PFL World Championship: Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Clay Collard kicks off the main card with a fight between two middleweight fighters Ray Cooper III who is a former PFL Welterweight Champion and former UFC middleweight standout making his PFL debut Derek Brunson. Cooper is making his 2023 debut as he sat out this PFL season but is looking to make up lost time by welcoming Brunson to the PFL.

Meanwhile, Brunson was scheduled to fight Roman Dolidze two weeks ago but ultimately was released by the promotion a few months ago and subsequently signed on with the PFL shortly thereafter. Therefore, check out our PFL odds series for our Cooper-Brunson prediction and pick.

Ray Cooper III (25-8-1) is making his long-awaited 2023 PFL debut after not participating in this season of the PFL tournament. He now has the task of welcoming former UFC middleweight contender Derek Brunson to the PFL SmartCage in hopes of showing him that they do things a bit differently in the PFL come Friday night.

Derek Brunson (23-9) was originally slated to fight two weeks ago for the UFC but ultimately was released from the promotion months prior to the fight actually happening. Shortly after his release, he signed up to fight for the PFL and with there being no middleweight division in the PFL he decided to take on longtime PFL welterweight contender and former champion Ray Cooper III for his first fight with the promotion on Friday night in hopes of showing that he is now one of the best fighters on the PFL roster.

Here are the PFL odds, courtesy of DraftKings

PFL World Championship Odds: Ray Cooper III vs. Derek Brunson Odds

Ray Cooper III: -148

Derek Brunson: +124

Over 1.5 rounds: -150

Under 1.5 rounds: +120

How to Watch Ray Cooper III vs. Derek Brunson

Time: 8:00 pm ET/6:00 pm PT

TV: ESPN+ PPV

Stream: ESPN+ PPV

*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Ray Cooper III Will Win

Ray Cooper III was never the biggest welterweight in the PFL just standing at 5'7″ and he certainly isn't the biggest middleweight either especially since this is his first fight at 185 pounds in his career. He is looking to make up for lost time when he steps into the PFL SmartCage this Friday night to take on former UFC middleweight contender Derek Brunson.

Cooper isn't the household name that Brunson is but he certainly has made a name for himself in the PFL with a 12-3-1 record with 10 of his 12 wins coming by finish. The way that Brunson has been brutally beaten in his last two fights, the cards are stacked in his favor being the fresher fighting in this matchup. If Cooper can let his hands and keep off the mat he can get one of the biggest wins of his career to close out 2023.

Why Derek Brunson Will Win

Derek Brunson was a surprise release by the UFC after signing on to fight against Roman Dolidze at UFC 295. It remains to be seen why he was let go from the promotion but nonetheless, he signed on with the second-best promotion outside the UFC and is ready to put on a show in his new home.

Brunson is going to have a huge size advantage for the first time in his MMA career. He will sport a 6″ height and 7″ reach advantage when he takes on Cooper on Friday night. That should certainly help Brunson steer clear of the massive power that Cooper possesses. While Cooper is no slouch in the wrestling department, Brunson should have an advantage there as well. If Brunson can just avoid gassing out or getting knocked unconscious he should be the round winner and get back on track in his PFL debut.

Final Ray Cooper III-Derek Brunson Prediction & Pick

This is going to be an absolute banger and a great matchup for Derek Brunson's debut fight. Cooper however will look to spoil the coming out party when he returns to the PFL SmartCage to take on the former UFC middleweight contender. He certainly is no easy out for anyone let alone someone like Brunson who has had a rough go in the last year going 0-2 and not winning a fight since defeating Darren Till in 2021.

With that said, Brunson is going to look almost twice the size of Cooper who fought as low as lightweight and is a natural welterweight contender and Brunson utilizes his size to his advantage in his fights. Ultimately, if Cooper can't make Brunson work and drag him into deep waters Brunson should have his way with him and just stifle any type of attack Cooper throws away with his dominant wrestling and top game getting the decision nod and his first win inside the PFL SmartCage

Final Ray Cooper III-Derek Brunson Prediction & Pick: Derek Brunson (+124), Over 1.5 Rounds (-150)