UFC Fight Night 262 takes place tomorrow night in Vancouver, Canada and we’ve got our predictions for all the fights below.

Main Card

Reinier de Ridder vs. Brendan Allen

Reinier de Ridder is inching closer to title contention after getting four UFC victories under his belt so far, and can strengthen his case by getting past Brendan Allen, who enters this bout off a decision win against Marvin Vettori in July.

The 35-year-old de Ridder debuted last November, bringing with him an impressive CV as a former two-division champion in ONE FC. However, his transition to the Octagon came after losing both titles via strikes to Anatoly Malykhin, which had dampened expectations. Still, RDR has quickly proven his worth at the UFC level, securing wins over well known fighters like Robert Whittaker, Bo Nickal, and Kevin Holland. A 185lb’er with the frame of a 205lb’er, de Ridder’s biggest strength lies in his grappling, where he’s proven to be physically strong, methodical and composed, enabling him to control the action and rack up a record of 13 submission finishes from 21 career victories. He’s also equipped with solid wrestling to get the fight where he wants it, and while he’s still somewhat awkward on the feet, he’s a willing striker whose preference for knee strikes has proven to be both an effective weapon in the Octagon.

This fight was originally expected to be a potential title eliminator between RDR and Anthony ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez, but when the latter withdrew due to injury, the 9th ranked Allen stepped in on a month’s notice to replace him. Allen will be at a 2″ height and 4″ reach disadvantage here and has a somewhat similar skill-set as de Ridder in that his best work typically takes place on the mat. That being said, Allen has worked to develop respectable striking fundamentals and has some good kicks, and uses his good conditioning to push the pace on the feet. He’s always looking for his chance to close the distance and initiate a takedown though, and has the wrestling ability to set-up his industrious grappling game. From there he’ll apply pressure, look to take the back, and has found a lot of success with submission over the year, particularly via the rear-naked choke. However, while he can be dominant on the mat, earlier this year Hernandez bested him in the grappling exchanges for the second time in their careers earlier in the year.

With both fighters possessing similar skill sets, this matchup looks set to be closely contested, but I think de Ridder will prove to be a bit stronger and more technical on the mat, while also having the better moments on the feet to emerge with a win on the scorecards.

Pick: Reinier de Ridder wins by decision.

Kevin Holland vs. Mike Malott

Kevin Holland returns to action following a loss Daniel Rodriguez for a co-main event fight against Mike Malott, who has won his last two bouts.

The 32-year-old Holland is the most active fighter on the roster at the moment, having already gone 2-2 in 2025 and now set to add to that tally. Holland has a habit of switching between 170lbs and 185lbs, but notably this will be his 4th fight in a row at welterweight, where his size advantage is particularly pronounced, giving him 2″ in height and 8″ in reach over Malott on Saturday night. Holland will look to exploit that with his long, straight punches down the pipe and rangy kicks, and he can also use those long limbs to bring his knees and elbows into play at closer range. While his defensive wrestling and get-ups have historically been weak points, Holland has shown he can initiate takedowns when needed, and that can pay dividends as four of his last six wins have been by submission. That said, he’s also been caught and finished on the ground a few times himself.

Malott, 33, is a well-rounded fighter who might’ve joined the UFC earlier had he not taken a long break from competition between 2017 and 2020 while coaching at Team Alpha Male. Since returning, he’s made up for lost time and now has a 5-1 UFC record. Malott combines solid striking power with competent wrestling and a significant submission that’s already delivered a couple of stoppage wins in the Octagon. 11 of his 12 career wins have come inside the distance, but the caveat is that his lone UFC loss came after tiring in the third round of a fight with Neil Magny in January of last year.

Malott is the more composed fighter and has better decision-making, but I do feel Holland’s size advantage and better speed will give him the striking advantage, enabling him to work from range to win by decision.

Pick: Kevin Holland wins by decision.

Marlon Vera vs. Aiemann Zahabi

Marlon Vera heads into his next bout looking to rebound from three losses in his last four fights, including a failed bid for the bantamweight title in 2024. Standing across from him will be Aiemann Zahabi, who’s riding high on a six-fight UFC win streak, capped off by a victory over Jose Aldo.

The 32-year-old Vera has faced elite competition in Cory Sandhagen, Sean O’Malley, and Deiveson Figueiredo during his recent slump. However, to his credit he went the distance in each bout, ensuring he’s still never been finished in 34 career fights. Known for starting slow, soaking up strikes and then ramping up pressure as the fight progresses, Vera once thrived on late-round finishes—like his head-kick stoppages of Frankie Edgar and Dominick Cruz. He also memorably stopped O’Malley in their first meeting with punishing calf kicks. In the past few years he’s struggled to step up the gears and find those decisive moments though. Still, Vera remains and threat and also has strong takedown defense and a capable submission game.

Zahabi entered the UFC in 2017 with plenty of intrigue thanks to being the brother of renowned coach Firas Zahabi, Georges St-Pierre’s long-time coach. After a promising debut, Zahabi hit a rough patch though with two consecutive losses and then had an extended lay-off from competing. Since returning he’s quietly built momentum, showcasing improved patience, cardio and patience to make the most of his effective counter-striking, while he’s also shown that he can be resilient in tough spots and can also wrestle and grapple too if required. He’s only been fighting sporadically though, which isn’t ideal given that he’s now almost 38-years-old, but his recent wins over Pedro Munhoz and Aldo has proved his worth.

Vera has long relied on explosive moments to swing fights in his favor that might have otherwise been going the other way, but that’ approach has become riskier as his finishing instincts appear to have dulled’s always felt like a bit of a gamble, and it’s no longer paying off for him. On the other hand, Zahabi offers steady output from round-to-round and better defense, which I think will give him the edge here on the scorecards.

Pick: Aiemann Zahabi wins by decision.

Manon Fiorot vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius

Manon Fiorot returns to the Octagon after her seven-fight UFC win streak was ended by Valentina Shevchenko a few months ago. Now, she faces Jasmine Jasudavicius, who has compiled a five-fight winning run over the past couple of years.

At 35, Fiorot remains a big physical presence at flyweight, and makes that count with her hard-hitting boxing fundamentals, impactful kicks, and mental resilience. While she made an impact early in her UFC tenure with back-to-back TKOs, her last six fights have actually all gone the distance. That shift reflects a more measured approach, balancing power with cardio, enabling her to fight effectively even in a fiver-round environment. Fiorot also has assured takedown defense, is competent on the ground and has never been finished in her career.

The 36-year-old Jasudavicius took time to find her footing after arriving from the Contender Series in 2021, going 3-2 in her first five outings. Since the start of 2024 things have really start to click though, securing wins over notable fighters like Jessica Andrade, Mayra Bueno Silva, and Ariane da Silva. During this run, she’s unlocked the finishing potential in her BJJ, with three of her four career submission wins have come in the past two years to earn her black belt. On the feet, she matches Fiorot in height and holds a 3-inch reach advantage, but she doesn’t have the same level of muscularity or finishing power, with just two TKO wins from early in her career. Still, her striking has steadily improved, and she works nicely in the clinch.

This has the making of a competitive fight, but I think Fiorot’s more convincing striking and physicality will help her emerge with a decision win.

Pick: Manon Fiorot wins by decision.

Cody Gibson vs. Aori Qileng

Cody Gibson enters his next bout looking to bounce back from a recent submission loss, after having earned back-to-back wins last year. He’ll be fighting Aori Qileng, who is making his first appearance of the year after a loss and a no-contest in 2024.

The 38-year-old Gibson initially fought in the UFC over a decade ago, but only mustered a 1-4 record. However, he then clawed his way back into the promotion by reaching the TUF 32 final in 2023 and has fared a bit better so far, going 2-3. Gibson looks to compensate for his lack of speed with pressure, volume and a willingness to trade blows in the pocket thanks to his durability. He’s also a capable wrestler and can pose a submission threat, although on the other hand, five of his career losses have come via being tapped out.

The 32-year-old Qileng’s four-year UFC run has been a mixed bag so far, going 3-4 (+1nc). This fight marks his first main card appearance as he looks to make an impact with his primarily striking based approach that brings solid power, good cardio, and a knack for counterpunching. His kicking game and clinch work are respectable, but his ground game remains unconvincing.

Gibson’s aggressive style might leave openings for Qileng’s counters here, but I think his pressure and better wrestling could get him the nod from the judges here.

Pick: Cody Gibson wins by decision.

Kyle Nelson vs. Matt Frevola

Kyle Nelson returns to action after suffering a TKO loss just over a year ago, and he’ll be facing Matt Frevola, who’s also looking to rebound from back-to-back knockout defeats.

Before his most recent setback, the 34-year-old Nelson had put together three straight wins, but his overall Octagon record sits at 4-5-1. Nelson is a fighter who likes to force his opponent onto the back-foot with his pressure-boxing and solid wrestling. While certainly not the quickest, he’s aided by his lanky frame and carries respectable power. However, his aggressive style comes at a cost as he’s been stopped by strikes three times in the UFC and has shown inconsistent cardio at times.

Not so long ago Frevola was racking up a trio of first-round T(KO) wins, including dismantling Drew Dober. However, the 35-year-old has been on the receiving end in his last two appearances with Benoit Saint Denis and Faris Ziam both knocking him out. That’s now four knockout losses in total he’s suffered in the UFC, a worrying stat for a fighter who thrives on aggression, toughness and swinging for the fences, often at the expense of defense. On the upside, Frevola has demonstrated a very capable wrestling game in the past, and it’ll be interesting to see if he tries to reconnect with that now.

Both fighters here have defensive and durability concerns, making a finish seem likely. Frevola could have the wrestling edge if he chooses to use it, but I think there may be some wild exchanges early in this fight, and despite the risk that his chin has deserted him I’ll say that it’s Frevola who lands the decisive finishing blow.

Pick: Matt Frevola wins by KO in Rd1.

Prelims (Predicted winners in bold)

Charles Jourdain vs. Davey Grant
Bruno Gustavo da Silva vs. Park Hyun-sung
Danny Barlow vs. Djorden Ribeiro dos Santos
Kyle Prepolec vs. Drew Dober
Stephanie Luciano vs. Ravena Oliveira
Azamat Bekoev vs. Yousri Belgaroui
Melissa Croden vs. Tainara Lisboa