logo
Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Billy Ray Goff prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ESPN 68

Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Billy Ray Goff prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ESPN 68

USA Today2 days ago

Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Billy Ray Goff prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ESPN 68 Welterweight finishers Ramiz Brahimaj and Billy Ray Goff clash on the UFC on ESPN 68 main card. Can the judges put their pencils down for this one?
Ramiz Brahimaj and Billy Ray Goff meet Saturday on the main card of UFC on ESPN 68 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
Last event: 3-1
UFC main cards, 2025: 46-39-1
Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Billy Ray Goff UFC on ESPN 68 preview
Brahimaj (11-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) picked up his first career Performance of the Bonus award in his last outing against Mickey Gall at UFC 309. Brahimaj finished the fight by knockout in the first round to rebound from a unanimous decision loss against Themba Gorimbo last May. Brahimaj has traded wins and losses since starting his pro career 6-0. ... Goff (9-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) aims to retrun to the win column in just his third UFC appearance. After impressing in his debut with a first-round knockout of Yusaku Kinoshita, his six-fight winning streak came to an end in his sophomore appearance against Trey Waters last May – although the bout won the Fight of the Night bonus.
Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Billy Ray Goff UFC on ESPN 68 expert pick, prediction
Serving as a solid action fight at 170 pounds is a battle between Brahimaj and Goff.
Brahimaj, who works with the well-respected Sayif Saud, showed some of his striking progression last time out with a knockout win over Mickey Gall. That said, Brahimaj is primarily a grappler who loves to get things done early.
Goff is a wildman who will give Brahimaj opportunities early, but he's also a dangerous offensive dynamo in his own right. It's also worth noting that Goff has been preparing for multiple dates ahead of this Saturday's booking and looks to be in career-best shape.
I hate picking against fighters affiliated with coach Saud, but I suspect that Goff can survive the early storms en route to a knockout win in Round 2.
Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Billy Ray Goff UFC on ESPN 68 odds
The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the younger fighter, listing Goff -340 and Brahimaj +260 via FanDuel.
Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Billy Ray Goff UFC on ESPN 68 start time, how to watch
Brahimaj and Goff are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 11:10 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts on ESPN+.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Watch: UFC fighter Khabib refuses to shake hands with Kate Scott over ‘Muslim beliefs'
Watch: UFC fighter Khabib refuses to shake hands with Kate Scott over ‘Muslim beliefs'

Yahoo

time40 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Watch: UFC fighter Khabib refuses to shake hands with Kate Scott over ‘Muslim beliefs'

Credit: CBS Sports Golazo / Paramount+ CBS presenter Kate Scott apologised live on air after UFC Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov refused to shake her hand during their Champions League final coverage. As the team of Scott, known as Kate Abdo before marriage, Jamie Carragher, Micah Richards and Theirry Henry were providing post-match punditry on Paris Saint-Germain's 5-0 victory in Munich they were joined by the former fighter and streamer IShowSpeed live on air. Advertisement Nurmagomedov, who famously beat Conor McGregor in 2018, shook the hand of every member of the panel before awkwardly rejecting the outstretched hand of Scott. The 36-year-old clarified his position to Scott who then apologised for her attempt on air, by saying: 'I apologise, thank you so much. Khabib, UFC fighter, it's a pleasure to have you. We didn't know you were here!' Scott then moved the conversation to asking Nurmagomedov about his love for Paris Saint-Germain before he admitted he was also a Real Madrid man as he joked with Henry about 'breaking his heart' in 2006 after he scored the winner at the Bernabeu in the knockout stages. Nurmagomedov watched PSG win the Champions League alongside Islam Makhachev (right) - Getty Images/Michel Regan It is believed that Nurmagomedov's decision to refuse Scott's hand is because he is a devout Sunni Muslim from the Russian Republic of Dagestan. Advertisement In Islam, it is forbidden for a man to touch any part of a woman whether she is Muslim or non-Muslim unless they are related or married. Scott has been praised for navigating a potential awkward situation with excellent professionalism but it is not the first time the unbeaten former UFC fighter has refused to train with females in the gym because of their beliefs. Speaking about her experience, fellow UFC fighter Cynthia Calvillo said she found their decision 'weird'. She told theScore: 'It's a little bit weird because of their religion ... they won't train with women. '[Nurmagomedov] is still showing technique and stuff like that. So I still get to watch it. But it doesn't bother me because they're not really being directly rude to me.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.

Khamzat In Danger Of UFC 319 ‘Fraud Check'
Khamzat In Danger Of UFC 319 ‘Fraud Check'

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Khamzat In Danger Of UFC 319 ‘Fraud Check'

Khamzat Chimaev is currently ranked No. 3 at 185 pounds and widely-expected to earn the next crack at defending middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, assuming 'Borz' can make it to fight night without another mysterious medical malady. Don't worry, matchmakers have a backup plan. Advertisement Chimaev's 'special' rise to the top, which included a pit stop at 170 pounds, came with a considerable amount of hype, to the point where fight fans were calling for a potential title shot after just two fights under the UFC banner. Former UFC lightweight, Josh Thomson, wants to pump the brakes. 'How bad is he ... or is he good? We're gonna find out when he fights DDP,' Thomson said on We Want Picks. 'I've said this for the longest time, the sample size is not big enough for me with Chimaev. It's just not big enough. Are we giving him too much credit? Everyone's like, 'Oh, he's muslim, he's got the beard, he can wrestle.' Are we giving him the Khabib credit? No one is like Khabib [Nurmagomedov], nobody is like Islam [Makhachev]. We associate the two things, they are not the same. Khabib didn't get tired. Is [Chimaev] as good as we think? Or we getting a fraud check here with DDP?' Thomson argues the 31 year-old Chimaev (14-0) has been able to capitalize on favorable circumstances, like a washed-up Gilbert Burns, hot-and-cold Kevin Holland, short-notice Kamaru Usman, and even the grill-challenged Robert Whittaker, who already had existing teeth issues. Advertisement 'He's fantastic when he's fresh, but we've seen him wilt in rounds two and rounds three,' Thomson continued. 'He got dropped by Gilbert Burns [at UFC 273] and look at Gilbert since they fought, he can't seem to buy a win right now. So is he as bad or is he as good as people wanna make him? I don't think he's as good as people want him to be. He's fantastic when he's the hammer, I'm not denying that, but what is he like when 'boom' all of the sudden he gets cracked? Is Chimaev that guy, does he fold? Does he break? I'm leaning more towards he does.' We'll find out at UFC 319 this summer in Chicago. More from

John Brenkus, founder and host of ESPN's 'Sports Science' show, dies
John Brenkus, founder and host of ESPN's 'Sports Science' show, dies

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

John Brenkus, founder and host of ESPN's 'Sports Science' show, dies

Content warning: This story contains references to suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide and needs support now, call or text 988 or chat with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 'Sports Science' founder and host John Brenkus died on Saturday, his family announced on social media on Sunday night. Advertisement Brenkus, who won six Emmy Awards for his show that appeared both on ESPN and Fox Sports Net, had been battling depression for years. 'Sports Science' first debuted on Fox Sports Net in 2007, though it moved to ESPN a few years later. The network eventually purchased the brand from Brenkus, who hosted more than 1,800 segments of the popular show. The show's concept was a simple one. The goal was largely to explain why or how things in the sports world were possible. Sometimes it was something serious like, 'What makes Tyreek Hill the fastest player in the NFL?' Other times the subject matter was far lighter, like how eating champion Joey Chestnut is physically able to put down as many hot dogs as he is. Regardless, the episodes were always entertaining whenever they popped up. Advertisement Brenkus brought back his show in recent years on his own platform. He had been open about his fight with depression, too, and he shared a story with Marcellus Wiley in 2023 where he said he tried to commit suicide but his dog saved him. Plenty in the sports media world paid tribute to Brenkus on social media on Sunday night after the announcement.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store