Career Averages - Michel Pereira
Career Averages - Abusupiyan Magomedov
Michel Pereira
Abusupiyan Magomedov
Michel Pereira - Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zachary Reese | 0 | 74 of 148 | 50% | 81 of 160 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 1 | 0 | 0:47 |
| Michel Pereira | 0 | 63 of 132 | 47% | 70 of 139 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:48 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zachary Reese | 0 | 23 of 51 | 45% | 26 of 56 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Michel Pereira | 0 | 18 of 40 | 45% | 25 of 47 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:42 | |
| 2 | Zachary Reese | 0 | 24 of 44 | 54% | 28 of 49 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:44 |
| Michel Pereira | 0 | 22 of 42 | 52% | 22 of 42 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:03 | |
| 3 | Zachary Reese | 0 | 27 of 53 | 50% | 27 of 55 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0:03 |
| Michel Pereira | 0 | 23 of 50 | 46% | 23 of 50 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:03 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zachary Reese | 74 of 148 | 50% | 24 of 90 | 30 of 38 | 20 of 20 | 72 of 142 | 2 of 6 | 0 of 0 |
| Michel Pereira | 63 of 132 | 47% | 29 of 75 | 31 of 53 | 3 of 4 | 53 of 119 | 9 of 11 | 1 of 2 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zachary Reese | 23 of 51 | 45% | 4 of 29 | 8 of 11 | 11 of 11 | 23 of 50 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Michel Pereira | 18 of 40 | 45% | 8 of 21 | 10 of 19 | 0 of 0 | 15 of 35 | 2 of 4 | 1 of 1 | |
| 2 | Zachary Reese | 24 of 44 | 54% | 9 of 25 | 11 of 15 | 4 of 4 | 23 of 41 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Michel Pereira | 22 of 42 | 52% | 12 of 25 | 9 of 16 | 1 of 1 | 16 of 35 | 6 of 6 | 0 of 1 | |
| 3 | Zachary Reese | 27 of 53 | 50% | 11 of 36 | 11 of 12 | 5 of 5 | 26 of 51 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Michel Pereira | 23 of 50 | 46% | 9 of 29 | 12 of 18 | 2 of 3 | 22 of 49 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogRound 1
Herb Dean is the referee. Pereira lands a hard body kick to begin the main card. Pereira counters a kick with a glancing overhand, but Reese seems to be OK. Pereira jabs the body. Pereira counters another kick with a right hand and Reese goes down. Pereira welcomes Reese back to his feet. Reese lands a body kick. Pereira with a front kick down the middle. Pereira jabs the body. Reese moves in and lands a knee to the body. Reese attempts an inside leg kick, but Herb Dean calls time because it apparently landed low. The crowd isn’t buying it but Pereira takes about a minute. Pereira tries for that same overhand counter following a Reese kick but it’s not as successful as it was earlier. Reese moves in and lands a combination to the body. Reese kicks the body, and Pereira grimaces, as it landed below the belt again. A replay review determines that it was indeed a foul, despite the protests of the fans. Reese lands a kick and they engage in the clinch, with both men swinging wildly during a brief exchange. An errant spinning attack by Reese results in a takedown for Pereira. Reese stands, but Pereira grabs the neck and lands a couple knees on the break. Pereira stabs the body with a front kick. Reese leaps in wildly, but Pereira can’t capitalize. Reese makes his foe stumble with a low kick before the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Round 2
Reese targets the body with kicks. They clinch, and Pereira lands a pair of hard knees to the gut. They clinch and Pereira lands another knee before pushing Reese to the wire. They separate in short order. Pereira lands a right followed by a knee. Reese had his fingers extended during an exchange, and he poked Pereira in the eye. This results in the third timeout of the fight due to a foul by Reese. No point is taken and the action resumes. Reese quickly lands a takedown in the center of the cage. Reese peppers the Brazilian with left hands from half guard. Reese maintains a body lock as Pereira stands. Reese is busted open. Reese lands a body kick. A counter left freezes Pereira where he stands. Pereira throws a right to the body. Reese moves in and Pereira land a leaping knee. They crash forward, with both men landing in an exchange. Reese is holding his hands low as he lands a right. Pereira jabs the body while avoiding a high kick. Another body kick for Reese. Reese lands a two-punch combination. Reese throws a front kick to the body and Pereira urges him on. Reese just misses with a flying knee. Pereira responds with a rolling somersault kick at the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Reese
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Reese
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Reese
Round 3
Reese opens with a body kick. Pereira throws a push kick to the body. Reese lands a leg kick and is warned to keep his hands closed. Reese attacks the body with another kick. They collide in the clinch and separate. Reese closes distance and lands a knee. Pereira connects with a straight right. A lead leg head kick lands for Reese, as these two keep trading one-off attacks. Reese with a two-punch solid combination. Pereira sticks a jab. Reese kicks the body. Pereira lands a counter right. Reese lands a right uppercut to the body followed by a left hand over the top. Pereira closes the distance and Reese nearly had a choke locked. Periera was a ble to scramble up. That sets the stage for another exchange. Both men land heavy shots initially, but they’re mostly swinging and missing in the waning seconds, save for a Pereira knee down the middle.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Reese (29-28 Reese)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Reese (29-28 Reese)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Reese (29-28 Reese)
The Official Result
Michel Pereira def. Zachary Reese via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) R3 5:00
Angelo picks Michel Pereira despite recent poor form, citing his superior athleticism, speed, wrestling, and training partners. He acknowledges Pereira's mental state is a question mark after a public divorce, but believes the version from 2024 would dominate. He goes with his brain over his gut.
Big Brady picks Zachary Reese to defeat Michel Pereira, but with clear disgust and hesitation. He believes Pereira is washed, citing his terrible performances against Abus Magomedov and a 40-second knockout loss to Kyle Daukaus. He calls the fight 'disgusting' and hopes it gets canceled. He notes Reese is the underdog but feels he has more faith in Reese at this point. He predicts a first-round knockout, reasoning that if Daukaus could KO Pereira, Reese can too.
Cody thinks Pereira's desperation and flashy style will lead to an early finish. He notes Reese's durability issues and poor cardio. He expects Pereira to win by KO or submission in the first round.
Connor picks Pereira despite acknowledging he looks shot. He notes that Pereira has better technique and experience, and that Reese has never beaten a good fighter. He points out that Pereira's creativity and speed could still be enough against a limited opponent like Reese, but admits it's a terrible fight and Pereira could lose if he's truly broken.
The host heavily leans towards Pereira, citing his superior striking, cardio, and ground game compared to Reese. However, he cannot bet Pereira at -155 because of the red flag from Pereira's passive performance against Abus Magomedov, which may indicate decline. He notes that if Pereira shows up and fights to his potential, he wins easily, but the inconsistency makes him unbettable.
James picks Michel Pereira to win by first-round finish, but with hesitation due to Pereira's recent poor performances and questionable chin. He notes that Pereira has far better tools and competition wins, but if he doesn't get an early finish, Reese could take over. James prefers the under 1.5 rounds as a betting angle.
Pereira is on a three-fight losing streak but has faced tough competition and should be motivated to save his roster spot. He is the better fighter on paper with more experience. Reese is dangerous but has durability questions. If Pereira comes back at 80% of his former self, he should find a finish. The under 1.5 rounds is also a good play as both are finishers.
Paul agrees, citing Pereira's ability to finish fights early and Reese's tendency to get knocked out. He thinks Pereira's wrestling is underrated and that he can win on the ground if needed. He expects a first-round finish.
The MMA Guru hesitantly picks Michel Pereira, trusting his ability despite a recent loss to Hernandez. He notes Pereira's cardio issues but thinks he can find Reese's chin. He is unsure due to Pereira's inconsistency but believes Reese's fundamental ability is lacking.
Zane picks Reese as a counter to Connor, arguing that Pereira's confidence is shattered after the Hernandez loss and he has looked terrible in his last two fights. He notes that Reese is dangerous early and that Pereira's recent performances suggest he no longer knows how to fight. He admits it's a terrible fight and that Reese could easily lose, but he's willing to take the chance.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Daukaus | 0 | 2 of 4 | 50% | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Michel Pereira | 1 | 5 of 8 | 62% | 7 of 12 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:07 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyle Daukaus | 0 | 2 of 4 | 50% | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Michel Pereira | 1 | 5 of 8 | 62% | 7 of 12 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:07 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Daukaus | 2 of 4 | 50% | 0 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Michel Pereira | 5 of 8 | 62% | 5 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 7 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyle Daukaus | 2 of 4 | 50% | 0 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Michel Pereira | 5 of 8 | 62% | 5 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 7 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogRound 1
The younger Daukaus brother returns to the UFC after a mixed first run in the Octagon followed a second middleweight title win in
Cage Fury Fighting Championships
after his release. Tasked with getting Daukaus’ second stint off to a bad start will be noted Brazilian madman Pereira. The referee on duty is Marc Goddard. Daukaus is southpaw, Pereira orthodox. Daukaus stalks forward and Pereira gives ground. Pereira nails Daukaus with a huge body kick, but he wears it well.
Seconds later, Daukaus clips the onrushing “Demolidor” with a short right hook to the jaw that drops him to his butt. Pereira tries to rally, but Daukaus pounces with a couple of glancing fists, then three jackhammer elbows that spur Goddard into action for the save.
Sensational knockout and a triumphant return for “The D’Arce Knight,” and for those keeping track at home, that makes two sub-minute finishes in the first four fights at UFC Shanghai. Yes, please.
The Official Result
Kyle Daukaus def. Michel Pereira R1 0:43 via KO (Punches and Elbows)
Angelo is very confident in Michel Pereira, calling him an absolute beast with insane athleticism, real power, and solid wrestling and BJJ. He notes that Pereira is a better hammer than nail and that his recent loss was uncharacteristic, partly due to personal life issues. He dismisses Kyle Daukaus as not good at the UFC level despite regional wins, and expects Pereira to beat the brakes off him. He even says if Pereira doesn't win, cut them both.
Big Brady picks Michel Pereira to win by first-round knockout, despite Pereira's recent poor performance against Abus Magomedov. He believes the matchup is favorable for Pereira because Daukaus is hittable and fragile, and Pereira has the striking advantage. He notes that Daukaus will struggle to take Pereira down and that Pereira should finish early with a body shot or flying knee.
Connor also picks Pereira, but with reservations. He notes that Pereira has looked terrible recently and that Daukaus could win by making the fight ugly and clinging to clinches. However, he believes Pereira's athleticism and ability to land elbows in the clinch should carry him. He also points out that Daukaus is not a strong wrestler and tends to gas.
The host acknowledges it's tough to trust Pereira after his last gunshy performance, but thinks he has a good opponent here to show off his power. He notes that Daukaus has crumbled under power before and expects Pereira to find a knockout.
The MMA Guru picks Michel Pereira to win, expecting an easy first-round finish. He believes Pereira is on another level compared to Kyle Daukaus, who is decent but lacks standout ability in any area. He notes that Pereira is much better at striking and moves well, which should carry him past Daukaus. However, he acknowledges that if the fight goes later, Daukaus could find success in the clinch.
Zane picks Michel Pereira, noting that Pereira can 'cheat his way to victory by being an athlete.' He acknowledges that Pereira has looked shot recently and that Daukaus could make it ugly with clinch work, but believes Pereira's athleticism and striking should be enough to win. He also notes that Daukaus is not a good wrestler and tends to self-destruct.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michel Pereira | 0 | 73 of 168 | 43% | 74 of 169 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:24 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 78 of 134 | 58% | 83 of 140 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 1:01 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michel Pereira | 0 | 7 of 20 | 35% | 7 of 20 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 18 of 31 | 58% | 23 of 37 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:52 | |
| 2 | Michel Pereira | 0 | 25 of 58 | 43% | 26 of 59 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:11 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 24 of 46 | 52% | 24 of 46 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:09 | |
| 3 | Michel Pereira | 0 | 41 of 90 | 45% | 41 of 90 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:13 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 36 of 57 | 63% | 36 of 57 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michel Pereira | 73 of 168 | 43% | 27 of 90 | 27 of 50 | 19 of 28 | 72 of 166 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 78 of 134 | 58% | 53 of 99 | 19 of 29 | 6 of 6 | 72 of 128 | 3 of 3 | 3 of 3 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michel Pereira | 7 of 20 | 35% | 0 of 4 | 4 of 9 | 3 of 7 | 7 of 20 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 18 of 31 | 58% | 10 of 23 | 5 of 5 | 3 of 3 | 13 of 26 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 3 | |
| 2 | Michel Pereira | 25 of 58 | 43% | 7 of 28 | 8 of 17 | 10 of 13 | 25 of 58 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 24 of 46 | 52% | 14 of 30 | 8 of 14 | 2 of 2 | 24 of 46 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Michel Pereira | 41 of 90 | 45% | 20 of 58 | 15 of 24 | 6 of 8 | 40 of 88 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 36 of 57 | 63% | 29 of 46 | 6 of 10 | 1 of 1 | 35 of 56 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Pereira (-155), Magomedov (+130)
Round 1
This next middleweight affair could shape up to be a wild one before the dust settles. While he has scaled back on some of the antics that cost him wins in the past, Pereira (31-12, 2 NC; 9-3 UFC) is still unafraid to hit a back flip mid-fight even if landing on opponent with stomping feet is illegal. Who needs rules in a sport like this. Russian-born German knockout artist Magomedov (27-6-1, 3-2 UFC) is the much more composed of the two, but is no less dangerous. Referee Nick Berens will need to be on high alert until the conclusion of the bout, one that kicks off with a glove touch. Magomedov stabs out with a long kick to start things off, and Berens warns both fighters for outstretched fingers…and they don’t listen. Magomedov pitches out a front kick that goes wide, and Pereira swipes at his foe’s midsection only to be out of range. Pereira does get in with a left hand, and he is out of range before a counter finds him. Pereira jabs the body with a kick and has his guard raised to block an overhand right, and Magomedov puts on heavy pressure while leading with his front kick. Magomedov kicks the side with the same foot, and he lunges in behind two right hands that brush the Brazilian’s beard. Magomedov nails Pereira with a left hand, who stumbles and needs a second to gather his thoughts. Magomedov is not giving him that second, instead blasting “Demolidor” with a head kick. Pereira takes it somehow and rebounds to jab the body, but his legs might not be fully beneath him yet. Pereira gets backed to the fence, and he ducks an overhand right but falls to his back when Magomedov easily takes him down. Magomedov unloads with left hands and an elbow, and Pereira explodes to his feet. Magomedov hangs on from behind like an angry seatbelt, smacking Pereira upside the head until he climbs on the back and wraps his hooks around the waist. Magomedov releases the grip when he cannot locate the body triangle, and Pereira recognizes this is his moment to move and he moves with a spinning back elbow. Magomedov ignores it and loads up with two overhand rights, unconcerned about anything aimed his direction. Pereira stays on his bike, avoiding exchanges when he can while not committing to much on his own side. He gets off one front kick, and Magomedov strikes back with a right hand and a head kick to end the tepid round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Round 2
The middleweights bump fists to get going again, and Pereira does land first this time in the form of a low kick. He gets right back on his bike, entirely uncharacteristic for him as he typically presents far more aggressively. Pereira pulls back when thinking about throwing punches, and he is stuck in first gear while Magomedov can do anything. Magomedov jabs the body with his foot—it is not that Magomedov is putting a beating on Pereira, but he is nullifying the Brazilian to a surprising degree. Magomedov eats a knee coming in when shooting for a takedown, and Pereira tosses him aside and strikes with a single front kick. Magomedov gets back to chasing Pereira around, wrapping a right hand around the guard and ignoring a jab to the body coming his way. Pereira’s two punches land harmlessly on the chin, and he barely manages to avoid a booming uppercut and ties Magomedov up in a clinch. When Magomedov is going to use it against him, Pereira releases his grip and backs away. Pereira uses alternating front kicks to stay away, mixing in a few jabs. The crowd is not overly amused by the lack of engagement from the two, with Magomedov winning but not blowing him out of the water. The pace is slow and non-threatening, with Pereira fighting like someone afraid to run out of gas. Unfortunately for him, fighting while backing away is tiring as well. Pereira jabs a few times, and when he gets pushed back with a front kick, he meets Magomedov with the same strike. Pereira sticks out punches, and his front kick lands on the body. Even with volume now on his side, power is minimal and the lack of effective offense disappoints those in attendance and watching live. The less-than-stellar round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Round 3
The two men hug to start the last round, and the crowd showers them in boos. They answer the call with a simultaneous punch, and Magomedov recovers first and goes to the head and body with a few more punches. Pereira picks things up a little, swinging harder and actually putting some mustard in his fists. Pereira rips a left to the body, and Magomedov kicks his front leg in response. Pereira goes to the body again, and the long jab from Magomedov connects cleanly. Pereira tosses out a high kick that lightly bumps into the shoulder, and his left hooks are out of range. The fans, so frustrated with the match thus far, start taking out their phones and light up their screens while waving them around. Little changes inside the Octagon when they do this, other than a hard right hand and a knee to the body from Pereira. Magomedov drops down for a level change, and Pereira times a knee on the chin that is questionably legal as to whether a knee was down. It is ultimately immaterial, and the chanting made famous from Atlanta Braves fans and coopted by the Kansas City Chiefs faithful serenades everyone listening. Magomedov is irritated by the body work that Pereira has done this round, and he wings a pair of right hands that shake Pereira up. Pereira takes time to recover, and Magomedov allows him to do this as he appears to not have enough in the tank to do more. When Pereira jams a knee to his midsection, Magomedov suddenly looks totally out of steam. Magomedov’s kicks and punches are labored, with Pereira’s much heavier. Magomedov shoots from afar for a takedown with a minute to go, and Pereira pulls him back to his feet so he can score a knee. The Russian nails Pereira with a left hook, and Pereira wobbles but does not go down. Magomedov smacks Pereira upside the head with clean left hands, and Pereira is knocked around but throws back. With seconds to go, Pereira ramps things up, but it is far too late for anything to come from it. The huge bummer of a 15-minute slog is now in the books, and it is time to move on to the next fight.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov (30-27 Magomedov)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov (30-27 Magomedov)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov (30-27 Magomedov)
The Official Result
Abusupiyan Magomedov def. Michel Pereira via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Angelo picks Michel Pereira, believing his athleticism and power will overwhelm Abusupiyan Magomedov. He notes that Abus is hittable and Pereira hits hard, and that Pereira should replicate Bruno Ferreira's success but without letting up. He is more confident now than in his initial breakdown, though he cautions about Pereira's cardio.
Big Brady picks Michel Pereira, dismissing his loss to Anthony Hernandez as irrelevant since Hernandez would do the same to Magomedov. He criticizes Magomedov's poor cardio and durability, noting he slows down after the first round. He expects Pereira to win by knockout, possibly in the second round.
Connor picks Pereira because he is a much more evolved and athletic fighter compared to Magomedov, who has a limited game based on a one-two and top control. Pereira has shown growth and patience, and his speed and power will be too much for Magomedov's robotic striking. Connor notes that Magomedov's wins have aged poorly and he has been exposed by any decent fighter.
The host likes Pereira's explosivity, athleticism, and power to shut down Magomedov's grappling, and expects Pereira to force a break and get a second or third round TKO.
The MMA Guru picks Abusupiyan Magomedov as an underdog. He criticizes Pereira's cardio and lack of MMA training, saying he gasses if he doesn't finish early. He notes Magomedov's improvements in grappling and cardio, and his reach advantage. He expects Magomedov to weather Pereira's early storm and win a decision, possibly chopping up Pereira's leg.
Zane picks Pereira, emphasizing that Magomedov's game is one-dimensional and relies on size and pressure. Once a fighter is good enough to test him, Magomedov falls apart. Pereira has the speed and skill to counter Magomedov's takedowns and striking. Zane also notes that Magomedov's losses have aged well but his wins have not, and he is essentially a 'quadruple A' fighter.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Hernandez | 0 | 152 of 212 | 71% | 219 of 293 | 10 of 29 | 34% | 0 | 0 | 15:42 |
| Michel Pereira | 0 | 24 of 53 | 45% | 29 of 62 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 1 | 1 | 0:56 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anthony Hernandez | 0 | 27 of 52 | 51% | 30 of 55 | 1 of 8 | 12% | 0 | 0 | 1:25 |
| Michel Pereira | 0 | 15 of 34 | 44% | 17 of 36 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:19 | |
| 2 | Anthony Hernandez | 0 | 30 of 47 | 63% | 47 of 68 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 3:18 |
| Michel Pereira | 0 | 2 of 7 | 28% | 2 of 7 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 1 | 0:35 | |
| 3 | Anthony Hernandez | 0 | 44 of 55 | 80% | 64 of 77 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 4:17 |
| Michel Pereira | 0 | 3 of 8 | 37% | 4 of 9 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 4 | Anthony Hernandez | 0 | 29 of 35 | 82% | 48 of 62 | 3 of 6 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 4:35 |
| Michel Pereira | 0 | 3 of 3 | 100% | 5 of 9 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:02 | |
| 5 | Anthony Hernandez | 0 | 22 of 23 | 95% | 30 of 31 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 0 | 0 | 2:07 |
| Michel Pereira | 0 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Hernandez | 152 of 212 | 71% | 125 of 182 | 22 of 24 | 5 of 6 | 43 of 81 | 12 of 14 | 97 of 117 |
| Michel Pereira | 24 of 53 | 45% | 8 of 27 | 16 of 26 | 0 of 0 | 20 of 45 | 4 of 8 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anthony Hernandez | 27 of 52 | 51% | 20 of 42 | 5 of 7 | 2 of 3 | 17 of 40 | 4 of 5 | 6 of 7 |
| Michel Pereira | 15 of 34 | 44% | 7 of 19 | 8 of 15 | 0 of 0 | 12 of 28 | 3 of 6 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Anthony Hernandez | 30 of 47 | 63% | 25 of 42 | 4 of 4 | 1 of 1 | 9 of 15 | 0 of 1 | 21 of 31 |
| Michel Pereira | 2 of 7 | 28% | 0 of 4 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Anthony Hernandez | 44 of 55 | 80% | 31 of 42 | 11 of 11 | 2 of 2 | 8 of 15 | 4 of 4 | 32 of 36 |
| Michel Pereira | 3 of 8 | 37% | 1 of 4 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 6 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 4 | Anthony Hernandez | 29 of 35 | 82% | 28 of 34 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 6 | 3 of 3 | 21 of 26 |
| Michel Pereira | 3 of 3 | 100% | 0 of 0 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 5 | Anthony Hernandez | 22 of 23 | 95% | 21 of 22 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 17 of 17 |
| Michel Pereira | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Hernandez (-135), Pereira (+114)
Round 1
Much like last week, the UFC put on an event with an alright lineup on paper and what looks like an absolute thriller in the main attraction. At UFC Fight Night 244, Brandon Royval and Tatsuro Taira threw down in a “Fight of the Year” candidate, and the promotion is trotting out another matchup that could deliver bonkers action before it is said and done. Streaking middleweights go at it for five rounds to push to the next echelon of the weight class, and oddsmakers do not expect this one will go the distance. Winner of five straight with four stoppages, Hernandez (12-2, 1 NC; 6-2 UFC) keeps passing tests with flying colors, while high-flying Brazilian Pereira (31-11, 2 NC; 9-2 UFC) is a buzzsaw destroying anyone he meets at the new weight class. Referee Herb Dean draws the charge for the main attraction, and he brings the two together to touch gloves and seal the cage. It’s on with the show. Hernandez advances but is quickly met by a swarming Pereira, who swats at him with two jabs and a left hand. Hernandez slips out of the way, and when walking forward again, he is stabbed in the body with a powerful front kick that appears to hurt him. Pereira marches forward to continue working the body, and Hernandez grimaces and leans against the cage. Pereira tries to finish the job with a torrid salvo of strikes, and Hernandez toughs it out, bounces off the cage and wings a right hand to keep his man honest. Pereira backs off, kicks him in the ribs, and retreats. Hernandez marches the Brazilian down, slugging him to set up a takedown attempt. Hernandez reaches his foe with a right hand, and one of pieces of ear tape falls off. Hernandez spins with a wheel kick that glances off the guard, and his pressure makes Pereira retreat. Pereira gets pushed against the wall, turns about and comes out swinging. Hernandez has a spinning back kick land flush in close range, and he punches his way into a single-leg entry. Hernandez falls to his back as he tries to complete the takedown, and he stands back up before Pereira can make him pay for the attempt. Pereira checks a kick and digs a left to the liver, and he defends a shot with an effective sprawl and avoids a looping right. Pereira sets up a Thai clinch to knee his man repeatedly, and Hernandez punches his way out of it and backs Pereira up once more. Hernandez leans on Pereira against the fencing, and he surprises “Demolidor” with a spinning back elbow. Hernandez uses the close range to rip Pereira off his feet with a body lock and a trip, landing on top in a modified half guard. Hernandez sits and stands to land a bit of ground-and-pound, with the horn breaking them up.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez
Round 2
A fist bump leads to Hernandez jabbing and shooting in on the hips for a takedown. Pereira defends against it to break out of the attempt, and he pushes off and grazes Pereira’s eye with a swipe of his finger. Dean sternly warns Hernandez for the foul, and Pereira takes 30 seconds before he is ready to return. Hernandez reintroduces himself with a spinning back kick to the leg, and he punches high to shoot in low. Pereira sprawls successfully, getting pushed to the wall and turning his man about to escape. Pereira prepares for the takedown that will inevitably come by snatching hold of a guillotine choke as Hernandez shoots. Pereira uses the submission to briefly assume mount, and Hernandez worms his way out to claim top position. Hernandez opens up with ground-and-pound, smacking Pereira with his free left hand. “Fluffy” shuts down Pereira’s bucks and movements to get out, and he takes advantage of a moment to take Pereira’s back and set up an arm-triangle choke. The Brazilian wildly turns through the submission and fights back to his feet. Hernandez chases after him, grabbing hold of Pereira with a double and dumping him to the mat. Hernandez controls Pereira, imposing his weight on him while Pereira stands. When Pereira does get back up, Hernandez puts a hole on his morale by hitting a double. Pereira defends from a submission, sitting up to absorb punches, and Hernandez tries another guillotine. Pereira protects his neck once more, and Hernandez stands up and knees him in the chest. Hernandez follows a rolling, grounded Pereira with big right hands, and he opens up with elbows. The horn sounds while Hernandez is laying into him, and he helps Pereira up to his feet.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez
Round 3
There is a touch of gloves to get going, with Pereira on full defense mode thanks to his corner telling him to take the round off to recover. Hernandez leads off with a takedown shot, and he drags Pereira down from his side. The Brazilian bursts back to his feet, and Hernandez clips him with short but effective punches until Pereira circles away. Hernandez shoots and is stuffed, leading to Hernandez going deep on the hips with a double. When that fails, he pursues a body lock, and Pereira pushes him away and wants to set up a Thai clinch to knee Hernandez in the face. Hernandez uses that clinch to jam Pereira up instead, and he hits a double and climbs into half guard. Pereira is quick to turn to his side in an effort to escape, but Hernandez easily thwarts that and pounds on the Brazilian. Hernandez grinds with elbows, and he steps over to the side and right into mount. Pereira times the push off the hips to stop Hernandez from getting dominant position for long, so Hernandez drops down a hearty elbow on his jaw. Hernandez attacks an arm-triangle choke, and he allows Pereira to turn to his side so he can further lock it down. Pereira grits out the choke and is punched in the back of the head, and Hernandez adjusts his trajectory while Pereira returns to a knee. Hernandez elbows his man in the side repeatedly to further take wind out of his sails, kneeing the other side as Pereira is stuck clinging to Hernandez’ left wrist. Hernandez paints Pereira’s face with his fists until the horn sounds, and Pereira has somehow reached the championship rounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Hernandez
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-8 Hernandez
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-8 Hernandez
Round 4
The tired fighters clap hands to get going, and Hernandez wastes little time to shoot in for a takedown. Pereira remains upright, with Hernandez pushing him to the wire but not able to ground him. Pereira breaks free and times an uppercut, and he kicks the body and eats a right hand. Hernandez hits a takedown even with a knee landing on his jaw, and he begins to smother the Brazilian some more. Pereira leans to his side to not be flattened out in either way, and Hernandez measures him with elbows while smacking him with free right hands. Pereira turns over to his knees to stand back to his feet, and he celebrates a moral victory by stopping a subsequent trip attempt. Hernandez gingerly sets him down, and he uses his body weight to shove Pereira to his seat. Hernandez opens up with elbow after elbow, and he chains several punches together to force Pereira to turn over and put his head on the mat. Hernandez holds on from the side, finding one serious undercut before Pereira gets to a knee. Even totally wiped out, Pereira manages to get back to his feet once more. Hernandez pursues a double and plants Pereira flat on his back, taking to half guard and framing off to drill the Brazilian with hammerfists. Hernandez’ blows begin to get louder and heavier, and Dean watches on closely but is not ready to intervene just yet. Dean asks Pereira to fight back, and Pereira somehow wills himself back to his feet miraculously. Hernandez spins with an elbow, and Pereira is barely able to stand up but is throwing hands. Pereira shoots for a single, and Hernandez easily lowers him to the mat. The round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez
Round 5
The middleweights hug it out as they have gotten through 20 minutes of combat, and Hernandez wants nothing more than to drag the fight to his world. Pereira survives the first attempt, and hits his hands and knees on the second. Pereira wrenches his way upright despite a record number of takedown attempts at middleweight put on him. Hernandez goes for one more and digs deep to scoop Pereira off his feet and dump on him on his backside. Hernandez moves to half guard rather than side control so he can establish more control, and he sharpens his elbow and slashes it down like a horror movie villain to spilt Pereira’s eyebrow wide open. Blood is soon to flow, and he turns over to halt the bludgeoning. Dean calls for Pereira to fight back, and Hernandez seizes his moment, knowing that he does not need much more to get a stoppage. “Fluffy” lets his man have it with a final salvo of elbows, finishing the job and further extending his impressive win streak. Dean waves them off, and Pereira appears to still want to continue fighting as he doggedly clings to Hernandez’ leg until Dean lets him know the fight is over. This performance will likely hurl the Californian to new heights, and he admits he does not know the roster well enough to know a proper name to call out. Instead, he asks the UFC brass to give him a title eliminator, believing he needs one more win to get a crack at gold. There will be a wealth of options at his disposal, and most names in the top 10 are fresh matchups for him. When he takes on his next challenge, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.
The Official Result
Anthony Hernandez def. Michel Pereira R5 2:22 via TKO (Elbows)
Angelo picks Michel Pereira as an underdog, having bet on him at +135. He believes Pereira's athleticism, power, and grappling are too much for Anthony Hernandez, whose only path to victory is grappling. He thinks Pereira is the more dynamic and dangerous fighter, and that Hernandez cannot out-strike him. He notes Pereira's recent success at middleweight and dismisses cardio concerns, saying Pereira has shown he can maintain pace. He is confident Pereira wins.
Big Brady picks Anthony Hernandez by third-round submission. He sees it as Pereira early, Hernandez late. Pereira has three quick wins but gasses; Hernandez has great cardio and grappling. If Hernandez survives the first five to seven minutes, he will take over, take Pereira down, and finish him in the third round. He mentions a good live bet spot.
Connor picks Hernandez, comparing his style to a larger, more skilled Tristan Connelly who will make Pereira pay for every bad decision. He notes that Hernandez's pace and pressure grappling are exactly the kind of game that troubled Pereira in the past. However, he acknowledges that Hernandez might get knocked out early, as he has been hurt in many of his recent wins.
Lucrative James believes Fluffy Hernandez will overwhelm Sean Strickland with constant forward pressure, takedown attempts, and volume. He notes that Strickland struggles when opponents don't let him establish his jab and one-two rhythm. James predicts Hernandez will win a decision by outworking Strickland over five rounds.
Pereira will be dangerous in the opening five minutes, but Hernandez has done a great job wearing opponents down, keeping them in the clinch, taking them down, and utilizing submission attempts. Hernandez will wear Pereira down and get a finish in the third or fourth round.
The Guru picks Pereira despite acknowledging Hernandez's grappling skills. He believes Pereira's athleticism, power, and body work will be too much, predicting an early finish by TKO or submission. He notes Pereira has finished all his middleweight opponents quickly and envisions Pereira stuffing a takedown, landing knees to the body, and getting a guillotine or rear-naked choke.
Zane picks Pereira because of his insane speed at middleweight, which he believes Hernandez will not be ready for. He acknowledges that if Hernandez survives the early onslaught, he will likely take over with pressure and grappling, but Zane trusts Pereira's athleticism to get the job done early. He notes that Pereira has learned to pace himself after the Tristan Connelly loss, but still has that loss in him.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michel Pereira | 0 | 6 of 10 | 60% | 6 of 10 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:09 |
| Ihor Potieria | 0 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michel Pereira | 0 | 6 of 10 | 60% | 6 of 10 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:09 |
| Ihor Potieria | 0 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michel Pereira | 6 of 10 | 60% | 4 of 7 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 4 |
| Ihor Potieria | 2 of 3 | 66% | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michel Pereira | 6 of 10 | 60% | 4 of 7 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 4 |
| Ihor Potieria | 2 of 3 | 66% | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Pereira (-535), Potieria (+400)
Round 1
Keeping the action pushing, surging wild man Pereira (30-11, 2 NC; 8-2 UFC) is ready to push his win streak to eight at the expense of struggling Ukrainian Potieria (20-5, 2-3 UFC). Since moving to middleweight, Pereira has appeared to have leveled up, while Potieria also shows that changing gears to 185 pounds did him some good. Referee Fernando Portella will see who makes it out of this encounter, and before it begins, the fighters sternly bump fists together. Pereira hops from side to side, his hands not particularly high, and he ignores a low kick coming his way to jab the body and follow it with a straight punch to the same target. Potieria retaliates with a slapping leg kick, and Pereira leaps at him with a straight right hand that knocks Potieria off his feet. The maniac Brazilian back flips and lands with his knee on Potieria, which is an illegal blow as Potieria is grounded. Nevertheless, Portella stands back, marveling at the move pulled off before his eyes. Pereira decides to latch onto a guillotine choke, and he allows Potieria to stand up and wrench the neck on the way up. Pereira squeezes with all his might, and “The Duelist” frantically taps out. As Pereira releases the grip, Potieria falls to his back, completely unconscious. Before Portella can reach him, Potieria’s head clatters lifelessly off the canvas. Pereira solemnly walks away, until he sees that Potieria has regained consciousness, and he starts dancing to celebrate. Meanwhile, commission officials speak to UFC brass about the foul, determining whether or not it impacted the result and if Pereira should be penalized for it. Given the nature of the strike, a disqualification is not off the table--although Portella did not call the foul during the action, so that may be unlikely--and a post-fight review might also find another result.
The Official Result
Michel Pereira def. Ihor Potieria R1 0:54 via Submission (Guillotine Choke)
Angelo is confident in Pereira, citing his speed, power, creativity, and grappling. He notes Potieria is a technical striker but hittable and with poor takedown defense. He expects Pereira to win by finish.
Big Brady is high on Pereira's middleweight resurgence, noting his two quick finishes. He views Potieria as a step down and believes Pereira will knock him out in the first round, possibly mid to late.
Cody picks Pereira, noting his improved fight IQ, cardio, and well-roundedness at middleweight. He believes Potieria is a one-dimensional knockout artist with poor durability and cardio. Cody expects Pereira to win, likely by knockout.
Daniel Vreeland leans with Pereira but considers it a dog-or-pass situation. He acknowledges Potieria's recent improvements, including better cardio and confidence, but believes Pereira's top-15 trajectory and finishing ability give him the edge. He suggests that Pereira's decision prop at +550 might be a better value than the moneyline, as Potieria could last the distance.
Daniel Vreeland agrees with Jeff Fox on Michel Pereira. He notes that Pereira has chilled out his wild style since gassing out against Tristan Connelly, and has been on a seven-fight winning streak. Vreeland thinks Pereira will win easily, though he doesn't elaborate on a specific method. He later mentions that Pereira's submission prop has moved from +650 to +370, indicating the books are aware of his submission threat.
Jeff Fox is very confident in Michel Pereira, calling him a 'demolisher' and noting his seven-fight winning streak since two losses. Fox explains that one loss was due to an illegal knee against Diego Sanchez, and the other was a short-notice grappling loss to Tristan Connelly. Since then, Pereira has been more measured and finished opponents like Andre Petroski. Fox believes Potieria is not UFC caliber, with wins only over aged fighters like Shogun. He expects Pereira to do whatever he wants, and later in the show he picks Pereira by submission for the Hungry Man parlay.
Pereira is on a crazy run, harnessing his big striking power over 15 minutes. His speed and power advantage will be enough to find Potieria's chin and put him out clean.
Paul picks Pereira, highlighting his 8-2 UFC record, athleticism, and evolution into a winning style. He dismisses Potieria's chances, citing his poor durability, cardio, and ground game. Paul sees Pereira as a rightful favorite.
The MMA Guru picks Michel Pereira, praising his skills at middleweight and noting that welterweights often make better middleweights. He highlights Pereira's wins over Andre Petroski and Maxime Gremont, and predicts a first-round rear-naked choke. He criticizes Potieria's record and recent performances, including a loss to Shogun Rua.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michel Pereira | 0 | 11 of 15 | 73% | 11 of 15 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:18 |
| Michał Oleksiejczuk | 0 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michel Pereira | 0 | 11 of 15 | 73% | 11 of 15 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:18 |
| Michał Oleksiejczuk | 0 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michel Pereira | 11 of 15 | 73% | 5 of 9 | 6 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 9 of 13 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Michał Oleksiejczuk | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michel Pereira | 11 of 15 | 73% | 5 of 9 | 6 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 9 of 13 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Michał Oleksiejczuk | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Pereira (-148), Oleksiejczuk (+124)
Round 1
A casual observer might look at this battle of Michel vs. Michal and not immediately know which one competed at light heavyweight recently. By the size of Pereira (29-11, 2 NC; 7-2 UFC), he does not look like the kind of person that made welterweight in 2022. On the other hand, Oleksiejczuk (19-6, 1 NC; 7-4, 1 NC UFC) appears well-suited for his newer, lighter weight class, and his knockout last year over Chidi Njokuani shines on his ledger. Pereira is psyched to compete in Miami, and he brings his cousin with him to do a synchronized, choreographed dance before walking out. This potentially wild 185-pound affair will be officiated by referee Dan Miragliotta, and there is a quick glove touch from the competitors to get it going. Pereira hops back and forth, changing stances, and he dodges a right hand and rips two kicks to the body. Oleksiejczuk goes over the top with a right hook, and Pereira backs off and skirts to the side. Pereira lands two speedy punches before springing to the side, and he drives a right hand on the solar plexus and hurts Oleksiejczuk. Oleksiejczuk backs off to the fence, bent over but trying to remain on his feet, and Pereira charges at him and knees him twice in the same spot to buckle the Polish fighter’s knees.
Oleksiejczuk slumps to the ground, and Pereira leaps around to take his back and grab hold of a rear-naked choke without even bothering to get a hook in. The Brazilian locks down the choke and his forearm slides beneath the chin, and he squeezes with all his might. Oleksiejczuk does not once consider tapping, and he fades into unconsciousness as the submission puts him all the way out.
Miragliotta pulls them apart when recognizing Oleksiejczuk is out cold, and Pereira rushes to the center of the cage and breakdances to celebrate. What a performance for Pereira, who has now won seven in a row and may soon be a contender at his new weight class of middleweight.
The Official Result
Michel Pereira def. Michal Oleksiejczuk R1 1:01 via Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)
Angelo picks Michel Pereira, citing his better cardio, power, and grappling. He notes Oleksiejczuk has a great chin but can fade. He has a half-unit bet on Pereira at -130, but keeps it small because Oleksiejczuk could survive early and outpoint him.
Big Brady picks Michał Oleksiejczuk to win by decision. He notes that while Pereira has a BJJ black belt, he doesn't wrestle often and lacks the cardio to grapple for 15 minutes. He expects the fight to stay on the feet, where Oleksiejczuk's forward pressure, body work, and volume will wear down Pereira and win the later rounds.
Cody notes that Pereira has matured and now fights more conservatively, using his accuracy and wrestling. He thinks Oleksiejczuk is a reckless brawler with poor takedown defense, and Pereira will counter him and mix in takedowns to win a decision.
Oleksiejczuk has great durability and forward pressure, marching forward and breaking opponents with his boxing. He has eaten clean shots and continued to push. Pereira is dangerous early with his unorthodox power, but Oleksiejczuk's durability should allow him to weather the early storm. As the fight goes on, Oleksiejczuk will start to catch Pereira, coral him against the cage, and land combinations. I expect Oleksiejczuk to get a finish in the second or third round, possibly by knockout.
Paul agrees, highlighting Pereira's improved fight IQ and the fact that he looked great at 185. He thinks Oleksiejczuk's wrestling is exploitable and that Pereira has multiple ways to win.
The MMA Guru picks Michał Oleksiejczuk, citing concerns about Michel Pereira's finishing ability and cardio. He notes Pereira failed to finish chinny fighters like Andre Fialho and Nico Price, and that Oleksiejczuk is extremely tough and has power. He predicts Oleksiejczuk will pressure Pereira, take him down, and finish with a body shot TKO in round two.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michel Pereira | 0 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Andre Petroski | 1 | 6 of 18 | 33% | 6 of 18 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:04 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michel Pereira | 0 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Andre Petroski | 1 | 6 of 18 | 33% | 6 of 18 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:04 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michel Pereira | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Andre Petroski | 6 of 18 | 33% | 5 of 17 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 12 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michel Pereira | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Andre Petroski | 6 of 18 | 33% | 5 of 17 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 12 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Pereira (-180), Petroski (+150)
Round 1
Action shifts to the middleweight division, where Pereira (28-11, 6-2 UFC) takes on Andrei Petroski (10-1, 5-0 UFC) in one of the more anticipated bouts on the card. Petroski fills in for Marc-Andre Barriault on short notice. Tognoni steps up to preside over the match. Petroski takes the center of the cage, with his Brazilian counterpart bouncing on the balls of his feet. Pereira using stance switches and feints to keep him guessing.
Pereira floors him with a thudding right hand and buries him with standing-to-ground punches. Petroski never intelligently defended himself once the barrage started
.
The Official Result
Michel Pereira def. Andre Petroski—TKO (Punches) 1:06 R1
Angelo is confident in Michel Pereira due to Petroski stepping up on short notice with questionable cardio. He notes Pereira is taller, has decent cardio, and is the busier fighter. He thinks Petroski's cardio issues will be exacerbated by the short notice, and Pereira should win.
Big Brady picks Andre Petroski to win by third-round TKO. He notes Pereira has only fought strikers and lost to grappler Tristan Connelly, while Petroski is a big middleweight with strong grappling. He expects both to tire, but Petroski's cardio holds up and he gets a late finish.
Cody picks Pereira, emphasizing his excellent takedown defense and the fact that Petroski relies heavily on takedowns. He notes that Petroski gasses out and that judges are now scoring damage and volume over control time. Cody believes Pereira's striking and cardio advantage will carry him, and that Petroski's path to victory is narrow.
The host picks Michel Pereira but is queasy about the minus 220 price due to Petroski's early grappling danger. He expects violence and a late stoppage, specifically a third-round knockout by Pereira. He suggests the under as a better bet if the price is right.
Paul picks Pereira, citing his takedown defense (92% in UFC) and improved fight IQ. He notes that Pereira has stopped doing reckless moves and is fighting more fundamentally. Paul believes Pereira's cardio will be better at 185 lbs and that he can stuff Petroski's takedowns and out-strike him. He acknowledges the price (-200) is steep but thinks Pereira wins.
The MMA Guru picks Michel Pereira to win by TKO over Andre Petroski. He argues that welterweights moving up to middleweight are technically better, citing examples. He criticizes Petroski's last performance against Gerald Meerschaert, saying he looked terrible and took heavy damage. He notes Petroski is fighting on short notice (8 weeks after a war) and doesn't trust his cardio. He believes Pereira has a massive striking advantage and explosive hips to get back up if taken down.
Abusupiyan Magomedov - Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 11 of 12 | 91% | 18 of 21 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 2:36 |
| Joe Pyfer | 1 | 6 of 10 | 60% | 13 of 18 | 0 of 4 | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2:16 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 11 of 12 | 91% | 16 of 19 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 2:36 |
| Joe Pyfer | 0 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 2 of 5 | 0 of 4 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:44 | |
| 2 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 0 of 0 | --- | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Joe Pyfer | 1 | 5 of 7 | 71% | 11 of 13 | 0 of 0 | --- | 2 | 0 | 1:32 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 11 of 12 | 91% | 6 of 7 | 5 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 8 of 8 |
| Joe Pyfer | 6 of 10 | 60% | 6 of 10 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 4 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 11 of 12 | 91% | 6 of 7 | 5 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 8 of 8 |
| Joe Pyfer | 1 of 3 | 33% | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Joe Pyfer | 5 of 7 | 71% | 5 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 4 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Pyfer (-238), Magomedov (+195)
Round 1
The prelims ended with a middleweight striker’s delight, and it will begin with one as well. Sporting an even finish rate of 75%, Magomedov (28-6-1, 4-2 UFC) can threaten on the feet but is not a slouch on the ground. On the other hand, “Bodybagz” Pyfer (14-3, 5-1 UFC) wants to put him in a body bag. Referee Chris Tognoni—and not Cobra Kai teammate Tommy—will be officiating this contest, so sweeping the leg will be optional. Gloves are touched.
The chants for “U.S.A.” are out early, although Pyfer would prefer to fight at a safe distance. Nothing is thrown for over 30 seconds, and Pyfer suddenly springs into action by shooting for a single. He succeeds in bullying the German to the wall, holding him there until he hunts for a trip. Magomedov uses the momentum against him and drags Pyfer to the mat, where he unloads with a pair of explosive elbows. Magomedov embraces smothers Pyfer while Pyfer holds onto him to prevent much offense coming, and Pyfer sets up a triangle choke that Magomedov walks through. Magomedov dings Pyfer with a power punch, and he climbs on Pyfer’s back when Pyfer stands.
Pyfer tries to use the wall to scrape his foe off, but Magomedov lifts him and slams him down with sheer power. In a north-south position, Magomedov wrangles his foe’s left arm for a kimura while simultaneously isolating the neck with a leg-scissor choke. Pyfer’s face turns a shade of red, but Magomedov abandons it so he can get back to controlling Pyfer. Pyfer looks to kick off with butterfly hooks, and Magomedov lets him reverse-somersault so he can defend a single. Pyfer tries and fails to drag the fight down, and he rips body shots from up close when clinched. Magomedov shoves him aside and splits, and he plants a front kick on the chest. Magomedov reaches with a sharp left hand, and Pyfer unloads a power right that Magomedov shakes his head at. Pyfer walks Magomedov down and slugs him with one more punch before the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Round 2
Pyfer starts off his corner aggressive as can be, and he slings two big punches at his opponent. “Bodybagz” takes Magomedov off his feet with his rampaging two-hook offense, and he willingly follows the fight down after landing so he can get on top and do some damage. When Pyfer relocates to full mount, he lashes out with a vicious elbow that slashes open a cut on Magomedov’s forehead, and then shifts to the side while wrapping up an arm-triangle choke. Magomedov sits up to get out of the choke, and Pyfer follows him and sets up the body triangle. Pyfer wraps up the rear-naked choke grip on top of Magomedov’s chin, and he squeezes with all his might. Rather than trying to slip the forearm under the jaw, he just keeps crushing the face. Magomedov tries to tough it out until he cannot withstand the pain any longer, and the face crank submission has once again succeeded in the Octagon.
The Official Result
Joe Pyfer def. Abusupiyan Magomedov R2 1:44 via Submission (Face Crank)
Angelo picks Joe Pyfer despite his negative attitude, believing Pyfer is better than Abusupiyan Magomedov everywhere: striking, wrestling, and grappling. He notes both fighters fade, but Pyfer hits harder and has better skills. He thinks the odds are a discount because of Pyfer's personality, but he is confident in the pick.
Big Brady is confident in Joe Pyfer, noting his power from the Kelvin Gastelum fight where he dropped Gastelum multiple times. He believes Abusupiyan Magomedov gets hurt easily and has poor cardio. He thinks Pyfer's power will lead to a first-round knockout.
Connor picks Magomedov out of spite for Pyfer, but also because he believes Magomedov is the smarter pick for a decision win. He notes that Magomedov's game is shallow but consistent, and if Pyfer doesn't finish early, Magomedov's ability to frustrate with long-range strikes and takedowns will likely lead to a win. Connor considers it a coin flip but leans toward Magomedov's consistency.
Magomedov is seen as overlooked and a better all-around fighter on paper. If he survives Pyfer's early power, his striking and grappling should lead to a decision win.
The MMA Guru picks Joe Pyfer, despite concerns about his calf kick defense. He notes Abus Magomedov's poor cardio and tendency to get sloppy, while Pyfer's conditioning and power should prevail. He predicts a second-round KO.
Zane picks Pyfer but with hesitation, acknowledging that Pyfer's first-round dynamism could lead to a quick finish. However, he notes that if Pyfer doesn't finish early, he tends to run out of ideas and become discouraged, while Magomedov is more consistent and can frustrate him over three rounds. Zane considers it a coin flip but sticks with Pyfer due to his explosive potential.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michel Pereira | 0 | 73 of 168 | 43% | 74 of 169 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:24 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 78 of 134 | 58% | 83 of 140 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 1:01 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michel Pereira | 0 | 7 of 20 | 35% | 7 of 20 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 18 of 31 | 58% | 23 of 37 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:52 | |
| 2 | Michel Pereira | 0 | 25 of 58 | 43% | 26 of 59 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:11 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 24 of 46 | 52% | 24 of 46 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:09 | |
| 3 | Michel Pereira | 0 | 41 of 90 | 45% | 41 of 90 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:13 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 36 of 57 | 63% | 36 of 57 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michel Pereira | 73 of 168 | 43% | 27 of 90 | 27 of 50 | 19 of 28 | 72 of 166 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 78 of 134 | 58% | 53 of 99 | 19 of 29 | 6 of 6 | 72 of 128 | 3 of 3 | 3 of 3 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michel Pereira | 7 of 20 | 35% | 0 of 4 | 4 of 9 | 3 of 7 | 7 of 20 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 18 of 31 | 58% | 10 of 23 | 5 of 5 | 3 of 3 | 13 of 26 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 3 | |
| 2 | Michel Pereira | 25 of 58 | 43% | 7 of 28 | 8 of 17 | 10 of 13 | 25 of 58 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 24 of 46 | 52% | 14 of 30 | 8 of 14 | 2 of 2 | 24 of 46 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Michel Pereira | 41 of 90 | 45% | 20 of 58 | 15 of 24 | 6 of 8 | 40 of 88 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 36 of 57 | 63% | 29 of 46 | 6 of 10 | 1 of 1 | 35 of 56 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Pereira (-155), Magomedov (+130)
Round 1
This next middleweight affair could shape up to be a wild one before the dust settles. While he has scaled back on some of the antics that cost him wins in the past, Pereira (31-12, 2 NC; 9-3 UFC) is still unafraid to hit a back flip mid-fight even if landing on opponent with stomping feet is illegal. Who needs rules in a sport like this. Russian-born German knockout artist Magomedov (27-6-1, 3-2 UFC) is the much more composed of the two, but is no less dangerous. Referee Nick Berens will need to be on high alert until the conclusion of the bout, one that kicks off with a glove touch. Magomedov stabs out with a long kick to start things off, and Berens warns both fighters for outstretched fingers…and they don’t listen. Magomedov pitches out a front kick that goes wide, and Pereira swipes at his foe’s midsection only to be out of range. Pereira does get in with a left hand, and he is out of range before a counter finds him. Pereira jabs the body with a kick and has his guard raised to block an overhand right, and Magomedov puts on heavy pressure while leading with his front kick. Magomedov kicks the side with the same foot, and he lunges in behind two right hands that brush the Brazilian’s beard. Magomedov nails Pereira with a left hand, who stumbles and needs a second to gather his thoughts. Magomedov is not giving him that second, instead blasting “Demolidor” with a head kick. Pereira takes it somehow and rebounds to jab the body, but his legs might not be fully beneath him yet. Pereira gets backed to the fence, and he ducks an overhand right but falls to his back when Magomedov easily takes him down. Magomedov unloads with left hands and an elbow, and Pereira explodes to his feet. Magomedov hangs on from behind like an angry seatbelt, smacking Pereira upside the head until he climbs on the back and wraps his hooks around the waist. Magomedov releases the grip when he cannot locate the body triangle, and Pereira recognizes this is his moment to move and he moves with a spinning back elbow. Magomedov ignores it and loads up with two overhand rights, unconcerned about anything aimed his direction. Pereira stays on his bike, avoiding exchanges when he can while not committing to much on his own side. He gets off one front kick, and Magomedov strikes back with a right hand and a head kick to end the tepid round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Round 2
The middleweights bump fists to get going again, and Pereira does land first this time in the form of a low kick. He gets right back on his bike, entirely uncharacteristic for him as he typically presents far more aggressively. Pereira pulls back when thinking about throwing punches, and he is stuck in first gear while Magomedov can do anything. Magomedov jabs the body with his foot—it is not that Magomedov is putting a beating on Pereira, but he is nullifying the Brazilian to a surprising degree. Magomedov eats a knee coming in when shooting for a takedown, and Pereira tosses him aside and strikes with a single front kick. Magomedov gets back to chasing Pereira around, wrapping a right hand around the guard and ignoring a jab to the body coming his way. Pereira’s two punches land harmlessly on the chin, and he barely manages to avoid a booming uppercut and ties Magomedov up in a clinch. When Magomedov is going to use it against him, Pereira releases his grip and backs away. Pereira uses alternating front kicks to stay away, mixing in a few jabs. The crowd is not overly amused by the lack of engagement from the two, with Magomedov winning but not blowing him out of the water. The pace is slow and non-threatening, with Pereira fighting like someone afraid to run out of gas. Unfortunately for him, fighting while backing away is tiring as well. Pereira jabs a few times, and when he gets pushed back with a front kick, he meets Magomedov with the same strike. Pereira sticks out punches, and his front kick lands on the body. Even with volume now on his side, power is minimal and the lack of effective offense disappoints those in attendance and watching live. The less-than-stellar round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Round 3
The two men hug to start the last round, and the crowd showers them in boos. They answer the call with a simultaneous punch, and Magomedov recovers first and goes to the head and body with a few more punches. Pereira picks things up a little, swinging harder and actually putting some mustard in his fists. Pereira rips a left to the body, and Magomedov kicks his front leg in response. Pereira goes to the body again, and the long jab from Magomedov connects cleanly. Pereira tosses out a high kick that lightly bumps into the shoulder, and his left hooks are out of range. The fans, so frustrated with the match thus far, start taking out their phones and light up their screens while waving them around. Little changes inside the Octagon when they do this, other than a hard right hand and a knee to the body from Pereira. Magomedov drops down for a level change, and Pereira times a knee on the chin that is questionably legal as to whether a knee was down. It is ultimately immaterial, and the chanting made famous from Atlanta Braves fans and coopted by the Kansas City Chiefs faithful serenades everyone listening. Magomedov is irritated by the body work that Pereira has done this round, and he wings a pair of right hands that shake Pereira up. Pereira takes time to recover, and Magomedov allows him to do this as he appears to not have enough in the tank to do more. When Pereira jams a knee to his midsection, Magomedov suddenly looks totally out of steam. Magomedov’s kicks and punches are labored, with Pereira’s much heavier. Magomedov shoots from afar for a takedown with a minute to go, and Pereira pulls him back to his feet so he can score a knee. The Russian nails Pereira with a left hook, and Pereira wobbles but does not go down. Magomedov smacks Pereira upside the head with clean left hands, and Pereira is knocked around but throws back. With seconds to go, Pereira ramps things up, but it is far too late for anything to come from it. The huge bummer of a 15-minute slog is now in the books, and it is time to move on to the next fight.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov (30-27 Magomedov)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov (30-27 Magomedov)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov (30-27 Magomedov)
The Official Result
Abusupiyan Magomedov def. Michel Pereira via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Angelo picks Michel Pereira, believing his athleticism and power will overwhelm Abusupiyan Magomedov. He notes that Abus is hittable and Pereira hits hard, and that Pereira should replicate Bruno Ferreira's success but without letting up. He is more confident now than in his initial breakdown, though he cautions about Pereira's cardio.
Big Brady picks Michel Pereira, dismissing his loss to Anthony Hernandez as irrelevant since Hernandez would do the same to Magomedov. He criticizes Magomedov's poor cardio and durability, noting he slows down after the first round. He expects Pereira to win by knockout, possibly in the second round.
Connor picks Pereira because he is a much more evolved and athletic fighter compared to Magomedov, who has a limited game based on a one-two and top control. Pereira has shown growth and patience, and his speed and power will be too much for Magomedov's robotic striking. Connor notes that Magomedov's wins have aged poorly and he has been exposed by any decent fighter.
The host likes Pereira's explosivity, athleticism, and power to shut down Magomedov's grappling, and expects Pereira to force a break and get a second or third round TKO.
The MMA Guru picks Abusupiyan Magomedov as an underdog. He criticizes Pereira's cardio and lack of MMA training, saying he gasses if he doesn't finish early. He notes Magomedov's improvements in grappling and cardio, and his reach advantage. He expects Magomedov to weather Pereira's early storm and win a decision, possibly chopping up Pereira's leg.
Zane picks Pereira, emphasizing that Magomedov's game is one-dimensional and relies on size and pressure. Once a fighter is good enough to test him, Magomedov falls apart. Pereira has the speed and skill to counter Magomedov's takedowns and striking. Zane also notes that Magomedov's losses have aged well but his wins have not, and he is essentially a 'quadruple A' fighter.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 26 of 59 | 44% | 45 of 81 | 4 of 8 | 50% | 1 | 0 | 3:36 |
| Brunno Ferreira | 0 | 29 of 71 | 40% | 36 of 83 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 1 | 0:13 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 14 of 29 | 48% | 14 of 29 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Brunno Ferreira | 0 | 2 of 12 | 16% | 2 of 12 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 8 of 23 | 34% | 21 of 37 | 2 of 5 | 40% | 0 | 0 | 2:14 |
| Brunno Ferreira | 0 | 20 of 42 | 47% | 22 of 47 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:06 | |
| 3 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 4 of 7 | 57% | 10 of 15 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 1 | 0 | 1:22 |
| Brunno Ferreira | 0 | 7 of 17 | 41% | 12 of 24 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 0:07 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 26 of 59 | 44% | 10 of 40 | 8 of 11 | 8 of 8 | 26 of 57 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 2 |
| Brunno Ferreira | 29 of 71 | 40% | 20 of 59 | 9 of 12 | 0 of 0 | 26 of 65 | 1 of 2 | 2 of 4 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 14 of 29 | 48% | 4 of 17 | 5 of 7 | 5 of 5 | 14 of 29 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brunno Ferreira | 2 of 12 | 16% | 0 of 8 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 12 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 8 of 23 | 34% | 3 of 18 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 3 | 8 of 21 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 2 |
| Brunno Ferreira | 20 of 42 | 47% | 16 of 38 | 4 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 18 of 37 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 4 | |
| 3 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 4 of 7 | 57% | 3 of 5 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brunno Ferreira | 7 of 17 | 41% | 4 of 13 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 6 of 16 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Magomedov (-142), Ferreira (+120)
Round 1
Batten down the hatches, because an all-offense middleweight clash is about to light up the Etihad Arena for the next few minutes or less. Referee Marc Goddard is prepped and ready for the oncoming insanity. Magomedov (26-6-1, 2-2 UFC), who has seen his fair share of ups and downs in the Octagon thus far, comes to blows with Brazilian slugger Ferreira (12-1, 3-1 UFC). The over/under of 1.5 rounds is currently an even betting line, which mean that prognosticators expect some violence here. Before they swing for the fences, they touch ‘em up first. Magomedov tosses out a jumping front kick, and the two keep their safe range from one another for some time. Magomedov remains in the center of the cage, walking Ferreira down and measuring out a jab that is not there. Magomedov swings a left hook that catches the Brazilian on the chin, and “The Hulk” wears it well. Magomedov hammers the front leg with a kick, and Ferreira changes stances and tosses out a front kick. When Ferreira charges, Magomedov uses his reach advantage to pop his foe with a left hand. Magomedov gets off another chopping kick that is partially checked, and he jabs the chest with the ball of his foot. Ferreira tries his own front kick, and is otherwise relatively offensively muted. Magomedov has a head kick blocked, and he parries a punch and narrowly evades two looping hooks. Magomedov skims the side of the head with a kick, and he jabs and prods with a leg kick. Ferreira’s responding teep kick comes up short, unable to find his distance. Magomedov snaps out a front kick and dodges a counter to walk his man down. Magomedov gets away with a naked leg kick as a right hand counter clips him, and he strings a few punches together to get the Brazilian back. Magomedov jabs the body and blocks a Ferreira blitz, and the disappointing round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Round 2
The middleweights bump fists to start the second round. Magomedov gets on his bike, peppering with jabs, and Ferreira rushes after him preparing to check kicks and reaching out punches. Ferreira marches Magomedov down with two hooks, landing at least one. Magomedov walks the Brazilian down and pushes him back with a jab, and Ferreira darts at him with two winging strikes. Ferreira checks a kick and counters a jab with two punches, and two more come to catch Magomedov standing still. Ferreira pitches out a jumping switch kick as he surges forward, far different than the first round as he may have already matched last round’s strike attempt total just 90 seconds in. Ferreira blasts his man in the face with a right hand, and Magomedov ducks down directly into a head kick that shakes him down to his core. Magomedov desperately pursues a takedown, falling directly into a guillotine choke from the Brazilian. The Russian-born competitor shakes out the cobwebs and pulls his neck out of the choke, working his way around to gain top position, sneak around to take the back, and start fishing for things. Ferreira explodes out of it and walks Magomedov down, hurling heavy leather at him. Magomedov’s legs may not be fully beneath him, and Ferreira opens up with a vicious body kick and a jumping front kick. Ferreira splits the guard with a left hand, and he stops a takedown in its tracks. When Magomedov gets up, he just dodges a left hand in time, but Ferreira reaches him with a fierce left hand. “The Hulk” smashes his man in the face with power strikes, and he spins with an elbow that gives up his back. Magomedov uses the moment to tackle Ferreira to the mat from behind, and Ferreira stands back up despite Magomedov on his back. Magomedov rolls him back down to the floor, and he assumes top position to slow the Brazilian down. Magomedov shifts to half guard to maintain control, where he grinds out the remainder of the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ferreira
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ferreira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Ferreira
Round 3
There is a clap of hands to commence the final round, marking the first time that “The Hulk” has fought beyond the 10-minute mark. Ferreira appears fresh as a daisy, spearing his opponent with a power punch. Ferreira lunges forward to throw out two more, and he dips down to defend a faked takedown and eats a stunning left hand on the jaw. Ferreira raises his arms to ask Magomedov to bring it on, and Magomedov shrugs at him back. Ferreira plods forward, jabbing the body with a kick and pounding a few punches off the guard. Magomedov intercepts his advancing foe with an uppercut, and Ferreira lets his hands fly with two punches and a spinning strike. The spin works to his disadvantage, as “Abus” times an easy takedown that plants the Brazilian flat on his back. Magomedov moves into half guard, and Ferreira scrambles and gives his back up. Magomedov slips a hook in from behind, and he starts looking for a choke before getting the other in. This allows “The Hulk” to escape, and Magomedov looks at the clock and rushes at his opponent to tackle him down to the floor courtesy of a clean double. Ferreira hits his back and hacks with elbows to the back of the head, and he is warned loudly by Goddard.
Magomedov ignores the strikes and steps over to mount and then the side, simultaneously securing an arm-triangle choke. The Russian by way of Germany locks the submission down and imposes his full body weight, and it is just a matter of time with Ferreira trapped in a precarious position. “The Hulk” surrenders before his lights go out,
and Magomedov has now handed Ferreira his first career submission defeat.
The Official Result
Abusupiyan Magomedov def. Brunno Ferreira R3 3:14 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)
Angelo picks Brunno Ferreira with low confidence. He questions whether Abusupiyan Magomedov is good or not, noting his weak chin and poor performances. He thinks Ferreira's only path is an early finish, but with new gloves, finishes are less reliable. He will watch the line movement for better value on Ferreira as the underdog.
Big Brady picks Magomedov, citing his size, reach advantage, and wrestling. He is concerned about Ferreira's cardio, noting he looked like he was slowing down in the first round against Dustin Stoltzfus. He believes Magomedov can mix in takedowns and finish Ferreira in the second round by submission.
Cody picks Abusupiyan Magomedov, believing his wrestling and length will be key. He notes that Ferreira has poor takedown defense and that Magomedov can neutralize his power by taking him down. Cody is not highly confident due to Magomedov's cardio issues but thinks he can grind out a win.
Connor picks Magomedov, noting that Ferreira is much smaller and his game is shallow. He compares Ferreira to a portion of Gilbert Burns' striking without the other tools. Magomedov's size and reach will allow him to control the fight, and Ferreira is not suited for fighting off his back.
Daniel Vreeland picks Brunno Ferreira to win by first-round knockout, citing Ferreira's devastating power and Magomedov's history of being knocked out. He acknowledges that if the fight goes to decision, Magomedov likely wins, but believes Ferreira's early finishing upside is worth the pick. Vreeland is not confident and notes the risk of Ferreira fading if he doesn't get the finish.
Daniel Vreeland picks Magomedov, arguing that he is more technical on the feet and has a strong wrestling game. He notes that Magomedov's losses are to top middleweights like Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland, and that Ferreira's only path is a KO. Vreeland expects Magomedov to take Ferreira down repeatedly and possibly submit him.
Jeff Fox is taking Ferreira, swayed by his recent win over Warley Alves. He believes Ferreira can land a knockout if he can keep the fight standing, though he acknowledges Magomedov's wrestling threat. Fox's pick is less confident and seems to be a contrarian choice.
Magomedov has the overall advantage with his ability to mix in grappling and his reach and length. He should counter Ferreira's blitzing approach and eventually put him away by knockout, similar to what Nurlan Ruziboev did to Toofan.
Paul picks Magomedov, citing his superior wrestling and cleaner striking. He notes that Ferreira is undersized for middleweight and has been taken down easily. Paul believes Magomedov can implement a wrestling-heavy game plan and win by decision or late finish. He is not highly confident.
The Guru leans toward Brunno Ferreira, trusting his doggedness and finishing instincts in a firefight. He notes that Abusupiyan Magomedov may not have the same grit and could fade. He acknowledges both are capable of finishing each other but believes Ferreira will push when the going gets tough. The Guru also comments that Magomedov is 'too westernized' and 'soy'.
Zane picked Magomedov, noting that Ferreira has great power but the rest of his game doesn't exist. He described Magomedov's game as an inch deep and a mile wide, able to do enough to stay in a fight if his opponent can't take over in any one area. Zane pointed out that Ferreira lacks consistency and a plan, so Magomedov was able to climb back and get the win.
Zane picks Magomedov because of his significant size and reach advantage over Ferreira. He notes that Ferreira's game is shallow and he is a short, stocky power puncher with no other tools to control a fight. Magomedov can use his reach to land one-twos and takedowns, and Ferreira's only chance is an early knockout, but Magomedov has speed and size.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 22 of 44 | 50% | 98 of 168 | 6 of 7 | 85% | 0 | 0 | 11:56 |
| Warlley Alves | 0 | 16 of 38 | 42% | 17 of 39 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:37 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 9 of 20 | 45% | 30 of 57 | 3 of 3 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 3:30 |
| Warlley Alves | 0 | 8 of 24 | 33% | 8 of 24 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:06 | |
| 2 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 8 of 15 | 53% | 48 of 76 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 4:15 |
| Warlley Alves | 0 | 3 of 7 | 42% | 3 of 7 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:19 | |
| 3 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 5 of 9 | 55% | 20 of 35 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 0 | 0 | 4:11 |
| Warlley Alves | 0 | 5 of 7 | 71% | 6 of 8 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:12 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 22 of 44 | 50% | 15 of 32 | 7 of 11 | 0 of 1 | 9 of 27 | 2 of 2 | 11 of 15 |
| Warlley Alves | 16 of 38 | 42% | 7 of 26 | 4 of 4 | 5 of 8 | 16 of 37 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 9 of 20 | 45% | 5 of 13 | 4 of 6 | 0 of 1 | 5 of 15 | 2 of 2 | 2 of 3 |
| Warlley Alves | 8 of 24 | 33% | 4 of 17 | 3 of 3 | 1 of 4 | 8 of 23 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 8 of 15 | 53% | 8 of 14 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 7 of 10 |
| Warlley Alves | 3 of 7 | 42% | 1 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 5 of 9 | 55% | 2 of 5 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 |
| Warlley Alves | 5 of 7 | 71% | 2 of 4 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gatto (-340), Vidal (+270)
Round 1
Two middleweights with finish rates over 70% collide in this next showing. The momentum is not particularly great for these two fighters, as Magomedov (25-6-1, 1-2 UFC) has dropped two in a row albeit to elite competition, while Alves (14-7, 8-7 UFC) is on a three-fight skid with his last victory in 2021. One man’s fortunes will turn around, barring something unusual, and referee Dan Miragliotta will be the first to know. There is a quick glove touch, and Magomedov walks forward, chambering his rear leg. Magomedov leans in, and Alves lets his hands fly and knocks Magomedov from one side of the cage to the other. Alves gives chase, and Magomedov drags him down to the floor. Alves stands up, and then lowers himself to a knee to prevent from taking knees to the dome. Alves powers his way back upright again, and Magomedov knees him in the side. Alves fights his way out of the tie-up, and he escapes a looping left hand. Alves surges into action, leaping at the Russian with a knee. Magomedov bounces off the cage wall and pushes out a front kick, and the two get sucked into a vicious brawl where Magomedov lands flush with two left hands that rock Alves. Alves backs off, and a jab from Magomedov hurts him a bit more. Alves scoots away, hopping on one foot to the other to shake out any cobwebs, and he throws so hard that he spins around. Magomedov takes advantage of this by dragging Alves down from behind, and he allows Alves to spin so he can climb into half guard and drop down an elbow. Alves bucks and kicks, sitting up and turning to his side. Magomedov pushes Alves back over and elbows him in the face, and he thumps up the side a few times with his fist for good measure. Alves works his way back to the wall, and Magomedov steps into three-quarter mount to pin Alves down and do some damage. Alves still manages to sit up, and Magomedov is on top of him smacking him with his free right hand. Alves muscles his way back up to his feet and goes after Magomedov, firing off a body kick and a right hand to the same target. Magomedov shoots for a takedown, and Alves immediately defends with a guillotine choke. Magomedov tosses the submission aside and assumes top position, but the Brazilian explodes to get into a better position. A scramble results in a north-south take for Magomedov, and the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Round 2
The middleweights clap hands to engage, and Magomedov is once more the aggressor as he flirts with a front kick. Alves kicks out his front leg and swarms with flailing fists, and he closes the distance and bullies Magomedov to the wall with a clinch. Magomedov works his way into a takedown effort, dragging Alves to the floor and setting up an arm-triangle choke in a hurry. Alves turns to the proper side and back to defend it, and Magomedov does not mind as he resides in half guard landing punches. Magomedov claims full mount with ease, flattening Alves out and smacking him from both sides of the head. Magomedov tries for another arm-triangle choke, and Alves explodes to break up the setup. Alves sits up, and he looks for a sweep but cannot get the Russian off of him. Magomedov returns to full mount as Alves bucks and twists, and he slashes Alves with an elbow that rips his cheek wide open. Blood pools in Alves’ eyes as he quickly transforms into a 1980s horror movie and Magomedov intentionally moves back to half guard to keep the Brazilian pinned. Alves tries to time bursts of energy to escape, sitting up and shifting in a certain way, even going after a guillotine, but Magomedov laughs it off and holds him down, bludgeoning the veteran to the bell. Alves paws at his face to assess the damage, and appears deflated at how that last round transpired.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Round 3
The cutperson did great work between rounds, as the inch-wide cut on Alves’ cheek is not leaking as the last round begins. Alves offers a glove touch and decides to go after a hug instead, and Magomedov reluctantly obliges him. When they start fighting, Magomedov sends Alves flying with a front kick. Alves recovers and surges into action, swinging his way into action and blasting Magomedov in the body. Magomedov bends over, possibly hurt from the shin to the liver, and he shoots for a takedown that he lands with relative ease. Magomedov takes the back, and he transitions into an arm-triangle choke. Alves escapes at the right moment to get up, only for Magomedov to hit a clean mat return with a double to put Alves back on his seat. Alves swings down an elbow to the side of the head, and he keeps his gaze trained on the big screen to assess his position and observe how much time is on the clock—it reads about 2:45 as he lingers on it, despite Magomedov striking him every so often. Magomedov climbs into mount again, and Alves bucks and rolls over, only to give up his back. Magomedov wraps one arm around the jaw of his opponent for a possible rear-naked choke or arm-triangle setup, and when Alves turns, he finds himself having to fight off a rear-naked choke after all. Magomedov lets it go when Alves shifts his hips, and he follows a fatiguing Alves around to remain on top and in mount. Magomedov sits up and drills the Brazilian with a merciless elbow, and Alves sits there for a moment to get his bearings after the concussive blow. Alves sits up and snatches up a desperation guillotine choke, and Magomedov is not remotely concerned about the choke. The Russian pops his head out, and fight ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov (30-27 Magomedov)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov (30-27 Magomedov)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov (30-27 Magomedov)
The Official Result
Abusupiyan Magomedov def. Warlley Alves via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
Angelo believes Abusupiyan Magomedov is the better striker with wrestling as a backup, and that Warlley Alves' best days are behind him. He notes that Alves has power and BJJ but is not as skilled as Magomedov's previous opponents. He thinks Magomedov is worth his -240 price tag and may be decent value, but warns that Alves is always dangerous with his power.
Cody acknowledges Magomedov's cardio issues but sees this as a perfect bounceback fight. He notes Alves has lost as a favorite multiple times and has poor cardio himself. Magomedov has world-class skills and looked great against Sean Strickland in the first round. Cody believes Magomedov's wrestling and striking will be enough to outwork Alves, who is not a natural middleweight.
Magomedov is dangerous early but slows down, as seen in his last fight. Alves is a nasty kicker with veteran experience who can be competitive in deeper waters. If Alves survives the early onslaught, he can open up finishing opportunities in the second or third round by knockout or submission. The line is too wide, making Alves worth a shot.
Paul notes Alves is a career welterweight moving up, and his cardio has always been suspect. He believes Magomedov's wrestling and striking will be too much, especially if he manages his cardio better than in previous fights. Paul expects Magomedov to catch Alves late in the first or second round.
The MMA Guru picks Abusupiyan Magomedov to win by TKO over Warlley Alves. He acknowledges Magomedov's recent struggles but believes his size, reach, and power will be too much for Alves, who is coming off a KO loss. He notes that Alves tends to kick a lot and may engage in a kicking battle, which favors Magomedov. He expects a first-round TKO.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caio Borralho | 1 | 51 of 103 | 49% | 70 of 126 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 2:17 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 38 of 107 | 35% | 39 of 110 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caio Borralho | 0 | 11 of 25 | 44% | 11 of 25 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 7 of 33 | 21% | 7 of 33 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Caio Borralho | 0 | 21 of 42 | 50% | 21 of 42 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 20 of 49 | 40% | 20 of 49 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Caio Borralho | 1 | 19 of 36 | 52% | 38 of 59 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 2:17 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 11 of 25 | 44% | 12 of 28 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caio Borralho | 51 of 103 | 49% | 33 of 73 | 11 of 15 | 7 of 15 | 50 of 102 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 38 of 107 | 35% | 19 of 74 | 14 of 24 | 5 of 9 | 38 of 107 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caio Borralho | 11 of 25 | 44% | 5 of 15 | 1 of 1 | 5 of 9 | 11 of 25 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 7 of 33 | 21% | 5 of 24 | 1 of 4 | 1 of 5 | 7 of 33 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Caio Borralho | 21 of 42 | 50% | 13 of 29 | 6 of 8 | 2 of 5 | 21 of 42 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 20 of 49 | 40% | 8 of 33 | 9 of 13 | 3 of 3 | 20 of 49 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Caio Borralho | 19 of 36 | 52% | 15 of 29 | 4 of 6 | 0 of 1 | 18 of 35 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 11 of 25 | 44% | 6 of 17 | 4 of 7 | 1 of 1 | 11 of 25 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Borralho (-265), Magomedov (+215)
Round 1
On the outside of the top 15 at middleweight looking in, surging Brazilian grappler Borralho (14-1, 1 NC; 4-0 UFC) may be one win away from getting a number next to his name. Coming off a loss to future champ Sean Strickland, Magomedov (25-5-1, 1-1 UFC) could surprise many if he pulls off the upset and ends Borralho’s 14-fight unbeaten streak. The third man in the cage is referee Marc Goddard, and the fighters bump fists and nod to one another before engaging. Magomedov switches stances and fakes numerous kicks initially, and Borralho leaps into action with an unorthodox stomp kick to the rear leg. Magomedov swipes out with a leg kick, and Borralho counters with one up high. Borralho darts forward with a jab, and he ducks when Magomedov is about to catch him with a right hand. Borralho pokes out another jab, and the crowd loudly starts chanting “Borralho.” He does not change his approach despite the deafening cheering, instead firing off a head kick and not finding the mark. Both men go for leg kicks, and jabs are traded as well, with neither committing to much of merit. Magomedov tries to corner his foe, and Borralho circles and bounces off the wall to escape a hefty right hand aimed at his mug. Magomedov checks a leg kick and reaches a right hand to the body, and he escapes before absorbing a counterattack. Borralho pushes off with a front kick, and he goes wide with a whipping kick. Borralho shoots in for a double, and Magomedov shuts it down and launches a kick that just misses the top of Borralho’s head. Some damage has appeared on the right side of Borralho’s face, with rapid reddening from the select few strikes that have landed cleanly. Borralho lunges with a one-two, and Magomedov pushes off with his fingers outstretched and jams his pointer finger into the eye socket. Goddard recognizes the foul immediately and pauses the action, and he brings the physician in to check on Borralho’s vision. The Brazilian wipes at his eye, and after a minute of recovery time and a little towel to wipe it out, Borralho is good to go. The two share an embrace to signal that there are no hard feelings, and they get back to it. Magomedov reintroduces himself with a sharp one-two, and Borralho slides out of the way of anything that could follow. The horn sounds to end this less-than-stellar round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Round 2
Fists are bumped to start off Round 2, and Borralho strikes first with a kick to the ribs. Borralho jumps with a knee out, but Magomedov is well out of harm’s way. Magomedov crowds his man and slams his fists into Borralho’s midsection, and when Borralho looks to fire back, Magomedov hand-fights and a finger nearly sticks into the eye. Borralho powers out a solid jab, and he gets backed up to the wall and tries to spin to keep Magomedov honest. Borralho sees an opening when Magomedov is advancing, and he cracks the Russian with a right hand behind the ear. Magomedov signals that it was no big deal, and Borralho lands another. Magomedov gets away with another eye poke, despite Borralho’s protests, and Goddard tells Magomedov to keep his hands closed. They both fire off body kicks, and Magomedov adds a leg kick to his effort. Magomedov prods out a right hand, and Borralho misses with a counter. Magomedov steps in with a heavier right, and Borralho aims and fires multiple kicks in response that are largely blocked. Magomedov gets in a single front kick down the middle, and he dodges when Borralho jumps in the air. The power strikes are missing from both fighters, but a jab from Borralho gets Magomedov’s attention. Magomedov offers a high-five after getting tagged with a straight jab, and Borralho lets him crowd him so he can mark him up with a jump knee. Borralho picks up his volume a little after opening a cut beneath Magomedov’s left eye, but time expires before he can do much.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Round 3
The middleweights hug it out with five minutes to go, and then decide to be more violent than before. The two alternate kicks to the body and power hooks, and Borralho looks for his stiff jab. The jab has caused some damage on the nose and eye, and he aims that right hand at the red areas. Borralho follows a jab with a left hand down the middle, and his jab snaps the head back when he flicks it out again. Magomedov walks into the jab, and Borralho slaps him upside the head with an open hand. Magomedov comes up short with a one-two, and the two are largely relegated to potshotting one another. Another open-handed strike from Borralho lands behind the ear, and he lashes out with an elbow that hurts Magomedov. The Russian acknowledges he is hurt and takes a deep breath, and Borralho charges after him and spins with an elbow. Borralho pours on the pressure and takes Magomedov out of his game, targeting the body with strikes and connecting with a solid knee that buckles Magomedov’s legs. Magomedov slowly sits to his seat against the fence, and Borralho looks to finish the fight and complete the mighty comeback, but Magomedov is tough and surviving despite his fatigue and discomfort. Borralho lowers himself down to pursue a potential submission like an arm-triangle, and after multiple scrambles, Borralho takes the back and gets both hooks in. With one minute to spare, Borralho starts fishing for a rear-naked choke, and he simultaneously fastens the body triangle. The two start talking to one another, and they strangely clap hands while Borralho hangs on from behind. Borralho cannot muster a stoppage, and it remains to be seen if his third-round scorecard is enough to sway things in his favor or towards an even tally, depending on how the first two were scored. The lackluster encounter comes to a close, and the two are happy to be done with fighting one another.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Borralho (29-28 Magomedov)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-8 Borralho (28-28)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Borralho (29-28 Magomedov)
The Official Result
Caio Borralho def. Abusupiyan Magomedov via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Angelo gives a slight lean to Borralho, expecting him to wrestle and get takedowns. He acknowledges Magomedov is a powerful striker and that Borralho has looked vulnerable in fights. He does not bet on this fight, considering Borralho a potential parlay buster. He notes that if Magomedov was fraud checked by Strickland, then Borralho should win easily.
Big Brady picks Caio Borralho to win by submission in the third round. He notes that Abus Magomedov has cardio issues, gassing after the first round against Sean Strickland. He believes Magomedov will win the first round but then fade, allowing Borralho to take over with takedowns and submissions. He also mentions Magomedov took the fight on short notice and is traveling to Brazil.
Daniel Levi picks Caio Borralho, citing his intelligent fighting style, elite Jiu-Jitsu under Damien Maia, and consistent performances. He notes that Borralho has shown holes in his game, such as cardio concerns and low striking output, but believes he is more reliable than Magomedov. Levi is concerned about Magomedov's performance against Sean Strickland, where he looked defeated and gassed quickly. He sees Magomedov as a wild card with a padded record, and while he considered a plus-money stab on Magomedov earlier, he ultimately leans Borralho.
James thinks the line is too wide and likes Magomedov at +250. He argues that Borralho rarely covers -300 unless he can dominate with grappling, and he is not sure Borralho can do that against Magomedov. He notes that Borralho gasses and that Magomedov has looked good in fights, including against Dustin Stoltzfus. He believes if the fight stays on the feet, it will be close, and Magomedov has value as a big underdog.
The MMA Guru picks Caio Borralho over Abusupiyan Magomedov. He questions Magomedov's cardio and durability, noting he gassed badly against Sean Strickland. The Guru highlights Borralho's size (6'2"), strong double-leg entries, and improving striking. He believes Borralho's grappling will neutralize Magomedov's wild striking and lead to a finish or dominant decision. He also calls Magomedov a 'quitter'.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Strickland | 1 | 81 of 188 | 43% | 81 of 188 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:10 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 47 of 101 | 46% | 47 of 101 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0:23 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sean Strickland | 0 | 11 of 48 | 22% | 11 of 48 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 32 of 60 | 53% | 32 of 60 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0:23 | |
| 2 | Sean Strickland | 1 | 70 of 140 | 50% | 70 of 140 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:10 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 0 | 15 of 41 | 36% | 15 of 41 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Strickland | 81 of 188 | 43% | 80 of 186 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 67 of 168 | 0 of 0 | 14 of 20 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 47 of 101 | 46% | 21 of 68 | 16 of 23 | 10 of 10 | 47 of 101 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sean Strickland | 11 of 48 | 22% | 10 of 46 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 11 of 48 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 32 of 60 | 53% | 10 of 34 | 13 of 17 | 9 of 9 | 32 of 60 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Sean Strickland | 70 of 140 | 50% | 70 of 140 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 56 of 120 | 0 of 0 | 14 of 20 |
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 15 of 41 | 36% | 11 of 34 | 3 of 6 | 1 of 1 | 15 of 41 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Strickland (-145), Magomedov (+125)
Round 1
In the next 25 minutes or less, one of two outcomes could play out, barring something crazy. Either a top contender in Strickland (26-5, 13-5 UFC) holds the line against a surging up-and-comer, or the hard-charging Magomedov (25-4-1, 1-0 UFC) stamps his ticket towards the top echelon of the 185- pound division in a hurry. Referee Mark Smith will be on the final call of the night, and the potentially intriguing striking affair will begin with a glove touch. Magomedov pushes off early with two front kicks, and Strickland brushes his side and absorbs a low kick. Magomedov crashes forward with looping strikes, and as Strickland circles away and lines up a jab, Magomedov pushes off and a finger slides into his eye. Smith calls time, and after 30 seconds, he calls in the doctor. Strickland mentioned that he cannot see, and he takes the cloth from the physician and wipes out his eye. Strickland paces back and forth, trying to clear his vision, and he is struggling to see. After two minutes of attempted recover, Strickland mentions he has double vision. Strickland states the he is good to go at just under three minutes of time off, and the two clap hands on the reset. Magomedov is quick to loop at front kick at him, and several front kicks follow that in rapid succession. Magomedov digs a kick deep on the upper calf, and he takes a jab and aims a second leg kick to the same spot. Magomedov gives chase, throwing wide strikes, and Strickland’s partial Philly Shell guard is allowing him to block and parry the worst of the strikes. Magomedov slings a left hand that gets around the guard, and Strickland has to shake it out. Strickland prods out with a few jabs, and Magomedov’s volume and power is far higher. Strickland dodges and weaves the power punches, and he circles into a front kick to his midsection. Strickland peppers Magomedov with jabs, reddening the nose up, but Magomedov chambers and fires several harmful leg kicks. Magomedov connects with a straight left up top and one to the body, and he gets backed up with a stream of jabs. Strickland pressures his foe and leans when a right hand brushes past his hair, and he splits the guard with an increasingly steady diet of jabs. Strickland takes a head kick right on the jaw, and Magomedov shoots in for a double and manages to throw the defensively sound Strickland to his seat. As Magomedov attempts to take his back, Strickland scoots out and works back to his feet. Strickland follows one jab with a solid right hand, but he is generally relying on his jab. Strickland takes a clean left hand over the top, and the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Round 2
The middleweights bump fists to start off the second frame, and Strickland lifts his leg up early to take the sting out of a leg kick. Magomedov swings for the fences with two hooks, and Strickland snipes Magomedov with a one-two. Strickland walks down Magomedov, who appears surprised by the blows, and he stumbles when he meets the cage behind him. Strickland drills Magomedov with another one-two, and he stalks after the Russian putting his punches together. Magomedov’s offense is limited to big counter punches, and Strickland senses his opening and lays into “Abus.” Strickland is in his groove, snapping out sharp jabs and follow-up punches, and Magomedov is reeling. Magomedov shells up, and Strickland accurately gets strikes around it and through it. Magomedov is fatiguing fast, his strikes telegraphed, while Strickland is not missing a beat as he lands with impunity. Strickland rattles Magomedov with a right hand, and he rolls through a counter that does not have nearly as much on it. Magomedov winces and gets backed up to the cage, and Strickland unleashes a vicious combination of punches to mess Magomedov up. Magomedov’s mouth wide open, he backs off while Strickland is comfortable to beat on him. Magomedov digs a pair of huge left hands to the body, but for every one he lands, Strickland gets off five or more.
Magomedov takes a long look at the clock, and he frowns as Strickland jabs his face off. Magomedov crumbles from the methodical bludgeoning, his knees giving way as he slumps his back to the cage. Strickland shoves him over to his side, and he force-feeds his fist into Magomedov’s face again and again without any signs of slowing. Magomedov is barely hanging on at this point, just taking damage, and Smith watches on cautiously until he decides that enough is enough and “Abus” is done.
After likely dropping the first round, Strickland came on strong, reminding the division that he is still a force to be reckoned with, and notching another win at the UFC Apex. A gracious Strickland thanks the fans and says he would not do what he does – or get paid – were it not for the fans. He then declares his love for the country, after calling for either a title shot or “meat” to fight. Whether Strickland ends up getting a crack at the belt after beating an unranked opponent in Magomedov, or he posts up at the Apex for another few headliners, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.
The Result
Sean Strickland def. Abusupiyan Magomedov R2 4:20 via TKO (Punches)
Angelo picks Abus Magomedov despite Strickland being the favorite. He notes Strickland's high volume and takedown defense but believes Abus's power and versatility will be key. He expects Abus to win early rounds but acknowledges Strickland's pressure could wear him down. He mentions a potential plus 5.5 point buy on the scorecard for Abus.
Big Brady picks Sean Strickland to win by decision. He notes Strickland has faced much better competition and has five-round experience, while Magomedov has only one UFC fight. He thinks Strickland is the better striker, especially as the fight goes on, and Magomedov's only path is a first-round knockout. He expects Strickland to survive the early rounds and take over later.
Cody is shocked the line moved from -175 to -145, as Strickland is coming off a dominant five-round performance on short notice. He emphasizes Strickland's proven cardio, durability, and volume against elite competition, while Magomedov has only one UFC win over Dustin Stoltzfus and was knocked out by Lewis Taylor in PFL. Cody sees Magomedov's level of competition as far below Strickland's and believes the line is a trap but is willing to bet Strickland anyway.
Daniel leans Strickland due to his proven volume and output over five rounds, citing his 200+ significant strikes against Imavov and 150+ against Cannonier. He acknowledges Magomedov's power and finishing ability, especially early, but sees Strickland's pace and durability as key. However, he is not confident enough to bet, calling it a 'dog or pass' situation because Magomedov's decision record (5-1) and power make the outcome uncertain. He notes Strickland's output increases in later rounds, which favors him if the fight goes the distance.
James discusses the matchup at length but does not make a definitive pick. He notes that Abusupiyan has stylistic advantages in wrestling that Strickland hasn't faced recently, and that Strickland's pressure and experience in five-round fights are factors. He says he needs to do more tape before coming to a prediction.
Paul agrees with Cody, surprised by the line movement. He highlights Strickland's ability to go five rounds at 185, his volume (182 significant strikes in his last fight), and his ranking as #4 in the division. He notes Magomedov is not ranked in the top 15 and has fought mostly low-level competition. Paul believes Strickland's experience and cardio are decisive.
The Guru picks Sean Strickland, reasoning that Abus Magomedov's only notable win is over Dustin Stoltzfus, which is not enough evidence. He notes Strickland's experience and pressure, and believes if Magomedov doesn't finish in round one, his finishing rate plummets. He predicts Strickland will wear him down and get a late-round TKO or decision, similar to his win over Nassourdine Imavov.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 1 | 7 of 7 | 100% | 7 of 7 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:02 |
| Dustin Stoltzfus | 0 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 1 | 7 of 7 | 100% | 7 of 7 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:02 |
| Dustin Stoltzfus | 0 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abusupiyan Magomedov | 7 of 7 | 100% | 6 of 6 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 2 of 2 |
| Dustin Stoltzfus | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abusupiyan Magomedov | 7 of 7 | 100% | 6 of 6 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 2 of 2 |
| Dustin Stoltzfus | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Magomedov (-265), Stoltzfus (+225)
Round 1
Wrapping up the prelims with a bow, highly touted debutant Magomedov (24-4-1, 0-0 UFC) will finally step into the Octagon for the first time after a number of unfortunate delays. He draws Stoltzfus (14-4, 1-3 UFC) in his first assignment, who will serve as the final U.S.-based fighter on the card. Out of the last 14 wins for “Abus,” he has procured stoppages in 13 of those, with his lone decision coming over PFL 2022 welterweight finalist Sadibou Sy back in 2018. The third man inside the cage for this one will be referee Loic Pora, who stands back while the two men bump fists. Stoltzfus punches his way into an exchange, blocking a kick with his knee on the way in. Magomedov is a man possessed after this brief feeling-out process,
splitting the guard with a Lyoto Machida-esque front kick that staggers the American. Magomedov senses he already has Stoltzfus in danger, and he meets Stoltzfus with an uppercut that knocks him back to the wall. “Abus” releases a left hook and a massive uppercut that wreck Stoltzfus, who crumbles to his back on the floor. Sealing the deal, the German-Russian newcomer drives two blistering right hands into the jaw, and Stoltzfus goes out and gets snapped back into consciousness with the thunderous punches.
Pora cannot get in fast enough to save Stoltzfus from any further damage, and Magomedov has just made a massive statement by destroying Stoltzfus in less than 20 seconds. The stoppage will likely clock in as one of the fastest knockouts in UFC middleweight history, depending on when it was officially called. Wow.
The Official Result
Abusupiyan Magomedov def. Dustin Stoltzfus R1 0:19 via TKO (Front Kick and Punches)
Angelo leans toward Dustin Stoltzfus because of high-level experience, noting that Abusupiyan Magomedov has not fought this level of competition. He thinks Stoltzfus can use takedowns to control for a win, similar to his last fight. He calls it a toss-up and a very low confidence pick.
Big Brady picks Abusupiyan Magomedov to win by decision. He notes that Magomedov has a significant striking advantage and good wrestling, while Stoltzfus has poor takedown defense and striking defense. The only concern is Magomedov's 20-month layoff, but he doesn't think Stoltzfus can exploit it. He expects Magomedov to control the fight wherever it goes.
Cody picks Dustin Stoltzfus as a dog, arguing that Abusupiyan Magomedov is overrated with a padded record, poor wrestling, and a suspect chin. He notes that Magomedov has been inactive and has injury issues, while Stoltzfus has better cardio and top control. Cody believes Stoltzfus can tire Magomedov out and win by pressure and grappling.
Daniel Levi picks Abusupiyan Magomedov but is not confident, noting that Magomedov's fights can be close and that Stoltzfus has been competitive in his losses. He acknowledges Magomedov's talent but questions the dominance at -260. He does not bet.
The host is very confident in Magomedov, citing his superior striking, range control, and ability to mix in grappling. He dismisses Stoltzfus's only UFC win as unimpressive and believes Magomedov is outmatched everywhere. He predicts a finish inside the distance, possibly by submission or knockout.
Paul picks Abusupiyan Magomedov, but with low confidence. He thinks Magomedov's power and striking are better than Stoltzfus's, and that Stoltzfus's wrestling may not be good enough to take Magomedov down. Paul says he will not bet the -270 line and is not confident in the pick.
The MMA Guru picks Abusupiyan Magomedov over Dustin Stoltzfus, citing Magomedov's size, athleticism, and grappling ability. He believes Stoltzfus lacks the power or explosiveness to trouble Magomedov early, and if the fight goes past the first round, Magomedov will win. He predicts a second or third round TKO finish for Magomedov.
Expert Picks (6)
Angelo picks Michel Pereira, believing his athleticism and power will overwhelm Abusupiyan Magomedov. He notes that Abus is hittable and Pereira hits hard, and that Pereira should replicate Bruno Ferreira's success but without letting up. He is more confident now than in his initial breakdown, though he cautions about Pereira's cardio.
Big Brady picks Michel Pereira, dismissing his loss to Anthony Hernandez as irrelevant since Hernandez would do the same to Magomedov. He criticizes Magomedov's poor cardio and durability, noting he slows down after the first round. He expects Pereira to win by knockout, possibly in the second round.
Connor picks Pereira because he is a much more evolved and athletic fighter compared to Magomedov, who has a limited game based on a one-two and top control. Pereira has shown growth and patience, and his speed and power will be too much for Magomedov's robotic striking. Connor notes that Magomedov's wins have aged poorly and he has been exposed by any decent fighter.
The host likes Pereira's explosivity, athleticism, and power to shut down Magomedov's grappling, and expects Pereira to force a break and get a second or third round TKO.
The MMA Guru picks Abusupiyan Magomedov as an underdog. He criticizes Pereira's cardio and lack of MMA training, saying he gasses if he doesn't finish early. He notes Magomedov's improvements in grappling and cardio, and his reach advantage. He expects Magomedov to weather Pereira's early storm and win a decision, possibly chopping up Pereira's leg.
Zane picks Pereira, emphasizing that Magomedov's game is one-dimensional and relies on size and pressure. Once a fighter is good enough to test him, Magomedov falls apart. Pereira has the speed and skill to counter Magomedov's takedowns and striking. Zane also notes that Magomedov's losses have aged well but his wins have not, and he is essentially a 'quadruple A' fighter.
Comments (1)
Pereira ko rd1
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