabov also possesses an unrelenting fighting style that has earned him a legion of fans.

His opponent, Esteban Ribovics, is a talented fighter in his own right, but he has a tough challenge ahead of him in this matchup. Ribovics has a record of 11-0-0 and is known for his strong grappling skills. However, he'll need to be careful against Radzhabov, who is skilled at defending takedowns and has an impressive ground game of his own.

I predict that Radzhabov will win the fight by TKO or submission in the second or third round. He'll likely look to use his striking to wear Ribovics down and then finish the fight on the ground with a submission or ground-and-pound. Ribovics will be a tough opponent, but Radzhabov's well-rounded skill set and aggressive fighting style should give him the edge in this matchup. It should be an exciting fight between two talented fighters, but I believe that Radzhabov will come out on top with a finish in the later rounds.

Pick: Radzhabov ML -264

Da'Mon Blackshear vs. Farid Basharat

Farid Basharat is a talented fighter with a solid record of 9-0-0. He has shown himself to be a well-rounded fighter with impressive grappling and striking skills. In his previous fights, he has demonstrated his ability to finish fights in various ways, with six of his victories coming via submission and two via knockout.

On the other hand, Da'Mon Blackshear is a formidable opponent with a record of 12-4-1. He's a skilled striker with heavy hands and good footwork, making him a dangerous opponent for Basharat. Blackshear also has good takedown defense, which could make it difficult for Basharat to take the fight to the ground.

This fight has the potential to be a closely contested battle, with both fighters having the skills to finish the fight in various ways. However, I believe that Basharat has the edge in this matchup. His grappling skills are impressive, and he'll likely look to take the fight to the ground where he can utilize his submission skills.

Blackshear will be looking to keep the fight standing and utilize his striking to finish the fight early. However, I believe that Basharat's grappling skills will be too much for Blackshear to handle. If Basharat can take the fight to the ground and secure a submission victory, he'll likely emerge victorious.

In the end, I predict that Basharat will win the fight by submission in the second or third round. His grappling skills are simply too impressive for Blackshear to handle, and he'll likely find an opening to secure a submission victory. It should be an exciting matchup between two skilled fighters, but I believe that Basharat will come out on top with a submission victory.

Pick: Basharat ML -500

Jessica Penne vs. Tabatha Ricci

Both fighters are experienced and talented in their own right. Ricci has a record of 7-1-0, and she's a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist with a black belt in the discipline. She has impressive grappling skills and is known for her submission game, having won three of her four fights by submission.

On the other hand, Penne is a veteran fighter with a record of 14-7-0. She's a former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion and has competed in the UFC since 2014. Penne is a well-rounded fighter with solid striking and grappling skills, having won six of her fights by submission.

While both fighters are skilled, I believe that Ricci will have the edge in this matchup. Her grappling skills are simply too dominant for Penne to handle, and she'll likely look to take the fight to the ground where she can utilize her submission game. Ricci is also known for her striking skills, and she's been working on improving her stand-up game in recent years.

In contrast, Penne has struggled in her last few fights, losing her 3 of her 5 bouts in the UFC. While she's a talented fighter, she may not be able to match Ricci's grappling skills in this matchup. I predict that Ricci will win the fight by submission in the second or third round, utilizing her impressive ground game to secure a victory over Penne.

Overall, this should be an exciting matchup between two skilled fighters, but I believe that Ricci's grappling skills will be too much for Penne to handle. Ricci's BJJ expertise and well-rounded skills give her the edge in this fight, and I'm looking forward to seeing how she performs in the octagon.

Pick: Tabatha Ricci ML -334

Mana Martinez vs. Cameron Saaiman

In this bantamweight matchup, we have two talented fighters looking to make their mark in the UFC. Saaiman is a powerful striker with excellent grappling skills, while his opponent Mana Martinez is known for his striking ability and aggressive fighting style.

Saaiman has a professional record of 7-0-0 and is making his UFC debut in this matchup. He's a well-rounded fighter with solid striking and grappling skills, and he's known for his ability to finish fights in a variety of ways. Saaiman has four knockout victories and two submission victories in his career, showing his ability to end fights both on the feet and on the ground.

On the other hand, Mana Martinez has a professional record of 10-3-0 and has won 2 of his 3 fights in the UFC. Martinez is a talented striker with good power in his hands and has finished six of his eight victories by knockout. He's also shown solid takedown defense in the past, making him a difficult opponent to take down and control on the ground.

This fight has the potential to be an exciting back-and-forth battle, with both fighters looking to impose their will on the other. However, I believe that Saaiman will have the edge in this matchup. He's a versatile fighter who can win the fight in a variety of ways, and his grappling skills could give Martinez trouble on the ground.

In the end, I predict that Saaiman will win the fight by unanimous decision. He'll likely look to utilize his striking to keep Martinez at bay and then mix in takedowns to control the fight on the ground. Martinez is a tough opponent, but I believe that Saaiman's well-rounded game will be too much for him to handle.

Pick: Cameron Saaiman ML -286

Ian Machado Garry vs. Song Kenan

In this welterweight matchup, we have two fighters with different fighting styles. On one side of the octagon, we have Garry Machado, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist with a record of 10-0-0. Machado is a ground specialist and has won eight of his victories by submission. He's coming into this fight with a lot of momentum, having won his last five fights.

On the other side of the octagon, we have Song Kenan, a striker with a record of 18-6-0. Kenan has a well-rounded striking game and has secured 11 of his victories by knockout. He's a dangerous fighter who is always looking for the finish.

This fight has the potential to be an exciting matchup, with both fighters looking to impose their will on the other. However, I believe that Machado has the edge in this fight. His grappling skills are simply too dangerous for Kenan to handle, and he'll likely find an opening to take the fight to the ground.

Machado will likely look to use his grappling skills to wear Kenan down and look for a submission victory. If Machado can successfully take the fight to the ground and control the pace of the fight, he'll have a good chance of finishing Kenan early.

In the end, I predict that Machado will win the fight by submission in the second or third round. His grappling skills are simply too dangerous for Kenan to handle, and he'll likely find an opening to finish the fight on the ground. While Kenan is a dangerous striker, I believe that Machado's ground game will be too much for him to handle.

Pick: Machado Garry ML -900

Main Card Parlay: Radzhabov/Basharat/Ricci/Saaiman/Machado Garry +220 odds