UFC 294: Volk vs Islam, Usman vs Hazmat

[duppyy]

This card deserves a thread.

[Clav]

LFG Good idea. Hoping for a great night of fights. Anyone wanna throw some predictions down pre-fight ? Im not much a betting man but I do like to take a gander on the outcomes. I'm gonna throw some out in a spoiler, cheers!

Spoiler:

Silva v Magomedov [MW]
Magomedov by SUB - Silva has been kind of up and down in his fights, I think the home crowd and fight No. 1 gives Mago a boost and he gets the finish.

Jinh Yu Frey v Dudakova [W-SW]
Dudakova by SUB - Feels like throwing an up and comer that's a challenge at Frey who may be on her way out after some uninspiring performances. Taking Duda.

Wood v Naimov [FW]
Wood UD - Nathaniel Wood is better on the feet than Naimov's best win imo he's gonna inflict enough damage and resist subs.

Jubli v Breeden [LW]
Jubli SD - A rough fight to pick, Breeden is not great but Jubli is untested, I think this fight is one to stay away from in the bet world.

Dumas v Azaitar [MW]
Azaitar by TKO - Dumas has 3 minutes of stamina and that's it, he's low-IQ and despite looking dangerous vs DWCS competition he's been flat to me in UFC, so home crowd gets this going and as much as I hate Azaitar, he'll pound Dumas on the mat to TKO

Basharat v Henry [BW]
Basharat UD - Javid is a machine. Henry can submit but Basharat is really imposing on the ground and feet. Great stamina.

Yahya v Peek [LW]
Peek by KO - explosive fight and Peek is a car crash, just picking a KO by insanity.

Ellliot v Mokaev [FW]
Mokaev by SUB - Mokaev is too good

Nurmagomedov v Gafurov [BW]
Nurmagomedov UD - clear mismatch, Said is very good all around.

Aliskerov v Alves [MW]
Aliskerov by TKO - short notice for Alves flyign across the world for this fight in Aliskerov's dangerous territory (as this is the best place for Russians to visit for a fight) should be a brutal night for Alves in my guess.

Ankalaev v Walker
Ankalaev by TKO - Dangerous striking vs suspect chin, gotta go with the guy who fought Jan to a draw and has impressed in most of his fights rather than the risk-reward fighter of Walker. Walker still can win but if he's not getting a KO in R1 this fight gets harder and harder for him I think

Usman v Chimaev
Chimaev by SUB - Usman is a beast and a badass for gettign this fight going and saving the card after Costa's injury. I still think Khamzat is just too much and will take Usman down in a rush, just like some other guys, and impose his will. Going for a triangle or RNC...

Makhachev v Volkanovski
Volkanovski by TKO - I had it 3-2 Volk in fight 1, UFC just reposted it to Youtube for your pleasure... I can be convinced it was 3-2 Islam, but so close.
R1 - Islam was knocked back heavy with a punch and Volk went to a knee, he was taken down but was in no danger and hit back at Islam pretty well. 10-9 Volk. This was a round every judge scored for Islam Maybe I'm the problem.
R2 - lots of control by Islam and a couple shots landed by Islam gives him this rd 19-19 All
R3 - good work on both guys but Volk had better shots imo. They showed significant strikes and I wasn't sure how they scored Islam getting sig. strikes in this round he didn't generate a lot of offense 29-28 Volk.
R4 - Islam TD but also didn't connect much dmg on the ground, I think Volk defended great and still lost round 38-38 All
R5 - close round but the big shot by Islam not enough to win the final bit where Volk dominated the last 2 minutes on the ground 48-47 Volk

So basically that R1 where every judge scored 10-9 Islam was the deciding factor for me because I didn't really think Islam did much at all.

This fight is gonna be great honestly, it was a close fight and a lot of hand fighting - control work on the ground for each guy, and against the fence. Islam wants to thai clinch and knee, but Volk really negated that well, I think Volk will look to do more dmg on the ground and Islam will want to do mroe than try for a RNC. If the gas tank is okay for Volk on short notice I see him taking it. Islam will win if Volk is tired after R3. I'm picking Volk to TKO anyway.

[Dupp]

So **** pumped for the main and co main my god

[lobosloboslobos]

LFG Good idea. Hoping for a great night of fights.

Important to note that the main card starts at 2pm eastern time and prelims at 10am.

[Clav]

LFG Good idea. Hoping for a great night of fights.

Important to note that the main card starts at 2pm eastern time and prelims at 10am.

Indeed, good call. A good morning of fights for the US.

But yeah in EU.... it'll be evening

[lobosloboslobos]

LFG Good idea. Hoping for a great night of fights.

Important to note that the main card starts at 2pm eastern time and prelims at 10am.

Indeed, good call. A good morning of fights for the US.

But yeah in EU.... it'll be evening

Definitely pumped for this. It seems impossible to predict the outcome of a Khamzat Usman fight. Usman's aura of invincibility is gone but he remains an absolute beast as is of course Khamzat. Although I see that Khamzat is a -290 favorite. Wow. I guess everyone thinks they can predict the outcome.

As for Islam Volk I am picking Volk. Last fight he was too cautious early on and it cost him. Now that he knows what to expect defensively I see him going hard and hurting Islam and ultimately taking him out. Here I'm also in the minority though as I now see that Islam is the -250 favorite. Oh well.

The only one I definitely want to see win though is Volk. I like his combination of swagger, aggressiveness, smarts and calmness. I was going to say humility, but he isn't really humble, he just doesn't distract himself with hype, which is a welcome change from some other guys at the top.

[Headliner]

Usman apparently popped something in his knee while doing some light work Justin G.
That doesn’t sound good

[Gregoire]

Volk dec, Usman dec, Walker TKO

[ItsDanger]

Want to see Magomedov debut.

[Dupp]

Usmans a dead man walking


Volks also gonna get it done

[ronnymac2]

I'm going with Chimaev here. But I really want a long fight where we see a bunch of different positions. Can Usman stop the furious takedowns in the first three minutes? After that, can Usman control the action in the clinch in the middle of the Octagon and of course against the fence? Corralling Chimaev's energy in clinch situations sounds impossible, but if anybody at 170/185 can do it, it's Usman.

Volk vs. Islam ends in a finish. No way this goes to a decision with the way Volk is going to open up. He really was tentative in the first rounds of the first fight. I don't know who gets the finish. I'll say (and hope) Volk gets it.

[Dupp]

Execute that doctor

[GoRapstheoriginal]

Great fights so far I missed all of the prelims but caught the 1st 2 main card fights.

[GoRapstheoriginal]

And the 3rd fight goes pear shaped as the doctor stops the fight due to unintentional foul & it's a no contest. Jokes.

[Dupp]

Khamzats back

[Dupp]

Execute that doctor

They should have listened

[GoRapstheoriginal]

Why on God's green Earth is this only a 3 round fight?
Whose error was this? Disgusting.
Huge 3rd round coming up for Usman!

[GoRapstheoriginal]

Great F*cking fight! Now for the judges decision! ooooo gonna be close?

[duppyy]

Don't think it was close due to all the takedowns. 2nd round was the only close round.

[GoRapstheoriginal]

Well it was a majority the 1 judge had it scored even? Weird.

Now Chimaev vs Strickland. Should be a good one.

Ok now the main event. Very exciting lets see if Volk is in shape. I am hoping for quick finish either way.

I have other things/stuff/adulting I have to do. Heh.