By admin 
Noche UFC takes place on Saturday, September 12, at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, the UFC’s annual nod to Mexican heritage in combat sports.
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With 13 fights on the docket, let’s look at all of them and share our predictions.
Noche UFC Main Card Preview & Picks
Featherweight bout: Jean Silva vs. Jose Delgado
In the main event of Noche UFC, top featherweight contender Silva meets Delgado, who took this fight on short notice for the injured Yair Rodriguez.
Although Delgado will have the Arizonan faithful cheering him on as he’s the hometown fighter, Silva is the more powerful striker and has more momentum right now, so I fully expect him to win this fight by knockout and then call for a title shot at 145 lbs.
Pick: Jean Silva via TKO
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Flyweight bout: Brandon Moreno vs. Joseph Morales
In the co-main event, former UFC flyweight champion Moreno takes on “The Ultimate Fighter” winner Morales in what should be a great fight.
But as good as Morales has looked as of late, Moreno is the far more proven fighter, and with the pro-Mexican crowd cheering him on, I like him to edge out a decision here.
Pick: Brandon Moreno via decision
Featherweight bout: Tommy McMillen vs. Marwan Rahiki
In featherweight action, two of the UFC’s top young fighters at 145 lbs go head-to-head when McMillen battles Rahiki.
McMillen is the more durable fighter of the two, so in what should be a firefight between two heavy-handed strikers, I’ll take the American to knock the Aussie prospect out.
Pick: Tommy McMillen via TKO
Women’s flyweight bout: Manon Fiorot vs. Alexa Grasso
Two of the best women’s flyweights in the world go at it when France’s Fiorot battles Mexico’s Grasso in what could be a No. 1 contender’s bout at 125 lbs.
This should be a great fight, but Fiorot is the more consistent fighter, and I expect her to win a decision here.
Pick: Manon Fiorot via decision
Heavyweight bout: Waldo Cortes Acosta vs. Curtis Blaydes
Heavyweights Cortes Acosta and Blaydes likely won’t go the distance here, as both men pack big power in their fists.
With Blaydes coming off a war against Josh Hokit where he absorbed a godly amount of damage, look for Cortes Acosta to finish the job and knock him out.
Pick: Waldo Cortes Acosta via TKO
Bantamweight bout: David Martinez vs. Dan Ige
Kicking off the main card, Mexico’s Martinez looks to make it 4-0 in the UFC when he takes on the veteran Ige, who is dropping down to 135 lbs for the first time in his 21-fight UFC career.
Martinez is more in his prime right now, and I fully expect him to continue his undefeated UFC run with a decision victory.
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Pick: David Martinez via decision
Noche UFC Preliminary Card Preview & Picks
Catchweight bout: Tim Elliott vs. Edgar Chairez
In a catchweight bout at 130 lbs, the veteran Elliott meets Mexican upstart Chairez.
Although Elliott has far more UFC experience, he is prone to getting submitted, and that is Chairez’s speciality, so look for the Mexican to tap the American out in this spot.
Pick: Edgar Chairez via submission
Welterweight bout: Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Muslim Salikhov
With a 13-year age gap in this fight, Bahamondes has a good chance to inflict some serious damage on an older fighter in Salikhov in his UFC welterweight debut.
Though you can never fully count Salikhov out due to having a puncher’s chance in every fight he’s in, the odds are that Bahamondes will find his chin and put his lights out.
Pick: Ignacio Bahamondes via TKO
Middleweight bout: Yousri Belgaroui vs. Djorden Santos
At middleweight, Belgaroui will look to score yet another knockout win when he takes on Santos.
Belgaroui will have a massive size advantage in this fight, and I fully expect him to chin Santos in the first round.
Pick: Yousri Belgaroui via TKO
Lightweight bout: Drakkar Klose vs. Tommy Gantt
Klose takes on Gantt in what is a very intriguing lightweight contest.
Though Gantt enters this fight undefeated, he has never fought someone as good as Klose, and I think the veteran can teach him a lesson and win a decision here.
Pick: Drakkar Klose via decision
Lightweight bout: Rafa Garcia vs. Rongzhu
We have a really fun lightweight bout here between two men who love to stand and bang, Garcia and Rongzhu.
Garcia will have the crowd rooting for him, however, and I think they will help give him the energy to feed off to earn a hard-fought decision win.
Pick: Rafa Garcia via decision
Featherweight bout: Sean King III vs. Jessie Rosas
In a featherweight bout, we have two UFC debutants in King and Rosas battling it out.
King seems like the more well-rounded fighter from what I’ve seen of their pre-UFC fight tape, so look for him to edge out a decision.
Pick: Sean King III via decision
Women’s flyweight bout: JJ Aldrich vs. Regina Tarin
Just 21 years old, Tarin looks like she is the real deal, and the Mexican native is getting the chance to face a battle-tested veteran in Aldrich in this spot.
I fully expect the youngster to come through in flying colors and win a decision here.
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Pick: Regina Tarin via decision
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This story was originally published September 11, 2026 at 10:52 AM.