UFC San Diego Prelims Predictions, Odds and Results: Vera vs Cruz
Pintsized Background
UFC San Diego’s featured preliminary involves some strange betting lines. Angela Hill has regularly shown vulnerability to chain wrestlers over her career, Lupita Godinez is pintsized and also couldn’t lay down a wrestling-centric game plan against Luana Carolina. The other prelim pick is Ode Osbourne and Tyson Nam – a promising counter-striking affair between Flyweights who carry plus power.
Where/When is UFC San Diego Prelims taking place:
August 13, 2022. Pechanga Arena. San Diego, United States.
What time does UFC San Diego Prelims start:
🇬🇧 UK: 9pm / 🇺🇸 US ET: 4pm
What channel is UFC San Diego Prelims on:
🇬🇧 UK: BT Sports / 🇺🇸 US: ESPN+
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- 🚀 Preview: UFC Vegas 59 Predictions: Santos vs Hill
- 🥊 PI’s Recommended Fight: Bryan Battle vs Takashi Sato
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UFC San Diego Preliminary Card Picks & Odds
| UFC San Diego Prelims Fights & Odds | Winner | Method | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angela HIll (+245) Lupita Godinez (-295) | Hill | Decision | / |
| Lukasz Brzeski (+220) Martin Buday (-260) | Buday | TKO | 3 |
| Cynthia Calvillo (-170) Nina Nunes (+145) | Nunes | Decision | / |
| Charlie Ontiveros (+295) Gabriel Benitez (-360) | Ontiveros | TKO | 1 |
| Ode Osbourne (-245) Tyson Nam (+205) | Osbourne | Decision | / |
| Jason Witt (+205) Josh Quinlan (-245) | Quinlan | TKO | 2 |
| Da’mon Blackshear (+105) Youssef Zalal (-125) | Zalal | Decision | / |
UFC San Diego: Preliminary Card
Angela Hill vs Lupita Godinez
Women’s Catchweight (120)
Angela Hill (13-12)
Can Hill stop Godinez from chain-wrestling her way to victory? Hill can be a flashy unorthodox striker at times, but there are consistent fundamentals behind much of her striking on the outside. Godinez was pieced apart by Luana Carolina, while Hill’s mastery of angles will bamboozle Godinez. There is a slowing gas tank, however, and a career history of being out-grappled.
Lupita Godinez (8-2)
Despite every victory that Godinez racks up, her loss to Luana Carolina will continue to be a black mark. Godinez will run head-first into Hill, safe in the knowledge that her chin should hold up early against Hill’s volume combinations. Hill owns a slighter frame than Luana Carolina, however, and should prove less of an athletic hurdle to takedown.
Predicted Result: Hill Decision
Can Hill stop Godinez from chain-wrestling her way to victory? Godinez was pieced apart by Luana Carolina, while Hill’s mastery of angles will bamboozle Godinez. There is a slowing gas tank, however, and a career history of being out-grappled. Add in that Hill represents less of an athletic hurdle to takedown and Godinez has to be favoured. Hill has at times shown adequate TDD against superior wrestlers.
Lukasz Brzeski vs Martin Buday
Heavyweight (265)
Lukasz Brzeski (8-1-1)
Wakey wakey, eggs and Brzeski. The Eastern European regional Heavyweight struggled to find fights over COVID before finishing his DWCS debut with a no contest. This match-up stinks of a regional main event, with neither fighter owning the ‘IT’ factor. There’s a little more natural reactiveness to Brzeski’s game, but not to the extent that I would mention if only I didn’t see anything else notable to the Pole’s game.
Martin Buday (10-1)
Buday owns a proper Heavyweight physique, with ridiculous durability to boot. As expected, Buday was capable of digging deep against Chris Barnett and winning off the back of more consistent activity. The Slovak sets a consistent pace despite his massive frame, which should prove enough for low-quality Heavyweight bouts.
Predicted Result: Buday TKO Round 3
Buday owns a proper Heavyweight physique, with ridiculous durability to boot. As expected, Buday was capable of digging deep against Chris Barnett and winning off the back of more consistent activity. Brzeski’s edges Buday regarding dynamism and natural fluidity, yet the Pole gasses late in fights and will be unable to fight his preferred fight.
Nina Nunes vs Cynthia Calvillo
Women’s Flyweight (125)
Nina Nunes (10-7)
Nina Nunes has faced difficult stylistic match-ups in her past two fights. Nunes has always suffered on the mat and it just so happens that the UFC has chucked her in with two of the best on the mat. If Calvillo opts to pursue a ground-based war, it could be interesting. As Calvillo is adamant about striking her way back to form, it’ll make it a more equal affair with Nunes’ pressure and volume likely to claim rounds on the scorecards.
Cynthia Calvillo (9-4-1)
A loser leaves town sort of fight. From the main event victory over Jessica Eye to a three-fight slide. You have to strain to remember a time when Calvillo was considered a lukewarm prospect, but hey, it happened! There has been no improvement to Calvillo’s game, with the blueprint truly figured out by not. Calvillo can be dragged into a war on the feet and will ignore her strong grappling base.
Predicted Result: Nunes Decision
Calvillo can be dragged into a war on the feet and will ignore her strong grappling base. Nunes has always suffered on the mat and it just so happens that the UFC has chucked her in with two of the best on the mat. If Calvillo pursues aims to grapple, this could be interesting. Recent fights indicate that Calvillo is adamant about striking her way back to form, allowing Nunes’ pressure and volume to claim rounds on the scorecards.
Gabriel Benitez vs Charlie Ontiveros
Lightweight (155)
Gabriel Benitez (22-10)
This has all the trappings of FOTN. Benitez finds himself on a rough 1-4 slide since 2019, yet the Mexican remains a brutal body kicker. Both Benitez and Ontiveros’ paper-thin durability ensures that any strike could be the finishing blow. Benitez’s drop in speed has seen him caught whilst committing to heavy kicks, with Ontiveros’ reach long enough to punish the veteran.
Charlie Ontiveros (11-8)
I hope the UFC doesn’t cut the American Bad Boy. Ontiveros is a dynamic, explosive striker with plus speed and the intent to kill. Eventually, opponents can adjust to the pressure by the mid-point of the first round. Benitez, however, is at the perfect stage of his career to act as the dance partner in a kill-or-be-killed affair.
Predicted Result: Ontiveros TKO Round 1
The spiciest pick of the fight card. Benitez and Ontiveros’ paper-thin durability ensures that any strike could be the finishing blow. Benitez’s drop in speed has seen him caught whilst committing to heavy kicks, with Ontiveros’ reach long enough to punish the veteran. Still, opponents can adjust to Ontiveros’ pressure by the mid-point of the first round. The Mexican’s ripping bodywork is safer to back at the fight ender, yet I have a soft spot for the complete mess that is Ontiveros’ all-action offence.
Ode Osbourne vs Tyson Nam
Flyweight (125)
Ode Osbourne (11-4)
Mr Speed. Osbourne’s questionable durability is a worry against the heavy hands of Nam. The fast-twitch striker often beats opponents to the punch, yet Nam has a track record of eating one to deliver one. If the Jamaican could start to mask his entries, his athletic edge can keep up with anyone in the division.
Tyson Nam (20-12-1)
Nam will be happy to sit on the outside and draw Osbourne into wild openings. Lethal accuracy ensures that Nam chin checks almost every opponent he comes across. Osbourne’s greater reach and activity could neutralise Nam, however, as the Hawaiian can struggle to adapt if his slim array of counters proves inadequate.
Predicted Result: Osbourne Decision
Osbourne’s questionable durability is a worry against the heavy hands of Nam. The fast-twitch striker often beats opponents to the punch, yet Nam has a track record of eating one to deliver one. If the Jamaican could start to mask his entries, his athletic edge can keep up with anyone in the division. Considering Nam’s time on the sidelines and Osbourne’s activity, I’m favouring the latter in a razor-close affair.
Jason Witt vs Josh Quinlan
Welterweight (170)
Jason Witt (19-8)
Opponents need to knock Jason Witt out or he will dig deep to wrestle-box his way to a decision. Witt lacks the speed or physical prowess to overpower opponents, while his chin is increasingly deteriorating. If Quinlan can’t earn Witt’s respect early with his hands, the veteran’s exhausting wrestling will provide a rude awakening.
Josh Quinlan (5-0)
PEDs issues in the build-up to Quinlan’s UFC debut have sullied his emergence – is he still a phenomenal athlete off the sauce? There is controlled aggression behind Quinlan’s punches, with enough intensity to torch Witt’s chin. One issue is Quinlan’s tendency to walk into his straight punches, squaring up in a manner that will offer Witt the opportunity to wrestle.
Predicted Result: Quinlan TKO Round 2
PEDs issues in the build-up to Quinlan’s UFC debut have sullied his emergence – is he still a phenomenal athlete off the sauce? One issue is Quinlan’s tendency to walk into his straight punches, squaring up in a manner that will offer Witt the opportunity to wrestle. The veteran’s chin issues will provide a pathway to victory, however, as he lacks the speed or physical prowess to overpower opponents.
Youssef Zalal vs Da’Mon Blackshear
Bantamweight (135)
Youssef Zalal (10-5)
Zalal was one of the bright sparks to appear during the early COVID era of ‘sign any fighter to fill cards’. The Moroccan showcased smart, patient counter-striking with a hint of wild explosiveness in his back pocket. Cue a three-fight slide against solid competition. Zalal’s hype train has been given one last chance to choke back to life with a huge drop in opposition quality. A drop down to Bantamweight should hopefully see Zalal less likely to be manhandled against the cage.
Da’Mon Blackshear (12-4)
Blackshear is a high-octane wrestler but he will be at a disadvantage in the grappling department against Zalal. Da’Mon is an explosive one-shot striker, yet against Zalal who will happily sit at range, it is unlikely to catch him by surprise. Without the technical consistency or the superiority on the mat, Blackshear will have to create a messy fight or hope that Zalal’s weight cut to 135lb is too much.
Predicted Result: Zalal Decision
Without the technical consistency or the superiority on the mat, Blackshear will have to create a messy fight or hope that Zalal’s weight cut to 135lb is too much. This is the last chance for Zalal’s hype train to choke back to life. Blackshear can throw up the odd explosive strike on the feet, yet Zalal’s comfort on the outside should neutralise any serious threat.
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