Namo Fazil (10-1) vs Kaik Brito (19-6)
Namo Fazil enters off a win from the first-ever MVP Promotions MMA card on Netflix. He finished that fight with an anaconda choke in the second round. He’s well-rounded without a standout skill, but he’s proven durable so far. He faces Oktagon veteran and DWCS Season 7 alum Kaik Brito, a wild style striker who throws from every angle. That approach lands him in trouble sometimes. However, he does have an impressive spinning back fist knockout to his name. Even so, it took five or six attempts before it finally connected late in the fight. Fazil’s path is likely a decision if he manages range. On the other hand, Brito’s path is KO or bust, in my opinion.
Douglas Henrique Rodrigues (7-1) vs Trent Miller (9-3)
Douglas “Blade” is lightning fast, throwing rapid combos with the clear intent of taking your head off. Miller enters after getting knocked out handily in the first round last season by emerging UFC star Ryan Gandra. HOT TAKE ALERT: If Miller commits purely to wrestling, and can avoid getting caught by a crazy angle knee or uppercut combo on the way in, he might be able to sneak out a decision. The bigger concern is his fight IQ. This raises doubts about whether this stays a short night in the octagon or turns into a trip to the ER.
Lean: Douglas “Blade” by knockout – Rd 1.
Mahamed Aly (5-1) vs Alik Lorenz (7-2)
Mahamed Aly returns to the Contender Series after being knocked out by Iwo Baraniewski in just 20 seconds with an overhand right in his first attempt last season. Aly is primarily a high-level BJJ player, built like a statue, who’s fallen in love with his knockout power. Personally, I think he’s chinny. Alik Lorenz was TKO’d by Abdul Rahkman Yakhyaev last year in 30 seconds on the Contender Series, though that result shouldn’t be held against him. We’ve all seen Yakhyaev’s impressive run in the UFC since. What should be held against him is his lack of volume and combinations. He’ll hunt for a takedown if he’s on the receiving end of pressure striking exchanges, but the urgency just isn’t there, standing or on the mat.
Lean: Fight Ends Round 1 (parlay piece), Aly by submission.
Taner Trembley (7-0) vs Roman Puga (5-1)
Trembley excels at denying his opponent any rhythm. He doesn’t hit hard, but he stays busy and looks to finish, whether on the feet or the mat. He takes on Roman Puga, a high-level technical boxer in the mold of a featherweight Ty Miller. Puga also scrambles well off his back and will attempt submissions if readily available. This is the people’s main event as far as I’m concerned.
Lean: Puga by KO, Over 1.5 is a bit of a sweat but I believe this will be the best fight on the card and a late finish wouldn’t upset me one bit.
Logan Paxton (10-1) vs Cristian Perez (14-2)
Paxton is a former D1 wrestler out of North Dakota State who now trains at elevation in Denver. He’s used his wrestling to control where his fights take place, though the level of competition he’s faced has meant most of his wins have actually come on the feet. He meets former Contender Series competitor Cristian Perez, who was winning his fight against current UFC knockout artist Manoel Sousa before gassing late in round two and getting finished in round three. Perez is a slick grappler with fast, volume-heavy striking to match. Furthermore, he’s already proven he’s dangerous with submission attacks, and loves diving for leg locks when you least expect it. Paxton simply hasn’t had to show whether he can defend or escape those kinds of attempts. Unless Perez really pours it on with the striking, I can’t see either of these guys wanting to go to the mat.
My Bets (Odds by FanDuel):
Roman Puga + Cristian Perez (moneylines) +121 (3u)
Douglas Rodrigues KO/TKO + Cristian Perez ITD + Mahamed Aly ITD = +320 (.75u)
Roman Puga KO/TKO + Mahamed Aly by Sub = +628 (.25u)
Longshot:
Puga Round 2 KO/TKO + Aly Round 1 Submission + Rodrigues Round 1 KO/TKO + Fazil/Brito Fight Goes The Distance = +19,747 (.25u)
LET US FEAST!
