Expert UFC Picks, MMA, Boxing, and other Combat Sports
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Yesterday’s Expert UFC Picks, MMA, Boxing and other Combat Sports Picks from our handicappers.
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Results for Saturday 1st of August 2026
| Handicapper | Units | Dollars |
| Doc's Sports | 0 | $0.00 |
| Raphael Esparza (VSI) | -6 | $-600.00 |
| August Young | 2 | $1175.00 |
| Griffin Murphy | 2 | $200.00 |
| Nick Menken | 7 | $700.00 |
Saturday 1st of August 2026
Doc's Sports
Passing for today.
Robert Ferringo had no picks
Craig Trapp had no picks
Scott Rickenbach had no picks
Arun Shiva (Indian Cowboy) had no picks
Raphael Esparza (VSI)
BOXING
6 Unit Play. Take Lamont Roach +110 to win by Decision/Technical Decision over William Zepeda (11:00p.m., Saturday August 1 TNT)
Tony George had no picks
Vernon Croy had no picks
Scott Spreitzer had no picks
August Young
3-Unit Play (24121) Tofiq Musayev +225 over Ludovit Klein (8/1 @ 12:40PM EST) I'm completely fine with Ludovit Klein being the favorite here as he is the more durable of the two. He's younger and is a little more busy. Having said all that, Musayev has more than enough talent and pop to take advantage of Klein in some areas. He is also more willing to switch things up and wrestle which could be valuable here. All-in-all, this is too wide and the expected ROI is worth the squeeze.
4-Unit Play (24150) Milos Janic +100 over Noah Gugnon (8/1 @ 1:15PM EST) Here we have two fighters making their UFC debut. Janic has won five straight (with 4 of 5 via knockout). Gugnon has also won five straight (all via finish). However, Janic has the reach advantage and more experience. We also aren't sold on fighters out of France (excluding some obvious talent) and we don't love the fact that he bounces around and trains at multiple gyms. Janic opened as the favorite, and we think the line move is unwarranted with so many unknowns.
3-Unit Play (24117) Gilbert Urbina +300 over Vlasto Cepo (8/1 @ 1:45PM EST) Urbina isn't someone I like to make a habit of backing. However, this line is too wide. Cepo has steel hands and is a knockout machine. However, he walks forward without much conern and Urbina is better than his record indicates. He is also in desperation mode after losing four of his last five (albeit vs solid competition). The idea is to try and split the two big dog shots.
Strike Point Sports had no picks
Jason Sharpe had no picks
Griffin Murphy
(This play is available on DraftKings)
7 Unit Play - Take #24161 Borislav Nikolic (-125) To Win By KO/TKO or Decision Over Mark Vologdin.(12:00p.m, Saturday August 1st)
Nikolic comes in for his UFC debut with a record of 16-2. Holds a 94% finish rate and he is physically going to be much bigger than his opponent in this fight. He will have a 6 inch height advantage and roughly a 7 inch reach advantage against Vologdin. Because of this big physical advantage, Vologdin will have to rush in and if he does he is going to get caught by counters or just get taken down and held down. Nikolic will be able to control this fight by sniping from the outside and letting Mark come to him. He throws from crazy angles and will catch you off guard and if he takes you down he will not be afraid to throw elbows for the ground and pound. He is also coming off of 2 KO victories back to back and he is still gaining notice and praise. Mark is tough but his 2 fights in the UFC have been a loss and a draw but he has shown the ability to hang into the fight so he will be tough to put down but if anyone can do it, Nikolic will. Take Nikolic.
Griffin Murphy
(This line is available on DraftKings)
3 Unit Play - Take #24150 Milos Janicic (+100) Over Noah Gugnon. (1:15p.m, Saturday August 1st)
Both of these fighters are making their debut with the UFC and this is going to be a great fight. Milos comes in with a record of 19-3 and nearly doubles the experience of Gugnon in fights. In Milos 19 victories he has finished every fight, he has a 100% finish rate and doesn't see the judges score cards. Currently on a 3 fight KO victory in the very first round. He is on fire and has a 4 inch reach advantage which will allow him to pop the long jab and manage the distance against this explosive fighter. He has 11 KO victories and 8 submission victories so he is a dual threat that comes in ready for war and he will bring everything he has on his debut. Now when Milos controls this fight I believe his cardio is better than Gugnon being that Gugnon has only seen a 2nd round once in his career so his cardio is a bug question mark and if this gets out of the first round we can see Milos taking over with the jab and securing this victory.
Griffin Murphy
(This play is available on DraftKings)
2 Unit Play - Take #24110 Aleksandar Rakic (+120) By KO/TKO/DQ Over Marcin Tybura.(2:45p.m, Saturday August 1st)
Rakic is moving up to heavyweight for this fight and he is faster, quicker and younger than Tybura. With a record of 14-6 he is going to utilize a dynamic kicking game compared to other heavyweights to control this fight. He holds a 85% defensive rate so he can stuff the takedowns and control the fight in the direction he wants it to against Tybura when he tries to wrestle leaving this fight standing with a more precise and quicker fighter. Tybura is 40 years old now and his speed and reaction time is not the same as before and he is going up against a kickboxer who is not afraid to throw kicks to the head. Tybura absorbs 3.26 significant strikes per minute and he tends to leave himself open to damage and you do that with a young kickboxer and you will go to sleep. Rakic needs this fight, and he needs to make a statement against this veteran. A knockout is his only way he can truly keep his UFC career alive. Take Rakic.
Griffin Murphy
Nick Menken
6-Unit Play. Take #24138 Mateusz Rebecki (To Win by Finish: -150) over Kyle Prepolec (11:20a.m, Saturday, August 1st)
We are backing Mateusz Rębecki to finish Kyle Prepolec inside the distance today, taking the judges completely out of the equation in this early lightweight tilt. Rębecki brings an intense, relentless pace into the cage and possesses an overwhelmingly higher ceiling as a finisher, holding an 80% career finish rate. While he's hit a tough patch against top-tier competition recently, his style relies on forward pressure, heavy leg kicks, and suffocating top control. That presents a nightmare matchup for Prepolec, who has consistently struggled with defensive ground work and absorbs way too much damage on the feet getting hit at a massive 5.69 significant strikes per minute clip. Prepolec has already been finished early in back-to-back fights since returning to the UFC, showing a dangerous tendency to fold under early pressure. Look for Rębecki to march forward from the opening bell, trap Prepolec against the fence, and use his heavy top game or crushing hooks to trigger a stoppage before the final horn.
Nick Menken
3-Unit Play. Take #24125 Michael Oliverira (To Win by Finish: -145) over Oban Elliott (12:40p.m, Saturday, August 1st)
We are backing undefeated prospect Michael Oliveira to get the job done by finishing inside the distance against Oban Elliott. Oliveira enters his UFC debut carrying major hype for good reason. Sporting an unblemished 9-0 record with an 89% career finish rate. On the feet, Oliveira pushes an oppressive pace (landing over 8 significant strikes per minute) and excels at sniping opponents from range with crisp combinations. While Elliott is a durable grinder who wants to lean on his wrestling, he absorbs far too much damage in transition and leaves his chin exposed when blitzing forward. With Oliveira boasting 100% takedown defense and lethal counter-striking, expect him to deny Elliott’s takedown attempts, control the distance on the feet, and catch Elliott clean for a stoppage win before the final horn.
Nick Menken
2-Unit Play. Take #24161 Borislav Nikolic (To win by Finish: +150) over Mark Vologdin (12:15p.m, Saturday, August 1st)
Nikolić comes in as an absolute force on a massive win streak, holding an incredible 16-2 overall record with 15 of those victories coming by stoppage (7 KOs, 8 submissions). Dubbed "Zombi" for his iron chin and relentless forward march, he holds massive physical advantages in this spot, standing six inches taller (5'9" to 5'3") and holding a significant 6-inch reach edge. This matchup presents a challenging situation for Vologdin's defensive habits. Vologdin is notorious for absorbing an alarming rate of damage to the feet getting hit 10 times per minute while sitting at an abysmal 40% striking defense. He relies on walking opponents down with zero head movement, which plays directly into Nikolić's brutal, high-output counter-striking. Feeding off a raucous hometown crowd at the Belgrade Arena, expect Nikolić to use his size to keep Vologdin at the end of his shots, punish him as he lunges in, and put him away for a finish before the final bell.
Nick Menken
Doc's Sports
Passing for today.Robert Ferringo had no picks
Craig Trapp had no picks
Scott Rickenbach had no picks
Arun Shiva (Indian Cowboy) had no picks
Raphael Esparza (VSI)
BOXING6 Unit Play. Take Lamont Roach +110 to win by Decision/Technical Decision over William Zepeda (11:00p.m., Saturday August 1 TNT)
Tony George had no picks
Vernon Croy had no picks
Scott Spreitzer had no picks
August Young
3-Unit Play (24121) Tofiq Musayev +225 over Ludovit Klein (8/1 @ 12:40PM EST) I'm completely fine with Ludovit Klein being the favorite here as he is the more durable of the two. He's younger and is a little more busy. Having said all that, Musayev has more than enough talent and pop to take advantage of Klein in some areas. He is also more willing to switch things up and wrestle which could be valuable here. All-in-all, this is too wide and the expected ROI is worth the squeeze.4-Unit Play (24150) Milos Janic +100 over Noah Gugnon (8/1 @ 1:15PM EST) Here we have two fighters making their UFC debut. Janic has won five straight (with 4 of 5 via knockout). Gugnon has also won five straight (all via finish). However, Janic has the reach advantage and more experience. We also aren't sold on fighters out of France (excluding some obvious talent) and we don't love the fact that he bounces around and trains at multiple gyms. Janic opened as the favorite, and we think the line move is unwarranted with so many unknowns.
3-Unit Play (24117) Gilbert Urbina +300 over Vlasto Cepo (8/1 @ 1:45PM EST) Urbina isn't someone I like to make a habit of backing. However, this line is too wide. Cepo has steel hands and is a knockout machine. However, he walks forward without much conern and Urbina is better than his record indicates. He is also in desperation mode after losing four of his last five (albeit vs solid competition). The idea is to try and split the two big dog shots.
Strike Point Sports had no picks
Jason Sharpe had no picks
Griffin Murphy
(This play is available on DraftKings)7 Unit Play - Take #24161 Borislav Nikolic (-125) To Win By KO/TKO or Decision Over Mark Vologdin.(12:00p.m, Saturday August 1st)
Nikolic comes in for his UFC debut with a record of 16-2. Holds a 94% finish rate and he is physically going to be much bigger than his opponent in this fight. He will have a 6 inch height advantage and roughly a 7 inch reach advantage against Vologdin. Because of this big physical advantage, Vologdin will have to rush in and if he does he is going to get caught by counters or just get taken down and held down. Nikolic will be able to control this fight by sniping from the outside and letting Mark come to him. He throws from crazy angles and will catch you off guard and if he takes you down he will not be afraid to throw elbows for the ground and pound. He is also coming off of 2 KO victories back to back and he is still gaining notice and praise. Mark is tough but his 2 fights in the UFC have been a loss and a draw but he has shown the ability to hang into the fight so he will be tough to put down but if anyone can do it, Nikolic will. Take Nikolic.
Griffin Murphy
(This line is available on DraftKings)
3 Unit Play - Take #24150 Milos Janicic (+100) Over Noah Gugnon. (1:15p.m, Saturday August 1st)
Both of these fighters are making their debut with the UFC and this is going to be a great fight. Milos comes in with a record of 19-3 and nearly doubles the experience of Gugnon in fights. In Milos 19 victories he has finished every fight, he has a 100% finish rate and doesn't see the judges score cards. Currently on a 3 fight KO victory in the very first round. He is on fire and has a 4 inch reach advantage which will allow him to pop the long jab and manage the distance against this explosive fighter. He has 11 KO victories and 8 submission victories so he is a dual threat that comes in ready for war and he will bring everything he has on his debut. Now when Milos controls this fight I believe his cardio is better than Gugnon being that Gugnon has only seen a 2nd round once in his career so his cardio is a bug question mark and if this gets out of the first round we can see Milos taking over with the jab and securing this victory.
Griffin Murphy
(This play is available on DraftKings)
2 Unit Play - Take #24110 Aleksandar Rakic (+120) By KO/TKO/DQ Over Marcin Tybura.(2:45p.m, Saturday August 1st)
Rakic is moving up to heavyweight for this fight and he is faster, quicker and younger than Tybura. With a record of 14-6 he is going to utilize a dynamic kicking game compared to other heavyweights to control this fight. He holds a 85% defensive rate so he can stuff the takedowns and control the fight in the direction he wants it to against Tybura when he tries to wrestle leaving this fight standing with a more precise and quicker fighter. Tybura is 40 years old now and his speed and reaction time is not the same as before and he is going up against a kickboxer who is not afraid to throw kicks to the head. Tybura absorbs 3.26 significant strikes per minute and he tends to leave himself open to damage and you do that with a young kickboxer and you will go to sleep. Rakic needs this fight, and he needs to make a statement against this veteran. A knockout is his only way he can truly keep his UFC career alive. Take Rakic.
Griffin Murphy
Nick Menken
6-Unit Play. Take #24138 Mateusz Rebecki (To Win by Finish: -150) over Kyle Prepolec (11:20a.m, Saturday, August 1st)We are backing Mateusz Rębecki to finish Kyle Prepolec inside the distance today, taking the judges completely out of the equation in this early lightweight tilt. Rębecki brings an intense, relentless pace into the cage and possesses an overwhelmingly higher ceiling as a finisher, holding an 80% career finish rate. While he's hit a tough patch against top-tier competition recently, his style relies on forward pressure, heavy leg kicks, and suffocating top control. That presents a nightmare matchup for Prepolec, who has consistently struggled with defensive ground work and absorbs way too much damage on the feet getting hit at a massive 5.69 significant strikes per minute clip. Prepolec has already been finished early in back-to-back fights since returning to the UFC, showing a dangerous tendency to fold under early pressure. Look for Rębecki to march forward from the opening bell, trap Prepolec against the fence, and use his heavy top game or crushing hooks to trigger a stoppage before the final horn.
Nick Menken
3-Unit Play. Take #24125 Michael Oliverira (To Win by Finish: -145) over Oban Elliott (12:40p.m, Saturday, August 1st)
We are backing undefeated prospect Michael Oliveira to get the job done by finishing inside the distance against Oban Elliott. Oliveira enters his UFC debut carrying major hype for good reason. Sporting an unblemished 9-0 record with an 89% career finish rate. On the feet, Oliveira pushes an oppressive pace (landing over 8 significant strikes per minute) and excels at sniping opponents from range with crisp combinations. While Elliott is a durable grinder who wants to lean on his wrestling, he absorbs far too much damage in transition and leaves his chin exposed when blitzing forward. With Oliveira boasting 100% takedown defense and lethal counter-striking, expect him to deny Elliott’s takedown attempts, control the distance on the feet, and catch Elliott clean for a stoppage win before the final horn.
Nick Menken
2-Unit Play. Take #24161 Borislav Nikolic (To win by Finish: +150) over Mark Vologdin (12:15p.m, Saturday, August 1st)
Nikolić comes in as an absolute force on a massive win streak, holding an incredible 16-2 overall record with 15 of those victories coming by stoppage (7 KOs, 8 submissions). Dubbed "Zombi" for his iron chin and relentless forward march, he holds massive physical advantages in this spot, standing six inches taller (5'9" to 5'3") and holding a significant 6-inch reach edge. This matchup presents a challenging situation for Vologdin's defensive habits. Vologdin is notorious for absorbing an alarming rate of damage to the feet getting hit 10 times per minute while sitting at an abysmal 40% striking defense. He relies on walking opponents down with zero head movement, which plays directly into Nikolić's brutal, high-output counter-striking. Feeding off a raucous hometown crowd at the Belgrade Arena, expect Nikolić to use his size to keep Vologdin at the end of his shots, punish him as he lunges in, and put him away for a finish before the final bell.
Nick Menken