Manuel Torres

AJ picks Torres by finish, citing his power, pressure, and underrated grappling. He thinks Fiziev has shown signs of slowing down and that Torres's jiu-jitsu is superior. He expects Torres to force a stoppage, possibly by submission or TKO.

AJ picks Torres to win by finish, citing his pressure, hand speed, and power. He thinks Fiziev is on a decline, too hittable, and that Torres will close the distance and land big shots. AJ expects a first-round knockout or a club-and-sub, noting Torres' submission threat.

AJ DeVito is extremely confident in Manuel Torres to upset Rafael Fiziev, calling it his lock of the week. He believes Torres is a stylistic nightmare for Fiziev due to his quick gap-closing and heavy hands, and questions Fiziev's durability after recent knockout losses. He notes Torres' submission threat as a secondary option but expects a KO. He also discusses various prop bets including Torres by finish, KO, submission, and round props, but ultimately prefers the moneyline at plus money.

AJ picks Torres by knockout, citing his devastating power and blitzing style. Fiziev is coming off a KO loss and may struggle with Torres' pressure. Torres' submission threat is also live. The matchup favors Torres' close-range aggression over Fiziev's kickboxing.

Angelo picks Fiziev after flipping from Torres, citing that Fiziev's recent losses are to elite fighters (Gamrot, Ruffy) and that he is the better striker. He notes Fiziev's chin is questionable but believes he can fight smart at home and outpoint Torres.

Angelo initially doubted Fiziev due to his fading chin, but after seeing Justin Gaethje's performance, he reversed his pick. He believes Fiziev is the better striker and wrestler, and that Torres' win over Grant Dawson is not comparable to Fiziev's losses to Gaethje and Ruffy. He hopes Fiziev's chin holds up and notes that Fiziev has flipped to a slight favorite at -115.

Angelo is fine with Fiziev winning and picked him, but acknowledges Manuel Torres as a solid underdog with random power and slick grappling. He notes Fiziev's losses are to top fighters like Gaethje and Ruffy, and a broken leg against Gamrot, while Torres may not be ready for that level.

Big Brady picks Manuel Torres to win by first-round knockout. He notes Torres is a 'kill or be killed' fighter with 19 first-round finishes in 20 fights, possessing massive power. Fiziev is the more technical striker but has taken damage, has a questionable chin after being knocked out by Ruffy, and may be on the decline. Brady thinks Torres catches him early, though he acknowledges Fiziev could win if he survives the first round.

Cody picks Fiziev, citing his body of work and home-field advantage in Azerbaijan. He acknowledges Torres's power and danger in the first round but believes Fiziev's experience and skill edge will prevail if he survives the early onslaught. He notes the fight is low on his betting priority list.

Daniel Levi leans towards Fiziev because he has proven more at the upper echelon, has more ways to win including mixing in takedowns, and his power has translated deep into fights (e.g., fifth-round KO of RDA). He acknowledges Torres's dangerous first-round power and size but questions his durability past round one and his level of competition. Levi is low-key rooting for Torres but wants to see how he handles an extended war.

Jacob picks Torres by KO, citing his tape study showing Fiziev is susceptible to a long 1-2 combination. He thinks Torres' blitzing style and round 1 aggression will overwhelm Fiziev, who has been dropped before. He expects an early finish.

Lucrative James picks Fiziev because he believes Fiziev is a much higher level striker than Torres, with better patience, volume, and technical kicking. He notes that Fiziev has fought and beaten better competition, and that Torres has not been outside round one since 2018, giving Fiziev a cardio and experience advantage in later rounds. He also points to the common opponent Ignacio Bahamondes, who knocked out Torres but was clearly outpointed by Fiziev. However, he acknowledges Torres has more power and is on an upward trajectory while Fiziev has wear and tear.

Fiziev's hard-nosed Muay Thai and speed will allow him to counter Torres' aggression. Torres makes mistakes and trusts his power too much. Fiziev can eat a shot and land his own counters, hurting Torres and eventually putting him away by knockout.

The host believes Fiziev's hard-nosed Muay Thai striking and experience will allow him to find openings and counter Torres, leading to a big knockout win for Fiziev in front of his home country.

Paul picks Fiziev but is hesitant, noting Fiziev's age and wear from a long career with many fights. He worries about Fiziev's durability after the Ruffy KO and thinks his best days are behind him. However, he values Fiziev's back class and experience over Torres's unknown durability and cardio, and expects Fiziev to win a competitive fight.

Angelo picks Grant Dawson despite calling him the most boring fighter on the roster. He acknowledges Dawson's excellent wrestling and grappling, and expects him to get takedowns and control the fight. He notes that Manuel Torres is dangerous but believes Dawson's game plan will prevail. Angelo expresses disdain for the entertainment value but respects Dawson's skills.

Big Brady picks Grant Dawson, expecting him to weather Torres' early storm and take the fight to the mat. He notes Dawson's improved cardio and ground and pound at American Top Team, and predicts a second-round TKO via ground and pound.

Cody picks Dawson but is hesitant due to Torres' knockout power. He believes Dawson's wrestling and control will neutralize Torres, as Torres has not shown good takedown defense. He notes that Dawson trains at American Top Team and will likely get early takedowns. He acknowledges the risk of getting knocked out but trusts Dawson's game plan.

Connor picks Grant Dawson by smothering wrestling, noting that Dawson has won 23 of 25 fights and is a proven grinder. He acknowledges that Dawson has never beaten a real hitter and has faded in fights where he didn't crush his opponent early, but still sees Dawson's path to victory through control.

Daniel picks Dawson, believing his relentless grappling will drown Torres if he survives the first round. He notes Torres has never been past the first round and has knockout power, but Dawson's improved striking and top control should prevail in an extended fight. He expects a submission or ground-and-pound TKO.

Lucrative James highlights Grant Dawson's elite wrestling and back-taking ability. He notes that Manuel Torres is a fast starter who fades if he doesn't finish early, and that Dawson's grappling will neutralize Torres' power. He also mentions that Dawson's teammate Chris Duncan has fought Torres before, providing valuable intel. He predicts Dawson wins inside the distance via grappling.

The host views this as a dangerous early fight for Dawson but believes if he can secure takedowns and wear Torres down, his elite lightweight grappling will shine. He expects Dawson to find a finish in the second or third round.

Paul is confident in Dawson, citing his wrestling and control time. He notes that Dawson has dominated grapplers and that Torres' wins are all first-round finishes, which becomes less likely if Dawson gets takedowns. He believes Dawson will smother Torres and win by decision or submission.

The Guru picks Grant Dawson over Manuel Torres, trusting Dawson's elite grappling to survive Torres' early power. He notes Torres has never left the first round and has been submitted before. The Guru predicts a late second or third round submission or ground-and-pound finish.

Angelo leans Ignacio Bahamondes for three reasons: his length advantage, higher level experience, and the fact that Manuel Torres pulled guard in his last fight, which won't work against Bahamondes. He notes Bahamondes has good footwork and head movement, solid takedown defense, and came out aggressive in his last fight. However, he acknowledges Torres is dangerous and the fight could end early. He suggests a round under or 'fight doesn't go the distance' prop.

Big Brady flipped from initially leaning Torres to picking Bahamondes as a dog. He notes Torres is a beast in the first round (14 of 15 wins in round 1) but has never been past round 1.5. Bahamondes has shown ability to go into later rounds and weather storms. He predicts Bahamondes will survive an early onslaught and break Torres in the second round via knockout.

Daniel picks Ignacio Bahamondes, believing that if he survives the early storm, he will pick Torres apart with calf kicks, jabs, and spins. He notes Bahamondes' training with Khabib and Islam for grappling, and doubts Torres can maintain his high pace. He predicts a knockout for Bahamondes.

The transcript does not discuss this fight.

Fading the hype on Torres and going with the more experienced and technically better fighter in Bahamondes. He will touch up Torres, lean on his durability early, and then utilize superior technical striking to finish Torres in the second or third round.

Angelo picks Torres as the more dangerous fighter, citing his length and finishing ability. He acknowledges Duncan's durability and toughness but believes Torres will eventually break him. He mentions that over 1.5 rounds might be solid but Torres is the pick.

Big Brady picks Manuel Torres to win by first-round knockout. He notes that Torres has 15 finishes in 16 fights, all in the first round, and is a chaotic striker. He criticizes Chris Duncan's 49% striking defense and notes that Duncan has been knocked down and knocked out before. Brady believes Torres will draw Duncan into a brawl and that Torres has more power and durability. He expects the fight to end in the first round.

Cody picks Duncan as an underdog, noting that Torres is a first-round finisher with suspect cardio and grappling. He believes Duncan can take Torres down, make him carry weight, and grind him out. He mentions Duncan's improved wrestling and game plan against Ashmus. He acknowledges the risk of getting melted early but likes the plus price.

The host acknowledges Torres's power and early finishes but notes he overextends and can be countered. He believes Duncan is a more educated striker with a well-rounded game. If Duncan can survive the early onslaught, he can grind Torres against the cage and on the mat, finding a finish in the second or third round as Torres slows down.

Angelo picks Nikolas Motta as the underdog. He believes Motta is the more powerful striker and will avoid Torres's plum clinch and takedowns. Torres has a BJJ advantage but will struggle to get the fight to the ground. Angelo plans to bet Motta plus 3.5 points on the judge's scorecard, so a 29-28 loss still pays.

Big Brady picks Manuel Torres to win by first-round knockout. He describes Torres as a wild, relentless fighter who pushes a high pace and looks for finishes. Brady notes Torres has been finished twice by submission but has good durability and chin, while Motta has been knocked out multiple times. He believes Torres will make it his fight and overwhelm Motta with pressure and volume. Brady expects a chaotic car crash of a fight ending early in Torres' favor.

Cody is high on Torres, citing his finishing ability, good volume, durability, and multiple ways to win. He notes that Torres has a nasty submission game and striking, and that his only losses came via leg locks early in his career. Cody thinks Torres will overwhelm Motta with volume and eventually catch him, predicting a knockout after the over 1.5 rounds. He acknowledges Motta's durability is a question mark.

Connor picks Torres, citing his chin and comfort in the pocket. He notes that Motta is a sharp counter puncher but gets hit cleanly and lacks durability. Connor expects Torres to fire back when hit and eventually overwhelm Motta with power.

Daniel Levi picks Nikolas Motta, citing Motta's superior technical striking and counter boxing. He notes Torres's reckless striking leaves openings, and Motta can exploit them. He also mentions Motta's grappling as a potential path to tire Torres. He acknowledges the danger in the first few minutes but believes Motta can weather the storm and take over.

Torres has cardio issues and is mostly an early knockout threat. Motta is a better technical striker with more experience. If Motta survives the early onslaught, he can take over in the second round and find his own knockout. The fight likely ends inside the distance. Motta wins by knockout.

Paul agrees with Cody, noting that Torres puts on a high pace early and often, and that his significant strike totals are impressive. He questions whether Torres can maintain that pace if the fight extends, but given Motta's durability issues, he thinks Torres will get the job done. Paul likes the over 37.5 significant strikes for Torres on PrizePicks.

The MMA Guru picks Manuel Torres over Nikolas Motta, citing Torres as a good prospect with momentum and a reach advantage. He notes Motta was slept by Jim Miller and has questionable striking defense. He expects a stand-up fight favoring Torres, who has improved over a year off.

Cody picks Camacho but with very low confidence. He notes Camacho has more experience, a BJJ black belt, and looks in great shape on social media after a year off. However, he acknowledges Camacho's recent loss to Justin James and fight pullouts. He says there's not a shred of confidence in the selection.