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UFC Fight Night is set to get going this weekend from the UFC Apex in Paradise, Las Vegas on Saturday, October 15 at 7 p.m. ET. There is a five-bout main card highlighted by a flyweight showdown between No. 4 ranked Askar Askarov and No. 5 ranked Brandon Royval.
Askarov (14-1) recently suffered his first loss at the hands of Kai Kara-France via decision back in March. Askarov competes under the Dagestan-style grappling, that puts relentless pressure on opponents and has seemingly took over the UFC. Any fighter coming off their first loss will be fighting with emphasis, expect a lot from him come Saturday.
Royval (14-6) has won his last two fights, with twelve of his last fourteen wins coming via submission or KO. Despite Askarov checking in as the favorite, Royval is a dangerous underdog due to his ability to finish fights by punches or submission. This was on full display in May, when he defeated Matt Schnell by utilizing a guillotine choke.
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Brandon Royval wins by submission (+155)
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How to watch Askar Askarov vs. Brandon Royval
Date: Saturday, October 15
Fight time: Main card starts at 7 p.m.
Live stream: ESPN+ PPV
DraftKings Sportsbook Odds/Predictions
Askarov: -250
Royval: +210
Splits: 57% of handle, 72% of bets on Askarov
Both fighters are eyeing a shot at the flyweight title with a win and deservingly so. Askarov desperately wants to get back into the win column, but Royval is a difficult opponent to bounce back against. Two contrasting styles will go head to head, but lean toward Royval on the moneyline and to win via KO or submission. It seems like a stretch as he opens as a +210 underdog, but it’s hard to bet against an unorthodox finisher like Royval.