Billy Ward plans to attack the yet-to-be-released Carlos Leal significant-strike prop if sportsbooks hang an inflated number (he expects something in the 70-to-80 range because Leal averages nearly 10 sig. strikes per minute). Ward’s logic: a quick knockout trims Leal’s volume, and if the fight somehow stretches, it will be because Salikhov’s historically stingy defense (he absorbs only 2.7 sig. strikes per minute) muted Leal’s output. Either script pushes an UNDER, so Ward will monitor openers and pounce if bookmakers get too aggressive on Leal’s volume.

Sean Zerillo said Carlos Leal is a must-play finishing angle because Muslim Salikhov is now 40, has looked gassed after a round and a half in each of his last two bouts, and his chin has begun to betray him whenever the UFC pairs him with younger, faster welterweights. Zerillo expects Leal’s 10-year youth advantage and relentless pressure to push Salikhov to the fence, overwhelm him with hand speed, and get him out of there quickly. His preferred bets: Leal & Under 2.5 rounds in a same-game parlay at –125 (would lay to –140), Leal & Under 1.5 at +140, plus a small sprinkle on Leal Round 1. Zerillo stressed that Salikhov’s only real path is landing a low-percentage spinning attack before minute seven; otherwise Leal’s pace should break him.

Matty Betss is doubling down on Carlos Leal violence but gets more specific this time, targeting the Round 1 knockout at +225. Betss argued Salikhov’s only real path is spamming distance kicks, yet the 40-year-old will never find that space because Leal walks opponents down and is the far more physical athlete. Eleven of Leal’s 13 career KOs have come inside the opening five minutes and Betss expects an even faster start now: Leal was ‘robbed’ in his last UFC appearance and recently got engaged, so he is chasing both the win check and a $50k bonus to pay for the wedding. With Salikhov’s durability fading after consecutive stoppage losses and Leal vowing not to risk the judges again, Betss believes the +225 first-round prop offers far more value than the –125 generic KO line.

Matty Betss plans to unload five units on Carlos Leal by knockout at –125, calling it the most straightforward bet on the Abu Dhabi card. He reminded listeners Leal was on the wrong end of what he believes was the worst robbery in UFC history against Rinat Fakhretdinov and is therefore highly motivated to remove judges from the equation. Tape shows Leal throws every strike with finishing intent and has 11 career KOs. Meanwhile 40-year-old Muslim Salikhov has been trending the wrong way defensively, suffering back-to-back stoppage losses to Randy Brown (2023, R1) and Li Jingliang (2022, R2) and relying on a low-volume, kick-heavy style that will give Leal the pressure and distance he needs to land power shots. Betss expects Salikhov’s eroding durability to betray him and forecasted a Leal finish inside two rounds, arguing the –125 KO price is far too short for a fighter who is otherwise a –500 money-line favorite.

Sniper agreed with Monk and said he is “damn near close to a fade” on Muslim Salikhov because the 41-year-old’s low-volume style (under 3.5 sig. strikes per minute) rarely produces DFS ceiling scores. Even if Salikhov wins, Sniper doubts he eclipses 80 DK points given his habit of throwing single-shot counters. By contrast, Leal’s relentless output, athleticism and age advantage create multiple paths to a slate-breaking finish. Sniper will sprinkle a token amount of Salikhov in mass-entry builds for four-ounce-glove volatility, but the plan is to be heavily overweight on Leal and treat Salikhov as one of the clearest fades among underdogs priced in the mid-$6K range.

Monk said Carlos Leal is worth paying $9,400 in DraftKings tournaments because his pace should drown 41-year-old Muslim Salikhov. Leal stuffed 17 Renat Fakhrudinov takedowns and still fired 7.0 significant strikes per minute in that bout, and overall averages 9.65 sig. strikes per minute through 19 Octagon minutes. Salikhov throws fewer than 3.5 per minute, so Monk expects Leal to triple him in volume while benefiting from a 10-year youth advantage. Salikhov does retain one-shot power, having knocked down Song Kenan and Francisco Trinaldo, but Monk noted the “King of Kung Fu” has been finished three times in the UFC (once in round 1, twice in round 2). For Leal to smash salary he probably needs one of those finishes—his takedown and control-time numbers are modest—but Monk is willing to chase it in GPPs while acknowledging a decision win would underperform.

Kunath repeatedly highlighted Carlos Leal as his favorite spend-up option. Priced in the mid-9K range, Leal owns explosive round-one knockout upside that can smash tournament fields. Kunath prefers Leal over similarly priced names because Leal combines finishing power with solid cardio, giving him paths to 110+ points whether he ends the fight early or pours on volume across three rounds. In Kunath’s sample builds, Leal was the cornerstone whenever salary allowed.

THE MMA GURU predicted Carlos Leal will steamroll 40-year-old Muslim Salikhov, finishing with a clinch-heavy TKO in Round 2. Salikhov’s highlight-reel spinning kicks no longer scare Guru—Randy Brown recently flattened him, and Salikhov rarely threatens takedowns despite the ‘King of Kung Fu’ nickname. Leal, meanwhile, is a "monster" who shoved Alex Morono against the fence and broke him with dirty boxing; PED suspensions aside, Guru views that physicality as a feature here. Leal owns a small reach edge but, more importantly, pressures nonstop, nullifying Salikhov’s kicking range and forcing pocket exchanges where the Dagestani’s hands are slower. Guru envisions Leal grabbing underhooks late in Round 1, sneaking in knees and body shots, then re-establishing the clinch early in Round 2 to pour on elbows and hooks until the ref steps in. He advised betting Leal’s money-line, Leal ITD, and the Under 2.5 rounds.

TheWeasle predicted Carlos Leal will starch 41-year-old Muslim Salikhov in the opening round. Salikhov still owns highlight-reel kicks (wheel-kick KO of Song Kenan) but has been violently finished by Randy Brown and edged by Nicolas Dalby during his current 2–2 stretch. Leal, effectively in his prime, has knocked out five straight opponents (would be 5-0 in the UFC if not for a controversial decision to Rinat Fakhretdinov). He is faster, more athletic, carries heavier hands and relentlessly pressures—exactly the style that disrupts Salikhov’s back-foot kicking game. Once Leal marches forward, Salikhov’s spinning attacks and distance kicks become high-risk, and the younger fighter’s power hooks should land clean. TheWeasle labeled the matchmaking a "mismatch" and expects Leal to force exchanges against the fence and land a fight-ending bomb inside the first five minutes. Suggested bet: Leal KO/TKO Round 1.