Dooho Choi

picks him while expecting to "probably regret it"

Praised as a pressuring, advancing striker whose hands carry real power in his combination work and solid body punching, with grappling that has improved considerably over his career even though his back-control game is not yet elite. Carries a killer instinct rated among the very best at his weight.

He calls this his 'lowest confidence pick' on the card, admits he has flip-flopped on it repeatedly, and closes by saying twice, simply, 'I don't know.'

Doo Ho Choi is a good striker with a lot of power, built around a two-three-based combination game, and a good clinch fighter with good knees and trips -- the analyst thinks the clinch is where he most wants to take this fight, since it would take away Santos's spinning attacks and put Choi in his most comfortable space. His grappling is good on top, with good top control and ground-and-pound, and the analyst rates his finishing instinct once he hurts someone among the best he's seen in the division.

Calls it a genuine tossup and warns viewers against overcommitting to either side.

Good striker with real power, especially a money two-three combination, good combinations, and a big clinch advantage with brutal knees and trips; a relentless finisher once on top in ground-and-pound. Described as all action and all offense. His recent record is called a little misleading, partly tied to time away attributed to military service.

He states the pick twice, saying he'll go with Algeo both times, reasoned on decision equity and finishing upside. But he immediately hedges, floating the idea of betting both fighters once the props come out, and frames the fight as a true toss-up between a Choi knockout and an Algeo finish or decision before settling. That explicit both-sides hedge, layered on a genuinely close read, keeps this at lean rather than clear.

A good, very powerful striker whose 2-3 combination is called his best and most dangerous weapon, with a good clinch (knees, trips) and a decent ground-and-pound game off those clinch trips. The analyst repeatedly credits his finishing mentality -- 'Killer Instinct' -- as what separates him.

Leans Choi but says outright he can't bet this fight and would stay away from it, while granting Nelson could spring the upset given how long Choi has been out.

A featherweight who has been out of action a long time because of a long string of injuries, not military service as some assumed, and is on a three-fight losing skid with no win since 2016. Before the injuries and the skid, he had very good striking with a lot of power and speed and real upside. The current read is uncertain: at his pre-injury best he would be a strong, bettable favorite, but the long layoff and the skid make the current odds look too steep for comfort.