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Undefeated prospect Mansur Abdul-Malik (8-0) looks to continue his red-hot momentum against veteran brawler Cody Brundage (11-6, one no-contest) at UFC Atlanta. It is time to continue our UFC Atlanta odds series with a Mansur Abdul-Malik-Cody Brundage prediction and pick.
Abdul-Malik, 27, is one of two undefeated prospects competing at UFC Atlanta, entering with an 8-0 record. The Xtreme Couture product has steamrolled his way through his early competition in the Octagon, winning his first two promotional bouts by knockout. With another impressive victory, Abdul-Malik is already one of the most exciting prospects in the sport, despite only making his professional debut in 2021.
Brundage, 31, is Abdul-Malik's first true test against a legitimate MMA veteran. Brundage enters the fight off a first-round TKO win over Julian Marquez, his first win since December 2023. The win brought him back up to 5-5 in the UFC with one no-contest.
While the matchup features two former collegiate wrestlers, both love to pick up victories with their hands. Brundage has earned 55 percent of his career victories by knockout, with Abdul-Malik winning all but one of his eight fights the same way.
Here are the UFC Atlanta Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Atlanta Odds: Mansur Abdul-Malik-Cody Brundage
Mansur Abdul-Malik: -800
Cody Brundage: +550
Over 1.5 rounds: +145
Under 1.5 rounds: -188
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Why Mansur Abdul-Malik Will Win
Abdul-Malik is easily one of the most interesting prospects in the UFC, primarily due to his physicality. The Maryland alum completely fills out his massive 6-foot-2 frame, boasting arguably the best physique in the promotion. Abdul-Malik's dimensions give him a two-inch height and seven-inch reach advantage.
Still just four years into his career, Abdul-Malik still has obvious holes in his game. His wrestling is UFC-level, but his striking is far from it. Yet, he gets to fight another wrestler in this matchup, favoring him in nearly every possible way. The last time he faced an aggressive wrestler like Brundage, Dusko Todorovic never came close to taking him down and lasted less than three minutes before becoming another victim of the Abdul-Malik hype train.
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With all eight of his wins by finish, Abdul-Malik has yet to fight into the third round. He is still unproven, posing many valid questions surrounding his game. However, Brundage only has one decision win on his record and is unlikely to be the guy to test his cardio.
Why Cody Brundage Will Win
Brundage has played spoiler before and will attempt to do it once again. Brundage has been an underdog in eight of his 11 UFC fights but boasts a respectable 4-4 record in those matchups. With a disqualification and a no-contest in his last five outings, he has a habit of making fights grittier than some opponents want.
It does not happen often, but Brundage is the better striker in this matchup. Abdul-Malik has power in his hands but is visibly uncomfortable on his feet, showing little understanding of that part of the game. He has landed 58 significant strikes in the UFC, but only 11 came from distance. Conversely, Brundage is coming off a knockout win and is much more willing to engage.
A seven-inch reach disadvantage will be difficult to overcome, but Abdul-Malik has never utilized that range to manage distance in his favor before. Abdul-Malik's hesitancy to throw strikes is also easily noticeable — he landed just one significant strike in the first round of his last fight with Nick Klein despite closing as a 12-1 favorite. Brundage has had success on the feet against grapplers before, knocking down Tresean Gore, Rodolfo Vieira and Marquez.
Final Mansur Abdul-Malik-Cody Brundage Prediction & Pick
Despite what his record suggests, Brundage is not a fighter most prospects want to see early in their careers. Contrary to what some fans believe, he is as gritty as they come and often difficult for inexperienced fighters to put away.
There is no doubt about Abdul-Malik's potential, but this fight might be too much, too soon. Abdul-Malik is a good wrestler but only an average grappler, which is where Brundage typically struggles. Brundage's underrated wrestling has given the likes of Bo Nickal and Rodolfo Vieira trouble at times, despite eventually losing both fights by submission. Abdul-Malik has just one career win by submission.
Abdul-Malik's 88 percent knockout rate looks good on paper, but his striking has yet to come close to catching up with him. He has the potential to become an elite fighter, but his inexperience shows itself on the feet, which is where Brundage is the most aggressive. Regardless, Brundage will struggle with the size and physicality of Abdul-Malik, which could cause a frustratingly long feel-out process. Abdul-Malik has everything he needs to win this fight, but Brundage is a much tougher matchup than Todorovic or Klein were, which could make for a longer bout than the odds anticipate.
Final Mansur Abdul-Malik-Cody Brundage Prediction & Pick: Over 1.5 rounds (+145)
