
Bo Nickal vs Zachary Borrego
- Bo Nickal
- Age: 26
- Pro Record: 1-0
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: near plus (65)
- Zachary Borrego
- Age: 26
- Pro Record: 4-0
- Striking: a little above average (55)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Wrestling: a little above average (55)
Nickal’s pro debut was shocking. Guy makes his MMA pro debut and you’d think he’d immediately go to his bread and butter, his spot where he’s comfortable. His wrestling. Instead, he aggressively throws hands. No feeling out process. Granted he took on another guy making his pro debut, but that showed me some real confidence. And not only that, but Nickal showed very fast hand speed. Good technique. He didn’t look like someone making their pro debut. And also keep in mind, one of Nickal’s main training partners has been Jorge Masvidal. Borrego is difficult to grade because he hasn’t fought anybody. He has 3 quick KOs over fighters with a combined record of 2-2. Then he fights 15 minutes against a 3-8 striker. Fails to get him out of there. Showed decent cardio to go all 3 rounds, looked good, but again, a lot of fighters would look good against a 3-8 journeyman. I’m pretty sure he has 55 striking based on what my eyes saw. Wrestling is probably a 55 but could be a 50. It’s possible Nickal’s striking could be a 55, I mean, his fight only lasted 33 seconds. But Nickal is a safe pick here because of his wrestling.
Chris’ Pick: Nickal by 1st round ground and pound TKO.
What I think the odds should be: Nickal -350
Jamal Pogues vs Paulo Renato
- Jamal Pogues
- Age: 26
- Pro Record: 8-3
- Key Wins: Beat a well rounded 8-0 fighter, an 11-0 striker, and a well rounded 7-2 fighter.
- Striking: a little above average (55)
- Power: fringe average (45)
- Wrestling: a little above average (55)
- Paulo Renato
- Age: 28
- Pro Record: 10-1
- Key Wins: Split decision over an 8-1 grappler.
- Striking: a little above average (55)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Wrestling: average (50)
Renato is hard to grade because there’s not much video on him in his most recent fights. I watched a fight of his in 2016 and 2017. Then he goes almost 4 years with no fight. Returns in 2021. Fought 3 times since then. Striking is probably a 55, but again, the tough part is that’s what I saw back in 2017. Pogues is a little more straight forward. Beat an 11-0 striker on the Contender. Got take downs. One thing I’m decently confident in is that Renato will have a lot more power. But has he improved his wrestling enough to stop Pogues’ take downs? We’ll see. You’d think he would’ve gotten better within the span of 4 years.
Chris’ Pick: Renato by 1st round knockout.
What I think the odds should be: Renato -135
Erik Silva vs Anvar Boynazarov
- Erik Silva
- Age: 35
- Pro Record: 8-1
- Key WIns: Submitted a well rounded 18-6 fighter.
- Striking: a little above average (55)
- Power: a little above average (55)
- Grappling: above average (60)
- Anvar Boynazarov
- Age: 33
- Pro Record: 3-0
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: a little above average (55)
Fascinating fight that could easily be a headliner. I was about to come in with this narrative that Silva is just okay because he hasn’t beaten anybody. But turns out his last fight was against a well rounded 18-6 vet. Watched the fight in Lux. And wow, Silva took him down and made it look easy. All of Silva’s other wins are over tomato cans, but that win really validated Silva’s tools. And the reason why this is so fascinating is nobody wants to fight Boynazarov. Celebrated kick boxer. Only 3 pro MMA fights. But his longest fight was a 1 minute, 39 seconds. I watched him in LFA against a well rounded 4-2 fighter. And Boynazarov looked like a smaller Alex Pereira. Just walked across the cage and started pummeling his opponent, like he was fighting an amateur. My eyes want to grade Boynazarov’s striking a 65, but the sample size is so small and I have no clue what his cardio is like so I have him as a 60 for now. But where is his wrestling at? He trains at Tiger Muay Thai. So he should have some wrestling. But I’m having to project a 55 here. Could be a 50. Probably a striker vs grappler but both are quality fighters that belong in the UFC, eventually.
Chris’ Pick: Boynazarov by 1st round knockout.
What I think the odds should be: Boynazarov -135
Edgar Chairez vs Clayton Carpenter
- Edgar Chairez
- Age: 26
- Pro Record: 7-3
- Key Wins: Submitted a 4-0 striker. Knocked out a well rounded 5-2 fighter and a 10-3 striker.
- Striking: above average (60)
- Power: above average (60)
- Wrestling: a little above average (55)
- Grappling: average (50)
- Clayton Carpenter
- Age: 26
- Pro Record: 5-0
- Key Wins: Submitted a well rounded 3-1 fighter. Knocked out a 5-2 striker.
- Striking: average (50)
- Power: average (50)
- Grappling: a little above average (55)
Chairez is one of Brandon Moreno’s main training partners, so already, expectations are set high. But he looks to be the real deal despite the lackluster 7-3 pro record. I watched one of his last fights against a well rounded 5-2 fighter. Chairez is tall for the weight class, has long reach, knew how to use it. He picked his opponent apart, knocked him out with a body kick, similar to how Moreno just knocked out Kai Kara France. And with Carpenter, quick finishes happen sometimes and look great. But they don’t always tell us the whole story on where the fighter’s skills are at. Yes, Carpenter collected a head kick KO and kneebar submission wins in less than 1 minute in his last 2 fights. But what about before that. He took on a fighter making his pro debut in the LFA. 1-0 amateur record. And that same opponent now has a 1-2 pro record. Carpenter won, easily got take downs and ground control. But he struggled on the feet. Got hit a lot. Enough for me to grade his striking only a 50. Chairez should have the wrestling to stuff take downs and he’s got margin to win on the feet.
Chris’ Pick: Chairez by decision.
What I think the odds should be: Chairez -275
Sandra Lavado vs Karolina Wojcik
- Sandra Lavado
- Age: 28
- Pro Record: 10-2
- Key Wins: Beat a well rounded 3-0-1 fighter.
- Striking: average (50)
- Power: below average (40)
- Wrestling: a little above average (55)
- Grappling: average (50)
- Karolina Wojcik
- Age: 28
- Pro Record: 8-2
- Key Wins: Split decision wins over a 4-0 grappler and a 5-2 grappler.
- Striking: a little above average (55)
- Power: fringe average (45)
- Wrestling: a little above average (55)
Wojcik was put on the map and established as a prospect back in 2018 when her and Cheyenne Vlismas were flown to the EFC to fight. We all know how good Vlismas is now and the fight was close, Vlismas’ striking being a little better. I watched one of Lavado’s last fights against a well rounded 3-0-1 fighter. I had the opponent with well rounded 50 tools. And I wasn’t as impressed. Lavado was fast, but she got hit a lot. Her 55 wrestling was her best tool. She almost reminded me of a female Youssef Zalal. Wojcik has the wrestling to stuff the take down attempts and should have the better striking to win.
Chris’ Pick: Wojcik by decision.
What I think the odds should be: Wojcik -150