UFC Krakow – FTS Main Card Picks

Here are the FTS team’s picks for the main card of UFC Poland.

Remember; the prelims start at 4:45 PM on UFC Fight Pass and the main card starts at 8PM on UFC Fight Pass. You can also watch a repeat of the main card at 11pm on Pick TV completely free!

Here is the main card, our picks and also the team will make a case for the fighters they’ve chosen

Gabriel Gonzaga v Mirko Cro Cop
Jimi Manuwa v Jan Blachowicz
Pawel Pawlak v Sheldon Westcott
Joanne Calderwood v Maryna Moroz

Paul “PG” Geddes – Gonzaga, Blachowicz, Pawlak, Calderwood
Jimbo – Gonzaga, Manuwa, Pawlak, Calderwood
Don – Cro Cop, Manuwa, Pawlak, Calderwood

PG’s case for Gonzaga; Gonzaga is coming off two losses in the UFC but has still been fighting top opposition. Cro Cop on the other hand hasn’t been setting the world on fire in his foray outside of the Octagon. If Gonzaga has a reasonable amount of conditioning I predict an exhausted Cro Cop being finished in the second round by a slightly less exhausted Gonzaga.

Don’s case for Cro Cop; Cro Cop has never lost a rematch. In the heavyweight division where everything can change in the blink of an eye with one strike, despite their first bout, Cro Cop is still the more seasoned striker and if Gonzaga thinks he is a striker, he could get a real surprise.

Jimbo’s case for Manuwa; as impressive as Blanchowicz was in his destruction of Ilir Latifi, Manuwa is a different animal. Even Alexander Gustaffson was wary of striking with a fresh Manuwa; Manuwa showed good enough takedown defence against Ryan Jimmo and Kyle Kingsbury and should be able to force this to be a striking match, which favors the Brit.

PG’s case for Blanchowicz; Jan is an aggressive fighter coming off a first round TKO victory against his last opponent Ilir Latifi. Manuwa is coming off a loss to Gustaffson in which he was utterly found out. His victory before that was as a result of his opponent, Ryan Jimmo sustaining a leg injury and before that he beat journeyman Cyrille Diabete. To put it plainly I believe that overall Blanchowicz has fought and beat better over the course of his last few fights. Blanchowicz by TKO/KO in the first.

Jimbo’s case for Pawlak; in a fight between two relative unknowns yet to make any sort of mark in the UFC, I will lean towards Pawlak as he is the local fighter and if this fight is close, and the judges are needed, we know how that can go down!

Jimbo’s case for Calderwood; of course JoJo will win! The only fighter on the card that is in the UFC rankings (the number 6 strawweight in the world) and a vastly superior striker to most everyone in the division with the possible exception of the champ, Jojo will look to put on an impressive display to secure the title shot. Jojo should be able to keep this on the feet based on previous fights I’ve seen and that means Moroz is in for a long night!