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Chidi Njokuani vs Albert Duraev
Chidi Njokuani ML (-160) 3u
Chidi Njokuani KO (+120) 2u
Chidi Njokuani is going to catch another body this Saturday.😬 #UFCSanAntonio #MMATwitter pic.twitter.com/LXfQ8FxJQd
— UFC Africa (@HoussamNasr2) March 24, 2023
The first fight on Saturday’s main card will feature Chidi Njokuani and Albert Duraev, two middleweights looking to get back in the win column. Njokuani is a lethal but technical striker with 14 career wins by knockout. He earned his UFC contract with a knockout victory on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021. Since then, he has been an active fighter, going 2-1 in the UFC with two first round knockouts. Albert Duraev is a grappler who will be on the wrong side of a five-inch reach differential and will struggle to get inside on Njokuani, just as he did in his last fight against Joaquin Buckley. Against a similar stylistic fighter to Njokuani, Duraev failed to get inside on Buckley and failed to take him down, only landing 10 significant strikes in the fight before retiring in his corner after the second round for a TKO loss. I love a three unit play on Njokuani moneyline in case he does use his reach advantage to strike at range for 15 minutes. However, I am CONFIDENTLY slapping two units on Njokuani KO/TKO. Njokuani has finished 14 of his 22 wins by KO including all four of his last four victories, fighting a guy in Albert Duraev who has lost all four of his career losses by KO/TKO.
Manel Kape vs Alex Perez
Manel Kape ML (-200) 3u
Manel Kape KO (+140) .5u
🗣 SIUUU!!!
[ @ManelKape | #UFCVegas52 | Saturday | LIVE on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/ZN17PTnK2V
— UFC (@ufc) April 20, 2022
Former UFC Flyweight title contender Alex Perez will take on former RIZIN Bantamweight champion Manel Kape. Kape enters the fight on a three-fight win-streak, winning two of three by knockout. In the other corner, Alex Perez has lost his last two fights and has been plagued by inactivity and cancelled fights. He comes into this bout having not won a fight since June of 2020. This fight will be a passing of guard from the former title challenger in Alex Perez to the future title challenger in Manel Kape. Kape has finished 11 of 18 career wins by KO but does tend to be a patient counter striker and will not force a finish, so I am just sprinkling the KO play here.
CJ Vergara ML + Tucker Lutz ML + Nate Landwehr ML (+177)
Odds via Betfred Sportsbook
