Cameron Saaiman (9-2, 3-2 UFC) vs. Malcolm Wellmaker (8-0, 0-0 UFC)
ODDS: Saaiman (-110), Wellmaker (-110)
Wellmaker had one of the more impressive performances on the 2024 edition of the Contender Series, scoring a quick knockout, and “The Machine” looks to be a talent worth watching. He’s a bit older than expected for a prospect, but he’s inexperienced enough that he should continue to improve. It also doesn’t hurt that Wellmaker has that knockout power in his back pocket, even if it would be nice if he made that a more consistent threat. Wellmaker is generally a slow-paced fighter who prefers to walk down his opponents, making the margins a bit thinner than you would expect up until the point that he can score a finish. Saaiman is about the right level of test to see if Wellmaker can make his game work with a jump up in competition, as the South African is still an interesting prospect in his own right despite some recent struggles. A teammate of Dricus Du Plessis, Saaiman follows a similar strategy of aggression over technique. However, Saaiman isn’t the same level of athlete as the middleweight champion and also competes in a technically deeper division, which means “MSP” has hit a much lower ceiling thus far. With that said, losses to Christian Rodriguez and Payton Talbott have aged much better in the interim, and Saaiman’s constant aggression should be tougher to withstand than anything Wellmaker’s opponents have brought to date. There are some worries here. Wellmaker could just time a knockout blow, or Saaiman could be rattled by suffering the first knockout loss of his career against Talbott, but the read is that the South African’s pace can get things done. The pick is Saaiman via decision.
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Blackshear vs. Alateng Saaiman vs. Wellmaker
