Staines Storms In, Chimaev Duels Covington, and Our Talbott Pick

We summarize the day's news in our own words. Full credit to the outlets below for the original reporting, click through to read their work:

• Paddy Pimblett sent wild after teammate scored ‘one of the greatest finishes ever’ to win UFC contract (Bloody Elbow)
• UFC ‘Contender Series’ results, live coverage and full fight highlights | Season 10, Ep. 8 (MMA Mania)
• Highlights! Paddy Pimblett teammate crushes opponent with vicious first-round slam | Contender Series (MMA Mania)
• Highlights! Paddy Pimblett teammate crushes opponent with vicious first-round slam | Contender Series (Yahoo Sports MMA)
• Colby Covington and Khamzat Chimaev duel for the RAF belt in Abu Dhabi (Ag. Fight (BR))
• Conor McGregor gets unexpected UFC title backing from Jose Aldo (Sherdog)
• Jiri Prochazka faces Navajo Stirling in the main event of UFC Qatar (Ag. Fight (BR))
• Dana White confirms he remains involved in Las Vegas NBA expansion bid (Sherdog)
• Alexa Grasso x Natália Silva | FULL FIGHT | UFC 332 (r/MMA)
• Michael Bisping says UFC’s ‘undeniable’ makes it clear who Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will fight next (Bloody Elbow)
• Jiri Prochazka vs. unbeaten Navajo Stirling headlines UFC Qatar (Sherdog)
• Dana White wins $1 million with wild high-stakes casino showdown (Sherdog)
• UFC 334 gets new middleweight matchup after Baisangur Susurkaev withdraws (Sherdog)
• PFL MENA boss Jerome Mazet excited for new chapter after Nakisa Bidarian takes over from John Martin amid PFL Global merger (Bloody Elbow)

Welcome to Open Scoring MMA. DUKE: Big Wednesday for Paddy Pimblett fans, we gotta start with his teammate, George Staines.
NORA: Staines just punched his ticket to the UFC on Contender Series.
DUKE: Finished Loai Abushaar with a slam inside round one, at Meta Apex.
NORA: And Dana White did not hold back afterward. High praise from the boss himself.
DUKE: And Paddy was reportedly jumping over chairs watching it happen.
NORA: That's the Baddy for you, more fired up for his teammate than for himself.
DUKE: I love that. Staines walks in with real buzz now, not just as a curiosity because he trains with Pimblett.
NORA: Right, a finish like that at one fifty five gets you noticed on your own merit.
DUKE: Massive night for that whole camp.
NORA: Now, some card news that's a little less fun. UFC 334 just lost a matchup.
DUKE: Baisangur Susurkaev pulled out of his bout with Donte Johnson.
NORA: Two undefeated prospects, and now Johnson needs a new opponent.
DUKE: The promotion's already working on a new middleweight matchup for that card, we just don't have a name yet.
NORA: Frustrating for Johnson, he was building real momentum.
DUKE: Hopefully they find him someone worthy quick.
NORA: Jiri Prochazka draws Navajo Stirling in the main event of UFC Qatar, November twenty first.
DUKE: Former light heavyweight champ against an unbeaten prospect, two ranked guys colliding.
NORA: That's a real gatekeeper spot for Stirling.
DUKE: If he wins that, he's knocking on the door of a title shot.
NORA: And Prochazka's whole career is highlight reel finishes, so buckle up either way.
DUKE: This next one's not MMA, but it's too good to skip.
NORA: Chimaev and Covington are actually gonna compete against each other.
DUKE: In wrestling, not the cage.
NORA: According to Ag. Fight, they will duel on November fourteenth in Abu Dhabi.
DUKE: The former middleweight champ and the former interim welterweight champ, settling it on the mat.
NORA: Their trash talk's been going forever, this is the rivalry finally getting some kind of stage.
DUKE: Even if it's not the fight everyone actually wants.
NORA: I'll take the appetizer for now.
DUKE: Speaking of rivalries, Conor McGregor just got an unexpected co-sign.
NORA: Jose Aldo, of all people.
DUKE: Former rival, now offering him advice and encouragement about a UFC title run. And speaking of Paddy again, Michael Bisping's got a read on what's next for him and Justin Gaethje.
NORA: Bisping thinks the UFC's Undeniable show makes it obvious how they book both guys.
DUKE: I'll take Bisping's word, he's usually plugged into how the matchmakers think.
NORA: Whatever it is, expect Pimblett's next fight to be a big one.
DUKE: As they should book him.
NORA: Couple business notes on Dana White too. He confirmed he's still involved in that Las Vegas NBA expansion bid.
DUKE: Still chasing the basketball dream on top of running the biggest promotion in the sport.
NORA: And on a lighter note, he just walked away from the casino a million dollars richer.
DUKE: Another wild high stakes story for the pile. That man's luck at the tables might rival his eye for a main event.
NORA: Almost.
DUKE: Over in PFL land, there's a changeover atop PFL MENA.
NORA: Nakisa Bidarian's taking over that region from John Martin, part of the bigger PFL Global merger.
DUKE: General manager Jerome Mazet says he's excited for the next chapter and confident about an even bigger 2027 for the regional league.
NORA: Good sign for PFL's footprint, especially with all the uncertainty around the promotion's global structure right now.
DUKE: Alright, let's look ahead. UFC 332 is just three days away, this Saturday.
NORA: Natalia Silva takes on Wang Cong up top, and Deiveson Figueiredo meets Payton Talbott right underneath it.
DUKE: We'll get there in a second.
NORA: And the following Saturday, October tenth, Brendan Allen faces Christian Leroy Duncan, with Ismael Bonfim and Francisco Prado underneath.
DUKE: Allen's trying to stay in that middleweight title conversation.
NORA: And Duncan's a live opponent who could spoil that in a hurry.
DUKE: Alright, let's get into it, the Figueiredo Talbott pick.
NORA: We've got Talbott.
DUKE: How strong?
NORA: Eighty four percent.
DUKE: And the betting line?
NORA: The market's got him a good bit lower, we're sitting about fourteen points clear of that number.
DUKE: That's a real gap.
NORA: It is, and we like it.
DUKE: Walk me through why.
NORA: Size, mostly. Talbott's got a five inch height edge and two and a half inches of reach on Figueiredo.
DUKE: That's a lot for a guy who's used to being the bigger man in the cage.
NORA: Exactly, and Figueiredo's whole game relies on closing distance, that switch stance and the reach makes that a lot harder on him.
DUKE: What about form?
NORA: Figueiredo's coming off a win but he's been inconsistent the last few years.
DUKE: And Talbott?
NORA: Undefeated, with some real finishes on his resume, and he's eleven years younger.
DUKE: Eleven years, that's significant if this one goes long.
NORA: It is.
DUKE: I like Figueiredo's chin and his experience, but I can't argue with that physical gap.
NORA: That's the whole case honestly, the reach and the age.
DUKE: Talbott it is, we're confident on this one.
NORA: Before we move on, let's check the scoreboard on this whole model thing.
DUKE: How's the season looking?
NORA: Eighty three and twenty seven.
DUKE: What's that as a hit rate?
NORA: Seventy five and a half percent.
DUKE: And the market?
NORA: Seventy six point two, so no, we're not beating the market overall.
DUKE: Ouch. Meaning?
NORA: When we depart big from the market, like we are with Talbott, that's where the model actually earns its keep.
DUKE: So a pick like this, sitting fourteen points clear of the line, that's supposed to be the strength.
NORA: That's the idea, yeah. Even record, even confidence.
DUKE: Guess we'll find out Saturday if the value picks stay hot.
NORA: Guess we will.
DUKE: That's the show for today.
NORA: Big card coming Saturday, we'll be back with more before that.
One more thing before we go. Who have you got in that one, and why? And while you're here, two quick ones. Our free Fight Tracker is at tracker dot open scoring m m a dot com, with every upcoming UFC and PFL card, live odds, and where to watch, all in one place. And follow us on YouTube, just search Open Scoring MMA, for breaking news alerts, fight breakdowns, and videos you won't get here on the feed. That's it for today's Open Scoring MMA. Keep your hands up, and we'll see you next time.