Angelo picks Mel Costa but at very low confidence, noting that Costa is the better fighter but makes poor decisions by wrestling when he should strike. He worries Costa can be pushed around and taken down by Shayilan's bully style. He emphasizes that Costa's wrestling should be plan B, not plan A, and that if he engages in clinch work, Shayilan will drag him to the ground.

Cody picks Melquizael Costa, noting his striking volume and movement, but is concerned about his last performance where he gassed out against Steve Garcia. He thinks Costa can outwork Nuerdanbieke if he fights smart and doesn't overuse wrestling. Cody expects Costa to win a decision but is not highly confident.

Daniel Vreeland is not high on Melquizael Costa, calling him overrated and lacking killer instinct. He favors Shayilan Nuerdanbieke's power and wrestling, though he notes gassing issues. He believes Nuerdanbieke can hurt Costa or at least win the first round, and calls it a dog-or-pass situation.

Jacob picks Shayilan, expecting a wrestling vs. jiu-jitsu battle where Shayilan's powerful control wrestling will be key. He thinks Shayilan can get takedowns and keep control for at least two rounds to win a decision. He notes that if Costa is ever in a scramble when Shayilan is tired, Costa is more dangerous, but overall favors Shayilan's wrestling.

Costa's movement and Jiu-Jitsu should keep him out of trouble from Nuerdanbieke. As long as Costa stays conscious early, his Jiu-Jitsu will outlast Nuerdanbieke, who will slow down, allowing Costa to take control and potentially find a submission.

Paul picks Melquizael Costa, citing his superior striking and range management. He notes that Nuerdanbieke has power but low volume and may rely on wrestling. Paul thinks Costa can win with volume if he keeps the fight standing, but is not confident due to Costa's gas tank issues.

Angelo picks Shayilan Nuerdanbieke but is hesitant to bet because of his low volume output. He notes that Shayilan is a powerful grappler with a bully style, but Steve Garcia is a high-volume striker who could steal rounds if Shayilan doesn't push the pace early. He is waiting for significant strike prop bets to drop, as he believes Steve Garcia will land more significant strikes even if Shayilan wins.

Big Brady picks Shayilan Nuerdanbieke due to his wrestling advantage and durability concerns with Steve Garcia. He notes Garcia has been dropped multiple times in recent fights, questioning his chin. He believes Nuerdanbieke can mix takedowns and control the fight, potentially winning by decision or even knocking out Garcia. He predicts a decision win for Nuerdanbieke.

Cody also picks Garcia, agreeing with Paul's reasoning. He notes Garcia's improvements and power, and that Nuerdanbieke's wrestling may not be enough to control Garcia. Cody mentions that Garcia has never been taken down in the UFC. He is cautious but sees value at +155. He says he took a shot on Garcia but warns it's a risky bet.

Connor agrees with Zane, picking Nuerdanbieke. He notes that Garcia is fun and dangerous but his path to win leads him into his opponent's offense.

Jacob is confident in Shayilan, noting that he trusts his chin more and believes he has the wrestling to slow down Steve Garcia's pressure. He thinks Garcia will come out aggressively, but Shayilan can counter him or take him down. He mentions that Garcia gets dropped often, so Shayilan has a good chance of a knockout. However, he wouldn't bet it because Garcia is a dangerous opponent who risks it all.

Nuerdanbieke uses his stocky frame to grind opponents with takedowns and top pressure, but his striking is wild and he slows down. Garcia has knockout power and unorthodox angles, but his consistency is questionable. I'm skeptical but think the grappling-heavy fighter is the smarter pick, though I have low confidence due to Garcia's power and unknowns.

Paul picks Garcia but with very low confidence. He notes Garcia's tendency to run into punches and get dropped, but believes Nuerdanbieke is not a power puncher and relies on wrestling. Paul argues that Garcia has good takedown defense and power, and that Nuerdanbieke's low striking output could lead to a decision loss if he can't hold Garcia down. He also mentions the Florida crowd may favor Garcia's aggression. He calls it a 'fool pick of the week' and warns not to bet much.

The MMA Guru picks Shayilan Nuerdanbieke to win by 29-28 decision. He expects Nuerdanbieke to get a takedown in the first round, control the grappling, and mix in strikes. He thinks Garcia will have some success on the feet in the third round but not enough to overcome the earlier rounds. The prediction is detailed with round-by-round scenarios.

Angelo picks Nuerdanbieke, impressed by his fight IQ and ability to initiate and control grappling. He notes Minner is better than his record but was outstruck by Ryan Hall, which is embarrassing. He expects Nuerdanbieke to bully forward and control on the mat. He mentions he got the moneyline at -200.

Big Brady sees Minner as a live dog due to his dangerous submission game and Nuerdanbieke's history of being submitted. He notes Minner's improvements with coach James Krause and his ability to survive submissions (e.g., against Ryan Hall). He predicts Minner will find a first-round submission, though he acknowledges Minner could gas out if it goes longer.

Cody picks Darrick Minner as an underdog, noting his one-dimensional submission game, especially a nasty guillotine. He thinks Minner could catch Nuerdanbieke early in transition, as Nuerdanbieke has shown poor wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu in his UFC debut against Josh Culibao and was taken down by Sean Soriano. Minner's cardio is questionable, but if he doesn't finish in the first round, Cody suggests live betting Nuerdanbieke. He sees Minner as a live underdog who could snatch a submission.

Connor picks Minner because Nuerdanbieke has six submission losses, four in the first round, and Minner is a fast, opportunistic grappler who capitalizes on mistakes. He acknowledges that if the fight goes past the first round, Nuerdanbieke likely wins, but Minner's early explosiveness and submission threat are decisive. Connor notes that Nuerdanbieke's losses to T.J. Brown and Sean Soriano show he can be broken by aggressive fighters like Minner.

Daniel Levi picks Shayilan Nuerdanbieke, citing his strength and top control. He notes that Darrick Minner is dangerous early with submissions but tends to fatigue, and once Shayilan neutralizes those early threats, he can dominate the second and third rounds.

The host sees Minner as sub-round-one-or-bust, with a dangerous submission threat early. He expects Shayilan to survive the early danger, use his strong clinch and grappling to grind Minner down, and win by decision. He notes the line is typical for a fighter with a wider path to victory but warns Minner could catch a desperation guillotine. He passes on betting.

Paul is more drawn to the under 2.5 rounds than the moneyline. He notes that Nuerdanbieke has been submitted by nobodies on the Chinese regional scene, and while he survived four submission attempts against TJ Brown, that's not high-level competition. Minner tends to gas if he doesn't get the early finish, but Paul thinks the fight ends inside the distance. He prefers the under 2.5 rounds prop over the moneyline.

The MMA Guru picks Shayilan Nuerdanbieke, citing his weird strength, improved cardio, and methodical style. He notes that Minner has pulled off upsets but against wild opponents, while Nuerdanbieke is technical and low-risk. He predicts a 29-28 decision in a competitive fight, respecting Minner's abilities.

Angelo picks T.J. Brown, believing he can win either the grappling or kickboxing exchanges. He notes both fighters have poor takedown defense, so the fight may come down to who shoots first. He worries about Brown's defensive wrestling but expects Brown to initiate and get takedowns, leading to a win.

Big Brady picks T.J. Brown to win by first-round submission. He believes Brown's grappling is superior and that Nuerdanbieke is one-dimensional (wrestling only) with poor takedown defense (33%) and has been submitted six times. He notes Brown's submission skills (arm triangle) and that he nearly submitted Charles Rosa. He warns that Brown's fight IQ and cardio are questionable, but expects an early submission. He calls it a bad matchup for Nuerdanbieke.

Cody thinks Brown is the better wrestler and grappler, and has a striking advantage. He notes Nuerdanbieke's poor striking and inability to finish takedowns. He expects Brown to win by decision.

Paul agrees, pointing out Nuerdanbieke's low output and poor takedown stats. He thinks Brown's pressure and striking will look better to the judges.

Angelo leans toward Shayilan, trusting his forward pressure and wrestling game plan over Sean Soriano's inconsistency in the UFC. He notes Soriano has heavy hands and speed but hasn't risen to the occasion in the UFC, while Shayilan's striking defense is a concern. He calls it a tough pick and says it's more of a pick against Soriano than for Shayilan. He does not place a moneyline bet due to lack of confidence.

Big Brady picks Shayilan Nuerdanbieke as a big underdog at +245. He points out that Sean Soriano has a 53% takedown defense and has been submitted or controlled in all four of his UFC fights. He believes Nuerdanbieke's wrestling and grappling can exploit that hole, and he predicts a second-round submission. He admits Nuerdanbieke is not a great fighter but feels the line is off.

Cody picks Soriano but is nervous about the -290 price. He acknowledges Soriano's well-known grappling deficiencies but believes this is a favorable matchup. He notes that Soriano's opponent, Nuerdanbieke (Wolverine), is raw and was knocked out by a 19-year-old. Soriano is a superior striker and has been working on his wrestling. Cody thinks Soriano will win, possibly by knockout, but he is not fully confident due to Soriano's history of submission losses.

Daniel Levi picks Sean Soriano to win by knockout early. He praises Soriano's fast hands, explosive striking, and takedown defense. He notes that Soriano is on a different level than Nuerdanbieke, but worries about his history of bad decisions on the mat. Levi believes if Soriano doesn't mentally break, he will get his first UFC win.

Lock sees this fight as binary: Shayilan wants takedowns, Soriano wants to keep it standing and knock him out. He thinks Soriano has much crisper striking and will find a knockout blow. He notes Shayilan struggles to hold opponents down and Soriano showed good takedown defense in his last fight. Lock prefers Soriano by KO at +220 rather than paying -275 on the moneyline.

Paul picks Soriano but is not confident. He notes that Soriano has a clear path to victory via striking, but his grappling is a major liability. He points out that Nuerdanbieke is not a great wrestler and Soriano should be able to keep the fight standing. Paul is worried about the price and Soriano's history, but thinks this is a winnable matchup for him.

Big Brady picks Culibao based on superior competition and a strong performance against Charles Jourdain (a draw he thought Culibao won). He expects a decision win but notes a knockout wouldn't shock him. He acknowledges Nuerdanbieke's solid wrestling and striking but questions his level of opposition.

Cody Saftic picks Josh Culibao, noting that Nuerdanbieke's record is built on low-level Chinese competition and that he looked out of place in his UFC debut. He believes Culibao's boxing and takedown defense will be enough to win, likely by knockout. Saftic is interested in the under 2.5 rounds at plus money, as he expects a finish.

Daniel Levi picks Josh Culibao, noting that Culibao has faced tough competition in the UFC (Jalin Turner, Charles Jourdain) and has paid his dues training with Volkanovski. He believes Shayilan Nuerdanbieke is not ready for the UFC, citing the poor performances of Chinese male prospects and the difficulty of the long flight from China. He expects Culibao to get his first UFC win.

Matt picks Josh Culibao by KO, but is not betting the fight due to the high price (-250). He thinks Culibao's toughness and pressure will be too much for Shayilan, who has faced weak competition. He notes Chinese fighters have not performed well in the UFC recently. He sees Culibao landing better strikes and possibly mixing in takedowns, and likes the KO prop at +350.

Paul Shaughnessy picks Culibao, echoing Saftic's concerns about Nuerdanbieke's level of competition. He notes that Culibao has fought tougher opponents and that his boxing looked improved in his last fight. He believes Culibao will win by knockout or decision, but prefers the under 2.5 rounds as a bet.