Anton Turkalj

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.

Angelo picks Anton Turkalj and has a half-unit bet on him at -103 (basically even money). He notes that Anton's incredible pace could exhaust Tyson Pedro, who gasses hard. Anton has diverse striking and aggressive takedowns. Despite Tyson's power and grappling, Anton's pace should take over as the fight goes on.

Big Brady leans toward Anton Turkalj, noting Pedro's poor cardio and first-round-or-bust style. He thinks Turkalj can survive the first round and take over with takedowns and pressure. He predicts a second-round submission.

Cody picks Turkalj, noting that Pedro is a one-round fighter with poor cardio and wrestling. He believes Turkalj's wrestling and pace will wear Pedro down in the later rounds. Cody suggests that the best play might be to bet Turkalj after the first round when his odds might be better.

Daniel Levi picks Tyson Pedro despite the public leaning towards Turkalj. He is not impressed with Turkalj's skills, calling him tough but unathletic. Levi notes that Pedro is more skilled and has a chip on his shoulder after a poor performance. However, he acknowledges Pedro's history of fading after the first round and says it could be a sweaty fight. He is not laying money on Pedro.

Lucrative James acknowledges that Anton Turkalj has good cardio and a solid chin, but he believes Tyson Pedro has finishing upside early with faster, more sneaky strikes like high kicks. He notes that Pedro's gas tank may be overblown, as he competed into the third round against Modestas Bukauskas. James sees Pedro winning the first round and then needing only one more round to secure a decision, though he expects Turkalj to dominate round three. He picks Pedro against the grain, but his confidence is low, calling it a close fight.

Turkalj is on a two-fight losing streak but showed good wrestling and top pressure in his debut. Pedro has a submission threat but fades in deep waters. Turkalj's takedowns and heavy top pressure should wear on Pedro, who lacks the explosivity of Turkalj's previous opponent. Turkalj should win by decision.

Paul picks Turkalj, agreeing that Pedro has never impressed him and that Turkalj's wrestling and cardio should be the difference. He notes that Pedro's training at City Kickboxing might help, but he's not buying into a one-camp transformation. Paul sees Turkalj securing takedowns and controlling the fight.

Angelo picks Vitor Petrino but is cautious due to Anton Turkalj's takedown ability. He notes that Petrino's takedown defense is untested at this level, and Turkalj's 11 takedowns on the Contender Series are a concern. He avoids betting on the moneyline and suggests the under 2.5 rounds as a potential bet, expecting a finish from either side.

Big Brady picks Anton Turkalj, citing his wrestling and grappling as the biggest path to victory. He notes Turkalj has good cardio, transitions well on the ground, and has a slick submission game. Brady expects Turkalj to avoid Petrino's power early, take the fight to the mat, and finish with a second-round submission.

Cody also picks Turkalj, expecting him to use takedowns and grind out a win. He notes Petrino's early KO threat but thinks Turkalj can survive and take over later. He calls it a pass for betting.

Connor picks Petrino, citing his power punching and athleticism. He notes that Petrino throws crisp combinations and has good conditioning, while Turkalj is a clincher who struggles to get takedowns. Connor expects Petrino to land a knockout, as Turkalj is not durable and Petrino hits hard. He acknowledges Petrino's takedown defense is a concern but believes he will win on the feet.

I think Turkalj's grappling-heavy style will be too much for Petrino. Petrino has power but questionable cardio and has faced lower-level competition. Turkalj, back at light heavyweight where he's undefeated, should implement a takedown-heavy game plan and slow Petrino down. I expect a second or third round stoppage, likely by submission. The plus money on Turkalj is appealing.

Paul leans Turkalj, citing his wrestling advantage and cardio. He thinks Petrino is a quick finisher but may fade if he doesn't get an early KO. He suggests live betting Turkalj if Petrino doesn't finish early.

The MMA Guru picks Anton Turkalj as an underdog, citing his experience and grappling ability. He notes that Petrino is a physical specimen with KO power but was taken down on the contender series. He believes Turkalj can time takedowns and find the back for a rear-naked choke in the third round.

Angelo picks Jailton Almeida, calling him the real deal with powerful hands and incredible grappling. He notes Almeida's non-stop pressure and chain wrestling, and expects him to dominate. He is surprised the line moved from -900 to -700, but still sees Almeida as the clear winner.

Big Brady picks Jailton Almeida to win by first-round TKO, noting Almeida's phenomenal wrestling and ground-and-pound. He acknowledges Turkalj's impressive cardio and takedown performance on the Contender Series but believes Almeida is a different level. He expects Almeida to shoot a takedown within the first 10 seconds and finish quickly.

Cody is very confident in Jailton Almeida, calling him a future title contender. He believes Almeida will smash Turkalj, who is stepping up on short notice. He notes that Almeida's grappling is suffocating and that Turkalj has bad stand-up and cardio. He likes the TKO prop at +300 and the over 1.5 rounds at +125.

Daniel Levi picks Jailton Almeida confidently. He calls Almeida a 'problem' with elite jiu-jitsu and physicality. He notes that the line opened at -1500 and is now -660, suggesting some doubt, but he doesn't see Turkalj winning. Levi expects Almeida to finish Turkalj and hand him his first loss.

Jacob agrees, picking Almeida but noting Turkalj's path is to survive the first round and hope Almeida gasses. He thinks Almeida is a first-round finisher and will likely dominate early. He is surprised by the line movement but still confident in Almeida.

The host picks Jailton Almeida to get a first-round finish, but notes this is his toughest test. He expects Almeida's quick finish due to Turkalj's short notice and recent fight. He plans to live bet Turkalj if the fight reaches round two.

Paul picks Almeida, noting that Turkalj is a massive underdog who is moving up in weight on short notice. He believes Almeida's power and grappling will be too much, and that even if Turkalj gets takedowns early, he will fatigue and get finished. He expects Almeida to win inside the distance, likely by TKO.