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MLB milestones to watch in 2025

Imagn Images Well, here’s a crowded one. We might as well do this in table format for purposes of coherence. To the digits: 38Betts276 300 home runs: Five players The decorated skipper is going into his first season with Cincy, and he needs just 50 wins to become the 13th manager ever to notch 2,000 or […]

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MLB milestones to watch in 2025

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Well, here’s a crowded one. We might as well do this in table format for purposes of coherence. To the digits: 38Betts276

300 home runs: Five players

The decorated skipper is going into his first season with Cincy, and he needs just 50 wins to become the 13th manager ever to notch 2,000 or more wins from the dugout. It would take a disastrous season of almost impossible scale in Cincy for the Reds not to win at least 50 games, so Francona is all but a lock for this one. He was probably already on his way to the Hall of Fame one day for his managerial work, and this should cinch it. 30

Hitter Career home runs Home runs needed for 300 2024 home run total
The peerless Ohtani won the 2023 American League MVP award as a member of the Angels, and then last season he earned National League MVP laurels on the strength of the first 50-50 season in MLB history. He remains at peak level with the bat, and this season will mark his return to the mound after not pitching in 2024 as he recovered from elbow surgery. So once again he’s going to put up big value as a hitter while running up the score with this work on the mound. If he does win his third straight MVP, then he’ll join Barry Bonds (2001-04) as the only players ever to win three or more consecutive MVP awards.  Each MLB season brings a new crop of aspiring history-makers, and the 2025 campaign is no exception. Let’s have a look at the most notable of these benchmarks that might be reached at some point during this season. In thrilling numerical order! 39 27
The Dodger legend and future Hall of Famer is sitting on 2,968 career strikeouts. Expert use of arithmetic reveals that he needs just 32 more to become the 20th pitcher ever to get 3,000 strikeouts. Health will be the key for the 37-year-old lefty. He’s coming off a 2024 season in which he worked just 30 innings (and struck out just 24 batters) and he’s going to open 2025 on the injured list as he recovers from surgeries on his left toe and knee. The expectation is that he’ll certainly manage enough volume to get those missing 32 Ks, but his tortured recent health history – he hasn’t managed a qualifying number of innings since 2019 – means this one bears closer monitoring than you might think.  Honestly, it wouldn’t be shocking if all these players reached 300 during the 2025 season, even though Betts will obviously need an uptick in his power output relative to last season. Perez can become just the eighth primary catcher to reach 300 career homers. At present, 162 sluggers overall have hit 300 or more home runs.  284 16
Suárez 275 Arraez is already the first batsman ever to win three straight batting titles with three different teams (the Marlins in 2022, the Twins in 2023, and the Padres last season). In 2025, he’ll be angling to become just the seventh hitter ever to win at least four consecutive batting crowns. The others to do it are Honus Wagner (1906-09), Ty Cobb (1907-15), Rogers Hornsby (1920-25), Rod Carew (1972-75), Wade Boggs (1985-88), and Tony Gwynn (1994-97). Arraez is a career .323 hitter who turns 28 in April, so you have to like his chances.  Given better health, Trout would’ve been in this club a long time ago and would likely be chasing down 500 right now. Alas and alack, Trout has been unable to avoid injuries really since 2017. In 2024, he was limited to just 29 games, the fewest of his career across an entire season, because of a knee injury that eventually required season-ending surgery. He can still thump, so if he’s able to log a reasonable number of games then he’ll probably get the 22 homers he needs to get to 400. It all comes down to health, though, which has proved depressingly elusive for Trout for a long time. He’d become the 59th member of the 400 homer guild. 
(Kyle Schwarber, Phillies; Eugenio Suárez, Diamondbacks; Marcell Ozuna, Braves; Salvador Perez, Royals; Mookie Betts, Dodgers) 24 27 27
273 25 Ozuna The Phillies’ tenured masher needs a mere 24 ribbies to reach quadruple digits in the category. This is one of many in which all it takes is a touch of health and durability for it to happen. Even in the heavily abbreviated 2020 season, Harper tallied 33 RBI, so this one’s all but a lock. As for Trout, the health concerns are obviously more substantial, especially coming off that afore-chronicled 2024 campaign. He needs a modest 46 RBI to reach 1,000, but he’s failed to reach that figure in each of the last two seasons. At present, there are 305 members of the 1,000 RBI club. 

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400 home runs: Mike Trout, Angels 

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1,000 RBI: Bryce Harper, Phillies; Mike Trout, Angels

The 2025 Major League Baseball season has arrived. This, of course, means that success or failure at the team level – the current standings and pennant races and all of that – takes primary focus. Unfurling at the same time are those very much related individual performances. Yes, the MVP and Cy Young derbies get most of that bandwidth, but let’s not forget about veteran performers – many of whom are winding down their careers – closing in on milestones. Machado is a tidy 100 hits away from this benchmark. Assuming a general state of health, he’ll get there probably in the second half of the season. Over the past three years, he’s averaged 157 hits per season. Machado is in line to become the 298th player to reach 2,000 hits for his career. As a bonus, Machado needs just nine runs scored to reach 1,000. 

2,000 managerial wins: Terry Francona, Reds

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UFC Atlanta loses bout between fan favorites just days before Kamaru Usman vs. Joaquin …

A massive undercard bout at UFC Atlanta was scratched just days before Saturday’s event. UFC Atlanta is headlined by a pivotal welterweight matchup between top contenders Kamaru Usman and Joaquin Buckley, taking place this Saturday at State Farm Arena. The fight marks Usman’s long-awaited return to the welterweight division, and his first Octagon appearance overall […]

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UFC Atlanta loses bout between fan favorites just days before Kamaru Usman vs. Joaquin ...

A massive undercard bout at UFC Atlanta was scratched just days before Saturday’s event.

UFC Atlanta is headlined by a pivotal welterweight matchup between top contenders Kamaru Usman and Joaquin Buckley, taking place this Saturday at State Farm Arena. The fight marks Usman’s long-awaited return to the welterweight division, and his first Octagon appearance overall in almost two full years.

The card also marks the UFC’s long-awaited return to Atlanta after a six-year absence, dating back to UFC 236. The event featured a UFC Hall of Fame fight between Israel Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum.

UFC Atlanta could make more MMA memories this weekend. But just days before the event, the card took a big hit.

Charles Jourdain speaks at the UFC 288 pre-fight press conference in Newark
Charles Jourdain speaks at the UFC 288 pre-fight press conference in Newark. Credit: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

UFC Atlanta takes a big hit as matchup between exciting bantamweights canceled

As first reported by MMA publication L’Arena MMA, bantamweight Charles Jourdain was forced to withdraw from his upcoming fight with Ricky Simon due to an eye injury. As of this writing, it’s uncertain if the UFC matchmakers will attempt to find a last-second replacement to face Simon at UFC Atlanta.

Jourdain’s withdrawal comes at an unfortunate time, after a successful bantamweight debut in November at UFC Edmonton. He defeated Victor Henry by second-round submission after making the full-time move to the 135 lb division.

Jourdain traded wins and losses in the UFC’s featherweight division, earning victories over the likes of Kron Gracie and Andre Ewell. A win over a top bantamweight like Simon would’ve moved Jourdain closer to a Top 15 spot.

Simon was set to return to the Octagon for the first time since a devastating knockout over Javid Basharat at UFC Seattle in February. The knockout win snapped a three-fight losing streak.

Charles Jourdain vs. Ricky Simon scratched due to a Jourdain eye injury

Despite the loss of Jourdain vs. Simon, UFC Atlanta remains an intriguing card with an important main event booking between Usman and Buckley. The UFC Atlanta main event winner could potentially earn a title shot for their next fight against either Jack Della Maddalena or Islam Makhachev.

Maddalena earned the UFC welterweight title by defeating Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 last month. Makhachev will vacate the lightweight title later this month for a move to welterweight.

Buckley has been on a roll since moving down to 170 lbs, earning recent wins over the likes of Colby Covington, Stephen Thompson, and Vicente Luque. He enters UFC Atlanta on a six-fight winning streak.

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ESPN debuts trailer for 30 for 30 doc 'Empire Skate'

Monday, ESPN released the trailer for its latest 30 for 30 documentary film, Empire Skate. “Empire Skate chronicles the colorful rise and enduring influence of New York skateboarding culture–through the global phenomenon of Supreme–while highlighting intimate portraits of the characters who breathed life into that world,” reads ESPN’s release. “From the highs of breakout film success and the creation […]

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ESPN debuts trailer for 30 for 30 doc 'Empire Skate'

Monday, ESPN released the trailer for its latest 30 for 30 documentary film, Empire Skate.

Empire Skate chronicles the colorful rise and enduring influence of New York skateboarding culture–through the global phenomenon of Supreme–while highlighting intimate portraits of the characters who breathed life into that world,” reads ESPN’s release. “From the highs of breakout film success and the creation of a brand and movement, to the lows of fractured families and the loss of close friends, it is a style-and-substance trip through a unique moment when multiple trends converged on one city to create something timeless.”

The film features Tony Hawk, Alex Corporan, Steven Cales, Chris Keeffe, Jeff Pang, Mike Hernandez, Peter Bici, and Ryan Hickey.

The film is directed by documentary filmmaker Josh Swade, who is perhaps best known to 30 for 30 audiences for his work on There’s No Place Like Home, about Kansas Jayhawks basketball, One & Done, about John Calipari’s Kentucky run, and Arthur & Johnnie, about Arthur Ashe and his younger brother.

“Skate shops have always been sacred spaces for me—places of creativity, community, and culture,” said Swade. “When I moved to New York in the mid-90s, Supreme wasn’t just a store, it was a magnet for a movement that reshaped downtown and radiated far beyond. With Empire Skate, we wanted to honor that energy and tell the story of how a small skate shop helped fuel a global cultural shift. This film is as much about identity and expression as it is about skating, and I’m proud to help bring that story to the screen.”

The film will premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Festival on June 12 and then on ESPN on June 30 at 9 p.m. ET. Following the linear premiere, the film will be available to stream on ESPN+, as well as on Disney+ and Hulu.

Here’s a full synopsis via ESPN:

“Empire Skate” tells the story of 1990’s New York City skate culture that inspired the global brand Supreme. It is the scene of a rare, energetic convergence of hip-hop, street art, dance, and culture. Kids who grew up in the 1980s as outsiders, going against the grain, bring their own element to this culture: skateboarding. Many of them fleeing hard lives of dysfunction and family desperation, they turn the forbidding landscape of the city into their own personal skate park – setting the stage for a movement that would grow to transform fashion and sports. 

While Southern California remains the mass-market capital of skateboarding, this New York City crew creates their own style. Bolstered by charismatic kids like Harold Hunter and enthusiastic entrepreneurs, fledgling skate shops begin to appear across the city. They tap into a NYC skating vibe that is faster, more dangerous, and more improvisational than its West Coast counterpart, and the style echoes that difference: SkateNYC and Zoo York set the tone for this rise, and then another brand is birthed that changes the scene forever. 

Supreme, fronted by the mysterious businessman James Jebbia, takes NYC by storm. Playing by its own rules of marketing, store design, and customer service (including refusing to serve those who don’t seem to fit its image and vibe), Supreme becomes a status symbol on the streets of Manhattan – and beyond. It becomes a global phenomenon, with buyers arriving from as far as Asia, pockets bursting with cash, eager to buy a piece of the lifestyle. 

The rise pulls the NYC skateboarding crew into other areas of pop culture. The Larry Clark and Harmony Korine indie film Kids is a surprise hit that features several NYC skateboarders including an aspiring young actor named Justin Pierce. They find themselves on a rocket ship of fame that is impossible to navigate, and Pierce commits suicide.  

Tragedy and camaraderie, changing trends in fashion and entertainment, and the constant evolution of culture continue to transform the NYC skateboarding landscape. Through it all, Supreme maintains a powerful hold, and those for whom skateboarding was an indispensable part of their lives, the bonds remain forever.

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MLB Draft 2025

The race for the number one pick in the MLB Draft has been wide open. Since the college baseball season started, I have written about at least half a dozen names that could go with the number 1 pick in the draft. I thought I had all my bases covered, but a new contender has […]

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MLB Draft 2025

The race for the number one pick in the MLB Draft has been wide open. Since the college baseball season started, I have written about at least half a dozen names that could go with the number 1 pick in the draft. I thought I had all my bases covered, but a new contender has risen to the forefront, left handed pitcher Kade Anderson from LSU.

As a draft eligible sophomore who had one good but not great year at LSU, Anderson was under the radar heading into the season. There were bigger names with longer resumes like Jamie Arnold and Tyler Bremner. However, Anderson has out-pitched both of those guys while playing in a tougher conference. He has been the strikeout king of the SEC.

A couple years ago there was another under the radar LSU pitcher who’s dominant run made him the number one overall pick. His name was Paul Skenes, one of the best pitchers in baseball these days. Anderson could be the second LSU pitcher in 3 years to go 1-1.

However, Anderson is a very different profile to Skenes. Skenes was a massive right hander with triple-digit velocity. Anderson is none of those things. He is a lean 6’2 southpaw who’s fastball works more in the low-mid 90’s. However, he is extremely polished and has a great feel for spin.

Some scouts have compared his clean delivery and aptitude to Max Fried according to Baseball America. That is lofty praise, as Fried is a true ace and one of the best pitchers in baseball. However, with the number one pick those are the kind of guys you want.

Despite not having an 100 MPH fastball, Anderson has been a strikeout machine in the SEC. He has 163 strikeouts in 103 innings this year. Along with all the strikeouts, Anderson has done a good job limiting walks, issuing just 2.4 free passes per nine innings. He has had a bit of a home run problem this season, but with all his strengths, teams will overlook that as home run rate tends to fluctuate a bit year over year.

Everything about his arsenal is so advanced and polished. His fastball doesn’t have elite velocity, but it plays much better than the 92-94 MPH range it sits in. This is because it has excellent carry, spin and shape. It gets on hitters very quickly.

Anderson has a great feel for spin as well. Last year he threw a big curveball, which was a signature pitch for him. However, he doesn’t throw that as much because he developed a slider that is even better. He is already showing he has aptitude for a number of breaking ball shapes, something teams like. Despite relying more on that slider, he still has his big hook in his back pocket.

If that is not enough, he also has a changeup that gets plus grades. With that mix, you see the vision for four pitches that are at least above average. Also, with his aptitude and feel to spin he could add even more clubs to his bag.

If you want a guy who can move through the Minor Leagues quickly, Anderson is your guy. He is polished, productive and a whiff generator. There are more exciting upside plays in the draft, but Anderson is one of the safest guys on the board. With the Nationals needing rotation help quickly, you would have to think they are considering the LSU lefty.

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MLB DFS Picks, Spotlight Pitchers & Top Stacks

Monday brings a nifty nine-game featured slate with a 6:40 p.m. ET first pitch on DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo. Today we’re breaking down MLB DFS picks using Stokastic’s industry-leading tools and MLB DFS projections to learn how to build MLB DFS stacks, find the top pitchers and craft optimal daily fantasy baseball lineups. The Stokastic […]

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MLB DFS Picks, Spotlight Pitchers & Top Stacks

Monday brings a nifty nine-game featured slate with a 6:40 p.m. ET first pitch on DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo. Today we’re breaking down MLB DFS picks using Stokastic’s industry-leading tools and MLB DFS projections to learn how to build MLB DFS stacks, find the top pitchers and craft optimal daily fantasy baseball lineups. The Stokastic MLB DFS Top Stacks Tool is recommending the Arizona Diamondbacks at home against RHP Emerson Hancock, while the Los Angeles Angels also stand out against visiting LHP Jeffrey Springs. For the pitchers, there are plenty to consider, including Chris Sale, Luis Ortiz and Merrill Kelly looking like the favorites.

MLB DFS Picks: Spotlight Pitchers and Top Stacks | June 9


MLB DFS Picks: Spotlight Pitchers

Main Slate Primary Pitching Target: LHP Chris Sale (ATL at MIL)

Braves at Brewers – 3.4 implied runs
First Pitch: 7:40 p.m. ET
$10,000 at DraftKings
$10,500 at FanDuel
$55 at Yahoo

The Stokastic MLB DFS Top Pitchers tool likes the choices presented to gamers with several elite talents taking the mound tonight. RHP Zack Wheeler is slated to return from the paternity list tonight after celebrating the birth of his fourth child. He has a tough matchup in Philadelphia against the Chicago Cubs, but the same can be said about the Northside Nine.

In turn, LHP Matthew Boyd is worthy of tournament consideration against the Phillies, with the oft-injured 34-year-old only 10 innings away from his largest workload of the preceding five seasons. The right-handers in the lineup for Philadelphia have struggled this season with southpaws, though they were tremendous last year. It is also worth pointing out that Bryce Harper (wrist) is on the injured list.

Atlanta is in Milwaukee starting a three-game series tonight. Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner LHP Chris Sale will be on the mound against the hometown nine. The 36-year-old has similar numbers to last season, with his strikeouts, walks and home runs each up a tick. The Brew Crew strikes out around league average against southpaws, but their power has disappeared this season with a scant .121 ISO.

Rhys Hoskins and Jackson Chourio are producing like All-Star shoe-ins, but catcher William Contreras is having his worst season against southpaws and Christian Yelich has faltered after a resurgent season last year against fellow lefties. Journeyman Daz Cameron is just happy to be on the field, and former prospect Sal Frelick is much better against righties. The matchup won’t be a walk in the park, but with no Coors Field Extravaganza, there is room under the salary cap to go with a bucks-deluxe pitcher.

Late Slate Primary Pitching Target: RHP Merrill Kelly (ARI vs. SEA)

Diamondbacks vs. Mariners – 4.3 implied runs
First Pitch: 9:40 p.m. ET
$8,500 at DraftKings
$9,600 at FanDuel
$48 at Yahoo

Look to RHP Luis Ortiz as the salary saving SP2 on both DraftKings ($7,200) and Yahoo ($39) tonight as he takes on the Cincinnati Reds, who lose their power away from the Great American SMALLpark. The Chase Field roof will be closed for this series in Arizona, which will allow the humidor to be more effective in helping out pitchers.

Aside from a disastrous performance in his second start of the season, RHP Merrill Kelly has been steady. That game took place in Yankee Stadium, where he allowed nine runs, including a trio of taters in 3.2 innings to the Bronx Bombers. Remember the torpedo bat craze?

In the subsequent 11 starts, Kelly had a 2.55 ERA, 2.56 FIP and a 2.79 xFIP. This was accompanied by just over a strikeout per inning and only five home runs.

The Mariners perform much better on offense away from Seattle, though the team is best positioned to deal with lefties.

Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena are competent at the plate in same-handed matchups, but nothing that should overly intimidate Kelly. Switch-hitters Cal Raleigh and Jorge Polanco do their best work from the left side of the plate, so they will be the biggest worry for the 36-year-old baseball lifer. Rowdy Tellez will be in the lineup until a lefty comes out of the bullpen, and leadoff man J.P. Crawford is a contact maven but short on power.

Kelly is a top-5 option on the full slate, though he really stands out on the three-game late slate, which has some fun contests already posted across the main DFS sites.

MLB DFS Picks: Top Stacks

Main Slate Primary Target: Arizona Diamondbacks

Diamondbacks vs. Mariners – 5.1 implied runs
First Pitch: 9:40 p.m. ET
Opposing Starter: RHP Emerson Hancock
DK Top Stack %: 10.6%
FD Top Stack %: 11.1%

The Stokastic MLB DFS Top Stacks Tool continues to love the Diamondbacks, and though they disappointed with only two runs against RHP Brady Singer in Cincinnati on Sunday afternoon, they have another great matchup tonight against RHP Emerson Hancock.

Writing these articles every day is fun, a labor of love and also a reminder of things that go sideways. Your Ol’ Pal said some less-than-flattering things about RHP George Kirby, who had struggled since returning from injury. So naturally, he struck out a career-high 14 Angels, which also is the highest mark in the majors this season, tying RHP Max Meyer of the Miami Marlins. The goal is to be right more often than wrong, and that can be challenging in the highly variant sport of baseball.

Coincidently, the recommendation is again to target a Seattle starter; this time it is RHP Emerson Hancock. Like Kirby, Hancock was a first-round selection, though he is not on the same trajectory as his teammate and is unlikely to ever sniff an All-Star nomination, which Kirby has already earned. RHP Logan Gilbert is nearing a return, with the team wanting him to have one more rehabilitation start in the minors. This means Hancock is likely pitching for a spot in the bullpen; otherwise he is likely to be sent back down to the minors unless the team decides it is struggling RHP Bryce Miller who should be demoted instead.

Tempting fate again, Hancock is not much of a strikeout pitcher, recording more than five in just three of his 25 career starts. The 26-year-old also allows power to hitters swinging the stick from both sides of the plate, with elevated hard-hit and line-drive rates that can turn into extra base knocks.

Pretty much everyone in a Diamondbacks uniform is in play tonight, as only Alek Thomas and Jose Herrera are bats to avoid.

Main Slate Secondary Target: Los Angeles Angels

Angels vs. Athletics – 5.1 implied runs
First Pitch: 9:38 p.m. ET
Opposing Starter: LHP Jeffrey Springs
DK Top Stack %: 8.7%
FD Top Stack %: 8.2%

Given switch-hitter Yoan Moncada is on the shelf, the Angels are a mostly right-handed lineup, with first baseman Nolan Schanuel the only lefty, excepting switch-hitter Luis Rengifo. That hurts the team against right-handed hurlers but is a bonus against southpaws.

Tonight LHP Jeffrey Springs will be on the mound for the Athletics, and it appears injuries have gotten the best of the 32-year-old. In 2022, Springs had a breakout season with Tampa Bay, and he was building on that in the early portion of 2023 when he suffered a UCL injury that required Tommy John surgery, though he at least got the bag with a four-year, $31 million deal a couple months prior.

Since returning to action in 2023, Springs has had walk and home run issues, which is not a good combination. He is still a mid-rotation talent on his best days, but those have been few and far between over his 20 outings since returning to action.

Leadoff man Zach Neto, outfielder Taylor Ward and catcher Logan O’Hoppe are the trio to target, along with Angels legend Mike Trout. On the late slate, Jo Adell is worthy of consideration as a discount dandy, though he is a human wind machine when he is not making contact.

Today’s Top Sports Betting Picks

If you’re serious about making sharp MLB DFS picks, you already know that long-term success starts with using the right tools. The same approach applies to sports betting — and that’s where Portfolio EV shines.

Take Chris Sale under 7.5 strikeouts, for example. This is a +EV bet, meaning it has positive expected value based on the best odds available. But smart betting with Portfolio EV isn’t about chasing isolated plays; it’s about consistently firing off a high volume of +EV wagers. With the Mass Entry tool, you can scale your action and let the math compound your edge over time.

Just like one DFS lineup won’t guarantee a takedown, one bet won’t define your night — it’s the consistent process that leads to profit.

Portfolio EV is built for bettors who want to win over the long haul. By identifying market inefficiencies, the best available odds and stacking a portfolio of +EV bets, it sets you up for compounding returns over time. This isn’t about chasing hot streaks — it’s about trusting the numbers and executing a smart, consistent and scalable strategy to beat the books.

Clearly, Sale is an amazing pitcher and future Hall of Famer, but he is projected for just over seven strikeouts tonight, and this wager is plus money for him to fail to reach eight whiffs. The projected lineup for the Brew Crew has a sub-20% strikeout rate against southpaws over the last season-plus, which means Sale is going to need to make his own magic at the plate. In this same timeframe, he has a 31.6% strikeout rate, which is stellar, but the math favors the under in this scenario.

How to get the most out of your MLB DFS picks with Stokastic Sims!

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UFC 316

Brett OkamotoJun 9, 2025, 07:00 AM ET Close Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, […]

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UFC 316

As soon as Julianna Peña tapped Kayla Harrison‘s back in the penultimate fight of UFC 316 to signal she had had enough of Harrison’s Kimura lock, the Newark, New Jersey, crowd cheered its approval and all eyes turned to future UFC Hall of Fame bantamweight Amanda Nunes, who was sitting cageside with her family.

“Come on up here, Amanda!” Harrison yelled in Nunes’ direction during her postfight interview. “This is the next fight.”

She’s right, of course. If all goes to plan, Nunes will come out of retirement to be Harrison’s first title challenger in what will instantly be a fight of the year candidate — in whatever year that might be.

A similar story played out in the final fight of the night, after Merab Dvalishvili frustrated and ultimately finished fan favorite Sean O’Malley with a guillotine in the third round of their men’s bantamweight title rematch.

Cory Sandhagen, just about the only current UFC bantamweight contender Dvalishvili hasn’t beaten, smiled from the audience as the champion called for him to be his next target. Sandhagen has been in the UFC since 2018, but it appears his time has come to challenge for a title.

Let’s take a deeper look at those championship scenarios and possible next steps for many of the fighters featured at UFC 316.


Merab Dvalishvili, men’s bantamweight

Who should be next: Cory Sandhagen

The UFC doesn’t always make matchups on fight night, but it’s nice when it does — especially an obvious one like this. Sandhagen has taken a long route to his first official title fight, and he gets some blame for that. He has come up short in big moments, but if you look at his body of work — not to mention his obvious talent — it’s kind of wild that it has taken this long for him to get here. Now that he is here, though, he has a sizable champion to try to take down. Sandhagen knows what he’s up against. He said Saturday that he has to get a knockout against Dvalishvili. That’s a lot easier said than done. Sandhagen is one of the biggest knockout threats in the division, but he would need to capitalize on any small moment Dvalishvili gives him.

Wild card: Petr Yan

If he beats Marcus McGhee on July 26 in Abu Dhabi, Yan will be right there for a chance to reclaim the belt he lost in 2022. His obvious problem is that he lost a non-competitive fight to Dvalishvili in 2023, but that doesn’t mean Yan can never get a second chance at the championship. He would have to look amazing against McGhee and still need the Sandhagen matchup to fall through to get a title shot, though.


Sean O’Malley, men’s bantamweight

There is no obvious next opponent for Sean O’Malley after losing back-to-back title challenges to Merab Dvalishvili. Elsa/Getty ImagesWho should be next: José Aldo

This is the tough one. There is no obvious path forward right now for O’Malley after two consecutive defeats, so a recently retired Aldo is a nonobvious answer. I respect Aldo’s choice to say he’s done, but let’s also acknowledge that a lot of us weren’t happy with the way the UFC matchmade him during his comeback. The potential of an O’Malley matchup might actually get him very excited, though. It would also get fans excited. The UFC would benefit by putting together an O’Malley fight people care about, and there’s a shortage of those. Aldo surprising everyone with another return to the Octagon would garner a ton of attention.

Wild card: Henry Cejudo

O’Malley has always wanted to fight Cejudo. They’re from the same area in Arizona. O’Malley has always found Cejudo’s way of promotion a bit … lame. O’Malley, 5-foot-11, loves fighting shorter opponents and likes to remind the 5-4 Cejudo just how much shorter he is. Cejudo has said he might be done, but you definitely get the sense he doesn’t want to finish his career on a fight-ending eye poke in a February loss to Song Yadong. If Cejudo decides to fight again, I could see both sides wanting this fight.


Kayla Harrison, women’s bantamweight

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Kayla Harrison submits Julianna Pena to become new UFC bantamweight champ

Kayla Harrison taps out Julianna Pena in Round 2 at UFC 316 to become the new women’s bantamweight champion.

Who should be next: Amanda Nunes

Easiest matchmaking of all time. We’ve basically been waiting for this since Harrison entered MMA. We always knew it would take a long time to happen, and there were moments along the way when it looked like it never would. Harrison signed with the PFL as a lightweight and said she’d never cut weight to bantamweight. Nunes lost to Peña when Harrison was looking to test free agency and join the UFC. Then Nunes retired. Still, the fight always seemed very much alive, and it doesn’t seem like it’s happening too late. It’ll be the biggest fight in women’s MMA in a very long time. By the time it happens, after all of the promotion, maybe it’ll be the biggest ever.


Kevin Holland, welterweight

Kevin Holland, blue gloves, stopped Vincent Luque, red gloves, with an anaconda choke to begin the UFC 316 main card. Vincent Carchietta/Imagn ImagesWho should be next: Carlos Prates

When Holland is focused (and competing at 170 pounds), he’s a title contender. He came within one scorecard of defeating the current champion, Jack Della Maddalena, in 2023. Holland has always said he doesn’t care about the belt and that he’s willing to bounce between welterweight and middleweight, but it seems that’s about to change. When he said he wants to stay at 170, it was music to my ears. He’s good at this weight class. When he fights at 185 pounds, I get the sense that sometimes even he doesn’t think he’s supposed to win. Prates looks like the real deal, despite a loss to Ian Machado Garry in his last bout. Holland vs. Prates would be absolutely fire.

Wild card: Stephen Thompson

They fought in 2022, and it was an instant classic. Thompson won, which means there’s incentive for Holland to get revenge. No one wants to see Thompson in a fight in which he’s constantly defending takedowns, and while Holland might jump on a choke here and there, he’s not going to spend an entire fight trying to take “Wonderboy” down. This fight would be good for both of their careers, not to mention the fans.


Mario Bautista, men’s bantamweight

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    Who should be next: Marlon Vera

    If Bautista feels a little slighted by fans and media after his win over Patchy Mix, it’s with good reason. It was probably inevitable that the majority of the prefight focus would surround his UFC 316 opponent, considering Mix was making a long-awaited move from Bellator MMA to the UFC. But still, Bautista was on a seven-fight win streak and coming off a victory over former UFC champion Jose Aldo. After how good he looked Saturday, I don’t expect him to be underappreciated again in the next one. He was supposed to face “Chito” Vera at UFC 316, but Vera withdrew because of an injury. Vera is a popular fighter; Bautista could benefit from adding to Vera’s name to his résumé, and I think Bautista would be favored to win.

    Wild card: Song Yadong

    Yadong is coming off a controversial victory over Henry Cejudo in which Cejudo was badly impacted by an accidental eye poke. Yadong is for real, though. And at this point, it’s hard to say Bautista isn’t as well. The UFC might choose to hang on to this fight, because it’s a good one that seems inevitable at some point. But if they chose to do it now, it would be a highly entertaining one.


    Azamat Murzakanov, light heavyweight

    Azamat Murzakanov, red gloves, is 5-0 in the UFC after finishing Brendson Riberio. Elsa/Getty ImagesWho should be next: Aleksandar Rakic

    In terms of matchups, Murzakanov has been the victim of bad timing and bad luck. He’s 5-0 in the UFC, but he hasn’t faced the highest-ranked competition. At various times, he was booked to fight Volkan Oezdemir, Khalil Rountree Jr., Nikita Krylov and Johnny Walker, and every single one of those fights fell through. It’s time to get him a big jump in competition. He needs it, and this division needs it. Rakic has lost three in a row, but every loss has been to the very top of the division. He’s at a point where he needs to defend his spot, and that should be against Murzakanov.

    Wild card: Jan Blachowicz

    I love Blachowicz, as does the rest of the MMA world. His rise to UFC champion was unexpected at his age. That said, the 42-year-old is kind of sitting on a ranking at this point. He’s officially ranked No. 5 at light heavyweight by the UFC but hasn’t won a fight since 2022. His last win was against Rakic, who, as we just mentioned, has lost three in a row. If Blachowicz wants to maintain his spot in the rankings, this is the kind of fight he needs to accept.

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