The PFL finally makes an appearance on the 2023 MMA fights schedule with their first event of the year this weekend. As the 2023 PFL regular season kicks off, a key fight this weekend will be the return of 2021 featherweight champion Movlid Khaybulaev after missing all of last year.
The Dagestani will be going up against the always-tough Ryoji Kudo.
Read further for a complete analysis and Khaybulaev vs Kudo prediction before placing your bets this weekend.
Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Ryoji Kudo Information
Movlid Khaybulaev vs Ryoji Kudo
Location of the fight: The Theater at Virgin Hotels, Las Vegas, NV.
Date and Time: April 1, 2023. 6 PM ET.
How to Watch: ESPN+ | ESPN
Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Ryoji Kudo Last Fight Record
Khaybulaev hasn’t been in the cage since his 2021 PFL title win over Chris Wade–via dominant unanimous decision.
Kudo is coming off a tough playoff submission loss to Bubba Jenkins last August.
Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Ryoji Kudo Betting Analysis
Movlid Khaybulaev Facts to Know
To keep it simple, Khaybulaev is potentially the most dominant fighter in the PFL right now. With a record of 19-0-1, you really don’t need much more proof of how dominant this Dagestani fighter is.
He is only 5’6″ but has a long 70″ reach that he uses well in both grappling and landing big punches from range. With no stats to go off from this last season, where the PFL really stepped up their analytics, we can’t say much about how Khaybulaev will fare. After a year off due to injury, there will be a lot of questions answered this Saturday.
Ryoji Kudo Facts to Know
Kudo is a Japanese martial artist with a career record of 11-4-1 with 7 KO victories. His first season in the PFL was in 2022, and he had an interesting showing. After losing a technical decision due to a fight stoppage late in the 3rd round, he earned himself a playoff spot by scoring a 1st round KO win.
It’s no secret that Kudo is in for a tough matchup against the wrestle-heavy attack from Khaybulaev. All analytics aside, the fight will be decided by how well Kudo can defend takedowns and if he is able to hurt his opponent.
Updates
No injuries have been reported to the PFL or NSAC.
Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Ryoji Kudo Betting Preview
According to MMA odds, Khaybulaev is a -650 betting favorite in this first fight back from over a year layoff. The tough Ryoji Kudo comes in as the underdog at +475. As fight week progresses, keep an eye out for prop bets for this featherweight bout.
This moneyline is kind of out of control for the sport of MMA, but in this case, it’s justifiable because of how dominant Kaybulaev has shown he is. He has dominated against the best in the division; it won’t be surprising that he comes back better than ever.
Kudo is probably fighting to make his next MMA fight in the PFL an opportunity to earn himself a PFL playoff position. Even in a losing effort, he can set himself up to be right in the mix of the playoff race this summer when he fights for a second time.
Making a Khaybulaev vs Kudo prediction is kind of an easy thing to do with the clear skill gap that comes out while watching film. The wrestling attack of Khaybulaev is not a good matchup for Kudo and his grappling skill.
Movlid Khaybulaev vs. Ryoji Kudo Betting Prediction
Usually, MMA predictions are seemingly impossible to make and to win bets at a consistent rate. With a promotion like the PFL, you see a lot more of a skill gap between contenders; thus making it easy to see who the clear winner should be.
MMA is still the most unpredictable sport, but the Khaybulaev vs Kudo prediction can’t be anything other than Khaybulaev getting his hand raised.
Did the year off hurt him? Or was it the $1 million check that caused Khaybulaev to fall off the grind? Those questions will have answers on Saturday night after Khaybulaev uses his relentless pressure and strength to dominate Kudo to a victory.
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