Former MMA Series heavyweight champion Sergey Dyakonov has shared his expectations for the upcoming title fight between reigning champion Dimitry Andryushko and Brazilian UFC and PFL veteran Francimar Barroso.

Dyakonov believes the key factor will be the pace Barroso is able to impose on the champion.

“If Barroso allows Andryushko to rest during the fight the way I did, then the bout will go all five rounds,” Dyakonov said. “But if Francimar keeps the pressure on, he will beat Dimitry.”

According to the former champion, much will depend on Barroso’s conditioning and his ability to work in the grappling exchanges.

“A lot depends on his shape. If the Brazilian prepares well and can wrestle, then he will handle Andryushko,” Dyakonov said. “It’s difficult to predict a five-round fight because of Barroso’s layoff. The last time he fought was two years ago against Vezhenko.”

Dyakonov also did not rule out the possibility of Andryushko bringing an unexpected game plan into the fight.

“Dimitry can surprise people by preparing something interesting, just like he did in our rematch. If that happens, he has his chances too,” Dyakonov added.

In Dyakonov’s view, there is no clear favorite in the title matchup, though he gives a slight edge to Barroso.

“It’s hard to single out a clear favorite,” Dyakonov said. “But I’d say it’s 60-40 in favor of Barroso. He has a huge amount of experience, and he hasn’t fought in a long time, so you don’t really know what to expect from him. Plus, he doesn’t have the pressure of carrying the championship belt.

“For Andryushko, it’s the opposite. Being the champion brings extra responsibility.”

Andryushko captured the heavyweight title in December 2025 with a victory over Sergey Dyakonov. The upcoming fight against Barroso will mark his first defense of the belt.