We're back for another betting prediction and pick for UFC Atlantic City as we'll see a banger for our next bout taking place in the Light Heavyweight (205) Division. Turkey's Ibo Aslan makes his debut against Sweden's Anton Turkalj as the two look to make a name for themselves in the weight class. Check out our UFC odds series for our Aslan-Turkalj prediction and pick.
Ibo Aslan (12-1) will be making his UFC debut on Saturday following a contract win on Dana White's Contender Series. He defeated Paulo Renato Jr. via first round TKO and it marked his 12th knockout win in as many fights. The lone loss on his record belongs to Anton Turkalj, so Aslan will be thinking all week of his revenge. He stands 6'3″ with a 77.5-inch reach,
Anton Turkalj (8-3) is still looking for his first UFC win after a 0-3 start in the promotion. He's had to face impossible competition through his first three fights in Jailton Almeida, Vitor Petrino, and Tyson Pedro. Now, he'll see a fighter he submitted handily just four years ago. Turkalj stands 6'4″ with a 78-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of BetOnline.
UFC Atlantic City Odds: Ibo Aslan-Anton Turkalj Odds
Ibo Aslan: -118
Anton Turkalj: -102
Over 1.5 rounds: +130
Under 1.5 rounds: -160
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Why Ibo Aslan Will Win
Ibo Aslan faced a very tough opponent in Paulo Renato Jr. during his DWCS fight and Renato was riding a nine-fight winning streak coming into their bout. He's been on the UFC's radar for some time now and he certainly impressed during the audition, notching his eighth knockout win in the first round. He's now finished all 12 of his wins by KO/TKO and he's been on a destructive path since his last loss to Anton Turkalj. Look for this to be an extremely important bout for him.
Ibo Aslan was doing very well in his first meeting with Anton Turkalj and was seeing a ton of success with his leg kicks and striking from distance. However, Turkalj was able to tie him up in the clinch and land meaningful shots on the ground. Aslan's gas tank eventually wavered and Turkalj found an opportunity for the choke. Aslan will certainly have to come into this fight with better cardio and not worry about the pace he's pushing against Turkalj.
Why Anton Turkalj Will Win
Anton Turkalj's last win over Ibo Aslan in Brave CF was an integral part to him getting a contract ahead of his opponent. They were on similar trajectories, but Turkalj looked the part of a UFC-ready prospect with his size and ability to push a hard pace for all three rounds. He's decent with his striking and can take more than a punch on his solid chin. Turkalj is very crafty on the ground and will constantly chase submissions and strikes from bottom position.
While Turkalj has gotten a tough draw in opponents through his first three bouts, this is a fight he totally sees himself winning and he'll have a ton of confidence knowing how their first meeting ended. If Turkalj is able to similarly gas Aslan out and make him push a high pace early, Turkalj could swing the tide of this fight and find a finish in the later rounds.
Final Ibo Aslan-Anton Turkalj Prediction & Pick
This will be a very intriguing matchup as these two face each other again after meeting once in Brave CF. Anton Turkalj has since been fighting against the division's best, while Ibo Aslan remains unblemished aside from his loos to Turkalj.
During their first meeting, there was a ton of bad blood between these two as they exchanged harsh words during the lead-up, during pre-fight, and even after the bell. Turkalj was the instigator for most of this, so it'll be interesting to see if there's still any hard feelings there.
The truth is, Ibo Aslan was winning much of his first meeting with Anton Turkalj. Since then, Aslan has been unbeaten in three fights and Turkalj has found himself on a three-fight losing streak. They're meeting each other at different points and it'll be interesting to see how they've both improved in the last four years.
For our prediction, we'll side with Ibo Aslan to get the win in his debut. This fight has to mean a lot for him and as long as he can improve his cardio and expect to go all three rounds, he should be able to exact his revenge over Turkalj in this one. Let's ride Aslan in this near coin-flip matchup.
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Final Ibo Aslan-Anton Turkalj Prediction & Pick: Ibo Aslan (-118)
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