Alexander Volkov

"I think this is Volkov" after building the striking-range case; the colloquial 'I'm going to lean Volkov' is phrasing, not a formal hedge, and the one named risk (a Kuniev grind-out) is addressed, not left standing.

A far better, solid striker (described by the analyst with the off-ladder superlative 'very very good') who fights behind excellent range control, feints, cage-cutting and a leg kick worked to accumulation -- his front kick to the body is a long-standing weapon, and he is praised for programming opponents' reactions over a long, 50-plus-fight career. Decent on the ground: hard to take down given his length and range, and active off his back with elbows when needed. The analyst discloses a pro-Volkov bias over a disputed past decision but still builds the pick on a clear skills gap, conceding only that a committed grinding effort from Kuniev could change things.

picks Volkov on a repeatable range-control gameplan he's used before

A tall, difficult-to-close-the-distance-on striker the analyst rates solid: he piles up output, lands at every range, blends his hands with his kicks, and is comfortable fighting from either side. His lead-leg front kick aimed at the midsection is highlighted as a specific, reach-driven problem for his shorter opponent, setting up later strikes by conditioning the opponent's reactions. His grappling is only decent, but his main defensive asset is simply his length, which keeps him out of both punching and takedown range, and he stays active off his back if put there.

Says plainly that it's close, guesses a second- or third-round finish, and picks Volkov on his ability to avoid being controlled or to work back to his feet.

Ranked by this analyst among the division's better pure strikers -- heavy output touching every level, switch-stance versatility, and a body kick he considers one of the two best in the weight class. What sets him apart is a feinting game: he conditions an opponent's reaction to one movement, then attacks somewhere else entirely once that reaction is trained in. His takedown defense and top control are now called a stated improvement over where they used to be. As of 2025-10-20.

Picks Volkov largely for the underdog value, while calling Gane the better striker and warning that Gane could win simply by out-striking him, as happened in their first fight.

Solid striker with good volume, strikes to all levels including a good body kick, fights comfortably either stance, and does a good job programming and then breaking opponents' expectations. Decent counter-wrestling with decent top control. Has added size/mass since the first meeting with Gane, which is said to make him harder to back up and more able to wall-and-stall this time.

A solid striker with real volume who strikes well to every level, built around a favorite body-targeted front kick that the analyst singles out; he sets up his offense by drawing reactions and then switching the shot, wearing opponents down over the course of a fight. His grappling has been getting better lately -- improved takedown defense, his own takedowns when needed, decent top pressure, and even a recent submission, unusual for a fighter who built his name as a kickboxer. He is also described, in the same breath, as both very durable and as someone who has suffered two career knockout losses.

He states plainly that he is picking Volkov to win, naming a likely finish window (late second to early third round). He does acknowledge that Tuivasa closing distance 'would be a big problem' for Volkov, but that is a named risk scenario, not a hedge on the pick itself, and he restates Volkov as his pick right after.

A long, lean heavyweight striker with excellent kickboxing, good volume, and a large arsenal that he mixes to every level. The analyst specifically highlights his front kick to the body as a known way to drain an opponent's gas tank, citing how it wore Tuivasa down in a past fight. He sets up his offense by programming an opponent's reactions, and has decent, pretty good counter wrestling if taken down, aided by his height.

"I'm taking Volkov" is explicit, paired with a plan to wager a little on him and the expectation he can finish Romanov once the cardio fades -- a reasoned, scenario-based pick the analyst commits to despite an explicit fan-bias disclosure, which per rule is not itself a hedge on the winner.

A high-output kickboxer with every tool available -- punches, elbows, knees, kicks -- blended at every range he fights from. His body-targeted front kick is singled out as the key weapon for this specific fight, aimed deliberately at Romanov's cardio. His counter wrestling is good, which matters if Romanov tries to change levels.