Kyle Daukaus

expects a comfortable, lopsided win

A decent striker with a few basic boxing combinations and good enough power. His main strength is grappling: fine takedowns, good cage pressure and smooth mat transitions, and a submission game that leans heavily on one move (D'Arce) rather than a deep arsenal. The analyst highlights a clear uptick in tenacity and determination compared to his earlier UFC run.

picks Nickal by decision but admits he 'would not be surprised at all' by a Daukaus finish

Coming off a five-fight win streak after being written off following his UFC release, the analyst calls him the cleaner, better striker of the two and the better jiu-jitsu player, anchored by a dangerous darce choke. He fights with real urgency, looking to finish rather than play it safe, which the analyst thinks could matter against a less experienced opponent.

Picks Daukaus citing Meerschaert's declining durability at this stage of his career and a predictable round-three submission gameplan the analyst says everyone now sees coming.

A decent striker who the analyst likes for fighting with urgency throughout, carrying decent power with basic combinations. His real advantage is grappling: a good submission arsenal built around a darce-choke specialty, decent takedowns and really good transitions. The analyst's favored path for him is a cage push and dirty boxing to grind out rounds safely, since fully grappling a craftier submission threat carries risk.

Stated plainly twice, 'we're going to take Pereira,' calling him 'the rightful favorite' with no hedge on the win.

An unspectacular but functional striker (fair pop, simple combinations) whose real identity is on the mat -- a strong grappler whose whole game is built around a feared Darce choke, backed by fair takedowns, strong cage control and clean positional movement. The trait the analyst likes most, separate from the choke game, is his nonstop finishing pressure. He steps in on short notice, traveling to Shanghai, which the analyst treats as a genuine step up against the card's favorite. As of 2025-08-18.

says outright he leans Anders but is not super confident, and admits his own bias toward him

A younger jiu-jitsu-based fighter with a long reach he says sets up a favorite submission look, and who he does not consider lost in a clinch exchange either. He frames Daukaus as still ascending and not yet at his best.