No. 4 heavyweight Curtis Blaydes (11-2, 8 KOs) meets No. 9 Shamil Abdurakhimov (20-4, 9 KOs, 4 SUBs) at UFC 242 on Saturday, September 7, 2019 at The Arena at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs live on pay-per-view starting 2pm ET.
UFC fighters from Dagestan are quickly penetrating the top ranks of the ligther divisions. Now it’s time to see if one of their heavyweights can do the same. Shamil Abdurakhimov joins a host of fellow Dagestanis this Saturday in Abu Dhabi, and he’ll have the opportunity to become a title contender when he meets No. 4 Curtis Blaydes.
Abdurakhimov enters the fight on a three-fight winning streak, and has authored a respectable UFC career with victories over Walt Harris, Andrei Arlovski and Marcin Tybura. In a thin division, that’s good enough for the 37-year old to break into the top ranks and earn the biggest fight of his career against Blaydes. Abdurakhimov’s Muslim background also benefits him here, as he’ll be fighting in the United Arab Emirates - a country with a majority Muslim population.
Blaydes was on the cusp of a title shot after a four-fight run that included wis over Mark Hunt and Alistair Overeem. However, a knockout at the hands of Francis Ngannou knocked him down a few pegs. He was able to bounce back this past March with a unanimous decision over Justin Willis. Beating Abdruakhimov won’t get him a title shot, but it would ensure that he remains squarely in the top tier of guys with legitimate championship credentials.
Let’s take a look at the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu and break down your best betting options. Live UFC betting is available at the online sportsbook if you want to make in-play wagers during any of the fights.
UFC Odds at BookMaker.eu
Curtis Blaydes -500
Shamil Abdruakhimov +351
Fight goes/doesn’t go to decision: check the online sportsbook
Significant Striking Stats
Landed per minute: Blaydes 3.71 / Abdurakhimov 2.44
Accuracy: Blaydes 51% / Abdurakhimov 45%
Absorbed per minute: Blaydes 2.03 / Abdurakhimov 2.24
Defense: Blaydes 55% / Abdurakhimov 60%
Grappling Stats
Takedown average: Blaydes 6.79 / Abdurakhimov 1.5
Takedown accuracy: Blaydes 57% / Abdurakhimov 26%
Takeodwn defense: Blaydes 25% / Abdurakhimov 66%
Submission average: Blaydes 0 / Abdurakhimov 0.21
Bet this UFC fight at BookMaker.eu
29-year old Curtis Blaydes figures to be a top contender for a few years - he is one of the few ranked fighters under the age of 30. No longer just a top prospect, Blaydes is now rightfully recognized as one of the division’s better wrestlers and a potent striker in his own right. While his kickboxing could stand up improve a few levels, his D1 wrestling credentials are good enough to beat most of the top 15 on any day.
Abdurakhimov is a burly heavyweight who tips the scales near the 265-pound weight limit. However, he lacks the athleticism of his opponent and at 37, this isn’t something that’s going to improve. Still, he’s got the size of a bear and the strength to match. Like his Dagestani counterparts, he’s at his best when he can control his opponents with wrestling, as his low-output striking isn’t very conducive to getting wins.
While Abdurakhimov will have home court advantage, it’s tough to really make out his paths to victory here. He doesn’t have the strength to outwrestle Blaydes, nor does he have the type of consistent knockout power to really threaten him. The Russian will need to slow this fight down and turn it into a slog - something that’s he actually pretty good at.
UFC Odds Pick: Blaydes to win at -500
It’s hard to argue with online oddsmakers installing Blaydes as a big favorite - he outclasses his opponent in pretty much every fighting category. The American is younger, faster and a more skilled wrestler, and will control this fight whether it stays on the feet or goes to the mat. This is an easy pick, and one you can feel confident as part of a parlay booster.
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