Saidyokub Kakhramonov

Angelo picks Kakhramonov, hoping he brings the same wrestling pace as in his last fight against Ronnie Lawrence, where he had 10 takedowns and 12 minutes of control. He notes that Said Nurmagomedov is not a wrestler despite his last name, but a flashy striker with only two takedowns in the UFC. He expects Kakhramonov to bully Said.

Big Brady picks Kakhramonov as an underdog, impressed by his wins over Ronnie Lawrence (taking him down 10 times) and Trevin Jones (submission). He thinks Kakhramonov is a different level and can pass this test against Nurmagomedov, who he's never been high on. He expects a close, competitive fight but picks Kakhramonov by decision.

Cody picks Kakhramonov, noting his size and strength advantage. He thinks Kakhramonov will get takedowns and control the fight. He was impressed by his performance against Ronnie Lawrence where he ragdolled him. He expects a decision win for Kakhramonov.

Connor picks Nurmagomedov but is hesitant, calling it a trap fight. He thinks Nurmagomedov can find enough moments to land big and take advantage of Kakhramonov's wild entries. However, he notes Kakhramonov is a dogged technical wrestler who could steal momentum.

Kakhramonov is relentless with takedowns and has better technical wrestling than Nurmagomedov's previous opponents. Nurmagomedov has the striking advantage but doesn't give himself many chances to win outside of a finish. Lesser wrestlers have had grappling success against Nurmagomedov, and Kakhramonov will grind out a win.

Paul picks Kakhramonov, agreeing with Cody. He was surprised by his performance against Lawrence and thinks he is a real prospect. He notes Kakhramonov has good wrestling and size. He expects a decision but acknowledges judging could be an issue.

The MMA Guru picks Saidyokub Kakhramonov over Said Nurmagomedov, going against the majority. He questions Nurmagomedov's cardio, noting he slowed down against Douglas Silva de Andrade and Kyler Phillips. He praises Kakhramonov's pace and wrestling, citing his 10 takedowns against Ronnie Lawrence. He believes Kakhramonov will drown Nurmagomedov as the fight goes on and get an upset 29-28 decision. He also notes Kakhramonov is younger at 27 and still improving, while Nurmagomedov is 30 and may be at his peak.

Angelo picks Ronnie Lawrence based on his relentless wrestling pressure and high takedown volume. He notes Lawrence averages over 9 takedowns per 15 minutes with 78% accuracy, and has shown he can survive dangerous striking exchanges. He acknowledges Kakhramonov has cleaner striking but slows down and gets taken down, as seen in his PFL loss. Angelo already has a moneyline bet on Lawrence but cautions that betting the first fight of the night is tricky.

Big Brady slightly leans toward Ronnie Lawrence, highlighting his exceptional takedown rate (9 per 15 minutes) and cardio. He notes that Lawrence is well-rounded and showed power in his last fight. He acknowledges Kakhramonov's power and potential, but believes Lawrence's pace and wrestling will be key, especially as Kakhramonov has slowed down in past fights. He predicts a decision win for Lawrence.

Cody is high on Lawrence, citing his improved wrestling, cardio, and tenacity. He thinks Lawrence's volume and grappling will overwhelm Kakhramonov, who has low output and was controlled in the clinch by Trevin Jones. He believes Lawrence is the more proven fighter.

The host makes this his dog of the night play with 2 units at +115. He believes Kakhramonov has good enough defensive grappling to deal with Lawrence's relentless takedowns and can dish out more damage on the feet. He thinks Kakhramonov could win by finish or decision, especially with the emphasis on damage. He notes that Lawrence is not a big damage inflictor when grappling.

Paul is leaning towards Kakhramonov as a dog, noting his talent and performance against Umar Nurmagomedov. He's worried about Lawrence's durability after nearly being finished by Mana Martinez. He thinks the line moving towards Lawrence might offer value on Kakhramonov.

Cody picks Jones, expecting him to be a favorite. He praises Jones' durability, BJJ black belt, and knockout power, noting his comeback wins. He thinks Kakhramonov's wrestling won't be effective and that Jones will capitalize as the fight goes on.

Kakhramonov is a solid replacement with power and a judo background, but he can be wild. Jones has knockout power and decent BJJ. I think Jones catches him and knocks him out, but I'm wary of the unknowns. The under 2.5 rounds is a good play as I expect a finish from either side.

Paul leans toward Kakhramonov as a big underdog, noting his solid performance against Umar Nurmagomedov and potential holes in Jones' game. He expects Kakhramonov to be a sizable dog and would be drawn to that side, but acknowledges the short notice and weight cut concerns.