Prediction: Toss Up (Lean Mckinney Sub).
Terrance McKinney is the definition of “kill or be killed.” Dude comes out like his controller batteries are about to die. Full sprint. No chill. He’s either putting you down with bombs or dragging you to the mat and drowning you in grappling pressure. His first-round stats are nuts—knockouts, submissions, takedowns, everything. And honestly, if he wrestles here and sticks to it, he can win this. Slava has struggled with strong wrestlers who can chain attempts and keep top control. McKinney has that in his bag, and if he plays it smart, he can absolutely finish this fight inside a round.
But here’s the problem—McKinney never plays it smart for long. His fights are always adrenaline dumps. If he doesn’t get you out of there in that first 2.5 minutes, he starts fading hard. Hands drop, entries get sloppy, and he starts getting touched up. That’s where Borshchev becomes a nightmare.
Slava is a legit striker—like high-level kickboxing experience type of striker. His hands are crisp, he works the body, rips nasty counters, and picks his shots like a sniper. He doesn’t just swing wild, he breaks guys down. And if McKinney starts slowing or getting desperate with entries, Slava’s gonna start touching him up and turning that pressure into panic. One clean body shot or uppercut during a lazy shot attempt and it’s game over.
The other thing? McKinney’s track record. Every time he’s taken a step up in competition—guys like Dober, Bonfim, and Sadykhov—he gets exposed. Not just outclassed, but finished. He’s been fighting guys who aren’t UFC-level lately and doing what he’s supposed to do. But Slava isn’t one of those guys. He’s a step up. And if you don’t respect that striking and come in sloppy, he’ll send you to the shadow realm.
On the flip side, Slava’s weakness has always been his takedown defense. If he can’t stuff McKinney early or at least make him work to the point of gassing, he might get mauled. Straight up. This could look like Slava vs Chase Hooper all over again.
So yeah—picking a winner here is shaky. McKinney could come in smart and wrestle like a demon. Slava could survive the storm and paint a masterpiece on the feet. Either way, one guy’s getting finished, and it’s happening fast. McKinney doesn’t do decisions. He either explodes through you or self-destructs trying.
Best bet? Under 1.5 rounds. McKinney fights don’t hit the over. His pace, his flaws, and his all-in style guarantee it. One guy’s going out early and you wanna be holding the right ticket when it happens.