PFL Brussel takes place in Belgium at 12:30 PM ET on Saturday. PFL is usually broadcast on ESPN 2.
PATRICK HABIRORA (8-0) vs. BENSON HENDERSON (30-12) – Welterweight
Henderson coming out of retirement to come up a weight class to fight PFL's next rising star. Habirora is not a big welterweight but is crazy athletic, fast and powerful. He is coming off two first round KO wins over Kevin Jousset and Danny Roberts. Obviously Benson needs to grapple here but Habirora has not shown bad take down defense yet and he doesn't swing wildly. He is patient enough to pick his spots and I think he knocks out a 42 year old Henderson.
Pick: Patrick Habirora by KO/TKO. High confidence.
TAYLOR LAPILUS (24-4) vs. JAKE HADLEY (12-5) – Bantamweight
I would argue this is a step down in competition for Lapilus. Lapilus can't finish anyone but he has been fighting more aggressively recently. But Hadley has been proven to be tough to finish. Lapilus should avoid Hadley's boxing and take down attempts and point fight on the feet to decision.
Pick: Taylor Lapilus by decision. Medium confidence.
BORIS ATANGANA (8-0) vs. JARED GOODEN (23-11) – Light Heavyweight
Boris Atangana is a wild man. He throws everything explosively from his striking, take downs, and even submission attempts. He isn't super technical and probably won't become an elite fighter but he is going to have a fun career in the PFL. Gooden is a former welterweight and it's hard to know what his motivations are as I thought he retired. Atangana by submission is super sneaky here as he does shoot for take downs even if a KO seems most likely. Only way Gooden wins is if he can survive round 1 as here is no way Atangana can keep up his crazy pace for 3 rounds, but he never had great striking or take down defense when he fought in the UFC at 170 so I don't expect that to improve here at 205. There is a lot of discourse online saying Gooden is a good underdog but I don't see it. Even watching Gooden vs. Aly, Gooden lost most of those minutes on the feet against a BJJ guy who come over to MMA. Atangana is flawed but he should beat this level of competition.
Pick: Boris Atangana by submission (or KO/TKO). Medium-high confidence.
MARCIRCLEY ALVES (15-4) vs. NAOKI INOUE (20-5) – Bantamweight
I have tried to fade Alves in the past and it has back fired every time. Alves is way too small for this weight class but he makes up for it with super fast hand speed and sneaky power. He is a boxer and despite his small frame also has fantastic take down defense. Inoue is good, he was the RIZIN champion afterall. But he is more of a grappler than anything (in my opinion) and he doesn't shoot for take downs. Maybe he will here as this fight is in a cage but even then I have been impressed by Alves ability to keep the fight standing against better wrestlers. Maybe Inoue lands something big on the feet or finds a sneaky sub, but Alves super fast hands should be enough for him to land more often.
Pick: Marcirley Alves by decision. Low confidence.
ASAEL ADJOUJ (10-1) vs. KEISUKE SASU (14-4-1) – Featherweight
I am very confident in Adjouj but I would be careful if you were to put him in your 10 leg parlay (I know that's what you guys do with PFL cards haha). Adjouj is a very talented kick boxer and I would be shocked if he lost here but he has put on some stinkers in the past. This is a step down in competition from Landu though. Landu is old but he is super sneaky on the feet. Sasu is not. Don't get me wrong I do love Sasu but he is so flat footed with barely any striking ability at all. On top of that he is small for the weight class so he may struggle to get the wrestling going. Adjouj can be a bit low volume at times but Sasu should be a punching bag here.
Pick: Asael Adjouj by decision (He should win this by KO but hard to trust him). Medium confidence.
BARIS ADIGUEZEL (10-1) vs. GUSTAVO OLIVEIRA (12-2) – Bantamweight
This fight is going to be awesome. Two pretty high level strikers with good power. We haven't seen Baris go into deep waters at high level yet but I am going to pick him to win as I think he is the much faster fighter of the two.
Pick: Baris Adiguzel by KO/TKO. Low-medium confidence.
DONEGI ABENA (0-0) vs. JOE SCHILLING (4-6) – Light Heavyweight
Lay up for Abena. Schilling won't wrestle.
Pick: Donegi Abena by KO/TKO. High confidence but this is an MMA debut.
MOVSAR IBRAGIMOV (7-1) vs. YOUSSOUF BINATE (6-1) – Bantamweight
Very much game plan dependent for Ibragimov. If Ibragimov wrestles he should win this easily. If he decided to strike he might end up losing.
Pick: Movsar Ibragimov by submission. Medium confidence.
ADAM MESKINI (10-3) vs. KEWENY LOPES (12-4-1) – Featherweight
Pick: Adam Meskini by decision. Low confidence.
RUSTAM SERBIEV (9-5) vs. ASHLEY REECE (9-3) – Welterweight
Serbiev is super fraudlent but Reece has been super inactive and is now 37. Absolutely no clue what to do here.
Pick: Rustam Serbiev by KO/TKO. No confidence.
