Mauro Cerilli, a 41-year-old veteran, has been competing professionally in MMA since 2012. The Italian fighter is primarily known for his excellent boxing skills but is also well-versed in wrestling. This makes him a dangerous opponent both standing and on the ground.
Cerilli has claimed impressive victories over fighters like Paul Elliott, Abdulbasir Vagabov, and Alain Ngalani, winning most of his matches by knockout. However, he has had some setbacks, suffering losses to Amir Aliakbari and Arjan Bhullar, where power and experience played crucial roles.
Cerilli’s strengths lie in his stamina and adaptability to different fighting styles. He often uses his wrestling to take opponents down and control the fight, aiming for a finish whenever possible.
At 33 years old, Kirill Grishchenko has made a name for himself since debuting in 2020. Grishchenko is known for his aggressive striking style, always looking for that perfect timing to knock out his opponent. In ONE on Prime Video 23, he scored a decision win over Ji Won Kang, which broke a two-fight losing streak.
Despite his striking prowess, Grishchenko has faced challenges against top-level fighters like Anatoly Malykhin and Marcus Almeida, who exposed his vulnerabilities. While Grishchenko shines in the stand-up game, he needs to improve his ground skills to be truly versatile.
Grishchenko’s strengths are his powerful strikes, quick reflexes, and a relentless pursuit of finishes. However, he still has room to develop his wrestling and grappling game.
The fight is likely to take place primarily on the feet, where both fighters will exchange strikes aggressively. Mauro Cerilli has shown that he can hold his ground in these exchanges, but Grishchenko’s speed and knockout power make him a dangerous opponent.
However, the key factor in this fight will be the ground game. Mauro Cerilli is very comfortable in the clinch and on the ground, and if he manages to take Grishchenko down, the Belarusian may struggle to keep up. On the other hand, if Grishchenko can maintain his range and land his punches with precision, he could finish the fight early.
Taking into account Mauro Cerilli’s experience and versatility, as well as his ability to adapt to different fighting styles, he seems to have the upper hand. He can neutralize Grishchenko’s stand-up game and likely take the fight to the ground, where he will have more control.
Betting odds on Mauro Cerilli’s victory – 1.62. This suggests that bookmakers consider him the favorite, and the outcome of the fight will depend on how well Kirill Grishchenko can maintain his advantage in striking and prevent Cerilli from taking the fight to the ground. Overall, while Grishchenko may have some surprises in store in the stand-up, Cerilli’s experience and all-around game are likely to lead him to victory.
Mauro Cerilli enters the upcoming fight as the clear favorite, with his well-rounded skill set and experience giving him the edge over Kirill Grishchenko. Oddsmakers believe Grishchenko's striking power is his main weapon, but Cerilli’s ability to take the fight to the ground and control it should give him a clear advantage. Grishchenko may struggle to keep up with Cerilli's grappling and versatile game.
Our prediction – Mauro Cerilli wins by decision at odds of 1.62.
