For the first time in over five years, the Octagon heads to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates for UFC 242.
Headlining the card is really a bout for the lightweight title between Khabib”The Eagle” Nurmagomedov along with Dustin”The Diamond” Poirier. The current champion, Nurmagomedov, is a -365 favorite with all the challenger, Poirier, coming back at +275. I’ve a breakdown and a pick for every battle on the primary card.
Nurmagomedov (-365) is placing his best 27-0 record on the line and is now earning his second title defense because he falls into the Octagon for the first time since UFC 229 last October. Even the Eagle won the empty belt from Al Iaquinta in April of this past year and defended it with a fourth-round entry of??Conor McGregor at October.
The Russia native is an incredible wrestler who puts immense pressure on his opponent, constantly stalking forward to get his hands onto his foe??and deliver him??into the floor. He averages 5.09 takedowns a 15 minutes and has since landed multiple takedowns in each of his last eight fights. Furthermore, he has constantly improved his striking, such as falling McGregor with a well-timed overhand right in their fight.
Poirier (+275) looks to extend his six-fight winning series, his??longest??since he turned into a skilled and??won his first seven bouts. The Diamond won the interim name by making a unanimous-decision success over Max Holloway at UFC 236 in April, while Nurmagomedov was off to a suspension. Poirier earned wins over Anthony Pettis along with former champions Eddie Alvarez.
The Louisiana native has tremendous experience as he’s creating his 23rd walk into the Octagon and that he seems really calm and comfortable from the cage. Poirier has a really fast and true jab he utilizes to give himself some breathing room and that enables him to move forward where he throws a flurry of strikes. The southpaw averages 5.75 significant strikes weekly, but he consumes 4.08 significant strikes every second. He has only been taken down three occasions over his last six fights and defends 69 percentage of efforts.
This really is a timeless striker vs grappler matchup since Poirier will look to maintain the fight standing and let his hands fly for five rounds at a high pace. Meanwhile, the Nurmagomedov will look to stress the Diamond and drag him into the ground where he could work his horrible ground and pound or look for a submission. Both men have.
Prediction: Khabib Nurmagomedov (-365) via conclusion
Barboza (-130) will be looking to get back on track after dropping three of the past four fights. The Brazil native had a three-fight winning streak snapped at UFC 219 using a choice reduction to Khabib Nurmagomedov and followed up with a physician’s stoppage loss to Kevin Lee. Most recently, he endured a first-round knockout loss to Justin Gaethje during March.
The 33-year-old has power in his strikes. He fires leg kicks that have earned him three endings in that fashion. He doesn’t use a great deal of additional energy at the standup, normally standing firm just about the exterior of the opponent’s??strikes and that he begs for him to plant themselves for another and then??fires his kicks. 1 issue when he moves backward, which resulted in his weight reduction to Gaethje at 23, he’s is falling his hands.
Felder (EVEN) has won four of his last five fights, with his only loss coming by split decision when??he struck his arm early in the bout but lived to get into the judges’ scorecards. “The Irish Dragon” had a three-fight finish streak, all knockouts by elbows, before losing to Mike Perry by split decision. Felder bounced back from that defeat to earn a choice win over James Vick in February.
The Pennsylvania native is competitive cutting the cage down and not giving his rival any breathing room. He’s also very inventive, spinning attacks and throwing lots of wrists, often coming from misses. Do not look for him to take this battle to the ground as he has not got a takedown since he retreated Daron Cruickshank into the canvas in 2016.
This really is a fight of the night rematch out of 2015 when a unanimous-decision success was play with by Barboza. Since that loss, Felder has gone 6-3 while Barboza has really gone 4-4 so it’s only fitting to perform it backagain. In that first fight, the Irish Dragon often followed Barboza, allowing him scoot out of risk rather than cutting off the crate. Additionally, the Brazil native was very light on his feet in comparison to his recent conflicts. I anticipate.
Prediction: Paul Felder (EVEN) via decision
Makhachev (-220) aims to shield his sixth straight win and keep to scale the lightweight standings. The Russia native had his album snapped in his second fight in the UFC if he endured a first-round weight loss loss to Adriano Martins. Since then, Makhachev has rattled off five straight wins, including two first-round endings over that interval.
Makhachev, much like fellow Dagestan fighters, is mostly a wrestler since he averages 4.25 takedowns per 15 minutes. He’s acquired a takedown in five of the six UFC wins, and with the sole success without a takedown coming as??a first-round, first-minute knockout over Gleison Tibau. What permits him to achieve as many takedowns because he does is??his assortment of approaches, whether it is a classic single or double leg takedown or??more unconventional excursions.
Ramos (+180) seems to expand his four-fight winning series after losing his UFC debut. “The Tasmanian Devil” entered the Octagon with a 6-1 record, but instantly dropped his initial bout by unanimous decision. That said that the Brazil indigenous settled down after that with four consecutive victories, including three entry wins, heading to this struggle.
The 32-year-old is quite patient on his feet, analyzing his competitor every movement and figuring out the best game plan for attack. He’s got adequate dramatic, typically loading up on his right and casting leg kicks. On the other hand, the major strike for Ramos is taking the fight??to the floor and working using a submission as among his 12 professional wins have finished in that manner.
Ramos’ takedowns appear really traditional, searching for burst double legs and into a human lock to haul the fight to the floor.?? I am not positive whether this is going to be enough to take Makhachev down. In addition, he hasn’t had to defend a takedown from the Octagon, so that will be interesting to see him off his spine as he generally is on top working toward a submission. I think the Russia native has more resources in grappling and at the standup.
Prediction: Islam Makhachev (-220) via conclusion
Blaydes (-300) appears to string wins together following his unanimous-decision triumph over Justin Willis in March. The 28-year-old needed a streak of six conflicts in which he didn’t suffer a loss, making a rematch with the only person to beat him, Francis Ngannou. Unfortunately for”Razor,”??he suffered the identical result from the rematch having a first-round weight loss loss to the Predator.
The Oklahoma native is a fighter who’s mainly a wrestler but has improved his standup match. Blaydes has good aerobic ,??averages 6.79 takedowns per 15 minutes and contains gained several takedowns in seven of the nine UFC fights. When he is able to bring the battle to the floor, he then goes to town with his vicious ground and pound.
Abdurakhimov (+230) looks to expand his three-fight winning streak. The Russia native divide his first four fights in the Octagon, decreasing by knockout to Timothy Johnson and Derrick Lewis while earning decision wins over Walt Harris and Anthony Hamilton. Considering that the loss to Lewis,”Abrek” has won three straight struggles, including two by knockout.
The 37-year-old is quite light on his toes but does tend to stand a little flat-footed, which renders him exposed to thick leg kicks. In addition, he stuffs 66 per cent of takedown attempts as he loads up on his own cries and is off balance when he throws. Finally, many mixtures does not throw, rather throwing one electricity punch.
The person to discontinue Blaydes in the Octagon is name competitor Francis Ngannou and Abdurakhimov does not have the power that is same as him. Razor is going to have the speed advantage and his blast double is almost unstoppable at heavyweight.?? I expect him to have success over and over again dragging the struggle to the canvas and functioning his ground and pound.
Prediction: Curtis Blaydes (-300) via knockout
Taisumov (-280) returns to the Octagon for the first time in nearly a year and seems to find out where he left off. “Beckan” is riding a six-fight winning streak, five of which were knockouts, although his last win was a unanimous-decision triumph. Overall in the UFC, Taisumov retains a 7-1 record with his only loss.
The Russia native has intense power in his hands and is extremely patient in waiting for his or her opportunities. He does a good job of??baiting his opponent??into throwing a strike and dips from their way and yells huge counter-strikes. They place his rival if they land. By knockout, 15’ve finished of his 27 specialist wins , including five of his last six fights.
Ferreira (+220) aims to expand his four-fight winning series. The Brazil native had a two-fight losing skid to Beneil Dariush and Dustin Poirier in 2014 to 2015 but has rebounded because to win four consecutive bouts, including two by knockout. Most recently, he secured a unanimous-decision success in February over Rustam Khabilov.
The 34-year-old tends??to keep the battle position as he is aggressive and likes to exchange hands with his opponent. Ferreira averages 4.70 significant strikes weekly, but just lands 37 percent of his own strikes and doesn’t have a whole lot of power behind his cries, making just three knockout wins in his career. Do not expect him to take part in a grappling match as he has landed just one takedown at the Octagon and it arrived in his introduction in 2014.
Long layoffs do not seem to disturb Taisumov. This is his fourth fight since the start of 2016, but??he has three wins over that interval. Ferreira likes to possess in the face of his rival and back them up with strikes, but he lacks accurate knockout strength and the Russia native is very good at maintaining distance and attacking his own foe??when they get into his striking Variety. ??
Prediction: Mairbek Taisumov (-280) through Season
Here’s a look at the full list of odds for UFC 242: Nurmagomedov vs Poirier:
Curious at BetOnline as of August 20
Odds at BetOnline as of August 20
Curious at BetOnline as of August 20
Odds in BetOnline as of August 20
Curious at BetOnline as of August 20
Curious in BetOnline as of August 20
Odds at August 20
Odds at BetOnline as of August 20
Curious in BetOnline as of August 20
Curious as of August 20
Curious as of August 20
Curious in BetOnline at August 20
Curious in BetOnline at August 20
Odds at August 20??in BetOnline
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