A four-fight winning streak has Derrick Lewis on the cusp of contention in the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight division.
Ahead of UFC Fight Night “Lewis vs. Abdurakhimov,” members of the Sherdog.com staff swallowed their pride and put their reputations on the line with bold predictions:
THE LINEUP
265: Derrick Lewis (16-4) vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov (17-3)265: Francis Ngannou (8-1) vs. Anthony Hamilton (15-5)
205: Corey Anderson (8-2) vs. Sean O'Connell (17-8)
205: Gian Villante (14-7) vs. Saparbek Safarov (8-0)
115: Justine Kish (5-0) vs. Ashley Yoder (5-1)
170: Randy Brown (8-1) vs. Brian Camozzi (7-2)
185: Joe Gigliotti (7-1) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (24-8)
185: Andrew Sanchez (8-2) vs. Trevor Smith (14-6)
145: Tiago dos Santos e Silva (20-5-2) vs. Shane Burgos (7-0)
155: Frankie Perez (10-2) vs. Marc Diakiese (10-0)
185: Keith Berish (5-0) vs. Ryan Janes (8-1)
115: Juliana Lima (8-3) vs. J.J. Aldrich (4-1)
STANDINGS
Tristen Critchfield (139-80-4)Jordan Breen (137-82-4)
Brian Knapp (132-87-4)
Mike Fridley (131-88-4)
Mike Sloan (129-90-4)
THE PICKS
Tristen Critchfield: Lewis, Ngannou, Anderson, Villante, Kish, Brown, Meerschaert, Sanchez, Burgos, Diakiese, Janes, LimaJordan Breen: Lewis, Ngannou, Anderson, Villante, Kish, Brown, Meerschaert, Sanchez, Burgos, Diakiese, Berish, Lima
Brian Knapp: Lewis, Ngannou, Anderson, Villante, Kish, Brown, Meerschaert, Smith, Burgos, Diakiese, Janes, Lima
Mike Fridley: Lewis, Ngannou, Anderson, Safarov, Yoder, Brown, Meerschaert, Smith, Silva, Diakiese, Berish, Lima
Mike Sloan: Lewis, Ngannou, Anderson, Safarov, Kish, Camozzi, Meerschaert, Sanchez, Burgos, Diakiese, Janes, Lima