The UFC 326: Holloway vs. Oliveira 2 Prelims are officially underway with this next bout in the Flyweight (125) Division. Atlanta's own Cody Durden will take on Mongolia's Nyamjargal Tumendemberel to open the Prelim portion of the card. Check our UFC odds series for the Durden-Tumendemberel prediction and pick.
Cody Durden (17-9-1) has gone 6-7-1 inside the UFC since 2020. Hoping to make his way back to a .500 record, Durden is hoping to turn his luck around following three-straight losses and one win over his last six fights. He comes in the slight underdog standing 5-foot-7 with a 67-inch reach.
Nyamjargal Tumendemberel (9-1) is currently 1-1 inside the UFC since 2024, losing his debut via split decision and rebounding with a submission win in his most recent outing. Tumendemberel steps in looking to replace Durden in the rankings and begin his run on the division. He stands 5-foot-7 with a 71-inch reach.
UFC 326 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 326 Odds: Cody Durden-Nyamjargal Tumendemberel Odds
Cody Durden: +120
Nyamjargal Tumendemberel: -142
Over 2.5 rounds: +130
Under 2.5 rounds: -166
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Why Cody Durden Will Win
- Last Fight: (L) Allan Nascimento – SUB (anaconda choke, R2)
- Last 5: 1-4
- Finishes: 6 KO/TKO, 6 SUB
Cody Durden is hoping to avoid a fourth-straight loss for the first time in his career, coming up short once again in his last bout to Allan Nascimento. Durden has been finished by both TKO and submission in his last two fights coming in, so his chin and ability to stay out of danger will remain in question throughout this one. However, he's still the much more experienced UFC talent and should be able to offer stern resistance, indicated by the close betting line.
Durden is both a talented striker and grappler, but he tends to put himself in risky positions that have recently ended in him losing fights. On the ground, he's very resourceful in reversing positions and threatening chokes, but he takes chances and risks reversals on himself at the same time. During this fight, Durden will have to remain mistake-free against a dangerous submission artist like Tumendemberel.
Durden should look to remain active with his striking as he's outpacing his opponent with 3.66 sig. strikes landed per minute at a 44% accuracy opposite of Tumendemberel's 39% rate. While Durden is absorbing more shots in the process, his chin should be a tool in closing the distance and finding shots on his opponent despite getting hit.
Why Nyamjargal Tumendemberel Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Terrance Saeteurn – SUB (anaconda choke, R1)
- Last 5: 4-1
- Finishes: 2 KO/TKO, 6 SUB
After a shaky debut against Carlos Hernandez that saw Tumendemberel just barely edged out on the judges' scorecards, he returned with a massive finishing win during the Road to UFC tournament in August 2025. Tumendemberel will step into this spot following a full camp in preparation for his second appearance, looking to replicate his submission win and escape Las Vegas with his first official UFC win.
Tumendemberel is extremely aggressive, yet technical on the feet thanks to his extensive Muay Thai striking background. He's very patient when waiting to counterpunch opponents, using his low leg kicks in the meantime to hinder the other fighter's movement. He truly shines in situations on the ground where he's extremely opportunistic in finding submissions and putting opponents in compromising spots.
It's worth noting that Tumendemberel won his last fight via his anaconda choke, while Cody Durden lost his last fight via the same submission. Tumendemberel would be remiss not to test the grappling chops of Durden given his clear tendency to fall into submissions, so expect an aggressive approach from the Mongolian when it comes time to wrestle.
Final Cody Durden-Nyamjargal Tumendemberel Prediction & Pick
Cody Durden has to be coming into this fight fully focused as his back and UFC tenure will effectively be up against the wall. He faces a very manageable opponent in Tumendemberel if Durden is able to remain the more disciplined fighter. While it may not be a viral knockout or “pretty” win, Durden's path to victory will be built upon defensive consistency and ability to hold Tumendemberel down on the ground.
However, Tumendemberel is far too active with his grappling and if he's put on his back, he's likely to threaten from there or eventually reverse positions. Durden's submission defense has been an issue for him over the last few fights, so expect Tumendemberel to fully exploit that aspect early.
For our final pick, we'll roll with Nyamjargal Tumendemberel to earn his first official UFC win as he should be able to finish this fight inside the distance with his craft grappling.
Final Cody Durden-Nyamjargal Tumendemberel Prediction & Pick: Nyamjargal Tumendemberel (-142); UNDER 2.5 Rounds (-166)
