In a matchup of fighters riding two-fight skids, TheWeasle sided with Francisco Prado by unanimous decision. Veritanikov is the bigger man with a sharp right straight and solid fundamentals, but Prado’s path is to pressure relentlessly. While Prado’s head-movement is minimal, his offensive arsenal—varied combinations, kicks and forward volume—is broader. TheWeasle pointed to Prado’s tough UFC schedule (Jamie Malarkey, Daniel Zahuber, Jake Matthews) as proof the Argentine can hang. If he backs Veritanikov up, he should land more and convince the judges.

Jim Malaro backed Francisco Prado on the money line, arguing Veretennikov’s nine-inch reach edge is pointless because he cannot wrestle nor consistently work behind a jab. Malaro roasted the "never fade an OV" crowd, reminding listeners that Nikolai trains nowhere near Dagestan and averages virtually zero takedowns. Veretennikov’s last two outings – a TKO loss to Austin Vanderford and a split nod over a sick Danny Barlow – offer no proof he can handle Prado’s relentless pressure. Prado, meanwhile, drops a level in competition after losses to long technicians Daniel Zellhuber and Jake Matthews. Malaro envisions the 22-year-old Argentine walking Veretennikov down, stuffing any half-hearted clinches, and banking optics with constant forward motion. He recommends a straight Prado ticket near even money and cautions against over-paying for knockout props because Veretennikov may simply shell up and survive.

Andy Lang said his preferred way to attack Francisco Prado-Nikolas Veretennikov is the distance prop instead of a side. Lang thinks both men are too tough – and too limited – to finish each other. Prado’s stubby 61-inch reach leaves him swinging at air against the 74-inch wingspan of Veretennikov, while Veretennikov has no meaningful offensive wrestling to exploit that size edge on the mat. Lang expects a bloody, close-range slog with Prado marching forward but landing little clean and Veretennikov circling without real knockout power. Because he distrusts both resumes – Veretennikov was finished by Austin Vanderford and barely squeaked by a flu-stricken Danny Barlow, while Prado is coming off back-to-back losses – Lang prefers the plus-money "fight goes the distance" ticket to laying chalk on either fighter or chasing volatile KO props.

Monk pointed out that Nikolai Veretennikov has shown almost no takedown defense, opening a DFS smash path if Francisco Prado decides to wrestle. Prado rarely shoots, but Monk reminded listeners that fighters often unveil new wrinkles when an opponent leaves the door wide open—citing Holly Holm suddenly wrestling Megan Anderson as a precedent. At –145 ML, Prado offers favorite odds at just $8,300, and even two or three surprise takedowns plus top-time could push him over the optimal line on a slate crowded with expensive strikers. Monk will be over the field on Prado exposure while still respecting the variance of an ugly striker-vs-striker matchup.

Sniper said Francisco Prado is one of the better leverage plays in the soft mid-8K range at $8,300. Although the bout sits –150 to go the distance and both men are a combined 1-6 in the UFC, Sniper trusts Prado’s superior athleticism, cleaner boxing and the lone UFC win on his resume. He noted Veretennikov’s poor optics: 0-3 in the promotion, low volume and shaky durability that has him live to be clipped. Because the fight profile is wildly high-variance—ANY outcome wouldn’t shock him—Sniper plans to be overweight on Prado while coming in underfield on Nikolai, and he warned listeners to avoid the matchup entirely in cash builds where volatility kills.

Madlab Michael Lurato said he is siding with Francisco Prado in what he expects to be a razor-thin stand-up bout. Lurato emphasized that Prado routinely "clears space" even when giving up reach—citing sequences against Daniel Zellhuber where the Argentine created separation, reset angles and then surged forward with volume. Prado will again face a five-inch reach deficit, but Lurato trusts the youngster’s innate urge to march forward, force exchanges and win the optics judges favor in close rounds. Dan Tom concurred, noting Prado’s game looks simpler on tape yet actually has far more depth once he starts chaining phases. Both touts recommended betting Prado as a slight underdog, projecting that higher output, forward pressure and cage-control optics steal two of three rounds on the cards.

Kunath recommended backing 22-year-old Francisco Prado by Round 2/3 knockout against the still-winless Nikolas Varetenakov. He noted Prado attempted 103 significant strikes and landed 3 takedowns in his UFC debut, showcasing cardio and finishing intent even when behind. Varetenakov, now 35, has absorbed 5.4 significant strikes per minute and showed little urgency in a listless loss to Austin Vanderford. Kunath expects Prado to apply his usual blitzes, feel out timing for one round, then pour on combinations once Varetenakov inevitably slows. Given Varetenakov’s sturdy chin, Kunath prefers later-round KO props (+650 Round 3) to the money line, insisting Prado will “fight for your money” if down on the cards.

Gumby Vreeland joined the Prado side but dug deeper into why the matchup is tailor-made for the youngster. He reminded listeners that Veretennikov looked "awful" under Austin Vanderford’s pressure, surrendering repeated double-legs and spending four of five minutes on his back. Vreeland believes Prado’s underrated grappling—six career submissions and regional tape showing slick transitions—will replicate that dominance. Although Prado’s boxing can be tight-armed, Vreeland trusts his knockout power to force level-changes if the clinch work doesn’t come easily. He sees two clear victory paths: land a bomb or hit the mat against an opponent sporting a 37% UFC takedown-defense rate. At –133 money and with a 13-year youth edge, Vreeland called Prado a worthy anchor for parlays.

Jeff Fox backed Francisco Prado at –133, arguing the 21-year-old Argentine holds every physical and stylistic edge over Nikolai Veretennikov. Prado has finished all 12 of his wins (6 KOs, 6 subs), owns a samurai Fight House belt in two divisions and is 13 years younger. Fox emphasized Prado’s superior activity and grappling metrics, noting that Veretennikov’s takedown-defense cratered against Austin Vanderford and that the Kazakh is 0-2 in the UFC with a recent TKO loss. With three inches of height and five inches of reach not translating into effective defense, Fox expects Prado’s mix of power strikes and opportunistic submissions to exploit Veretennikov’s 43% TD-defense and claim a much-needed bounce-back win.