Light heavyweight, Bruno Lopes (12-1) vs. Mikheil Sazhiniani (13-2)
Notable Notes
- Lopes lost last season on DWCS as a -600 favorite.
- Lopes has been fighting since 2013 but took a six-year layoff at one point.
- Sazhiniani has fought five opponents with a 0-0 record.
- Lopes is the LFA light heavyweight champion.
- Sazhiniani is the GFC light heavyweight champion.
- Both have combined twenty-two finishes.
Pros and Cons
Bruno Lopes
Pros
- Heavy hands
- Accurate
- Good jiu-jitsu
- Submission threat
- Excellent bodywork
- Physically strong
- Throws in combinations
- Hits hard
- Good ground and pound
- Strong jab
- Heavy leg kicks
Cons
- Questionable chin
- Stands squared
- Slow
- Sits in the pocket too long
Mikheil Sazhiniani
Pros
- Heavy ground and pound
- Big overhand right
- Physically strong
- Aggressive
- Good wrestling
- Dangerous in flurries
- Heavy leg kicks
Cons
- Sloppy
- Plodding footwork
- Vulnerable in the pocket
Prediction: Lopes was on the Contender Series last season and was given a favorable fight but was knocked out. In his return at DWCS 2024 Week 1, he’s got an even softer matchup in Sazhiniani.
Sazhiniani doesn’t have the knockout power to catch Lopes. Sazhiniani has good wrestling but Lopes is the bigger guy with better jiu-jitsu. Lopes should have this fight in his hands unless his chin is completely toast or his gas tank empties. Lopes has such an advantage on the feet that he should sleep Sazhiniani inside five minutes and that’s what I’ve got. Hard to trust Lopes but I’m 90% confident.
