Featherweight prospects collide on Saturday night, as Jose Delano faces Murtazali Magomedov at UFC Fight Night: Cortes Acosta vs. Walker inside the Meta APEX.
Both fighters are coming off successful Octagon debuts. Delano (17–3 MMA, 1–0 UFC) picked up a unanimous decision win over Robert Ruchala in April, while Magomedov (11–0 MMA, 1–0 UFC) submitted Melsik Baghdasaryan in just over a minute in June.
Delano enters as a slight -118 favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook. Magomedov is -102 on the moneyline, with the fight total set at O/U 2.5 rounds.
Jose Delano vs. Murtazali Magomedov Fight Preview
Jose Delano
- 17–3 MMA (1–0 UFC)
- 4–1 (T)KO
- 5–1 SUB
It’s hard to find a more exciting striking prospect than Jose Delano. The 30-year-old Brazilian has wasted no time reaching into his deep bag of tricks, showcasing refined Muay Thai with unmatched volume, defense, and counter-striking.
Despite going the distance in both fights across Dana White’s Contender Series and the UFC, Delano showed an impressive gas tank and the ability to keep pace for 15 minutes. He landed 100+ significant strikes in each bout. Coming up in LFA, he has an experience edge over upcoming opponent Murtazali Magomedov. And though he may be at a disadvantage in the grappling department, Delano has held his own on the mat since joining the UFC.
Murtazali Magomedov
- 11–0 MMA (1–0 UFC)
- 5–0 (T)KO
- 6–0 SUB
Murtazali Magomedov heads into Saturday night with quite the resume: 11 wins, 11 finishes. “The Highlight,” 27, has lived up to his billing in both his fights across Dana White’s Contender Series and the UFC — securing a knockout and a submission in under three minutes of total Octagon time. The latter of which came by a rare Twister lock that turned Melsik Baghdasaryan into a pretzel.
The Kyrgyz prospect should hold a considerable grappling advantage against Jose Delano, and his striking is certainly nothing to scoff at, either. That said, Magomedov has never been truly tested the way he will be in Las Vegas. With questions around his chin and long-game durability, he’ll have to be on point against an elite striker comfortable going the distance.
Jose Delano vs. Murtazali Magomedov Pick, Best Bet
Jose Delano being favored over an undefeated prospect with a 100 percent finish rate is a testament to just how good this guy really is. His striking is phenomenal, and he’s also shown he can hold his own on the ground. While Murtazali Magomedov is a wildly dangerous opponent, Delano should lean on his balanced skill set, superior MMA experience, and three-round cardio to get the job done.
