UFC Fight Night is live once again from the Apex in Las Vegas as we're set for another betting prediction and pick, this one in the Bantamweight (135) Division. Tristar Gym's Aiemann Zahabi will square off against Javid Basharat of Xtreme Couture. Check out our UFC odds series for our Zahabi-Basharat prediction and pick.
Aiemann Zahabi (10-2) has gone 4-2 in his time with the UFC since 2017. He hasn't been extremely active over the last few years, but he's won his last three consecutive fights with two coming by way of KO/TKO finish. He'll look to take down one of the bigger prospects in the division in what would be a signature win for him. Zahabi stands 5'8″ with a 68.5-inch reach.
Javid Basharat (14-0) has been able to remain perfect inside of the octagon going 3-0-0-1 his his four UFC fights. After blazing through the competition with wins in his first three appearances, his last fight ended oddly with a ‘No Contest' ruling on an accidental groin strike. He'll look to get back into the win column as a massive betting favorite. Basharat stands 5'9″ with a 69-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of BetOnline.
UFC Vegas 87 Odds: Aiemann Zahabi-Javid Basharat Odds
Aiemann Zahabi: +550
Javid Basharat: -800
Over 2.5 rounds: -210
Under 2.5 rounds: +170
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Why Aiemann Zahabi Will Win
Aiemann Zahabi has been known for his striking around MMA circles and much of that is due to his training at Canada's Tristar Gym with world-renowned trainer and brother Firas Zahabi. He's only fought three times over the last three years, but he's clearly got a routine going with his camps and prefers to keep his fights spaced apart. He's looked extremely sharp through his last three fights, so don't be surprised if we see an even better version of him this time out.
At 36 years old, Zahabi certainly won't have the youth and explosiveness of his opponent. He's late to the octagon in terms of age and making a run at the title, but that doesn't mean he won't fight with a lifetime of martial arts behind him. It's surprising to see him as the second-biggest underdog on the card, but it speaks more to the skills of his opponent. It'll all be about game plan and finding the small openings for Zahabi to be successful here.
Why Javid Basharat Will Win
Javid Basharat has looked about as consistent as a prospect can be and with three unanimous decisions to start his UFC run, he's well on his way to a ranking and an eventual big fight. His last fight against Victor Henry was going a similar route until Basharat inadvertently landed the groin strike that eventually forced Henry out of the bout. It was an unfortunate ending for Basharat and he'll be very motivated to right his wrong in this upcoming fight.
Javid Basharat should have the advantage just about everywhere in this fight. Skill-wise, he matches up very well against the experience of Zahabi and he's the far better athlete at this point of both their careers. Basharat is also very good on the ground and can control this fight from there given Zahabi's preference of standing and striking. Expect him to dictate where this fight takes place.
Final Aiemann Zahabi-Javid Basharat Prediction & Pick
Despite the massive discrepancy in betting lines on both sides, this should prove to be a closer fight than the odds indicate. Aiemann Zahabi is no slouch and he's on an impressive three-fight winning streak. He's never been submitted in his career and given the fact Basharat usually fights to a decision, we could see the tide swing in Zahabi's favor several times throughout this fight.
Still, Javid Basharat is the much faster striker and he should have an advantage with his offensive grappling. While he may not be a huge threat without much knockout power, he's certainly a dangerous submission artist and could find openings on the ground if they present themselves.
Given the betting line, we're going to have to side with Javid Basharat to get the win here. Still, this is a very wide line and Aiemann Zahabi is a very good fighter, so I expect this line to close much closer to where it begins. For that reason, I like this fight to go the distance as Zahabi hasn't been finished since 2017 and Basharat hasn't gotten a finish since his Contender Series win.
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Final Aiemann Zahabi-Javid Basharat Prediction & Pick: Javid Basharat (-800); Wins by Decision (-160)
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