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Flyweights

Zhalgas Zhumagulov (14-8, 1-5 UFC) vs. Felipe Bunes (13-6, 0-0 UFC)

ODDS: Zhumagulov (-155), Bunes (+135)

Few fighters have been better than their UFC record would suggest than Zhumagulov, who looks to make a statement in this undercard assignment. Zhumagulov was highly successful at the regional level but did so on the back of an approach built to succeed as a regional champion. Given five rounds with which to work, Kazakhstan’s “Zhako” could afford to stay patient, find openings and work his way into the fight over time. However, a narrow decision loss to Raulian Paiva in his UFC debut was evidence that Zhumagulov could not afford to leave anything on the table, and his next few fights became an exercise in his trying to pick up the pace while finding little success in the process. Zhumagulov has clearly broken a lot of his old habits, but 2022 saw his fights with Jeff Molina and Charles Johnson go against him in controversial fashion, as seemingly everyone but the judges scored the bouts in his favor. It was frustrating enough that Zhumagulov suddenly retired after the Johnson loss, but he has since reconsidered, even if it has been difficult for him to get booked upon announcing his return. Bunes marks Zhumagulov’s third planned opponent since his comeback. Bunes’ record suggests there is a clear ceiling to his level of success, particularly as an experienced veteran, but the Brazilian is still an interesting flier for the UFC to take. He is large for the division, and while he can be overly patient at times, there are some distinct moments of dynamism that could nab “Felipinho” the win at any moment. That makes him a dangerous opponent for Zhumagulov, but he does look like someone that the UFC vet can finally outwork enough for the judges to actually hand him a deserved victory. The pick is Zhumagulov via decision.

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Barcelos vs. Johns
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Zhumagulov vs. Bunes
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