UFC Saudi Arabia: Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov continues on the prelims with a fight in the lightweight division between Nasrat Haqparast and Jared Gordon. Haqparast has now won three fights in a row and is coming off a first-round knockout in his last fight meanwhile, Gordon is coming off a first-round TKO in his last fight. With that said, check out our UFC odds series for our Haqparast-Gordon prediction and pick.

Nasrat Haqparast (16-5) is surging right now winning each of his last three fights and most recently brutally knocking out Jamie Mullarkey in under two minutes into the first round. He will be looking to extend his winning streak to four in a row in hopes of getting a ranked opponent next when he faces off against Jared Gordon this weekend in Saudi Arabia.

Jared Gordon (20-6) is just 1-1-1 over his last three fights with a controversial loss to Paddy Pimblett, a No-Contest with Bobby Green after an accidental clash of heads, and most recently finishing Mark Madsen by first right knockout in his last fight. Gordon will be searching for another winning streak when he takes on Nasrat Haqparast this weekend.

Here are the UFC Saudi Arabia Odds, courtesy of BetOnline. 

UFC Saudi Arabia Odds: Nasrat Haqparast-Jared Gordon Odds

Nasrat Haqparast: -230

Jared Gordon: +195

Over 2.5 rounds: -210

Under 2.5 rounds: +170

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Why Nasrat Haqparast Will Win

Nasrat Haqparast is starting to come into his own winning each of his last three fights and most recently he brutally knocked out Jamie Mullarkey in under two minutes in the first round. Now with a record of 8-4 in the UFC, Haqparast is knocking on the doorstep of the top 15 and he will be looking to hopefully get there with a win against Jared Gordon this weekend in Saudi Arabia.

Haqparast has always been on the cusp of the top 15 in the lightweight division but his losses to the elite of the division knocked him down a notch. Now as he faces off against a seasoned veteran who is also looking to get into the rankings Haqparast has a chance to showcase his skills to the rankings panel to get him in the rankings. As for this matchup goes, Haqparast will clearly be the faster fighter with the heavier hands. However, it’ll be up to Haqparast to keep this fight on his feet and at his preferred range to land his strikes. This will be his fight to lose if he can make that happen this weekend.

Why Jared Gordon Will Win

Jared Gordon was on the verge of cracking the top 15 with a fight against Bobby Green but unfortunately, the fight was ruled a No Contest after an accidental clash of heads in the first round. Gordon was able to put that fight in the rearview when he got back on track in a big way when he knocked out Mark Madsen in the first round at UFC 295. He will now look to get back on a winning streak of his own when he takes on the surging Nasrat Haqparast this weekend in Saudi Arabia.

Jared Gordon is a hard-nosed fighter who grinds out his opponents until they break much like he did against Mark Madsen. He was doing the same against Paddy Pimblett but he was unfortunately on the wrong side of a very controversial decision. In this matchup against Haqparast, Gordon must navigate through the speed and power to get into the clinch. From there Gordon can utilize his dirty boxing, clinch work, and takedowns to stifle the game of Haqparast. As long as Gordon can fight his fight and make a gritty affair than a kickboxing match at a distance he can score the upset in enemy territory and keep the good times rolling.

Final Nasrat Haqparast-Jared Gordon Prediction & Pick

This should be a great scrap between these two surging lightweight contenders. Haqparast is starting to look like he’s his hit his prime and it’s his time now to make a big splash with a win to move into the rankings in the lightweight division. Meanwhile, Gordon has started to come into his own as well overcoming early adversity in his career and looking for a much more improved and seasoned fighter inside the Octagon. Ultimately, it’s the speed and power of Haqparast that will be the difference maker in this fight as he will be hammering the lead leg of Gordon making him a stationary target as Haqparast just dances around him on the outside outstriking him to a unanimous decision victory as he extends his winning streak to four in a row.

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Final Nasrat Haqparast-Jared Gordon Prediction & Pick: Nasrat Haqparast (-230), Over 2.5 Rounds (-210)