Home of Fight Expert Picks: Noche UFC
Noche UFC lands at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale on Saturday, celebrating Mexican Independence Day with a six-fight main card starting at 5 p.m. ET.
The headliner changed shape late when Yair Rodriguez withdrew injured, elevating surging Brazilian Jean Silva against short-notice replacement and Arizona’s own Jose Miguel Delgado. Silva has predicted a finish inside ten minutes, and his pressure-forward, granite-chinned brawling style backs up the confidence. Delgado steps in as a heavy underdog but fights with hometown crowd energy on his side.
The co-main event is a legitimate flyweight gem, former two-time champion Brandon Moreno against unbeaten Joseph Morales, a razor-close matchup between elite scrambling and controlled aggression. Just below it, former women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso challenges surging contender Manon Fiorot in a bout carrying real title implications for the division. Fiorot’s suffocating output and takedown defense make her the favorite, but Grasso’s championship pedigree and finishing instincts keep her live.
Rounding out the card, heavyweights Waldo Cortes-Acosta and veteran Curtis Blaydes clash in a power-versus-wrestling puzzle, unbeaten prospect Tommy McMillen faces Marwan Rahiki in a featherweight showcase that’s drawn some backstage controversy over card placement, and bantamweight David Martinez looks to add another notable name to his resume against veteran Dan Ige.
Who do our experts like to get their hands raised in these matchups?
Jean Silva vs. Jose Delgado
HayJive – Jean Silva
- “I’ll take Jean Silva in the main event. Delgado is dangerous and I expect him to be prepared for the moment, but I don’t think he has the technical striking to deal with Silva over five rounds. Silva has shown he’s dangerous at all stages of a fight, has good takedown defense, and stays poised under pressure. Delgado is still young in his professional career, and this is a massive jump in competition on short notice. I trust Silva to stay calculated and get the win.”
Nolan – Jean Silva
- “Silva has higher level experience and an extremely violent style. Delgado has shown to get hurt in fights which won’t be good here.”
JJ (The Octagon King) – Jean Silva
- “Too much, too soon for Delgado who takes this on Short Notice. We know he can get tagged and dropped and I have a feeling Silva will get the timing correct.”
The Fight Analyst – Jean Silva
- “While I truly believe this fight will be close, at least early on, this is just a good fight for Silva. Silva has a good enough chin to wear he can take a punch from Jose Delgado and even though he’s going to be at a volume disadvantage, his power will make up for it. All it’s going to take is one to change the trajectory of this fight as he gets the knockout victory.”
Austin Swaim – Jose Delgado
- “The makeshift main event is a great fight. Delgado’s length and dexterity with his limbs are things Jean Silva struggled with against Lopes, and Silva’s power might be a smidge overrated with knockdowns against poor competition. Delgado is a live ‘dog.”
Brandon Moreno vs. Joseph Morales
HayJive – Joseph Morales
- “I’ll take Joseph Morales in the co-main event. It’s a tough fight to call and a significant step up in competition for Morales, but I’d rather side with the fighter who still has his best years ahead of him. I don’t trust Brandon Moreno to consistently give us his best at this stage of his career. I think Morales can use his pressure, activity, and grappling to get the job done.”
Nolan – Joseph Morales
- “Morales is still improving while we know exactly what we have with Moreno. At some point I think Morales takes over this fight.”
JJ (The Octagon King) – Brandon Moreno
- “I believe the differential will primarily be when this fight stays standing, with moments for Morales on the ground.”
The Fight Analyst – Brandon Moreno
- “Everyone is quick to write off Fares Ziam after his loss to Lon’er Kavanagh, who’s shown to be a bright prospect in the flyweight division. While Morales looks like he has finally hit his prime, I believe Moreno’s takedown defense and scrambling abilities keep this fight on the feet where Moreno will punish Morales and get back into the win column.”
Austin Swaim – Joseph Morales
- “Is Brandon Moreno just kinda dust? I feel like his transition to Fortis MMA hurt his boxing, and he doesn’t really have a grappling identity when Tatsuro Taira dominated there. Morales is an aggressive neck-snatcher with significantly less attrition.”
Tommy McMillen vs. Marwan Rahiki
HayJive – Tommy McMillen
- “I’ll take Tommy McMillen. Rahiki is extremely dangerous, but I trust McMillen’s durability and ability to recover when he gets hurt. On the feet, he’ll push a high pace with constant volume and pressure, but the biggest difference is his ability to wrestle. Rahiki needs to keep this standing and find a knockout, while McMillen has multiple paths to victory. I’ll side with the more well-rounded fighter.”
Nolan – Tommy McMillen
- “Tommy’s will to win is insane, and if he wrestles he could maul Rahiki. I trust Tommy to use the grappling enough to win this fight.”
JJ (The Octagon King) – Tommy McMillen
- “Sheer volume for Tommy here where I feel Rahiki finds one short to usually get the win. If this fight goes into a brawl, I can see Tommy getting the upperhand.”
The Fight Analyst – Marwan Rahiki
- “Tommy McMillen is good for the UFC, a brash prospect who fights just like he talks. However, I think his lack of striking defense finally fails him for good against Marwan Rahiki. Rahiki’s 8 KO/TKO in 9 career wins is going to test that chin of McMillen, seeing as how he’s been dropped in two out of his last three; this could spell bad news for McMillen.”
Austin Swaim – Tommy McMillen
- “Marwan Rahiki is just too fragile to trust at too small of a number. He’s a long, quick striker that could potentially find McMillen’s chin, but he loses a trade of haymakers, and the Montana state wrestling champion might showcase those credentials in this matchup.”
Manon Fiorot vs. Alexa Grasso
HayJive – Alexa Grasso
- “I’ll take Alexa Grasso as the underdog. I understand why Fiorot is favored, but if this fight is primarily contested on the feet, I think it’s extremely competitive. Grasso’s sharp boxing and combinations can give Fiorot problems when she’s forced to exchange with her hands. Fiorot’s best path may be using her size and physicality to wrestle, but I don’t trust her to be overly effective from top position against Grasso’s jiu-jitsu. I’ll take Grasso’s boxing on the feet and submission threat on the ground to be enough to get the win.”
Nolan – Manon Fiorot
- “Size is a big factor in WMMA, and Manon is much bigger, stronger, and physical. I think the kicks at range will give Alexa problems as well.”
JJ (The Octagon King) – Manon Fiorot
- “Fiorot is one of the largest flyweights that has the ability to MMA grapple against the fence and if she needs to strike, she’s also quite versatile.”
The Fight Analyst – Manon Fiorot
- “Manon Fiorot is fresh off a round 1 beatdown of Jasmine Jasudavicius and now takes on former champ Alexa Grasso in a fight that is tailor made for her. While Grasso is still a dangerous fighter, she’s just going to be at the end of Fiorot’s strikes for 15 minutes as she drops her third fight in her last four.”
Austin Swaim – Alexa Grasso
- “Manon Fiorot is nearly impossible to beat convincingly, so it’s a good thing Grasso lives in grimy split decisions. The crowd will be fully behind her, she’s been aggressive attempting subs in her last 8 fights, and I’m sort of a buyer in her physical transformation that led to a KO of Maycee Barber.”
Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Curtis Blaydes
HayJive – Waldo Cortes-Acosta
- “I’ll take Waldo Cortes-Acosta. Blaydes is coming off a war with Josh Hokit, and at this stage, I don’t want to back him in a matchup like this. Waldo is the more durable fighter, carries more power, has a good jab, and has the cardio to maintain his output. I also don’t expect Blaydes’ takedowns to come easily. If Waldo keeps this standing, I expect him to land the bigger shots and potentially find the knockout.”
Nolan – Curtis Blaydes
- “Blaydes has a huge path to win in the wrestling. I think Waldo is a decent boxer but Blaydes can match him there and mix in takedowns to cash as the dog.”
JJ (The Octagon King) – Curtis Blaydes
- “I will continue to fade Waldo as I think the hype is still a bit much, whereas we know what Blaydes can do. The cardio and grappling will play a factor.”
The Fight Analyst – Curtis Blaydes
- “After going to war with Josh Hokit, I would be very surprised if that’s the game plan here with Waldo Cortes-Acosta. Blaydes should come in and utilize his wrestling for repeated ground work, and mat returns en route to a decision victory.”
Austin Swaim – Waldo Cortes-Acosta
- “Attrition is the key word in this matchup. Waldo hasn’t been finished in 13 UFC fights. Blaydes has been KO’d in two of his last five and barely escaped Almeida. Salsa Boy’s notorious patience could prolong the fight, but I think he dictates its position and wins.”
David Martinez vs. Dan Ige
HayJive – David Martinez
- “I’ll take David Martinez. This is a difficult matchup for Dan Ige, especially dropping a weight class against one of the faster fighters in the division. Ige is primarily a power boxer, while Martinez should be able to win minutes from the outside with his speed, footwork, and kicking game. I also don’t expect Ige to consistently find clean takedown entries or accomplish much if he does get Martinez down. I like Martinez to control the range and win this one pretty cleanly.”
Nolan – David Martinez
- “The volume, speed, and movement is going to look good to the judges here. Ige is coming off his first KO loss and a brutal one at that. I expect Martinez to be too crafty and take this one.”
JJ (The Octagon King) – David Martinez
- “First bantamweight move for Ige. I think he can be dangerous but the aggressive pressure from David Martinez is going to be the main differential in this fight.”
The Fight Analyst – David Martinez
- “Dan Ige is as tough as they come but this is a tough matchup against the younger and faster David Martinez. Martinez should utilize his speed and kicks to stay on the outside, just picking apart Ige at range to get the nod on the scorecards.”
Austin Swaim – David Martinez
- “David Martinez is lightning, and Dan Ige was a bit of a plodder and moves down to 135 pounds. That speed discrepancy is huge — even if the Hawaiian is notoriously durable. I think Martinez’s last two opponents were actually a tougher matchup for him, and he beat both convincingly.”
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