MMA Guru doubled‑down on his earlier knockout call but sharpened the timeline, saying Zhang Mingyang will melt Anthony Smith inside the very first round. Guru argued that Smith’s game has become a predictable one‑two down the pipe followed by a sloppy high‑guard and the occasional telegraphed takedown—patterns a proactive power puncher like Zhang should punish immediately. Beyond the X’s and O’s, Guru cited non‑technical red flags: Smith is still grieving the recent loss of his long‑time coach, appeared emotional and distracted during his last walkout, and tends to ‘romanticize being beaten up’ instead of flipping a competitive switch. Guru believes that combination of mental baggage and a deteriorating body explains why even a back‑foot Johnny Walker comfortably out‑pointed Smith. Zhang, by contrast, forces exchanges with tight hooks that already starched Brendson Ribeiro and Ozzy Diaz, making him the ideal opponent to capitalize on Smith’s fragile state. Recommended wager: Zhang Mingyang by KO/TKO round 1.

MMA Guru predicted Zhang Mingyang will knock out Anthony Smith in what the tout labelled Smith’s unofficial retirement bout. He dismissed the UFC’s old tale of Smith being 6'4, remarking Zhang will actually be the larger man despite a two‑inch listed deficit. Guru loves Zhang’s proactive power—unlike "catch‑you" punchers, Zhang forces exchanges and turns over tight hooks that already flattened Brendson Ribeiro and Ozzy Diaz. Meanwhile Smith keeps serving up the same one‑two and high‑guard formula, occasionally shooting a telegraphed takedown; Guru said any half‑decent fight IQ solves that puzzle. Physically, Smith’s body “has fallen apart,” and his recent back‑foot point‑fighting loss to Johnny Walker showed the former title challenger no longer trusts his own durability. Guru envisions Zhang walking him down, ripping combinations and finding the finish inside two rounds. Betting advice: lay the KO/TKO prop on the Chinese prospect; fading a veteran on the way out is rarely wrong.

MMA Guru sided with underdog Giga Chikadze, predicting the Georgian finishes David Onama late. He reminded listeners Chikadze just pushed Arnold Allen to a razor‑close 29‑28 while eating spinning elbows from Calvin Kattar without wilting—proof the lanky striker’s chin is far sturdier than fans assume. Guru contrasted that with Onama getting dropped by 8‑4 Roberto Romero and gassing in a brawl against Nate Landwehr, adding ex‑coach James Krause once blasted Onama for skipping hard cardio sessions. Because Onama marches forward with his chin high and throws wide, Guru expects Chikadze’s disciplined body kicks, pull‑counters and improved takedown defence to punish every reckless entry. He forecasted Onama growing desperate after being chewed up at range, walking into a counter that produces a TKO. Recommended bets: Chikadze moneyline plus a sprinkle on KO/TKO props.

MMA Guru doubled‑down on his earlier Magomedov lean but clarified he now expects the Dagestani to win a 29‑28 decision rather than find a finish. Guru replayed Abus’ fast start against Sean Strickland, noting how he landed clean combinations and a front‑kick KO the fight prior, evidence the underdog can score early even on elite opposition. The key, however, is Pereira’s notorious five‑minute gas tank—Guru pointed to Pereira completely emptying himself after one scramble with Anthony Hernandez and claimed the Brazilian “does nothing but lift weights and dance capoeira instead of real MMA work.” If the first‑round kill shot does not materialize, Guru believes Magomedov’s underrated clinch game, defensive wrestling and steady leg‑kicking will let him bank rounds two and three against a slowing opponent. Bettors were advised to take Magomedov moneyline and sprinkle the decision prop at plus money, fading Pereira’s conditioning over a full 15 minutes.

MMA Guru recommended betting underdog Abus Magomedov over Michel Pereira. Pereira has a reputation for skipping full fight camps and fading badly after five minutes, a flaw that surfaced in his loss to Anthony Hernandez. Magomedov owns a five‑inch reach advantage, fires fight‑ending head kicks, and has quietly shored up his gas tank since the Sean Strickland fight—evidenced by successful takedowns and top control versus Bruno Fajeda. Guru expects Abus to land the cleaner shots early, mix in opportunistic wrestling, and either bank the first two rounds or finish a tiring Pereira late. The tout likes Magomedov on the moneyline and suggests dabbling in KO/SUB props for extra value.

MMA Guru projected Ikram Aliskerov to finish Andre Muniz early in the second round. Guru called Muniz’s takedown entries "obvious and slow," noting that the once‑hyped grappler has looked increasingly one‑dimensional and is coming off demoralizing losses. Aliskerov, fresh from a short‑notice battle with Robert Whittaker, should easily sprawl on Muniz’s telegraphed shots, then punish him with crisp straight punches once the grappling threat is neutralized. Guru highlighted Aliskerov’s superior athleticism, quicker hands, and Dagestani wrestling base as decisive edges. He urged bettors to hit Aliskerov inside‑the‑distance props, with round‑2 KO/TKO his preferred angle.

MMA Guru advised taking plus‑money Jimmy Flick to upset Matt Schnell strictly because Schnell's durability cannot be trusted at flyweight. Schnell has been knocked out or rocked in four of his last five appearances and even contemplated retirement. Guru acknowledged Schnell is the more technical striker but argued that advantage disappears the moment an exchange gets messy. Flick is a scrappy all‑rounder with legitimate submission chops and the willingness to turn the bout into an ugly brawl. Guru believes a "dirty fight" favors Flick, who can either pounce on a hurt Schnell or control chaotic scrambles on the mat. The tout recommended betting Flick outright and sprinkling finish props given Schnell’s historically fragile chin.

MMA Guru predicted Evan Elder will TKO late‑notice replacement Gage Young in rounds two or three, steering bettors toward Elder inside the distance. Young is stepping in only days after Elder’s original opponent was arrested, and Guru called that "a nightmare scenario" against Elder’s relentless pace. He praised Elder’s last outing where he hurt Nazim Sadykov and was arguably winning before a doctor stoppage, underscoring Elder’s durability and cardio. Conversely, Young was repeatedly grounded on the Contender Series and scores most of his finishes in the opening minutes—problematic when facing a grinder who refuses to go away. Guru expects Young’s gas tank to betray him after the hurried camp, giving Elder the opportunity to break him with pressure, wrestle‑boxing, and ground‑and‑pound for a late stoppage.

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.

MMA Guru predicted Jaqueline Amorim would submit Polyana Viana, highlighting Amorim’s proven grappling pedigree and greater dedication to the sport. Amorim already owns first‑round subs over regional champs and even tapped Vanessa Demopoulos (despite a brief fence grab), showing aggressive chain‑jiu‑jitsu that routinely finds the back. Guru questioned Viana’s commitment, pointing to her mid‑career cosmetic surgery and social‑media focus as evidence she treats fighting as secondary. Given Amorim’s superior training intensity, finishing instincts, and the stylistic advantage on the mat, the tout expects a stoppage rather than a decision and advises betting the submission prop.

MMA Guru picked Randy Brown to defeat Nicolas Dalby, predicting either a late‑second‑round TKO or a clean 30‑27 decision. Brown’s 6'3 frame and five‑inch reach advantage blunt Dalby’s trademark head‑kick counters, and Dalby lacks the concussive power that has troubled Brown in past losses. Guru praised Brown’s recent evolution into a strategic round‑manager—citing competitive showings against Chaos Williams and Brian Battle—and said the Jamaican is now comfortable winning on points if the finish is not there. Dalby, nearly 40, remains a durable "fraud checker," but Guru expects him to struggle initiating wrestling exchanges without getting caught in Brown’s clinch knees or guillotine. Recommendation: Brown moneyline, with sprinkles on decision and TKO props.

MMA Guru said Joselyne Edwards should win a 29‑28 decision because she owns the measurable striking advantages. Edwards carries a 4‑inch reach edge, is the far more seasoned fighter with 20 pro bouts to Chandler’s nine, and has shown competent counter‑wrestling when opponents try to drag her down. Guru noted that recent judging trends in women’s MMA have begun to favor visible damage over control, a scoring environment that benefits the rangier kickboxer. Conversely, Chandler has yet to demonstrate reliable takedown chains or top control and has already dropped three of nine career fights. Guru therefore advised backing Edwards on the cards.

MMA Guru urged bettors to back sizable underdog Carlos Prates to upset Ian Garry, predicting Prates lands the more damaging shots and potentially finds a finish inside three rounds. While acknowledging Garry’s cleaner fundamentals, Guru highlighted several flaws: Garry’s short reach for his height leaves him hittable in boxing exchanges, he rarely shows true knockout power, and his attempts to force wrestling often arise from opportunistic scrambles rather than a reliable takedown chain. Prates, meanwhile, displayed stout balance when Trevin Giles and Daniel Rodriguez tried to drag him down, owns a legitimate BJJ background if the fight hits the mat, and carries a proven kill‑shot—evidenced by starching Radke and repeatedly dropping the durable Neil Magny. Guru believes Garry will open with leg kicks and caution, giving Prates time to read distance; once Garry steps in with those low‑kick‑to‑elbow sequences he loves, Prates’ timing and power counters will land. The analyst also questioned Gary’s durability, reminding listeners he was dropped by Song Kenan and pushed hard by unranked foes like Darian Weeks and Gabriel Green. Bottom line: in a predominantly stand‑up affair, Guru trusts Prates’ aggression, timing and finishing instincts over Garry’s volume point‑fighting. Suggested bets: Prates moneyline, plus a sprinkle on KO/TKO props.