UFC Vegas 92 Preview And Predictions

UFC Vegas 92 Preview And Predictions

UFC Vegas 92 is not the best fight card the UFC has put together in 2024. Still, there are some noteworthy fights. The main event should be an entertaining striking bout between a veteran and a prospect. Plus, several recognizable unranked fighters have a chance to impress on a main card.

Join Vendetta Sports Media as we preview and predict the UFC Vegas 92 main card. You can find our prediction records below.

James: 54-38

Garrett: 51-41

Anthony: 52-40

No. 9 Luana Pinheiro vs. No. 12 Angela Hill- Women’s Strawweight Bout

James: The UFC Vegas 92 main event kicks off with a women’s strawweight bout between Luana Pinheiro and Angela Hill. Pinheiro started her UFC career with three consecutive wins. The highlight of that run was a decision win over Michelle Waterson-Gomez that allowed her to get a ranking. Although, she dropped her most recent fight against Amanda Ribas and is looking to get back in the win column. Hill is a veteran of the women’s strawweight division and holds the divisional record for the most UFC appearances. That experience has culminated in an 11-13 UFC record. That may not seem great, but she has fought a tough level of competition. At 39, she is 3-1 in her last four fights and should not be counted out. 

Pinheiro’s skills revolve around her powerful striking and judo. On the feet, Pinheiro throws big shots and does damage if she lands. It is not the most technical approach to striking but she throws big hooks. That pressure and aggression make her a handful in the early rounds. Plus, she often lands takedowns from the clinch which helps her win rounds. The issue is that her style taxes her cardio and she significantly slows down. 

Hill is a solid striker who throws a strong amount of volume. This is accomplished with a variety of strikes. Hill uses a good selection of punches and kicks to throw combinations. This helps her win rounds. Furthermore, she has the cardio to keep this style going for three rounds. Lastly, Hill does have the ability to throw clinch knees. 

This UFC Vegas 92 preview largely involves cardio. In Hill’s 24 UFC fights, 20 have gone to decision. As a result, this fight will likely go three rounds. In the first round, Pinheiro should be able to land big strikes and implement her grappling. Although, Hill’s durability should ensure she remains in the fight. In the third round, Hill will have a massive advantage after Pinheiro gasses out. That leaves the second round as the deciding factor. It is hard to project exactly how that round will go because it depends on Pinheiro’s gas tank. That said, I prefer to pick Hill. This is mainly because her volume will help her win a close second round. I also believe she will have finish upside in the third round. I will take Hill by decision. 

Garrett: Pinheiro via decision

Anthony: Hill via decision

Adrian Yanez vs. Vinicius Salvador- Bantawmweight Bout

James: At UFC Vegas 92, Adrian Yanez will fight Vinicius Salvador. Yanez showed serious potential as he won his first five fights in the promotion; however, he ran into trouble when he began fighting ranked competition. As a result, he dropped consecutive fights. In this fight, he gets a chance to get back on track against a fighter who is winless in the UFC. Salvador started his UFC career at flyweight where he went 0-2. This will be his first UFC fight at bantamweight. 

Yanez is a great offensive boxer. The hand speed, power, and accuracy present in his boxing combinations are impressive. At his best, he gets into a rhythm and dismantles his opponent. The issue is that his defense is lacking and he does not mix other skills into his game. 

Salvador is a striker who fights with his hands low. This allows him to throw jabs and hooks from awkward angles. The jab is a fine weapon, but the hooks can get ugly and do not land often. Additionally, he actively throws leg kicks. 

This UFC Vegas 92 fight preview favors Yanez. This is a fighter who has shown serious potential against a fighter who has not shown UFC-level talent. Styles make fights, but that combination already favors Yanez. In the exact skills, Yanez should be able to find Salvador’s chin considering he fights with his hands low and gets over-aggressive. The best case for Salvador is that he lands his jab and leg kick for three rounds and wins a decision. I doubt that happens, however. I will take Yanez by second-round knockout. 

Garrett: Yanez via TKO

Anthony: Yanez via KO/TKO

Themba Gorimbo vs. Ramiz Brahimaj- Welterweight Bout 

James: At UFC Vegas 92, Themba Gorimbo will fight Ramiz Brahimaj. Gorimbo is 2-1 in the UFC. In non-fighting related events, Gorimbo has gained notoriety in the MMA community because of his relationship with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. As a result, he brings some hype to this bout.  Brahimaj is 2-2 in the UFC, but he has not fought since 2022. That is because he has been dealing with a career-threatening spine injury. That raises serious questions as he returns to competition. 

Gorimbo has shown skills in both grappling and striking throughout his UFC tenure. In the grappling realm, he has landed takedowns and gotten to strong positions. In striking exchanges, he hits hard and has knockout upside. My issue with Gorimbo is that he is not elite in either realm. Still, he has UFC-level skills. 

Brahimaj is a very impressive grappler. This begins with a good collection of takedowns, but his skills extend to advancing position and landing submissions. The issue is that he does not have great cardio and does not perform well when he is forced to strike. I rarely provide fighter comparisons, but Brahimaj reminds me a lot of Sean Brady. That said, it’s like a far worse version of Brady. 

This fight is tough to predict because of Brahimaj’s injury concerns. I cannot be optimistic about a fighter who has been sidelined with a spine injury. At the same time, he is the better grappler. I expect Brahimaj to have early grappling success, but I do not trust his cardio. Therefore, Gorimbo will have advantages in the second and third rounds. The issue is that he needs to avoid the submission to get to that point. I trust his grapple enough to side with him, but it will be sketchy. I will take Gorimbo by third-round submission. 

Garrett: Brahimaj via submission

Anthony: Gorimbo via KO/TKO

Khaos Williams vs. Carlston Harris- Welterweight Bout

James: The UFC Vegas 92 co-main event features a welterweight bout between Khaos Williams and Carlston Harris. Both fighters have had solid stints in the UFC. Williams is 5-2 in the promotion. Harris has a UFC record of 4-1. The only loss in that run was against Shavkat Rakhmonov. 

Williams is a power puncher. I would not classify him as technical, but it only takes him one shot to end the fight. In his five promotional victories, three are knockouts. Williams is at his best when he can land a straight. If he does not find that shot, he can get wild and end up in a close fight. 

Harris is an interesting fighter with respectable grappling and striking skills. Harris has won fights with offensive wrestling, but he has also been out-grappled on multiple occasions. That said, his front choke series is great and he has a ton of submission upside. That was best shown against Jeremiah Wells when he landed an anaconda choke after being out-grappled for two rounds. In striking exchanges, Harris throws a long jab and likes to land his overhand. 

The UFC Vegas 92 co-main event is tough to preview. This is mostly because of Williams’ lack of UFC-level grappling. Harris will likely be the toughest grappling test for Williams. That creates an interesting dynamic because Williams has shown decent takedown defense. The bigger question revolves around keeping himself safe from submissions in elongated grappling sequences. Those questions certainly create a path for Harris. Still, I lean toward Williams. The power in his hands is legitimate and I think he will have various opportunities to land against Harris. I think he lands a shot that ends this fight before the final horn. I will take Williams by first-round knockout. 

Garrett: Williams via TKO

Anthony: Harris via decision

No. 11 Edson Barboza vs. No. 14 Lerone Murphy- Featherweight Bout 

James: In the UFC Vegas 92 main event, Edson Barboza will fight Lerone Murphy. This is a clash between a veteran and a rising prospect. Barboza has been in the UFC since 2010 and has complied an 18-11 record. At 38, he has picked up consecutive wins and shown he can hang with young featherweights. Murphy is 5-0-1 in the UFC and has become one of the best prospects in the featherweight division. The issue is that he fights too infrequently. That has hindered his ability to climb the rankings. At 32, he has finally gotten a chance against a ranked opponent. That is quite old for someone considered a prospect, but he is getting a chance to break into the rankings. 

Barboza is one of the most explosive knockout artists in MMA history. Throughout his career, he has assembled one of the best highlight reels. That is largely due to his spinning kicks and flying knees. More importantly, Barboza’s game has sustenance along with his flashy striking. This is best seen in his kicks and straight shots. Barboza throws quick kicks and throws to all three levels. On top of that, he can use his jab and straight to land punches. That said, his age brings concern. A decrease in athleticism or durability could happen at any moment. 

Murphy is fairly well-rounded. Out of all of his skills, his boxing stands out the most. Murphy can switch stances and he hits hard with both hands. At times, he can get wide with his hooks, but his straight shots are clean. Similarly to Barboza, he has shown explosiveness and can get big knockouts. The difference is that he has landed those strikes much less frequently. Despite not being an elite grappler or clinch operator,  Murphy has skills as an offense wrestler and can land clinch strikes. Those skills help round out his game and add a few extra layers. 

The UFC Vegas 92 main event is a tough fight to preview. I could see both fighters finding success in striking exchanges. Barboza’s aforementioned age concern gives a solid reason to pick Murphy. The issue is that Barboza’s durability was thoroughly tested against Sodiq Yusuff, a fighter who hits harder than Murphy. Plus, this is Murphy’s first five-round fight. That adds another massive question. Ultimately, I lean toward Barboza. I favor the finish upside and clear ability to go five rounds. Tactically, Murphy fights at a reasonable pace which should allow Barboza to pick his shots. I would not be shocked to see the younger fighter win, but I slightly favor Barboza. I will take Barboza via third-round knockout.

Garrett: Murphy via decision

Anthony: Murphy via decision

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