Marlon Moraes vs Merab Dvalishvili Odds, Preview and Prediction, September 25 (9/25): UFC

Credit: photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via USA TODAY Sports

Odds

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Preview

The preliminary card headliner is a good one, as ranked Bantamweight’s Marlon ‘Magic’ Moraes and Merab ‘The Machine’ Dvalishvili throw down. The former title challenger Moraes has struggled of late, losing two consecutive fights and three of his last four. The once durable and energetic Moraes, seems to have lost a step. Meanwhile, Dvalishvili heads into this fight on a six-fight win streak. The pride of Georgia has looked nothing but unstoppable. Perfectly nicknamed ‘The Machine’, Dvalishvili is an energizer bunny who just doesn’t seem to ever slow down.

Prediction

This is a fun fight, but one that seemingly storylines two fighters going in the opposite direction. Marlon Moraes is a former WSOF Champion, who nearly captured UFC gold. The once dangerous Brazilian striker has been stopped in back-to-back fights. While the competition has been stiff in those bouts, Moraes never had issues with cardio and durability until really, that Bantamweight title fight. That’s a huge problem, as Merab Dvalishvili is the king of cardio and pace. Using constant pressure and spammed takedown attempts, Dvalishvili wears down his opponents over the course of fifteen minutes. The Georgian has landed an astonishing 59 takedowns in eight UFC fights. Should he land two takedowns against Moraes, he will become tied for eight all-time in the UFC.

As for a prediction, I have Dvalishvili. Until Moraes proves otherwise that his cardio has improved, I simply can’t side with someone who is about to endure a hectic fight. Dvalishvili is going to swarm the Brazilian early, taking him down often. With no time to set up his striking, Moraes is going to wilt under the pressure. While Dvalishvili has yet to record a stoppage victory in the UFC, I believe the ingredients are right in this fight. So with that said, I predict that Dvalishvili wins via submission.

PICK: Merab Dvalishvili (-260)

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