Muin Gafurov

Angelo picks Muin Gafurov, expressing confusion that 81% of Tapology voters picked Jakub Wikłacz. He describes Gafurov as an aggressive Tajik wrestler with good skills, power, and cardio. He notes Wikłacz is a nasty grappler but reckless, and in his last fight against Patchy Mix, he had no offensive wrestling success and poor wrestling defense. He thinks Gafurov hits hard and can wrestle, making this a straightforward win for him.

Big Brady picks Muin Gafurov, noting that Gafurov is a well-rounded fighter who is a much better striker than Wikłacz. He believes Wikłacz needs to get the fight to the ground to win, but that will be difficult against Gafurov's wrestling and grappling. He expects Gafurov to win by decision.

Cody also picks Wikłacz, highlighting his experience in five-round fights and ability to scramble. He notes Gafurov's one-dimensional wrestling and poor cardio. Cody expects Wikłacz to win a decision, possibly a split.

Connor also picks Wiklacz, noting that Gafurov doesn't really make full use of his athletic ability to take command of a fight. He points out that Wiklacz is a solid, scrappy fighter who won't drift through the fight, unlike some of Gafurov's previous opponents. Connor expects a close fight but favors Wiklacz.

Lucrative James leans toward Muin Gafurov to win, citing his power and wrestling advantage. However, he is not confident because Gafurov can make poor decisions, like diving into submissions. James notes that Wikłacz is dangerous with submissions, so this is a close fight.

The host picks Wikłacz, liking the plus money. He believes Wikłacz's height and reach advantage will allow him to stick Gafurov from distance, and that Gafurov's desperation takedowns will play into Wikłacz's submission game, particularly his guillotine. He notes Wikłacz is a solid submission specialist with a good kicking game and active submission threats, and that Gafurov has shown vulnerabilities to submissions in the past.

Paul picks Jakub Wikłacz, citing his superior volume and cardio. He notes Gafurov's low output and tendency to tire. Paul expects Wikłacz to take over in later rounds and win a decision, especially with judges favoring damage.

The host picks Jakub Wikłacz (referred to as Youssef Wehbe, likely a mistake) over Muin Gafurov. He thinks Wikłacz is a decent prospect with submission ability and can get the better of grappling positions. He predicts a submission finish in the first two rounds.

Angelo is very confident in Rinya Nakamura, highlighting his high-level wrestling, power, and the fact that Muin Gafurov was taken down three times by Kyung Ho Kang. He believes Nakamura's wrestling advantage will be decisive and that the -400 price is justified, unlike other favorites on the card.

Cody picks Rinya Nakamura confidently, viewing him as a top prospect. He highlights Nakamura's Olympic-level wrestling, fluid transitions, and improving striking. Cody notes that Gafurov has poor takedown defense and tends to gas, as seen against John Castaneda. Nakamura's wrestling and cardio should be too much. Cody expects Nakamura to take Gafurov down repeatedly and control the fight, possibly earning a finish. Nakamura is part of the Saftic Super Boost.

Daniel picks Nakamura, citing his physicality, strong grappling, and good hands. He notes that Gafurov is well-rounded but lacks athleticism and can be out-hustled. Daniel expects a competitive decision but thinks Nakamura grinds out the win. He is not betting due to the high price.

The host sees Nakamura as the future of the division, praising his wrestling, chain wrestling, and knockout power. He expects Nakamura to use a combination of those traits to win a decision over Gafurov.

Paul agrees with Cody, picking Nakamura. He notes that Gafurov has been taken down by lesser wrestlers and that Nakamura's wrestling pedigree is elite. Paul believes Nakamura will find takedowns early and often, banking control time. He also mentions that a submission is possible but not guaranteed. Nakamura is a solid parlay piece for Paul.

Angelo picks Muin Gafurov, noting he was winless in the UFC but has the wrestling and durability to win. He worries about Muin's willingness to brawl because Kang has power, but thinks Muin's wrestling and durability will work for him. He regrets not betting Muin when he was -110 instead of the current -160. He also mentions a potential takedown prop bet on Muin.

Big Brady picks Muin Gafurov despite his recent struggles, citing his youth and activity advantage. He expects the fight to go to a close decision, with Gafurov landing the better and harder strikes. Brady acknowledges Gafurov's chin issues and Kang's toughness, but believes Gafurov's volume and power will edge him the win.

Cody picks Kang, citing his superior cardio, grappling, and striking. He notes Gafurov's tendency to gas and lack of finishing ability. Kang's ability to get back up and outwork opponents in later rounds is key. He expects a decision win.

Daniel Vreeland picks Muin Gafurov to win a hard-fought decision, citing his higher pace and skill set. He notes Kang's experience and durability but believes Gafurov's pressure will be too much. He is concerned about Gafurov's cardio and chin but thinks he can outwork Kang.

Jacob likes Muin but is not confident enough to bet him. He notes Muin has bigger moments and power, but worries about Kang's sneaky submissions. He recalls Muin's predictable guillotine loss to Silva and thinks Kang could catch him similarly. Jacob wants to see Muin get a win before betting him, especially against a guy who can be sneaky good like Kang.

JP dismisses this fight as a 'poop Bowl' and says he won't bet on it, but he leans toward Gafurov as a toss-up. Brevan agrees, calling it a boring fight and advising viewers to skip it. He notes Gafurov's wrestling base and susceptibility to guillotines, but Kang's lack of guillotine wins makes that less of a threat. Both are unenthusiastic and avoid a strong pick.

Paul picks Kang, noting his durability and pace. He believes Gafurov's cardio issues will be exploited and that Kang can force a hard 15 minutes. He likes the plus money on Kang.

Angelo picks Said Nurmagomedov but fades the bet. He notes Gafurov's wrestling could be a problem, as seen when Kakhramonov dominated Said with takedowns. However, he thinks Gafurov might get sucked into a brawl, where Said's striking will prevail. He is wary of the clear path to beat Said via wrestling.

Big Brady picks Said Nurmagomedov to win by second round submission. He notes that Gafurov is reckless, gets hurt often, and has a questionable chin, while Nurmagomedov has power and a dangerous guillotine. Brady expects Nurmagomedov to hurt Gafurov on the feet, then snatch a submission when Gafurov shoots for a takedown.

Cody picks Nurmagomedov, emphasizing his well-rounded skills and ability to mix striking with wrestling. He notes that Gafurov gasses out and has been out-struck by lesser opponents, while Nurmagomedov has better speed, volume, and wrestling. Cody expects Nurmagomedov to drown Gafurov in deeper waters and win a decision or late finish.

Daniel picks Said Nurmagomedov to win, citing his length, explosiveness, and dynamic kicking style. He notes that Nurmagomedov has a gas tank issue due to his explosive style but believes he is on a different level than Gafurov. He respects Gafurov's heart and well-roundedness but thinks the athleticism and size disparity will be too much. He expects Nurmagomedov to win a decision but says Gafurov could raise his stock in defeat.

Nurmagomedov lacks output and assertiveness, relying on spectacular finishes. Gafurov has good forward movement, volume, and a wrestling game. He can set the pace and manage his gas tank better. As long as Gafurov doesn't get caught in a choke or knocked out, he can win by decision. He is a solid underdog spot.

Paul picks Nurmagomedov, citing his diverse striking, high fight IQ, and ability to adapt. He notes that Gafurov has poor cardio and has struggled against lower-level competition, while Nurmagomedov has shown he can compete with top bantamweights. Paul expects Nurmagomedov to use his speed and wrestling to outwork Gafurov, likely winning a decision.

Angelo has a very slight lean to Castañeda due to Gafurov being on short notice. He notes Castañeda's forward pressure and D2 wrestling, but is concerned about his takedown defense (60%). He acknowledges Gafurov is a savage with power and good wrestling, but the short notice gives Castañeda the edge. Angelo also has a plus money bet on Gafurov, contradicting his lean.

Cody agrees with Paul, noting Gafurov's cardio problems and that he missed weight on Contender Series. He thinks Gafurov on a week's notice is likely to gas out and that Castañeda's wrestling and cardio are better. Cody also mentions Gafurov's weight cut issues and advises caution.

Connor also picks Castañeda, agreeing with Zane that the short notice factor is significant. He notes that Gafurov's pressure and wrestling are a good stylistic matchup against Castañeda, but questions whether Gafurov can be effective without proper preparation. Connor sees Castañeda as a tough, busy counter-striker who can handle a slower-paced fight if Gafurov fades.

Daniel explains he bet Gafurov at plus money, citing Castañeda's extremely low output (never over 60 strikes in a UFC fight). He believes Gafurov's pace and wrestling will overwhelm Castañeda, and that Gafurov has improved since his Contender Series loss, where he was sick and on short notice. He sees this as a value play at underdog odds.

Jacob picks Gafurov, believing he can outwork Castañeda with takedowns and power. He notes Gafurov has been training and staying ready, and his LFA fights showed improved conditioning. Jacob thinks Gafurov's body work and power will break down Castañeda, who got tired in his last fight. He is not concerned about short notice because Gafurov has been preparing for this opportunity.

Gafurov is an improved striker who blends takedowns well. Castañeda is solid but struggles with forward pressure and power. Gafurov's relentless style and improved striking will allow him to win a decision. He is a slight underdog and one of the better dogs on the card.

Paul picks Castañeda, citing Gafurov's cardio issues and weight cut problems on short notice. He notes Gafurov is strong early but fades, and that Castañeda has decent wrestling and power. Paul advises waiting for weigh-ins due to Gafurov's history of missing weight. He thinks Castañeda can survive the early onslaught and take over later.

The MMA Guru picks Muin Gafurov over John Castañeda, citing Castañeda coming off a brutal KO loss. He notes Gafurov's experience at a high level, including a close split decision loss to Chad Anheliger (decided by a big knockdown) and a loss to John Lineker. Gafurov is on a two-fight finish streak and has fought in UAE Warriors and ONE Championship. The Guru acknowledges Gafurov took the fight on short notice but still thinks he gets the win.