Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos Prediction: One who can surprise the opponent will win

Prediction for the UFC on ESPN 46 Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos match which will take place on June 4th. Who will turn out to be stronger? Check the team conditions! Several betting options are available.

Nurmagomedov is strong but far from a starfighter, and if it weren't for his last name, few people would be interested. His best achievement in MMA was the PFL semifinal in 2018, which he barely reached but could not perform due to injury. The following year, Abubakar received an invitation to the UFC and suddenly and offensively lost to David Zawada in the first round of the first fight.

After that, he improved a little, winning alternately from Jared Gooden and Gadzhi Omargadzhiev. The fight with Gadzhi was quite close. Abubakar lost the first round, won the second by lying down, and in the third, the guys fought in the guard because of severe fatigue.

Anyway, the fourth fight under the contract will be decisive for Nurmagomedov. If he performs poorly, he will be fired. If he performs well, he may get a new contract. The key word is maybe.

Zaleski is an experienced Brazilian veteran, a master of jiu–jitsu, but for some reason, he prefers to fight in a guard and most often wins by KO/TKO. In the last four fights, his victories and defeats alternate, and in his previous fight, he won over Frenchman Benoit Saint-Denis unanimously, even though he took a point for an illegal blow.

Dos Santos did not perform last year, serving a disqualification for doping.

Oddsmakers do not see a favorite in this confrontation; in some ways, they are right. The fighters are equal in strength, and the one who can surprise the opponent will win. We believe that the Brazilian has more opportunities to surprise – he is more adaptable, fought with more vigorous opponents, had time to rest and prepare, and is finally very, very motivated after a pause.

But Abubakar is unlikely to offer his opponent something unexpected. Nurmagomedov will try to fight in the guard, and if he does not go, he will try to drag the fight down and make it as dull as possible.