The energy around the United Center in Chicago is getting weird, and I mean that in the best way possible. While everyone is busy debating whether Khamzat Chimaev can actually drown Dricus Du Plessis in the main event, the smart money is staring at the undercard. Honestly, the UFC 319 prelims predictions that people are tossing around right now feel a little too safe.
People see a name like Edson Barboza and think they know the ending. They see a grappler like Gerald Meerschaert and assume it’s a submission or bust. But fighting is never that clean. This card is a landmine of stylistic nightmares. If you aren't looking at the technical gaps in the "favorites," you're going to have a rough night watching these results roll in.
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The Chaos of the Lightweight Veterans
Let’s talk about Edson Barboza versus Drakkar Klose. Barboza is basically a living legend at this point. You’ve seen the highlight reels—the spinning wheel kicks that look like something out of a video game. But here’s the thing: Klose is a grinder. He’s the type of fighter who makes you feel every second of a fifteen-minute round.
Most early UFC 319 prelims predictions have Barboza winning because, well, he’s Edson Barboza. But Klose has this annoying habit of not letting people breathe. If he can push Barboza against the fence and take away that kicking range, the "highlight reel" vanishes. It becomes a dirty, ugly clinch fight. I’m leaning toward Klose as a live underdog here because Barboza’s durability, while still respectable, isn’t what it was five years ago.
Then you have Chase Hooper against Alexander Hernandez. This one is hilarious to me. Hooper looks like he just walked out of a high school library, but his grappling is terrifying. Hernandez, on the other hand, is built like a Greek statue and starts fights like he’s trying to end them in thirty seconds.
Basically, if Hernandez doesn't knock Hooper's head into the third row in the first four minutes, he’s in trouble. Hooper has a chin that shouldn't exist and a gas tank that lets him keep hunting for limbs while his opponent is gasping for air. Most people are picking Hernandez by early KO, but I'm telling you, don't be shocked if Hooper survives the storm and finds a neck in round two.
Predicting the Technical Battles: Andrade and Meerschaert
Jéssica Andrade is a human wrecking ball. She fights Loopy Godinez in a strawweight bout that is almost guaranteed to be the "Fight of the Night" on the prelims. Andrade is shorter than almost everyone she fights, yet she hits like a heavyweight. Godinez is technical, fast, and has a high output.
The question here is simple: Can Loopy stay on her bike for 15 minutes? If she gets caught in a trade with Andrade, she’s going to sleep. But Andrade has been a bit "all or nothing" lately. My take? Godinez is too smart. She’s going to pick Andrade apart from the outside and win a frustrating unanimous decision. It won't be pretty for the fans who want a brawl, but it's the high-IQ play.
- Gerald Meerschaert vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk: This is a classic "Striker vs. Grappler" trope.
- Oleksiejczuk has hands like bricks.
- Meerschaert has more submissions than most people have career wins.
- If Meerschaert gets this to the floor, it's over in seconds.
The problem is Michal knows that. Everyone knows that. Oleksiejczuk is going to come out swinging for the fences early. If you're looking for a parlay killer, this is the fight. I’m sticking with the veteran Meerschaert to weather an early knockdown and snatch a guillotine. He just finds a way. He always does.
New Blood and the TUF Finale
We also have the Ultimate Fighter 33 flyweight final between Alibi Idiris and Joseph Morales. These TUF finales are always tricky. Both guys are fighting for a life-changing contract. Idiris has been the dark horse of the season, showing some serious wrestling chops that usually shut down the more "flashy" flyweights.
Morales is a veteran of the game who has been around the block, but Idiris feels like the next generation of 125-pounders. He’s bigger, stronger, and has that relentless pressure that we see from the Kazakhstani fighters lately.
One more to keep an eye on: Baisangur Susurkaev. He’s a massive favorite against Eric Nolan for a reason. Susurkaev is a training partner of Chimaev, and he fights exactly like him. Expect a fast takedown, some heavy ground-and-pound, and a sub before the first round ends. It’s almost a carbon copy of the main event’s expected dynamic.
Final Betting Angles and Insights
When you’re looking at the UFC 319 prelims predictions, don’t just look at the records. Look at the camp changes. Look at who’s cutting too much weight. The United Center is a big arena with a lot of noise, and young fighters sometimes freeze up in that environment.
Barboza is the "sentimental" pick, but Klose is the "analytical" pick. The flyweight finale is almost certainly going to a decision because those guys are too tough for their own good. And please, for the love of everything, don't bet the house on a heavyweight or light heavyweight prelim unless you're ready for the chaos of a "puncher's chance."
To get the most out of this weekend, you should check the official weigh-in results to see who looked drained. Fighters who struggle on the scales in Chicago’s humidity often fade hard by the end of the second round. Keep your eyes on the live betting lines once the first round of the Godinez-Andrade fight ends; that’s where the real value usually hides.
Compare the reach advantages for the Hernandez-Hooper fight before you lock in any parlays. Usually, the taller fighter with the submission threat wins if the fight goes past the seven-minute mark. Check the late-notice replacements as well, as Eric Nolan is stepping into a very tough spot against a monster like Susurkaev. Stay sharp.
Next Steps:
Keep an eye on the official UFC weigh-in videos to see if any fighters on the prelims look particularly depleted, especially in the flyweight and strawweight divisions where weight cuts are most grueling. Use that information to adjust your final picks before the early prelims kick off on Saturday.