The MMA Daily

This should be a pure wrestling match, as both men fancy themselves as such. From the tape I’ve seen, Nick Maximov isn’t necessarily a great wrestler, more than he is a determined one. He offers little to no standup, often avoiding exchanging on the feet. Also, up until fighting Oscar Cota on DWCS, Maximov had fought four opponents with a combined record of 2-14. Not that Cody Brundage has fought top competition, but it’s been more appropriate with one coming up the ranks. A division II collegiate wrestler, Brundage is the more credentialed of the two. However, that doesn’t always mean the better MMA wrestler. The worry in this fight I have for Brundage is if he has the cardio to go a hard fifteen. Taking this fight on such short notice means a big weight cut, which is emotionally and physically draining in itself. 

As for a prediction, and against my better judgement, I’m going to pick Cody Brundage. While I definitely see a scenario where he gasses out and Maximov takes over, I’m banking on Brundage to be the better wrestler and striker. As long as he has enough steam, I believe that Brundage can find a way to finish Maximov. I suppose my gripe with Maximov is he hasn’t faced anyone relevant yet and this is his real first test. So with that said, on a whim, I predict that Brundage wins via TKO.

Pick: Cody Brundage