Muslim Salikhov and Carlos Leal will battle at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Salikhov brings his spinning kicks and experience into this welterweight fight after a highlight-reel win in November. Leal is coming off a dominant first-round TKO win in March. Leal is a heavy favorite going into this fight. Before the first strikes are thrown, continue reading to get my Muslim Salikhov vs Carlos Leal prediction.
Our Muslim Salikhov vs Carlos Leal Pick
- Pick: Carlos Leal to win by TKO/KO
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
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Tale of the Tape
Muslim Salikhov | Carlos Leal | |
---|---|---|
Age | 41 | 31 |
Reach | 70″ | 72″ |
Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
Record | 21‑5‑0 | 22‑6‑0 |
Muslim Salikhov vs Carlos Leal Preview
Muslim Salikhov is known for his unorthodox striking and spinning attacks. He got a spinning wheel kick KO in his November bout against Song Kenan and a split-decision win over Santiago Ponzinibbio in July 2024. His finishing rate is strong with 14 of his 21 wins coming by KO. He’s earned three performance bonuses in the UFC. He’s beginning to show limitations in pace and durability as he enters this fight at 41 years of age.
Carlos Leal is a younger fighter than Salikhov and combines heavy boxing with pressure and crisp timing. His highlight TKO over Alex Morono at UFC 313 was dominant. He pinned Morono against the cage and unleashed a vicious flurry to get the stoppage just before the end of round one. That win marked his first in the UFC Octagon and he is now 1‑1 in UFC bouts. He has 11 career KOs to his name and holds a two-inch reach edge in this fight. That and his youth could help him take over control on Saturday.
Betting Insights
- Leal is a heavy favorite at -500 to win this fight. Salikhov can be had as a +380 underdog.
- Fireworks are expected in this fight. The over/under is set at 1.5 rounds and the over is juiced to -154.
- Each of Leal’s last five fights have been by knockout.
- Four of Salikhov’s last six fights have ended inside the distance.
Salikhov vs Leal Prediction
I think we are going to see a knockout in this fight. The question is which fighter will get that knockout. Salikhov has proven over a long MMA career that he has the tools to put opponents to sleep. But his best days are well behind him. I think that Leal will be able to dictate the pace of this fight by putting pressure on the slower Salikhov consistently.
My pick for this fight is for Leal to win this fight by knockout. He is going to be the one moving forward the most frequently here. There is virtually no value in betting on Leal to win on the moneyline. But his price to win by knockout is more favorable, so that’s where I’ll go.