We're finally set for the Co-Main Event of UFC Fight Night: Song vs. Simon as we give you a prediction for this electric bout in the Middleweight (185 lb) Division. Deadly finishers will square off as Brazil's Caio Borralho takes on Poland's Michal Oleksiejczuk. This fight is guaranteed to be fireworks! Check out our UFC odds series for our Borralho-Oleksiejczuk prediction and pick.
Caio Borralho is 13-1 as a mixed martial artist and has gone a perfect 3-0 in his UFC tenure. He earned the right to a contract after two wins on DWCS. He's since impressed even more, notching three straight victories over Gadzhi Omargadzhiev, Armen Petrosyan, and Makhmud Muradov. He'll look to stay unbeaten as he takes on his toughest competition to date. Borralho stands 6'1″ with a 75-inch reach.
Michal Oleksiejszuk has a record of 18-5 and has gone 6-3-1 since joining the UFC. He's become a gatekeeper of the Welterweight rankings and always poses a serious threat to whoever he faces. He's found his groove, winning four of his last five fights and is coming into this one off back-to-back wins. Oleksiejczuk will look to grab his third consecutive finish against an aggressive opponent in Borralho. Oleksiejczuk stands 6'0″ with a 74-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC Las Vegas Odds: Caio Borralho-Michal Oleksiejczuk Odds
Caio Borralho: -385
Michal Oleksiejczuk: +290
Over (2.5) rounds: +124
Under (2.5) rounds: -158
How to Watch Caio Borralho vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN App
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)
Why Caio Borralho Will Win
Caio Borralho has seen all of his strategies work in the UFC thus far, but hasn't rested on his laurels as he continues to work on evolving his game. He's always been an erratic striker, but has learned to pick his shots more carefully and land with greater precision. He showed an improvement in his patience during his win over Muradov. His greatest strength, however, lies in his submission grappling and can become a problem if he can force his opponent to the ground. Borralho comes from a very solid gym and has been doing work with Khamzat Chimaev. Look for him to work his grappling advantage in this one.
For Borralho to be successful, he'll have to stay patient and not let Oleksiejczuk dictate the pace of this fight. The odds indicate that Borralho will be the all-around better fighter, but his fight-IQ has been a question in the past. He can, at times, force himself into bad positions and struggle to make up the ground. He can't be lazy in this one or else he'll see a staunch change in the striking as this fight wears on.
Why Michal Oleksiejczuk Will Win
Michal Oleksiejczuk looks his best when he's dictating the forward pressure of the fight and landing with his jabs. He's extremely persistent in establishing his punches early. He walks towards opponents and does a great job of covering up while landing combinations of his own. If he can be aggressive and cause Borralho to constantly back up, he could have a good chance to sway this competition in the judges' eyes. It'll be key for him to exert constant pressure and open up with big shots once he gets Borralho compromised.
To win this fight, Oleksiejczuk will have to be the more active striker. Borralho has the edge over him in the power and technicality of their striking, but Oleksiejczuk can press a much high pace and output with his punches. If he keeps himself steady throughout, Borralho could be the one wearing more damage. Oleksiejczuk will have to be especially diligent in stopping the takedowns and keeping this fight upright.
Final Caio Borralho-Michal Oleksiejczuk Prediction & Pick
Caio Borralho is being given the big edge on the betting lines as odds makers see his wrestling and grappling as the biggest advantage in this matchup. Oleksiejczuk certainly struggles against the takedown and submission, so it'll be interesting to see if he can keep himself from going there. On the feet, Oleksiejczuk is the much more established striker and could see some success in this one. This fight may be closer than the odds indicate and placing a bet on Oleksiejczuk to get the upset wouldn't be a bad move at all. Instead, let's have some fun with this one as we take both fighters to finish in the third round.
Final Caio Borralho-Michal Oleksiejczuk Prediction & Pick: Caio Borralho to Win in Round 3 (+1000); Michal Oleksiejczuk to Win in Round 3 (+2900)
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