Contender Series Week 9: Murtaza Talha vs. Rodolfo Bellato continues on the fight card with the featured bout in the light heavyweight division between Murtaza Talha and Rodolfo Bellato. Talha is a Russian undefeated light heavyweight prospect who has won all seven of his professional bouts as he comes into this fight meanwhile, Bellato has won two straight fights since his last appearance on The Contender Series. With that said, check out our UFC odds series for our Talha-Bellato prediction and pick.

Murtaza Talha (6-0) is an undefeated Russian prospect who absolutely tore through the regional scene during his short stint as a professional MMA fighter. All six of his professional wins have come inside the distance split evenly between submissions and knockouts. Talha will be looking to continue his unbeaten streak when he takes on former Contender Series alumni Rodolfo Bellato.

Rodolfo Bellato (10-2) is a former Contender Series alumni who is looking to make the most of his second opportunity on the show. He tried his shot in the last season of the Contender Series when he was knocked out by a familiar foe for the second time in UFC light heavyweight contender Vitor Petrino. He has since won two straight and will be looking to make it three in a row in his second appearance on the Contender Series this Tuesday night.

Here are the Contender Series UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

UFC Contender Series Odds: Murtaza Talha-Rodolfo Bellato Odds

Murtaza Talha: -310

Rodolfo Bellato: +225

How to Watch Murtaza Talha vs. Rodolfo Bellato

TV: ESPN+

Stream: ESPN+

Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT

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

Why Murtaza Talha Will Win

Murtaza Talha is set to face Rodolfo Bellato on this week's episode of the Contender Series. Talha has won all 17 of his fights in the octagon, including his amateur performances. While Bellato is known for his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills, Talha's wrestling abilities should be able to cancel that out. His top pressure along with his ground and pound skills are the equalizer when this fight hits the mat as it most certainly will.

We've seen it time and time again that Daegastani wrestling has been dominant against Jiu Jitu fighters. A prime example is Islam Makhachev's win over Charles Oliveira. Makhachev's top pressure was able to synch in an arm triangle choke that eventually forced the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt Charles Oliveira to tap out. Bellato is naturally the larger man and there could be some issues if Talha can't take him down but as we've seen the pressure breaks Bellato which could be the difference maker here.

Why Rodolfo Bellato Will Win

Rodolfo Bellato is set to face Murtaza Talha on this week's episode of the Contender Series. Bellato is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and has won four of his 10 fights by submission. His grappling skills are top-notch, and he will likely look to take the fight to the ground and submit Talha.

Bellato has more experience than Talha, with a record of 10-2 compared to Talha's 6-0. This experience could give Bellato an edge in the fight, as he has faced tougher opponents and knows how to handle high-pressure situations. As we know Talha will be the one initiating the ground game it could be a very dangerous proposition as he takes on the most dangerous submission expert he has faced in his career thus far. If Bellato can make Talha shoot for an ill-advised takedown and catch him in a transition he can snatch a limb and potentially get the submission and a contract.

Final Murtaza Talha-Rodolfo Bellato Prediction & Pick

The upcoming fight between Murtaza Talha and Rodolfo Bellato is generating a lot of buzz among MMA fans and analysts. While both fighters have their strengths and weaknesses, it's difficult to predict who will come out on top. Talha is favored to win due to his undefeated record and wrestling skills. However, Bellato is a legitimate threat off his back as he has multiple submissions when he's taken down.

Talha even though has less the amount of professional MMA experience, he has double the amount of experience as Bellato when you combine his professional and amateur records. Talha is one of three fighters who trains out of KHK MMA which shields some of the best Russian MMA prospects like the two on this fight card Raimond Magomedaliev, Magomed Gadhziyasulov, and former Contender Series alumni Shamil Gaziev. Talha may be in trouble early on the mat with Bellato but all it will take for some heavy ground and pound before Bellato gets smashed for a TKO loss as Talha gets awarded his UFC  contract.

Final Murtaza Talha-Rodolfo Bellato Prediction & Pick: Murtaza Talha (-310)