Prediction: Carlos Leal Rd 3
-390 is a little wild. Salikhov might be getting older, but the man is still sharp, still fast, and still dangerous when he gets into rhythm. That counter-striking is real, and when he finds his timing, he can put guys out cold or at the very least make them super hesitant to engage.
But that’s exactly why I’m backing Leal—because hesitation isn’t in his game. He pressures with purpose, and unlike a lot of guys who walk forward and get lit up, Leal actually moves defensively while doing it. He’s not just crashing the pocket blindly—he’s dipping off center, rolling with shots, and throwing back in volume. That pressure, that pace, and that constant output? That’s what wears on Salikhov.
Salikhov’s whole style thrives when he has time and space to read you. If you give him a beat to breathe, he starts flowing. That’s when the spinning kicks, the slick counters, the highlight stuff comes out. But when he’s forced to react instead of lead? He starts tightening up. The volume fades. He starts looking for the perfect shot instead of letting it come to him. And that’s where Leal breaks guys. He just doesn’t stop coming—clean or dirty, technical or gritty, he’s going to stay in your face and make you work.
It’s not that Salikhov can’t win—he absolutely can catch Leal coming in with something nasty. But over three rounds, with Leal’s ability to pressure and stay defensively sound while throwing back in combinations? That’s the formula that historically slows Salikhov down and forces him to start missing windows. Leal’s probably going to pull away as the fight goes on just by staying active and not letting Salikhov settle in.
So yeah, I’m on Leal. He’s got the right tools and the right style to break a guy like Salikhov down. But with how dangerous and experienced Salikhov still is, especially early, -390’s a steep number to pay. Still, stylistically, this is Leal’s fight to control.