Azat Maksum

Picks Maksum on volume/output after weighing a wide line, no hedge on the outcome itself.

A good striker with heavy hands, good movement and straight punches, and a durable chin, coming off two losses but both to notably better competition. A good grappler too -- good takedown entries, takedown defense that holds up against the cage (worse in open space), though he struggles to keep opponents down once he gets them there. Expected to simply do more over the fight than his opponent. As of 2025-10-20.

Calls the striking roughly even but puts Ulanbekov clearly out front on the mat, landing firmly on him ('got to side with') with no hedge on the outcome.

On the feet he moves well and lands clean, heavy straights, and he can absorb a shot back without wilting. His grappling is a mixed bag: he gets takedowns often and in volume, but once there he struggles to hold opponents down - the key problem the analyst names against a grappler like Ulanbekov.

He names Maksum as his pick and gives a full round-by-round forecast ending in a close decision for Maksum, with no doubt expressed about who wins; he separately passes on betting it and calls it a watch spot, which is wager caution rather than outcome doubt.

Still undefeated, Maksum showed good, unorthodox movement, heavy hands and durability in a close UFC debut, with a high-output, heavy-punching striking style. His takedown entries are excellent and his takedown volume is high, but he doesn't hold opponents down well once there -- a problem against a fighter who gets up as quickly as Johnson does.

Says he won't get confident in the pick and takes Maksum only 'for the sake of' having one.

An unbeaten prospect the analyst calls 'the unknown commodity' with good movement, straight shots and heavy hands, plus a good, scramble-heavy grappling game and good takedown entries, though he does not hold top position as well as his takedown ability would suggest. Durable -- has been hurt on the regional scene and come back from it.