Mansur Abdul-Malik -700 vs Nick Klein +500<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nKlein is coming off a short notice Contender Series win as an underdog where he got a\u00a0slick takedown and wrapped up the submission in 30 seconds, and it was a memorable\u00a0 moment for the season, it was emotional, but we didn\u2019t get a good look at what he can\u00a0do over a longer period of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
His level of competition hasn\u2019t been great, but we do\u00a0 know that he\u2019s going to be shooting for takedowns and going for submissions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Malik did\u00a0a good job against Todorovic in his last fight stuffing takedowns, and getting away from submissions before getting the ground and pound win, but we have cardio questions\u00a0about both guys. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Malik has been out of the first round once, and Klein has a few fights\u00a0 that made it out of the first, and one of the fights he got a finish in the third so I\u2019ve seen\u00a0Klein show me cardio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Malik is by far the better striker so it comes down to can Malik\u00a0 land the damage on the feet before Klein gets him to the ground. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
I can\u2019t take -700 on\u00a0Malik here even though he should win the striking battle and probably get the KO, but\u00a0have the live lines open. If Malik starts to get tired, and Klein is working the takedowns,\u00a0he\u2019s worth a live bet<\/strong>. Pre-fight, I\u2019m not betting it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nJavid Basharat -298 vs Ricky Simon +240<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nRicky Simon enters this fight on a three-fight losing streak, struggling to find success\u00a0despite facing solid competition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
His last performance against Vinicius Oliveira was\u00a0 concerning, as he looked hurt or disinterested and couldn't establish his usual chain\u00a0wrestling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Javid Basharat, coming off his first career loss, showed strong distance\u00a0management and a well-rounded ground game, but let Zahabi hang around too long\u00a0 and faded late. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
If Simon fails to impose his wrestling early and sustain it, Basharat\u2019s\u00a0superior striking will allow him to pick Simon apart on the feet. Given Basharat\u2019s skill set and Simon\u2019s recent struggles, Basharat should get the win<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nGet $15 FREE towards all expert picks - including UFC Fight Night & More<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Nursulton Ruziboev -300 vs Eric McConico +240<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nNursulton Ruziboev has a clear edge in experience and level of competition heading\u00a0into this fight against UFC newcomer Eric McConico. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
While McConico has shown\u00a0 versatility in his wins\u2014securing victories via submission, strikes, and decisions\u2014he\u00a0 hasn\u2019t faced the kind of opposition that Ruziboev has. McConico\u2019s lack of polish was\u00a0 evident two fights ago when he was dominated in the first round before turning the fight\u00a0around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
That kind of slow start could be costly against someone with Ruziboev\u2019s power\u00a0 and well-rounded skill set. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ruziboev\u2019s striking should give him the advantage on the\u00a0feet, and his grappling is strong enough to capitalize on any mistakes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
The biggest\u00a0question is his cardio, but unless McConico can drag this into deep waters, Ruziboev\u00a0 should be able to control the action and secure the win<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nBilly Goff -278 vs Adam Fugitt +200<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nBilly Goff and Adam Fugitt are likely to deliver an action-packed fight, but Goff\u2019s\u00a0aggressive style could end up working against him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
He\u2019s a pressure-heavy fighter who\u00a0 mixes in wrestling, but his last fight against Trey Waters exposed some key flaws\u2014he\u00a0 walked straight into strikes, struggled with takedown entries when fatigued, and wore a\u00a0 lot of damage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Against lower-level competition, Goff\u2019s relentless approach got him wins,\u00a0but the UFC isn\u2019t as forgiving. His striking lacks setup, and he wastes energy with\u00a0 inefficient movement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Fugitt, on the other hand, has more experience at this level and is\u00a0coming off a solid win over Josh Quinlan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
While he isn\u2019t an elite striker, his technique is\u00a0 sound, and he should be able to capitalize on Goff\u2019s reckless forward movement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
With\u00a0 his kicking game keeping Goff at bay and a more measured approach, Fugitt gets the\u00a0 edge in what should be a close, high-paced fight<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nIbo Aslan -148 vs Ion Cutelaba +130<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nIon Cutelaba has been a fixture in the division, taking on high-level opponents, but he\u2019s\u00a0struggled to secure wins against top-tier competition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
While his cardio has been a\u00a0 concern in the past, he\u2019s shown some improvement by going the distance in his last two\u00a0 fights\u2014though he was clearly fatigued by the third round. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
His striking is serviceable, but\u00a0 he hasn\u2019t been much of a finisher lately, with just one stoppage victory since 2019.\u00a0 However, his wrestling should give him a key advantage in this matchup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ibo Aslan is a\u00a0 dangerous power puncher who has finished both of his UFC opponents, but his gas\u00a0tank is a major question mark, as he faded against Anton Turkalj and took unnecessary\u00a0damage as the fight progressed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Aslan is a classic knockout-or-bust fighter without\u00a0many layers to his game. If Cutelaba can avoid the early power shots<\/strong> and mix in his\u00a0grappling, he should be able to grind out a close decision win<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nMelquizael Costa -112 vs Andre Fili -112<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m just not a believer in Fili at this point so I\u2019ll take Costa. He had a nice KO against\u00a0Almeida, but he won a razor thin split decision against Cub Swanson who was ready to\u00a0 retire, and he\u2019s lost to Ige and Nathaniel Wood in his last four fights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
It feels like he can\u00a0 get timid when pressure is put on him, and Costa can put pressure on fighters for sure.\u00a0 He\u2019s showed he can strike, and that he also has a solid ground game with his recent\u00a0submission win. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
I think Costa is going to be in Fili\u2019s face from the beginning, and if Fili\u00a0 doesn\u2019t have some big moments on the feet, Costa is going to keep landing and\u00a0 banking rounds. I agree with the books here that this fight will be close, I\u2019ll side with\u00a0Costa to outwork Fili<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nAlonzo Menifield -175 vs Julius Walker +145<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nAlonzo Menifield brings veteran experience into this fight, but at 37 years old and\u00a0coming off back-to-back knockout losses, there are serious concerns about his\u00a0durability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
He still has power and physicality, but his recent performances suggest he\u2019s\u00a0on the decline. Julius Walker, making his UFC debut, has shown himself to be a\u00a0 dangerous early finisher, though the level of competition he\u2019s faced has been\u00a0underwhelming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Both fighters are likely to engage in clinch battles against the cage,\u00a0 looking for short-range strikes and control time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
If this fight gets out of the first round,\u00a0cardio could become a major factor for both men, but Menifield\u2019s recent struggles give\u00a0Walker the edge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
With fresher legs and a more aggressive approach, the younger\u00a0fighter is the pick to capitalize on Menifield\u2019s decline and get the win<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nJean Silva -575 vs Mesik Baghdasaryan +425<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nSilva should roll in this one as this price is fair. Silva is with the Fighting Nerds, who\u00a0have had a ton of success recently, and Silva is one of the ones making waves in the\u00a0UFC as he\u2019s 3-0 with 3 finishes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Silva has sneaky good power, and he\u2019s showed good\u00a0 patience as to when to let his hands go, and Melsik just doesn\u2019t have the offensive\u00a0weapons to scare Silva. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Melsik was outwrestled by Tucker Lentz, and despite Melsik\u00a0 getting the win in that fight, it wasn\u2019t a dominating performance by any stretch, and\u00a0 before that he was submitted by Culibao who isn\u2019t known for his submissions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
He\u2019s low\u00a0volume on the feet, and his wrestling doesn\u2019t look great. Silva\u2019s striking is really crisp and powerful, he should get the win here<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nJean Matsumoto -175 vs Rob Font +135<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nRob Font is a well-established veteran with sharp boxing and a clear weakness on the ground. If his opponents don\u2019t wrestle, he can pick them apart, as he did in his upset\u00a0win over Kyler Phillips. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Jean Matsumoto, an undefeated prospect, has a more well rounded skill set\u2014he can strike, but his real advantage here lies in his grappling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
If he\u2019s\u00a0 smart, he\u2019ll look to take Font down and control him rather than engage in a prolonged\u00a0 striking battle. Font will have a height advantage, and Matsumoto isn\u2019t unhittable\u2014Brad\u00a0 Katona landed clean shots on him in their fight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
This feels like a competitive bout that\u00a0should go the distance, with Font having success on the feet while Matsumoto mixes in\u00a0wrestling to slow things down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Slight lean to Font, but the best bet here is the over<\/strong>, as\u00a0 both men should have moments without a clear finish threat on either side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nAnthony \u201cFluffy\u201d Hernandez -285 vs Brendan Allen +230<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nPretty easy pick for me here. Hernandez\u2019s cardio and pressure is truly something to\u00a0 behold as it\u2019s similar to Merab in that he just doesn\u2019t stop, and he\u2019s on a six fight\u00a0winning streak that I expect him to extend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Hernandez put on a 5-round ass kicking\u00a0against Michel Pereira in his last fight getting the ground and pound finish in the 5th\u00a0 round. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
His takedown attempts never stop, his forward pressure never stops, and on the\u00a0ground he can get submissions or ground and pounds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Breandan Allen had his 7-fight\u00a0winning streak snapped against Imavov, and there were some big red flags, most of all\u00a0that Allen was tiring in the third, which is a massive problem against Fluffy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Imavov also\u00a0 was getting takedowns and winning control time on the ground, and if Imavov can do it,\u00a0 Fluffy can absolutely do it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Fluffy has gotten off to some slow starts in the past, but he\u00a0just grinds out impressive wins, and that\u2019s what I think he does<\/strong> here<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nUFC Fight Night Main Event: Henry Cejudo vs Song Yadong<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Song is coming off a loss to Petr Yan, but what a great fight it was to get him ready for\u00a0Cejudo. We know about Cejudo\u2019s wrestling, and even though he\u2019s lost both fights since\u00a0making his return, it was against Aljo and Merab, no shame in those. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Song has good\u00a0 wrestling and sprawls and I think he\u2019ll give Cejudo some solid scraps in the wrestling\u00a0 department, and Song has the striking advantage for sure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Neither of these guys\u00a0 should have cardio issues, but if there are cardio issues I think it might be on Cejudo\u2019s\u00a0side late, and if he can\u2019t get the wrestling and takedowns completed, he doesn\u2019t have\u00a0anything else to fall back on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
I think Song is ready to take the next step, I think he pulls\u00a0away late to get a decision win<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n**************************************************<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nLooking for more free sports picks and sports betting tips?<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nMake sure to bookmark all the above!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33618","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33618"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33618\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33620,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33618\/revisions\/33620"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33618"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"WagerTalk](\"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/images\/email-open-wagertalk.png\")
\n Sign up for WagerTalk news alerts and get free picks, discounts and\n