UFC Baku: Fiziev vs Torres – Full Card Analysis

UFC Baku: Fiziev vs Torres – 6.27.2026 – Fight Predictions and Analysis

Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC Fight Night Baku: Fiziev vs Torres. The event today features some great matchups live at an early time from Baku, Azerbaijan. Be sure to check out our full reasoning for every pick as our records will not reflect confidence in each selection. We will be picking every fight, but likely only recommend betting on a select few. 

Current Record

• Anthony: 168-77-4 (Last Year 331-183-3, 64%)
• Nick: 161-84-4 (Last Year 326-188-3, 63%)

*Fight odds were last updated from bet365 on 6-26-2026 at 6pm EST

Preliminary Card- Starts 9:00am EST

Tahir Abdullayev -120 vs Jefferson Nascimento +100

• Anthony: The card today begins at welterweight with Tahir Abdullayev taking on Jefferson Nascimento. These fighters are both making their promotional debut here. Abdullayev represents Azerbaijan and he has fought professionally there for more than a decade. He is a violent athlete with a base in lethwei but really I would not categorize him as much more than a brawler. Nascimento is the more refined martial artist with many more quality wins. He is undefeated at 13-0. Nascimento vacates his LFA Lightweight title here for a shot at the UFC. I would be all over Nascimento if he were competing at lightweight, but there are questions surrounding this matchup at 170 pounds. It is going to be very difficult for Nascimento to score big moments standing because Abdullayev is a tank that will likely eat those shots. I also worry about his ability to effectively wrestle here facing a bigger and stronger opponent. Nonetheless my pick to win this fight is Nascimento because he is far more skilled. Abdullayev may be able to walk through a lot of shots but I also trust Nascimento’s chin to hold. A close decision here could go the way of the local Abdullayev. Jefferson Nascimento by Decision
• Nick: Tahir Abdullayev will be making his UFC debut here, with a 21-3 professional record at 29 years old. He’s relatively well rounded, with nine wins coming via KO and seven coming via submission. Abdullayev has a small frame for a welterweight, but his compact frame is stacked with muscle. He’s an explosive athlete with finishing instincts, but he can be tentative at times. Most of his recent success has come through his grappling, and in this particular match-up it seems likely he will pursue that path as a gameplan. Jefferson Nascimento will be making his UFC debut here with a 13-0 professional record at 27 years old. He’ll be fighting up a weight class here as he is taking this fight on short notice. Nascimento enters this fight as an LFA Lightweight Champion. He’s shown vulnerability before, but he has taken on a high quality level of regional opponents. He is a crisp striker offensively who does a good job mixing kicks into his combinations. He’s sharp on the counter, but his aggressive style does force him to take a lot of unnecessary damage in lengthy exchanges. Abdullayev is the bigger fighter here and he does have a path to win via grappling, but Nascimento is the much better striker, with better cardio and durability. This is a low confidence play, but I’m siding with Nascimento. Jefferson Nascimento by Round Three KO

Jean Matsumoto -150 vs Bekzat Almakhan +125

• Anthony: Next is a matchup at flyweight between Jean Matsumoto and Bekzat Almakhan. This card features many fighters from these caucus regions and Almakhan today looks to make a splash fighting a very tough opponent. The performances from Almakhan so far have been a bit underwhelming but he is tough and tricky on the feet. Here I expect Almakhan to be a much more fluid striker and able to control distance against Matsumoto when boxing. The Brazilian will be shooting for takedowns here and winning minutes by controlling Almakhan on the mat. Almakhan defends on average just 41 percent of opponent takedown attempts. This will be a big problem for him in this fight against Matsumoto who averages one takedown landed per round. His efficient grappling and strong upper body will be a huge factor in winning this bout. Matsumoto won his debut fight via guillotine choke but otherwise every appearance of his in the promotion has gone to decision. I expect to see three very close rounds between these athletes. Bettors should be careful since judges in Azerbaijan may favor the striker over the grappler. This fight seems like the most likely to reach the scorecards here this morning. Jean Matsumoto by Decision
• Nick: Jean Matsumoto is 17-2 professionally, coming off a hard fought decision loss to a tough out in Farid Basharat. In spite of the loss, there is no denying he is putting together an impressive resume at just 26-years old. He’s well-rounded, with six of his professional wins coming via submission and six coming via KO. He is fast and athletic, and his cardio paired with solid durability allows him to fight aggressively for fifteen minutes. He does his best work when he can pressure his opponents and force a pace. Bekzat Almakhan is 12-3 professionally and 28-years old. He’s a talented prospect fighting out of Kazakhstan, with ten of his wins coming via KO. He is primarily a striker, who does a good job fighting at range. He throws fast and powerful high kicks and it’s safe to expect he’ll have a long career in the UFC. He’s effective in scrambles, and it seems he does have enough wrestling ability both offensively and defensively to keep fights standing against most opponents. This should be a fun and competitive fight, but I see Matsumoto as the rightful favorite as I expect he’ll land more volume and push the pace here. Alakhan has a power advantage, but I see Matsumoto wearing damage well and pouring it on as this fight wears on. Jean Matsumoto by Decision

Daniil Donchenko -550 vs Theodor Berggren +400

• Anthony: The next matchup is a fight at welterweight between Daniil Donchenko and Theodor Berggren. It is interesting that Donchenko was supposed to face Andreas Gustafsson here but now instead it is Gustafsson’s teammate Berggren that makes his promotional debut. There is room for Berggren to continue developing but right now he is quite a few levels behind Donchenko. It is evident that he puts offense first and does not have good defensive awareness. It is a brutal matchup for Berggren in his debut as Donchenko hits very hard and does not ever get finished. I expect Donchenko here to be much stronger in clinch positions and if this fight does hit the mat. Donchenko also just fought to a decision against Alex Morono, showcasing his striking there and patience that should be commended. Once the striking exchanges in this fight begin to open up it will be Donchenko getting the better of Berggren. At just 24 years old the sky is really the limit for Donchenko who is The Ultimate Fighter champion. This should be one of the easier wins for him in what will be a long career in the promotion. Daniil Donchenko by Round Three KO
• Nick: Daniil Donchenko is The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 tournament champion. He is 13-2 professionally and 24 years old. He’s an explosive athlete with true knockout power in all of his limbs. Eight of his thirteen professional wins have come via KO, and in most of his fights he does a good job overwhelming his opponents with his highly aggressive style. Donchenko does a good job forcing himself into the range of his opponents. He does a good job mixing kicks into his combinations and his durability and speed allow him to have success countering. It seems he’s a capable grappler as well, but he hasn’t really been tested extensively against high level wrestling. Theodor Berggren will be making his UFC debut here, taking this fight on short notice as a replacement for Andreas Gustafsson. He is 8-3 professionally, and 26 years old. He has an aggressive style and he is relatively well-rounded. He can out-strike poor strikers, and out-grapple poor grapplers. That being said, he’s a tough fighter to get a good read on as he’s found mixed results against a below average level of regional opponent. He has found recent success with a respectable promotion in Cage Warriors, but his cardio seems questionable at best and it does seem he slows down when he can’t secure an early finish. The price here is a bit ridiculous, but Donchenko is the side to be on. Beggren will be dangerous early, but I expect him to struggle as this fight wears on. Daniil Donchenko by Round Two KO

Javier Reyes -210 vs Kaan Ofli +170

• Anthony: Here is a fight at featherweight with Kaan Ofli facing Javier Reyes. I am picking Reyes to win in this fight today but the odds were much better earlier in the week. Ofli could implement enough grappling to win here as the underdog but I do not think he holds up well in the face of Reyes’ striking. These men are listed at the same height but Reyes has a seven-inch reach advantage. Ofli will be outstruck once again here. Reyes will very easily touch him throughout this fight using his jab and basic combinations. I predict at least one knockdown. On paper it seems wise for Ofli to wrestle here against Reyes but that may also not go according to plan. Reyes not only does well defending takedowns but he is also a threat with his jiu jitsu to lock onto submission attempts. Ofli has had a real problem anyways when it comes to converting his takedowns in the UFC. He is a world class grappler with good finishing instincts but none of that does matter if Ofli cannot get his opponents down to the mat. It also becomes harder for Ofli to shoot as he continues to accrue damage in these fights. I will not be betting much on Reyes now that these odds are where they should be. Javier Reyes by Round Two KO
• Nick: Javier Reyes is 32 years old and 23-5 professionally. He’s a potent finisher and relatively well rounded with ten wins coming via KO and eight coming via submission. As dangerous as he is offensively, his hyper aggressive style can also make him susceptible to taking damage in exchanges. His cardio is somewhat questionable, and it is notable he has been KO’d in two of his three most recent losses. He recorded an impressive KO win over Douglas Silva de Andrade in his last fight, his UFC debut. Still, he’s getting a late start to his career in the promotion so he’ll need to stay active to make any noise in the division. Kaan Ofli is a well-rounded fighter who shows a solid wrestling base, dangerous BJJ, and serious power on the feet. His ability to work back to his feet if he is taken down allows him to strike aggressively. He likes to throw a lot of straight punches and looping hooks as a means to overwhelm his opponents. He boasts a strong leg kick, and he does an excellent job using his effective striking to bait his opponents into takedowns. As talented as he is offensively, he is somewhat small for the division. Additionally, his aggressive style often creates openings for him to take damage in lengthy exchanges. This is a relatively low level matchup, but I do prefer the Reyes side. Simply put, he’s much more active in the cage. Javier Reyes by Decision

Nursulton Ruziboev -220 vs Andrey Pulyaev +180

• Anthony: This should be a good matchup at middleweight between Nursulton Ruziboev and Andrey Pulyaev. I handicap this fight much closer than the current odds suggest. Pulyaev seems to be building into a very solid professional with consistent boxing and improving footwork. The southpaw is a more dangerous and consistent striker than Ruziboev who can be reckless and burn too hot. The clear advantage for Ruziboev in this fight is grappling where he can threaten Pulyaev with many various submissions. He will likely find a takedown in round one before working toward a choke or arm manipulation. Ruziboev is a popular choice among bettors but although I like his style, this is not a fighter that should be trusted as a large favorite. His victories last year came facing Dustin Stoltzfus and Eric McConico who are not very high caliber. I also do not like that he has been off for more than one year. Pulyaev could certainly make this an uncomfortable fight for Ruziboev if it does extend into rounds two and three. I suspect it will be harder for Pulyaev to separate from Ruziboev compared to when he did so impressively to beat Nick Klein. These odds have closed but in order to cash as underdog he will need to show much improved takedown defense. Nursulton Ruziboev by Round One Submission
• Nick: Nursulton Ruziboev is 36-9-2 professionally and 32-years old. He has a long frame for the division and he’s dangerous everywhere offensively. He’s primarily a grappler with twenty professional wins coming via submission, but three of his four wins in the UFC have come via KO. He has been out of action since May of 2025, but he enters this fight on a two fight win streak and when he’s in quality form he’s a tough out for anyone outside of the rankings at middleweight. Andrey Pulyaev is relatively well rounded, but he prefers to stand and strike. Six of his ten professional wins have come via KO. Pulyaev can be dangerous, but his willingness to exchange in the pocket makes him an easy target for seasoned strikers. Additionally, his defensive grappling is still somewhat of a question mark as he hasn’t really been tested against any top level grapplers. His greatest strength as a fighter may be his durability, and it will likely be tested here in this match-up. The price on Ruziboev is inflated, but I do see him as the side in this one. He’s the more technically skilled fighter everywhere in this one, and he should dominate if he can take this fight to the mat. Nursulton Ruziboev by Round Two Submission

Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev -550 vs Juluis Walker +400

• Anthony: Next is a matchup at light heavyweight between Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev and Julius Walker. Yakhyaev is undefeated and looking to improve his record to 10-0 with another victory today. Walker is a pretty simple fighter that he should be a big favorite against. Walker’s striking is serviceable but he really has no standout skills. Walker is also an underwhelming opponent here at 205 pounds where he does not seem very big. He was also finished in his most recent appearance fighting Dustin Jacoby back in February. Yakhyaev has now won four five fights inside of one round. The young athlete is from Chechnya with a very bright future ahead, but right now Yakhyaev has just been rushing opponents and stopping them thanks to his great power. We have still not seen Yakhyaev tested by an opponent who can hold their ground and withstand his first flurry of offense. Walker seems like another candidate to shell up and quit early in the face of Yakhyaev’s punches. The Russian has a clear grappling advantage and in this matchup he seems likely to submit Walker if he does use his wrestling. Here he will use strikes to enter the clinch early, forcing a takedown and chasing a rear naked choke attempt. Yakhyaev may not be so tough once he faces a more durable opponent but this again seems like a matchup where on paper he will thrive. Yakhyaev is my most confident bet this weekend. I am including him in parlays at these odds and also playing props to win by finish. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev by Round One Submission
• Nick: Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev is 9-0 professionally and 25 years old. He’s generally well-rounded, with three professional wins coming via KO and five coming via submission. Yakhyaev is extremely aggressive and dangerous everywhere, but he’s yet to really face adversity at the professional level. He’s a gifted striker at range, and a cerebral wrestler, but he still has a lot to prove as he continues to climb the rankings at light heavyweight. Julius Walker is 26 years old and 7-2 professionally, coming off a KO loss to a tough out in Dustin Jacoby. Walker is lean for a light heavyweight, but he also has tremendous speed and athleticism. A former NCAA basketball player, he works well behind his jab, and his ground game seems to be rounding into form. That being said, his durability is questionable at best. He’s hittable in exchanges and he struggles to land strikes if his opponents force him to move backwards. Another fight where the line feels wide, but Walker is likely outclassed here. His durability is questionable at best, and Yakhyaev is the more skilled fighter wherever this one goes. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev by Round One KO

Farman Hasanov -175 vs Eric Nolan +140

• Anthony: The featured prelim is a fight at welterweight between Eric Nolan and Farman Hasanov. This is the UFC debut for Hasanov who is 5-0 as a professional. Here the Azerbaijani fighter is getting a favorable matchup in the prime position of this event. Hasanov has earned some quality victories but I still view him as an unproven fighter. Heavy hands allowed Hasanov to win most of his prior fights via early knockout. Nolan is an athlete that could extend him late and easily take over this fight in rounds two and three. There is great value on Nolan here still as the underdog but I think we are going to see a battle here in round one. While Nolan would like to fight smart here and follow a gameplan to actually win, Hasanov will be pressuring early in this fight to overcome the size difference between him and Nolan. If Hasanov does get going downhill then Nolan will be forced to exchange strikes and I fear he may suffer a first career loss by knockout. My strategy is to play props here for Hasanov rather than betting him as the moneyline favorite. Bettors who are interested in backing Nolan should consider waiting for a live bet after round one ends. Farman Hasanov by Round One KO
• Nick: Farman Hasanov will be making his UFC debut here, with a 5-0 professional record at 30 years old. Hasanov is dangerous everywhere, but most of his success comes on the mat. He’s an aggressive wrestler with a powerful base, and his greatest strength is his devastating ground-and-pound ability. His striking continues to improve and he does pack some power, but he mostly throws strikes as a means to create openings for takedowns. He trains out of a quality gym via American Top Team, and he’s taken on a decent level of regional opponent having mostly fought for LFA. Eric Nolan is 8-4 professionally, with each of his last three wins coming via KO. Nolan is relatively well rounded, but his KO power on the feet is what makes him stand out when you watch him on film. He’s coming off a loss in his UFC debut to Baysangur Susurkaev, but he took that fight up a weight class and on short notice against a very dangerous prospect. Nolan has the better boxing here and he’ll be live for the upset if he can keep this fight standing. That being said, Hasanov is going to be the much bigger and more athletic fighter in this matchup. I expect he can find success if he leans on a grappling heavy gameplan. Farman Hasanov by Decision

Main Card- Starts 12:00pm EST

Michael Oleksiejczuk -110 vs Abus Magomedov -110

• Anthony: The main card begins at middleweight with Abus Magomedov taking on Michael Oleksiejczuk. Odds have stayed close here as this is one of the toughest fights to handicap today. These athletes are both dangerous early given their offensive firepower but neither does very well once fights get extended into rounds two and three. Oleksiejczuk is a technically gifted southpaw with big power in his hands at 185 pounds. He has now won in three straight appearances since moving camps and training with the team of Fighting Nerds. He seems to be more patient when it comes to attacking opponents, waiting to counter before unloading long combinations. Oleksiejczuk has also proven capable of fighting through adversity, earning Fight of the Night honors in his last bout against Marc-Andre Barriault. It will be difficult here for Oleksiejczuk to find much of the same success striking. He will need to land a bomb. Magomedov does very well controlling the distance and here he benefits from a four-inch edge in reach over Oleksiejczuk. Another key factor in this fight will be offensive wrestling. Magomedov would be smart to utilize his grappling here early to tire out Oleksiejczuk and force him to fight defensively. Six of Oleksiejczuk’s nine professional losses have come via submission. Abus Magomedov by Round Two Submission
• Nick: Abus Magomedov is a rangy striker with a decent wrestling base and dangerous BJJ. He throws extremely powerful strikes, but he struggles if opponents can close distance on him and force him to fight off his back foot. He enters this match-up off a submission loss to Joe Pyfer, and he has been out of action since that fight took place back in October of 2025. He is almost always dangerous early, but his cardio seems to deplete quickly if he can’t find success in the first round. Michael Oleksiejczuk has serious KO power and he does a good job putting consistent pressure on his opponents. Additionally, he has developed a reputation as a fast starter with a lot of quick finishes. Oleksiejczkuk has shown a propensity to fade late in fights, but he’s always dangerous early. His striking is far from refined technically, but he carries a lot of power and works well when he’s countering. In spite of his skills on the feet, his defensive grappling ability is mediocre at best. Magomedov’s cardio is certainly of concern here, but he has a very clear path to victory if he can take this fight to the mat. I could see this one going either way, but I do prefer the Magomedov side. Abus Magomedov by Round One Submission

Ikram Aliskerov -300 vs Brunno Ferreira +240

• Anthony: Next is a fight at middleweight between Brunno Ferreira and Ikram Aliskerov. This matchup was originally scheduled at UFC 318 before Aliskerov withdrew. It seems to be getting easier handicapping Ferreira as he now makes his tenth appearance in the promotion. This is a powerful Brazilian with limited skills but brute force that can be enough to win at this level. Opponents cannot be there when the big strikes from Ferreira land, but his technique is not all that consistent. Ferreira can thrive in some grappling positions as well, using his strength to manipulate limbs and finish submissions. Here I would expect that Aliskerov can defend and reverse submission attempts. Ferreira is a jiu jitsu blackbelt but Aliskerov has the edge over him in terms of wrestling and sambo. Ferreira may attempt takedowns throughout this fight but it will be Aliskerov deciding when these two strike or grapple. On the feet, Aliskerov is also taller than Ferreira with a four-inch edge in reach. I am confident in picking Aliskerov to earn this victory after escaping a dangerous first round against Ferreira. Ikram Aliskerov by Round Two KO
• Nick: Ikram Aliskerov is 17-2 professionally, with his only losses coming to Khamzat Chimaev back in 2019 and Robert Whittaker in June of 2024. He’s primarily a grappler but often described as well-rounded, with five wins coming via submission and seven coming via KO. He carries decent power on the feet, but his striking is far from technical as he throws mostly hooks and chases knockouts without much concern for defense. He’s one of the better wrestlers in the division, but he seems to prefer to stand and trade as a means to conserve cardio. Brunno Ferreira is a powerful and aggressive striker and explosive in terms of his overall athletic ability. He is 6-3 in the UFC. While he does have decent grappling ability, there is certainly no denying the fact that Ferreira prefers to stand and trade on the feet. He doesn’t throw much volume, but he does a good job countering and finding openings to land his bigger shots. He’s somewhat short in stature compared to the rest of the division, but he more than makes up for it with strength and advanced athleticism. Ferreira has the power to pull off an upset here, but that feels like his only path to victory. Aliskerov’s cardio is certainly of concern, but I see him finding a finish before that’s an issue. Ikram Aliskerov by Round Two KO

Asu Almabayev -250 vs Charles Johnson +200

• Anthony: Here is a flyweight fight between Asu Almabayev and Charles Johnson. This profiles as a clear matchup between striker and grappler. Johnson is a known commodity at this weight, always throwing very high volume and exciting boxing combinations. He is taller than Almabayev and boasts a five-inch advantage in reach. Each minute here standing will see Johnson landing a solid jab and scoring a lot of strikes against Almabayev. The counter here is of course going to be a wrestling heavy approach from the shorter but more physically strong man. Almabayev averages 1.49 takedowns landed every five minutes. Johnson has fought hard to defend takedowns throughout his career but several occasions have seen him taken advantage of on the mat. Muhammad Mokaev and Cody Durden were both able to take down Johnson more than ten times in a fight. Almabayev started last year with a loss against Manel Kape but since then he has bounced back stacking another two victories. He is a more consistent athlete than Johnson and I expect he wins this bout more often than the odds do suggest. Johnson is a threat to knockout Almabayev but any other outcome should give the Kazakh this win. Asu Almabayev by Decision
• Nick: Asu Almabaev enters this match-up on a two fight win streak, most recently securing an impressive submission win over a tough out in Alex Perez. As a flyweight, he regularly trains with top welterweight contender, Shavkat Rakhmonov. He’s well-rounded with a solid wrestling base and impressive durability and cardio. He is 15-3 professionally, and widely considered a prospect to keep an eye on in a crowded flyweight division. He’s well-rounded, but most of his success comes in forcing his opponents to grapple. Charles Johnson is a former LFA flyweight champion, but he’s produced mixed results since he was promoted to the UFC. He’s a technically skilled boxer, but his defensive wrestling and grappling has proven to be a massive hole in his overall game. He is 8-6 in the UFC, coming off a narrow decision win over Bruno Silva. He holds a notable KO win over the current flyweight champion, Joshua Van. Still, there is no denying the fact that most of his fights play out closely. Johnson will be live for the upset here if he can keep this fight standing, but I’m not confident in his ability to do so. Johnson seems to be regressing at a rapid rate, and Almabayev is still improving. Asu Almabayev by Decision

Nazim Sadykhov -200 vs Matheus Camilo +160

• Anthony: This bout is a lightweight fight between Nazim Sadykhov and Matheus Camilo. Sadykhov’s last appearance was a loss against Fares Ziam but overall he has looked very good against top lightweights. His aggressive style tends to yield very fun fights that go back and forth. I view Sadykhov as the toughest opponent that Camilo has faced to date. Here I think he has a clear edge striking against Camilo from the southpaw stance. His boxing skills are very good. Sadykhov trains with Aljamain Sterling and the team at Serra Longo. He is very good at pushing a fast pace and forcing opponents to panic. Camilo will likely be attempting to grapple throughout this fight with Sadykhov because that is his nature. Camilo would also be smart to follow that gameplan here because I do not think he can keep pace standing. Here by grappling, Camilo will force Sadykhov to drop his hands and defend a lot of takedowns. The Brazilian will find some varied success but wrestling will not be as easy in this fight as it was in his last matchup with Viacheslav Borshchev. I am expecting Sadykhov to punish Camilo for every failed takedown and do enough to win based on the total damage accrued. Nazim Sadykhov by Decision
• Nick: Nazim Sadykhov is a dynamic striker on the feet. He has a solid wrestling base and a good understanding of BJJ when his fights hit the mat. Training at an early age, Sadykhov is one of these next generation fighters that has solid ability no matter where his fights go. He trains out of an excellent gym via Longo MMA and he was the first fighter on the UFC roster to represent Azerbaijan. Camilo is relatively well-rounded with four of his ten wins coming by KO and two coming by submission. At this point in his career it seems he prefers to fight at striking range, but he’s somewhat untested as a prospect so he’s a tough fighter to get a read on. He secured a win his last time out in a tightly contested fight against Viacheslav Borshchev. In this particular match-up, he’d be wise to try to lean on his grappling. Camilo isn’t terrible, but this represents a considerable step down in level of opponent for Sadykhov. It feels like the UFC is looking to showcase him here in front of his home crowd. Nazim Sadykhov by Round One KO

Shara Magomedov -370 vs Michel Pereira +280

• Anthony: The co-main event is a fight at middleweight between Shara Magomedov and Michel Pereira. We may never see Magomedov compete for a title due to his vision, but we will continue to get him matched up against favorable opponents fighting here in Azerbaijan. I enjoy watching Magomedov fight and this bout against Pereira will allow him to showcase his full skillset. Magomedov is at his best when he is flowing comfortably and throwing a variety of attacks. He is a very elite kickboxer, using his lead leg as often as a jab and connecting at all different levels. Magomedov is going to be countering more in this matchup and catching Pereira as he comes into range. Pereira may have unorthodox entries into the pocket but Magomedov should do fine tracking him and landing offense every time that he gets close. Grappling could benefit Pereira to some degree in this fight but thus far Magomedov has done very well fighting back to his feet once taken down. Magomedov will probably land a knee or kick here early that causes Pereira to fight with a bit more hesitance. I do not think that this fight goes the full distance. Pereira has poor defense and the striking numbers are going to add up quickly against him. Shara Bullet also seems much more durable than Pereira. Shara Magomedov by Round Two KO
• Nick: Sharaputdin Magomedov is an explosive striker, extremely dangerous both at range and in the clinch. He’s a competent wrestler who can dominate in top position, but there is no denying the fact he is most content to stand-and-trade on the feet. Magomedov is very light on his feet. He’s constantly bouncing in the cage and while his strikes can be somewhat untraditional he fights out of a muay-thai stance. He is 16-1 professionally, with twelve of those wins coming via KO. As gifted as he is offensively, his defensive grappling is questionable at best and his cardio seems like it may not be on par with other top contenders on the roster. Earlier in his career, Michel Pereira would fight like a video game character in the way he flipped around the cage. He can be one of the more entertaining fighters to watch, but his Fight IQ is always in question. He has been known to throw ridiculous looking spinning kicks and backflip onto his opponents for pretty much no reason. This can put an unnecessary dent in his gas tank, but he does have strong striking ability and he has shown a solid chin against decent competition. He’s growing more intelligent in the cage from fight to fight, but he’s slowing down athletically and his durability seems to be waning as well. He’s pulled back on the wild antics in favor of a more conservative approach, but this new approach can be frustrating to watch as a backer of his as he can be overly tentative. Magomedov is a bit overrated and this price is inflated, but Pereira is likely too far past his prime to compete here. This should be competitive early, especially if Pereira grapples, but Magomedov should outclass him on the feet as this fight wears on. Shara Magomedov by Round Three KO

Rafael Fiziev -110 vs Manuel Torres -110

• Anthony: The main event is a lightweight matchup with Manuel Torres facing Rafael Fiziev. This is going to be a thrilling fight between two great strikers. Fiziev needs to win to regain his spot in the top ten while Torres would prove to be a legitimate contender emerging from this one victorious. It is going to be difficult to beat Fiziev when fighting in Azerbaijan. A five round main event also makes this bout interesting since Torres has ended all six of his UFC fights inside of the very first round. Is this so easy to handicap as a round one win or bust? Fiziev will win if this fight goes more than a few rounds but I think Torres still has some equity outside of the first five minutes. Fiziev’s muay thai is elite but he has not won a fight by knockout in more than four years. The losses for Torres have come when blitzing forward recklessly and Fiziev is not known for knocking down opponents with one punch. There is also no edge for Fiziev grappling. The difference in power is a huge factor and I trust Torres to eat more shots from Fiziev than vice versa. Fiziev has been fighting the best athletes in the world but he also just suffered another loss via knockout. It is going to take a very clean performance from Fiziev to emerge here with a win. Live betting opportunities could exist for Fiziev bettors if he escapes the first and still looks serviceable. I expect the same version of Torres that we always see throwing his hands very early on. Manuel Torres by Round One KO
• Nick: Manuel Torres is dangerous on the feet offensively, but tends to take a lot of damage in exchanges. He is 5-1 in the UFC, most recently defeating Grant Dawson with an impressive Round One KO. Torres can be dangerous against anyone, but there is no denying his kill-or-be-killed style makes him a volatile fighter to back with any confidence. He has a solid countering game and his aggressive style is difficult for his opponents to deal with, but his cardio and durability are both major questionmarks entering this match-up in which he’s taking a considerable step up in level of opponent. Rafael Fiziev is a former striking coach at Tiger Muay Thai. He has ridiculous head movement and throws extremely powerful punches and kicks. He is a problem for anyone in this division when it comes to fighting on the feet. He has knockout power in all of his limbs and his grappling seems to improve every time we see him fight. As talented as Torres is, Fiziev has found success against a much higher level of opponent. He’s going to be the higher volume striker here and he can lean on his grappling if he’s struggling at all on the feet. Torres will be live for an early KO, but as long as Fiziev stays safe early I expect he can secure a win here in front of his home crowd. Rafael Fiziev by Round Two KO

-Anthony Marro

Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_

-Nick Marro

Twitter: @NickMarroDFS

Photo: UFC.com