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We're back with another prediction and pick for UFC Fight Night from the Apex as we turn our attention towards this next bout in the Featherweight (145) Division. Exciting prospects will do battle as Australia's Josh Culibao takes on California's own Danny Silva. Check out our UFC odds series for our Culibao-Silva prediction and pick.
Josh Culibao (11-2-1) comes into this bout with a 3-2-1 record in the UFC. He notched three impressive wins consecutively and capped it off with a submission win over Melsik Baghdasaryan. He dropped his last fight in a unanimous decision to Lerone Murphy, so he'll be in a bounce-back spot as the favorite against Danny Silva. Culibao stands 5'10” with a 73-inch reach.
Danny Silva (8-1) will be making his UFC debut in this bout after securing a contract on Dana White's Contender Series. He was a 2-1 prospect from LFA and got his shot on DWCS facing Angel Pacheco. In what ended as a wild fight, Silva was awarded a contract and will now step into another brawl against a seasoned opponent. Silva stands 5'11” with a 70-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of BetOnline.
UFC Vegas 88 Odds: Josh Culibao-Danny Silva Odds
Josh Culibao: -186
Danny Silva: +161
Over 2.5 rounds: -200
Under 2.5 rounds: +160
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Why Josh Culibao Will Win
Josh Culibao is an extremely fun striker to watch and all of his fights have been entertaining brawls up to this point. He has a very solid chin and isn't scared to stand in the pocket against other vicious strikers. While he doesn't throw his strikes with a ton of power behind them, he's very accurate and can overwhelm opponents with his volume alone. Culibao likes to walk his opponents down with strikes and won't hesitate to shoot for a takedown along the fence.
After seeing great striking success through his wins, Culibao was stopped by a much more technical fighter in Lerone Murphy. Culibao's awkward boxing style couldn't phase his opponent, so he may want to look for the takedowns in this fight and try his hand on the ground. He comes from a jiu-jitsu background and will have the edge on the ground if he's able to get it there, but we've seen him give-in to the brawl in each one of his past fights. Look for Culibao to be the more durable fighter over three rounds.
Why Danny Silva Will Win
Danny Silva made a huge impression on the UFC with his crazy performance on Contender Series. He stood toe-to-toe with an equally-matched prospect in Angel Pacheco and turned in a ‘Fight of the Year' candidate with a three-round brawl. During the fight, Silva landed over 13 significant strikes per minute while defending 59% of strikes coming back his way. He pushed an insane pace in his audition and we can expect him to fight with the same aggression in his official debut.
Silva's last opponent in Angel Pacheco fought a very similar style to what he may see out of Culibao. Both fighters love to stand in the pocket and trade at an insane rate. Culibao will be a bit more seasoned, but Silva is coming in with a fierce motivation and will to win. If he's able to crowd Culibao early and get him on his back foot, he could be able to run through him in similar fashion.
Final Josh Culibao-Danny Silva Prediction & Pick
This will be a great fight and looking at both of these fighters' styles, it's clear why the UFC booked Josh Culibao to face Danny Silva in his debut. Culibao is a more refined fighter, but fights with a similar brawling style to Danny Silva's previous opponents. Both men are willing to engage in an all-out brawl and we could be seeing some bonuses get cashed during this one.
Josh Culibao has started a bit slow in his previous fights, but he won't be able to waste a second when facing the output of Silva. He'll need to meet him with counters in the exchanges or take this fight to the ground where he has the advantage. He hasn't been too keen on using his offensive wrestling in the past, but he could see a clear path to victory in it this time around.
Danny Silva, on the other hand, has already seen a similar fighter in Angel Pacheco. He started fast and was able to drop him early, but he allowed Pacheco to get right back into the fight by the second round. He should look to do the same in this fight, but allowing Culibao to turn the tide in the later rounds could be a risky move.
For our final prediction, we'll roll with Danny Silva to get the upset win. If Josh Culibao can tie him up with the wrestling, this fight should go to the favorite. However, he's failed to make an impact on the ground and Danny Silva will not give him any room to breathe on the feet.
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Final Josh Culibao-Danny Silva Prediction & Pick: Danny Silva (+161)
