vs
-115 +116
UFC on ESPN: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan · Dec 02, 2023 · Lightweight · Completed
Prev Fight UFC on ESPN: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan Next Fight
Age 38
Height 5' 9"
Reach 70.0"
Weight 155 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Age 32
Height 5' 9"
Reach 70.0"
Weight 155 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Career Averages - Drakkar Klose
4.25 SLpM
55.0% Str. Acc.
3.65 SApM
49.0% Str. Def.
1.49 TD Avg
26.0% TD Acc.
69.0% TD Def.
0.0 Sub. Avg
Career Averages - Joe Solecki
1.97 SLpM
53.0% Str. Acc.
1.85 SApM
50.0% Str. Def.
2.06 TD Avg
48.0% TD Acc.
14.0% TD Def.
1.4 Sub. Avg
Drakkar Klose
Moneyline
DraftKings -115
KO/TKO
BetRivers +390
Submission
DraftKings +1800
Decision
FanDuel +180
Joe Solecki
Moneyline
FanDuel +116
KO/TKO
BetWay +1600
Submission
FanDuel +360
Decision
FanDuel +300
Drakkar Klose - Fight History
WIN vs Edson Barboza
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC 319: du Plessis vs. Chimaev · Aug 16, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Edson Barboza 0 71 of 120 59% 73 of 122 0 of 0 --- 0 0 3:50
Drakkar Klose 0 53 of 102 51% 147 of 209 0 of 2 0% 0 0 2:33
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Edson Barboza 0 24 of 36 66% 26 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:26
Drakkar Klose 0 15 of 29 51% 68 of 89 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:33
2 Edson Barboza 0 18 of 38 47% 18 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:02
Drakkar Klose 0 25 of 44 56% 50 of 75 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:40
3 Edson Barboza 0 29 of 46 63% 29 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:22
Drakkar Klose 0 13 of 29 44% 29 of 45 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:20
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Edson Barboza 71 of 120 59% 26 of 64 32 of 38 13 of 18 57 of 105 14 of 15 0 of 0
Drakkar Klose 53 of 102 51% 35 of 78 6 of 9 12 of 15 43 of 89 10 of 13 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Edson Barboza 24 of 36 66% 4 of 11 13 of 17 7 of 8 18 of 30 6 of 6 0 of 0
Drakkar Klose 15 of 29 51% 8 of 18 1 of 3 6 of 8 13 of 27 2 of 2 0 of 0
2 Edson Barboza 18 of 38 47% 7 of 22 10 of 12 1 of 4 14 of 33 4 of 5 0 of 0
Drakkar Klose 25 of 44 56% 19 of 37 3 of 3 3 of 4 19 of 36 6 of 8 0 of 0
3 Edson Barboza 29 of 46 63% 15 of 31 9 of 9 5 of 6 25 of 42 4 of 4 0 of 0
Drakkar Klose 13 of 29 44% 8 of 23 2 of 3 3 of 3 11 of 26 2 of 3 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Aug 10, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Edson Barboza

Angelo acknowledges both fighters are older but notes Barboza's striking, speed, and experience against top competition. He thinks Klose could wrestle but hasn't seen enough to suggest Barboza is washed. He leans Barboza but is not confident enough to bet on him.

"I'm going to lean Eden Barbosa here. I've seen that dude step up time and time and time again against some of the best that have ever done it."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Aug 12, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Edson Barboza

Big Brady picks Edson Barboza to win by second-round knockout. He notes Barboza is moving back up to lightweight, which should help his durability. He worries about Barboza's chin but thinks Klose doesn't have much power, with only two knockdowns in the UFC. He believes Barboza is the better striker and will knock out Klose, as Klose's path to victory is to sell out for grappling. He also mentions Klose's questionable durability and poor performance against Silva.

Barboza by KO, round 2
"I think Barbosa is the better striker and I think he knocks out Jakar Close. I think he's going to win this fight by second round knockout."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Aug 15, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Drakkar Klose

The host considers Klose one of the most underrated lightweights. He expects Klose to avoid Barboza's early finishing attempts, clinch him against the cage, wear him down, and grind out a decision win on the mat.

"I believe Close is one of the more underrated lightweights on the roster and I think he'll showcase it once again"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Aug 13, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

The Guru picks Drakkar Klose to win by decision, 29-28. He cannot trust Edson Barboza at this point in his career, citing Barboza's long layoff, injuries, and move back up to lightweight. The Guru notes that Barboza took a lot of damage in his last fight against Lerone Murphy and that Klose will grapple and use his physicality. He believes Klose can execute a 'tepid version' of the recipe to beat Barboza and win a decision, though Barboza may have moments of hurting Klose.

Decision win 29-28; Klose wins by decision
"I'm going to go with Dakar Close getting this one done. Decision win 2928."
LOSS vs Joel Alvarez
KO/TKO (flying knee and punches) R1 2:48 · UFC on ESPN: Covington vs. Buckley · Dec 14, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Joel Alvarez 0 20 of 24 83% 39 of 44 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:04
Drakkar Klose 0 7 of 13 53% 16 of 23 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:08
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Joel Alvarez 0 20 of 24 83% 39 of 44 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:04
Drakkar Klose 0 7 of 13 53% 16 of 23 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:08
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Joel Alvarez 20 of 24 83% 15 of 19 4 of 4 1 of 1 12 of 16 8 of 8 0 of 0
Drakkar Klose 7 of 13 53% 1 of 6 2 of 3 4 of 4 7 of 12 0 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Joel Alvarez 20 of 24 83% 15 of 19 4 of 4 1 of 1 12 of 16 8 of 8 0 of 0
Drakkar Klose 7 of 13 53% 1 of 6 2 of 3 4 of 4 7 of 12 0 of 1 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Joel Alvarez vs. Drakkar Klose
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Alvarez (-395), Klose (+310)

Round 1
The referee for this lightweight contest is Dan Miragliotta. Klose and Alvarez meet in the center of the cage. Klose lands a heavy leg kick and then goes to the body twice. Alvarez using his length to jab on the outside. Alvarez hurts Klose with a straight right hand. Klose powers through with a takedown and goes straight into side control. Alvarez gets back to guard and starts landing elbows. Alvarez uses the cage to get back up. Klose gets hurt by a 1-2.
Alvarez lands a jumping knee, and Klose is knocked immediately out cold. Alvarez is holding up the body of Klose and landing more punches until the referee steps in.
Wow!

The Official Result
Joel Alvarez def. Drakkar Klose via KO (Knee and Punches); R1, 2:48.
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Dec 8, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Joel Alvarez

Angelo picks Alvarez despite being a vocal hater, because Alvarez's striking looked fantastic in his last fight and his jiu-jitsu is very good. He notes that Klose is a good wrestler with solid boxing, but Alvarez has more ways to win. However, he strongly believes the odds are too wide (3-to-1 favorite) and that this should be a close fight. He warns that Klose can control where the fight goes and if he has success striking, Alvarez is in trouble because he has no offensive wrestling.

Odds are too wide; should be closer to -140/+120.
"I still strongly believe this is a very close fight on paper there should not be a 3 to1 favorite here but I do think Joel will get it done."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Dec 12, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Joel Alvarez

Big Brady picks Joel Alvarez to win by second-round submission. He is confident Alvarez is a problem, with 18 submissions and improving striking. He thinks Klose is vulnerable after the Jeremy Stephens push and looked bad against Warlley Alves. He expects Alvarez to hurt Klose on the feet and then snatch a submission when Klose shoots.

"I'll go Joel Alvarez I'll take him to win this fight by second round submission"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked Dec 13, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Joel Alvarez

Connor also picks Alvarez but is hesitant, noting that Klose is a durable wrestle-boxer who has only lost to Benil Dariush and a split decision to David Teymur. He points out that Alvarez is a dangerous opportunist whose whole game is built to spring traps, but Klose is tough to finish and might be able to control the fight in the clinch. Connor thinks Alvarez's long strikes and submission threats give him the advantage, but it's a risky pick.

"I'll just take him cuz it looks like at the very least he might get the big moments that win rounds. Can't finish close."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked Dec 12, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Joel Alvarez

Alvarez's aggressiveness should allow him to get a late finish over Klose, specifically in the second or third round. However, Klose's strength of schedule and grinding ability make him worth an underdog consideration given the wide odds.

wins in round 2 or 3; Drakkar Klose underdog consideration
"I believe the aggressiveness of Alvarez will allow him to get a late finish here over dard close but similar to Miles John's earlier on in the card I believe close with his strength of schedule and his grinding ability …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Dec 11, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Joel Alvarez

The MMA Guru picks Joel Alvarez, calling him 'the truth' in the lightweight division. He praises Alvarez's multi-range ability: striking at range, clinch work, and submissions. He notes that Alvarez is entering his prime at 31, has improved his weight cut, and has a highlight-reel finish over Elves Brener. He contrasts this with Drakkar Klose, whom he considers consistently mid and lacking dynamic ability to separate himself. He predicts a TKO in the second round.

TKO in the second round
"I'm going to go Joel Alvarez and I'm actually GNA say he wins this one by TKO in the second round"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Hesitant picked Dec 13, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Joel Alvarez

Zane picks Alvarez but with hesitation, noting that Klose is a tough, durable fighter who has only lost once clearly in his career. He acknowledges that Alvarez's game is full of holes but is directionally sound, built to draw opponents into traps. He worries that Klose might be able to frustrate Alvarez with clinch work and toughness, but ultimately believes Alvarez's finishing ability and opportunistic style give him the edge.

Alvarez opened at -315, now -429; Klose opened at +263, now +342. Zane says the line seems off and that Klose is a hard man to beat, so the odds shouldn't be that wide.
"I'm gonna pick the finisher. I do think that Alvarez's game is really directionally sound like it is actually one of the better constructed MMA games even if it is not deep."
WIN vs Joaquim Silva
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 301: Pantoja vs. Erceg · May 04, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Drakkar Klose 1 59 of 93 63% 143 of 179 0 of 1 0% 1 0 0:55
Joaquim Silva 0 70 of 123 56% 96 of 151 0 of 7 0% 0 0 5:33
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Drakkar Klose 0 20 of 30 66% 25 of 35 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
Joaquim Silva 0 29 of 54 53% 35 of 60 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:20
2 Drakkar Klose 0 15 of 20 75% 79 of 86 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:13
Joaquim Silva 0 17 of 23 73% 35 of 43 0 of 4 0% 0 0 3:58
3 Drakkar Klose 1 24 of 43 55% 39 of 58 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:41
Joaquim Silva 0 24 of 46 52% 26 of 48 0 of 3 0% 0 0 1:15
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Drakkar Klose 59 of 93 63% 25 of 53 21 of 27 13 of 13 33 of 63 22 of 26 4 of 4
Joaquim Silva 70 of 123 56% 40 of 82 22 of 30 8 of 11 44 of 91 26 of 32 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Drakkar Klose 20 of 30 66% 6 of 14 7 of 9 7 of 7 15 of 23 5 of 7 0 of 0
Joaquim Silva 29 of 54 53% 18 of 36 8 of 12 3 of 6 19 of 41 10 of 13 0 of 0
2 Drakkar Klose 15 of 20 75% 3 of 6 10 of 12 2 of 2 6 of 11 9 of 9 0 of 0
Joaquim Silva 17 of 23 73% 5 of 9 11 of 13 1 of 1 4 of 8 13 of 15 0 of 0
3 Drakkar Klose 24 of 43 55% 16 of 33 4 of 6 4 of 4 12 of 29 8 of 10 4 of 4
Joaquim Silva 24 of 46 52% 17 of 37 3 of 5 4 of 4 21 of 42 3 of 4 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 28, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Angelo picks Klose as the more technical and well-rounded fighter with multiple paths to victory. He notes Silva's power makes him live but Klose is durable. He mentions Klose's neck injury from a weigh-in shove but says he hasn't looked different since.

"jakar Clos is a guy that you can trust"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Apr 30, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Big Brady likes Klose's well-rounded game, including cardio, volume, takedowns, and BJJ. He questions Silva's durability and notes his knockout loss to Ricky Glenn. He predicts Klose will land a big shot and finish Silva by third-round knockout.

"I'm taking close to win this fight by third round knockout."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked May 1, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Cody picks Klose, citing his superior wrestling, durability, and fresher fight miles. He notes Silva is a brawler with durability issues and has been knocked out by lesser fighters. Cody expects Klose to break Silva down and finish late.

Klose by KO/TKO in round 3
"Late stoppage close is what I would look at... I think close just breaks them down systematically and then takes them out late."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Lean picked May 1, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Joaquim Silva

Daniel Vreeland leans with Silva, citing his one-punch power and the home crowd advantage in Brazil. He acknowledges Klose's physicality and close-fight history but is not confident enough to lay the -175 price. He notes Silva's slow starts but believes he can land a big shot or edge a decision in Brazil.

"I'll lean with uh with the underdog with yoim Silva"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 3, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Klose is the more complete fighter, utilizing striking and takedowns to outwork Silva. Silva is dangerous with early knockout power, but Klose's chin should hold up. Klose wins by decision.

"give me close and close by decision"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked May 1, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Paul picks Klose, noting his level of competition and ability to avoid big shots. He believes Silva is knockout-or-bust and Klose's volume and takedowns will win rounds. Paul expects Klose by decision or late stoppage.

Klose by decision
"Close late or by decision is how I see it... the volume adds up..."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 30, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

The MMA Guru picks Drakkar Klose by decision, citing his consistency, composure, and professional decision-making. He notes Klose's wins over Bobby Green and others, and believes he will outpoint Joaquim Silva with crisp kicks, jabs, and body work. He acknowledges Silva's potential in scrambles but trusts Klose's experience.

by decision
"I'm going to go with him by decision here"
WIN vs Joe Solecki
KO (slam) R1 1:41 · UFC on ESPN: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan · Dec 02, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Drakkar Klose 0 2 of 2 100% 8 of 9 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:40
Joe Solecki 0 1 of 1 100% 9 of 13 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:53
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Drakkar Klose 0 2 of 2 100% 8 of 9 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:40
Joe Solecki 0 1 of 1 100% 9 of 13 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:53
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Drakkar Klose 2 of 2 100% 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 1
Joe Solecki 1 of 1 100% 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Drakkar Klose 2 of 2 100% 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 1
Joe Solecki 1 of 1 100% 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Nov 29, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

Cody picks Solecki as an underdog. He thinks Solecki's grappling and back-taking ability will be key. He notes Klose's takedown defense issues and age (35) coming off a knee injury. He believes Solecki can win the positional battle and control the fight. He calls it a shoey bet.

"seli screams like a dog with a shot because I think he can win the positional battle he can get those takedowns close has got the knee injury the year-long layoff 35 years old take down defense issues in the …"
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Nov 30, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

Lucrative James picks Joe Solecki, emphasizing that Drakkar Klose consistently gives up his back in fights, which is a bad stylistic matchup against a grappler like Solecki. He believes Solecki will take Klose's back and either submit him or win rounds through control. While Klose may have an edge on the feet, Solecki's grappling upside makes him the favorite.

"it's almost guaranteed that Joe's going to take his back at one point you know which sounds crazy but he's I've just seen it way too many times"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked Nov 30, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Klose has a solid wrestling and pressure game, and stylistically he has advantages over Solecki in striking and grappling. However, he is returning from an ACL injury at 35 years old, which raises concerns about his knee recovery. Solecki is a BJJ black belt but has shown limited offense off his back and unimpressive striking. Klose is expected to dictate the pace and win a decision, but confidence is tempered due to the injury.

decision win predicted
"give me close I think close by decision uh and I think we see him come back successfully but I would just be weary in terms of the amount of confidence that you have in him"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Nov 29, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Paul already bet Klose at -120. He thinks Klose has significant advantages on the feet and trains with good partners. He is surprised the line is still playable. He notes Klose's only UFC losses are to Beneil Dariush and David Teymur, and he believes Klose should win.

"I like jar close here I'm kind of surprised by this line I bet it like uh three or four day or my one buddy uh Mick reached out and I kind of looked into it and then I ended …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Nov 28, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

The MMA Guru picks Drakkar Klose, noting Klose's technical striking, takedown defense, and cardio. He dismisses Joe Solecki's level of competition and believes Klose does the basics better. He expects a close decision, 29-28, in Klose's favor.

decision 29-28
"I'm going to go Drakkar Klose win... I don't think Joe Solecki is all that good... Drakkar Klose just does the basic stuff better than Joe Solecki."
WIN vs Rafa García
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 277: Pena vs. Nunes 2 · Jul 30, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Drakkar Klose 0 61 of 115 53% 111 of 175 2 of 10 20% 0 0 2:05
Rafa García 0 34 of 57 59% 83 of 111 3 of 11 27% 0 0 2:54
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Drakkar Klose 0 19 of 30 63% 33 of 53 2 of 7 28% 0 0 1:49
Rafa García 0 13 of 22 59% 21 of 30 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:06
2 Drakkar Klose 0 14 of 29 48% 35 of 51 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:16
Rafa García 0 5 of 12 41% 33 of 45 2 of 4 50% 0 0 2:11
3 Drakkar Klose 0 28 of 56 50% 43 of 71 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Rafa García 0 16 of 23 69% 29 of 36 1 of 6 16% 0 0 0:37
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Drakkar Klose 61 of 115 53% 24 of 75 27 of 29 10 of 11 32 of 83 24 of 25 5 of 7
Rafa García 34 of 57 59% 23 of 45 8 of 8 3 of 4 23 of 44 11 of 13 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Drakkar Klose 19 of 30 63% 7 of 17 9 of 10 3 of 3 9 of 18 7 of 8 3 of 4
Rafa García 13 of 22 59% 9 of 18 2 of 2 2 of 2 9 of 17 4 of 5 0 of 0
2 Drakkar Klose 14 of 29 48% 5 of 18 6 of 7 3 of 4 7 of 21 5 of 5 2 of 3
Rafa García 5 of 12 41% 1 of 8 3 of 3 1 of 1 4 of 11 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Drakkar Klose 28 of 56 50% 12 of 40 12 of 12 4 of 4 16 of 44 12 of 12 0 of 0
Rafa García 16 of 23 69% 13 of 19 3 of 3 0 of 1 10 of 16 6 of 7 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Rafa Garcia vs. Drakkar Klose
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Klose (-230), Garcia (+195)

Round 1
Opening up the ABC- and ESPN-aired prelims is what should be a fun lightweight matchup, even if Klose (12-2-1, 6-2 UFC) is now battling late replacement Garcia (13-2, 2-2 UFC). Both fighters prevailed on the same event in April, locking down second-round finishes of Brandon Jenkins and Jesse Ronson, respectively, so the “Matches to Make” choice appeared to be an easy one. They touch ‘em up with referee Jacob Rosales watching on, and Klose claims the center of the cage but is nowhere close to his opponent. Garcia stays on the outer edge of the cage as Klose feints with jabs, and the first strike is actually a stomping kick to the knee from Klose. Klose kicks on the inside and outside of the leg, and Garcia swarms him with an overhand right that bowls him over – not from it actually hitting him hard, but from Garcia’s body tackling him down. Klose gets back up and starts working the calf, until Garcia closes the distance and aims punches to the body. The American greets him with knees until they split up, and Klose fakes a body kick and rips one on the other side before tying Garcia up. Klose effectively uses the calf kick to decent effect, as Garcia powers through it to club Klose in the chops with a left. Klose staggers back and tries to give one back, but Garcia is smooth on the outside as he kicks the knee and nearly buckles it. Klose gives chases, and in an ensuing clinch, they throw short punches one after the other. Klose forces a separation, with his legs appearing to be fully back under him again, and he walks Garcia down and measures a jab. When “Gifted” bites on it, Klose changes levels. Klose is unable to get the first takedown try, but Garcia turns around and gives up his back. This allows Klose to trip him out and plant Garcia on his face for a moment. Garcia powers his way back up, and he grabs the fence to keep himself balanced as Klose attempts a mat return. Klose trips Garcia’s left leg out beneath him again to plant him down, and he starts slugging away on Garcia. “Gifted” checks his face to make sure he is not bleeding, and when he does, Klose sucks his leg out and makes it so Garcia cannot simply power his way back up as easily as before. Garcia rolls for a leglock, and Klose breaks it up before anything can come from it. When they both get to their knees, the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Klose
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Klose
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Klose

Round 2
Klose races out of his corner to start the next round, and he plants a wheel kick upside Garcia’s head before shooting for a takedown in the first 10 seconds. Garcia stuffs it but absorbs a few knees to the body when Klose bails on it, and Garcia powers his way out to the center of the Octagon. The lightweights feint and fake their way towards one another, with Klose employing his stomp kick and swinging his shin to the body. Garcia dips back and absorbs a glancing right hand, but he is no worse for wear. Klose lets go with a body kick, and Garcia cannot pin him down or trap him to land with impunity. Garcia begins to chop the legs down a few times, and Klose switches stance after absorbing the blows. Garcia winds up on a right hook, but Klose dips back and answers with a short left. Garcia, using his momentum in his favor, pushes through and knocks Klose off his feet with a double. “Gifted” gives Klose several gifts in the form of his fists, before stepping into half guard. The posture remains tight as Garcia does not want to give up any space or allow a sweep or any bucking movement, but this also results in a stalemate. The crowd is not a fan of this nullifying half guard for Garcia, and Klose moves his head around to dodge punches before Montalvo steps in to stand them up. Garcia shoots the second they get stood up, and Klose staves it off and connects with a solid left hand. As Garcia aims a right hand over the top, Klose ducks down for a possible takedown entry, and Garcia snatches this up to hunt for a standing guillotine choke. There is nothing to it, and Klose shucks it off and absorbs the end of a left hand. Garcia misses with a spinning back kick, and Klose is suddenly energized and he charges in with his head in the air to throw bombs. Garcia retreats, and he weathers the storm before scooping Klose’s legs out and planting him down to the ground. A few punches for the fighter out of Mexico land before the horn resounds in the arena.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Garcia

Round 3
Klose is the initial aggressor to start off the final round, pushing the pace and sticking his hands out to back Garcia off. The Michigan native jabs and makes Garcia dip down right into a head kick, and Garcia tanks it without budging. Garcia hunts for a takedown, and he redoubles his effort with a double that takes Klose off his feet. Klose threatens with a guillotine choke off his back, but with the cage behind him, there is no leverage to secure anything, and Garcia is comfortable without concern. Klose explodes back to his feet, and he throws hands to again force Garcia to back from one side of the cage to another. Klose allows Garcia to come at him so that he can set up a clinch in his favor, where he slams knees and punches into Garcia’s body. Klose senses that Garcia is fatiguing, and he strides forward without a care in the world, targeting the midsection and preparing to stuff takedowns. Klose gets Garcia’s attention with a low kick, and he has a clubbing right slide off the shoulder into the chin. Garcia’s hands largely drop by his waist, waiting for Klose to close the distance, so that he can lift them and sling something heavy. He has a thudding left connect cleanly, but Klose totally ignores it so that he can do more work to the body. Klose ties his man up after a failed takedown entry so that he can batter the body with punches and the occasional knee. Klose changes this up with his own takedown try, and Garcia pushes him off and backpedals. Garcia shoots for a single, and Klose gets shoved back to the wall and knees the ribs a few times to conclude the fight. Both men raise their hands after 15 minutes of combat, and some will almost certainly attempt the joke that the Klose fight was a close fight.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Klose (29-28 Klose)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Klose (29-28 Klose)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Klose (29-28 Klose)

The Official Result
Drakkar Klose def. Rafa Garcia via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jul 25, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Big Brady picks Drakkar Klose to win by decision. He notes Garcia is on short notice and has cardio concerns, while Klose has fought much better competition. He expects the first round to be competitive but Klose's striking volume and takedown defense will carry him in later rounds. He mentions Garcia has never been knocked out, so a decision is likely.

"i like close to win here... i think he outstrikes garcia on the feet rounds two in rounds three and ultimately picks up a decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jul 26, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Cody picks Klose, noting his technical striking, forward pressure, and solid takedown defense. He thinks Garcia's wrestling won't be a factor because Klose will stop takedowns and win the striking exchanges. He mentions that Klose's cardio is solid and that Garcia is limited and loopy with his strikes. He also notes that Klose's significant strikes over 60.5 is a good prop on PrizePicks.

Klose over 60.5 significant strikes on PrizePicks
"i think close is just going to win the striking exchanges from distance stop the takedowns keep it standing and just rinse and repeat"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Jul 27, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Daniel picks Klose to win another close decision, noting that most of his fights are 29-28. He thinks Klose finds a way to edge out rounds, whether by calf kicks or a late takedown. He acknowledges Garcia's toughness and Mexican warrior spirit, but thinks Garcia's cardio issues (from the Gritzmacher fight) could be a factor. However, he calls the -205 price too high for a fighter who usually wins close fights, so he passes on betting.

"I'm gonna go Drakkar Klose to win another 29-28 decision."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 30, 2022 (fight day)
Drakkar Klose

Preet picks Klose by decision, expecting him to push Garcia against the cage, use leg kicks, and control the fight. He notes Klose's efficient style and that Garcia's cardio fades, leading to Klose taking over in the second and third rounds. He passes on the moneyline due to Klose's tendency to fight close decisions.

"i'll go close here uh close to your decision"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jul 26, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Paul picks Klose, citing his technical striking and good wrestling. He notes that Klose's losses are to very good fighters and that he looked great in his last fight against Brandon Jenkins. He thinks Garcia's wrestling won't be enough and that Klose will win the striking exchanges. He also mentions that Klose's takedown defense is solid and that Garcia is limited.

Klose over 60.5 significant strikes on PrizePicks
"gotta have to go with uh dracar close... the one thing that's always going to worry me about this guy for the rest of his foreseeable career is uh jeremy stevens almost ended his career"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 30, 2022 (fight day)
Drakkar Klose

The MMA Guru predicts Drakkar Klose wins by 30-27 unanimous decision. He sees Klose as more technical and smart, landing calf kicks and body shots at range. Rafa García is tough but too one-dimensional. Klose will edge each round, possibly earning a 10-8 in the third.

unanimous decision
"dracar close gets this one done edging out every round"
TKO (punches) R2 0:33 · UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. Muhammad 2 · Apr 16, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Drakkar Klose 2 76 of 108 70% 77 of 109 2 of 3 66% 0 0 1:56
Brandon Jenkins 0 18 of 38 47% 28 of 48 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:10
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Drakkar Klose 1 66 of 93 70% 67 of 94 2 of 3 66% 0 0 1:55
Brandon Jenkins 0 15 of 30 50% 25 of 40 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:10
2 Drakkar Klose 1 10 of 15 66% 10 of 15 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
Brandon Jenkins 0 3 of 8 37% 3 of 8 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Drakkar Klose 76 of 108 70% 55 of 87 16 of 16 5 of 5 27 of 42 38 of 46 11 of 20
Brandon Jenkins 18 of 38 47% 4 of 23 3 of 4 11 of 11 14 of 34 4 of 4 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Drakkar Klose 66 of 93 70% 48 of 75 14 of 14 4 of 4 21 of 32 34 of 41 11 of 20
Brandon Jenkins 15 of 30 50% 3 of 17 3 of 4 9 of 9 11 of 26 4 of 4 0 of 0
2 Drakkar Klose 10 of 15 66% 7 of 12 2 of 2 1 of 1 6 of 10 4 of 5 0 of 0
Brandon Jenkins 3 of 8 37% 1 of 6 0 of 0 2 of 2 3 of 8 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 10, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Angelo picks Drakkar Klose, but is hesitant to bet due to Klose's two-year layoff. He believes Klose's power, wrestling, and cardio should be enough to finish Brandon Jenkins. He notes that Jenkins is a kill-or-be-killed fighter who is always looking for a finish, which makes him dangerous. He thinks the odds are too wide for Klose given the layoff.

"i do think dracar wins i'm picking him here but i probably won't bet this because of dracar's time off"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Big Brady picks Drakkar Klose to win by decision. He notes Klose is UFC-caliber with much better competition, while Jenkins is very hittable (35% striking defense) and has poor takedown defense (25%). He expects Klose to outstrike and outwrestle Jenkins, but doesn't see a finish since Klose hasn't finished in years. He calls Jenkins' only path a 'flukish knockout.'

win by decision
"give me close by for the win and can be close to win by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Cody picks Klose, citing his advantages in every department. He notes Jenkins relies on flashy techniques but was easily handled by a younger opponent. He thinks Klose's wrestling and experience will be too much.

"i think he did a good job of beating the line on that one"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Apr 14, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Daniel Levi picks Drakkar Klose but calls it a 'dog or pass' situation due to the -800 price. He notes Klose has fought much better competition (Bobby Green, Lando Vannata) and is skilled at grinding out decisions. However, he is concerned about Klose's concussion issues from the Jeremy Stephens shove and whether he will be the same fighter. Jenkins is a highlight-reel finisher but tends to break when he can't get the knockout. Levi expects Klose to win but won't bet at those odds.

Not betting at -800; mentions Klose by decision
"The pick is dracar close but I think it might be a dog or pass if you want to fade the narratives about what he's been going through."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Paul picks Klose, noting his experience and well-rounded game. He thinks Klose has advantages in wrestling, striking, and durability. He mentions he already bet Klose at -400 as part of a parlay.

"jacker closes on that parlay with aj mckee pat sabatini and panty kianzad pays two to one"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 11, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

The MMA Guru picks Drakkar Klose, stating Brandon Jenkins doesn't belong in the UFC. He notes Klose's competitive fight with Beneil Dariush and wins over Bobby Green and Marc Diakiese. He expects Klose to finish Jenkins by TKO in the second round.

second round TKO
"i'm gonna go with dracar close beating brandon jenkins i reckon he'll get a finish as well"
LOSS vs Beneil Dariush
KO (punch) R2 1:00 · UFC 248: Adesanya vs. Romero · Mar 07, 2020
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Beneil Dariush 1 12 of 20 60% 17 of 28 1 of 3 33% 2 0 4:20
Drakkar Klose 0 15 of 25 60% 27 of 37 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Beneil Dariush 0 5 of 9 55% 10 of 17 1 of 3 33% 2 0 4:18
Drakkar Klose 0 4 of 6 66% 16 of 18 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Beneil Dariush 1 7 of 11 63% 7 of 11 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Drakkar Klose 0 11 of 19 57% 11 of 19 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Beneil Dariush 12 of 20 60% 8 of 16 3 of 3 1 of 1 12 of 20 0 of 0 0 of 0
Drakkar Klose 15 of 25 60% 12 of 22 0 of 0 3 of 3 13 of 22 2 of 3 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Beneil Dariush 5 of 9 55% 3 of 7 2 of 2 0 of 0 5 of 9 0 of 0 0 of 0
Drakkar Klose 4 of 6 66% 4 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0 3 of 5 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Beneil Dariush 7 of 11 63% 5 of 9 1 of 1 1 of 1 7 of 11 0 of 0 0 of 0
Drakkar Klose 11 of 19 57% 8 of 16 0 of 0 3 of 3 10 of 17 1 of 2 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
155: Beneil Dariush vs. Drakkar Klose

Round 1
At lightweight, Kings MMA regular Dariush (17-4-1, 11-4-1 UFC) will try to put Klose’s (11-1-1, 5-1 UFC) submission skills to the test. Dariush’s preferred method of victory is by tapout, while Klose has never been submitted--will something give? Keeping this contest on the up-and-up is referee Jason Herzog. The two men touch gloves, and Klose tries to set up his jab but it is Dariush who lands first. A left hand is followed by a thumping body kick from Dariush, but he eats a nasty right coming back at him. Klose loads up with another right hand, and Dariush may be hurt but hiding it well. Dariush closes the distance and hits a takedown, but Klose does not stay ground for long. Klose grabs the fence to stop a takedown, and then grabs it again while Herzog admonishes him. Klose still grabs the cage, but in the process gives up his back. Dariush jumps on like a backpack and secures a body triangle, while hunting for a standing rear-naked choke. Dariush is only able to get one arm around his neck, and Klose is holding tight on the glove to stop the choke -- this is allowed, as long as he does not have his fingers inside the glove. Dariush wrenches his hand away and tugs tightly to get the choke, but Klose again wrests his arms free from danger. The Californian abandons the choke attempt while mounting a few punches together, and keeps his body triangle tightly wrapped around his opponent’s waist. As Klose starts to elbow the thigh to break the grip, Dariush nearly sinks in the choke, but Klose is quick to fight it off. The crowd starts to turn on the two men, as Dariush pulls tight for a choke and is content to squeeze on the chin instead of under the neck. Klose scrambles and flails to get his neck free, and does so while the crowd showers them with boos. Klose starts elbowing the top of the knee of his foe, and the round ends with Dariush as a backpack.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dariush
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Dariush
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Dariush

Round 2
The second frame begins with Klose kicking the lead leg, possibly sensing that Dariush’s legs are gassed. Dariush fires back with a low kick that lands to the groin, and a brief pause sees Klose readjust his cup. Dariush takes another gnarly leg kick, and Klose charges forward and blasts him with a huge right hand. Klose cracks him again and Dariush is in a bad, bad way. Klose swarms him with punches, and while getting tagged Dariush winds up and connects with a vicious right of his own that makes Klose do the stanky leg. The tide may have changed quickly, as Dariush chases after him with ferocious punches that back Klose against the fence. This is crazy! Now Klose is rocked badly, and in this insane exchange, Dariush evades a looping punch and fires a thunderous left hand that stiffens Klose and separates him from his consciousness. The mouthpiece nearly goes flying, and you can see Klose’s eyes staring off at the lights while he topples over against the fence. Herzog dives in to end the fight, and what an incredible turn of events! With this wild win, Dariush becomes the first fighter to ever finish the durable Klose.

The Official Result
Beneil Dariush def. Drakkar Klose R2 1:00 via KO (Punch)
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Mar 5, 2020 (2 days before fight)
Beneil Dariush

Daniel slightly favors Dariush as the favorite, acknowledging his superior skills in every aspect but concerned about his cardio. He notes that if Dariush paces himself well, he should outclass Klose, but if he slows down in the later rounds, Klose's pressure could break him. He understands the dog shot on Klose for that reason.

"I'm gonna slightly agree with Beneil being the favorite here and I will take him in the spot."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lock picked Mar 5, 2020 (2 days before fight)
Beneil Dariush

Dariush has a massive grappling advantage; every opponent has taken Klose down. Dariush's jiu-jitsu is next level, and Klose gives up his back. Dariush's striking has improved, and he can land knees in the clinch. The host is very confident, planning 4-5 units on Dariush straight, and likes the submission prop at +295.

Win by submission at +295. Also considering 4-5 units straight.
"This is more than likely potentially going to be my lock of the night play. I'm very very confident in Beneil here."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Feb 27, 2020 (9 days before fight)
Beneil Dariush

The MMA Guru picks Beneil Dariush, noting his four-fight win streak including a KO of James Vick. He acknowledges Drakkar Klose is on a mission but feels Klose gets rocked too often and Dariush has the experience to put him away. He predicts a submission win in the second or third round.

submission in the second or third round
"I'm going with Benilde are you sure I think I'll get a submission in the second or third round"
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 241: Cormier vs. Miocic 2 · Aug 17, 2019
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Drakkar Klose 0 87 of 155 56% 113 of 186 2 of 5 40% 1 0 3:19
Christos Giagos 0 99 of 160 61% 159 of 223 2 of 7 28% 0 0 3:42
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Drakkar Klose 0 24 of 47 51% 39 of 64 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:18
Christos Giagos 0 21 of 41 51% 53 of 73 0 of 1 0% 0 0 1:22
2 Drakkar Klose 0 22 of 32 68% 29 of 42 2 of 4 50% 1 0 1:43
Christos Giagos 0 37 of 48 77% 50 of 63 1 of 1 100% 0 0 2:05
3 Drakkar Klose 0 41 of 76 53% 45 of 80 0 of 1 0% 0 0 1:18
Christos Giagos 0 41 of 71 57% 56 of 87 1 of 5 20% 0 0 0:15
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Drakkar Klose 87 of 155 56% 55 of 117 29 of 33 3 of 5 69 of 127 16 of 23 2 of 5
Christos Giagos 99 of 160 61% 56 of 114 29 of 30 14 of 16 39 of 93 38 of 40 22 of 27
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Drakkar Klose 24 of 47 51% 7 of 28 15 of 16 2 of 3 17 of 38 7 of 9 0 of 0
Christos Giagos 21 of 41 51% 4 of 23 13 of 13 4 of 5 9 of 28 12 of 13 0 of 0
2 Drakkar Klose 22 of 32 68% 18 of 26 4 of 5 0 of 1 18 of 23 2 of 4 2 of 5
Christos Giagos 37 of 48 77% 27 of 37 8 of 9 2 of 2 7 of 12 9 of 10 21 of 26
3 Drakkar Klose 41 of 76 53% 30 of 63 10 of 12 1 of 1 34 of 66 7 of 10 0 of 0
Christos Giagos 41 of 71 57% 25 of 54 8 of 8 8 of 9 23 of 53 17 of 17 1 of 1
Joe Solecki - Fight History
LOSS vs Nurullo Aliev
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Ribas 2 · Jan 11, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Nurullo Aliev 0 35 of 88 39% 81 of 150 2 of 2 100% 0 0 8:13
Joe Solecki 0 28 of 68 41% 52 of 98 1 of 1 100% 1 0 0:36
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Nurullo Aliev 0 2 of 5 40% 17 of 28 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:08
Joe Solecki 0 2 of 4 50% 8 of 10 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Nurullo Aliev 0 9 of 29 31% 35 of 60 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:05
Joe Solecki 0 5 of 13 38% 14 of 22 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:00
3 Nurullo Aliev 0 24 of 54 44% 29 of 62 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Joe Solecki 0 21 of 51 41% 30 of 66 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:36
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Nurullo Aliev 35 of 88 39% 29 of 81 5 of 6 1 of 1 26 of 65 1 of 2 8 of 21
Joe Solecki 28 of 68 41% 24 of 60 1 of 4 3 of 4 26 of 65 0 of 0 2 of 3
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Nurullo Aliev 2 of 5 40% 2 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 2 0 of 0 2 of 3
Joe Solecki 2 of 4 50% 1 of 3 1 of 1 0 of 0 2 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Nurullo Aliev 9 of 29 31% 9 of 29 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 9 1 of 2 6 of 18
Joe Solecki 5 of 13 38% 5 of 12 0 of 1 0 of 0 5 of 13 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Nurullo Aliev 24 of 54 44% 18 of 47 5 of 6 1 of 1 24 of 54 0 of 0 0 of 0
Joe Solecki 21 of 51 41% 18 of 45 0 of 2 3 of 4 19 of 48 0 of 0 2 of 3
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jan 5, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Nurullo Aliev

Angelo picks Nurullo Aliev, citing his dominant wrestling and effective jab that sets up takedowns. He notes that Aliev's style is reminiscent of Khabib, though without the same accomplishments. Angelo acknowledges that Aliev's opponent, Yanal Ashmoz (likely Joe Solecki), is well-rounded and has been a successful underdog pick in the past, but he believes Aliev's wrestling will be too much. He expects a straightforward win via takedowns and control leading to a decision.

Aliev in a parlay (other half not specified)
"I'm going to go with narula alive hopefully no more cannibal activities with the biting I just think the wrestling's too good that jab is going to be right in his face"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jan 8, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Nurullo Aliev

Big Brady sees this as one of the easiest fights on the card. He expects Aliev to get takedowns and control the fight on the ground, while Solecki is content to be on his back and throw up submission attempts. He notes that Solecki has a history of losing minutes and being taken down, as seen in the Dawson fight. Brady predicts Aliev wins by decision, as he is not a finisher but will dominate positionally.

"it's going to be Nilla alv getting a takedown and Joe SEI laying on his back and throwing up submission attempts for 15 minutes"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Jan 8, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Nurullo Aliev

Cody picks Aliev but with low confidence due to the two-year layoff and inflated line. He notes Solecki's submission threat and Aliev's low volume. He advises passing or using Aliev only in deep parlays, calling it a trap line.

"this sounds like a trap line it honestly looks like a trap line to me"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jan 9, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Nurullo Aliev

Daniel thinks Aliev's grinding Russian style and takedowns will be too much for Solecki, who pulls guard and has cardio concerns on short notice. He notes Solecki's Jiu-Jitsu is a threat early but will fade. He believes the -600 price is justified and picks Aliev confidently.

"I'm going Pick N alab to win that fight"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jan 10, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Nurullo Aliev

Aliev's wrestling-heavy approach will keep him safe against Solecki's BJJ black belt, allowing him to grind out a decision win. He hasn't fought since February 2023 due to a leg injury, but his style should neutralize Solecki's grappling.

"I think his wrestling heavy approach here will allow him to stay safe against the BJJ black Bel of Joe SEI allowing alv to grind this fight out and win it on the scorecards"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Jan 8, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Nurullo Aliev

Paul picks Aliev but is not confident, citing the layoff and Solecki's grappling. He notes Solecki's one-dimensional style but potential to catch a submission. He prefers to pass on this fight.

"it's probably just a straight up pass for me"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jan 9, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Nurullo Aliev

The Guru picks Aliev, noting Solecki took the fight on short notice and hasn't been training for a fight (only a grappling match in November). He thinks Aliev is a lot better and will out-grapple Solecki or get a TKO. He suggests there might be value on an Aliev TKO.

TKO
"I am going to have to go with nurillo aliev however um because I think he's a lot better than Joe seli"
LOSS vs Grant Dawson
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier · Jun 01, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Grant Dawson 0 46 of 70 65% 146 of 190 3 of 3 100% 0 0 13:46
Joe Solecki 0 12 of 19 63% 27 of 35 0 of 2 0% 1 0 0:14
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Grant Dawson 0 7 of 11 63% 34 of 40 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:42
Joe Solecki 0 2 of 2 100% 6 of 6 0 of 1 0% 1 0 0:14
2 Grant Dawson 0 17 of 25 68% 51 of 66 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:31
Joe Solecki 0 4 of 6 66% 10 of 13 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Grant Dawson 0 22 of 34 64% 61 of 84 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:33
Joe Solecki 0 6 of 11 54% 11 of 16 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Grant Dawson 46 of 70 65% 39 of 62 6 of 7 1 of 1 7 of 14 1 of 1 38 of 55
Joe Solecki 12 of 19 63% 10 of 17 1 of 1 1 of 1 6 of 11 1 of 3 5 of 5
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Grant Dawson 7 of 11 63% 6 of 10 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 6 of 10
Joe Solecki 2 of 2 100% 2 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 2
2 Grant Dawson 17 of 25 68% 15 of 22 1 of 2 1 of 1 2 of 6 0 of 0 15 of 19
Joe Solecki 4 of 6 66% 3 of 5 0 of 0 1 of 1 3 of 5 0 of 0 1 of 1
3 Grant Dawson 22 of 34 64% 18 of 30 4 of 4 0 of 0 4 of 7 1 of 1 17 of 26
Joe Solecki 6 of 11 54% 5 of 10 1 of 1 0 of 0 3 of 6 1 of 3 2 of 2
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Dawson (-410), Solecki (+320)

Round 1
The prelims roll on with an interesting stylistic clash of grapplers in the lightweight category. Coming off his first loss since 2016, it will be interesting to see how Dawson (20-2-1, 8-1-1 UFC) rebounds—he smoked Christian Camp in his bounce-back effort after dropping his first fight. Hailing from about 90 minutes southwest of the Prudential Center, Solecki (13-4, 5-2 UFC) will be his adversary, and the crowd roars in approval of their home state fighter. Referee Jason Herzog can scarcely hear himself think, but he starts the fight anyway. Taking a page out of the playbook of Jorge Masvidal, Dawson sprints at Solecki and leaps at him with a flying knee. Solecki plays the matador to let him slide past him, and he drags Dawson down from behind and threatens with a guillotine choke. Dawson resets to break out of the submission setup and takes top position, and Solecki readjusts to lock the choke down and gets a hook around the side. Solecki briefly claims mount with the choke set, and Dawson continues to shift and move until he breaks out of the choke. Dawson keeps tight chest pressure when he resides on top, and Solecki hacks at him from off his back with elbows. Dawson postures up, and he lowers himself down to soften the body up. Solecki defends from anything of merit landing from above, and he carves Dawson open with an elbow. Dawson may hold top position, but he is not winning in practically any of the exchanges. Dawson bleeds down on Solecki and tries to open up on ground-and-pound, and he manages to get off a few elbows of his own. Dawson lands a few more hammerfists and punches, and when the horn sounds, he helps Solecki up.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Solecki
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Solecki
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Solecki

Round 2
Dawson starts off the round aggressively, punching his way into closing the distance. Solecki flails back, but he gets pushed back towards the wall and is forced to defend a takedown. “KGD” easily grounds Solecki, where he lands in the guard and starts to rack up more top control time. Dawson grinds his elbow on the forehead, and as he holds Solecki down, the crowd boos his lackluster approach. Dawson winds up with a powerful elbow, slashing down at Solecki, and he sporadically works with strikes. Dawson finds an opening to land three right hands after a Solecki fails, and he smacks Solecki around from any angle he can find. Solecki is unable to offer any offense of his own, and a submission is nowhere to be found. Dawson cannot pass guard, but he keeps Solecki down and stays just active enough to stave off a Herzog standup. Dawson stands up to drop down a few standing-to-ground punches, and the momentum drives him back into the tie-up. Dawson makes life miserable for the remainder of the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dawson
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Dawson
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Dawson

Round 3
The lightweights clap hands to open up the final round, and Solecki runs at him and shoots for a single-leg takedown. As Dawson staves it off, Solecki whips a body kick at him, but it is too low and smashes straight into Dawson’s cup. Dawson groans and drops to a knee, and Herzog calls time. Dawson does not take long before he is ready to go again, and he proceeds to drive Solecki to the wall upon restart. Solecki swings, and Dawson ducks and secures a takedown like a hot knife through butter. Dawson does not care to shift to half guard, and he ignores a guillotine setup so he can line up ground strikes. Solecki is stuck with no options, kept with his upper back pressed on the wall and trapped in a position that allows him no offense or escape. Dawson completely nullifies him, but he cannot get any further than the full guard of his foe. Solecki uses a butterfly guard to prevent Dawson from advancing beyond that posture, but he eats three elbows during one exchange. Dawson stands up in an effort to push through the guard, and he rains down punches from on high until leaps into the guard again. “KGD” answers Herzog’s call for action by elbowing and punching Solecki a few times, and the grind has been firmly embraced. Solecki kicks off and gets to his knees with seconds to go, and Dawson nearly knees him illegally in this position. The lackluster fight ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dawson (29-28 Dawson)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Dawson (29-28 Dawson)
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Dawson (29-28 Dawson)

The Official Result
Grant Dawson def. Joe Solecki via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked May 26, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Grant Dawson

Angelo picks Grant Dawson because he believes whoever shoots first will win, and Dawson is more willing to dive at legs immediately. He thinks the jiu-jitsu will cancel out, so wrestling will decide it. He also notes that Dawson's recent knockout loss will make him even more eager to wrestle. He likes the over 2.5 rounds.

Over 2.5 rounds is 'rock solid'
"I think Grant Dawson wins because he's going to wrestle first because he'll get that takedown and then the Jiu-Jitsu from there is even"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked May 31, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Grant Dawson

Big Brady likes Grant Dawson as a GPP play, expecting him to be lower owned. He highlights Dawson's big wrestling advantage, with takedowns and control time leading to ground strikes. He thinks Dawson could get a late finish in the third round. He sees Dawson's path to victory as a ton of takedowns and control.

Grant Dawson wins by decision or late finish
"I don't mind some Dawson 9,300 I think he's going to be much much lower owned than Islam mahv"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked May 29, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Grant Dawson

Cody picks Dawson, criticizing Solecki's lack of improvement and one-dimensional jiu-jitsu. He notes Solecki's striking and wrestling are poor, and he has not evolved his game. Cody highlights Dawson's wins over Jared Gordon and Mark Madsen, and believes Dawson will take Solecki down and grind him out. He calls Solecki a 'Chase Hooper type' who can't get the fight to the ground.

"Solecki is still young but he's not advancing his skills... Dawson meanwhile was on a nice little run... this is a Grant Dawson type fight."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Hesitant picked May 28, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Grant Dawson

Daniel is not a Dawson believer, citing his poor striking and chin issues. He notes Solecki is a better striker but lacks confidence and may pull guard. He reluctantly picks Dawson but says it's dog or pass.

"I guess I'll lean Dawson"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 27, 2024 (5 days before fight)
Grant Dawson

The host believes Dawson is better everywhere and will dominate Solecki with relentless wrestling and top control. Solecki's submission threat off his back is overrated, and his striking is rudimentary. Dawson should control the pace and position, winning a decision or possibly finding a finish. The host is confident Dawson bounces back emphatically.

"I really like Dawson in the spot... I think he's a guy that's going to go out there and have a smack performance here."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked May 29, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Grant Dawson

Paul picks Dawson, noting the stylistic matchup favors Dawson's grappling and cardio. He believes Dawson's volume and physicality will overwhelm Solecki, who lacks striking and wrestling. Paul mentions Dawson's only recent loss was a flash KO to Bobby Green, and he expects Dawson to get back on track. He added Dawson to a parlay at -350.

"I think this is just a Grant Dawson obviously got a little bit exposed last time out but this is a very solid matchup for him... I like this fight stylistically for Grant Dawson."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 27, 2024 (5 days before fight)
Grant Dawson

The MMA Guru picks Grant Dawson, noting that Joe Solecki is coming off a bad KO loss and lacks the ability to inflict pain on the feet. He believes Dawson has better standup and grappling, and that Solecki's jiu-jitsu won't be enough. He predicts Dawson by decision, 29-28.

"I' got to go with Grant Dawson um lot of things to consider here you know about Joe S he's coming in off a KO loss"
LOSS vs Drakkar Klose
KO (slam) R1 1:41 · UFC on ESPN: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan · Dec 02, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Drakkar Klose 0 2 of 2 100% 8 of 9 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:40
Joe Solecki 0 1 of 1 100% 9 of 13 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:53
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Drakkar Klose 0 2 of 2 100% 8 of 9 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:40
Joe Solecki 0 1 of 1 100% 9 of 13 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:53
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Drakkar Klose 2 of 2 100% 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 1
Joe Solecki 1 of 1 100% 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Drakkar Klose 2 of 2 100% 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 1
Joe Solecki 1 of 1 100% 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Nov 29, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

Cody picks Solecki as an underdog. He thinks Solecki's grappling and back-taking ability will be key. He notes Klose's takedown defense issues and age (35) coming off a knee injury. He believes Solecki can win the positional battle and control the fight. He calls it a shoey bet.

"seli screams like a dog with a shot because I think he can win the positional battle he can get those takedowns close has got the knee injury the year-long layoff 35 years old take down defense issues in the …"
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Nov 30, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

Lucrative James picks Joe Solecki, emphasizing that Drakkar Klose consistently gives up his back in fights, which is a bad stylistic matchup against a grappler like Solecki. He believes Solecki will take Klose's back and either submit him or win rounds through control. While Klose may have an edge on the feet, Solecki's grappling upside makes him the favorite.

"it's almost guaranteed that Joe's going to take his back at one point you know which sounds crazy but he's I've just seen it way too many times"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked Nov 30, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Klose has a solid wrestling and pressure game, and stylistically he has advantages over Solecki in striking and grappling. However, he is returning from an ACL injury at 35 years old, which raises concerns about his knee recovery. Solecki is a BJJ black belt but has shown limited offense off his back and unimpressive striking. Klose is expected to dictate the pace and win a decision, but confidence is tempered due to the injury.

decision win predicted
"give me close I think close by decision uh and I think we see him come back successfully but I would just be weary in terms of the amount of confidence that you have in him"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Nov 29, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Paul already bet Klose at -120. He thinks Klose has significant advantages on the feet and trains with good partners. He is surprised the line is still playable. He notes Klose's only UFC losses are to Beneil Dariush and David Teymur, and he believes Klose should win.

"I like jar close here I'm kind of surprised by this line I bet it like uh three or four day or my one buddy uh Mick reached out and I kind of looked into it and then I ended …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Nov 28, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

The MMA Guru picks Drakkar Klose, noting Klose's technical striking, takedown defense, and cardio. He dismisses Joe Solecki's level of competition and believes Klose does the basics better. He expects a close decision, 29-28, in Klose's favor.

decision 29-28
"I'm going to go Drakkar Klose win... I don't think Joe Solecki is all that good... Drakkar Klose just does the basic stuff better than Joe Solecki."
Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) R2 4:55 · UFC Fight Night: Muniz vs. Allen · Feb 25, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Joe Solecki 0 2 of 8 25% 49 of 67 2 of 3 66% 3 0 8:51
Carl Deaton III 0 1 of 12 8% 13 of 29 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Joe Solecki 0 2 of 4 50% 14 of 18 1 of 2 50% 2 0 4:26
Carl Deaton III 0 0 of 6 0% 6 of 13 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Joe Solecki 0 0 of 4 0% 35 of 49 1 of 1 100% 1 0 4:25
Carl Deaton III 0 1 of 6 16% 7 of 16 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Joe Solecki 2 of 8 25% 1 of 6 0 of 1 1 of 1 1 of 6 1 of 2 0 of 0
Carl Deaton III 1 of 12 8% 1 of 10 0 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 12 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Joe Solecki 2 of 4 50% 1 of 3 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 2 1 of 2 0 of 0
Carl Deaton III 0 of 6 0% 0 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Joe Solecki 0 of 4 0% 0 of 3 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0
Carl Deaton III 1 of 6 16% 1 of 4 0 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Feb 23, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

Connor agrees with Zane, picking Solecki. He describes Deaton as having a striking style that is very difficult for him to pull off, with low output and awkward movement. He notes that Solecki is a good wrestler and grappler who will dominate once he gets to his positions.

"Very, very straightforward pick."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Feb 23, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

Zane picks Solecki, stating that Solecki will easily take Deaton down and choke him out. He notes that Deaton's striking is limited and awkward, and that Solecki will have an easy time getting to his positions. He also mentions that Deaton's win over Justin James is not meaningful, as James was on a losing streak.

"I just got to pick Joe's lucky to go out there and wrestle him down and choke him out."
Decision (majority) (28–28, 28–27, 29–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Rozenstruik · Jun 04, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Joe Solecki 0 33 of 82 40% 91 of 144 1 of 4 25% 3 0 4:51
Alex da Silva Coelho 1 35 of 76 46% 54 of 96 0 of 0 --- 0 0 5:55
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Joe Solecki 0 3 of 5 60% 24 of 27 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:11
Alex da Silva Coelho 1 6 of 8 75% 17 of 19 0 of 0 --- 0 0 4:32
2 Joe Solecki 0 3 of 4 75% 31 of 34 1 of 2 50% 2 0 4:40
Alex da Silva Coelho 0 1 of 3 33% 7 of 10 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Joe Solecki 0 27 of 73 36% 36 of 83 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Alex da Silva Coelho 0 28 of 65 43% 30 of 67 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:23
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Joe Solecki 33 of 82 40% 32 of 81 0 of 0 1 of 1 30 of 77 1 of 3 2 of 2
Alex da Silva Coelho 35 of 76 46% 20 of 58 11 of 12 4 of 6 29 of 67 1 of 2 5 of 7
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Joe Solecki 3 of 5 60% 3 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 0 3 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 0
Alex da Silva Coelho 6 of 8 75% 4 of 6 2 of 2 0 of 0 3 of 4 0 of 0 3 of 4
2 Joe Solecki 3 of 4 75% 3 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 2 0 of 0 2 of 2
Alex da Silva Coelho 1 of 3 33% 0 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 3 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Joe Solecki 27 of 73 36% 26 of 72 0 of 0 1 of 1 26 of 70 1 of 3 0 of 0
Alex da Silva Coelho 28 of 65 43% 16 of 50 9 of 10 3 of 5 25 of 60 1 of 2 2 of 3
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked May 29, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Alex da Silva Coelho

Angelo calls this a very close fight. Joe Solecki is a grappler with clean boxing but lost to more technical strikers. Alex da Silva is a slick striker with power and good wrestling. Angelo notes the odds favor Solecki at -165 but thinks da Silva may have the edge in power and willingness to wrestle first. He is torn but leans da Silva, and considers a +3.5 round buy bet.

considering a plus 3.5 round buy bet on da Silva
"this pick is really hard and i think i'm leaning alex here but i might change that later in the week i'm really really torn here"
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked May 30, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Alex da Silva Coelho

Big Brady picks Alex da Silva Coelho to win by decision as an underdog. He thinks da Silva is the better striker and well-rounded, but his main concern is cardio, as da Silva has faded in past fights. He is hoping da Silva has improved his gas tank during his 20-month layoff. He notes that Solecki is a BJJ black belt but da Silva has good grappling and wrestling. He believes da Silva can win the first two rounds and possibly hold on for a decision, but is not overly confident.

da Silva by decision
"I will take to silva i'm hoping and banking on him hoping hoping to make improvements here in terms of the cardio"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jun 1, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

Cody picks Solecki, noting his BJJ black belt and wrestling. He thinks da Silva's cardio issues will be exploited and Solecki will take his back. He is confident in Solecki's grappling advantage.

"i think eventually he finds the back puts the body triangle in and just wears on him"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Jun 2, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

Daniel Levi picks Joe Solecki, citing his consistent grappling and fight IQ. He acknowledges Alex da Silva's talent but notes his cardio issues and mental lapses. He sees Solecki as the safer pick but does not see value at -170, so he will not bet it. He calls it a 'dog or pass' situation.

"pure pick solecki just because i think he's proven a little bit more and because i think he kind of know he's kind of comfortable with who he is as a fighter"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jun 1, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

Paul picks Solecki, citing his superior grappling and cardio. He notes da Silva's tendency to gas and thinks Solecki will take his back and submit him or win a decision. He likes the price and expects Solecki to find a submission in the later rounds.

Solecki by submission or decision
"i'm leaning towards selecting by decision but to be honest a selective third round submission something like that wouldn't surprise me either"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 30, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

The MMA Guru picks Joe Solecki, though his analysis is brief and somewhat incoherent due to illness. He states he doesn't see Alex da Silva Coelho out-grappling Solecki and references Coelho's loss to Yakovlev. He calls Solecki a 'good grappler' and implies he will win, but does not provide a specific method or round.

"i'm gonna go with joe salecki he's a [ __ ] good grapp"
LOSS vs Jared Gordon
Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Walker · Oct 02, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jared Gordon 0 38 of 69 55% 70 of 102 4 of 7 57% 0 0 6:03
Joe Solecki 0 51 of 86 59% 83 of 122 1 of 2 50% 0 1 4:07
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jared Gordon 0 10 of 10 100% 35 of 35 1 of 1 100% 0 0 3:58
Joe Solecki 0 1 of 1 100% 6 of 6 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:45
2 Jared Gordon 0 3 of 3 100% 7 of 8 3 of 5 60% 0 0 2:05
Joe Solecki 0 16 of 16 100% 40 of 44 0 of 0 --- 0 1 2:38
3 Jared Gordon 0 25 of 56 44% 28 of 59 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Joe Solecki 0 34 of 69 49% 37 of 72 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:44
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jared Gordon 38 of 69 55% 31 of 62 5 of 5 2 of 2 25 of 56 4 of 4 9 of 9
Joe Solecki 51 of 86 59% 32 of 60 12 of 18 7 of 8 33 of 68 15 of 15 3 of 3
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jared Gordon 10 of 10 100% 10 of 10 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 9 of 9
Joe Solecki 1 of 1 100% 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Jared Gordon 3 of 3 100% 2 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 1 2 of 2 1 of 1 0 of 0
Joe Solecki 16 of 16 100% 15 of 15 1 of 1 0 of 0 2 of 2 11 of 11 3 of 3
3 Jared Gordon 25 of 56 44% 19 of 50 5 of 5 1 of 1 22 of 53 3 of 3 0 of 0
Joe Solecki 34 of 69 49% 17 of 45 10 of 16 7 of 8 30 of 65 4 of 4 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Jared Gordon vs. Joe Solecki

Round 1
Seemingly in the blink of an eye, we have reached the preliminary headliner, which comes at lightweight between ex-CFFC champ Gordon (17-4, 5-3 UFC) and fellow CFFC vet Solecki (11-2, 3-0 UFC). Someone’s win streak here will come to an end, and referee Dan Miragliotta will be the first person to find out who that will be. There is a respectful touch of gloves to start off the contest, and they are tense and ready to pull the trigger. When Gordon tries to start off the fight with a knee, Solecki quickly takes him down and assumes full mount about 30 seconds into the bout. Gordon tries to kick him off, so Solecki scoots him to the fence and starts to pound on him from above. Solecki sits in a heavy side control, and Gordon responds by walking off the wall. This is not the best strategy, as Solecki gets one hook in and then the other, fully taking the back of “Flash” in a flash. Solecki whacks Gordon on the side of the head a few times to soften him up and open the neck up for submission, and then elects to squeeze with a face crank when that is not there. As Gordon fights off the grip and kicks off the fence, Solecki smacks him upside the head a few times. Solecki wraps his arm around the chin of his opponent, and he switches arms and the forearm slides under the chin briefly. Gordon is able to fight out of it, but he is still being controlled and taking strikes as he rolls around. In these harsh scrambles, both men suffer serious mat burn on their knees and elbows, and Gordon stands up against the fence. Solecki welcomes this by jumping guard with a guillotine choke, and he drags Gordon down to the ground. “Flash” is able to slowly pull his neck free, and he thinks about paying Solecki back with some strikes before choosing to grind his forehead into his foe’s chin instead. Gordon gets off a few short elbows, and ends the round on top.

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

Round 2
The gloves get touched to begin the second round, and Gordon tries to lure a firefight but Solecki grabs hold of him and grounds him 10 seconds into the frame. Gordon springs back to his feet thanks to the wall, and he defends with a guillotine choke as Solecki shoots low with a takedown. Solecki pulls the leg out and gets Gordon down again, but they both pop back up after an exchange. Solecki grinds his foe against the wall, and Gordon tries to gain some space with some snappy elbows. Gordon keeps ringing his opponent’s bell with elbows, and this keeps Solecki from getting him down. Solecki drags him from one side of the cage to the other, and he ties Gordon’s legs up to hit a trip and put “Flash” on the mat. Gordon stays active, and he turns about so that he can put Solecki’s back to the floor. Gordon stays in Solecki’s full guard as he lands a few punches from up close, and he fights off a sweep attempt to keep Solecki grounded. A strike from below cuts Gordon on the top of his head, but he pays it no mind as he works Solecki over and smothers him with top control. Miragliotta asks them to work after a stalemate, and Gordon answers his call with a single heavy elbow before getting pulled back to a tight full guard. Gordon rides this position out to the bell, putting an end to a close and grinding round.

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

Round 3
The last round begins with a glove touch, and this time, Gordon does not succumb to a takedown immediately. Instead, Gordon walks Solecki down and lands a few punches. Solecki tries to go to the body, but Gordon sticks and moves. Solecki does step in with a body kick, but Gordon ignores it so that he can stick his jab in Solecki’s face. Gordon dodges and weaves the counter strikes as he picks and pokes at his opponent, landing a few right hands that get Solecki’s attention. Solecki eats a body kick and ducks out of the way from a couple punches that follow. Gordon sits down on a big punch, and Solecki lets rip a leg kick that makes Gordon pull his leg back quickly. Gordon again tags Solecki with an overhand right, and they bump into one another but Solecki does not try to take the fight down. In a flash, “Flash” shoots in for a takedown of his own, and Solecki stuffs it and gets back to striking range. Gordon again closes in on him to try to drag the fight down, and he trips the leg down to put Solecki on his back briefly. Solecki springs back up, and Gordon lets him get to his feet so that he can land at range. “Flash” triples up on his jab, and he strings together a combination as Solecki is fired up and wants to start trading finally. Solecki uses the strikes to come in close, and they clash heads, opening a large cut on Gordon’s temple that starts to bleed profusely. On the other side, Solecki’s eyebrow towards his nose is split open, and both fight through it without noticing. Gordon walks Solecki down and tries to land a bomb, and Solecki catches him on the way in and tags him with a left. The fight ends with a striking exchange, and it may be a close one.

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

The Official Result
Jared Gordon def. Joe Solecki via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Sep 29, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

Angelo picks Joe Solecki, but with hesitation. He notes that Solecki is a very good grappler with clean boxing, while Jared Gordon is a wrestler who may be intimidated to take the fight to the ground due to Solecki's BJJ. However, Gordon has fought higher competition and has better offensive wrestling. Angelo thinks Solecki's path is via submission, but he wouldn't be shocked if Gordon wins by decision. He likes the less less monkey knife fight pick and may bet on Solecki inside the distance with decision no action.

less less monkey knife fight, considering inside the distance decision no action bet on Solecki
"joe selecci's the pick because i think jared may be intimidated with the takedowns but i would not be shocked if jared's like i don't care comes out there throw some bombs"
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Sep 30, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Jared Gordon

Big Brady picks Jared Gordon to win by decision, siding with the veteran despite liking Joe Solecki's upside. He notes Gordon has never been outgrappled in the UFC and has good takedown defense and grappling himself (brown belt). Solecki is a BJJ black belt with improving striking, but his wins are over lesser competition (Jim Miller, Austin Hubbard, Matt Wyman). Brady thinks Gordon has the striking advantage and more experience, and that Solecki won't find takedowns as easy as against previous opponents. He calls it a tough fight but takes the dog.

Gordon by decision
"i'm going to side with jared gordon i'm going to take jared gordon to win by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Sep 29, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Jared Gordon

Cody picks Gordon as a dog, citing his improved speed and cardio after switching to Sanford MMA. He notes that Gordon has a history of drug abuse but has reinvented himself and looked much better in his last fight. He believes Gordon's pressure, cardio, and grappling will be too much for Solecki, who struggled against Jim Miller's wrestling.

"jared gordon will be under dog number do i only got two dogs at this point regardless jared gordon is dog number two"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Oct 1, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Jared Gordon

Daniel Levi picks Jared Gordon as an underdog, citing Gordon's heavy top pressure (described as 'Khabib-level' by training partners) and better stand-up technique. He is concerned about Solecki's guard-pulling in his last fight, which could be disastrous against Gordon's top game. Levi acknowledges Solecki's improving hands and submission threat but thinks Gordon's experience and pressure will earn him a split decision.

"give me a chair gordon for the upside here i think he's the more experienced guy you're super heavy on top"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 1, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Jared Gordon

I have huge conviction on Gordon here. Solecki has been fed favorable matchups against wrestlers with poor jiu-jitsu defense, but Gordon is a different beast. Gordon is a better wrestler, has excellent jiu-jitsu defense, and will push a relentless pace. On the feet, Gordon has a clear edge. I bet 4 units on Gordon moneyline and like Gordon by decision at +250.

Gordon by decision +250
"I bet him big i have four units on him on the money line"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Sep 29, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Jared Gordon

Paul agrees with Cody, picking Gordon as a dog. He notes that Gordon has a significant size advantage and better cardio. He is concerned about Gordon's chin but believes his pressure and grappling will be key. He plans to bet on Gordon after the show.

"after we get off the show i'm gonna throw some money on jared gordon because sounds like we're on the same page here"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Sep 27, 2021 (5 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

The MMA Guru picks Joe Solecki, noting that Jared Gordon's size advantage will be negated at lightweight. He also questions Gordon's chin, as he has been KO'd multiple times. Solecki has good grappling, as shown in his win over Jim Miller. He predicts Solecki will win by unanimous decision 29-28.

"i'm going to be going with joe salecki here i think he's a good favorite to take"
WIN vs Jim Miller
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC on ABC: Vettori vs. Holland · Apr 10, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Joe Solecki 0 11 of 34 32% 45 of 76 0 of 0 --- 0 0 2:03
Jim Miller 0 19 of 42 45% 93 of 146 1 of 4 25% 0 0 9:23
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Joe Solecki 0 9 of 28 32% 20 of 40 0 of 0 --- 0 0 2:03
Jim Miller 0 16 of 36 44% 17 of 37 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:09
2 Joe Solecki 0 2 of 5 40% 18 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jim Miller 0 2 of 3 66% 41 of 56 1 of 2 50% 0 0 4:39
3 Joe Solecki 0 0 of 1 0% 7 of 8 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jim Miller 0 1 of 3 33% 35 of 53 0 of 1 0% 0 0 4:35
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Joe Solecki 11 of 34 32% 7 of 26 2 of 4 2 of 4 9 of 31 2 of 2 0 of 1
Jim Miller 19 of 42 45% 12 of 33 2 of 4 5 of 5 18 of 41 1 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Joe Solecki 9 of 28 32% 6 of 22 1 of 3 2 of 3 8 of 26 1 of 1 0 of 1
Jim Miller 16 of 36 44% 10 of 29 2 of 3 4 of 4 15 of 35 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Joe Solecki 2 of 5 40% 1 of 4 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 4 1 of 1 0 of 0
Jim Miller 2 of 3 66% 2 of 3 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 3 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Joe Solecki 0 of 1 0% 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 1 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jim Miller 1 of 3 33% 0 of 1 0 of 1 1 of 1 1 of 3 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Jim Miller vs. Joe Solecki

Round 1
A chasm of experience separates these lightweights tapped to headline the prelims, as fan-favorite Miller (32-15, 1 NC; 21-14, 1 NC UFC) sets the all-time UFC appearance record at 37 by simply stepping in the cage against fellow grappler Solecki (10-2, 2-0 UFC). The Octagon ranger for this key preliminary matchup is referee Herb Dean, and we see a respectful touch of gloves to lead things off. Miller comes out first with a reaching right hand, but it is Solecki that lands first with a quick combination and a slapping leg kick. The two engage in a brief brawl in the center of the cage, and Solecki gets off another kick. Once more there is a clinch battle with a flurry of fists and feet, and Miller takes one on the chin and gets pushed into the fence. Solecki comes up short with an overhand right, but the leg kick scores again. Miller swings wildly with a pair of hooks, and Solecki steps back and takes a sweeping leg kick. Solecki gets off a one-two, and he fires a body kick as he avoids an overhand right counter. Miller comes in with a shovel uppercut, and that and a head kick get blocked. Solecki nails Miller with a right hand, and the longtime vet eats it like a grinder. Solecki again plants his foot on Miller’s torso, and Miller’s reply hits nothing but air. Miller steps in with a leg kick, and a pair of big punches miss the mark as Solecki circles out of danger. Miller wades forward to sneak in a right hand, and when Solecki aims for a takedown, Miller pushes him over and climbs into the full guard. Solecki scoots his way to the fence while Miller is trying to find some offense from on top, and Miller instead uses this angle between the floor and the fence to keep Solecki trapped. Solecki blocks strikes and cannot kick off, as Miller begins to drop down a few punches. Miller continues to grind out his foe in this position, and he lands a few body shots while Solecki holds on tight with all his might. The round ends with Miller on top.

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

Round 2
The New Jersey natives touch hands to clock in the second frame, and Miller rushes forward to throw hands. Miller catches Solecki with a left hand as he closes the distance, and Solecki drops down for a single leg as Miller defends it against the fence. As Solecki changes levels to take the fight all the way down, Miller cracks him with a knee but still falls to his back. Miller employs a rubber guard immediately, using his left leg to hook the shoulder for a brief spell. Solecki looks to pass guard but Miller does not allow him to do so, instead dragging his man back as Miller clings on tight. Solecki is unable to mount any offense from above, but Miller appears complacent on his back as he repositions his legs in his guard to open and close it searching for options. Solecki drops down a quartet of punches to the body, and Miller does not want to be flat on his back so he turns to his side. Miller hacks at his man with an elbow, but he is largely nullified by the younger man with top pressure. Miller gets off another elbow and is punched in the face for his effort, as Solecki tries to get off ground-and-pound but is mostly able to strike the side. Dean calls for Solecki to work after several minutes of stalemate, and the round ends in this position.

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

Round 3
The last round opens with a Miller leg kick, and Solecki closes the distance to aim for a takedown and get back to the position where he rode out the previous frame. Miller frantically scrambles, and even rolls when Solecki trips his leg out, but he surrenders his back in the process. Miller somersaults to pursue a leglock, and Solecki easily spins around and winds up on top in a better position than the previous frame. Solecki sits in half guard while Miller is stuck on his side, and he holds his shoulder for a potential arm-triangle choke until bailing on it to posture up. Miller once more finds himself stuck without any ability to get up, and Solecki has firmly embraced the grind as precious seconds tick off the clock. Solecki gets warned for inactivity by Dean, and he lands a few punches to the side while Miller once more twists and turns to try to free himself. Solecki pops him with a few left hands, and he drops down a couple elbows as well to stay busy. The half guard position is a successful one for Solecki, delivering sporadic ground-and-pound and trapping Miller completely. This suffocating style is taking the fight out of the veteran, who looks frustrated as he gets punched in the face every so often. Dean once more calls for Solecki to work, and Solecki tries to mount his foe but cannot get his leg free. The younger fighter keeps working with left hands to the side of Miller’s body and face, and this dreadful fight mercifully comes to a close.

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

The Official Result
Joe Solecki def. Jim Miller via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Apr 7, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

Big Brady is very confident in Solecki, ranking him among his top picks on the card. He highlights Solecki's superior grappling, takedown accuracy (62%), and 100% takedown defense, while Miller has poor takedown defense (46%). Brady expects Solecki to take Miller down and control him on the mat, especially as the fight goes on. He notes Miller's guillotine threat but believes Solecki's black belt will keep him safe. He predicts a decision win, possibly a late submission.

"honestly probably one of my most confident picks on the on the whole card"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert picked Apr 7, 2021 (3 days before fight)

Cody passes on this fight, finding the -230 price too high for Solecki. He thinks the grappling is a wash and Miller has better striking. He prefers the over 2.5 rounds and fight goes the distance props.

Over 2.5 rounds -150; fight goes the distance
"it's a dogger pass type of situation i have no interest in selecting minus 230"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Apr 9, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Joe Solecki

Daniel Levi picks Joe Solecki, citing Jim Miller's age and tendency to fade after the first round. He notes that Solecki has improved his stand-up, as seen in the Austin Hubbard fight, and has a strong jiu-jitsu background. Levi thinks Miller's only path to victory is a first-round knockout, and if Solecki gets past that, he will take over. He also mentions that Solecki trains with John Salter and has a good mindset.

"I'm gonna go with joe solecki just by he's younger i like his mindset too"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Apr 7, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

The host is a big believer in Solecki, citing his high-level jiu-jitsu, improving striking, and cardio. He thinks Solecki has the advantage everywhere, especially with Miller's poor takedown defense and tendency to slow down. He picks Solecki to win by decision or late submission, and notes that -235 is a fair price.

Solecki by decision or submission round 3
"i like slacky here i think he pretty much has him covered everywhere even if select he wants to take him down right off the bat i think he'll be good to go"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert picked Apr 7, 2021 (3 days before fight)

Paul also passes, noting Solecki's poor striking and Miller's experience. He thinks the fight will be a grappling match that goes the distance. He prefers the over 2.5 rounds and fight goes the distance props.

Over 2.5 rounds +125; fight goes the distance
"i'm thinking over two and a half rounds minus 150 is probably my favorite play"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 4, 2021 (6 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

The MMA Guru picks Joe Solecki by third-round rear-naked choke. He considers Solecki an underrated prospect who submitted Austin Hubbard easily. He notes Jim Miller has been out-grappled recently by Vince Pichel and is aging. He thinks Solecki will wear Miller down with body work against the cage and secure a submission in the third round.

third round rear-naked choke submission
"i think a young joe saleki is going to go out there and get the submission win by rear naked choke against jim miller"
Submission (rear-naked choke) R1 3:51 · UFC on ESPN: Munhoz vs. Edgar · Aug 22, 2020
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Joe Solecki 0 9 of 14 64% 9 of 14 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Austin Hubbard 0 13 of 20 65% 36 of 43 0 of 2 0% 1 0 2:37
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Joe Solecki 0 9 of 14 64% 9 of 14 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Austin Hubbard 0 13 of 20 65% 36 of 43 0 of 2 0% 1 0 2:37
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Joe Solecki 9 of 14 64% 2 of 5 4 of 5 3 of 4 6 of 11 3 of 3 0 of 0
Austin Hubbard 13 of 20 65% 8 of 15 2 of 2 3 of 3 9 of 16 4 of 4 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Joe Solecki 9 of 14 64% 2 of 5 4 of 5 3 of 4 6 of 11 3 of 3 0 of 0
Austin Hubbard 13 of 20 65% 8 of 15 2 of 2 3 of 3 9 of 16 4 of 4 0 of 0
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Aug 20, 2020 (2 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

Big Brady picks Joe Solecki to win by decision. He notes Hubbard has poor takedown defense (40%) and has been taken down by everyone in the UFC. Solecki has good wrestling and is slick on the ground with transitions to the back. On the feet, Hubbard has the advantage, but Brady expects Solecki to go for takedowns early and control the fight, provided his cardio holds up. He mentions Hubbard's win over Max Rohskopf is overrated because Rohskopf had only one round of gas.

"i gotta go to lucky here i think he's going to not mess around with the feet i think he's going to go for takedowns right away and as long as this gas tank holds up i think he's going …"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Aug 22, 2020 (fight day)
Joe Solecki

Daniel Levi picks Joe Solecki to win, citing his high-level jiu-jitsu and control on the ground. He notes that Solecki's takedowns may not be elite but he can get the fight to the mat, and Hubbard has been outgrappled before. Levi acknowledges Hubbard's improved conditioning and volume striking but believes Solecki will get takedowns early, build a lead, and survive the third round. He mentions Solecki's dominant performance against Matt Wyman as evidence.

"i'm gonna go with select you for the win i think he uh just gets more takedowns and you know probably controls him takes his back for a round and gets off to a big lead and gets the win"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked Aug 20, 2020 (2 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

Solecki has great wrestling and jiu-jitsu, but his cardio and ability to finish are questionable. Hubbard has good leg kicks, cardio, and takedown defense, having survived wrestlers like Marco Madsen. Solecki should grind out a decision if he can maintain top control, but Hubbard's gas tank and striking could make it close. I'm pumping the brakes on Solecki until he proves more.

"i am going to pick him to win this fight because i do think he has a ton of potential"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Aug 17, 2020 (5 days before fight)
Austin Hubbard

The MMA Guru picks Austin Hubbard, citing his counter-grappling skills and takedown defense as seen in the Mark Madsen fight. He believes Hubbard can avoid submissions and reverse positions, eventually breaking Solecki down for a third-round TKO. He also notes Hubbard's reach advantage and that he should be the favorite.

third round tko
"i'm picking austin hubbard to win great counter grappling i think he can avoid the submissions"
Expert Picks (5)
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Nov 29, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

Cody picks Solecki as an underdog. He thinks Solecki's grappling and back-taking ability will be key. He notes Klose's takedown defense issues and age (35) coming off a knee injury. He believes Solecki can win the positional battle and control the fight. He calls it a shoey bet.

"seli screams like a dog with a shot because I think he can win the positional battle he can get those takedowns close has got the knee injury the year-long layoff 35 years old take down defense issues in the past enough for me to say give me a shot …"
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Nov 30, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Joe Solecki

Lucrative James picks Joe Solecki, emphasizing that Drakkar Klose consistently gives up his back in fights, which is a bad stylistic matchup against a grappler like Solecki. He believes Solecki will take Klose's back and either submit him or win rounds through control. While Klose may have an edge on the feet, Solecki's grappling upside makes him the favorite.

"it's almost guaranteed that Joe's going to take his back at one point you know which sounds crazy but he's I've just seen it way too many times"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked Nov 30, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Klose has a solid wrestling and pressure game, and stylistically he has advantages over Solecki in striking and grappling. However, he is returning from an ACL injury at 35 years old, which raises concerns about his knee recovery. Solecki is a BJJ black belt but has shown limited offense off his back and unimpressive striking. Klose is expected to dictate the pace and win a decision, but confidence is tempered due to the injury.

decision win predicted
"give me close I think close by decision uh and I think we see him come back successfully but I would just be weary in terms of the amount of confidence that you have in him"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Nov 29, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Paul already bet Klose at -120. He thinks Klose has significant advantages on the feet and trains with good partners. He is surprised the line is still playable. He notes Klose's only UFC losses are to Beneil Dariush and David Teymur, and he believes Klose should win.

"I like jar close here I'm kind of surprised by this line I bet it like uh three or four day or my one buddy uh Mick reached out and I kind of looked into it and then I ended up betting it as well"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Nov 28, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

The MMA Guru picks Drakkar Klose, noting Klose's technical striking, takedown defense, and cardio. He dismisses Joe Solecki's level of competition and believes Klose does the basics better. He expects a close decision, 29-28, in Klose's favor.

decision 29-28
"I'm going to go Drakkar Klose win... I don't think Joe Solecki is all that good... Drakkar Klose just does the basic stuff better than Joe Solecki."