UFC 244 Predictions

All eyes will be on Madison Square Garden this weekend as welterweight fan favourites, Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz, do battle for the first ever BMF title. Although this belt doesn't actually mean anything, it does allow us to see two of the finest and most exciting 170lbers in the world duke it out to prove who the better man is.

Both fighters had outstanding performances in their last bouts, putting them in the main event of the UFC's biggest pay-per-view this year. Nate Diaz returned from nearly three years out of competition to beat the brakes off of former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis at UFC 241, while Jorge Masvidal etched his name in MMA folklore when he brutally knocked out the then undefeated Ben Askren with the greatest flying knee of all time at UFC 239.

The co-main event also promises fireworks as Darren Till makes his middleweight debut against former interim title contender, Kelvin Gastelum. A win for either man will put them in the title mix and considering both have all-action fighting styles, we could be in for an absolute barnburner.

Last but certainly not least, we've got sensational 170lb scrap featuring striking phenom, Stephen Thompson, and Brazilian bruiser, Vicente Luque. Although it's third on the main card, this has the potential to be a fight of the year contender.

Before we get to our main card predictions, let's take a look at UFC 244's equally stacked undercard...

Despite losing his UFC debut, Chance Rencountre has looked brilliant in his last two bouts. He's an outstanding wrestler who grinds opponents out until they're exhausted and have no energy. Whether or not he can do that against MMA veteran Lyman Good is a different story. The experienced fighter is a tough fight for anyone and if he can keep the fight standing, he should have plenty of success on the feet.

Katlyn Chookagian has been angling for a title fight for some time now and a win against Jennifer Maia could secure that for her. The 30-year old Renzo Gracie brown belt is 5-2 since signing with the UFC, but is without a true signature win. Maia is in a similar boat, with two decision victories out of three fights in the Octagon, yet no finishes to prove her worthiness for a title shot. Whoever can impress during this bout will surely be in-line to fight Valentina Shevchenko for the strap next.

Lastly, we've got a sensational featherweight match-up between Hakeem Dawodu and Julio Arce. Both men are fight-finishers, so the potential for something spectacular is always there. Arce might be the more well-rounded fighter, but Dawodu has proven that his striking is elite at 145lb.

Now onto the second part of the undercard...