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Contender Series Week 3: Andrey Pulyaev vs. Liam Anderson continues with a fight in the featherweight division between Michael Aswell and Bogdan Grad. Aswell has won back-to-back fights with both wins coming by stoppage as he comes into his Contender Series debut fight meanwhile, Grad got back on track after his Contender Series loss last season with back-to-back finishes as he makes his second appearance this Tuesday night. With that said, check out our UFC odds series for our Aswell-Grad prediction and pick.
Michael Aswell (9-1) suffered his first defeat back in 2023 in a hard-fought defeat to Yadier DelValle but he was able to get back on track in a big way. He finished each of his next two opponents where he most recently knocked out Nate Richardson in just 1:08 in the first round to become the Fury FC Featherweight Champion. Aswell hopes he can continue his dominant ways when he takes on Contender Series alumni Bogdan Grad on Tuesday night.
Bogdan Grad (13-2) didn't get the contract on his last appearance on the show after he was knocked out by current UFC lightweight Tom Nolan last season. Now, Grad has dropped down to the featherweight division where he is 2-0 as he comes into his second chance on the Contender Series against his toughest opposition to date in his new weight class. Grad hopes that the second time's the charm when he steps into the Octagon to take on Michael Aswell this Tuesday night.
Here are the Contender Series UFC Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Contender Series Odds: Michael Aswell-Bogdan Grad Odds
Michael Aswell: -105
Bogdan Grad: -125
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Why Michael Aswell Will Win
Michael Aswell comes into this fight with back-to-back stoppage victories while recently capturing the Fury FC Featherweight Championship with a 68-second knockout of Nate Richardson. He is now 9-1 as a professional fighter and will be looking for win number 10 along with a UFC contract when he takes on Contender Series alumni Bogdran Grad on Tuesday night.
Aswell trains out 4oz Fight Club in Houston, Texas which is owned by UFC veteran Daniel Pineda, and trains with high-level fighters like Pineda and Joshua Van along with up-and-coming prospects like Dakota Hope and Hector Saenz. Much like his training partners, Aswell is a good crisp striker who loves to throw crisp combinations at boxing range. While that will be a recipe for success in this matchup it also will leave him vulnerable for the power strikes that will be coming his way from Grad. In this matchup with Grad, Aswell is going to be the better technical striker and he's going to need to be defensively sound and make sure that this fight doesn't end up in a brawl which is where Grad can take advantage. As long as Aswell is able to fight this fight at his preferred range he can outstrike Grad and take over as he starts to fade down the stretch to another knockout victory and a UFC contra
Why Bogdan Grad Will Win
Bogdan Grad will be making his second appearance on the Contender Series after suffering a loss in his first chance on the show last season to Tom Nolan. Since that loss, Grad decided to move down in weight to fight in the featherweight division where he won both of his fights by finish. Now, Grad will be looking to make the most of his second opportunity in his new weight class when he takes on Michael Aswell this Tuesday night.
Grad is a very dangerous fighter who's always looking to fight at a frantic pace that's given the majority of his opposition a ton of trouble. It looks like he has found the right weight class at 145 lbs and it has shown that he's been able to keep the same size that he had at 155 lbs. He has the ability to finish this fight no matter where it takes place whether it be on the feet or the canvas he can get the job done making him a very dangerous fighter. As for how this matchup goes, Grad will need to be defensively sound in this fight more than he was against Nolan who sent him to the shadow realm. His recklessness on the feet could potentially get him caught if he doesn't dial it back a bit but if he's able to land something flush before Aswell is it could be another quick night at the office as Grad finally walks away with the victory and his UFC contract.
Final Michael Aswell-Bogdan Grad Prediction & Pick
This is going to be an entertaining scrap for however long it lasts. Ultimately, while Grad is extremely dangerous his defensive lapses are going to be his downfall as Aswell uses his crisp combinations to piece Grad up at range until he cracks his chin eventually putting him away and getting the UFC contract.
Final Michael Aswell-Bogdan Grad Prediction & Pick: Michael Aswell (-105)
