Xiao Long

Angelo picks Cody Garbrandt to win based on his striking and footwork, but strongly advises against betting on him, calling it a ridiculous thing to do in 2026. He notes Cody's age and recent loss to an older fighter, and says he would never put money on Cody. He separates pick from bet.

Big Brady picks Cody Garbrandt as an underdog over Xiao Long, but with low confidence. He believes Garbrandt is washed and can't take a shot, but Long Xiao lacks KO power and has poor takedown ability. Garbrandt still has elite takedown defense and anti-grappling. Brady expects a boring fight where Garbrandt uses movement and clinching to win a decision, similar to his fight against Trevin Jones. He warns fans will boo.

Cody picks Garbrandt as a dog, citing his superior competition and wrestling ability. He notes that Xiao Long has been taken down frequently and that Garbrandt can use wrestling to win. He acknowledges the risk but sees value at plus money.

Connor believes Garbrandt should win easily based on speed and the level of competition. He notes that Long Zhao has struggled against low-level bantamweights and that Garbrandt, despite his psychological and technical flaws, has a massive advantage in athleticism. He is shocked that Garbrandt is an underdog and thinks the line is inaccurate.

Daniel Vreeland reluctantly picks Cody Garbrandt as an underdog, citing his higher level of competition and former champion status. He notes that Garbrandt's chin and cardio are concerns, but he believes Garbrandt has enough to beat a relatively unproven opponent. Vreeland warns that picking Garbrandt is scary but sees value.

The host acknowledges Garbrandt is technically superior on the feet but is on a steep decline, with poor durability and gun-shy tendencies. He compares Garbrandt to other declining fighters like Moreno and Cyborg. Xiao Long is a high-volume, tough striker who throws double the strikes per minute. The host would back Long if forced to bet, but personally passes due to Long being average and the possibility of Garbrandt outclassing him.

James picks Cody Garbrandt as an underdog, believing this is a massive step down in competition for Garbrandt. He notes Garbrandt's speed advantage and better boxing, and expects him to win round one. However, he acknowledges Garbrandt's poor chin and cardio, but thinks he can survive if he builds an early lead. James sees the fight as close to 50/50, making Garbrandt the value side at plus odds.

Garbrandt is washed with a compromised chin and cardio. Long is durable, aggressive, and has good takedown defense. After a competitive first round, Long will walk Garbrandt down and likely knock him out in the second or third round.

Paul also picks Garbrandt, noting his speed and technique. He thinks the fight will be close and dicey, but at plus money, he takes the former champion. He acknowledges the possibility of a knockout loss.

The MMA Guru picks Cody Garbrandt, believing he will outclass Xiao Long at range. He notes Garbrandt's speed and footwork, and predicts a decision or late KO. He acknowledges Garbrandt's inconsistency but thinks Xiao Long is not top-level.

Angelo is confident in You Su-young, calling him a nonstop wrestler who shoots takedowns early and is aggressive on the ground. He notes that Xiao Long is a grappler but not particularly dangerous, and that You Su-young is better almost everywhere. He expects a grappling match and leans You Su-young regardless of whether it becomes a striking match or a grappling match.

Big Brady picks Xiao Long as an underdog, citing his good defensive wrestling and anti-grappling. He notes that Xiao Long stuffed 7 of 9 takedowns against Chungho Lee, who is a strong grappler, and that Xiao Long is the better striker with improved striking. He believes Su-young Yu will struggle to get takedowns and that Xiao Long will win a decision on the feet.

Connor picks Suyong Yu, citing his straightforward wrestling game and good takedowns. He notes that Long Zhao's wrestling hasn't been tested much and that Suyong Yu's singles and pipe runs could be effective. He acknowledges that if Long Zhao can stuff shots, he could win, but leans toward the wrestler.

The host is a big fan of You Su-young but thinks he will struggle to get the fight to the ground. This will allow Xiao Long to dictate the pace in the striking realm with high volume, winning most pocket exchanges. The host predicts Xiao Long will eventually find a knockout within two and a half rounds.

The MMA Guru picks You Su-young because he has proven himself against non-Asian competition, specifically outgrappling an American with a wrestling background. He views You Su-young as a specialist with a clear strength, while Xiao Long appears to be a well-rounded regional scrapper. He also notes that Xiao Long's split decision win over a Korean fighter on Road to UFC doesn't impress him, as that opponent didn't amount to much.

Angelo picks Xiao Long, noting Quang Le's striking defense issues despite forward pressure. He expects Xiao to shoot takedowns and control on the ground. He admits it's a tough pick and not his most confident.

Big Brady picks Xiao Long to win by decision. He thinks Quang Le is overrated after his loss to Chris Gutierrez, noting Le had low volume and landed less than 10 significant strikes. He was more impressed with Xiao Long's loss against a tough grappler, where he showed takedown ability and higher output. Brady expects the fight to stay on the feet and favors the more active striker.

Cody picks Quang Le, citing his power and experience against better competition. He notes that Xiao Long has 35 fights but has not been tested, and his recent fights have been close decisions. Quang Le's confidence from his UFC debut and his power give him the edge in a close fight.

Daniel Vreeland sees this as a close fight between Xiao Long's activity and Quang Le's power and impactful moments. He gives the edge to Quang Le because of his experience fighting Chris Gutierrez and his counter-striking ability. He expects a controversial split decision where Quang Le's harder shots sway the judges.

Quang Le is the better martial artist with advantages in striking speed and power. He will dictate the pace and land more damage over 15 minutes to win on the scorecards.

Paul also leans toward Quang Le, noting the market movement and Quang's power. He thinks Xiao Long's split decision losses indicate he is not elite, and Quang Le's ability to finish gives him an edge. He expects a close fight and likes the plus money.

Angelo sees Xiao Long as the grappler with a wrestle-at-all-costs attitude, durable and composed even when things go wrong. He believes Xiao Long's wrestling is more prominent and that he should have been the favorite, not the underdog. Despite being told he mixed up the fighters, he rewatched the tape and stuck with his read. He notes Xiao Long has 34 fights of experience and stays composed under pressure.

Big Brady picks Lee Chang-ho based on his relentless wrestling and never-quit style, which he finds more impressive than Xiao Long's striking. He notes that Lee has a crazy motor and showed a third-round TKO in a Road to UFC fight after his opponent slowed down. However, he expects a close split decision due to both fighters' durability and toughness, making this a hesitant pick.

Cody picks Xiao Long, citing his experience, takedown defense, and striking. He notes Long has faced better competition in the tournament and has shown the ability to get back up and outwork grapplers. He expects Long to win a decision and earn a UFC contract.

Daniel Vreeland picks Xiao Long based on experience, having seen him on Contender Series. He admits he is not very familiar with either fighter but goes with the more experienced fighter. He notes Lee Chang-ho's finishes but prefers Long's proven track record.

Jacob disagrees with Angelo, calling Lee Chang-ho the better wrestler who wants to be the 'Korean Khabib.' He highlights Lee's resilience, pointing to his last fight where he was outwrestled for two rounds but never stopped and finished the opponent in the third. Jacob believes Lee's non-stop pressure and finishing ability will wear down Xiao Long, who is not a finisher. He made Lee his lock of the week and placed a moneyline bet.

JP picks Lee Chang-ho based on his 3-0 record in Top Fighting Championship and a 4-fight win streak, noting that Lee has more finishing power with his hands. He sees both fighters as similar but gives Lee the edge in striking and potential to finish. Brevan agrees, citing Lee's stopping power and Xiao's tendency to go to decision, but both are hesitant to bet due to the close odds.

Paul picks Xiao Long, agreeing with Cody's analysis. He notes Long's youth, activity, and improvement since his Contender Series loss. He believes Long's sprawl-and-brawl style will be effective against Lee's wrestling.