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UFC Vegas 93: Ikram Aliskerov vs. Antonio Trocoli Prediction, Pick and Odds

How to find a reasonable bet in the lopsided UFC Vegas 93 co-main event

By Jaren Kawada

May 6, 2023; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Phil Hawes (red gloves) fights Ikram Aliskerov (blue gloves) during UFC 288 at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
May 6, 2023; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Phil Hawes (red gloves) fights Ikram Aliskerov (blue gloves) during UFC 288 at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports / Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
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In his third fight with the UFC, Ikram Aliskerov will be one of the biggest betting favorites of the year in the co-main event against promotional debutant Antonio Trocoli.

Aliskerov (15-1, 2-0 in UFC) will be facing his second straight short-notice replacement after Andre Muniz withdrew from the fight with an injury. Through two fights in the UFC so far, the Russian phenom has accumulated a total of just four minutes of fight time with two first-round knockouts.

Trocoli (12-3 with one no-contest) is finally expected to debut with the UFC after two previously failed bookings followed his original signing in 2022. The Brazilian has once competed on Dana White's Contender Series and pulled off a massive upset but the win was later overturned due to his positive PED test. Since then, Trocoli has fought and won once on the Brazilian regional scene in 2021.

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Ikram Aliskerov vs. Antonio Trocoli odds and round total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

  • Ikram Aliskerov -1200
  • Antonio Trocoli +750
  • Total Rounds: 1.5 (OVER +160/UNDER -210)

Ikram Aliskerov vs. Antonio Trocoli best bet

Make no mistake, Aliskerov will win this fight. It will just be a matter of when and how. Not only is Trocoli a short-notice replacement, but he has not fought since 2021 and is just 3-3 with one no-contest in his last seven fights.

While Trocoli will be significantly bigger as a 6'5" middleweight, Aliskerov has fought several times in his career as the smaller man and has a massive striking advantage. Trocoli is essentially a pure grappler who looks to take every fight down as soon as he can and has no understanding of how to utilize his size and reach advantages.

Through 16 professional fights, Trocoli has only been finished once, losing to Marcelo Barbosa by retirement TKO in 2017. He has also never fought anyone even close to the level of Aliskerov. Taking a look at his last fight, a win over Reslley Isael in the Brazilian Fighting Series, it occurred in what literally looked like the promotion assembled a cage inside of a gym.

Aliskerov is a guy the UFC wants to win. They know what they have with him and tried to book him against Paulo Costa in 2023. Both of the UFC wins on his record are better wins than Trocoli, and this is just a fight put together to keep him active and add to his highlight reel.

To Trocoli's credit, he has never been submitted as a large and experienced grappler. Look for Aliskerov to get his third straight early knockout win.

Prediction: Aliskerov by KO/TKO in round one

Best bet: Ikram Aliskerov by KO/TKO (-135)

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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