PFL Best Bets, Predictions & Expert Picks Friday, October 16, 2026 — PFL Chicago

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The market has priced Gamid Khizriev like this fight is nearly a formality, but the model sees a much tighter lightweight matchup. Khizriev is undefeated at 5 and 0, while Michael Boylan enters at 6 and 1. That record comparison doesn't support odds as extreme as minus 3500, especially when the model gives Boylan a 42.0% win probability. At plus 1400, that creates a massive 35.3% moneyline edge. The reach data is incomplete for Boylan, so I won't pretend there's a physical advantage we can prove here. What we do have is a three round fight with only 25% expected to reach the scorecards. The model projects 2.2 rounds and gives submission as the most likely method, with 60% confidence. That points toward a scramble heavy fight where one mistake can flip the result quickly. Khizriev may be unbeaten, but an undefeated record doesn't justify removing nearly all value from the other side. Boylan needs to turn this into a competitive grappling fight and force Khizriev to defend through extended exchanges. At this price, he doesn't need to win most simulations. He only needs to win often enough, and the model says he does that far more than the odds imply. This is the card's best lottery ticket with a legitimate statistical foundation.

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Casual bettors are buying Khizriev's perfect record and the comfort of a minus 3500 favorite. But a 58.0% model win probability is nowhere close to a price that suggests near certainty.

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Levan Khabalaev is unbeaten at 5 and 0, owns a four inch reach advantage, and sits at minus 1100 on the moneyline. That explains why the public will likely pile onto him. It doesn't explain why Brock Hamer is being treated as if he has almost no chance. Hamer is 5 and 1, and the model gives him a 45.2% win probability. At plus 700, that's a 32.7% edge on the underdog side. The reach gap matters. Khabalaev's 74 inch reach compared with Hamer's 70 inches should help him manage distance and make the first connection. But reach is not the entire matchup, especially in a three round PFL bout where a fast start can change the shape of everything. The model expects only 2.0 rounds and gives KO or TKO a 59% confidence rating. That makes volatility the key factor, and volatility is exactly what we want when backing a huge underdog. Hamer doesn't need to dominate every minute. He needs to find one clean sequence before Khabalaev can consistently use that reach. A finish projection this strong leaves plenty of room for an underdog upset, because one exchange can decide the night. The model's 54.8% win probability for Khabalaev still makes him the favorite, but it is nowhere near enough to justify minus 1100. Hamer is the side with the price and the path.

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The public is focused on Khabalaev's unbeaten record and four inch reach advantage. Those are real positives, but they don't erase Hamer's 45.2% projected win chance or the fight's strong KO or TKO outlook.

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Chelsea Hackett is the most surprising recommendation on the board because the market has Paulina Wisniewska priced at minus 405. Wisniewska owns the cleaner record at 7 and 1, compared with Hackett's 5 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw. She also has a two inch reach advantage, 68 inches to 66. Those details explain the favorite price, but they don't match the model's view of the actual fight. The model gives Hackett a 56.2% win probability, making her the outright favorite in its simulation. At plus 315, that produces a 32.1% moneyline edge. This isn't just a blind fade of a popular favorite. The projected method is decision with 58% confidence, and the fight has a 53% chance of going the distance. That suggests Hackett's route is built around winning enough exchanges over three rounds rather than chasing a reckless finish. The reach disadvantage is manageable if Hackett keeps the fight competitive at close range and avoids letting Wisniewska dictate the space. A three round women's flyweight bout can turn on activity, control, and sustained decision making. Hackett's record is less polished, but the model clearly sees that record as less important than the matchup itself. At minus 405, Wisniewska needs to win far too often to offer a reasonable return. Hackett only needs to perform like the fighter the model expects. With a projected win probability above 50%, plus 315 is simply too much value to pass up.

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Casual bettors will gravitate toward Wisniewska because of the 7 and 1 record and the two inch reach edge. The problem is that the model makes Hackett a 56.2% favorite, so the public is paying a premium for the cleaner résumé.