UFC Edmonton: Buckley vs. Malott continues on the main card with a fight between Marc-Andre Barriault and Kyle Daukaus in the middleweight division. Check out our UFC Edmonton odds series for our Barriault-Daukaus prediction and pick.
Marc-Andre Barriault(18-11) enters the Octagon in front of his home crowd looking to bounce back from consecutive decision losses to Michal Oleksiejczuk and Shara Magomedov, “Power Bar” previously secured a blistering first-round knockout over Bruno Silva, as he comes into his fight this weekend against Kyle Daukaus.
Kyle Daukaus (17-5) enters this weekend looking to bounce back from a tough first-round TKO loss to Bo Nickal in June, “The D'Arce Knight” previously secured an impressive first-round brabo choke submission over veteran Gerald Meerschaert, as he comes into his fight this weekend against Marc-Andre Barriault.
UFC Edmonton Odds, courtesy of DraftKings:
UFC Edmonton Odds: Marc-Andre Barriault-Kyle Daukaus Odds
Marc-Andre Barriault: +164
Kyle Daukaus: -198
Over 2.5 Rounds: +130
Under 2.5 Rounds: -166
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)Why Marc-Andre Barriault Will Win
Marc-Andre Barriault brings the relentless forward pressure and suffocating dirty boxing necessary to break Kyle Daukaus at UFC Edmonton. Fighting in front of a passionate Canadian crowd, the veteran known as “Power Bar” thrives in gritty, close-quarters firefights that completely drain his opponents.
While Daukaus possesses a highly dangerous submission arsenal, his striking defense often becomes a glaring liability when forced to fight off his back foot. Barriault excels at closing the distance behind heavy combinations, pinning his adversaries against the cage to unleash devastating body shots.
By investing early and often in digging hooks to the midsection, the Canadian will rapidly deplete Daukaus's cardio reserves and neutralize his grappling threats. Daukaus relies on chaining submissions together, but those dynamic movements become significantly harder to execute when gasping for air against the fence.
Furthermore, Barriault's extensive Octagon experience against elite middleweight strikers means he will not be intimidated by the American's early blitzes. His remarkable durability and iron chin will allow him to walk through Daukaus's straight punches in order to force brutal exchanges in the pocket.
As the fight drags into the later rounds, the momentum will heavily shift toward the Canadian veteran's superior conditioning and attritional volume. Expect Barriault to weather the early grappling storm, break Daukaus against the cage, and secure a gritty late-round TKO to thrill his home fans.
Why Kyle Daukaus Will Win
Daukaus operates expertly from the outside, utilizing his southpaw stance and 76″ reach to pump a piston-like jab into Barriault’s continuously forward-moving target. Once “Power Bar” inevitably gets frustrated and rushes the distance, he will find himself marching directly into devastating clinch exchanges.
It is within these chaotic close-quarters scrambles where “The D'Arce Knight” truly shines. Daukaus possesses a notoriously lethal front-choke series, making any sloppy takedown attempt or exposed neck an immediate fight-ending liability for the Canadian.
Barriault has historically struggled with elite grapplers who can dictate the terms of engagement and keep him pinned securely on his back. If the fight hits the canvas, the sheer disparity in technical submission acumen will be entirely insurmountable for the hometown favorite.
Article Continues BelowUltimately, Daukaus presents a nightmarish stylistic matchup for a brawler whose primary path to victory relies on attritional striking volume. Expect the slick American to smoothly intercept a reckless Barriault blitz, transition seamlessly to the mat, and lock up a spectacular first-round submission to quiet the Canadian crowd.
Final Marc-Andre Barriault-Kyle Daukaus Prediction & Pick
This Saturday at UFC Edmonton, Canadian grinder Marc-Andre Barriault collides with submission specialist Kyle Daukaus in a classic clash of contrasting middleweight styles. The outcome depends entirely on which man dictates the terms of engagement and the physical geography of the Octagon.
Barriault will attempt to march relentlessly forward, pinning the American against the fence to unleash brutal dirty boxing and grinding body combinations. If “Power Bar” can turn this contest into an exhausting phone-booth brawl, Daukaus's technical grappling will be severely compromised down the stretch.
However, Daukaus possesses a substantial reach advantage and the southpaw kickboxing necessary to pick apart Barriault's porous defense from the outside. More importantly, Daukaus's lethal front-choke arsenal presents a terrifying danger during the exact close-range scrambles Barriault aims to initiate.
Expect Daukaus to catch an aggressive blitz from the hometown favorite, snatch a tight neck in transition, and lock up a slick second-round D'Arce choke submission victory.
Final Marc-Andre Barriault-Kyle Daukaus Prediction & Pick: Kyle Daukaus (-198), UNDER 2.5 Rounds (-166)