Nick Klein

He lands on this side almost reluctantly, repeating that he has no good feeling about the pick at all and framing it as a guess after laying out a round-by-round path that could swing either way.

A fast-starting grappler who should own the takedowns and top position early, but is uneasy on the feet and may empty his tank by the later rounds.

says plainly 'I'm not super confident' right after picking Klein, resting the pick on a grappling edge over a striker he doesn't see as 'super dangerous'.

Not a good striker and visibly uncomfortable at range, with minimal offensive tools beyond a decent leg kick and a jab poke -- though he does have one highlight moment, a spinning back elbow that nearly finished an opponent, described as more of a desperation move than a real weapon. He doesn't handle striking pressure well either, but neither does his opponent here. His real strength is the grappling: good takedowns with deep entry, holding the bodylock when opponents try to rise, good top control as a grinder, and a tight, fight-ending squeeze finish even without textbook position.

Names Abdul-Malik only as a marginal favourite, says the grappling can cancel out, calls both strikers merely decent, and wonders aloud whether Klein saw something in taking the fight.

A solid grappler and grinder: good takedowns, deep entries, a body lock he keeps even as opponents rise, flattening top pressure and a tight squeeze with real submission threat. Striking is decent, with a decent leg kick and a poked jab, but he is clearly uncomfortable when an opponent presses forward and needs the fight on the mat on his terms. He is 6-1, 4-1 in his last five, and his training partner fought Abdul-Malik on the Contender Series, which makes the analyst wonder if Klein saw an edge.