The UFC 333 Early Prelims feature a three-round Bantamweight contest between two elite prospects, Colby Thicknesse and Asaf Chopurov. Thicknesse, 27, is 9-1 with four finishes and is on a two-fight winning streak in the UFC. Meanwhile, Chopurov is making his UFC debut with an 11-0 record and 10 finishes at just 24. The early prelims begin at 10:00 a.m. ET on Paramount+.
Check out my best bet for Colby Thicknesse vs. Asaf Chopurov at UFC 333 below.
Asaf Chopurov to Win by KO/TKO/DQ or Submission (-150)
Thicknesse is from Australia and trains at Freestyle Fighting Gym under head coach Joe Lopez. UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski, who is headlining this card against Movsar Evloev, is Thicknesse’s training partner at Freestyle Fighting Gym. In May, Thicknesse earned a unanimous decision win over Vince Morales.
Chopurov is from Georgia but now calls Russia home. Since 2024, Chopurov has competed in UAE Warriors, a top European promotion where he went 6-0 and won their Bantamweight title. Not only has he found a ton of success as a pro, but as an amateur, Chopurov went 34-1.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Chopurov is a massive -650, with Thicknesse at +470. The over/under is set at 2.5 rounds, with the over at -160 and the under at +124. Chopurov is also +150 to win by knockout, +225 by decision, and +250 to score a submission.
Thicknesse has more UFC experience, as this is Chopurov’s first fight in the promotion. But Chopurov appears well prepared for the UFC and has a picture-perfect style to make a good impression on the UFC brass. Chopurov is a much more aggressive fighter than Thicknesse is, which could be a difference maker. As a well-rounded fighter, Chopurov makes it hard for opponents to figure out his game plan. I’m taking Chopurov to win by KO/TKO/DQ or submission at -150 because 10 of his 11 victories have come by finish.
Stats provided by UFC Stats.
