Alberto Montes

Picked against, with the analyst crediting real improvement but ultimately favoring the opponent's edge in physicality and a specific counter to the signature submission.

A good striker who has visibly improved, mixing in more hands recently after previously relying almost entirely on kicks; still kicks to all levels and moves well along the outside, fighting from either stance with the occasional flurry mixed in. Good grappler who is very quick to attack submissions, particularly the anaconda choke, which he can find from almost any position -- the signature move he goes for in essentially every fight. He lacks open-mat takedowns, making it hard for him to force the fight to the mat on his own.

Picks the debuting favorite but says outright he doesn't feel good about it and views Turcios as a live threat to spring the upset.

A UFC debutant off a Contender Series win, taking this fight after an earlier scheduled bout fell through. He leans almost entirely on kicks to every level, with excellent footwork and mobility, in a way that suggests he'd be a genuinely dangerous striker if he committed to boxing more. His own takedowns aren't the strongest part of his grappling, but he's dangerous the instant scrambles start, snatching up chokes from standing or off the mat whenever an opponent shoots on him. The lean toward him is partly matchup-driven, but the analyst flags first-fight nerves as a real variable for any newcomer.