Rodrigo Vera

Picked with an explicit hedge -- the analyst says he could be swayed and credits the opponent a real path, but favors the output and Thai clinch here.

Good striker with good forward pressure and good volume, putting punches and kicks together and looking to get opponents on the back foot early. Uses a distinctive throw-and-shell pattern -- fires a combination, then immediately covers up -- which matters specifically against an opponent who likes to counter with single power shots. His best skill by far is the Thai clinch and knees, called a genuinely hard-to-defend standout weapon. Good grappler too -- gets takedowns off the end of his own strikes via a quick level change, good at ducking under strikes into a takedown, and generally well-rounded.