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The UFC is back on the road and for the first time, the world's biggest fight promotion lands in Azerbaijan. We'll bring you a betting prediction and pick for this next bout in the Women's Bantamweight (135) Division as Russia's Irina Alekseeva takes on Poland's Klaudia Sygula. Check the UFC odds series for our Alekseeva-Sygula prediction and pick.
Irina Alekseeva (5-2) takes a 1-1 UFC record into his third bout with the promotion. After an impressive submission victory via kneebar during her UFC debut, Alekseeva fell to Melissa Mullins during her most recent bout in 2023. She'll make her long-awaited return as the betting favorite from Baku. Alekseeva stands 5-foot-8 with a 66-inch reach.
Klaudia Sygula (6-2) is searching for her first UFC win following a loss to Melissa Mullins during her debut. She had a successful six-fight winning streak during her time on the regional circuit, but she's hoping that her skills can make the transition to the biggest fight stage. Sygula stands 5-foot-8 with a 59-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Baku Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Baku Odds: Irina Alekseeva-Klaudia Sygula Odds
Irina Alekseeva: -278
Klaudia Sygula: +225
Over 2.5 rounds: -160
Under 2.5 rounds: +124
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Why Irina Alekseeva Will Win
- Last Fight: (L) Melissa Mullins – U DEC
- Last 5: 3-2
- Finishes: 1 KO/TKO, 2 SUB
Irina Alekseeva is returning to UFC action following more than a year on the shelf due to a one-year suspension following a failed drug test. Her time away from the octagon is significant and it'll be interesting to see if her game improves or if she'll still be shaking some rust off during this fight. Nevertheless, she's the convincing betting favorite and will have more ways to win this fight via the finish.
Alekseeva is very aggressive in the way she takes the center of the octagon and her ability to grapple with opponents in open space makes her even more dangerous. She isn't afraid to absorb punches and she's more than willing to take a few in order to get her own shots off. However, we've seen her struggle with more technical fighters, so she'll certainly have to clean her approach up if she wants to have success in this matchup.
At 3.84 significant strikes landed per minute, Alekseeva is landing double what her opponent (1.89) is landing at any given time. This activity will be her biggest strength as she looks to overwhelm Sygula with her pressure. If she's able to get her opponent backing up, she'll have all the advantages of striking first and forcing Sygula to respond.
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Why Klaudia Sygula Will Win
- Last Fight: (L) Melissa Mullins – TKO (ground-and-pound, R2)
- Last 5: 4-1
- Finishes: 2 KO/TKO, 1 SUB
Klaudia Sygula is looking to bounce back following a disappointing debut where she couldn't get her offense going. She was physically and technically outmatched by the striking of Mullins, but she'll have a much better stylistic matchup this time around against Alekseeva. Alekseeva has been known to make mental errors during a fight, so Sygula will have to be patient and wait for the perfect time to capitalize off her opponents' mistakes.
Sygula is very well-rounded in terms of her offense on the feet and on the ground, but she's still very fresh when it comes to putting together a full three rounds of action. She starts very fast and lends herself to brawls on the feet, but she'd greatly benefit from a much more patient approach during this fight.
Sygula is also more technical on the ground and although her opponent is slightly more dangerous, Sygula does a better job of reversing positions and catching opponents in compromised spots. Look for her to keep a cool head during this fight and jump on a submission opportunity when it presents itself.
Final Irina Alekseeva-Klaudia Sygula Prediction & Pick
This will be an interesting bout as both women are O.K. with fighting on the feet or on the ground. Still, we may see both sides favor a kickboxing fight as they try to establish their dominance in the striking. Alekseeva is the rightful favorite here, but her year-long suspension could create some rust during the opening stages of this fight.
Klaudia Sygula, on the other hand, is still very green into the sport and we're still waiting for her to take the next step and prove she belongs in the UFC. Her training in Poland is bound to evolve her skills and we're expecting a much more polished version of her this time around.
For our final prediction, we'll side with the underdog ever so slightly as the layoff for Alekseeva could become problematic. Ultimately, I think Sygula will threaten with more offense on the ground and her counter-striking will be paramount to her success.
Final Irina Alekseeva-Klaudia Sygula Prediction & Pick: Klaudia Sygula (+225)
