Mansur Abdul-Malik

Angelo picks Yorgan De Castro (Yousri Belgaroui) after previously making the mistake of picking a powerful wrestler against him. He trusts De Castro's range management and striking, and notes that Mansour has looked vulnerable in past fights. He believes De Castro can win if his takedown defense holds up.

Big Brady picks Yousri Belgaroui to win by decision. He criticizes Mansur Abdul-Malik's lack of urgency and poor striking defense, noting he gets out-landed at distance by lesser opponents. He believes Belgaroui has a good chin and will outwork Malik over 15 minutes. He also mentions the over 1.5 rounds prop because Malik often does nothing early.

Cody picks Belgaroui, citing his improvement, reach advantage, and superior kickboxing. He doubts Abdul-Malik's wrestling will be effective and believes Belgaroui can outpoint him.

Connor picks Belgaroui, impressed by his debut where he used an active jab to control Bekelev. He notes that Belgaroui's kickboxing technique is consistent and can fence off opponents, while Abdul-Malik is low output and sporadic, looking for a moment. However, he acknowledges Abdul-Malik's special athleticism and reach, and that Belgaroui still takes shots and gives openings under pressure.

Daniel believes Abdul-Malik is a freak athlete with one-shot KO power and D1 wrestling. He thinks Belgaroui will engage, giving Abdul-Malik openings to land big shots and regain his hype.

The host gives Abdul-Malik a 65-70% chance to win, citing his explosive power and Belgaroui's defensive vulnerabilities. Belgaroui is a technical counter striker but is hittable and has a 'giraffe neck' that makes him susceptible to knockouts. Abdul-Malik's speed and power should allow him to land big shots, and he may also have success with wrestling. The host is not super confident but sees value at -134.

The host believes Belgaroui's technical striking and improved takedown defense will be key. He expects Belgaroui to use his reach and jab to pick apart Abdul-Malik, who may struggle with cardio if he can't dictate the pace. He notes the line movement towards Belgaroui and sees him winning by decision.

Paul leans Abdul-Malik, thinking his wrestling and physicality will be the difference. He's hesitant due to Abdul-Malik's inconsistent wrestling usage.

The MMA Guru picks Yousri Belgaroui, expressing surprise that he is an underdog. He believes Belgaroui's kickboxing pedigree and recent performance against Boev show he is levels above Abdul-Malik's previous competition. He notes Abdul-Malik's wins are over lower-tier opponents and that Belgaroui's takedown defense and striking will be too much. He predicts a TKO in the second or third round.

Angelo picks Mansur Abdul-Malik, calling him a high-level collegiate wrestler with power in his hands. He dismisses Antonio Trócoli as having declined significantly since being with Mackenzie Dern, noting his poor takedowns and cardio. Angelo acknowledges that Abdul-Malik may not be the killer initially thought after a close fight with Cody Brundage, but still believes he will finish Trócoli. He advises against parlaying at -1000 odds.

Big Brady is very confident in Mansur Abdul-Malik, calling the fight a 'sanctioned murder'. He criticizes Trócoli's lack of striking, wrestling, and overall fight skill, noting Trócoli is a poker player. He worries Abdul-Malik may be hesitant but expects him to win by first-round knockout if he shows urgency.

Cody picks Abdul-Malik, noting his wrestling and power. He believes Trócoli is a low-level opponent who has only one win in six years. He expects Abdul-Malik to win by TKO. He also mentions the over 1.5 rounds as a potential play due to Abdul-Malik's lack of urgency in recent fights.

Connor picks Mansur Abdul-Malik, noting that he is a superb athlete, hyper powerful and fast, and huge for the division. He contrasts Trócoli, who is a hobbyist fighter with poor coordination and no sense of range. Connor believes Abdul-Malik will easily win despite his own technical flaws.

Daniel picks Abdul-Malik, praising his athleticism, power, and wrestling. He expects a finish, though he's unsure of the round due to Abdul-Malik's slow start against Brundage. He dismisses Trócoli's chances, citing his lack of focus and poor fight IQ.

Lucrative James notes that Mansur Abdul-Malik is a raw but athletic prospect, while Antonio Trócoli seems more focused on poker than MMA. He expects Abdul-Malik's physicality and ground-and-pound to lead to a finish, likely in the second round. He acknowledges Abdul-Malik's flaws but sees Trócoli as an easy matchup.

The host expects Abdul-Malik to dominate Trócoli, running over him within a round and a half. He notes that Abdul-Malik has let fights go longer than necessary but believes he will come dialed in and finish the Brazilian quickly.

Paul agrees, citing Abdul-Malik's wrestling and physical advantages. He notes that Trócoli is a BJJ black belt but has been submitted quickly in recent fights. He believes Abdul-Malik will win by TKO or submission. He also likes the over 1.5 rounds at plus 175.

The Guru picks Mansur Abdul-Malik to win, but expects a late finish due to Trócoli's size and explosiveness. He notes that Abdul-Malik's previous fights have gone into later rounds, and Trócoli is a low-level opponent. The Guru predicts a late second-round TKO.

Angelo picks Mansur because he believes the adversity in his last fight gave him a wake-up call. He expects Mansur to wrestle and avoid a firefight with Cody, who is dangerous early. He notes that if Mansur engages in a firefight, he is screwed.

Big Brady picks Mansur Abdul-Malik by first-round knockout. He expects a violent fight where both swing, but believes Malik's power and ground-and-pound will be too much for Brundage. He notes Brundage is dangerous early but has been fed tough opponents, and Malik is the most terrifying yet.

Connor picks Abdul-Malik, emphasizing the massive reach advantage (79.5 vs 72 inches) and Brundage's tendency to implode when his initial plan fails. He notes that Abdul-Malik is a composed, powerful fighter who will make Brundage work to get inside, leaving him open to counters. Connor thinks Brundage's only chance is an early guillotine, but that is unlikely.

Abdul-Malik's athleticism, explosivity, and power will find a big shot to put Brundage away early. Brundage is expected to break quickly under that pressure.

The Guru picks Mansur Abdul-Malik, calling him a powerful prospect who will finish Cody Brundage in the first round. He notes Brundage's tendency to 'tuck up in a ball' when grappling doesn't go his way, as seen against Sedriques Dumas. He expects a TKO, though he acknowledges Brundage could win if he gets a guillotine.

Angelo is extremely confident in Mansur Abdul-Malik, calling him probably his most confident pick on the entire card. He highlights Mansur's D1 wrestling, power, and clean takedowns, while noting Nick Klein is a solid grappler but less athletic and powerful. The only concern is a potential BJJ submission from Klein, but Angelo doesn't think Klein will win a scramble.

Big Brady is confident in Mansur Abdul-Malik, calling him the biggest favorite on the card at -900. He notes that Nick Klein is hittable and coming in on short notice, and that Abdul-Malik has nasty ground-and-pound. He struggles to see Klein getting the fight to the ground or surviving on the feet, predicting a brutal first-round knockout.

The host expects Abdul-Malik to shut down Klein's grappling with superior wrestling and scrambling, then walk him down and land big shots for a first-round finish.

Angelo is very confident in Mansur Abdul-Malik despite it being his UFC debut. He loves his high-level D1 wrestling, explosiveness, and ground work. He notes Todorović is a technical striker with chin questions. He has Mansur in a parlay but warns against overexposure, advising not to put him in multiple parlays.

Big Brady is very confident in Abdul-Malik, citing Todorović's poor striking defense, low takedown defense, and susceptibility to being knocked out. He highlights Abdul-Malik's wrestling background and devastating ground-and-pound. He predicts a first-round knockout but notes slight cardio concerns if the fight extends.

Cody is confident in Abdul-Malik due to Todorović's glaring holes: poor takedown defense and a weak chin. He notes Abdul-Malik's Division I wrestling background and athleticism, and expects him to take Todorović down and finish him. Cody sees this as a favorable matchup for the prospect.

Connor picks Abdul-Malik, noting he is a big favorite. He describes Abdul-Malik as a great prospect from MMA Masters with natural tools but lacking interstitial skills. He contrasts this with Todorović, who has bad habits and bad defense from a weak regional scene. Connor thinks Abdul-Malik's athleticism will overcome Todorović's flaws.

Daniel Vreeland picks Mansur Abdul-Malik, praising his athleticism, power, and potential. He notes Duško Todorović's defensive flaws (hands down, chin up) and believes Abdul-Malik's physicality will overwhelm him. Vreeland expects Abdul-Malik to get his first UFC win, possibly by knockout.

Todorović is returning from back surgeries and may struggle with ring rust against the large, explosive Abdul-Malik. Despite Todorović's experience, Abdul-Malik's physicality should lead to a knockout victory.

Paul agrees, pointing out Todorović's poor decision-making and chin. He mentions Todorović's leg injury in his last fight and his tendency to walk into danger. Paul thinks Abdul-Malik's wrestling and striking will be too much, but acknowledges the banana peel pricing risk.

The Guru picks Mansur Abdul-Malik but is hesitant, noting that Todorović is a good underdog value. He criticizes Abdul-Malik's contender series performance against Wes Schultz, but believes Todorović's long layoff and ACL tear make him vulnerable. He expects Abdul-Malik's offensive wrestling and ground and pound to be the difference, but warns that if the fight goes past round one, Todorović could make it competitive.