UFC 332: Silva vs. Wang continues on the early prelims with a fight between Marvin Vettori and Ismail Naurdiev in the middleweight division. Check out our UFC 332 odds series for our Vettori-Naurdiev prediction and pick.
Marvin Vettori (19-10-1) enters UFC 332 riding four straight losses. He dropped unanimous decisions to Brunno Ferreira in December 2025 and Brendan Allen in July, struggling to impose his offense against either opponent and leaving questions about his form as he comes into his fight this weekend against Ismail Naurdiev.
Ismail Naurdiev (25-8) enters UFC 332 after knocking out Ryan Loder in 86 seconds in November 2025. Previously, he lost a unanimous decision to Jun Yong Park, with an illegal knee costing him two points, highlighting discipline concerns as he comes into his fight this weekend against Marvin Vettori.
UFC 332 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 332 Odds: Marvin Vettori-Ismail Naurdiev Odds
Marvin Vettori: +120
Ismail Naurdiev: -142
Over 2.5 Rounds: -245
Under 2.5 Rounds: +185
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)Why Marvin Vettori Will Win
Marvin Vettori can beat Ismail Naurdiev by turning this matchup into a sustained pressure fight rather than isolated exchanges at range. His experience as a former title challenger provides a foundation for navigating difficult moments without abandoning a disciplined approach.
Vettori’s strongest statistical argument is activity: he averages 4.74 significant strikes per minute compared with Naurdiev’s 3.66 across UFC appearances. That difference could matter if he consistently advances behind combinations, making Naurdiev defend while limiting opportunities to reset and counter.
However, simply marching forward would be risky, because Naurdiev’s defensive numbers are stronger and his knockout threat deserves genuine respect. Vettori should combine measured striking pressure with clinch work, forcing transitions that prevent Naurdiev from establishing his preferred attacking rhythm.
Their takedown statistics are closely matched, so predicting effortless wrestling dominance would overstate the evidence and underestimate Naurdiev’s defensive capabilities. Instead, Vettori can use takedown threats to open striking opportunities, then pursue control whenever Naurdiev becomes stationary against the fence.
The winning formula requires patience rather than recklessness: maintain activity, mix attacks, and deny Naurdiev prolonged stretches of comfortable striking space.
Article Continues BelowWhy Ismail Naurdiev Will Win
Ismail Naurdiev can beat Marvin Vettori by using movement and sharp counters to punish predictable forward pressure rather than trading recklessly. Vettori’s four-fight losing streak strengthens the upset argument, although recent results alone do not guarantee another defeat this Saturday.
Naurdiev enters at 25-8 after knocking out Ryan Loder just 86 seconds into their November fight, demonstrating his finishing threat. That victory supports a clear tactical approach: create clean striking opportunities before Vettori can establish clinch pressure or sustained control.
Against an opponent likely to advance, Naurdiev should prioritize lateral movement, quick combinations, and immediate exits instead of extended exchanges. Making Vettori repeatedly reset would help Naurdiev dictate distance while reducing the opportunities for wrestling that could complicate his evening.
His decision victory over Bruno Silva also shows that winning does not require an early knockout or one decisive punch. Naurdiev can pursue a measured performance, mixing controlled aggression with defensive positioning to accumulate cleaner offense across three competitive rounds.
The biggest danger is allowing Vettori to turn this into a physical, grinding contest where movement becomes increasingly difficult later.
Final Marvin Vettori-Ismail Naurdiev Prediction & Pick
Marvin Vettori is my pick to beat Ismail Naurdiev by unanimous decision at UFC 332. His pressure and experience offer a credible route, despite an alarming run of recent defeats.
Naurdiev presents a legitimate striking threat after knocking out Ryan Loder in 86 seconds. Vettori must respect that power, avoiding reckless entries that expose him to counters while moving forward.
I expect Vettori to mix combinations with clinch pressure rather than rely exclusively on wrestling. Forcing Naurdiev backward should create opportunities to disrupt his rhythm and accumulate useful scoring exchanges.
Naurdiev can win if he maintains distance, lands cleaner counters, and prevents prolonged fence exchanges. However, Vettori’s durability makes an early knockout less convincing than a competitive fight decided by sustained offense.
Final Marvin Vettori-Ismail Naurdiev Prediction & Pick: Marvin Vettori (+120), OVER 2.5 Rounds (-245)