Prediction: Christian Leroy Duncan via TKO
Duncan’s footwork is going to be the story of this fight. He doesn’t give you a stationary target to key in on. He’s in and out, switching angles, showing you looks, and then blitzing when it’s least expected. Anders, on the other hand, plods forward. He doesn’t cut the cage well, doesn’t feint much, and his striking’s all built around landing heavy—he’s not tricking anyone. Against Duncan, that’s a huge issue. You need to give Duncan a reason to reset. You need to throw him off rhythm. Anders just doesn’t do that.
Grappling could be Anders’ lifeline here. If he could get ahold of Duncan and grind him out, maybe he makes it ugly and steals minutes. But tracking Duncan down for clinch entries is gonna be like chasing smoke. The way he uses his range—those long limbs, fast feet, and constant movement—it’s just not a good stylistic matchup for Anders, who doesn’t have the wrestling pedigree to chain attempts or break down slick movers.
And here’s where it gets dangerous: Duncan’s not just flashy. When he finds the pocket, he lets it rip. He’s explosive. Once he starts piecing Anders up and gets that read, he’s not the kind of guy to let you off the hook. Killer instinct’s real with him. He smells blood, he goes. And Anders—tough as he is—has taken damage in past fights and been cracked by guys with far less variety than Duncan.