PFL 2018 Playoffs picks/predictions?

[TheBrownRanger]

With the playoffs now set, who are your picks to win in each division? You don't have to type the whole tournaments like I did. It was annoyingly time-consuming.

Heavyweight:
Barroso vs Copeland
May vs Nicholson

Lins vs Istrefi
Tiller vs Rosholt 2
-
Barroso vs Nicholson
Tiller vs Lins
-
Tiller vs Barroso

I honestly can't remember my original pick for HW at the start of the season. I think I picked Caio Alencar. Didn't even make the tournament lol.

Light-Heavyweight:
Magalhaes vs Cleveland
Ataev vs Sordi

Spohn vs O'Connell
Grishin vs Rama
-
Magalhaes vs Ataev
O'Connell vs Rama
-
Magalhaes vs Rama

I thought Brandon Halsey had it in the bag. Didn't even make the playoffs. He got his ass kicked in his 2 PFL fights.

Middleweight:
Magomedov vs Umalatov
Santos vs Sy 2

Gamzatov vs Doomsday
Taylor vs Harris
-
Magomedov vs Santos
Gamzatov vs Taylor
-
Magomedov vs Gamzatov

My original pick is Shamil Gamzatov. He's still my boy. Gamzatov/Magomedov/Santos/Taylor would be a very interesting final four.

Welterweight:
Cooper vs Shields 2
Story vs Ferreira

Magomedkerimov vs Kusch
Zeferino vs Velickovic
-
Cooper vs Story
Magomedkerimov vs Zeferino
-
Story vs Magomedkerimov

My original pick was Nurmagomedov. Didn't make the playoffs. Man, I suck at this

Lightweight:
Schulte vs Case
Wade vs Watley

Mamedov vs Tavares
Brooks vs Magomedov
-
Schulte vs Wade
Mamedov vs Magomedov
-
Wade vs Magomedov

My original pick was Rashid Magomedov. I've probably been keeping up with this division the least.

Featherweight:
Siler vs Malegarie
Valiev vs Almeida

Harrison vs Bezerra
Palmer vs Coga
-
Malegarie vs Valiev
Harrison vs Palmer 2
-
Harrison vs Malegarie

Original pick was Harrison, though I hope I'm wrong. I'm hoping Bezerra upsets him.

 

[europe1]

Repost from other thread.

Predictions:

FW:
I have Andre Harrison winning, facing Palmer in the semi's and Timur in the Finals. Bezera is a difficult foe, but since the Quarters are 10 minutes only, that improves Harrison's chances considerably, especially since he only has to win the first round. Palmer can outwrestle Coga. Siler is the dark-horse. But he's all finishing-proficiency, which I don't think works very well vs composed and technical fighters like Timur or Harrison.
Rooting for: Siler

LW:
I'm taking Brooks
This is a really odd division in that the two strongest fighters (Rashid and Brooks) face each other from the get-go. Likewise, the third strongest, Mamedov is in their bracket. Rashid vs Brooks is also a really weird fight, in that it's 10 minutes and in-case of a draw, he who won the first round wins the fight. Neither Rashid or Brooks are great finishers. So the question basically boils down to... who wins the first round? I'm taking Brooks here. If he could go full-on power-wrestling for 5 minutes, he could snatch the round away by just clinging to him, leaning against the fence and such. (had it been an ordinary fight, I'd pick Rashid though).
So I'm picking Brooks by beating Rashid, Mamedov, and then Nathan Schulte in the finals. Schulte is a dope fighter, but I suspect he won't be able to handle the wrestling. Case is obviously a bit of a dark horse, having fought not a single bout in PFL.
Rooting for: Nathan Schulte.

WW:
I'm taking Magomed Magomedkirov, basically for looking like the most consistent and multi-faceted fighter.
I think he faces Bojan in the semi's... and it'll look a lot like their first fight. Joao is a great finisher... but that's basically his specialty, and Bojan is a hardy, tough fighter who can outpoint and maybe even stop him in the stand-up. Historically, Joao doesn't seem to do well vs such characters. But again, it might just go down to stealing that first, decisive round, so it's an unsure prediction.
Cooper will smash Jake worse than the first time. Handersson is obviously the big Dark Horse. Having only had one quick fight, and having beat Cooper in the past, but Cooper is on a roll. I think Story just has to much wear-and-tear to beat Handersson.
I think Magomed beats Cooper in the finals by basically outlasting him. Cooper has plenty of quick stoppages, but someone as composed as Magomed should be able to negate that.
Rooting for: Rick Story I suppose.

MM:
I'm taking Abus.
Sy is another dangerous striker. But considering his poor ground game, Abus might be able to just steal the fight by grappling. Bruno Santos will be his toughest match-ups in the semi's, but his striking seems good enough. On the other end of the bracket, it's difficult to to say if he'll face Shamil or Taylor. Taylor seems one of the craftiest guys in the Tournament -- while Shamil just gets by everyone. I guess I'm going with a Taylor vs Abus finals, with Abus brutal strikes carrying the day.
Rooting for: Sy

LHW:
I'm taking Maxim Grishin
Vinny will take out Rakim and then Ataev (though Ataev punches hard enough for it to be a problem for Vinny, but I don't think his 40-years old cardio is good for a 2-fights night). Maxim just seems like the most composed and reliable guy. Taking out Rama and then Spohn just by virtue of being overall better in the stand-up. Then we have another "composed vs excellent finisher" match-up in the finals, and in those matches, I always take the composed guy.
Rooting for: Vinny and Spohn

HW:
I'm taking Rosholt
The thing is, he only has to win round 1 vs Tiller -- and then survive round 2 good enough not to get 10-8'th. He can definitively do that -- considering he won the first round in their original bout, and then he can just coast and play it defensive, hug against the cage and such.
I'm taking Istrefi over Philipe (basically because Monstero hasn't looked very durable in the past), and then Istrefi's semi-finals vs Jared will look excactly like their first bout. No idea who Rosholt ends up facing in the finals, as all those guys seem fairly even. But whoever it is, I bet he can outwrestle them.
Rooting for: Tiller