UFC 308 Preliminary Card Picks: Ibo Aslan vs. Raffael Cerqueira (2024)
The UFC is back in the United Arab Emirates with another banger fight card. The featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria, will defend his belt for the first time against Max Holloway. Khamzat Chimaev is returning against Robert Whittaker for the co-main event in the middleweight division. Number-one-ranked contender Magomed Ankalaev is also fighting Aleksandar Rakic in the lightweight division and the winner of that matchup will have a title shot. The prelims begin at noon EST, and the main card starts at 2 p.m. Here are our top UFC 308 prelim picks for Ibo Aslan vs. Raffael Cerqueira.
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UFC 306 Preliminary Card Picks & Predictions: Ibo Aslan vs. Raffael Cerqueira
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Ibo Aslan vs. Raffael Cerqueira
Ibo Aslan has heavy hands and has shown them recently. He won during the first round in his Contender Series matchup and won via knockout in his UFC debut against Anton Turkalj in March. Aslan is fighting Raffael Cerqueira, who is making his UFC debut. Cerqueira is 11-0 as a professional and trains with Jailton Almeida, the sixth-ranked heavyweight in the UFC.
Aslan is a solid fighter but relies too much on his power. He is not fast and does not move his head well in the octagon. Cerqueira should have the speed advantage and can get to the stationary Aslan while they’re on their feet. Cerqueira is a dangerous kickboxer who offers a wide array of strikes. Aslan’s fight with Turkalj was relatively close until he found the finish in the third round. He is hittable, and I trust Cerqueira's grappling more.
Cerqueira is also 34 years old, which is old to debut in the UFC. He needs to start out hot to move quickly through the rankings. He will be tested early in his UFC career, but this fight should start him on the right path. Aslan has a lot of hype for how he has ended fights, but he is not the best fighter. Cerqueira should get the knockout in his debut and put his name on the map.
Bet: Raffael Cerqueira (-112)