Hamdy Abdelwahab -175 vs Mohammed Usman +145 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nAbdelwahab vs Usman is a low-level heavyweight clash between two low-volume strikers, and it has all the makings of a slow, grinding fight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Abdelwahab is a wrestler by trade\u2014he can secure takedowns, but he rarely finishes fights. Usman is coming off two straight losses and hasn\u2019t shown much improvement in the UFC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
He\u2019s muscular but sluggish, and struggles with output and cardio. Abdelwahab should be able to mix in some wrestling, control position, and do enough to win a slow, uneventful decision. Pick is Abdelwahab by decision<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nTagir Ulanbekov -380 vs Azat Maksum +300<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nUlanbekov vs Maksum sets up as a classic grappler vs striker matchup with clear edges as the fight goes on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Maksum is dangerous early with solid striking and good pressure, but he faded badly in his last fight after a strong start, dropping the final two rounds to Charles Johnson. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ulanbekov, on the other hand, is a composed, long fighter with excellent takedowns, top control, and submission skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
He\u2019s great at using his length and straight punches to close distance and drag fights to the mat. Expect Maksum to start fast, but Ulanbekov\u2019s pace and grappling should take over. Pick is Ulanbekov by decision or late submission<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nIrina Alekseeva -270 vs Klaudia Sygula +220 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is a low-level matchup between two fighters who haven\u2019t shown much at the UFC level, but Alekseeva has the clearer path to victory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Sygula\u2019s striking isn\u2019t up to par, and she was easily taken down and finished by Mullins in her last fight. Alekseeva lost to Mullins as well, but she at least made it the distance and showed a bit more toughness and physicality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
She should have the edge in strength and grappling, and if she comes in with a wrestling-heavy game plan, she likely gets this to the ground and controls her way to a clear win. Alekseeva is the pick<\/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
Melissa Mullins -270 vs Daria Zhelezniakova +220 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is a classic striker vs grappler matchup. Mullins has strong takedowns and solid top control, and she\u2019ll be looking to force this into a ground fight where she has a clear edge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Zheleznyakova is the much better striker, and she had some success on the feet in her last fight before getting submitted by Perez. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Even though she briefly gained top position in that fight, she looked completely outmatched once it hit the mat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Mullins applies steady forward pressure and should only need a couple of clean takedowns to control rounds and neutralize Zheleznyakova\u2019s striking. Mullins is the pick<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nJun Yong Park -180 vs Ismail Naurdiev +150 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is a close matchup between two well-rounded fighters. Park brings solid volume striking and relentless forward pressure, but his technique can be a bit loose, and he\u2019s been in back-to back split decisions, which shows how razor-thin his recent performances have been. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
He does have a strong ground game with multiple submissions on his record, but he\u2019ll face resistance here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Naurdiev looked well-rounded in his UFC return, showing both striking and wrestling ability, even if it came against a struggling opponent in Silva. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
He won\u2019t be easy to pressure or control, and his overall game feels slightly more polished. In a coin-flip fight, I\u2019ll take the value on Naurdiev as the underdog<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nOban Elliott -500 vs Seokhyeon Ko +380 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nThis fight shapes up to be closer than the odds suggest. Ko looked composed and defensively sharp on the Contender Series, leaning on her judo and clinch work, but she didn\u2019t face much adversity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Elliott, on the other hand, has shown steady improvement in the UFC\u2014his striking is developing, he\u2019s mixing in more kicks, and his cardio and durability are strong assets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
The path to victory could come from pushing a pace, clinching, and testing Ko\u2019s gas tank and comfort in scrambles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
That said, the current line is far too wide for a still-developing fighter like Ko. Elliott likely edges this out in a close one, but no value at the current price\u2014it's a pass<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nMuhammad Naimov -230 vs Bogdan Grad +190 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is a high-energy matchup between two aggressive fighters who both mix striking and grappling well. Naimov likes to push forward, throw big shots, and hunt takedowns, but he's not immune to getting clipped in exchanges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Grad showed his toughness in his last fight\u2014 weathering early adversity and turning the tide with a knockdown and a finish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Both guys will have their moments in what should be a fast-paced scrap, but this feels a lot closer to a pick\u2019em than the odds suggest. In a 50\/50 style fight, the value sits with Grad at plus money<\/strong>. He\u2019s the pick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nNazim Sadykhov -470 vs Nikolas Motta +360<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nSadykhov enters this fight on an impressive 10-1-fight win streak after dropping his pro debut, and he\u2019s done it with elite striking and killer instinct\u2014nine of those wins have come by finish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
He mixes punches and kicks with precision, and his pressure often overwhelms opponents. Motta has respectable striking and has won two in a row, but he hasn\u2019t faced anyone on Sadykhov\u2019s level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
This is a significant step up in competition, and Sadykhov\u2019s explosiveness should be too much. Expect him to land something big\u2014Sadykhov by finish is the play<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nMyktybek Orolbai -165 vs Tofiq Musayev +140 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nOrolbai vs Musayev is likely to play out mostly on the feet, but there\u2019s a chance we see Orolbai mix in some wrestling like he did against Rebecki, scoring a key takedown in round two. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
While his striking defense isn\u2019t the sharpest and he tends to wear damage on his face\u2014which can be dangerous in close fights\u2014he\u2019s still the more reliable option here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Musayev, at 35 years old with 27 pro fights and a background in RIZIN and ONE, raises some red flags. If he were UFC caliber, he likely would've made the leap earlier. Orolbai is the pick<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nCurtis Blaydes -285 vs Rizvan Kuniev +230<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nCurtis Blaydes vs Shamil Kuniev feels like a clear step up in class for Kuniev, who didn\u2019t impress much in his Contender Series win against a weak opponent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Kuniev is slow, low volume, and although he has some power, it\u2019s not the kind that has historically troubled Blaydes. Blaydes tends to struggle against elite strikers with knockout power, but Kuniev isn\u2019t that guy. Add in the <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
red flag of a past steroid suspension in PFL, and it\u2019s hard to trust him. Blaydes has the wrestling, cardio, and striking edge<\/strong>\u2014he should be better everywhere and is the clear pick here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nIgnacio Bahamondes -120 vs Rafael Fiziev +100 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is a tricky fight to call. Fiziev is a fan favorite with highlight-reel striking, but he's dropped three in a row\u2014all to top-tier opponents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
While he\u2019s fast and dangerous in the pocket, he hasn\u2019t been able to consistently execute his game plan at the elite level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Bahamondes comes in on a three-fight win streak, though the wins weren\u2019t against high-level competition\u2014he submitted Turner after getting taken down early, and beat Torres and Giagos, who both have serious flaws. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Fiziev will have the power edge and better technique in close, but Bahamondes has a massive reach advantage and is more effective at range. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Fiziev might be the better overall striker, but he often fights in bursts and can be out-volumed. If Bahamondes keeps this at distance and stays off the mat, he has a real path to a decision win<\/strong>. I\u2019ll take him to win. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nUFC Fight Night Main Event: Ja<\/b>mahal Hill vs Khalil Rountree Jr.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n
I've made money fading Jamahal Hill in his last two fights, and I\u2019m going right back to the well here. Hill\u2019s run to a title shot was built on wins over a series of compromised opponents\u2014one was retiring, one had no chin, one quit the UFC and just came back, and another bolted for the PFL. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Since then, Hill tore his Achilles, rushed back too soon, and has been knocked out by both Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Hill relies heavily on one-shot KO power, but that power seems diminished, and his output and movement have looked sluggish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
On the other side, Rountree got beat down by Pereira too, but lasting into the fourth round was impressive, and he had solid moments in that fight. He brings more aggression and a wider variety of attacks\u2014power kicks, clinch work, and pressure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
This fight should stay on the feet, and Rountree is the one pushing the pace with more tools. Hill\u00a0feels like a guy collecting checks at this point, while Rountree still looks like a fighter with\u00a0something to prove. Rountree is the play<\/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\/35651","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=35651"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35651\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35686,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35651\/revisions\/35686"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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