Sean Soriano

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

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

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

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

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

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

Giagos has a clear path to victory via takedowns and top control. Soriano is on short notice and has historically poor takedown defense, giving up his back. Giagos averages about three takedowns per 15 minutes, though his cardio fades in round three. He should ride out at least two rounds for a decision win.

Cody picks Giagos, emphasizing that Soriano's takedown defense is non-existent and he gives up submissions easily. Cody believes Giagos will take him down and control the fight. He notes that Soriano's only path to victory is a first-round KO, but Giagos is durable.

Daniel Levi picks Sean Soriano as a dog, citing his technical kickboxing and the possibility that Giagos gasses. He notes that both fighters have cardio issues, but Soriano's striking could give him an edge if he doesn't get taken down. Levi is concerned about Soriano's history of gassing and getting choked out, but thinks at the dog price it's worth a shot.

The host picks Giagos but expresses significant hesitation. He notes Giagos has decent striking but his bread and butter is grinding opponents on the ground, though his cardio looks suspect. He worries that if Soriano can stop takedowns and get his hands going, it could cause Giagos problems later in the fight. He ultimately thinks Giagos grinds out a decision but says he just can't trust him and thinks the line is too wide.

Paul picks Giagos, noting that Soriano has a clear weakness: he cannot stop takedowns and gives up his back. Paul believes Giagos will spam takedowns and either win by submission or decision. He mentions that Giagos is a decision machine but Soriano leaves his neck out, making a submission possible.