Fight Week predicts Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn, Jean Silva vs. Jose Miguel Delgado, Opetaia vs. Mikaelian and the biggest fights of September 12.
FIGHT WEEK FRIDAY PICKS • SATURDAY LATE EDITION • SEPTEMBER 12, 2026
We’re a day late.
But the biggest fights haven’t happened yet, so the picks still count.
Last week produced another unpredictable weekend. Fight Week correctly picked Katie Taylor, Paddy Donovan, Salahdine Parnasse and Michael “Venom” Page, while Damian Knyba, Vito Mielnicki Jr. and Axel Sola handed us losses. Dave Allen vs. Thomas Carty ended in a no-contest, so that fight does not count toward the record.
Last Week: 4–3, 1 NC
Fight Week 2026 Prediction Record: 13–9
Now we move to one of the busiest combat-sports Saturdays of the year.
Ryan Garcia defends his WBC welterweight championship against Conor Benn in Las Vegas, unbeaten cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia meets Noel Mikaelian, and Noche UFC takes over Glendale, Arizona with Jean Silva against hometown fighter Jose Miguel Delgado.
The preliminaries are already underway in Arizona, so we’re sticking to fights that are still ahead.
Here are the Fight Week Picks.
BOXING — GARCIA VS. BENN
Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn
Fight Week Pick: Ryan Garcia
Method: Decision
Confidence: 7/10
This could become much more complicated than the records suggest.
Garcia enters at 25-2 with 20 knockouts and makes the first defense of the WBC welterweight championship he won earlier this year. Benn is 25-1 with 14 knockouts and enters as the mandatory challenger. Both fighters successfully made the 147-pound limit Friday, with Garcia weighing 145.5 and Benn 146.
Benn’s path is obvious: pressure Garcia relentlessly and never allow him to settle into a comfortable counterpunching rhythm.
That approach also creates danger.
Garcia’s left hook remains one of boxing’s best weapons against aggressive opponents. If Benn becomes reckless coming forward, Garcia should get opportunities to land it.
The biggest wildcard may be Benn’s weight cut. He reportedly put a tremendous amount of weight back on after weighing in. That could give him a physical advantage on fight night, but massive rehydration does not automatically mean better conditioning over 12 rounds.
Fight Week expects Benn to make this uncomfortable early.
But Garcia has the faster hands, the more dangerous single counter and enough movement to prevent Benn from simply overwhelming him.
The Pick: Benn pushes the pace and wins rounds with aggression, but Garcia lands the cleaner shots and gradually takes control. Garcia retains the WBC title by decision.
Jai Opetaia vs. Noel Mikaelian
Fight Week Pick: Jai Opetaia
Method: TKO
Confidence: 9/10
This might be the highest-level pure boxing matchup on the card.
Opetaia enters undefeated at 30-0 with 23 knockouts and has established himself as the leading cruiserweight in the world. Mikaelian brings championship experience of his own, making this a legitimate meeting of elite fighters rather than another showcase for Opetaia.
But Opetaia operates at a different pace than most cruiserweights.
His footwork, angles and combination punching allow him to attack without standing directly in front of opponents. He can box when necessary, but once he sees an opening, he has become increasingly willing to step on the accelerator.
Mikaelian should have enough experience to prevent this from becoming an immediate blowout.
Eventually, however, Opetaia’s speed and pressure should begin creating increasingly damaging exchanges.
The Pick: Mikaelian competes early, but Opetaia takes over and forces a stoppage in the middle-to-late rounds.
Mark Magsayo vs. Andres Cortes
Fight Week Pick: Mark Magsayo
Method: Decision
Confidence: 6/10
Here is our boxing upset pick.
Former world champion Magsayo enters at 29-2 and has won five straight, while Cortes brings a perfect 25-0 record with 13 knockouts into the biggest opportunity of his career.
Cortes is younger, unbeaten and absolutely capable of proving this pick wrong.
Magsayo, however, has already shared the ring with fighters like Brandon Figueroa, Rey Vargas and Julio Ceja. That experience matters in a fight where neither man should be able to overwhelm the other physically.
Magsayo also looked impressive after moving up in weight earlier this year.
This feels less like an undefeated prospect against an opponent and more like an undefeated prospect being asked whether he is ready for a former world champion.
The Pick: Cortes has his moments, but Magsayo’s experience and power help him win the most important exchanges and take a close decision.
NOCHE UFC — GLENDALE, ARIZONA
Jean Silva vs. Jose Miguel Delgado
Fight Week Pick: Jean Silva
Method: TKO
Confidence: 8/10
This one is going to be violent.
Silva enters the main event ranked No. 6 at featherweight with a 17-3 record, while Arizona’s own Jose Miguel Delgado steps into the biggest opportunity of his career at 12-2. Delgado took the fight after Yair Rodriguez withdrew and will have a significant height and reach advantage.
Delgado is not a ceremonial hometown opponent.
He has already won twice in 2026, including a victory over Andre Fili and a destructive performance against Austin Bashi. He is aggressive, durable and unlikely to be intimidated by Silva’s chaos.
That willingness to exchange is also what worries us.
Silva is at his most dangerous when opponents agree to fight his fight.
Delgado’s length could frustrate Silva if he stays disciplined and forces the Brazilian to work his way inside. But eventually, we expect the exchanges to become increasingly wild.
That favors Silva.
The Pick: Delgado gives the Arizona crowd some big moments, but Silva eventually lands something that changes the fight and finishes him.
Brandon Moreno vs. Joseph Morales
Fight Week Pick: Joseph Morales
Method: Decision
Confidence: 6/10
We’re going against the former champion.
And we don’t love doing it.
Moreno remains one of the most accomplished flyweights of his generation, but he enters at 23-10-2 and has dropped two consecutive fights. Morales, meanwhile, is 15-2 and has returned to the UFC with serious momentum.
Moreno still has the tools to win this.
His jab, scrambling ability and championship experience are significant advantages. If Moreno fights a disciplined technical fight instead of getting dragged into unnecessary exchanges, he can absolutely take a decision.
But Morales looks like the fresher fighter right now.
He pressures well, attacks the body and has enough grappling ability to prevent Moreno from assuming the ground automatically belongs to him.
This is close to a coin flip.
The Pick: Morales narrowly outworks Moreno over three rounds and scores the biggest victory of his career.
Manon Fiorot vs. Alexa Grasso
Fight Week Pick: Manon Fiorot
Method: Decision
Confidence: 7/10
Two former title challengers meet in a fight with serious implications at flyweight.
Fiorot enters at 13-2, while former champion Grasso is 17-5-1.
Grasso is dangerous when she can extend combinations and force opponents into sustained exchanges.
Fiorot’s greatest strength is preventing exactly that.
Her speed, physical strength and ability to manage distance should allow her to touch Grasso from the outside without consistently remaining in range for the return combination.
Grasso needs to make this messy.
Fight Week expects Fiorot to keep it cleaner.
The Pick: Fiorot controls range, lands the higher-volume offense and wins a competitive decision.
Waldo Cortes Acosta vs. Curtis Blaydes
Fight Week Pick: Waldo Cortes Acosta
Method: TKO
Confidence: 7/10
Heavyweight MMA is rarely comfortable prediction territory.
Cortes Acosta enters ranked No. 5 at heavyweight with a 17-3 record, while longtime contender Blaydes is No. 6 at 19-6 with one no-contest.
Blaydes has the clearest route to victory.
Wrestle.
If he repeatedly puts Cortes Acosta on his back, controls position and prevents extended striking exchanges, he can make this look like a bad pick very quickly.
The problem is getting there safely.
Cortes Acosta carries legitimate heavyweight power, and Blaydes has been hurt badly by elite punchers before.
One mistake entering for a takedown may be all it takes.
The Pick: Blaydes has early wrestling success, but Cortes Acosta eventually catches him during an entry and earns the stoppage.
David Martinez vs. Dan Ige
Fight Week Pick: David Martinez
Method: Decision
Confidence: 8/10
Dan Ige is the kind of veteran who can ruin anyone’s plans.
But Martinez enters at 14-1, riding a 10-fight winning streak and continuing to establish himself as one of the fastest-rising fighters in the division. Ige brings a 19-11 record and years of experience against elite UFC opposition.
Ige’s durability makes a finish difficult to predict.
Martinez should have the speed advantage and can attack from enough different angles to prevent Ige from consistently setting his feet.
The veteran will make him work for it.
The Pick: Martinez wins the cleaner exchanges and takes a competitive decision.
Fight Week Pick of the Week
Jai Opetaia over Noel Mikaelian by TKO
Opetaia has reached the point where we’re no longer asking whether he belongs among the world’s elite cruiserweights.
We’re asking whether anyone at cruiserweight can beat him.
Mikaelian is experienced, technically sound and dangerous enough to punish mistakes.
But Fight Week sees Opetaia’s speed, movement and combination punching gradually becoming overwhelming.
Fight Week Pick: Jai Opetaia by TKO — Confidence 9/10
Fight Week Picks — At a Glance
Ryan Garcia over Conor Benn — Decision — 7/10
Jai Opetaia over Noel Mikaelian — TKO — 9/10
Mark Magsayo over Andres Cortes — Decision — 6/10
Jean Silva over Jose Miguel Delgado — TKO — 8/10
Joseph Morales over Brandon Moreno — Decision — 6/10
Manon Fiorot over Alexa Grasso — Decision — 7/10
Waldo Cortes Acosta over Curtis Blaydes — TKO — 7/10
David Martinez over Dan Ige — Decision — 8/10
Yes, the Friday Picks are arriving on Saturday.
We’re still putting the record on the line.
Fight Week 2026 Prediction Record: 13–9
Eight more picks are locked in.
Now let’s see how smart — or stupid — they look by tonight.
Check back with Fight Week for results, reaction and post-fight analysis.
