Juan Espino

Big Brady picks Juan Espino to win by submission, but with very low confidence. He sees the fight as a 50/50 matchup and sides with the dog due to hype driving Romanov's line. He notes that both fighters are grapplers and that Romanov is unlikely to submit Espino, a legit black belt. He questions Romanov's cardio and believes Espino may have the edge if the fight goes past the first round. He is passing on betting due to the uncertainty but picks Espino to weather the storm and possibly get a late submission.

Cody is a Romanov fan and thinks he has better cardio, boxing, and youth (10 years younger). He notes Romanov's cardio looks good in deeper fights, while Espino has only fought 3 minutes in the last 3 years. He believes Romanov can stuff takedowns and win by pressure. He acknowledges Espino's BJJ but thinks Romanov's wrestling and gas tank will be the difference.

Daniel Levi picks Alexandr Romanov, stating that he is a future top-15 heavyweight and is being undervalued. He criticizes Juan Espino's competition on The Ultimate Fighter, calling it weak. Levi believes Romanov is more well-rounded and will win the wrestling and clinch battles, possibly finishing Espino. He also notes that Espino is 40 years old and Romanov has a higher ceiling.

Manpreet favors Romanov, citing his youth, cardio, and wrestling pressure. He notes that Espino is 40 years old and has fought weak competition, while Romanov has shown he can grind opponents down over three rounds. He believes Romanov's explosiveness and strength will overwhelm Espino, likely leading to a TKO in the second round.

Paul thinks Espino is a legitimate BJJ black belt with good wrestling and a complete game. He notes that Romanov has a hole in his leg kick defense but Espino doesn't throw leg kicks. He is leaning towards Espino but not confident, calling it a dog or pass fight. He mentions that Espino's age (40) and lack of recent octagon time are concerns.

Big Brady is confident in Espino, citing his strong wrestling and submission game. He thinks Espino will get the fight to the mat and finish quickly, as Hughes is low-volume and lacks power. He notes the submission prop is already priced in at +150 but considers Espino a fine parlay piece.

Daniel Levi slightly leans Juan Espino because his biggest skill (grappling) is better than any of Hughes' skills, but he is worried about Espino's cardio if the fight goes past the first round and the layoff. He notes Hughes has good wrestling and durability but struggles to pull the trigger. He would not lay the chalk in this spot.

The host picks Juan Espino but is hesitant due to the two-year layoff and unknowns about Jeff Hughes' submission defense. He expects Espino to win by second-round submission, but prefers the over 1.5 rounds because Hughes is durable and tough. He notes that Espino's -300 price is too high for a fighter with ring rust.