Just a quick picks article this time around. This card takes place in South Dakota at 7 PM ET on Saturday, broadcast on ESPN 2.
LOGAN STORELY (18-4) vs. FLORIM ZENDELI (11-1) – Welterweight
Storely hasn't changed the way he fights and is still a pretty boring wrestler. With that being said he is still very effective but at this point in his career he can't get past the top guys in the PFL/Bellator. Zendeli is also a wrestler with very good cardio but he doesn't have the striking required to capitalize on the moments Storely isn't shooting take downs..
Pick: Logan Storely by decision. Medium confidence.
GADZHI RABADANOV (26-5-2) vs. ALEXANDR CHIZOV (13-3) – Lightweight
If I knew Rabadanov was going to wrestle this would be a very high confidence pick. But the problem is that he has fallen in love with his hands – the loss to Davis proved it to me. He won 2 rounds in that fight clearly and they were the two rounds he chose to wrestle in. Chizov is a boxer who is very fun to watch but he isn't super big for the weight class even at 6'0″ tall. He is very flat footed so if Gadzhi times his take downs well he should grind this one out. Just comes down to what fight Gadzhi wants to bring.
Pick: Gadzhi Rabadanov by decision. High confidence.
SIMEON POWELL (11-2) vs. EMILIANO SORDI (26-13-1) – Light Heavyweight
Powell is very fraudulent but there's no way he fumbles this…
Pick: Simeon Powell by KO/TKO. High confidence.
RENAN FERREIRA (13-5) vs. SERGEY BILOSTENNIY (14-4) – Heavyweight
Not confident in this at all. But Ferreira has clearly slowed down and Bilostenniy is much faster and more athletic. Easier said than done to not get knocked out by Ferreira though.
Pick: Sergey Bilostenniy by KO/TKO. Very low confidence.
MAGOMED MAGOMEDOV (21-5) vs. LEANDRO HIGO (23-7) – Bantamweight
Pick: Magomed Magomedov by decision. High confidence.
RASUL MAGOMEDOV (8-0) vs. RAFAEL XAVIER (14-8) – Light Heavyweight
Xavier could be a big underdog opportunity, to quote the great BetSam. He is a very good, very powerful striker and Rasul is not. Rasul is a wrestler who has had a big amateur and pro career so far but Xavier is the best opponent he has faced. Xavier is a lot better than his record suggests but I am still not sure how good his take down defense actually is. Rasul's striking is awful so a Xavier KO would not shock me at all.
Pick: Rasul Magomedov by decision. Low confidence.
CHEYNNE BOWERS (7-2) vs. SABRINNA DE SOUSA (5-0) – Women's Flyweight
Pick: Sabrinna de Sousa by decision. High confidence.
SANG WON KIM (14-6-1) vs. HUMBERTO BUNDENAY (27-9) – Featherweight
Pick: Humberto Bundenay by KO/TKO. Medium confidence.
TAILA SANTOS (22-4) vs. QIHUI YAN (25-5) – Women's Flyweight
Pick: Taila Santos by submission. High confidence.
BRETT BYE (0-0) vs. TAYLOR MICHELS (1-0) – Welterweight
Pick: Taylor Michels by KO/TKO. Unknown confidence.
MAXWELL DJANTOU NANA (7-2) vs. KARL WILLIAMS (10-5) – Heavyweight
Pick: Karl Williams by decision. Low confidence.
