Vitor Belfort can probably see the light at the end of the tunnel, and Kelvin Gastelum would like nothing more than to hurry along the process when the two middleweights collide in the UFC Fight Night 106 headliner on Saturday in Fortaleza, Brazil. In the three-round co-main event, Mauricio Rua squares off with Gian Villante at 205 pounds.
Ahead of UFC Fight Night “Belfort vs. Gastelum,” Sherdog.com staff members and contributors swallowed their pride and put their reputations on the line with bold predictions:
THE LINEUP
185: Vitor Belfort vs. Kelvin Gastelum205: Mauricio Rua vs. Gian Villante
155: Edson Barboza vs. Beneil Dariush
125: Jussier da Silva vs. Ray Borg
135: Bethe Correia vs. Marion Reneau
170: Tim Means vs. Alex Oliveira
155: Francisco Trinaldo vs. Kevin Lee
170: Sergio Moraes vs. Davi Ramos
135: Rani Yahya vs. Joe Soto
155: Michel Prazeres vs. Joshua Burkman
145: Rony Mariano Bezerra vs. Jeremy Kennedy
185: Garreth McLellan vs. Paulo Henrique Costa
THE STANDINGS
Jordan Breen: 50-18Connor Ruebusch: 46-22
Tristen Critchfield: 45-23
Brian Knapp: 45-23
Todd Martin: 43-25
Mike Fridley: 39-29
Eric Stinton: 39-29
Mike Sloan: 38-30
THE PICKS
Jordan Breen: Gastelum, Rua, Barboza, da Silva, Reneau, Means, Trinaldo, Moraes, Yahya, Burkman, Kennedy, CostaConnor Ruebusch: Gastelum, Villante, Barboza, da Silva, Correia, Means, Trinaldo, Moraes, Yahya, Prazeres, Bezerra, Costa
Tristen Critchfield: Gastelum, Villante, Barboza, Borg, Correia, Means, Trinaldo, Moraes, Yahya, Prazeres, Kennedy, Costa
Brian Knapp: Gastelum, Rua, Barboza, da Silva, Reneau, Means, Trinaldo, Moraes, Yahya, Prazeres, Kennedy, Costa
Todd Martin: Gastelum, Villante, Barboza, da Silva, Reneau, Means, Lee, Moraes, Soto, Prazeres, Bezerra, Costa
Mike Fridley: Gastelum, Rua, Barboza, Borg, Reneau, Means, Trinaldo, Moraes, Yahya, Prazeres, Bezerra, Costa
Eric Stinton: Gastelum, Rua, Barboza, Borg, Reneau, Means, Trinaldo, Moraes, Soto, Prazeres, Kennedy, Costa
Mike Sloan: Gastelum, Villante, Barboza, da Silva, Correia, Oliveira, Trinaldo, Moraes, Yahya, Prazeres, Kennedy, Costa