Sean Sheehan 
After two years out of the Octagon due to a USADA violation, former UFC 205 lbs champion Lyoto Machida returns to competition this weekend as the headlining act of the UFC’s latest sojourn into Sao Paulo, Brazil. The entertaining karateka will go head-to-head with tough American Derek Bruson on a pretty interesting card which also features the likes of John Lineker, Jim Miller and Rob Font as well as a possible grapplers delight in the co-main event as fan favourite Damian Maia takes on American heel Colby Covington. Here are my picks for the event.
Main Card
Middleweight: Derek Brunson vs. Lyoto Machida – Touching forty, with two years on the sidelines means I’m taking Brunson to beat Machida.
Welterweight: Demian Maia vs. Colby Covington – I have a sick feeling this will be 15 minutes of awful kickboxing. If it is, Covington should win.
Bantamweight: Pedro Munhoz vs. Rob Font – Font has been on a great run, fancy him here.
Lightweight: Francisco Trinaldo vs. Jim Miller – A few years ago it’d be the other way but, Trinaldo
Middleweight: Thiago Santos vs. Jack Hermansson – Hermansson via durability
Bantamweight: John Lineker vs. Marlon Vera – Really fun fight, I like the output Lineker
Prelims
Welterweight: Vicente Luque vs. Niko Price – Price
Middleweight: Antônio Carlos Júnior vs. Jack Marshman – Carlos Júnior
Lightweight: Hacran Dias vs. Jared Gordon – Gordon
Welterweight: Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos vs. Max Griffin – dos Santos
Early Prelims
Flyweight: Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Jarred Brooks – Brooks
Heavyweight: Christian Colombo vs. Marcelo Golm – Golm
BET OF THE WEEK
Trinaldo wins via decision at even money
START TIMES
Early Prelims – 11pm on Fight Pass
Prelims – 12am on Fight Pass and BT Sport
Main Card – 2am on BT Sport
