UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Oleinik · Apr 20, 2019 · Featherweight · Completed
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Age 32
Height 5' 7"
Reach 72.0"
Weight 145 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Age 33
Height 6' 0"
Reach 74"
Weight 145 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Career Averages - Movsar Evloev
3.91 SLpM
47.0% Str. Acc.
2.8 SApM
61.0% Str. Def.
4.78 TD Avg
52.0% TD Acc.
61.0% TD Def.
0.2 Sub. Avg
Career Averages - SeungWoo Choi
3.56 SLpM
38.0% Str. Acc.
3.16 SApM
47.0% Str. Def.
0.83 TD Avg
54.0% TD Acc.
70.0% TD Def.
0.0 Sub. Avg
Movsar Evloev - Fight History
WIN vs Lerone Murphy
Decision R5 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Evloev vs. Murphy · Mar 21, 2026
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Movsar Evloev 0 86 of 189 45% 124 of 234 9 of 10 90% 0 0 3:54
Lerone Murphy 0 89 of 239 37% 89 of 239 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Movsar Evloev 0 11 of 31 35% 11 of 31 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Lerone Murphy 0 14 of 49 28% 14 of 49 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Movsar Evloev 0 17 of 37 45% 17 of 37 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Lerone Murphy 0 24 of 57 42% 24 of 57 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Movsar Evloev 0 25 of 50 50% 26 of 52 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:23
Lerone Murphy 0 23 of 48 47% 23 of 48 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
4 Movsar Evloev 0 21 of 35 60% 30 of 45 3 of 4 75% 0 0 1:19
Lerone Murphy 0 16 of 39 41% 16 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
5 Movsar Evloev 0 12 of 36 33% 40 of 69 5 of 5 100% 0 0 2:12
Lerone Murphy 0 12 of 46 26% 12 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Movsar Evloev 86 of 189 45% 47 of 134 33 of 44 6 of 11 80 of 178 1 of 2 5 of 9
Lerone Murphy 89 of 239 37% 45 of 175 24 of 38 20 of 26 89 of 238 0 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Movsar Evloev 11 of 31 35% 3 of 21 6 of 7 2 of 3 11 of 31 0 of 0 0 of 0
Lerone Murphy 14 of 49 28% 6 of 35 4 of 8 4 of 6 14 of 49 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Movsar Evloev 17 of 37 45% 9 of 24 7 of 11 1 of 2 17 of 37 0 of 0 0 of 0
Lerone Murphy 24 of 57 42% 12 of 41 7 of 10 5 of 6 24 of 57 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Movsar Evloev 25 of 50 50% 12 of 34 11 of 13 2 of 3 25 of 50 0 of 0 0 of 0
Lerone Murphy 23 of 48 47% 12 of 35 8 of 9 3 of 4 23 of 48 0 of 0 0 of 0
4 Movsar Evloev 21 of 35 60% 16 of 29 5 of 5 0 of 1 15 of 25 1 of 2 5 of 8
Lerone Murphy 16 of 39 41% 6 of 24 5 of 8 5 of 7 16 of 39 0 of 0 0 of 0
5 Movsar Evloev 12 of 36 33% 7 of 26 4 of 8 1 of 2 12 of 35 0 of 0 0 of 1
Lerone Murphy 12 of 46 26% 9 of 40 0 of 3 3 of 3 12 of 45 0 of 1 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Mar 15, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Lerone Murphy

Angelo picks Lerone Murphy because he is the better overall fighter with superior striking and scrambling ability. He notes Movsar Evloev is a boring wrestler who doesn't do damage or seek finishes. He believes Murphy can scramble back to his feet and win rounds with striking, especially with English judges. He bet a small amount on Murphy at +220.

bet small at +220; English judges may help
"I am picking Lar Murphy. I bet on him at plus 220. Nothing huge, a small little bet because I am a coward. But I'm picking Lor Murphy."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Mar 16, 2026 (5 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Big Brady confidently picks Movsar Evloev, citing his wrestling advantage and Murphy's poor takedown defense (51%). He notes that Murphy has been taken down multiple times by various opponents, including Gabriel Santos (five times). He thinks Evloev's striking is underrated and that he will mix in takedowns to win a decision. He also mentions that Evloev has had a layoff and visa issues but expects the best version of him.

Movsar Evloev by decision
"Give me Evloev to win this fight. Give me Evloev to win this fight by decision."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Mar 18, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Lerone Murphy

Cody sees value in Murphy as a plus-money underdog, citing Evloev's cardio issues in five-round fights and Murphy's ability to scramble and land strikes. He expects Murphy to win a decision or late stoppage.

"I actually think he just wins this fight. But it does come down to a numbers game sometimes. And by the value side, he is definitely the value side."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked Mar 19, 2026 (2 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Connor agrees with Zane that Evloev is the right pick due to Murphy's poor takedown defense, but he is more hesitant because of the five-round factor. He notes that Murphy is impossible to break with pace and pressure, and Evloev has never fought five rounds. Connor points to the Arnold Allen fight where Evloev struggled when takedowns stopped working, and suggests Murphy could get a read on Evloev's entries in later rounds. However, he ultimately picks Evloev because Murphy's takedown defense is worse than Allen's and Evloev is a good takedown artist who maintains position.

Evloev opened at -250, currently -240; Murphy opened at +210, currently +205.
"I think you do have to pick Yvlowev. You're not wrong. I think that is the right pick, but I do really wonder, like, what does this fight look like in rounds four and five..."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Lean picked Mar 18, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Daniel leans Evloev as a pure pick, citing his elite athleticism and takedown numbers. He acknowledges Murphy's resilience and gritty comebacks but thinks Evloev can secure a takedown in the fifth round if it's close. He notes Evloev doesn't finish fights and Murphy is hard to put away.

"I kind of do lean Evloev just as a pure pick."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Mar 17, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Daniel Vreeland picks Movsar Evloev to win by unanimous decision. He believes Evloev will dominate the first two rounds with takedowns, but Murphy will rally in rounds 3 and 4. However, Evloev will regain control in the fifth round to secure a 48-47 decision.

"I think if Loy is going to win a unanimous decision here."
DI
Diary of a Pro Gambler Expert Hesitant picked Mar 20, 2026 (1 day before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Evloev's wrestling should be the difference, but Murphy's home advantage and ability to get up make it less certain. Evloev may struggle to hold Murphy down, but his chain wrestling and volume striking could win rounds. On neutral territory, Evloev wins easily; in London, it's closer.

Fight likely goes to decision; not interested in fight spreads.
"Evloev should win."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Mar 15, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

James picks Movsar Evloev to win via decision, citing Evloev's relentless pressure, volume takedowns, and cardio over 25 minutes. He notes that Lerone Murphy has historically struggled with grapplers who shoot volume takedowns, as seen in fights against Zubaira Tukhugov and Gabriel Santos. James also mentions that Murphy's takedown defense is poor, though he has good get-ups. He considers the layoff and illness for Evloev but still favors him.

Evloev by decision, over 4.5 rounds
"I think Mobsa Evov wins here. I'm really more looking for the Mobs decision over four and a half cuz I think Leon is super tough."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Mar 17, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

The host is confident in Movsar Evloev winning by decision. He highlights Evloev's superior grappling, cardio, and pressure, while Murphy is seen as well-rounded but likely to be worn down by takedowns and mat returns. He expects Evloev to dictate the fight on the ground and win decisively on the scorecards.

"I like Evloev here. I don't mind passing on him if I don't get the number that I want, but I still think he wins this pretty decisively. And I think he does it on the scorecards."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Mar 18, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Paul thinks Evloev will get takedowns repeatedly and grind out a decision, though he acknowledges the risk of home cooking for Murphy. He's confident Evloev wins but not betting heavily.

"I have no doubt in my mind that he's going to be able to get takedowns over Luron Murphy over and over and over."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Mar 19, 2026 (2 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

The MMA Guru picks Movsar Evloev to win by fourth or fifth round finish. He notes Murphy has been taken down easily by lesser wrestlers and Evloev's grappling is elite. He believes Evloev will ragdoll Murphy and eventually find a finish as Murphy tires. He also mentions Evloev's improved physique and that Murphy lacks finishing power.

fourth or fifth round finish
"Eve gets this one done. Fourth or fifth round finish. I think he'll push for a finish and get it."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Mar 19, 2026 (2 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Zane picks Evloev based on Murphy's poor takedown defense (51% in UFC) and Evloev's consistent wrestling and top control. He notes that while Murphy is a good scrambler and learns during fights, Evloev's relentless pressure and ability to win scrambles will likely overwhelm Murphy over three rounds. Zane acknowledges the five-round question but believes Evloev's gas tank is fine, though his lack of adaptability could be an issue if Murphy figures out his entries late.

Evloev opened at -250, currently -240; Murphy opened at +210, currently +205.
"I got to pick the rest. And can also very, very clearly and notably win out really difficult scramble battles."
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura · Dec 07, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Movsar Evloev 0 8 of 26 30% 136 of 165 4 of 5 80% 0 1 6:09
Aljamain Sterling 0 12 of 26 46% 45 of 67 6 of 8 75% 0 2 6:16
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Movsar Evloev 0 1 of 6 16% 16 of 26 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:55
Aljamain Sterling 0 3 of 11 27% 7 of 18 2 of 2 100% 0 0 2:49
2 Movsar Evloev 0 3 of 9 33% 48 of 58 2 of 2 100% 0 0 3:25
Aljamain Sterling 0 5 of 8 62% 25 of 30 1 of 3 33% 0 2 0:48
3 Movsar Evloev 0 4 of 11 36% 72 of 81 1 of 2 50% 0 1 1:49
Aljamain Sterling 0 4 of 7 57% 13 of 19 3 of 3 100% 0 0 2:39
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Movsar Evloev 8 of 26 30% 6 of 23 1 of 1 1 of 2 6 of 22 0 of 1 2 of 3
Aljamain Sterling 12 of 26 46% 7 of 16 5 of 8 0 of 2 9 of 23 2 of 2 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Movsar Evloev 1 of 6 16% 0 of 4 0 of 0 1 of 2 1 of 5 0 of 1 0 of 0
Aljamain Sterling 3 of 11 27% 1 of 5 2 of 5 0 of 1 3 of 11 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Movsar Evloev 3 of 9 33% 2 of 8 1 of 1 0 of 0 3 of 9 0 of 0 0 of 0
Aljamain Sterling 5 of 8 62% 3 of 6 2 of 2 0 of 0 4 of 7 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Movsar Evloev 4 of 11 36% 4 of 11 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 8 0 of 0 2 of 3
Aljamain Sterling 4 of 7 57% 3 of 5 1 of 1 0 of 1 2 of 5 1 of 1 1 of 1
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Evloev (-265), Sterling (+215)

Round 1
Surprising many paying attention, this likely featherweight title eliminator is situated firmly on the prelims despite several lower-ranked contests at 145 playing out later on the billing. Evloev (18-0, 8-0 UFC) is not complaining, as he noted—likely accurately at that—that more people will be watching the ESPN-broadcasted prelims than tuning into the paid portion later. Sterling (24-4, 16-4 UFC) is not buying it and feels disrespected by his promotion, but that is nothing unusual for him given his history at bantamweight. This potentially fascinating grappling match will play out under the oversight of referee Jason Herzog, and it opens up with a glove touch. Sterling stalks his way forward, jabbing his way in and kicking with the ball of his foot. Evloev hops out of the way from a body kick, and one to his lead leg lands. Sterling catches him at the end of a right hand, and the Russian shrugs it off. Evloev kicks the front leg, and Sterling tries to time a head kick when Evloev ducks. Sterling connects with another big right hand, and he shoots in and drags Evloev down to force Evloev to put his hands on the mat. Chants of “USA” boom through the arena, and Sterling channels this energy and knees Evloev hard in the side. Sterling hangs on from the side and nearly back, and he complains that Evloev is grabbing his glove. Evloev adjusts and scoots his way to the wall, with Sterling following him every scoot of the way. Sterling has his hands clasped around Evloev’s waist, and he gets in a hook to take the back. “Funk Master” slides the second hook in, and he holds on tight while trying to free his right hand to set something up. Sterling again mentions that his glove is being grabbed, and Evloev elbows behind him on either side. Evloev stands up, and Sterling is still wrapped around him. The former bantamweight king lifts Evloev off the ground and slams him down, and the ensuing scramble allows Evloev to take his back. Sterling ducks a strike and is taken to the floor, and he sets up a guillotine choke but is in the wrong angle to get it. Evloev turns the corner as Sterling sits up, and he lowers himself down and wraps Sterling up in a crucifix as he drops to his back. The close round ends with Sterling taking punches upside the head.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sterling
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sterling
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sterling

Round 2
Sterling is the initial aggressor in the second round, pushing out a front kick, dropping back to avoid a few punches and crashing through to put Evloev on his seat. Evloev scrambles well enough to get to 50/50 position, and he stands up as Sterling holds onto his single leg. Evloev flips him around and lowers himself down in side control, hooking his legs around Sterling’s arm to go for a crucifix. Evloev takes the back, but Sterling pulls his hook out and turns. Evloev lands a few hammerfists to the side of the head as Herzog says “ears” a few times to let Evloev know that he needs to aim for the ears and not hit the back of the head. Sterling explodes around to get out of harm, and he wraps up Evloev and tries to slam him down on his face in what would have been a pro wrestling-style move. Evloev does not fall victim to it, turning around to shoot for a single. Sterling stifles it and loads up on a right hand, and Evloev backs him off with a right hand and a kick. Evloev wings a spinning wheel kick, and when planting his foot, he drills “Funk Master” in the face with a strong right hand. The success of the strike allows the Russian to shoot in and put Sterling on his back. Evloev looks to assert himself in half guard, even briefly considering an arm-triangle choke only to get elbowed in the side of the head a few times. Evloev takes Sterling’s back, and Sterling does not appear concern and instead scrambles out of it without much concern. Evloev again sets up a crucifix, and Sterling counters with a single and briefly gets top position. This back-and-forth grappling match is living up to the hype, and Sterling pursues a double when Evloev gets away. The horn sounds with Sterling in the midst of the shot.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Evloev
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Evloev
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Evloev

Round 3
Having reached the final round, both men clap hands. Sterling flashes out a front kick and a long jab, and he is able to escape the lunging Evloev from landing on him. Sterling ducks a big punch and gets off an uppercut, and he dips down low to evade a spinning back fist and tackles the Russian to the floor. Evloev returns to a knee, and Sterling remains busy pursuing the takedown. Evloev wraps an arm around Sterling’s head, and Sterling takes advantage of this by slinging Evloev down on his face. Evloev pushes off the floor to stand, and Sterling is leaning on him imposing his will while the crowd is in full support of the American. Sterling jams Evloev against the fence, allowing Evloev to knee him so he can move around to partially take Evloev’s back standing. Sterling drags Evloev to the floor, and as they slide around in a furious series of scrambles, Evloev flips his man over and resides on top. Evloev slugs Sterling in the chops a few times while they are both seated, and Sterling explodes back to his feet. Evloev whips Sterling around and back down, and he gets one hook in but is dropped on his head. Sterling does not escape the downed position, on both knees as Evloev punches him on the side of the head. Evloev turns Sterling to his back, and he opens up with punches. Sterling gets his hooks in and briefly holds the back, and when he scrambles, Evloev hooks his leg around Sterling’s shoulder. The final bell sounds while the two are in the midst of grappling, and it could be anyone’s game.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Evloev (29-28 Evloev)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Evloev (29-28 Evloev)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Evloev (29-28 Evloev)

The Official Result
Movsar Evloev def. Aljamain Sterling via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Nov 30, 2024 (7 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Angelo picks Movsar Evloev confidently, stating Evloev is a better wrestler than Sterling and has superior striking. He dismisses Sterling's unorthodox striking as not intentionally effective. Angelo believes Evloev will take Sterling down at will and control the fight, similar to how he beat Arnold Allen. He expects a dominant performance.

"mosar EV have just absolutely mogs this dude just takes him down whenever he wants to"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Dec 4, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Aljamain Sterling

Cody picks Sterling as a live underdog, citing his superior striking and wrestling. He notes Sterling's wins over top competition and believes his volume and back-taking ability will trouble Evloev. He expects a decision win for Sterling.

Sterling by decision; Fight goes to distance
"I will take Aljamain Sterling... plus 220, I think you can do a lot worse."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked Dec 6, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Aljamain Sterling

Connor picks Sterling because he believes Sterling has more tools to win if he can keep Evloev from wrestling. He notes that Evloev's pressure-based style can be shut down, and that Sterling's high-output striking and grappling are well-suited to a three-round fight. Connor also points out that Evloev has been walking a fine line and has been hurt in fights, while Sterling has shown improvement in his striking. He acknowledges that Sterling's cardio could be an issue but thinks over three rounds it might be enough.

Connor notes the odds: Sterling opened at +187, now +222; Evloev opened at -216, now -267.
"I'm gonna pick aljo here because I also think honestly that evil oev has been walking a pretty fine line himself."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Dec 3, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Daniel believes Evloev is ahead in every area, with better grappling and striking. He criticizes Sterling's cardio, striking technique, and takedown entries. He notes Evloev's ability to survive submission attempts and his punching power, citing damage done to Arnold Allen.

"I think that Evov is just simply ahead of him in every area of MMA."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Dec 6, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Evloev's grappling ability and scrambling will keep him out of bad positions from Sterling. He can remain in dominant position or use defensive grappling to stay upright and touch up Sterling, who doesn't look comfortable striking. Evloev will put together a good body of work through grappling and striking to win on the scorecards.

"I do believe Viv lv's grappling ability and scrambling will keep him out of too many bad position from Sterling"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Dec 4, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Aljamain Sterling

Paul picks Sterling, calling it a lock. He highlights Sterling's technical skills, wrestling, and ability to win rounds. He thinks Evloev's takedowns won't be as effective and Sterling's striking advantage will be key. He expects a decision win.

Fight goes to distance
"I like Aljamain Sterling... it's a lock it in."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Dec 3, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

The MMA Guru picks Evloev, believing he is too much for Sterling on the feet. He notes Evloev's improved standup, quicker punches, and ability to mix in takedowns. He trusts Evloev to win close rounds by shooting takedowns in the last 30 seconds to sway judges. He predicts a 29-27 decision with all rounds competitive.

"I'm gonna go with mzar evloev over aljamain Sterling"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Hesitant picked Dec 6, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Zane picks Evloev, citing that he does not fully trust Sterling as a featherweight. He notes that Sterling's style, which relies on volume and wrestling, may not work against a bigger, aggressive grappler like Evloev. Zane points out that Evloev has shown he can handle high-level grappling, as seen in his fight with Diego Lopez, and that Sterling has a history of gassing. He also mentions that Sterling has never faced a fighter like Evloev who is eager to grapple and pressure.

"I'm gonna take you of loiv. I I do not fully trust aljo as a featherweight still."
WIN vs Arnold Allen
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 297: Strickland vs. du Plessis · Jan 20, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Movsar Evloev 0 59 of 140 42% 61 of 143 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:03
Arnold Allen 0 51 of 118 43% 72 of 141 5 of 17 29% 0 0 3:31
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Movsar Evloev 0 12 of 40 30% 13 of 41 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Arnold Allen 0 13 of 28 46% 22 of 38 2 of 9 22% 0 0 1:31
2 Movsar Evloev 0 18 of 42 42% 18 of 42 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Arnold Allen 0 21 of 47 44% 25 of 52 2 of 2 100% 0 0 0:59
3 Movsar Evloev 0 29 of 58 50% 30 of 60 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:03
Arnold Allen 0 17 of 43 39% 25 of 51 1 of 6 16% 0 0 1:01
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Movsar Evloev 59 of 140 42% 41 of 115 17 of 24 1 of 1 46 of 124 9 of 12 4 of 4
Arnold Allen 51 of 118 43% 35 of 101 12 of 13 4 of 4 45 of 110 5 of 7 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Movsar Evloev 12 of 40 30% 9 of 36 3 of 4 0 of 0 12 of 40 0 of 0 0 of 0
Arnold Allen 13 of 28 46% 9 of 24 4 of 4 0 of 0 12 of 27 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Movsar Evloev 18 of 42 42% 13 of 35 5 of 7 0 of 0 13 of 36 5 of 6 0 of 0
Arnold Allen 21 of 47 44% 15 of 40 4 of 5 2 of 2 18 of 44 2 of 2 1 of 1
3 Movsar Evloev 29 of 58 50% 19 of 44 9 of 13 1 of 1 21 of 48 4 of 6 4 of 4
Arnold Allen 17 of 43 39% 11 of 37 4 of 4 2 of 2 15 of 39 2 of 4 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Arnold Allen vs. Movsar Evloev
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Evloev (-180), Allen (+150)

Round 1
The five-fight main card of UFC 297 is not playing around, as we kick things off with Top 10 featherweights Allen and Evloev. This fight will have a direct impact on the 145-pound title picture, and as a couple of the best fighters under 30 in the division, it’s entirely possible that these two will meet again sometime in the next few years with a belt on the line. Allen, the Brit but longtime Tristar Gym exponent, gets the adoptive native pop from the crowd. Marc Goddard is the third man in the cage. They go right to work, Allen southpaw, Evloev orthodox. Evloev lands a right body kick to the open side. He goes upstairs with a kick next, but Allen evades it easily. Allen’s right jab and hand fighting are on point early, giving Evloev trouble getting his left hand working. Evloev comes forward and runs into a body punch from Allen. Allen gives chase and lands another left to the body. Evloev changes levels and grabs a single-leg, briefly getting Allen to the ground, but they pop back up with Evloev still holding the leg. Allen escapes a moment later and they return to the middle to the cage. With two minutes to go, Evloev tries another head kick, which glances off the raised arms of Allen. Allen’s jab is a constant presence, but Evloev ducks under one and gets a clean takedown. He can’t secure top position, however, as Allen hits a gorgeous Granby roll and spins to his feet. Evloev re-shoots, hauls him down again, and Allen uses another Granby roll. What a scramble. Evloev follows Allen, takes his back standing and lifts and dumps him on the canvas right before the horn.

Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Evloev
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Evloev
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Evloev

Round 2
Allen’s righty jab is pumping right from the get-go, working to keep Evloev on the outside. Evloev paws out at the hand with his right, trying his own jab. Allen throws a murderous-looking high kick that bounces off the guard of Evloev. Allen throws another high kick, again off of the Russian’s arms, but the cumulative impact to the arms can’t be disregarded at this point. Evloev shoots a single-leg, switches to a double and plows Allen to the ground in the middle of the cage. Allen stands, with Evloev stuck to his back, and goes to the cage. Allen turns toward Evloev, briefly considers a front headlock, but gives it up and uses underhooks to shove Evloev away from his hips. They disengage and move back to the center of the cage, where Evloev meets him with a jumping knee. Allen comes back with another body punch. With under a minute to go, Allen lands another left to the body. Evloev catches him with a right to the chest, then clocks him with a crushing jab that rocks Allen badly. Allen stumbles away, bleeding from a cut under the left eye. Evloev gives chase, but stays measured—or doesn’t realize how badly he has his man hurt. The horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Evloev
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Evloev
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Evloev

Round 3
Between rounds, Allen’s corner more or less tells him he needs a finish, and he comes out aggressively. He backs Evloev up with a flurry of punches, then catches him with a clean, hard three-punch combination. Evloev throws a right cross and tries to shoot a takedown behind it, but Allen is wise to it and steps out of the way, nailing him with a left hand as he does. Evloev changes levels and Allen uses a front headlock to drive him across the cage, throwing knees to the head all along the way. Some of them look as though they might be illegal, as Evloev’s hand is on the canvas intermittently, while Allen tries to elevate him and knee him at the same time. Referee Goddard stops the action, has the cageside doctor examine a cut created by one or more of the knee strikes, and issues a “hard warning” to Allen without taking a point. They go back to work and, with half the round gone, Allen is on the front foot once again. Allen’s jab is there, but Evloev counters him with a kick up the middle. Allen lands another body punch. Evloev shoots right into a front headlock. Allen locks up a ninja choke, then gator rolls to top position. Evloev somehow spins through and ends up on top in north-south, having broken the grip. Another incredible ground sequence from these two standouts. They return to the feet and go careening into the fence, where Evloev is on Allen’s back. Allen throws a nice blind elbow behind him, but can’t land any Hail Marys, and the final horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Allen (29-28 Evloev)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Allen (29-28 Evloev)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Allen (29-28 Evloev)

The Official Result
Movsar Evloev def. Arnold Allen via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jan 14, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Angelo picks Evloev, believing his wrestling will be the difference. He notes Allen's excellent takedown defense (not taken down since 2018) but thinks Evloev's chain wrestling and volume will eventually get takedowns. He compares the fight to Fares Ziam vs. Terrance McKinney, expecting a 30-27 decision. He is unsure about including Evloev in the safety parlay.

Over 2.5 rounds (safest play)
"I do think mosar evev wins this fight hopefully we get a well one and a half round line would be a gift but hopefully we get decent odds on over two and a half because that's the safest play …"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jan 15, 2024 (5 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Big Brady picks Evloev, citing his undefeated record and high takedown volume. He notes Allen's takedown defense is good but not great, and that Allen has been taken down multiple times in the past by wrestlers. He believes Evloev will control the fight with wrestling and win a decision, unless Allen lands a knockout which he doesn't see happening.

decision
"give me evev to win this fight by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jan 17, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Cody picks Evloev by decision, emphasizing his elite wrestling and ability to control the fight. He notes Allen's struggles against wrestlers like Mads Burnell and believes Evloev will replicate that game plan. He sees Evloev's decision prop as good value.

Evloev by decision at -117
"I think he does the same thing here and by decision... you can Juice It Up way better by taking the decision."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Jan 18, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Vreeland picks Evloev, citing his well-rounded game and solid striking. He believes Evloev is a slightly better all-around fighter than Allen, and that his grappling will be a key factor. Vreeland notes that Allen hasn't faced a grappler of Evloev's caliber recently, and that Evloev's takedowns could decide the fight. He suggests watching the first minute to see if Evloev can get takedowns, which would indicate his path to victory.

"I have decided to go with a Lev here um good good enough Striker I think um to to handle Allen and the and the Very solid Grappler as well basically all round game as does Allan but I think …"
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Jan 16, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Daniel Vreeland picks Movsar Evloev to win a comfortable decision. He believes Evloev's relentless wrestling and pressure will neutralize Allen over three rounds, especially in the later rounds. He notes Evloev's takedown volume and ability to mix striking with takedowns. He bet two units on Evloev at -175.

"I took uh msar evloev here at minus 175 a few days ago I played it to win two units"
JE
Jeff Fox Expert Confident picked Jan 18, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Arnold Allen

Fox picks Allen, arguing that his striking is sharper than Evloev's. He points to Evloev's close fight with Diego Lopes on short notice and Allen's competitive fight with Max Holloway as evidence. Fox believes the key question is whether Evloev can get takedowns; if not, Allen wins the striking exchanges. He suggests it may be a live bet opportunity after the first minute.

"I'm goingon to go Arnold Allen uh I don't think his striking game is better for the record I I mean I think we just watched him fight Diego Lopes in I mean Diego Lopes on like what two days …"
LU
Lucrative James Expert picked Feb 6, 2025 (fight day)

This fight is not discussed in the transcript. The host does not mention Evloev vs Allen.

MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jan 15, 2024 (5 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

I love Evloev in this spot. Even if he doesn't land takedowns, his volume and output advantage should be enough to win on the scorecards if it becomes a striking battle. Allen's takedown defense has been good recently, but the level of wrestlers he faced is not as high as Evloev. Evloev is well-rounded enough to mix up his game and combat Allen's low output. I think Evloev wins by decision and possibly puts himself in a number one contender fight.

decision victory
"I love evev in this spot"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jan 17, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Paul agrees with Cody, picking Evloev by decision. He thinks Evloev's wrestling will be the difference and the fight will be ugly. He notes the best price on Evloev by decision is -117.

Evloev by decision at -117
"I think Evloev is going to find the ability to just get the takedowns... Evloev by decision don't mind that."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jan 15, 2024 (5 days before fight)
Arnold Allen

The MMA Guru picks Arnold Allen as an underdog, despite acknowledging Evloev's grappling. He cites Evloev's recent ACL injury and poor striking defense, noting openings in his punches. He praises Allen's lateral movement, defensive wrestling, and ability to counter. He predicts a close decision win for Allen, 29-28.

decision 29-28
"I actually think Arnold Allen's going to win I'm not just picking him oh MMA Guru hates dagestani Fighters"
WIN vs Diego Lopes
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC 288: Sterling vs. Cejudo · May 06, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Movsar Evloev 0 88 of 129 68% 183 of 228 4 of 7 57% 0 0 8:30
Diego Lopes 0 37 of 69 53% 48 of 82 0 of 0 --- 4 1 0:41
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Movsar Evloev 0 16 of 22 72% 65 of 74 1 of 2 50% 0 0 3:34
Diego Lopes 0 17 of 27 62% 28 of 39 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:25
2 Movsar Evloev 0 39 of 66 59% 79 of 107 1 of 1 100% 0 0 2:20
Diego Lopes 0 10 of 24 41% 10 of 25 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Movsar Evloev 0 33 of 41 80% 39 of 47 2 of 4 50% 0 0 2:36
Diego Lopes 0 10 of 18 55% 10 of 18 0 of 0 --- 3 1 0:16
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Movsar Evloev 88 of 129 68% 76 of 116 3 of 3 9 of 10 45 of 81 11 of 11 32 of 37
Diego Lopes 37 of 69 53% 29 of 57 4 of 8 4 of 4 27 of 55 3 of 3 7 of 11
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Movsar Evloev 16 of 22 72% 14 of 20 1 of 1 1 of 1 6 of 10 1 of 1 9 of 11
Diego Lopes 17 of 27 62% 13 of 22 0 of 1 4 of 4 10 of 17 0 of 0 7 of 10
2 Movsar Evloev 39 of 66 59% 37 of 63 2 of 2 0 of 1 22 of 46 0 of 0 17 of 20
Diego Lopes 10 of 24 41% 7 of 20 3 of 4 0 of 0 10 of 23 0 of 0 0 of 1
3 Movsar Evloev 33 of 41 80% 25 of 33 0 of 0 8 of 8 17 of 25 10 of 10 6 of 6
Diego Lopes 10 of 18 55% 9 of 15 1 of 3 0 of 0 7 of 15 3 of 3 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Movsar Evloev vs. Diego Lopes
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Evloev (-900), Lopes (+600)

Round 1
On extremely short notice, unbeaten Russian Evloev (16-0, 6-0 UFC) will no longer be facing Bryce Mitchell in a major featherweight collision. Instead, he battles late replacement and unsuccessful Dana White’s Contender Series vet Lopes (20-5, 0-0 UFC), who springboarded into the organization on the heels of a pair of knockouts last year. Evloev will serve as the highest betting favorite of the evening by a wide margin, with odds around -1000 in his favor, and he may need to demonstrate that level of perceived dominance to move up in his crowded division. Thankful to be competing tonight, the fighters touch gloves, and referee Keith Peterson is ready for however the match plays out from here. There will be no nonsense. Lopes takes the center of the cage, and he slaps out a low kick early. The Russian replies immediately with the same kick, and Lopes loops a right hand over the top. The Brazilian follows it with a calf kick, and Evloev ducks back and catches the newcomer with a left hand. The strikes landing from Lopes draw a reaction from Evloev immediately, who starts slinging punches. A mighty brawl ensues, and Evloev manages to trip Lopes out and drop him to the mat after they trade fists. Lopes falls to his back in search of a leglock, and Evloev spins out of it and shuts down a subsequent triangle choke attempt. Evloev begins to open up with his strikes, until Lopes turns to his side to lock one leg over and around Evloev’s shoulder. Evloev fights out of it before it transforms into an armbar, and Lopes is quick to set up one on the other side. Lopes rolls to his back and locks the armbar down, and Evloev brilliantly survives it, turns into it and winds up on top. Evloev breaks out of another possible submission setup to lower himself flat on top, and he drills the neophyte with a clean right hand. Lopes looks for another armbar, and he rolls all the way to his face on the ground, and Evloev stops this by smashing him in the face. Lopes returns to his back, and he sets up a triangle choke with seconds to spare. The round ends, and judges might see this one going either way.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lopes
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Lopes
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lopes

Round 2
The featherweights greet in the middle of the cage with a clap of hands to reintroduce themselves to one another, and Evloev is the initial aggressor. The Russian lands a right hand behind the ear, and Lopes catches him and staggers him with a left hook. Evloev gets backed off from a stream of punches, and he retaliates with a right hand that wraps around the guard. Lopes sneaks a right hand in when trading, and Evloev takes a few steps back to get out of range and stick out a jab. The unbeaten fighter fires off a head kick, and he spins with a wheel kick that misses the mark. Evloev strings three punches together on the chin, and Lopes loads up on his punches. Evloev’s sharp strikes start to connect more frequently, and Lopes is keener on unloading single dangerous blows. Evloev backs him off with a few punches in a row, and Lopes tags him with one back. Evloev shoots in for a takedown, and he succeeds in putting the Brazilian on his back. Lopes gets pummeled with a series of punches to the head and body, and Lopes briefly boots him with an upkick to back him off. Evloev climbs back down into the guard without fear, as the submission attempts from the short-notice replacement are fewer and farther between. Evloev alternates his right hands to the ribs and temple, and Lopes cannot defend against them before the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Evloev
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Evloev
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Evloev

Round 3
The last round kicks off with Lopes pushing the pace, and he connects with a few looping strikes before Evloev counters to shut him down. Evloev attacks from angles while Lopes plods straight forward, and Lopes eats a few body shots and blocks a head kick in the nick of time. Evloev launches a huge right hand that slams into the side of his foe’s head, and he lands a few punches and an elbow before Lopes can muster a response. Lopes loads up on his punches, and Evloev sees them coming and dodges and weaves. Evloev evades a swing to elbow his man in the face, and he scoops Lopes off the ground and dumps him to the mat. Evloev opens up immediately with ground-and-pound, and Lopes pushes him off with his feet and works his way up to his feet. The quick mat return from Evloev puts the newcomer back down again, and Evloev hangs onto him from behind while Lopes stands once more. From an unusual angle from the back, Evloev whips several kicks to the leg and even one up high, further frustrating a fatiguing Lopes. Evloev knees the inner thigh, and he hits a takedown. Lopes instantly threatens with a kimura, and he succeeds in sweeping Evloev over while still hanging onto the sub. Lopes considers a triangle choke to keep Evloev downed, but Evloev musters all of his energy to power back up and out of the submission. Evloev fights off an armlock, and Lopes quickly dives after a kneebar. The knee hyperextends, and Evloev rolls over through it and shakes his head that he will not tap out. Evloev’s poker face is incredible, as the damage to his tendons and ligaments must be severe. Evloev grits out the pain as Lopes torques on his limb with all his might, and the bell sounds before the submission can be completed. Even in likely defeat, Lopes likely impressed the masses with his promotional debut, threatening the undefeated fighter several times from bell to bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Evloev (29-28 Evloev)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Evloev (29-28 Evloev)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Evloev (29-28 Evloev)

The Official Result
Movsar Evloev def. Diego Lopes via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 30, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Angelo picks Movsar Evloev confidently, comparing this fight to Bryce Mitchell's loss to Ilia Topuria. He argues that Mitchell is a one-dimensional wrestler with mediocre wrestling by international standards (Arkansas wrestling), while Evloev is an international-level wrestler with excellent chain wrestling and takedown setups. Angelo believes Evloev's wrestling will dominate Mitchell, as Mitchell only wrestles and will be outclassed. He dismisses Mitchell's previous success as being against lower-level competition.

"most of our evilaf is the easy easy pick here"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked May 1, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Big Brady picks Evloev but is cautious about the wide odds. He notes Evloev has been taken down before (by Mike Grundy) and Mitchell has good top control. However, he trusts Evloev's scrambling, get-up game, and cardio to outwork Mitchell over three rounds. He expects Evloev to get takedowns and win a decision, though Mitchell might win the first round.

"I'm gonna go envelope here but I would be kind of cautious here in this matchup I'm gonna say out of the web does end up taking down Bryce Mitchell consistently"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked May 3, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Cody sees this as a massive mismatch, with Evloev being a huge favorite. He notes that Lopes was taken down three times by Joanderson Brito on the Contender Series and had no ability to get up. Evloev has superior wrestling, striking, and cardio. He expects Evloev to dominate via wrestling and win easily, possibly by decision since he's not a big finisher.

Over 1.5 rounds, over 2.5 rounds possible; Evloev by decision or inside distance
"evil of is going to be a massive massive favorite and for good reason he's obviously my pick"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked May 4, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Connor also picks Evloev, emphasizing that Lopes' style of stepping into the pocket to brawl is takedown fodder and that Evloev is a composed fighter who will exploit that. He notes that Lopes has struggled on the regional scene against good opponents and that Evloev is a terrible matchup on short notice.

"You just gotta pick people up here."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 1, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

The host picks Movsar Evloev, citing his well-rounded game and striking improvements. He believes Evloev's defensive grappling will keep the fight standing, where he can land significant damage. He expects Evloev to win a dominant decision and sees him as a future title contender.

"I really believe that eviluev could find himself in a title fight by this time next year if he can remain active enough"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked May 3, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Paul agrees completely, saying the only chance for Lopes is a flying knee or a sloppy takedown. He notes Lopes is tall with poor base and wild striking, making him easy to take down. Evloev should win cleanly, and Paul suggests looking at prop bets like Evloev by decision or inside distance.

Evloev by decision or inside distance
"yeah yeah you're not going to be contrarian just for the sake of it"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 1, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

The Guru picks Evloev, stating he is better in every area and won't fear Mitchell's grappling. He expects Evloev to outgrapple Mitchell, take his back, and control the fight, though it may be boring. He predicts a 29-28 decision, with Mitchell possibly having a moment in round three but Evloev winning 2-1.

29-28 decision
"I'm going with mobs are revloweth here he's better on the feet more technical ... I'm gonna go 2-1 moves are evolve in this match up 29-28"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked May 4, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Zane picks Evloev confidently, noting that Evloev is extremely well-rounded, composed, and has a multifaceted takedown game. He points out that Lopes' brawling style leaves him open to takedowns and that Evloev's jab and ability to sniff out openings will be too much. Zane also mentions that Lopes has struggled against composed, high-level opponents in the past.

"I see absolutely no reason not to pick him here."
WIN vs Dan Ige
Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Rozenstruik · Jun 04, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Movsar Evloev 0 42 of 106 39% 47 of 114 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:10
Dan Ige 0 68 of 129 52% 144 of 213 9 of 16 56% 0 0 6:47
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Movsar Evloev 0 17 of 44 38% 19 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Dan Ige 0 23 of 45 51% 28 of 50 3 of 6 50% 0 0 1:06
2 Movsar Evloev 0 20 of 52 38% 20 of 52 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Dan Ige 0 30 of 66 45% 54 of 93 1 of 2 50% 0 0 1:19
3 Movsar Evloev 0 5 of 10 50% 8 of 16 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:10
Dan Ige 0 15 of 18 83% 62 of 70 5 of 8 62% 0 0 4:22
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Movsar Evloev 42 of 106 39% 25 of 85 14 of 18 3 of 3 38 of 102 1 of 1 3 of 3
Dan Ige 68 of 129 52% 50 of 109 12 of 14 6 of 6 51 of 110 2 of 2 15 of 17
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Movsar Evloev 17 of 44 38% 11 of 36 5 of 7 1 of 1 16 of 43 1 of 1 0 of 0
Dan Ige 23 of 45 51% 14 of 34 6 of 8 3 of 3 23 of 45 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Movsar Evloev 20 of 52 38% 11 of 41 7 of 9 2 of 2 20 of 52 0 of 0 0 of 0
Dan Ige 30 of 66 45% 23 of 59 5 of 5 2 of 2 25 of 61 1 of 1 4 of 4
3 Movsar Evloev 5 of 10 50% 3 of 8 2 of 2 0 of 0 2 of 7 0 of 0 3 of 3
Dan Ige 15 of 18 83% 13 of 16 1 of 1 1 of 1 3 of 4 1 of 1 11 of 13
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked May 29, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Angelo praises Movsar Evloev's wrestling and striking setups, noting his chain wrestling and takedown averages. Dan Ige is well-rounded but Angelo is confident Evloev will win via decision, as he has in his previous five UFC wins. He bet on Evloev by decision at -155.

bet on Evloev to win by decision at -155
"i'm very very confident mozar wins and earns himself his sixth ufc decision win and i took that at minus 155"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked May 30, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Big Brady picks Movsar Evloev to win by decision. He thinks Evloev will implement his game plan of takedowns and control, similar to how Korean Zombie took down Ige. He notes Ige is a good striker but Evloev won't give him many opportunities on the feet. He believes Evloev is a black belt in BJJ and can stay safe on top, grinding out a decision. He sees this as a bad matchup for Ige and expects Evloev to go 16-0.

Evloev by decision
"I like um i've loved to win i like him to win by decision don't really even see ige winning around"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jun 1, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Cody provides a detailed breakdown, noting Evloev's wrestling and back-taking ability, and Ige's struggles against wrestlers. He references Ige's losses to Korean Zombie and Josh Emmett as a blueprint for Evloev. He picks Evloev by decision and plans to bet that prop.

Evloev by decision (minus 150)
"i got eve lowev and of course you can improve that price much better by chasing the decision"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jun 2, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Daniel Levi picks Movsar Evloev, viewing him as a future top-5 fighter with relentless wrestling and a strong chin, as shown in the Mike Grundy fight. He believes Dan Ige is a tough but fringe top-15 gatekeeper who will struggle with Evloev's chain wrestling and pressure. He expects a decision win for Evloev and suggests the decision prop at -175 as a parlay piece.

Evloev by decision -175; parlay piece
"i will be parlaying eva love this weekend it's not gonna give me the warm and fuzzies but uh you know what you can do what you gotta do on these type of cards man"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jun 1, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Paul picks Evloev but doesn't love the moneyline price. He notes Evloev's undefeated record and wrestling advantage, and suggests Evloev by decision as a better bet. He acknowledges Ige's durability and toughness but thinks Evloev's grappling will be the difference.

Evloev by decision (minus 150)
"mozart is my pick don't love the money line"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 30, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

The MMA Guru picks Movsar Evloev to win by 29-28 unanimous decision. He highlights Evloev's grappling ability to take the back and maintain dominant positions, similar to what Korean Zombie did to Ige. He worries about Evloev's chin but believes Ige lacks the power to finish. He expects Evloev to win the first two rounds via grappling, with Ige possibly taking the third. He notes featherweight fights rarely end in finishes.

"i'm gonna go with mozart eveloev getting this one done 29 28 unanimous decision based on the first two rounds"
WIN vs Hakeem Dawodu
Decision (unanimous) (29–27, 29–27, 29–27) R3 5:00 · UFC 263: Adesanya vs. Vettori 2 · Jun 12, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Movsar Evloev 0 42 of 90 46% 193 of 266 9 of 13 69% 2 0 8:55
Hakeem Dawodu 0 39 of 92 42% 60 of 129 0 of 1 0% 0 1 0:16
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Movsar Evloev 0 11 of 13 84% 69 of 74 4 of 6 66% 1 0 3:36
Hakeem Dawodu 0 7 of 18 38% 15 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Movsar Evloev 0 14 of 15 93% 91 of 109 3 of 3 100% 1 0 4:34
Hakeem Dawodu 0 1 of 4 25% 13 of 22 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:11
3 Movsar Evloev 0 17 of 62 27% 33 of 83 2 of 4 50% 0 0 0:45
Hakeem Dawodu 0 31 of 70 44% 32 of 75 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:05
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Movsar Evloev 42 of 90 46% 37 of 83 3 of 4 2 of 3 21 of 63 5 of 9 16 of 18
Hakeem Dawodu 39 of 92 42% 26 of 70 7 of 14 6 of 8 37 of 89 2 of 3 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Movsar Evloev 11 of 13 84% 10 of 12 0 of 0 1 of 1 9 of 10 0 of 0 2 of 3
Hakeem Dawodu 7 of 18 38% 6 of 14 0 of 2 1 of 2 7 of 18 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Movsar Evloev 14 of 15 93% 14 of 15 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 1 0 of 0 14 of 14
Hakeem Dawodu 1 of 4 25% 0 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 2 1 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Movsar Evloev 17 of 62 27% 13 of 56 3 of 4 1 of 2 12 of 52 5 of 9 0 of 1
Hakeem Dawodu 31 of 70 44% 20 of 54 7 of 12 4 of 4 29 of 67 2 of 3 0 of 0
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jun 8, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Big Brady picks Movsar Evloev, highlighting his well-rounded skills, including solid striking and excellent takedown game. He acknowledges Dawodu has a striking advantage but believes Evloev's takedowns and control time will edge out a decision win. He notes Evloev's undefeated record and impressive cardio.

Evloev by decision
"i'm going to say that the takedowns and the control time it does edge out the win for mosesville evolutive"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Jun 9, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Hakeem Dawodu

Cody leans towards Dawodu as an underdog, citing his striking pedigree and takedown defense improvements. He thinks if Dawodu can keep the fight standing, he has the advantage. He notes Evloev's wrestling is not elite and that Dawodu's style is tailored to upset grapplers.

"hakeem dawadu baby we need this"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jun 10, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Daniel Levi picks Movsar Evloev by decision, citing his relentless pace and clinch grappling. He acknowledges Dawodu's technical striking and calf kicks but believes Evloev's work rate and takedowns will be the difference. He notes that Evloev has shown championship qualities by escaping deep submissions. He thinks the line is a bit wide but still favors Evloev.

by decision
"i'm gonna go with mozware by decision you know outworking them"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jun 12, 2021 (fight day)
Movsar Evloev

Evloev has a strong wrestling and grappling base, which should neutralize Dawodu's Muay Thai. The threat of takedowns will limit Dawodu's striking output, and Evloev's volume and cardio give him an edge. Dawodu is durable, so Evloev likely wins a decision. The value is on Dawodu, but Evloev is the safer pick.

Evloev by decision (-110)
"I do favor Movsar Evloev here... the threat of the takedown should affect Hakeem's ability to truly let his striking go... I will go with Movsar Evloev to win this fight via decision."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert picked Jun 9, 2021 (3 days before fight)

Paul passes on this fight. He acknowledges Dawodu's chances but is not confident either way. He notes Evloev has been a cash cow but the style clash makes it a live underdog situation.

"dogger pass situation for me as well"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jun 4, 2021 (8 days before fight)
Hakeem Dawodu

The MMA Guru picks Hakeem Dawodu, questioning Evloev's grappling offense and power. He notes Dawodu's reach advantage and technical striking, and criticizes Evloev's close fights with Enrique Barzola and Nick Lentz. He predicts Dawodu wins a 29-28 decision by taking the first two rounds and surviving the third.

"i'm going with hakeem dawadu i think i'm going to pick against mozart evoluth here"
WIN vs Nik Lentz
Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor 2 · Jan 24, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Movsar Evloev 0 46 of 127 36% 50 of 137 1 of 5 20% 2 1 1:26
Nik Lentz 0 82 of 170 48% 137 of 235 2 of 2 100% 0 0 4:36
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Movsar Evloev 0 7 of 15 46% 8 of 17 0 of 2 0% 1 1 0:46
Nik Lentz 0 7 of 15 46% 37 of 49 1 of 1 100% 0 0 3:22
2 Movsar Evloev 0 20 of 45 44% 20 of 50 1 of 2 50% 1 0 0:33
Nik Lentz 0 28 of 55 50% 34 of 64 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:59
3 Movsar Evloev 0 19 of 67 28% 22 of 70 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:07
Nik Lentz 0 47 of 100 47% 66 of 122 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:15
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Movsar Evloev 46 of 127 36% 24 of 100 15 of 20 7 of 7 41 of 120 5 of 7 0 of 0
Nik Lentz 82 of 170 48% 70 of 153 7 of 10 5 of 7 78 of 165 0 of 0 4 of 5
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Movsar Evloev 7 of 15 46% 3 of 11 3 of 3 1 of 1 5 of 13 2 of 2 0 of 0
Nik Lentz 7 of 15 46% 6 of 14 1 of 1 0 of 0 3 of 10 0 of 0 4 of 5
2 Movsar Evloev 20 of 45 44% 9 of 33 7 of 8 4 of 4 17 of 41 3 of 4 0 of 0
Nik Lentz 28 of 55 50% 25 of 48 2 of 4 1 of 3 28 of 55 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Movsar Evloev 19 of 67 28% 12 of 56 5 of 9 2 of 2 19 of 66 0 of 1 0 of 0
Nik Lentz 47 of 100 47% 39 of 91 4 of 5 4 of 4 47 of 100 0 of 0 0 of 0
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jan 21, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Big Brady picks Movsar Evloev by decision, citing his striking and wrestling advantages. He notes Evloev is 13-0 and younger, while Lentz has eye problems and is coming off a layoff. He warns about Lentz's guillotine but believes Evloev can keep the fight standing or control on the ground. He thinks Evloev is a fine parlay piece at -450.

parlay piece
"i'm gonna go with eblove here i'm gonna go with the younger guy i just think he has multiple paths to victory"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jan 22, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Daniel Levi picks Movsar Evloev, calling him a top prospect with elite scrambling and improving boxing. He notes Evloev's impressive performance against Mike Grundy, where he survived a deep choke and dominated. Levi believes Evloev is better in every category and will win by decision, possibly 30-26 or 30-27.

Evloev by decision
"i'm going uh with him for the win here probably by 30 26 30 27."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jan 22, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Evloev is a huge prospect with championship potential, and he has been improving on a fight-to-fight basis. He has a solid striking game, good grappling, and has shown he can get back to his feet if taken down. Lentz is durable and has underrated power, but he is outmatched in terms of trajectory and skill. Evloev should be able to grind out a decision, though he may have trouble finishing Lentz. I'm a huge Evloev fan and think he wins this fight.

"I'm going Movsar Evloev to win this fight via decision."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jan 17, 2021 (7 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

The MMA Guru picks Movsar Evloev to win by 30-27 unanimous decision. He praises Evloev's takedown defense and reach, which will neutralize Nik Lentz's wrestling. He notes that Lentz is tough but will be out-struck on the feet. He does not see a finish due to Lentz's durability. He expects Evloev to keep the fight standing and pick Lentz apart for three rounds.

30-27 unanimous decision
"i will be picking evil f to win this one 30 27 unanimous decision i do not see a finish nick lentz is very very tough"
WIN vs Mike Grundy
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Till · Jul 26, 2020
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Movsar Evloev 0 79 of 150 52% 96 of 173 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:48
Mike Grundy 0 20 of 66 30% 25 of 80 6 of 15 40% 1 0 2:35
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Movsar Evloev 0 19 of 34 55% 25 of 44 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Mike Grundy 0 3 of 16 18% 3 of 20 3 of 5 60% 1 0 1:40
2 Movsar Evloev 0 31 of 55 56% 35 of 59 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:11
Mike Grundy 0 6 of 16 37% 8 of 21 1 of 6 16% 0 0 0:28
3 Movsar Evloev 0 29 of 61 47% 36 of 70 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:37
Mike Grundy 0 11 of 34 32% 14 of 39 2 of 4 50% 0 0 0:27
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Movsar Evloev 79 of 150 52% 53 of 120 13 of 14 13 of 16 72 of 142 7 of 8 0 of 0
Mike Grundy 20 of 66 30% 11 of 53 9 of 12 0 of 1 18 of 64 1 of 1 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Movsar Evloev 19 of 34 55% 12 of 24 4 of 4 3 of 6 18 of 33 1 of 1 0 of 0
Mike Grundy 3 of 16 18% 0 of 13 3 of 3 0 of 0 2 of 15 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Movsar Evloev 31 of 55 56% 20 of 44 6 of 6 5 of 5 26 of 49 5 of 6 0 of 0
Mike Grundy 6 of 16 37% 4 of 13 2 of 3 0 of 0 6 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Movsar Evloev 29 of 61 47% 21 of 52 3 of 4 5 of 5 28 of 60 1 of 1 0 of 0
Mike Grundy 11 of 34 32% 7 of 27 4 of 6 0 of 1 10 of 33 0 of 0 1 of 1
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jul 22, 2020 (4 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Big Brady picks Evloev, impressed by his striking improvement and wrestling. He thinks Grundy is overhyped after the Nad Narimani KO and notes Grundy doesn't throw enough volume. He expects the wrestling to cancel out and Evloev to win by decision based on volume. He plans to bet if the line gets closer to -175.

Evloev by decision; would bet at -175
"I think eva love is the better over better overall mma wrestler"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Jul 23, 2020 (3 days before fight)
Mike Grundy

Daniel picks Grundy for the upset, citing his size, power, and physicality. He believes Evloev may struggle with Grundy's strength and could tire in later rounds. He notes Evloev's volume but thinks Grundy's power and wrestling could be the difference. He thinks the line should be closer.

"i'm actually going to go with mike grundy to upset the undefeated uh mozart evlov and hannemus first career loss"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 23, 2020 (3 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

Evloev has superior chain wrestling and cardio, and his striking is improving. Grundy is a one-dimensional wrestler who may struggle to get takedowns against Evloev's wrestling. Evloev can outwork Grundy over three rounds, mixing in takedowns and striking. A late finish is possible but decision is more likely.

"i like evlove here i'm going to take him to win by decision"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 19, 2020 (7 days before fight)
Movsar Evloev

The MMA Guru picks Movsar Evloev due to his undefeated record, better competition, youth, and size advantage. He questions Mike Grundy's level of competition and notes that Grundy's win over Nad Narimani was not dominant and had an early stoppage. He predicts a close decision, 29-28, with Grundy stealing a round.

"I'm going with Mozart Evo getting the job done. He's got good wins over decent opponents."
SeungWoo Choi - Fight History
LOSS vs Kevin Vallejos
KO R1 3:09 · UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs. Dolidze 2 · Mar 15, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
SeungWoo Choi 0 16 of 44 36% 16 of 44 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Kevin Vallejos 1 14 of 27 51% 26 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 SeungWoo Choi 0 16 of 44 36% 16 of 44 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Kevin Vallejos 1 14 of 27 51% 26 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
SeungWoo Choi 16 of 44 36% 4 of 20 1 of 8 11 of 16 16 of 44 0 of 0 0 of 0
Kevin Vallejos 14 of 27 51% 4 of 12 3 of 6 7 of 9 13 of 26 0 of 0 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 SeungWoo Choi 16 of 44 36% 4 of 20 1 of 8 11 of 16 16 of 44 0 of 0 0 of 0
Kevin Vallejos 14 of 27 51% 4 of 12 3 of 6 7 of 9 13 of 26 0 of 0 1 of 1
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Mar 9, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Kevin Vallejos

Angelo picks Kevin Vallejos over Choi Seung-woo. He is very confident in Vallejos, citing his power, speed, and the fact that Choi has been knocked out recently. He notes that UFC debuts can be nerve-wracking but believes Vallejos is the real deal. He expects the odds to move further in Vallejos' favor.

"I love Kevin in this matchup and even with the grappling I am very confident in him here."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Mar 10, 2025 (5 days before fight)
Kevin Vallejos

Big Brady picks Kevin Vallejos, calling Choi Seung-woo very hittable and chinny. He notes that Choi has been knocked down or finished by lesser strikers like Michael Trizano and Josh Culibao, and that his style of standing and banging when hurt will backfire against Vallejos. Brady expects Vallejos to land a brutal first-round knockout, predicting he 'pipes up' Choi on sight.

Vallejos first round KO
"give me Kevin vallejos to win this fight by a brutal brutal first round knockout."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Aug 6, 2025 (fight day)

Cody picks Christian Leroy Duncan, citing his speed, movement, and ability to finish. He notes that Eric Anders has been knocked down in his last three fights and is 38 years old. He believes Duncan can land a knockout, possibly in the first round, and considers the KO prop at plus 200.

KO prop at +200
"CLD by knockout. That may make my card this week to be perfectly honest. Um plus 200 when you've got like a minus 600 favorite."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Mar 13, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Kevin Vallejos

Connor agrees, noting that Vallejos is a much more natural puncher inside and that Choi will relegate himself to brawling. He compares Vallejos to Jack Della Maddalena without a jab, but still fearsome. He also mentions that Vallejos looks for ways in off his opponent's offense and is a damn good combination puncher once he gets you out of position.

"I'm going to take Vallejos."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert picked Jan 31, 2024 (409 days before fight)

Daniel does not make a clear pick for this fight. He discusses the matchup briefly but does not state a preference or bet.

MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Mar 12, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Kevin Vallejos

The host believes this is a horrible matchup for Choi, who may have an output advantage but will eventually be caught by Vallejos crashing the pocket with big shots that put him clean out.

knockout
"I believe this is a horrible matchup for Troy he might have the output Advantage here against valos but I think it's just a matter of time before valos is able to crash the Pocket land those big shots on …"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Aug 6, 2025 (fight day)

Paul also picks Duncan, noting that Anders is a low-volume fighter who has been dropped early in recent fights. He believes Duncan's speed and athleticism will be too much, and he expects a finish. He is considering the KO prop as well.

"I think he's improving. They've not given him the easiest run. Anders isn't the easiest fight, but you should be able to just use that speed, that movement, keep him off of you, outpoint him at the very least."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Mar 14, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Kevin Vallejos

The MMA Guru is very high on Kevin Vallejos, calling him the 'people's Main Event' and a real deal prospect. He praises his striking, head movement, and defensive responsibility, noting he took Jean Silva to a decision on the Contender Series at age 21. He criticizes Choi Seung-woo's bad chin and knockout losses, including to Mike Trizano. He predicts Vallejos will get a TKO finish in the second round, possibly late first, and believes he will go far in the division.

Second round TKO (maybe late first)
"I'm going with Kevin valos this is the people's Main Event okay you might not know it yet but you will after this Kevin vallejos is the real [ __ ] deal"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Mar 13, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Kevin Vallejos

Zane picks Vallejos because he believes Vallejos has a good chin (going three rounds with John Silva) and that Choi will eventually brawl, which favors Vallejos' natural pocket punching. He notes that Vallejos is a good combination puncher with defense, and that Choi cannot fight from distance forever. He acknowledges the competition level concern but thinks Vallejos has the tools.

Odds: Vallejos opened -384, now -636; Choi opened +248, now +424. Zane says the line is too wide but Vallejos deserves to be a favorite.
"I think I'm going to pick Vallejos, not just because he's a witch."
LOSS vs Steve Garcia
TKO (punches) R1 1:36 · UFC on ESPN: Lemos vs. Jandiroba · Jul 20, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Steve Garcia 1 15 of 27 55% 18 of 34 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:37
SeungWoo Choi 0 9 of 15 60% 9 of 16 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Steve Garcia 1 15 of 27 55% 18 of 34 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:37
SeungWoo Choi 0 9 of 15 60% 9 of 16 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Steve Garcia 15 of 27 55% 10 of 19 2 of 5 3 of 3 9 of 19 1 of 2 5 of 6
SeungWoo Choi 9 of 15 60% 7 of 13 0 of 0 2 of 2 9 of 15 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Steve Garcia 15 of 27 55% 10 of 19 2 of 5 3 of 3 9 of 19 1 of 2 5 of 6
SeungWoo Choi 9 of 15 60% 7 of 13 0 of 0 2 of 2 9 of 15 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Seung Woo Choi vs. Steve Garcia
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Garcia (-148), Choi (+124)

Round 1
Finding himself in the unexpected situation of serving as the co-main event after the cancelation of Brad Tavares vs. Jun Yong Park, “Mean Machine” Garcia (15-5, 4-2 UFC) is ready to rise the occasion and lock down his fourth win in a row. The Jackson-Wink fighter will try to hand Choi (11-6, 4-5 UFC) his fourth loss in five fights, and the two featherweights will likely meet in the middle and throw down. When they do, referee Herb Dean will be hanging on tight. There is a touch of gloves, and Garcia is the initial aggressor as he gets into the center of the cage and lands a stomp kick to the knee. Garcia ducks back to avoid two looping hooks, only to race forward and bump into Choi’s forehead to tie him up. Garcia ties up a leg but is unable to put the South Korean down, and when Choi escapes, he throws hands. Garcia welcomes the exchange, and when things settle down, he lands another kick to the knee. Choi chambers and fires a low kick that puts Garcia down to a knee, and Garcia climbs back up and gets swept with another kick. Garcia wades forward, thinks about throwing a front kick and lets it go to stand and bang. Stand and bang is exactly what “Mean Machine” does, rocking Choi and getting clipped in a destructive exchange.
Garcia lands the cleaner of the blows as he continues to slug it out, and he knocks Choi off-balance with a left hand and floors him with another bomb of a left. Choi turns to his side and then knees in an effort to shell up and survive, but Garcia is a man possessed at getting the win. Garcia stings “Sting” repeatedly with hammerfists, raining down a seemingly unending onslaught of fists until Dean has no choice but to stop the fight.
Choi looks up at Dean quizzically as blood streams from his mouth, and Garcia runs to the cage wall to scream and then scales it to shout even louder. This is a big moment for Garcia, who has now picked up four straight knockout victories. The triumphant Garcia calls for an MMA fight against Dan Ige, a popular name lately, while also calling out commentator Daniel Cormier for a golf match.

The Official Result
Steve Garcia def. Seung Woo Choi R1 1:36 via TKO (Punches)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jul 14, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Steve Garcia

Angelo picks Steve Garcia because he is sneaky good with five UFC wins all by KO/TKO. He believes Garcia's striking and wrestling are there, and that Choi Seung-woo has been finished before. He has placed a bet on Garcia at -140 and expects the line to move.

bet placed at -140
"Steve Garcia is the pick I got a nice little bet on him at minus 140"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Jul 17, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Steve Garcia

Cody also picks Garcia but with less confidence, noting Garcia's own durability issues and the fact that both fighters have been dropped. He sees the fight as close to 50/50 and suggests taking Choi if plus money is available. He emphasizes the under 2.5 rounds as the best bet, expecting a violent finish.

"I got one guy that's on a three-fight winning streak... I got to get the guy in the three-fight winning streak."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Jul 17, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Steve Garcia

Daniel Vreeland picks Steve Garcia by knockout, comparing the fight to a coin flip but ultimately choosing Garcia. He notes both fighters have high knockdown rates and can be dropped, but Garcia's size (6'0", 75" reach) and recent form (5 knockdowns in last 3 fights) give him the edge. He expects a stand-up war ending in a Garcia knockout.

by KO
"heads we're gonna go with Steve Garcia here to uh drop Troy a couple times and then all out War"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Jul 17, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Steve Garcia

Garcia is a -140 favorite. He relies on his knockout power and has a three-fight KO streak. Choi is more technical but has been finished before. Garcia can survive early pressure and land a big shot to get the KO. I prefer Garcia by knockout rather than moneyline, as his KO line is around +130.

Garcia by knockout
"I would rather Garcia by knockout rather than Garcia moneyline at minus 140"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jul 17, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Steve Garcia

Paul likes Garcia's momentum and power, noting his three-fight winning streak with five knockdowns. He questions Choi's durability, pointing out Choi has been knocked down five times in his last three fights. Paul thinks Garcia's power is the difference and expects a knockout, though he acknowledges both have shaky chins.

"I think it's Steve all day here."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 16, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Steve Garcia

The MMA Guru picks Steve Garcia, noting he has doubted Garcia before but he keeps winning. He highlights Garcia's recent finishes over Malik El Kousa, Shannon Nurnbeck, and Chase Hooper, and his training at Jackson Wink. He points out Choi Seung-woo's questionable chin, getting wobbled in most fights, and believes Garcia's power and size at 145 will be too much.

"I'm gonna go with um Steve Garcia I've doubted Steve Garcia enough"
WIN vs Jarno Errens
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. The Korean Zombie · Aug 26, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
SeungWoo Choi 1 56 of 115 48% 108 of 179 1 of 1 100% 0 0 5:21
Jarno Errens 1 30 of 76 39% 40 of 88 0 of 4 0% 0 0 1:34
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 SeungWoo Choi 0 26 of 52 50% 29 of 58 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:55
Jarno Errens 0 18 of 41 43% 18 of 41 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:17
2 SeungWoo Choi 0 9 of 19 47% 28 of 41 1 of 1 100% 0 0 2:34
Jarno Errens 1 4 of 8 50% 14 of 19 0 of 1 0% 0 0 1:17
3 SeungWoo Choi 1 21 of 44 47% 51 of 80 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:52
Jarno Errens 0 8 of 27 29% 8 of 28 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
SeungWoo Choi 56 of 115 48% 22 of 69 8 of 15 26 of 31 51 of 107 2 of 3 3 of 5
Jarno Errens 30 of 76 39% 13 of 47 6 of 14 11 of 15 30 of 73 0 of 2 0 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 SeungWoo Choi 26 of 52 50% 10 of 32 4 of 6 12 of 14 24 of 49 2 of 3 0 of 0
Jarno Errens 18 of 41 43% 9 of 25 3 of 6 6 of 10 18 of 39 0 of 2 0 of 0
2 SeungWoo Choi 9 of 19 47% 5 of 13 1 of 2 3 of 4 6 of 14 0 of 0 3 of 5
Jarno Errens 4 of 8 50% 2 of 6 0 of 0 2 of 2 4 of 7 0 of 0 0 of 1
3 SeungWoo Choi 21 of 44 47% 7 of 24 3 of 7 11 of 13 21 of 44 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jarno Errens 8 of 27 29% 2 of 16 3 of 8 3 of 3 8 of 27 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Aug 20, 2023 (6 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Angelo acknowledges Choi's three-fight losing streak and recent TKO loss, but notes that his losses came against solid competition. He highlights Choi's technical striking, leg kicks, and takedown setups. Despite the losing streak, he believes Choi is the better fighter and picks him, but with no bet due to the streak.

"sengu Choi is going to be the pick"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Aug 21, 2023 (5 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Big Brady acknowledges Choi Seung-woo's three-fight skid but believes he is much better than his record indicates, with good striking and power. He thinks Choi has improved his takedown defense enough to keep the fight standing. He is not a fan of Jarno Errens, citing a lackluster debut and disadvantages in volume and power. He expects Choi to outpoint Errens over 15 minutes.

decision
"give me a song with Troy to win this fight I'll take him to win by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Aug 24, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Jarno Errens

Cody picks Errens as an underdog, noting his Dutch kickboxing style and volume. He thinks Choi's chin is deteriorating and Errens can outwork him. Cody likes the plus money value.

"the plus money is right to me I'd be willing to take a flight on the underdog"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Aug 24, 2023 (2 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Daniel leans Choi Seung-woo, noting that he is the more skilled mixed martial artist. He mentions that Choi has a habit of dropping his right hand and getting countered with left hooks, and his chin may be damaged. He acknowledges that Errens has a good submission game and takedown defense issues. He is not confident and advises staying away from this fight.

"I'm gonna lean with Troy but it's it's not a confident pick and you know unless someone has a strong read I'd advise most likely staying away from this fight"
LU
Lucrative James Expert Lean picked Aug 26, 2023 (fight day)
Jarno Errens

James leans towards Jarno Errens as an underdog, citing Choi's poor durability and defensive technique after being dropped multiple times in recent fights. He believes the fight will be a 15-minute striking affair and trusts Errens' durability and technical striking over Choi's power. He notes the line has moved but originally Errens was at +180, which he sees as value.

"I'm gonna lean to the general Erin side here"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Aug 22, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Jarno Errens

The host notes that Choi Seung-woo is on a 0-3 slump, has been finished in two of those fights, and his durability is declining. He highlights Choi's poor striking defense and vulnerability to grappling. Jarno Errens has a judo background and decent power, and the host believes his power and grappling advantage will allow him to pull off the upset. The host mentions that Errens' odds have moved from +210 to +140/+150, indicating public support.

"I think his big Power and grappling advantage in this matchup will allow him to string the upset against the Korean fighter here."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Aug 24, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Jarno Errens

Paul picks Errens, noting Choi's low volume and defensive issues. He expects Errens to pressure and land more strikes. Paul is not confident but likes the underdog value.

"I'll side with the underdog at plus 135 here"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Aug 22, 2023 (4 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

The MMA Guru picks Choi Seung-woo over Jarno Errens, citing Errens' lack of skill and poor performance against William Gomez. He notes Choi's mixed results but highlights his experience at a high level, takedown defense, and composure. He believes Choi's striking and clinch strength will be decisive, predicting a TKO finish.

TKO finish predicted
"I'm gonna have to go with the composure of sun Wu Choi I think he's got more experience at a high level as well more experience at a ubfc level especially"
LOSS vs Michael Trizano
KO (punches) R1 4:51 · UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira · Nov 12, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Michael Trizano 2 32 of 53 60% 34 of 55 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:14
SeungWoo Choi 1 26 of 73 35% 26 of 74 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:12
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Michael Trizano 2 32 of 53 60% 34 of 55 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:14
SeungWoo Choi 1 26 of 73 35% 26 of 74 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:12
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Michael Trizano 32 of 53 60% 28 of 49 2 of 2 2 of 2 21 of 40 1 of 1 10 of 12
SeungWoo Choi 26 of 73 35% 19 of 61 3 of 7 4 of 5 25 of 70 1 of 3 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Michael Trizano 32 of 53 60% 28 of 49 2 of 2 2 of 2 21 of 40 1 of 1 10 of 12
SeungWoo Choi 26 of 73 35% 19 of 61 3 of 7 4 of 5 25 of 70 1 of 3 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Nov 6, 2022 (6 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Angelo sees this as a close firefight between two forward-pressure strikers. He thinks Trizano may be more technical, but Choi is more well-rounded, has higher volume, and is more durable. He notes that Choi's losses were close and he showed durability. He is not sure about betting because the odds are close, but he leans Choi to win.

significant strikes props on BetOnline
"I like Troy to win but I mean it's likely going to be a fire fight so I think it's closer than the odds are telling you"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Nov 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Big Brady picks SeungWoo Choi to win by decision. He believes Choi is the better striker with more power, and that Trizano doesn't wrestle (only 1-2 takedowns in UFC). He notes Choi has struggled with grapplers but Trizano won't take him down. He criticizes Trizano's recent performances, being outlanded by Lucas Almeida and Chidi Njokuani. He expects a striking match where Choi's power and volume earn him a decision.

Choi by decision
"give me Troy to win enjoy to win this one by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Cody picks Choi, arguing that Trizano looks washed and disinterested, with poor striking defense and low volume. He notes that Choi is long, rangy, and versatile with his Muay Thai, and that Trizano has been getting hit and knocked down recently. Cody believes Choi will pick Trizano apart from distance and win by decision or TKO.

"I'm taking Troy one of us is going to be right unfortunately and none of us is going to be wrong."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Connor picks Choi, noting that Trizano's low output and discomfort in exchanges play into Choi's strengths as a sharp counter puncher. He points out that Choi is dangerous at range and Trizano struggles to force the kind of messy fight that would make Choi uncomfortable. Connor also mentions that Trizano's recent improvements in aggression are not natural, and he still looks uncomfortable in exchanges.

"I think I'm taking Sun Wuchoi as bad as he looked against Kula Bell..."
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Nov 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Daniel Levi picks SeungWoo Choi, believing he will land the bigger shots and potentially knock out Trizano. He notes that Trizano has a low-volume point-fighting style and may be on a losing streak, while Choi has faced tougher competition and shown resilience. Levi thinks Choi's power and experience will be too much for Trizano, who has confidence issues after recent losses.

"I'm going with song with Choi to get back on track here"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Nov 8, 2022 (4 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

The host sees Choi as the slicker striker with better range and combinations. He notes Trizano struggles when at a striking disadvantage, as seen in losses to L'Empereur and Almeida. Choi's size and reach should allow him to touch Trizano from the outside and win a decision. The host also likes the over 2.5 rounds if the price is right, expecting a kickboxing match without a finish.

over 2.5 rounds (if even money or plus money)
"I do lean the choice side though I do think it's slightly closer than the odds indicate but I still think that Troy ends up getting his hand raise"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Michael Trizano

Paul leans towards Trizano, noting that Choi's volume is low and that Trizano could mix in takedowns. He acknowledges that Trizano has looked bad recently but thinks the fight is close and that Trizano's wrestling could be the difference. Paul is not confident and calls it a stay-away fight.

"I'll ever so slightly lean towards trizano I wish he had more of a wrestling game than he does."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Nov 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

The MMA Guru confidently picks SeungWoo Choi, reasoning that Trizano lacks takedown ability and Choi has great takedown defense. He criticizes Trizano's basic, goofy striking and notes that Choi has dealt with unorthodox fighters before. He predicts a 30-27 decision for Choi.

"I'm going with seongwoo choya only because Mike trizano doesn't really be he hasn't really shown an ability to get people to the ground"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Zane picks Choi, agreeing that Trizano's low output and lack of comfort in exchanges make him vulnerable. He notes that Choi is sharp and dangerous in the first layer of striking, where Trizano tends to get stuck. Zane also points out that Trizano's jab and low kicks may have success, but he won't be able to make Choi uncomfortable enough to win.

"I can't trust Trisano to fight that fight."
LOSS vs Josh Culibao
Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 275: Teixeira vs. Prochazka · Jun 12, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Josh Culibao 0 46 of 163 28% 64 of 184 1 of 2 50% 0 0 2:30
SeungWoo Choi 2 51 of 111 45% 69 of 132 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:58
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Josh Culibao 0 17 of 62 27% 18 of 63 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:25
SeungWoo Choi 1 23 of 47 48% 35 of 62 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:20
2 Josh Culibao 0 16 of 59 27% 16 of 59 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
SeungWoo Choi 1 19 of 43 44% 19 of 43 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
3 Josh Culibao 0 13 of 42 30% 30 of 62 1 of 1 100% 0 0 2:05
SeungWoo Choi 0 9 of 21 42% 15 of 27 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:36
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Josh Culibao 46 of 163 28% 29 of 137 6 of 14 11 of 12 39 of 147 4 of 10 3 of 6
SeungWoo Choi 51 of 111 45% 40 of 97 7 of 9 4 of 5 40 of 95 6 of 8 5 of 8
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Josh Culibao 17 of 62 27% 13 of 56 1 of 3 3 of 3 15 of 58 2 of 4 0 of 0
SeungWoo Choi 23 of 47 48% 20 of 42 3 of 4 0 of 1 17 of 36 2 of 4 4 of 7
2 Josh Culibao 16 of 59 27% 10 of 50 2 of 4 4 of 5 15 of 56 1 of 3 0 of 0
SeungWoo Choi 19 of 43 44% 16 of 39 1 of 2 2 of 2 17 of 41 1 of 1 1 of 1
3 Josh Culibao 13 of 42 30% 6 of 31 3 of 7 4 of 4 9 of 33 1 of 3 3 of 6
SeungWoo Choi 9 of 21 42% 4 of 16 3 of 3 2 of 2 6 of 18 3 of 3 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jun 5, 2022 (7 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Angelo picks Choi, expecting him to keep the fight technical and avoid a brawl. He notes Culibao is tough and has power but is willing to fight dirty, which could be dangerous. However, he believes Choi's technical striking and ability to mix in takedowns will secure a decision win.

"i like joining this fight i think he can keep it technical avoid that phone booth brawl and cruise to a solid striking showcase win"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jun 6, 2022 (6 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Big Brady picks SeungWoo Choi to win by decision. He notes that Choi is a very good Muay Thai striker with power, while Culibao has zero takedown accuracy in the UFC and is unlikely to take Choi down. He expects the fight to stay on the feet, where Choi has the advantage.

"I got to favor SeungWoo Choi here I think he's the better striker so yeah pretty simple fight to break down for me pretty straightforward pick here give me SeungWoo Choi to win by decision."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jun 8, 2022 (4 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Cody picks Choi, citing his length, Muay Thai background, and improved takedown defense. He thinks Choi's striking will be too much for Culibao, who is shorter and less technical. He expects Choi to win by decision or late stoppage.

"i think this is a good spot for him to jump back on track"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Jun 9, 2022 (3 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Daniel Levi picks SeungWoo Choi, citing his physicality, knockout power, and technical striking. He is not fully convinced about Josh Culibao's ceiling and sees Choi as the better athlete. He notes that Culibao's best chance is to win competitive striking exchanges, but Choi's advantages should prevail. He is not betting the fight.

"my pick is gonna be song and also the size difference here I'm very curious to see how apparent that is"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jun 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Choi is the better striker with range and power. Culibao wants to brawl, but Choi can stay on the outside and pick him apart. Culibao's chin is granite, so a decision is likely. Choi is a solid parlay piece. I think Choi wins by decision.

Choi by decision (+175)
"I think troy is the better fighter better striker and if culibao's chin wasn't made of granite i think he'd be able to knock him out here but i think he's going to style on him for the majority of …"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jun 8, 2022 (4 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Paul agrees with Cody, noting Choi's length and striking advantage. He thinks Culibao's takedowns won't be effective and that Choi will control the distance. He sees Choi as the rightful favorite.

"choi is the rightful favor minus 235 seems like a high price to be paying"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Hesitant picked Jun 6, 2022 (6 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

The MMA Guru picks SeungWoo Choi by 29-28 decision, but warns not to sleep on Josh Culibao. He acknowledges Culibao's skills and close fight with Jordan, but believes Choi's superior stand-up, reach advantage, and Muay Thai credentials will give him the edge. He expects Choi to win the first two rounds clearly, with Culibao possibly taking the third due to volume. He rates Choi's chances at 6.5-7 out of 10, not higher.

"i'm gonna go sung wu choy but do not sleep on joshua calibal"
LOSS vs Alex Caceres
Submission (rear-naked choke) R2 3:31 · UFC Fight Night: Costa vs. Vettori · Oct 23, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Alex Caceres 0 46 of 64 71% 54 of 72 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:49
SeungWoo Choi 1 33 of 98 33% 38 of 104 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:15
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Alex Caceres 0 29 of 39 74% 29 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
SeungWoo Choi 1 19 of 65 29% 22 of 69 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:15
2 Alex Caceres 0 17 of 25 68% 25 of 33 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:49
SeungWoo Choi 0 14 of 33 42% 16 of 35 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Alex Caceres 46 of 64 71% 22 of 33 13 of 17 11 of 14 37 of 54 9 of 10 0 of 0
SeungWoo Choi 33 of 98 33% 18 of 78 11 of 16 4 of 4 26 of 85 3 of 3 4 of 10
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Alex Caceres 29 of 39 74% 12 of 18 9 of 12 8 of 9 26 of 36 3 of 3 0 of 0
SeungWoo Choi 19 of 65 29% 13 of 56 2 of 5 4 of 4 15 of 55 0 of 0 4 of 10
2 Alex Caceres 17 of 25 68% 10 of 15 4 of 5 3 of 5 11 of 18 6 of 7 0 of 0
SeungWoo Choi 14 of 33 42% 5 of 22 9 of 11 0 of 0 11 of 30 3 of 3 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Oct 20, 2021 (3 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Angelo thinks Choi is the more technical striker with better takedown entries, and should win the fight. However, he loves the value on Caceres as a +200 underdog and already grabbed a +3.5 bet on him at -115, meaning Caceres only needs to win one round. He thinks Caceres is tough enough to not get finished and can steal a round. He likes the more/more on the monkey knife fight.

grabbed a +3.5 bet on Caceres at -115; likes more/more on monkey knife fight; won't spend 9200 on Choi in DraftKings
"i am loving the value at an at a two to one underdog alice casera so i already grabbed a plus three and a half bet on him at minus 115"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 19, 2021 (4 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Big Brady picks Choi as the younger, improving fighter who lands harder shots. He notes Caceres is durable but expects Choi to win a clear decision, though he warns that betting a -300 favorite to decision is risky due to poor judging. He sees Choi's takedown defense as a potential issue but believes he's worked on it.

"i think troy gets it done again landing the harder shots"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Oct 21, 2021 (2 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Cody is confident in Seung Woo Choi, citing his size, reach, and striking acumen. He notes that Choi is a former Korean Muay Thai champion and has improved his takedown defense. Cody contrasts Choi's recent wins against solid competition with Alex Caceres's wins over lower-level opponents. He points out that Caceres has not scored a clean knockout since 2010 and lacks the wrestling to take Choi down. Cody believes Choi will out-strike Caceres and potentially finish him.

Top ticket material; parlay piece
"sue wong choi looks like he'll probably be top ticket material this week i just really like how he matches up with one bruce lee caceres"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 22, 2021 (1 day before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Lock picks Choi based on power and striking. He thinks Choi's power will be the difference and that Caceres will be outmatched on the feet. He expects Choi to win by decision, noting Caceres is experienced but may be on the decline.

Choi by decision +100
"i like troy i like troy decision which i currently think is sitting around plus 100"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Oct 21, 2021 (2 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Paul agrees with Cody, noting that Caceres is not used to facing opponents with reach and height advantages. He highlights Choi's cleaner, harder strikes and Caceres's lack of takedown threat. Paul mentions that Caceres's recent wins are over fighters who are no longer in the UFC or are fringe roster members. He believes Choi's size and striking will be too much for Caceres.

"going through alex caceres's last 10 fights which brings you back to 2016. he's landed three takedowns fact so he's throwing the harder cleaner more technical strikes it's gonna be choi"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 17, 2021 (6 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

The MMA Guru picks SeungWoo Choi, citing his Muay Thai skills, reach, and physical advantages. He questions Alex Caceres' level of competition and believes Choi will out-strike him, particularly with leg kicks, winning by decision.

"i'm going to go have seong wu choi here i think it's a logical prediction to make"
WIN vs Julian Erosa
TKO (punches) R1 1:37 · UFC on ESPN: The Korean Zombie vs. Ige · Jun 19, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
SeungWoo Choi 0 10 of 20 50% 10 of 20 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Julian Erosa 1 13 of 29 44% 14 of 30 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:03
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 SeungWoo Choi 0 10 of 20 50% 10 of 20 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Julian Erosa 1 13 of 29 44% 14 of 30 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:03
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
SeungWoo Choi 10 of 20 50% 5 of 14 2 of 3 3 of 3 10 of 20 0 of 0 0 of 0
Julian Erosa 13 of 29 44% 10 of 25 2 of 2 1 of 2 7 of 22 0 of 0 6 of 7
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 SeungWoo Choi 10 of 20 50% 5 of 14 2 of 3 3 of 3 10 of 20 0 of 0 0 of 0
Julian Erosa 13 of 29 44% 10 of 25 2 of 2 1 of 2 7 of 22 0 of 0 6 of 7
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jun 16, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Julian Erosa

Angelo picks Julian Erosa, noting his violence, aggression, and multiple ways to win (KO or submission). He acknowledges Erosa relies on his chin but thinks he has more paths to victory than Choi, who can only win by KO. He has a bet on the fight going under 2.5 rounds at +125 and also bet on it not going the distance at +105.

under 2.5 rounds (+125, half unit); does not go the distance (+105)
"julian rosa is my pick."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jun 15, 2021 (4 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Big Brady thinks Choi is the much better striker and that Erosa is very hittable with a weak chin. He expects a knockout, predicting Choi finishes Erosa in the second round. He considered betting but decided to pass.

win by KO in round 2
"I'm going to take sangwoo choi to knock out juliana rosa"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jun 16, 2021 (3 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Cody picks Choi, citing Choi's physical strength, excellent jab, and durability. He acknowledges Erosa's pressure and volume but believes Choi's jab and ability to stay on the outside will carry him to a competitive decision win. He notes Choi's fatigue in the third round of his last fight but thinks Erosa's pressure could be neutralized.

"i myself see my uh myself going with seongwoo choi again i think that he's physically stronger than woodson uh he's got a better chin than nate lanware"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jun 18, 2021 (1 day before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Daniel Levi picks SeungWoo Choi, citing his physicality, size, and technical striking. He notes that Choi has been improving and is now more comfortable in the UFC, while Erosa has a tendency to fight with his hands down and has been knocked out multiple times. He believes Choi's technique and strength will be too much for Erosa, and expects a dominant performance.

"i'm going to go with sung wu choi to get the biggest uh biggest win of his career and also have the best performance of his career"
JA
Jacob Lines Expert Confident picked Jun 16, 2021 (3 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Jacob picks SeungWoo Choi, citing his speed and precise in-and-out striking. He believes Choi can stuff takedowns and keep the distance, avoiding Erosa's dirty boxing and submissions. He also mentions a pattern where Erosa alternates wins and losses, predicting a loss here. He has Choi in his lineup.

"sing woo choy is gonna win and he's in my lineup."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jun 17, 2021 (2 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

The host picks SeungWoo Choi, believing his Muay Thai and technical striking will overcome Julian Erosa's wild, loopy shots. He notes Choi's improving takedown defense and that Erosa's brawling style plays into Choi's counters. He expects Choi to keep the fight standing and outpoint Erosa over 15 minutes, possibly earning a decision. He mentions Choi's win over Youssef Zalal as evidence of his growth, and that Erosa's wrestling is not better than Gavin Tucker's, which Choi handled.

Choi by decision at +190 mentioned as a good line
"i'm gonna take troy to win this fight by decision"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Jun 16, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Julian Erosa

Paul picks Erosa by KO as a YOLO play, noting Erosa's recent knockout wins and Choi's history of being knocked out. He also bets under 2.5 rounds, expecting a finish. He acknowledges the risk but likes Erosa's pressure and volume.

Erosa by KO +700; under 2.5 rounds +120
"i'm on the under two and a half plus 120 and i'm on uh juicy j by ko plus 700 tell me i'm wrong"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jun 19, 2021 (fight day)
Julian Erosa

The MMA Guru picks Julian Erosa to win by submission (d'arce choke) in round three. He expects Choi to land good shots early, but Erosa will make it messy in round two, forcing clinches and takedowns. In round three, Erosa will lure Choi into a war, Choi will lose composure and shoot a bad takedown, allowing Erosa to latch on a d'arce choke.

submission win, third round, d'arce choke
"i'm going to go with julian arosa darsh choke submission in round three"
WIN vs Youssef Zalal
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Volkov · Feb 06, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
SeungWoo Choi 0 41 of 109 37% 73 of 144 2 of 3 66% 0 0 3:39
Youssef Zalal 0 23 of 47 48% 46 of 70 3 of 9 33% 1 1 4:29
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 SeungWoo Choi 0 13 of 54 24% 26 of 67 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:13
Youssef Zalal 0 12 of 24 50% 19 of 31 0 of 2 0% 0 0 1:33
2 SeungWoo Choi 0 19 of 37 51% 34 of 53 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:06
Youssef Zalal 0 6 of 14 42% 14 of 22 0 of 2 0% 0 0 1:52
3 SeungWoo Choi 0 9 of 18 50% 13 of 24 0 of 1 0% 0 0 2:20
Youssef Zalal 0 5 of 9 55% 13 of 17 3 of 5 60% 1 1 1:04
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
SeungWoo Choi 41 of 109 37% 25 of 84 10 of 13 6 of 12 26 of 93 12 of 13 3 of 3
Youssef Zalal 23 of 47 48% 12 of 34 9 of 10 2 of 3 21 of 44 1 of 2 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 SeungWoo Choi 13 of 54 24% 7 of 42 4 of 6 2 of 6 9 of 50 4 of 4 0 of 0
Youssef Zalal 12 of 24 50% 5 of 16 6 of 6 1 of 2 12 of 23 0 of 1 0 of 0
2 SeungWoo Choi 19 of 37 51% 14 of 31 3 of 3 2 of 3 10 of 28 8 of 8 1 of 1
Youssef Zalal 6 of 14 42% 4 of 11 1 of 2 1 of 1 5 of 13 0 of 0 1 of 1
3 SeungWoo Choi 9 of 18 50% 4 of 11 3 of 4 2 of 3 7 of 15 0 of 1 2 of 2
Youssef Zalal 5 of 9 55% 3 of 7 2 of 2 0 of 0 4 of 8 1 of 1 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Seung Woo Choi vs. Youssef Zalal

Round 1
In yet another bout stung by opponent change after opponent change, “Sting” Choi (8-3, 1-2 UFC) finds himself glad to face anyone inside the cage, drawing a tough matchup against the recently surging Zalal (10-3, 3-1 UFC) also at featherweight. The third man inside the Octagon is referee Chris Tognoni, and the two men are so glad to be competing tonight that they practically hug when touching gloves. Choi opens up with a leg kick that comes up short, and Zalal walks around the outside and similarly misses with his own leg kick. Choi lets loose with a head kick, and he fires off a one-two that makes Zalal bounce off the cage wall. Choi’s punches are drawing reactions out of his opponent, and he just misses with a head kick that blows back Zalal’s hair. Zalal jabs to the body, and he hops forward with a left hand and ducks out of the way before a counter can find him. Zalal sticks his man with a jab, and is in and out with a body strike but he does take a high body kick. Zalal starts talking, and Choi slams him in the leg with a kick. Zalal’s jabs allow him to get out of danger as Choi is loading up on power strikes, and the South Korean does land with a solid right hand but Zalal rolls with it without issue. Choi scores a body kick and glances off with a pair of punches as he wings heavily, but the speed of Zalal is giving his foe issues as he jabs in and out. Zalal chains a strike into a takedown attempt, and he does not secure it but bullies “Sting” into the wire. Choi grinds his elbow on Zalal’s face while defending himself, and Tognoni asks them to stay busy as a stalemate has presented itself. Zalal pushes up high before changing levels for a low double, but Choi keeps his legs spread far enough apart to keep his balance and break the grip. Choi lands a couple heavy shoulder strikes, but Tognoni breaks them apart. Choi steps back and delivers a leg kick, and gets clipped with a left hand on the way in but he lands as well. As they come together and break, “Sting” stings him with an elbow. Choi tags Zalal with a quick counter, and presses Zalal into the fence before dragging Zalal down to punctuate the round right before the horn.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Choi
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Zalal
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Choi

Round 2
Both men jab at the same time to begin the second frame, and Choi walks Zalal down and works him with a left hand. An errant kick from Zalal clanks off the cup, but Choi assures that he is fine and darts forward to pursue a takedown. Zalal, with his back on the fence, jumps up to attack a guillotine choke. In the process, Zalal turns the two around, and he goes after his own takedown while Choi works him with short elbows to the side of the head. Zalal’s single leg takedown attempt ignores a solid elbow to lift Choi’s leg up, but Choi is still able to stay standing on one leg. “The Moroccan Devil” changes it up to a double leg takedown, and Choi keeps elbowing him to break it up. Zalal looks to elevate his opponent, and he does not have the ability to put Choi on his back, leading to Tognoni asking them to keep fighting. Zalal stays pressed on Choi against the cage until Tognoni splits them up. Choi lands a kick on the shoulder, and a few punches clatter off Zalal’s face. Zalal smiles and gets out of the way, but he takes a jab on the chin as he retreats. Choi powers forward with punches before latching on to his opponent for a body lock takedown attempt, but Zalal sees it coming and holds on tight without concern of hitting the canvas. Choi turns the attempt into a throw, and both end up on the ground but Choi cannot keep him there. Zalal looks for upkicks that do not score, and when he stands up, he goes after a flying knee. Choi brushes it aside and cracks him with a right hand. Zalal scores a knee when Choi tries to clinch up, and he connects with a jab but eats a right hand. Choi catches a kick and pushes Zalal down, but Zalal pops up. The two both leap with flying strikes at the same time, and they crash into the fence without landing much of note before the second round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Choi
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Choi
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Choi

Round 3
The glove touch commences the final round, and Choi is looking for knockout blows early as he slings head kick and big punches. He backs Zalal away with a kick and then follows it with a slapping leg kick, and his forward momentum bowls Zalal over. “The Moroccan Devil” is sly, and he rolls through to stand back up, where he re-presents his jab. Choi crashes forward with strikes to clinch, and this time, Zalal is not interested in engaging like this. Choi gathers himself and attempts this again, so Zalal jumps guard for a guillotine choke. As there is nothing to it, Zalal bails on it and spins around to attack a double leg takedown. Choi stands him back up, and for the first time, Zalal lifts him up and sets him down. Zalal immediately attacks a guillotine choke, and he rolls to mount as it is locked in fairly tight. Choi grits it out, and he puts Zalal on his back, so Zalal throws his legs up for a triangle choke. The South Korean is not remotely flustered, as he breaks the posture and sits down in Zalal’s guard. Choi drops down a shoulder strike to put Zalal flat on his back, and Zalal sits up only to get dropped back down. Zalal uses upkicks to back Choi off, and as Choi avoids them, he vaults back up. Zalal lands a quick jab but takes two punches for it, and he changes levels for a single leg takedown. Choi defends it by grabbing the fence, and Tognoni does not call it as Zalal is still pushing to try to complete it. Choi sits against the fence and stands up, but Zalal scoops him up and hits a double. “Sting” stands up once more without issue, and he allows Zalal to take his back for a moment. Zalal defends a takedown attempt with a guillotine choke, and he keeps his balance as Choi nearly has him down. Choi stays heavy, keeping his full body weight pressed on his opponent, so Zalal latches on to one final guillotine choke. It is not there, and time expires.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Zalal (29-28 Choi)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Zalal (29-28 Zalal)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Zalal (29-28 Choi)

The Official Result
Seung Woo Choi def. Youssef Zalal via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Feb 1, 2021 (5 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Big Brady picks the underdog SeungWoo Choi, disagreeing with the line that has Zalal as a heavy favorite. He notes that Zalal may struggle to take Choi down, and if the fight stays standing, Choi's striking is very impressive. He also mentions that Zalal is coming in on short notice, which adds to his uncertainty. He is not overly confident but likes the value at plus money.

odds comment: Zalal minus 255 is too wide; Choi plus 195 is good value
"I'm gonna take the underdog here, I'm gonna take the underdog and Choi... those odds are insane like Zalal minus 255."
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Feb 5, 2021 (1 day before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

Daniel Levi picks SeungWoo Choi as a dog-or-pass, viewing it as a close fight. He notes Choi's takedown defense (stuffed 11 vs Evloev, 8 vs Tucker) and believes his physical attributes and kickboxing make him live. He thinks the line moved too far in Zalal's favor and sees value on Choi.

"i'll roll with troy but realistically i i i just i don't think he's going to come out here and dominate i think it's going to be a very close fight that could go either way"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Feb 1, 2021 (5 days before fight)
Youssef Zalal

Zalal is a well-rounded fighter with good cardio and a solid ground game. He should be able to mix in takedowns and grind out a decision. Choi has a tough run in the UFC and tends to fade as fights go on. Zalal's pace and pressure will be too much. I expect Zalal to win by decision, using his wrestling and volume striking.

Zalal by decision
"i'm going with yusuf's the law i think he wins this fight via decision"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jan 30, 2021 (7 days before fight)
SeungWoo Choi

The MMA Guru picks the underdog SeungWoo Choi, believing the odds should be even. He highlights Choi's Muay Thai background and reach advantage, and doubts Zalal's offensive grappling ability to expose Choi's ground game. He predicts Choi will piece Zalal up on the feet for two rounds, possibly slowing in the third, winning a 30-27 decision.

30-27 decision
"I'm going with the underdog in sung wu choi to get the upset against yusuf salao"