Ibo Aslan

Angelo picks Iwo Baraniewski, a UFC debutant with only six pro fights, but notes he has well-rounded skills including wrestling, striking, and jiu-jitsu. He contrasts him with Ibo Aslan, who relies on power but has poor cardio and was inactive in his last fight. Angelo expects Baraniewski to push the pace, shoot takedowns, and potentially overwhelm Aslan. He mentions he placed a half-unit bet on Baraniewski at -140 earlier.

Big Brady picks Iwo Baraniewski, noting his judo, ground and pound, and submission game. He highlights Aslan's poor ground game and cardio, referencing Aslan's submission loss to Iwan Cudalaba. He expects Baraniewski to take Aslan down and submit him in the first round.

Cody picks Baraniewski, citing his power, aggression, and amateur experience. He notes that Aslan looked terrible in his last fight against Billy Alakana, showing no urgency. He believes Baraniewski will come forward and finish Aslan. He mentions that Aslan is petrified of being taken down and doesn't commit to his punches.

Connor picks Iwo Baraniewski, noting that he is a knockout artist with a long amateur career and seems like a real lifetime fighter. He contrasts Aslan, who he views as a beach muscles guy who doesn't actually do MMA for the right reasons. Connor believes Baraniewski has potential as a grimy clinch mauler.

Daniel is uncertain, noting Aslan's unusual performance in his last fight (gunshy) and Baraniewski's lack of octagon time past round one. He needs more information on both fighters' durability and game plans before making a pick.

Lucrative James believes Iwo Baraniewski's judo base and power will be too much for Ibo Aslan, who has poor grappling and defensive holes. He expects Baraniewski to take the fight to the ground and finish early, possibly via ground and pound or submission. He predicts a first-round stoppage.

The host views this as a fun fight between two raw light heavyweights but gives Baraniewski the edge due to having more tools. Despite a weaker strength of schedule, he expects Baraniewski to get the fight to the ground, land big shots from top position, and find a finish within a round and a half.

Paul agrees, noting that Aslan's last performance was abysmal and he showed no desire to win. He believes Baraniewski is a powerful finisher who will overwhelm Aslan. He thinks Baraniewski wins by TKO.

The Guru picks Iwo Baraniewski over Ibo Aslan, citing Baraniewski's extensive amateur experience (16-3) and his KO of a hyped prospect. He notes that Aslan has been fraud-checked and that Baraniewski has a ground game. The Guru predicts a first-round finish by TKO or submission.

Angelo picks Billy Elekana as an underdog, despite being shaken by the +235 odds. He notes Ibo Aslan has immense power but cardio issues, while Billy is durable, can wrestle, and can survive early to take over. He suggests betting the over 1.5 rounds if available.

Big Brady picks Ibo Aslan, citing his power and takedown defense. He notes Aslan is one-dimensional but that dimension is knocking people out, and he believes Aslan's power will be too much for Elekana, who is hittable and has poor striking defense. He predicts a second-round knockout, though he cautions that Aslan is not someone you want to lay -250 on.

Despite public love for Aslan, who is capable of landing an early finishing shot, Elekana's BJJ improvements are expected to get the fight to the ground and find a submission under one and a half rounds.

Big Brady picks Ibo Aslan (Eduard Oslan) despite wanting to back Ion Cuțelaba. He notes Cuțelaba is untrustworthy with poor cardio, often gassing after three minutes of wrestling. He believes Aslan has good takedown defense from training at Extreme Couture and Tiger Muay Thai, carries power late, and will stuff takedowns, causing Cuțelaba to slow down. He predicts a second-round knockout.

The host is intrigued by Cuțelaba as an underdog, noting the fight could be a car crash or a grind. He thinks if Cuțelaba avoids getting knocked out early, he can match Aslan's aggression and power and finish him within the first two rounds.

Angelo picks Ibo Aslan but is hesitant due to lack of tape on Cerqueira and Aslan's cardio issues. He notes Aslan is a heavy-handed striker with power but has holes in his game and cardio problems. Cerqueira is patient and athletic but not aggressive, and it's unknown how he handles getting hit. Angelo will likely avoid betting on this fight.

Big Brady picks Cerqueira due to the unknowns and his potential paths to win. He notes that Cerqueira is a black belt in BJJ and could submit Aslan if he gets the fight to the mat. However, he acknowledges there is little tape on Cerqueira and that both fighters are front-loaded. He predicts a first-round submission for Cerqueira.

Cody picks Ibo Aslan, believing his UFC experience and cardio will be key against a debuting opponent. He notes that Cerqueira is 34, started late, and has fought low-level competition. Cody thinks Aslan's power and ability to push the pace will lead to a finish in the second round. However, he is not highly confident.

Connor picks Cerqueira, noting that Aslan seems like a guy used to dominating with strength but crumbles when pushed back. Cerqueira is more of a fighter who enjoys the fight and has a better defensive feel, though it's hard to have a strong feeling either way.

Daniel Vreeland picks Aslan, noting that Cerqueira gets hit a lot and relies on home-run punches. He points out that Aslan showed durability in his last fight, taking punishment but not getting finished. Vreeland expects Aslan's volume to overwhelm Cerqueira, and thinks the line may move in Aslan's favor by fight time.

Daniel Vreeland picks Ibo Aslan to win, but with low confidence due to limited tape on Cerqueira. He notes that Aslan has shown power that carries into later rounds and that Cerqueira's unorthodox striking and lack of high-level competition make him a risk. Vreeland would be more interested if Aslan returns to underdog odds.

Jeff Fox also picks Aslan, though he initially considered Cerqueira. After film study, he saw Cerqueira getting hit a lot and relying on a spinning backfist knockout against a regional opponent. Fox doubts that will work against Aslan, who has proven durable. He also notes Cerqueira's body kicks but questions their effectiveness against higher-level competition.

Cerqueira will get the fight to the ground and use his BJJ black belt to put Aslan in bad positions, opening up a submission opportunity. Look for Cerqueira to wrap up a submission within five minutes.

Paul picks Aslan, citing Cerqueira's lack of high-level competition and telegraphing of strikes. He believes Aslan's power and durability will be too much, and that Cerqueira's late start and age are disadvantages. Paul is not fully confident but leans Aslan.

The Guru picks Raffael Cerqueira, citing his dynamic finishing ability and size advantage. He notes that Ibo Aslan was hit a lot by Anton Turkalj, and believes Cerqueira's power and athleticism will put Aslan away. He acknowledges Cerqueira's unimpressive regional competition but is swayed by his vicious body kicks and spinning elbows. The Guru predicts Cerqueira will catch Aslan at some point and finish him.

Zane picks Cerqueira because he seems like an actual fighter who enjoys fighting, whereas Aslan is a strong guy who doesn't like fighting and panics when pushed back. Cerqueira has a better feel for navigating exchanges and is more willing to scrap, though neither is a clean technician.

Angelo leans Ibo Aslan, noting he beat Anton Turkalj in their first fight before gassing. He thinks if Aslan has improved his gas tank, he wins easily. He mentions Aslan has knocked out four opponents since their last fight, while Turkalj has been finished twice. He has a half-unit bet on Aslan at -115.

Cody thinks Aslan has improved since their first fight, with better cardio and training. He believes Aslan's power and leg kicks will be too much for Turkalj, who has been knocked out recently and has poor wrestling entries.

Daniel Vreeland picks Ibo Aslan by knockout, citing his revenge motivation and physicality. He notes Aslan was winning their first fight before gassing and getting submitted, and believes Aslan has improved his pacing. He thinks Turkalj takes too much damage and will be overwhelmed early.

Aslan showed discipline in his Contender Series win, waiting for the knockout. He has improved since his loss to Turkalj years ago. Turkalj is on a 3-fight losing streak and has been knocked out by Tyson Pedro. Aslan's power should finish Turkalj early, but if Turkalj gets a takedown, he could submit Aslan. The under 1.5 rounds at -125 is the preferred play, as both have finishing ability inside a round and a half.

Paul picks Aslan based on the first fight where Aslan dominated before gassing. He thinks Aslan has made adjustments and will finish Turkalj early, though he acknowledges the cardio risk.