UFC 320 takes place tomorrow night in Las Vegas and we’ve got our predictions for all the fights below.

Main Card

Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira

Magomed Ankalaev claimed the light-heavyweight title in March with a unanimous decision victory over Alex Pereira, and now the two rivals are set to run it back.

The 33-year-old Ankalaev has shown how slow and steady can win the race by settling on a well-rounded fighting style that relies on being measured, risk-averse, and strategic — a formula that’s carried him to an unbeaten 14-fight run in the UFC. A composed kickboxer, he prefers to work from range with a fairly low-output approach, landing his accurate punches and kicks with enough authority to earn respect, without overcommitting himself, while always keeping an eye out for counter-striking opportunities. If his opponent’s are overly aggressive then Ankalaev is also capable of changing his focus to stifling clinch work and a solid wrestling game. That said, Ankalaev is more of a grinder than a finisher in those positions, and notably, while he is capable of stopping fights via strikes, he’s never found a submission victory.

Already a decorated kickboxing champion before he arrived in the UFC, Pereira would go on to become one of the sport’s most feared strikers, collecting knockouts across both middleweight and light-heavyweight while capturing titles in both divisions. The 38-year-old Pereira is ruthless when he engages, particularly with his signature left hook that’s ended many fights, but everything he throw seems to land hard, including his thumping leg kicks and swift head kicks. Given the offensive arsenal at his disposal and his sharp finishing instincts it was a real surprise to see him looking so subdued against Ankalaev earlier this year, calling into Ankalaev’s trap by settling in for an uncharacteristically tentative, uneventful five-rounder that ended his title reign.

Pereira appears to be eager to make amends for that disappointing performance last time out, but while he’s undoubtedly the more potent striker in this match-up, simply being more aggressive this time out doesn’t necessarily guarantee success. Magomedov’s careful distance management, accurate counter-striking, takedown threat and clinch-work will combine to make it difficult for Pereira to close the distance and engage effectively, and so I think the Russian will once again play spoiler here to win a less than thrilling fight on the scorecards.

Pick: Magomed Ankalaev wins by decision.

Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen

Bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili rides a 13-fight winning streak into his third title defense, this time against Cory Sandhagen, who is 4-1 in his last five fights.

The 34-year-old Dvalishvili is a puzzle that’s yet to be solved, despite going up against the best the 135lb division has to offer, from top-flight strikers to decorated wrestlers. Dvalishvili is far from the most skilled, well-rounded or dangerous fighter around, but his never-ending pursuit of takedowns, bottomless gas tank and durability have proven to be an unstoppable combination. He’ll chain takedown attempts relentlessly until he breaks through his opponents defense, and if the fight returns to the feet, he simply resets and starts again. Meanwhile his striking remains serviceable at best, and his style hasn’t evolved much, though to be fair he did earn a rare submission finish in his last outing.

The 33-year-old Sandhagen has been a persistent presence in the upper reaches of the bantamweight division for years now, but despite having previously featured in an interim title fight and a couple of title eliminators, he’s never been able to get a belt strapped around his waist. A rangy striker, Sandhagen will have five-inch height advantage to work with on Saturday night, though only 1.5″ extra in reach. Sandhagen has a diverse striking arsenal, including a versatile kicking game that complements his solid boxing. He’s also dangerous in close with knees and elbows, and he’s creative enough to be able to find a home for flashier techniques in the spur-of-the-moment . While not known as a wrestler, he can mix in takedowns and submissions, and though his takedown defense is far from bullet-proof, he’s adept at scrambling back to his feet.

Dvalishvili is hittable when he’s moving in for his takedown attempts, so there’s always chance that Sandhagen catches him, but it feels like the odds of that are low, and meanwhile the champion will find it all too easy to repeatedly bring him to the mat on his way to his latest decision win.

Pick: Merab Dvalishvili wins by decision.

Jiří Procházka vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.

Former light heavyweight champ Jiri Prochazka and recent title contender Khalil Rountree both enter this matchup after victories over Jamahal Hill.

Prochazka is one of the most exciting to watch and dangerous fighters in the UFC due to his fearless, offensively-minded mentality that shuns clean technique and defensive responsibilities in favor of raw, aggressive firepower. It’s a risky strategy, but Prochazka has been better than most at reaping the rewards from it as he has 27 finishes via strikes from 31 career victories, with three of the remaining four coming via submission. Power punches have often been a route to success for him, but he’s also proven to be able to stop opponents with every weapon at his disposal, from head kicks to flying knees. He does rely a lot on his durability to absorb the shots he often takes in return, which is a clear concern, and something that Alex Pereira took advantage of to finish him by TKO on two separate occasions.

The 35-year-old Rountree brings a different brand of striking to the table. Though he’ll be giving up three inches in height and four in reach, the powerfully built Rowntree is the more measured, technically proficient kickboxer of the two. He prefers to fight at a steady pace, punishing opponents with crushing body and leg kicks and well-timed combinations rather than engaging in wild brawls. That being said, he showed that there is a grittier side to his game in his title fight with Pereira last year, but while he endured a lot of punishment, he was eventually finished by TKO.

Prochazka’s all-action style can leave him exposed, and Rountree has the power to capitalize. However, Prochazka’s aggressive pressure and higher output are likely to push Rountree out of his comfort zone, and given that Prochazka also has the advantage if the fight hits the mat, I’ll take him to secure a 2nd round TKO finish here.

Pick: Jiri Prochazka wins by TKO in Rd2.

Josh Emmett vs. Youssef Zalal

Josh Emmett enters this matchup having dropped three of his last four fights, while Youssef Zalal rides a wave of momentum with four straight UFC victories since his return to the UFC early last year.

Emmett deserves credit for still holding the No.8 spot in the competitive featherweight rankings despite now being 40-years-old and having struggled with injury setbacks over the years. More than ever these days his game leans a lot on the threat of his knockout power. He’s capable of ending a fight with a single overhand right, as Bryce Mitchell learned the hard way, back in 2023, but his reliance on single big shots has made him increasingly predictable and so more fighters are able to steer clear of that threat. Emmett does also have a solid wrestling base that he doesn’t use as much as he should, though at this stage of his career stamina perhaps dictates how much he could actually rely on that.

Zalal had an up-and-down first UFC stint from 2020–2021, but he’s made a good impression since returning last year, leading to his biggest win yet over Calvin Kattar. The 29-year-old Zalal can’t match Emmett’s one-punch knockout threat, but he has good speed and movement, and will attack with quick hands and sharp kicks. His grappling is his strongest weapon though, with nine submission victories on his record, including three during his latest UFC run, and he can wrestle too. Zalal has also never been finished, and even pushed Ilia Topuria to a rare decision back in 2020.

Emmett can change the fight with just one punch, but Zalal has the speed and movement to foil his attempts to find a finish, and is well-rounded enough to edge his way to a decision win over the veteran here.

Pick: Youssef Zalal wins by decision.

Abusupiyan Magomedov vs. Joe Pyfer

Abus Magomedov enters this matchup on a three-fight winning streak, while Joe Pyfer is looking to build on back-to-back victories.

At 35, Magomedov brings a wealth of experience, with nearly 30 professional bouts to his name, including a PFL tournament final appearance before joining the UFC in 2022. His Octagon run began with a win, but was followed by setbacks against tough opposition in Sean Strickland and Caio Borralho. Since then, he’s found his stride again, showcasing a well-rounded skill set. Though not the busiest striker, Magomedov’s kickboxing fundamentals are solid, he has respectable power and he’s willing to mix in takedowns and hunt for submissions too. That versatility has produced 22 finishes from 28 career wins so far, with 14 of them coming by way of knockout.

Pyfer, 29, has made a strong impression since earning his contract on the Contender Series, compiling a 5-1 UFC record. His game is built around crisp boxing and natural knockout power, with nine of his 14 career wins coming via strikes — three inside the Octagon. While his offense can lack variety and creativity at times, his heavy hands make him a constant threat. Pyfer also has solid offensive wrestling and a few submission victories, giving him another dimension when he chooses to use it.

The 29-year-old Pyfer has made a home for himself in the UFC since earning his contract on the Contender Series, compiling a 5-1 record in the Octagon. His game is built around a capable boxing base that’s bolstered by his natural knockout power, with nine of his 14 career wins coming via strikes, including three stoppage during his UFC run. His offense can lack variety and nuance at times, but Pyfer does also have solid offensive wrestling and while it’s not his strongest suit he does have a few submission wins too.

Given that neither fighter has a particularly high-output approach and have other similarities there’s a risk this fight might not crackle to life, but I think Pyfer’s power advantage will be the difference-maker that leads him to a finish in the 2nd round.

Prediction: Joe Pyfer to win by TKO in Rd2.

Prelims (Predicted winners in bold)

Ateba Abega Gautier vs. Osman Diaz
Edmen Shahbazyan vs. André Muniz
Chris Gutiérrez vs. Farid Basharat
Daniel Santos vs. Yoo Joo-sang
Macy Chiasson vs. Yana Santos
Patchy Mix vs. Jakub Wikłacz
Punahele Soriano vs. Nikolay Veretennikov
Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Austin Vanderford
Veronica Hardy vs. Brogan Walker