Paulo Costa

Angelo picks Azamat Murzakanov, citing his power, wrestling, and knockdowns in every UFC fight. He acknowledges Paulo Costa's recent good performance but is skeptical of Costa moving up in weight and his history of canceled fights. He expects Azamat to bring pressure and suggests a possible over 1.5 rounds bet.

Big Brady is impressed with Murzakanov's speed, power, takedown defense, and defensive striking. He notes that Murzakanov's cardio has improved and he carries power late. He doubts Paulo Costa's recent performances, citing losses to Vettori, Strickland, and Adesanya. He predicts Murzakanov wins by decision, possibly hurting Costa but not finishing him.

Cody picks Costa as an underdog, believing he can weather Murzakanov's early storm and outwork him in later rounds. He notes Murzakanov's low volume and Costa's durability, expecting a decision win for Costa.

Connor picks Murzakanov, citing Costa's inconsistency and lack of defensive awareness. He notes that Murzakanov is a one-shot knockout artist with excellent timing and defensive awareness, and that Costa's high-volume, low-defense style leaves him vulnerable. Connor also questions Costa's motivation and his move up to light heavyweight, suggesting that Murzakanov's calm, patient approach will allow him to land a clean shot. He compares Murzakanov to Fedor Emelianenko in terms of timing and cage craft.

Daniel believes Murzakanov is being disrespected and sees him as a heavy hitter with good takedown defense. He thinks Costa gets discouraged in fights and that Murzakanov will box him up.

Daniel Vreeland picks Azamat Murzakanov because he believes Murzakanov is criminally underrated and has been disrespected by oddsmakers. He notes that Murzakanov has heavy hands and good wrestling, and that Costa's cardio and discipline are questionable. He also points out that Costa's move up to light heavyweight may not help his psyche or performance.

The host thinks the odds are too aggressive favoring Murzakanov (implied probability 67%) and would cap the fight closer to 50/50. He believes Costa has better cardio and is the more complete striker, while Murzakanov is a better boxer with more power but fades after the first round. He prefers the underdog value on Costa but is not confident in a win.

James picks Murzakanov, citing his power, speed, and accuracy advantage over Costa, who he believes is on a downtrend and not suited for light heavyweight. He expects Murzakanov to hurt Costa early and possibly finish him.

Costa's durability and volume should be too much for Murzakanov, who relies heavily on knockout power. Murzakanov has been close to losing in several fights and his power may not phase Costa. Costa's athleticism and counter-striking can neutralize Murzakanov's blitzes. Costa looked sharp against Kopylov and can outpoint or even knock out Murzakanov. This is a winnable fight for Costa at plus money.

Paul favors Murzakanov due to Costa's questionable commitment and Murzakanov's knockout power. He thinks Costa may be one foot in, one foot out, while Murzakanov's sole purpose is knocking dudes out.

The MMA Guru picks Paulo Costa over Azamat Murzakanov. He is very confident, calling it a 'masterclass'. He believes Costa's speed, body kicks, and technical striking will be too much for Murzakanov, who he thinks is overrated and whose best days are behind him. He predicts a TKO in round two via body kick or similar.

Angelo picks Roman Kopylov, reasoning that in a striking match, Kopylov is the better striker. He doubts Paulo Costa will use his grappling, as he has been a brawler recently. He notes Costa's durability and output but believes Kopylov's technical striking will win.

Big Brady picks Roman Kopylov, criticizing Paulo Costa's lack of effort and decline since 2019. He notes Kopylov has improved his striking and wrestling, while Costa has regressed. He predicts Kopylov wins by late finish or decision.

Connor picks Kopylov because he believes Costa's current style is vulnerable to a dynamic kicking game. He notes that Costa has not been the same pressure fighter since the Adesanya fight and struggles against opponents who use long-range weapons. Kopylov's ability to pressure and chain combinations on the front foot is seen as a nightmare for Costa's hesitant approach.

The host acknowledges Costa is a wild card, making it difficult to determine whether to bet on Kopylov. He expects Kopylov to win, utilizing grappling and striking to win on the scorecards, but the hesitation is due to Costa's unpredictability.

The MMA Guru picks Roman Kopylov over Paulo Costa, predicting a decision win. He criticizes Costa's inactivity and lack of finishing ability, noting that he rarely punches opponents in the face anymore. Kopylov is described as busier and more active, with a reach advantage. The Guru believes Kopylov will pepper Costa with strikes and possibly land head kicks, while Costa's full-force but ineffective style will not be enough. He also mentions a prop bet that Costa will land less than 63.5 significant strikes.

Angelo picks Sean Strickland because of his dependability and the Philly shell defense. He acknowledges Paulo Costa's power and cardio but believes Strickland's volume and durability will win a decision, especially in a five-round fight. He notes that Costa might try wrestling after seeing Dricus du Plessis take Strickland down, but still favors Strickland.

Big Brady likes Sean Strickland at 8,800 because it's a five-round fight, giving Strickland 25 minutes to rack up volume (6 significant strikes per minute). He thinks Strickland's pace will add up and he could even get a late finish. He also likes Paulo Costa in cash games for the same five-round volume, noting Costa's durability and potential takedowns. He sees Costa as a live dog but expects Strickland to win a decision or late finish.

Cody picks Strickland, highlighting his jab and reach advantage. He notes Strickland's durability and volume, and believes Costa's power is overrated (last KO of note was Uriah Hall in 2018). Cody expects Strickland to drown Costa with pressure and volume, possibly getting a late stoppage. He mentions Strickland's experience in five-round fights and Costa's lack thereof.

Daniel notes that Costa can compete at this level but questions if he can win. He highlights Strickland's insane output and Philly shell, and expects Strickland to edge a decision with higher volume. He acknowledges either could get knocked out but leans Strickland.

Daniel Vreeland also picks Costa, agreeing with Fox. He was initially concerned about the 25-minute fight but was reassured by Costa's performance against Whittaker. Vreeland notes Strickland won't grapple and Costa is a decent grappler anyway. He sees risk standing with Costa for 25 minutes but believes Costa's power and durability give him the edge.

Jeff Fox picks Paulo Costa at +200, citing that Strickland's five-round losses (to Jared Cannonier and Dricus du Plessis) came because opponents landed harder shots that judges value more. He believes Costa will land the bigger shots and notes Costa's strong performance against Robert Whittaker. Fox thinks Costa can take three rounds and possibly win a split decision, and he's not worried about Strickland wrestling.

The host believes Costa's power punching is the key to beating Strickland, who has struggled against power punchers. Costa's ability to land big shots over five rounds could lead to a knockout or sway judges with damage. The host notes Costa's recent activity and motivation, and sees value at +205, picking Costa by knockout.

Paul picks Strickland, emphasizing volume advantage. He notes Costa can land big shots but lacks volume; Strickland will put up 200+ significant strikes while Costa struggles to reach 100. He expects Strickland by decision or late stoppage, and mentions Strickland's reach advantage (76-inch reach vs Costa's 72-inch). He also notes Costa's poor body language and cardio in past fights.

Angelo picks Robert Whittaker, citing his well-roundedness, diverse striking, and takedowns. He notes Costa's power and durability but questions his activity. He is slightly worried about Whittaker's chin after the Dricus loss but believes Whittaker's resume and skills outweigh Costa's. He will leave Whittaker out of the safety parlay.

Big Brady picks Robert Whittaker to win by decision. He questions Costa's motivation and activity, noting he's fought only twice in five years and didn't look impressive against Luke Rockhold. He believes Whittaker is the better fighter and more hungry, though he acknowledges Costa's durability and power. He says if Costa doesn't pull out, Whittaker should win a decision.

Cody picks Whittaker, citing his higher volume and tactical approach. He notes that Costa's knockout of Luke Rockhold is less impressive given Rockhold's chin issues. He mentions the over 1.5 rounds total has been steamed, suggesting a decision win for Whittaker. He acknowledges the risk of Costa landing a bomb but trusts Whittaker's jab and fight IQ.

Daniel Vreeland picks Robert Whittaker, arguing that Paulo Costa was never that great and has only one win since the pandemic (over an aged Luke Rockhold). He notes Whittaker's losses are only to champions (Adesanya and du Plessis) and that he has a cleaner striking game and better counter-striking. He expects Whittaker to get reads on Costa and outpoint him, possibly finishing late.

Whittaker uses a cagey style, blitzing in and out with hands and kicks. He has underrated wrestling to implement. If he avoids Costa's power, he should win on the scorecards.

Paul acknowledges Whittaker's superior technique, speed, and experience but worries about his durability due to past knockouts and damage from Romero, Adesanya, and DDP. He notes Costa's power and the threat of a one-punch KO, but points out Costa's wins are over shopworn or lower-level opponents. He ultimately picks Whittaker by decision, trusting his jab and footwork to outpoint Costa.

Angelo picks Paulo Costa over Luke Rockhold. He describes Costa as a massive middleweight with power, output, and surprising cardio, noting his relentless pace even when exhausted. Angelo acknowledges Rockhold's credentials as a former champion and talented wrestler, but believes the three-year layoff and age (38) are too much to overcome against a top-ranked opponent. He mentions that Costa has good takedown defense (80%) and that he already placed a moneyline bet on Costa at better odds earlier.

Big Brady is confident in Paulo Costa. He notes that Luke Rockhold hasn't fought in three years, hasn't won in nearly five years, and was knocked out in his last fight. Rockhold's chin is gone, and he looked slow and washed against Jan Błachowicz. Costa is younger, more active, hits hard, and has solid cardio. Brady expects Costa to knock Rockhold out in the first or second round. He mentions Costa's takedown defense is good, so Rockhold's wrestling won't work.

Cody picks Costa but expresses concerns about Costa's weight cut and his poor grappling off his back. He notes Rockhold's durability issues but acknowledges Rockhold's BJJ could be a threat if Costa gets taken down. Ultimately, he trusts Costa's power and finishing ability.

Daniel Levi picks Paulo Costa to knock out Luke Rockhold in the first round. He notes that Rockhold's chin has been suspect for a long time, citing knockouts by Vitor Belfort, Michael Bisping, Yoel Romero, and Jan Błachowicz. He believes Rockhold hasn't fought since 2019 and is coming back for a paycheck, which is a bad sign. Levi praises Costa's takedown defense (stuffing Yoel Romero's takedowns) and his power, and thinks Costa is catching Rockhold at the right time. He also mentions that Costa looked back to form in his last fight against Marvin Vettori.

Costa should knock out Rockhold, who has a weak chin and has been inactive for three years. However, the -350 price is too high for a finish-reliant fighter. The host prefers Costa by KO at -120 (now -170) but is passing on the moneyline. He warns that if Costa doesn't finish early, Rockhold could make it a tough fight.

Paul picks Costa to knock out Rockhold inside the first two rounds. He notes Rockhold's chin issues and long layoff, and likes the under 10 minutes on Prize Picks. He mentions Costa's wild card nature but thinks he's in great shape for this fight.

Angelo finds this a very tough pick. He initially had Costa but flipped to Vettori because Vettori has more ways to win (grappling, durability). He notes Vettori's takedown accuracy is under 50% and he struggles to keep people down, while Costa has 80% takedown defense. He's worried Vettori will get sucked into a striking match. He ultimately picks Vettori but is not confident. He loves a prop bet on Costa: 'wins inside the distance, decision no action' at -110, meaning if Costa wins by KO he gets paid, if he loses a decision he gets a refund.

Big Brady picks Vettori to survive Costa's early storm and win late, citing Vettori's durability, five-round experience, and never-been-KO'd record. He notes Costa's takedown defense (80%) and strength make him hard to take down, but believes Vettori's wrestling and cardio will prevail in later rounds. He predicts a fifth-round TKO or submission.

Cody picks Marvin Vettori, expecting to get a better live price after Vettori likely drops the first round. He highlights Vettori's durability, cardio, and experience in five-round fights, contrasting with Costa's questionable cardio and history of gassing. Cody notes Costa's impressive pressure against Yoel Romero but points out his poor performance against Adesanya and his tendency to fade after two rounds. He believes Vettori can take over in rounds 3-5 and recommends betting live after the first round.

Lock picks Vettori based on durability and cardio advantage. He notes Costa's cardio drops after 8 minutes and Vettori's pace will take over late. He expects Vettori to survive early onslaught and finish in rounds 3-5. He also likes Vettori inside the distance and round props.

Paul initially leans towards Costa but is swayed by Cody's reasoning. He acknowledges Vettori's durability and chin, but also notes Costa's power and the possibility of a knockout. Paul suggests that if betting Costa, the knockout prop at +225 is the way to go. He ultimately agrees that waiting for live markets is the best approach, but does not commit to a clear pick.

Big Brady picks Adesanya after initially leaning Costa. He cites Adesanya's eight-inch reach advantage, superior striking defense, and ability to stick and move in the bigger cage. He thinks Costa is hittable and may fade in later rounds, leading to a fourth-round knockout for Adesanya.

Daniel Levi picks Paulo Costa to become the new champion, citing Costa's pressure, body work, and ability to close distance. He dismisses concerns about Costa's cardio and notes Costa dropped Yoel Romero with a left hook. He believes Izzy's jab will be answered by Costa's combinations, and that Costa can win by decision or knockout. He calls it a dog-or-pass situation at plus 160.

The host picks Israel Adesanya, expecting him to use his movement and counter-striking to frustrate Paulo Costa. He believes Costa will swing at air and slow down after two rounds, allowing Adesanya to take over and finish in the fourth round. He notes that Costa's power is a threat early, but Adesanya's elusiveness and technical striking will prevail.