Sharabutdin Magomedov

Angelo picks Sharabutdin Magomedov, noting he is the much better striker with power and a granite chin. He expects Shara to test Barriault's chin and light him up, as Barriault relies on empty forward pressure and volume but lacks power. He dismisses Shara's loss to MVP as a stylistic mismatch.

Big Brady picks Sharabutdin Magomedov, calling it a clear setup spot. He notes Barriault is likely washed and has a compromised chin, having been knocked out by lesser fighters. He expects Barriault to stand and trade, which plays into Magomedov's hands. He predicts a third-round knockout.

Connor believes Barriault's recent durability issues and tendency to stand and trade will play into Shara's hands. He notes Shara's incredible speed and creativity, and while Barriault could win by clinch pressure, he expects him to kickbox and get outclassed.

Although the host usually fades Magomedov at high chalky lines, Barriault cannot eat the shots Magomedov will throw. Magomedov will land big shots and find a finish within a round and a half.

The MMA Guru picks Sharabutdin Magomedov, calling it a 'layup' and criticizing the matchmaking. He notes Magomedov's high-volume striking on the back foot and believes Barriault's pressure will play into his hands. He predicts a second or third-round TKO after breaking Barriault down.

Angelo picks Michael Page, calling it his 'last ride' with MVP. He notes Page's unorthodox karate style, speed, and ability to cover distance. He believes Page's striking will frustrate Sharabutdin Magomedov, who is creative but may struggle with Page's movement. He acknowledges Page's age (37) and the risk of a knockout loss, but thinks Page can win a decision. He suggests looking at prop bets like MVP +3.5.

Big Brady thinks the odds make no sense and favors Michael Page at plus money. He praises Page's striking defense, noting he made Kevin Holland and Ian Garry look silly. Sharabutdin Magomedov has 42% striking defense and is there to be hit. Brady expects a close fight but predicts Page wins by decision, possibly split. He doesn't see Magomedov wrestling.

Connor picks MVP, expecting him to produce his typical frustrating fight. He notes that Magomedov is directionally aimless and has a punchable face that invites aggression, but MVP's style of staying at range and countering is difficult to deal with. Connor believes Magomedov's leg kicks could be a factor, but MVP's willingness to make the fight boring and his reach advantage give him the edge.

James picks Sharabutdin Magomedov to win, primarily due to hometown bias in Saudi Arabia favoring the Russian Muslim fighter. He also cites Magomedov's leg kick advantage against Page's karate stance, better durability, and finishing upside. He notes Page moves up to middleweight at 37-38, which is a disadvantage. He expects a close fight but sees Magomedov winning by decision, with potential for a knockout.

Page is very hard to hit and will set up counters effectively, potentially scoring a knockout if he lands the perfect shot. Magomedov lacks a wrestling background despite his name, which will be an issue. Page is expected to pick him apart similar to the Kevin Holland fight and win on the scorecards.

The MMA Guru picks Sharabutdin Magomedov to win by late-round TKO via ground and pound. He believes Magomedov's kicks and clinch will cause problems for MVP, and that MVP's takedown defense is weak. He notes MVP struggled with Ian Garry's grappling and that Magomedov has been drilling takedowns. He thinks MVP's move to middleweight may reduce his presence.

Angelo picks Sharabutdin Magomedov despite being disappointed in his lack of finishes. He believes Shara is the better striker and counter-striker, and Armen's forward pressure will play into Shara's hands. However, he also sees value in betting on Armen Petrosyan at plus money via a spread bet, as Shara has not been finishing fights and Armen could win rounds.

Big Brady picks the underdog Petrosyan, calling this the closest fight on the card. He thinks Petrosyan can hang on the feet and may mix in takedowns, which could be a key factor. He notes that Petrosyan has been taken down a lot but might have improved his wrestling, similar to Roman Kopylov. He believes at worst it's a 50/50 fight and doesn't understand the odds.

Cody picks Armen Petrosyan as a slight underdog, citing Magomedov's lack of grappling and takedown defense. He notes that Petrosyan has faced strong grapplers and survived, and that he has the striking volume and power to outwork Magomedov. Cody also mentions that Petrosyan may mix in takedowns of his own. However, he is not highly confident due to potential hometown cooking for Magomedov.

Connor picks Magomedov, noting his speed and volume, though he acknowledges his takedown defense is still a work in progress. He believes Petrosyan lacks the power to hurt Magomedov and that Magomedov's boxing improvements will be enough to win a striking battle. Connor is not fully confident but sees Magomedov as the likely winner.

Daniel Vreeland picks Sharabutdin Magomedov to win, citing his movement and elusiveness as key factors against the more flat-footed Petrosyan. He acknowledges Petrosyan's striking credentials but believes Magomedov's lateral movement and ability to stay on the move will frustrate Petrosyan. Vreeland also mentions the potential for favorable judging in Abu Dhabi for a fighter with a name ending in 'ov'.

Lucrative James does not make a clear pick for this fight. He sees value on Petrosyan but is not confident enough to bet. He notes that Magomedov has a unique kicking style that could trouble Petrosyan, but Petrosyan has grappling upside and may shoot takedowns. He plans to study more tape before deciding.

Petrosyan is the technically superior striker with a cleaner, straighter style that will counter Magomedov's orthodox approach. He may mix in some grappling but his fundamental striking and clinch work should lead to a decision win.

Paul picks Petrosyan, noting that Magomedov has no wrestling and that Petrosyan has good volume and kicks. He believes Petrosyan's experience against grapplers will help him, and that he can win the striking exchanges. Paul is not confident due to potential judging bias but leans Petrosyan.

The Guru picks Sharabutdin Magomedov by decision, believing Petrosyan's rangey, point-fighting style plays into Magomedov's strengths. He notes that Petrosyan doesn't mix in grappling and will engage in a striking match where Magomedov's volume and durability should win rounds. He criticizes Magomedov's finishing ability but thinks he will outwork Petrosyan. The Guru also mentions Petrosyan's short reach as a disadvantage.

Zane also picks Magomedov, citing his speed and volume. He notes that Petrosian is not a powerful striker and that Magomedov's improved takedown defense, while still imperfect, should be enough to avoid being controlled. Zane thinks Magomedov's pace will overwhelm Petrosian.

Angelo picks Magomedov despite concerns about his recent activity and lack of killer instinct. He thinks Magomedov is still very powerful and should be good enough to win, especially as Oleksiejczuk fades late. He notes Magomedov's busy schedule and possible lack of camp, but still expects a win.

Big Brady is confident in Sharabutdin due to Oleksiejczuk's concerning situation: he is not with a team, training in his garage, talking about retirement, and has been finished quickly in recent fights. He thinks Oleksiejczuk's heart is not in it and he will fold after the first few minutes, predicting a first-round knockout for Sharabutdin.

Cody picks Sharabutdin Magomedov, noting that Michał Oleksiejczuk has one foot out the door, training in his garage and talking about retirement. He believes Shara is still improving and has more upside, while Oleksiejczuk has stagnated. Cody thinks Shara's cardio and grappling will improve fight to fight, and that Oleksiejczuk's only path is an early knockout. He also mentions Shara is being fed winnable opponents.

Daniel believes Shara has a superior striking arsenal and will capitalize on Oleksiejczuk's overly aggressive style. He notes that Oleksiejczuk makes bonehead mistakes on the mat and likes to brawl, which plays into Shara's hands. He thinks Shara will blast the body and take advantage of openings, and that the time to fade Shara is not now but against a real grappler.

Oleksiejczuk will crowd Magomedov, causing issues for his kicking game. If he reins in his durability, he should land big power and possibly knock out Magomedov in the first two rounds.

Paul picks Sharabutdin Magomedov, citing Oleksiejczuk's poor cardio and submission losses. He notes that Oleksiejczuk has been submitted multiple times and that Shara's striking is good enough to outvolume him. Paul expects Shara to finish late or win a decision, and mentions a potential Shara late finish prop. He also points out that Oleksiejczuk has no cardio and poor grappling.

Angelo picks Shara, noting the opponent change to a grappler on short notice. He believes Shara's striking is far superior and that Trócoli hasn't fought in four years. He references Shara's last fight where he was taken down but stayed active off his back. He expects Shara to knock out Trócoli once the odds settle, likely around -400 to -600.

Big Brady picks Sharabutdin Magomedov, citing his phenomenal striking and the short-notice disadvantage for Trócoli. He notes Magomedov's activity off his back in his debut and expects him to win a decision, possibly with some takedown success for Trócoli but not enough. Brady also mentions the UFC's desire to promote Magomedov as a factor.

Cody picks Magomedov despite red flags, noting his striking volume and aggression. He acknowledges Magomedov's lack of ground game but believes Trócoli, a former lightweight on short notice, won't exploit it. He warns that Magomedov could be the 'apple pie f***er' if Trócoli uses his grappling.

Daniel Vreeland picks Sharabutdin Magomedov confidently, noting his exceptional kicking game and athleticism. He acknowledges Trócoli's BJJ black belt and submission threat but believes Trócoli will struggle to get the fight to the ground and will be picked apart on the feet. He expects a knockout or dominant decision for Magomedov.

Jacob picks Shara, noting Trócoli is coming off a three-year layoff and has been teaching McKenzie Dern how to box (poorly). He thinks even if Trócoli gets takedowns, Shara is active off his back and will eventually land strikes. He expects Shara to win handily.

JP calls this 'baby food' and is extremely confident in Magomedov, describing him as a 'straight killer' who will finish Trócoli. He notes Magomedov's one eye but dismisses Trócoli's regional experience. Brevan agrees, calling Magomedov an 'absolute killer' with explosive striking from any position. He expects a KO/TKO and criticizes Trócoli's mediocre skills. Both are fully confident in a Magomedov finish.

Paul picks Magomedov, citing size and striking advantage. He notes Trócoli's recent fights at lower weight classes and lack of wrestling to exploit Magomedov's weakness. Paul believes Magomedov will outwork Trócoli on the feet.

Angelo is very high on Shara Magomedov, calling him a massive prospect and the next big thing. He notes Bruno Silva's power and BJJ but questions his chin after being dropped by Brendan Allen, who isn't a one-punch knockout guy. Angelo expects Shara to win by KO and mentions he has parlays including Shara. He is confident in Shara's striking and power.

Big Brady picks Sharabutdin Magomedov to win by second or third round knockout. He notes Magomedov is a powerful striker with all wins by KO except one decision, while Bruno Silva has looked off lately, taking heavy damage in the Pereira fight and getting dropped by lesser opponents. Brady believes Silva's durability is fading and that Magomedov will put him away.

Cody picks Magomedov, emphasizing his striking and cardio. He notes that Silva is a first-round KO artist who fades if he doesn't finish early. Cody believes Magomedov's pace and volume will wear Silva down, leading to a late finish or decision. He acknowledges the eye issue but thinks Magomedov has adapted.

Daniel picks Sharabutdin Magomedov to win, praising his dynamic kicking and clinch knees. He acknowledges Bruno Silva's power and experience, noting that Silva has 20 knockouts and could close the distance to land. However, he believes Silva's durability is waning after taking damage in recent fights, and that Magomedov's range and body attacks will be key. He calls it a 'dog or pass' situation and says he would not bet at these odds.

James bet on Sharabutdin Magomedov at -225, believing there was value as the line closed at -350. He noted that Sharabutdin beat Bruno Silva brutally for three rounds, winning 30-27 on all scorecards. He acknowledged Sharabutdin's poor takedown defense and get-ups but felt his guard was solid and his striking was elite. James considered Bruno Silva a tough opponent but thought Sharabutdin would win the majority of the time.

Magomedov's movement and speed advantage will allow him to touch up Silva from distance, stay on his bicycle, and roll with shots. Silva's power is a threat but Magomedov's durability looks good. Expects Magomedov to win by decision, playing it safe with the jab and leg kicks.