Once again the PFL has decided to go head to head with the UFC. PFL Chicago is a very good card but it is on at the same time as UFC 327 so not sure why they thought this timing would be a good idea. I feel like a lot more people would have tuned in if the event was on Friday. PFL is broadcast on ESPN 2 and the card is on at 06:00 PM ET on Saturday.

SERGIO PETTIS (25-7) vs. MITCHELL MCKEE (10-0) – Bantamweight

McKee is a good signing for the PFL and I would like them to make signings like this more often – sign really good regional guys before the UFC picks them up, or in some cases guys that the UFC isn't interested in. Signing Phumi Nkuta to build a flyweight division around would be another example. McKee is a wrestler and he is very good at it, he is just very one dimensional. He is massive for the weight class which makes his wrestling even more effective too. The problem is his stand up is still very much in development and he is not defensively sound at all. Sergio Pettis is a veteran at this point but he is still only 32 years old. Pettis isn't a big guy for the weight class but he is very well rounded. He is also coming off two big wins over Magomed Magomedov and Raufeon Stots. He was taken down by Stots multiple times and we held down for a long time in round 2, but Stots is much more experienced against better competition than McKee. As long as the fight is on the feet Pettis will be scoring points and I think his take down defense should hold up for him to win at least two rounds. This is only a three round main event.

Pick: Sergio Pettis by decision. Medium confidence.

JORDAN NEWMAN (8-0) vs. JOSH SILVEIRA (15-5) – Middleweight

Newman has really impressed me with his recent performances. He was signed as a wrestler by Bellator and was built up slowly by them. In his last two fights he has been given big steps up in competition though taking on other wrestlers such as Imamshafi Aliev and Eslam Abdul Baset. Baset is terrible but he was a big underdog against Aliev. That fight was also one of the most boring fights ever recorded and I can't believe Bellator decided to upload it to YouTube as both guys were afraid to throw punches and barely committed to a take down attempt. Silveira is an odd one as I have never been super high on him but to his credit he is very well rounded. He can be outwrested but was able to shake off Murad Ramazanov in his last outing. He is going to be the more comfortable striker clearly in this fight and if he lets his hands go he should find a lot of success. If Newman goes back to what he is good at this could be interesting but for now I like Silveira as an underdog.

Pick: Josh Silveira by decision. Low-medium confidence.

RAUFEON STOTS (21-3) vs. RENAT KHAVALOV (11-0) – Bantamweight

This is a big “prove it” fight for Khavalov. I think he is the real deal and have been high on him for years now. The PFL picked him up and honestly didn't give him any tough opponents until now. Stots is a wrestler and is pretty much only a wrestler. So in a way this is a safe test as I doubt Khavalov will be put in much danger on the feet. Khavalov hasn't been finding many finishes in PFL run and I don't think that changes here. We have seen Stots struggle with really good wrestlers in the past and I don't think this will be any different.

Pick: Renat Khavalov by decision. Medium confidence.

GABRIEL BRAGA (16-3) vs. CHEYDEN LEIALOHA (11-2) – Featherweight

Braga is a really technical, somewhat low volume Muay Thai striker. We have seen a lot more of his grappling game recently as he has been fighting grapplers and strikers. This guy Cheyden has been called up on short notice but he has been fighting some of the worst competition I have ever seen. Braga isn't a guy you can rely on to get finishes but he should find some sort of finish here.

Pick: Gabriel Braga by KO/TKO. High confidence.

VIVIANE ARAUJO (13-7) vs. SHANNA YOUNG (11-8) – Women's Flyweight

Pick: Viviane Araujo by decision. High confidence.

JENA BISHOP (9-3) vs. BORENA TSERTSVADZE (6-0) – Women's Flyweight

Jena should get back in the win column here. She is fighting a grappler, and Jena is the better grappler of the two.

Pick: Jena Bishop by submission. Medium-high confidence.

OMAR EL DAFRAWY (14-6) vs. JAMES VAKE (7-1) – Welterweight

Love some CKB by Vake has been fighting some of the worst competition ever. I know it is bias but it is true there really isn't much MMA scene in NZ so you have to fight whoever is offered up but fighting a debuting guy with no amateur experience in his last fight is irresponsible matchmaking. Vake is a fun watch though, he doesn't fight with the typical robotic CKB style. He seems to throw technique out the window and just throws bombs with his chin in the air. He has a willing dance partner in El Dafrawy who is a really fun striker. When I first saw him I thought he looked like an Egyptian Carlos Prates. Dafrawy has fought better comp than Vake and is a much more technical striker. This will be a fun banger but Dafrawy has more to offer.

Pick: Omar El Dafrawy by decision. Medium confidence.

ALEXANDR ROMANOV (21-4) vs. RODRIGO NASCIMENTO (12-4) 2 – Heavyweight

I expected Romanov to absolutely tear through the PFL's heavyweight division and he kind of has failed in doing that. But he should smoke Nascimento.

Pick: Alexandr Romanov by submission. High confidence.