Brian Campbell expects 38-year-old Jose Aldo to remind fans "who he is" against Aiemann Zahabi in their hastily shifted 145-pound matchup. Campbell cited Aldo’s still-elite explosiveness and the fact that knockout power is the last trait to fade. Zahabi rides a five-fight streak but, at 35, is not viewed as a future contender, and Campbell questioned the matchmaking. He anticipates a motivated Aldo—coming off a disappointing, controversial decision loss—to push the pace and land fight-changing strikes on a foe he views as out-gunned.

Bisping acknowledged Father Time but still sided with Jose Aldo over Aiemann Zahabi. Aldo, 38, carries the miles of a former featherweight king yet retains elite takedown defense and crisp Muay Thai. Zahabi—brother of famed coach Firas—owns a 12-2 record and rides a five-fight streak, plus will have the Montreal crowd behind him. Even so, Bisping doubts Zahabi can replicate Marlon Vera’s fence-grinding blueprint and expects Aldo’s cleaner boxing and veteran savvy to steal rounds en route to a decision.

DFS Army urged listeners to fade Jose Aldo at his $9,000 salary, calling it "insane" given his recent DraftKings production. Since the scoring tweak in 2021, Aldo has never been priced above $8,600 and has cleared 90 DK points only once. He averages just 2.9–4.0 significant strikes per minute in four of his last five bouts and has not attempted more than one takedown in the same span. Meanwhile, Aiemann Zahabi has not surrendered a takedown since 2017 and typically limits opponent volume, setting up a slow-paced fight that drags Aldo’s ceiling into the 70-point range unless he scores a rare early knockout. The hosts reminded players that Aldo has been a betting underdog in nearly every matchup since 2021; DraftKings’ decision to list him at $9K creates unnecessary opportunity cost in a slate loaded with high-priced grapplers who project 100-plus point upside. They will be near-zero Aldo exposure and instead use Zahabi as salary relief.

DFS Army predicted Aiemann Zahabi (+170) to upset Jose Aldo in what they called a "very boring" striking match that is –350 to reach the judges. Aldo costs $9,000 yet has eclipsed 100 DraftKings points only once since 2016, throws fewer than 5.0 significant strikes per minute, and has attempted just one takedown in his last ten fights. Zahabi has not been taken down since 2017 and does a good job limiting opponent volume, so a slow-paced decision could easily tilt his way. A $7,200 win would smash salary-based value and threaten the optimal lineup even with only 60–70 points, while Aldo’s ceiling is likely capped around 75. The hosts will roster Zahabi in both cash and GPP builds and are content to be heavily underweight on Aldo.

Jeff Fox backed Aiemann Zahabi at +175, arguing the Canadian is the fresher fighter despite being only a year younger than Jose Aldo. Zahabi has won five straight and has not lost since 2019, while Aldo is just 4-5 over his last nine and is now dropping decisions to mid-tier bantamweights. Fox highlighted Zahabi’s higher striking pace and perfectly even (+0.0) strike differential across eight UFC bouts, compared to Aldo’s –0.10. With Aldo’s trademark leg-kicks ‘pretty much non-existent’ and his finishing touch gone, Fox expects Faras Zahabi’s game plan to keep Iman pressing forward and landing sharp counters. He prefers the underdog moneyline but noted Zahabi KO props offer extra upside given Aldo’s four career KO losses and accumulated wear-and-tear.

Gumby Vreeland agreed on Zahabi, drilling down on the matchup details. He referenced Aldo’s loss to Mario Bautista, where Bautista pinned him to the fence and drained him, and predicted Zahabi will apply similar forward pressure—only with cleaner boxing. Vreeland emphasized Zahabi’s crisp counter-punching that has produced multiple UFC knockouts and pointed out Aldo’s kicking game has disappeared since his boxing stint: ‘It’s like he forgot his legs work.’ That limits Aldo’s weapons and makes him easier to read. With the best-in-class coaching of brother Faras Zahabi and practically no cage miles, Vreeland sees Zahabi forcing Aldo backward, out-landing him, and possibly finishing late. He advises taking the underdog moneyline or Inside-the-Distance prop instead of laying –198 on the former champ.

Betss forecasted a low-volume, optics-driven kickboxing match where hometown fighter Aiemann Zahabi edges aging legend Jose Aldo on the scorecards. Aldo has been out-landed in five of his last six UFC bouts (Volkanovski, Yan, Vera, Moraes, Merab) and now throws just 3.7 significant strikes per minute. Zahabi, by contrast, lands 4.6 per minute and owns slick counter-jabs that fit perfectly against Aldo’s cautious, single-shot boxing. Because both men average fewer than one takedown per 15 minutes and are notoriously durable, Betss expects the judges to decide it—likely with Canadian bias. He grabbed Zahabi by split decision at +900 on BetOnline and sprinkled Zahabi KO at +800 as a tiny hedge in case a counter drops the 37-year-old Aldo.

Georges St. Pierre singled out Aiemann Zahabi as the Canadian most likely to “shine” on the UFC 315 card, even with the daunting task of facing legend Jose Aldo on home soil. GSP, who will be in Zahabi’s corner, said the key is emotional control: sleeping in your own bed and hearing the crowd can tempt a fighter to press, but Zahabi simply needs to stick to his usual measured style to prevail. St. Pierre believes Zahabi’s all-around game is already "enough to win" if he avoids forcing highlight-reel moments. Bettors looking for a plus-money local angle got a subtle stamp of approval from the welterweight GOAT.

Welch predicted Jose Aldo will defeat Aiemann Zahabi by decision at UFC 315. Although Aldo is 38, Welch cited Aldo’s elite fast-twitch power, Muay Thai stance, and arguably the quickest leg kick in MMA. He believes Zahabi will struggle to keep pace in extended striking exchanges, and that Aldo’s legendary takedown defense forces the fight to stay upright where Aldo’s speed and experience accumulate rounds on the scorecards.

Tim Welch is betting the PrizePicks line of more than 52.5 significant strikes for Jose Aldo. He expects an upright kickboxing battle where Aldo’s still-blistering hand speed and trademark calf kicks pile up volume. Zahabi is 37 and not the type of relentless wrestler who can pin Aldo to the fence the way Merab Dvalishvili did, so Welch projects enough stand-up time for Aldo to clear 53 landed strikes.

Betss forecasted a low-volume, optics-driven kickboxing match where hometown fighter Aiemann Zahabi edges aging legend Jose Aldo on the scorecards. Aldo has been out-landed in five of his last six UFC bouts (Volkanovski, Yan, Vera, Moraes, Merab) and now throws just 3.7 significant strikes per minute. Zahabi, by contrast, lands 4.6 per minute and owns slick counter-jabs that fit perfectly against Aldo’s cautious, single-shot boxing. Because both men average fewer than one takedown per 15 minutes and are notoriously durable, Betss expects the judges to decide it—likely with Canadian bias. He grabbed Zahabi by split decision at +900 on BetOnline and sprinkled Zahabi KO at +800 as a tiny hedge in case a counter drops the 37-year-old Aldo.

Georges St. Pierre singled out Aiemann Zahabi as the Canadian most likely to “shine” on the UFC 315 card, even with the daunting task of facing legend Jose Aldo on home soil. GSP, who will be in Zahabi’s corner, said the key is emotional control: sleeping in your own bed and hearing the crowd can tempt a fighter to press, but Zahabi simply needs to stick to his usual measured style to prevail. St. Pierre believes Zahabi’s all-around game is already "enough to win" if he avoids forcing highlight-reel moments. Bettors looking for a plus-money local angle got a subtle stamp of approval from the welterweight GOAT.

Welch predicted Jose Aldo will defeat Aiemann Zahabi by decision at UFC 315. Although Aldo is 38, Welch cited Aldo’s elite fast-twitch power, Muay Thai stance, and arguably the quickest leg kick in MMA. He believes Zahabi will struggle to keep pace in extended striking exchanges, and that Aldo’s legendary takedown defense forces the fight to stay upright where Aldo’s speed and experience accumulate rounds on the scorecards.

Tim Welch is betting the PrizePicks line of more than 52.5 significant strikes for Jose Aldo. He expects an upright kickboxing battle where Aldo’s still-blistering hand speed and trademark calf kicks pile up volume. Zahabi is 37 and not the type of relentless wrestler who can pin Aldo to the fence the way Merab Dvalishvili did, so Welch projects enough stand-up time for Aldo to clear 53 landed strikes.

The Weasle predicted a throwback Jose Aldo performance, calling for a second-round TKO over Aiemann Zahabi. Zahabi’s most realistic path is pinning Aldo to the fence for long clinch sequences, something both Mario Batista and champion Sean O’Malley attempted. But Aldo has spent two camps drilling fence escapes and still sports legendary takedown defense. In open space, Aldo’s speed, straight right, jab, and trademark left hook should pick apart Zahabi’s looping overhands. The Brazilian’s calf kicks are another weapon—notice Zahabi eating low kicks against Javid Basharat. Because Zahabi lacks one-shot power and must strike to hide level changes, The Weasle believes he walks onto clean counters and accumulates damage until Aldo pours on a finishing flurry.

Michael Iurato said the safest read is Jose Aldo by tight decision—possibly a split—projecting 29-28 scorecards for the Brazilian legend. Iurato trusts Aldo’s trademark body-shot combinations, faster hands and 90 % takedown defense to win “little increments of ground” against Zahabi’s patience-first counter style. He noted that Frias Zahabi’s game-planning genius and Aiemann’s three-fight win streak keep the fight close, but Zahabi’s willingness to let opponents dictate tempo means Aldo should control optics with damaging kicks and hooks to the liver. Age decline is the lone red flag, yet Iurato reminded listeners Aldo is only one calendar year older than Zahabi and still looked sharper than Pedro Munhoz in their common opponent matchup. Because both men are natural counter punchers and neither pursues cage control like Marlon Vera, he expects low volume and judges valuing Aldo’s visible damage over Zahabi’s sporadic counters—making the decision or split-decision props more attractive than the chalky money-line.

Michael Iurato recommended using Over 2.5 rounds (-370) or Fight Goes to Decision (-300) as a parlay piece rather than laying juice on Aldo. He noted that Aldo has not registered a knockout at bantamweight and now fights with lower volume, relying on pocket boxing and body shots that win minutes instead of ending them. Zahabi, a TriStar counter-striker, has gone the distance in six of his seven UFC bouts and has never been stopped. Iurato doubts Zahabi can overcome Aldo’s 90% takedown defense or match the Brazilian’s hand speed but emphasized the Canadian’s durability and risk-averse style—lots of jabs, outside movement, very few pocket trades. With both men trending toward decisions and neither possessing one-punch power at 135, Iurato feels the inflated total is justified and provides a low-variance way to gain exposure to a fight that should be fifteen technical minutes.

Cody Saftic said the money-line has crept too high on Jose Aldo at –193, so he is pivoting to the decision prop around +125. Saftic expects a nip-and-tuck striking match because Aiemann Zahabi rarely wrestles and does not apply the grind-heavy cage control that troubled late-career Aldo against Marlon Vera. Zahabi’s three-fight UFC winning streak has come via patient jab-and-low-kick point fighting, not power, and he owns just one finish in seven promotional appearances. Meanwhile, Aldo’s KO numbers have evaporated since dropping to 135—zero stoppages in five bantamweight bouts—and his trademark takedown defense (90% at 145, still elite at 135) should erase Zahabi’s few level-change attempts. Saftic thinks Aldo’s faster hands, body work, and isolated “awe” moments will sway judges, but not end the fight, making the decision prop the safest way to back the Brazilian legend at a far better price than the straight line.

Millz Young is fading the market’s fascination with explosive newcomer Jose Aldo and backing Canadian underdog Aiemann Zahabi to grind out a decision. Zahabi will have Georges St-Pierre and the Tristar team in his corner, which Millz believes will fuel a smart, measured game plan focused on slowing Aldo early and stealing late rounds once Aldo’s gas tank falters. Because Aldo tends to fade and Zahabi can turn up the volume late, Millz sees a path where Zahabi edges two of three rounds in front of a favorable crowd. Recommended play: Zahabi money line or Zahabi by Decision at juicier odds.

Bedtime MMA mocked the idea of an upset and took Jose Aldo by dominant 30-27 decision over Aiemann Zahabi. After scouring Zahabi’s Apex-only highlight reel, he concluded the Canadian is “Belal Muhammad without the takedowns” and far too slow for Aldo. Because Aldo’s legendary takedown defense nullifies Zahabi’s limited wrestling, the fight should stay standing where Aldo’s ripping body kicks, counter uppercuts, and layered combinations shine. The tout expects Zahabi to whiff at range, eat liver kicks, and get pieced up whenever he tries to close distance. In short, Aldo is “a million times better,” so the bet is an easy one.

MMA Guru forecasted a classic Jose Aldo body-shot TKO over Aiemann Zahabi. He dismissed concerns that Zahabi can stall Aldo on the fence, pointing out only physically imposing bantamweights like Merab Dvalishvili or Mario Bautista have succeeded, and Aldo still stuffed every takedown in those bouts. Zahabi is tall and lanky rather than stocky, making it harder to maintain over-unders against Aldo’s legendary hip pressure. Guru believes Zahabi’s 38 % significant-strike accuracy and modest volume will allow Aldo to dictate pace, chew up the Canadian’s midsection with left hooks and step-in knees, then finish upstairs once Zahabi’s guard drops. Recalling Aldo’s surgical work against Jonathan Martinez and the controversial split loss to Bautista, Guru said a single victory puts the Brazilian back into the crowded 135-lb conversation, giving Aldo extra motivation. He is betting Aldo by KO/TKO, with a sprinkle on Round 2 body-shot props.

Kunath backed the veteran Jose Aldo to win a three-round decision over Aiemann Zahabi. He pointed to Aldo’s noticeable edges in hand speed, punching power, and snappy low-kick game, arguing they will let him control striking range and produce the cleaner, more eye-catching combinations (“one-two-three, low-kick” sequences). Zahabi’s recent 4-fight win streak was dismissed as strength-of-schedule fluff—victories over an aging Pedro Munhoz, a still-raw Javid Basharat, the hittable Aori Qileng, and the erratic Ricky Turcios. Kunath added that Aldo remains tough to out-grapple—only Marlon Vera and Merab Dvalishvili have stalled him by clinging to the fence—and neither man actually damaged him. He expects any close rounds to tilt Aldo’s way because of crowd support and name recognition with judges. Play is Aldo by decision at current money-line or via the +200ish decision prop.

Bedtime MMA predicted a Jose Aldo "masterclass" over Aiemann Zahabi at UFC 315, branding Zahabi a "local gym teacher" whose lone notable victory is a slumping Pedro Munhoz. He emphasized the gulf in pedigree: Aldo is a multi-time champion, Hall of Famer and consensus top-20 fighter ever, yet only one year older than Zahabi. Because of that chasm in experience and skill, Bedtime views Aldo as a strong side for straight bets and potential parlay anchors despite his veteran age.