Prediction: Cody Gibson via Submission
This really comes down to his pace and that relentless wrestling pressure. From the opening bell, he’s in your face, throwing combinations, crashing into clinches, and hunting for takedowns. He’s not trying to feel you out or play a range game. He wants to drag you into a high paced brawl where he can mix up his striking and grappling until you break. That constant pressure is going to be a huge problem for Aoriqileng.
Aoriqileng’s got that dangerous counter striker style that’s kind of unique. He’s not big on feints or setups instead, he just plants, stays patient, and waits for that one small opening to explode. His timing and hand speed make that style work, and when he connects clean, he can change the momentum in an instant. The problem is that this kind of game takes a ton of energy. It’s all explosive bursts, big counters, big reactions and when he doesn’t get the finish early, you can see the gas tank start to drain fast.
That’s where Gibson’s durability and pace start to snowball. He can take shots and just keep coming, and the longer the fight goes, the more he grinds opponents down. His wrestling advantage here is massive and once he starts chaining takedowns together, it’s going to be tough for Aoriqileng to keep the fight standing for long. By round two or three, Gibson’s going to be the one dictating everything.
Aoriqileng’s best and really only shot is an early knockout. He’s got the power and timing to catch Gibson if Cody crashes in too recklessly, but outside of that, it’s hard to see him keeping up once the pace gets ugly. Gibson’s conditioning, toughness, and nonstop attack are tailor made to drown a guy like Aoriqileng who needs clean moments to shine.