Raffael Cerqueira

Angelo picks Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev over Raffael Cerqueira, calling him a solid prospect with great takedowns and power. Cerqueira is athletic but cannot defend takedowns, as seen in his loss to Julius Walker. Yakhyaev can knock him out or take him down repeatedly. The odds are wide, but Angelo is confident.

Big Brady confidently picks Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev by first-round knockout, describing him as a legit prospect with tons of power and vicious grappling. He expects a quick finish, possibly within the first minute, and notes Cerqueira's poor UFC record.

Cody picks Yakhyaev confidently, calling him an uber prospect. He notes Yakhyaev's well-rounded skills, power, and wrestling. Cody believes Yakhyaev will finish Cerqueira early, likely by knockout or submission. He suggests betting on a first-round finish.

Connor agrees, picking Yakhyaev. He notes that Yakhyaev is messy with his wrestling due to reckless aggression but is a good natural scrambler. He embraces chaos and doesn't shy away from resistance. He thinks Cerqueira should never have been signed and shouldn't have been kept after getting melted by Aslan.

Yakhyaev is a beast in light heavyweight and should run through Cerqueira quickly. Cerqueira has a glass chin and doesn't deserve a UFC spot. Expect a finish within two minutes.

Paul picks Yakhyaev confidently, noting his impressive resume and skills. He believes Yakhyaev will knock out Cerqueira, who is 0-3 in the UFC. Paul suggests betting on a knockout or inside the distance.

The MMA Guru picks Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev over Raffael Cerqueira, dismissing Cerqueira's UFC performances as disastrous. He notes Cerqueira gets KO'd in the first round and covers up. He believes Yakhyaev, an undefeated prospect with reach, will finish Cerqueira by TKO in the first or second round.

Angelo picks Julius Walker but strongly advises against betting on him at -600. He notes Walker is winless in the UFC and lost to a 40-year-old, while Cerqueira has more KO wins than Walker has fights. Angelo thinks Walker will win due to raw athleticism but the risk-reward is terrible. He separates picks from bets.

Big Brady is confident in Julius Walker, describing Cerqueira as not a real fighter based on limited footage showing him getting knocked out and fighting in a mall food court. He believes Walker's pressure will break Cerqueira quickly, as Cerqueira doesn't like to get hit. Brady predicts a first-round knockout for Walker.

The host is critical of Cerqueira's ability to take shots, citing his previous fight. He believes Walker's athleticism, speed, and power will land big shots and get Cerqueira out of there in the first round.

Angelo picks Bukauskas but is hesitant because he sees Cerqueira as dangerous and unproven. He notes Bukauskas has been knocked out four times and had trouble with Marcin Prachnio, while Cerqueira has 10 stoppages in 11 wins but was knocked out in his UFC debut. He says there's no world where he bets on Bukauskas at -350 and will leave this fight alone.

Big Brady picks Raffael Cerqueira despite being a complete unknown with only two fights available to watch. He notes that Modestas Bukauskas is low-volume, lacks power, and has never looked like a -310 favorite against anyone. He believes Cerqueira has a significant advantage on the ground as a BJJ black belt training with Guto Almeida, and that Bukauskas's technical striking advantage is negated by his low output. He calls this a '100% gambler fight' and picks Cerqueira by knockout, though he admits the fight is awful.

The host believes the line is too wide but expects Bukauskas's striking style to shut down Cerqueira's BJJ and Muay Thai. He predicts Bukauskas will chip away and win on the scorecards.

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 admitted he was wrong about this fight, having doubted Aslan due to his loss to Anton Turkalj. He credited those who said Aslan would crush Cerqueira, noting Cerqueira is clearly not ready for this level. However, Zane remains unsold on Aslan, describing him as a guy who took up MMA just to get chicks, but acknowledged that's a better base than Cerqueira's.