Roman Kopylov

Picked as the better striker, with the analyst explicitly betting that the opponent's grappling threat comes too late in the fight to matter.

Likely the sharper pure kickboxer between the two. A genuinely strong striker -- tight guard, crisp straight punches, and a stiff jab form a real, effective foundation. He blends combinations with single strikes well enough to keep opponents second-guessing what's coming. Body work, kicks landing at every level, and feints round out the striking picture. Grappling is the soft spot -- merely adequate across the board (so-so takedown defense, so-so takedowns, so-so top control), and he's clearly overmatched there against this particular opponent, though the analyst believes that disadvantage likely shows up too late to change the result.

The analyst says outright he has no real read on this one and would accept the opposite pick without argument, taking Kopylov mainly because he had to name someone.

Kopylov is still hunting for his first UFC win, and the loss that stands out most is a submission finish to an opponent who isn't known as a grappler, which raises real doubts about his defense on the mat. The analyst doesn't credit him with much beyond simply still holding a UFC spot. He's picked here almost by default, on the expectation that this stays a striking fight and keeps that defensive hole out of play.