Alateng Heili

Angelo picks Da'Mon Blackshear, citing his athleticism, speed, power, and ability to mix striking and grappling. He notes that Alateng Heili struggles to combine his skills, and that Blackshear's technical boxing and clean takedowns should prevail. He has Blackshear in a parlay with Joselyne Edwards.

Big Brady is confident in Da'Mon Blackshear, highlighting his superior grappling and Alateng Heili's low volume and lack of wrestling. He expects Blackshear to get the fight to the ground and submit Heili, noting a massive skill gap on the mat. He predicts a second-round submission.

The host acknowledges Heili's wrestling could cause issues but believes Blackshear's striking power and BJJ black belt will keep him safe and allow him to grind out a decision win.

Angelo notes that Alateng Heili struggles with forward pressure and brawlers, and can only do one thing at a time—strike or grapple. Kleydson Rodrigues brings constant forward pressure, versatile striking with kicks, and solid takedown offense from the clinch. However, Rodrigues can be overexposed and taken down. Angelo leans Rodrigues but worries if Heili decides to grapple, which could cause problems.

Cody sees Rodrigues as a potential fraud: he missed weight twice, has poor cardio, and his power may not translate up at bantamweight. Heili is tough, durable, and has never been finished. Cody believes Heili's wrestling defense and forward pressure will wear Rodrigues down, and he expects Heili to win a decision or possibly get a late finish.

Rodrigues is a former flyweight adjusting to 135 lbs but has superior striking and a BJJ black belt. He should be able to box up Alateng Heili, who over-relied on striking against Chris Gutierrez and lost. Expects Rodrigues to win on the scorecards using his striking advantage.

Paul notes Heili is durable and has never been finished in the UFC, while Rodrigues has struggled with weight cuts and cardio. He believes Heili's toughness and pressure will be a problem for Rodrigues, who may fade if he doesn't get an early finish. Paul sees value in Heili as a slight underdog.

Angelo picks Chad Anheliger, liking his power and ability to not be fazed by takedowns. He notes Anheliger has been taken down nine times in two UFC fights but still won, showing he scrambles back up and keeps firing. He expects Heili to work in grappling but believes Anheliger's resilience and power will get the job done.

Big Brady picks Chad Anheliger as a live dog, citing Alateng Heili's reluctance to wrestle despite having a wrestling background. He notes Heili has zero takedowns in his last three fights and poor striking volume, while Anheliger has power and has shown durability. He predicts Anheliger wins by decision, though he is not sure if he will bet it.

Cody picks Alateng Heili, noting his wrestling advantage and durability. He believes Heili will take Anheliger down and control the fight. He points out that Anheliger looked bad against Jesse Strader, getting taken down multiple times, and that his cardio is questionable. He thinks Heili is the better fighter.

Daniel Levi picks Alateng Heili, citing his physicality and improved wrestling. He respects Anheliger's toughness and comeback ability, but thinks Heili's size and takedowns will be the difference. He notes that if Heili gasses, Anheliger could take over, but expects Heili's conditioning at Fight Ready to hold up.

Jacob picks Alateng Heili but is hesitant, calling it the toughest fight to pick. He notes Heili is technical with power and has backdoor wrestling if he uses it. He worries about Anheliger's hands-down head movement and thinks Heili's technical striking and power could catch him. However, he admits if Anheliger wins, he wouldn't be surprised.

The host picks Alateng Heili, believing he has too many tools for Anheliger. He expects Heili to mix in wrestling to set up his striking, avoid trading in the pocket, and win a decision. He notes Anheliger's power but thinks Heili is the more complete fighter and that the line is accurate.

Paul picks Alateng Heili, agreeing with Cody. He notes that Anheliger has cardio issues and was taken down multiple times by Jesse Strader. He believes Heili's wrestling and durability will be the difference, and that he is the more reliable fighter.

Angelo picks Alateng Heili, but thinks the odds are a bit wide. He notes that Heili is a technical striker who can struggle with brawlers like Croom. He believes Heili can get the fight to the ground if needed, but must be wary of Croom's submissions. He considers Croom a far better fighter than his recent record shows.

Big Brady picks Kevin Croom for the upset by decision. He notes Croom has a massive size advantage (6 inches taller, 6.5 inch reach) and will throw more volume than Alateng Heili, who has low output (max 47 significant strikes in a UFC fight). He expects Croom to win minutes on the feet and avoid Heili's power. He acknowledges Croom's takedown accuracy is poor but thinks Heili's wrestling plays into Croom's ground game.

Cody picks Heili, emphasizing his wrestling and top pressure. He notes Croom's size but thinks Heili can take him down and win from guard. He believes Heili's camp at Fight Ready will help him execute the right game plan.

Daniel Levi leans Alateng Heili, noting this is his proper weight class and he is likely fight-ready with good conditioning. He respects Croom's size and finishing ability but worries about Croom cutting to 135 and fading late, as he has a history of losing decisions. Levi expects Heili to win a decision.

Paul picks Heili, citing his wrestling advantage and durability. He thinks Heili can take Croom down and control him. He notes Heili's poor decision-making in the past but believes he will wrestle here.

Angelo acknowledges that Alateng has more tools and is more technical, but he thinks Gustavo's brawling style and willingness to throw wild punches from unorthodox angles will frustrate Alateng. He notes that Alateng can struggle against brawlers and that Gustavo's toughness and pressure could lead to a win. He is hesitant because Alateng has a wrestling backup plan.

Big Brady picks Alateng Heili based on his superior wrestling, expecting takedowns and top control to be the difference. He acknowledges Lopez is dangerous on the mat with a 92% finish rate, so Heili must be careful. He sees the fight as very close and is not betting it. He predicts a decision win for Heili.

Cody leans toward Alateng Heili, citing his durability and wrestling. He notes that Lopez tends to tire and that Heili has shown he can absorb punishment and grind out decisions. Cody is not confident and calls it a 'dog or pass' situation.

Daniel Levi picks Gustavo Lopez over Alateng Heili. He praises Heili's toughness but notes that Heili's flight from China could be a factor, though a commenter says Heili trained at Fight Ready this camp, which changes things. Levi still sees it as a close fight but thinks Lopez will land harder shots, stuff takedowns, and win a competitive decision.

Preet leans Alateng Heili because he believes the wrestling will cancel out and the fight will become a striking battle, where Alateng has straighter, crisper strikes. He thinks Lopez's striking is too wild and loopy, and that Alateng's wrestling background allows him to sprawl and brawl. He expects Alateng to win by decision and likes the over 2.5 rounds.

Paul leans toward Lopez, noting his striking advantage and that Heili has been outstruck in every UFC fight. He worries about Lopez's cardio but thinks he can win the first two rounds. Paul calls it a close fight and suggests live betting.

Big Brady picks Casey Kenney to win by decision. He highlights Kenney's superior striking volume and takedown defense, noting that Heili is low volume and gets outlanded. He thinks Kenney is better everywhere and that Heili's only chance is a knockout.

Daniel confidently picks Kenney, praising his fight IQ and level of competition. He expects Kenney to use kicks to avoid Heili's right hand, mix in takedowns, and dominate on top. He notes Heili's toughness and power but believes Kenney is on a different level and will out-tough him.

The host is extremely confident in Casey Kenney, citing his superior grappling, scrambles, and experience against high-level grapplers like Manny Bermudez and Brandon Royval. He believes Alateng Heili's wrestling credentials won't translate to MMA grappling and that Kenney will dominate on the ground. He placed a 5-unit bet at -281, calling it his lock of the night.