UFC 318: Holloway vs. Poirier 3 takes place on July 19, 2025, at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Among the prelims is a compelling welterweight matchup between Argentina’s Francisco Prado and Kazakhstan’s Nikolay Veretennikov. Both fighters are seeking redemption after recent losses and looking to establish themselves as future threats in the 170-pound division.

Francisco Prado

Francisco Prado is a 23-year-old talent from Argentina, fighting out of American Top Team. Known for his aggressive and well-rounded finishing ability, Prado holds a 12–3 record with 100% of his wins coming by stoppage, 6 knockouts and 6 submissions.

Despite his finishing pedigree, Prado has struggled against step-up competition in the UFC, dropping decisions to Jamie Mullarkey, Daniel Zellhuber, and most recently Jake Matthews at UFC 312. His lone UFC win was a first-round TKO of Ottman Azaitar, a brief but explosive showcase of his potential.

Prado is young, dangerous, and comfortable in both striking exchanges and grappling scrambles. However, his lack of success in going the distance, all three losses have come via decision, raises concerns about his cardio, pacing, and experience in tight fights.

Francisco Prado – Last 5 Fights:

1. Loss vs. Jake Matthews – Decision (Unanimous) – UFC 312 (Feb 2025)
2. Loss vs. Daniel Zellhuber – Decision (Unanimous) – UFC FN 237 (Feb 2024)
3. Win vs. Ottman Azaitar – TKO (Punches) – UFC on ESPN 49 (Jul 2023)
4. Loss vs. Jamie Mullarkey – Decision (Unanimous) – UFC 284 (Feb 2023)
5. Win vs. Jose Daniel Barrios – TKO (Punches) – SFH 8 (Dec 2022)

Nikolay Veretennikov

At 35, Veretennikov is a grizzled veteran with a 12–6 record, training out of Kings MMA. He’s a powerful striker with 9 of his 12 wins coming by KO/TKO, often finishing opponents in the first round. Veretennikov’s style is forward-pressing, built on heavy hands and grit.

His recent UFC run has been rocky. He’s coming off back-to-back losses, a second-round TKO defeat to Austin Vanderford and a split decision loss to Danny Barlow. While he’s found success in regional promotions like Fury FC and UFL, Veretennikov has yet to make his mark in the UFC.

He’s powerful but hittable, experienced but aging, and his grappling defense has been tested in past outings, something Prado’s submission game could look to exploit.

Nikolay Veretennikov – Last 5 Fights:

1. Loss vs. Austin Vanderford – TKO (Punches) – UFC FN 252 (Feb 2025)
2. Loss vs. Danny Barlow – Decision (Split) – UFC on ESPN 61 (Aug 2024)
3. Win vs. Ashley Reece – TKO (Punches) – UFL 4 (Apr 2024)
4. Win vs. Luis Iniguez – TKO (Punches) – UFL 3 (Aug 2023)
5. Win vs. Demarques Jackson – Submission (Guillotine) – UFL 2 (May 2023)

Prediction

This bout is a classic young finisher vs. aging knockout artist matchup. Prado has youth, athleticism, and versatility on his side, while Veretennikov carries the experience and power advantage.

Veretennikov’s best chance lies in keeping the fight standing and landing early. But Prado’s ability to mix in grappling, his speed advantage, and the fact that Veretennikov has been stopped in 3 of his 6 losses make this a winnable fight for the Argentine.

If Prado can weather an early storm and avoid a big shot, his cardio and pressure could take over. He may look to test Veretennikov’s takedown defense and expose his grappling vulnerabilities.

Prediction: Francisco Prado def. Nikolay Veretennikov via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke), Round 2.

Expect fireworks early, but Prado’s youth, aggression, and ground game should give him the edge if the fight gets out of the first round.