Paige VanZant and Michelle Waterson want a more prominent place in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s women’s strawweight pecking order.
Ahead of UFC on Fox 22 “VanZant vs. Waterson,” members of the Sherdog.com staff swallowed their pride and put their reputations on the line with bold predictions:
THE LINEUP
115: Paige VanZant (7-2) vs. Michelle Waterson (13-4)170: Sage Northcutt (8-1) vs. Mickey Gall (3-0)
135: Urijah Faber (33-10) vs. Brad Pickett (25-12)
170: Alan Jouban (14-4) vs. Mike Perry (9-0)
205: Luis Henrique da Silva (12-0) vs. Paul Craig (8-0)
145: Cole Miller (21-10) vs. Mizuto Hirota (17-7-2)
170: Bryan Barberena (12-3) vs. Colby Covington (10-1)
170: James Moontasri (9-4) vs. Alex Morono (12-3)
155: Josh Emmett (10-0) vs. Scott Holtzman (9-1)
135: Leslie Smith (8-7-1) vs. Irena Aldana (7-2)
135: Eddie Wineland (22-11-1) vs. Takeya Mizugaki (21-10-2)
125: Hector Sandoval (12-3) vs. Fredy Serrano (3-1)
170: Bojan Velickovic (14-3-1) vs. Sultan Aliev (13-2)
STANDINGS
Tristen Critchfield (159-84-4)Jordan Breen (154-89-4)
Brian Knapp (149-94-4)
Mike Sloan (149-94-4)
Mike Fridley (143-100-4)
THE PICKS
Tristen Critchfield: Waterson, Northcutt, Faber, Jouban, Silva, Hirota, Covington, Moontasri, Holtzman, Aldana, Mizugaki, Sandoval, VelickovicJordan Breen: VanZant, Gall, Faber, Perry, Silva, Hirota, Covington, Morono, Emmett, Aldana, Wineland, Serrano, Velickovic
Brian Knapp: VanZant, Gall, Faber, Perry, Silva, Hirota, Covington, Moontasri, Holtzman, Aldana, Mizugaki, Sandoval, Velickovic
Mike Sloan: VanZant, Gall, Faber, Jouban, Silva, Miller, Covington, Morono, Emmett, Aldana, Mizugaki, Sandoval, Velickovic
Mike Fridley: VanZant, Gall, Faber, Perry, Craig, Miller, Covington, Moontasri, Emmett, Aldana, Mizugaki, Serrano, Velickovic