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It's time for another betting prediction and pick for all the action at UFC Kansas City as we turn our attention towards this next bout in the Bantamweight (135) Division. North Carolina's Da'Mon Blackshear will take on China's Alatengheili in a fight that's sure to be a banger! Check the UFC odds series for our Blackshear-Alatengheili prediction and pick.
Da'Mon Blackshear (16-7-1) has gone 4-3-1 inside the UFC since debuting in 2022. Following back-to-back losses that set him back in his path, he's beaten Cody Stamann and Cody Gibson in consecutive submission wins heading into this one. He'll look to capitalize as the strong betting favorite. Blackshear stands 5-foot-10 with a 72-inch reach.
Alatengheili (17-9-2) posts a UFC record of 5-2-1 since 2019. With a recent loss to Chris Gutierrez, Alatengheili has won three of his last four fights, including a most recent unanimous decision win over Kleydson Rodrigues. Now, he'll look to mount a winning streak that will propel him into the rankings. Alatengheili stands 5-foot-5 with a 66.5-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Kansas City Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Kansas City Odds: Da'Mon Blackshear-Alatengheili Odds
Da'Mon Blackshear: -485
Alatengheili: +370
Over 2.5 rounds: -166
Under 2.5 rounds: +130
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Why Da'Mon Blackshear Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Cody Gibson – SUB (kimura, R2)
- Last 5: 3-2
- Finishes: 2 KO/TKO, 11 SUB
Da'Mon Blackshear has effectively gotten back on track with his two most recent wins as he's been able to notch back-to-back submissions over opponents. His rear-naked choke over Cody Stamann earned him a “Performance of the Night” bonus and his grappling has been especially dangerous over his last few appearances. The times he's been caught, it has usually come on the feet as his striking lags behind his wrestling skills. Still, he should have a relatively easy time bringing this fight to the ground with the advantage over Alatengheili.
Da'Mon Blackshear will want to advance his grappling offense through the early stages of this fight while both men are still dry and can provide grip through his locks. While his takedown accuracy sits at just 35%, Blackshear has looked like a dominant grappler opposite his opponents for the last two bouts. In order to be successful here, he'll have to mix things up and quickly look for the back to lock in a submission win.
Why Alatengheili Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Kleydson Rodrigues – U DEC
- Last 5: 3-1-1
- Finishes: 5 KO/TKO, 3 SUB
Alatengheili has made a name for himself in the UFC behind his aggressive striking and willingness to stand across from any opponent. He favors a stand-up striking style and makes great use of his low legs kicks, hindering the movement of his opponents as he tries to lull them into his striking combinations. With five knockouts under his belt, Alatengheili will certainly have the knockout upside during this fight and if his opponent isn't careful, it'll only be a matter of time before he lands during the chaotic exchanges.
Alatengheili is surprisingly sturdy when fending off takedowns and fights behind a 75% defense rate. He also attempts slightly more takedowns per three rounds than his opponent does, but it's worth noting that he's been caught in submissions in the past. To win this fight despite the betting odds, Alatengheili will have to be the more aggressive striking while emphatically turning away Blackshear's takedowns. If he's able to discourage Blackshear from shooting and keep this fight on the feet, we should see Alatengheili walk away with a knockout win in this one.
Final Da'Mon Blackshear-Alatengheili Prediction & Pick
Both fighters are very athletic and will do everything to create their own pace within a fight. Da'Mon Blackshear is looking for a few heated exchanges where he can change levels and offer different looks at his opponent. Alatengheili, on the other hand, will be looking to exchanges strikes in the pocket and hopefully land a knockout punch that ends this fight.
Ultimately, I think Da'Mon Blackshear has the advantage here in terms of game planning and his offense should be solid enough to hang with the striking of his opponent. I also think Blackshear is the much better grappler and it's only a matter of time before he eventually forces this fight to the ground. From there, Blackshear is the clear favorite to win by submission and control this fight with his grappling.
For our final prediction, we have to roll with the betting favorite in Da'Mon Blackshear as he's capable of dictating the pace on the feet as well. His wrestling will be the ultimate equalizing and I expect him to control this fight with ground-and-pound on the mats.
Final Da'Mon Blackshear-Alatengheili Prediction & Pick: Da'Mon Blackshear (-485); OVER 2.5 Rounds (-166)
