Sadibou Sy vs Carlos Leal 2023 PFL Playoffs analysis & prediction
We have some Wednesday night fights this week on the MMA schedule, and it’s a great PFL card with plenty of very talented championship-caliber fighters facing off in the semifinals of both the welterweight and lightweight divisions. Let’s take a closer look at the welterweight bout between last year’s champion Sadibou Sy and rising contender Carlos Leal.
Read more for the betting analysis and Sadibou Sy vs Carlos Leal prediction before making your bets this week.
Sadibou Sy vs Carlos Leal
Location: The Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, United States
Date and Time: August 23, 2023. 9 PM ET
How to Watch: ESPN+
Sy is coming off a beautiful spinning wheel kick KO over Shane Mitchell in June.
Leal is also coming off a KO victory against Dilano Taylor on that same card in June.
Sy has been arguably the most consistent PFL athlete over the last four years since becoming part of the organization. He makes the playoffs every season and is coming off a career-defining 2022 campaign where he went 4-0 and won the welterweight title at the age of 36.
The former kickboxing world champion has now accumulated a professional MMA record of 15-6 with eight TKO/KO victories. He is a lengthy 6’3” and 80” reach welterweight with an elite level of striking ability.
Leal burst onto the PFL MMA scene last year when he started on the Challenger Series at the beginning of the year and made it to the semifinals, where he lost to Sadibou Sy by a unanimous decision. Leal is also the former LFA welterweight champion when he won the grand prix tournament in 2021.
The Brazilian fighter has a professional record of 19-4 with eight KOs and two submissions at the age of 29. Leal is at a physical disadvantage by only being 5’11” and having a 72” reach.
This is an even bigger hurdle to get over when going up against someone that is a master at controlling the range and distance that the fight takes place.
No injuries have been reported to the PFL.
The only thing that the Sadibou Sy vs Carlos Leal prediction proves is that both fighters are at the top of their game right now. Leal has yet to reach his prime, so it will be interesting to see if he gets any better and makes that next leap by winning the rematch this week.
According to MMA odds, Sy is coming in as the -150 betting favorite over the +120 Brazilian contender. There are no other odds available right now on Monday morning of fight week, but keep your eye out for the prop bets being released sometime before Wednesday night.
For the technical portion of this fight breakdown, the main factor is the length and kickboxing of Sy. He is an elite kickboxer that has consistently made improvements in his ability to implement those skills in an MMA competition. Sy is so confident now that he is throwing spinning wheel kicks as KO shots to win big fights–something he wasn’t doing a few years ago as much.
Leal is a tough, stocky Brazilian fighter with a good chin and lots of heart. He also has plenty of power and the ability to hurt his opponents in many ways on the feet and even on the ground.
Leal seemingly has an endless gas tank and fights with incredible pace and pressure over three rounds. He will need to use that pressure in this week’s fight to give Sy some discomfort in exchanges.
Making MMA picks for these kinds of PFL fights is what it’s all about. Sometimes in organizations like the PFL, they have massive favorites in key spots on the card, but this week has some awesome, razor-close matchups.
After breaking down the Sadibou Sy vs Carlos Leal prediction and betting preview, the official prediction is that Sy gets his hand raised and earns his way into the PFL championship round for the second consecutive year.
He has just found his game and is fighting with extra pride this week with a baby on the way, willing to go to the next level and do whatever it takes to earn a chance to win another $1 million to provide for his family. There are little factors like that in MMA betting that give the edge to a certain fighter.
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