theScore's Nick Baldwin makes his picks ahead of Saturday's UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Heavyweight championship
Ciryl Gane (14-2, 1 NC)
vs.
Josh Hokit (10-0)
Hokit made his UFC debut a year ago and has already proven to be one of the top heavyweights in the world, beating the likes of Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis en route to Saturday's title shot. But this fight is too big a hill for him to climb. Gane is arguably the best striker in the division and is coming off a brilliant win over former two-division champion Alex Pereira at the White House in June. He's usually content to fight in the stand-up department, but he also has some submissions in his back pocket. The 36-year-old Frenchman also has a lot more experience than Hokit, especially in five-round fights. His cardiovascular endurance could come in handy if they reach the deep waters of the main event.
I'll take Gane to finish Hokit on the feet in the championship rounds.
The pick: Gane, fourth-round TKO
Women's bantamweight championship
Kayla Harrison (19-1)
vs.
Amanda Nunes (23-5)
This is one of the biggest fights in women's MMA history, and I have no idea what to make of it. Nunes, the greatest women's fighter of all time, is returning to the Octagon for the first time since June 2023. Nunes is no longer in her prime at age 38, but she might still have what it takes to beat Harrison. The Brazilian should be much more comfortable than Harrison on the feet, where she should be able to pick apart the champion and land the most punishing strikes. Of course, there is a chance Harrison will outmuscle Nunes and dominate her on the ground, but I'm picking "The Lioness" to reclaim the throne.
The pick: Nunes, unanimous decision
Middleweight bout
Caio Borralho (18-2, 1 NC)
vs.
Yousri Belgaroui (11-3)
We're about to find out how good Belgaroui, a former GLORY Kickboxing title contender, really is. He's won three in a row to begin his UFC career - all knockouts - but has yet to face someone at Borralho's level. On the feet, Belgaroui likely wins this fight, but Borralho should be able to mix in some takedowns to edge out a victory.
The pick: Borralho, unanimous decision
Welterweight bout
Uros Medic (14-3)
vs.
Kevin Holland (29-15, 1 NC)
This is arguably the best matchup on the card outside of the title fights. Medic is on a roll, riding a four-fight winning streak - all first-round knockouts - capped by a 30-second win over Daniel Rodriguez in his home country of Serbia in August. Holland's gone 2-2 in his last four, but he's always a willing dance partner.
Medic wins, but Holland turns it into a Fight of the Night contender.
The pick: Medic, third-round TKO
Flyweight bout
Bilal Hasan (10-0, 1 NC)
vs.
Luis Gurule (11-4)
The UFC is giving Hasan a big push after he earned a contract on Dana White's Contender Series in August. The undefeated 25-year-old is a -1100 favorite against Gurule for a reason, and he should have no problem securing his second Octagon victory.
The pick: Hasan, first-round TKO
Rapid-fire bets
💥 Best overall bet: Uros Medic (-150) def. Kevin Holland
Medic could easily be a -200 favorite with all the momentum behind him. I like this price on a guy who can't stop knocking people out in the first round.
💥 Best underdog bet: Amanda Nunes (+165) def. Kayla Harrison
This one comes down to how Nunes looks after three-and-a-half years away from the sport. If she performs at even close to the same level as before, she has a good shot to beat Harrison.
💥 Best prop bet: Jared Gordon vs. Melquizael Costa goes under 2.5 rounds (-140)
Four of Gordon's six last fights ended in the first round, while two of Costa's last three didn't make it past the opening five minutes either. I'm confident that someone will find a finish before the midway point of the third round.
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