Prediction: Marco Tulio via TKO
Gore is the more explosive athlete with legitimate knockout power and some solid wrestling, but his biggest issue has always been his cardio. He’s made strides in trying to pace himself better, but the problem is that Tulio isn’t going to let him fight at a controlled tempo. Tulio applies pressure well, throws in volume, and forces exchanges that drain opponents quickly. This is exactly the kind of matchup that exposes Gore’s biggest flaw—his inability to maintain output over 15 minutes.
Tulio’s offensive approach makes this even more dangerous for Gore. He mixes his striking and jiu-jitsu well, using feints to keep opponents guessing and chaining together combinations that don’t allow for clean resets. He’s not just throwing single shots; he’s layering his offense, which will create constant defensive reactions from Gore—something that’s been a major weakness for him. When fighters push Gore backward, he doesn’t move his head, his footwork stiffens up, and his guard is very loose. Instead of absorbing shots on his forearms or rolling with punches, he takes them clean. That’s a recipe for disaster against someone who will be in his face, throwing in combinations.
The one area of concern for Tulio is his tendency to rush in, which could be risky against someone with Gore’s power. But that’s a mistake that really only matters at a higher level. Gore doesn’t have the defensive instincts to capitalize on it consistently—he’s not a slick counterpuncher, and he doesn’t set traps. More often than not, when he’s pressured, he shells up or just eats shots. Tulio isn’t going to have to respect anything defensively from Gore, which means he’ll be able to dictate the exchanges without hesitation.