Paul Shaughnessy landed on Cameron Saaiman as well but zeroed in on the submission market, expecting a grind-heavy approach. After re-watching Wellmaker’s split-decision wins where he was pinned to the fence for long stretches, Paul doubts the Georgian newcomer can defend prolonged grappling from a younger fighter who averages 1.4 takedowns per 15 and lives on the mat in South Africa’s top camp. Shaughnessy noted Wellmaker’s regional résumé is littered with 1-4 and 0-0 opponents and that he tapped to an amateur armbar in 2019, suggesting a potential hole once the fight hits the floor. At +450 or longer, Paul sees Saaiman by sub as the ‘sneaky’ way to bet a fight most expect to stay standing.

Cody Saftic backed 24-year-old Cameron Saaiman in the pick-em because of volume, cardio and a deeper skill set. He acknowledged Malcolm Wellmaker’s athleticism and two-handed power but pointed out the debutant is 30, spent four years on the amateur circuit and owns narrow split-decision wins over regional journeymen. Saftic likes Saaiman’s high-tempo kickboxing (5.03 sig. strikes landed per minute), scrambling ability learned at Team CIT alongside Dricus du Plessis, and the full year he took after the Peyton Talbott mauling to address defensive lapses. Cody expects Saaiman’s pressure and clinch trips to tire Wellmaker and sees a Round 3 surge or 29-28 cards in favor of the South African.

Kunath sided with newcomer Malcolm Wellmaker to score a statement knockout over Cameron Saaiman. He praised Wellmaker’s polished striking built on a long amateur career: subtle head movement, feints that hide a piston‑quick right hand, and the ability to land power while fading back—a shot that produced a first‑minute knockdown on the Contender Series. Saaiman, by contrast, keeps his chin high and “walks on to stuff,” absorbing 5.2 significant strikes per minute while relying on sheer toughness. Kunath pointed out that Saaiman has been cleanly out‑landed in back‑to‑back losses to C. Rodriguez and Payton Talbott, taking 148 combined head strikes. With Wellmaker enjoying a slight reach edge and the faster hand speed, Kunath projects he will reach the target first in every exchange. Given Saaiman’s 0‑for‑19 takedown record in the UFC, the fight should stay standing long enough for Wellmaker’s power to tell. Recommendation: play Wellmaker by KO/TKO (+225 range) and sprinkle the Round 1 finish for larger upside in DFS GPPs.

MMA Guru flipped his initial lean and is now picking Malcolm Wellmaker by knockout due to red‑flag vibes coming from Cameron Saaiman’s camp. The analyst revealed Saaiman abruptly ghosted a scheduled interview, which Guru interprets as possible turmoil, injury or weight‑cut issues with fight week in Kansas City. Technically, Guru sees a 50‑50 matchup: Saaiman is the more complete mixed martial artist, but Wellmaker carries the heavier counter right hand that punishes Saaiman’s long, lunging entries. In a coin‑flip scenario, outside‑the‑cage uncertainty plus Wellmaker’s superior one‑shot finishing power makes him the betting side, with Guru calling for a late KO.

Bedtime MMA projected Malcolm Wellmaker to finish Cameron Saaiman in Round 2. He highlighted Wellmaker’s substantial height‑and‑reach advantage and "lanky Sean O’Malley‑style power" that can loop over Saaiman’s jab. Saaiman, a skilled but undersized bantamweight who "really should be at flyweight," has been physically bullied by Christian Rodriguez and Payton Talbott, and Bedtime expects the same dynamic here. Because Saaiman’s path is grappling, he will struggle to drag down the bigger athlete, eventually eating a fight‑ending right hand or settling for a lopsided decision if he survives.