No. 15 lightweight Islam Makhachev (17-1, 3 KOs, 7 SUBs) will meet Brazil’s Davi Ramos (10-2, 1 KO, 7 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.
There are certain fighters that are better known for being training partners than their actual skills. Gunnar Nelson, Artem Lobov and Dillon Danis are examples of guys who have benefitted from being part of Conor McGregor’s team. Then there are a contingent of Dagestani fighters who orbit around Khabib Nurmagomedov - like Islam Makhachev and Zubaira Tukhugov.
This Saturday, Makhachev will further look to establish his own legacy when he meets Brazil’s Davi Ramos. The 27-year old Russian has plenty of promise, with a 17-1 record and a current five fight winning streak since losing to Adriano Martins at UFC 192. Now ranked No. 15 at lightweight, he could secure a top-10 opponent with an impressive victory over his opponent.
Ramos dropped his UFC debut in 2017, but has reeled off four straight wins in response. He’s also lived up to his reputation as a submission specialist, notching three taps inside the octagon in just five fights. The 32-year old might not be a known quantity, but he’s definitely one of those tough unranked fighters that the lightweight division has plenty of.
Still, this seems to be a showcase fight for Makhachev, as he and his Muslim Russian counterparts should have an extremely partison crowd behind them in the Muslim-dominant United Arab Emirates. The UFC odds at BookMaker.eu opened with Makhachev as a favorite, but let’s take a look at how you should bet this matchup. Live UFC betting is available at the online sportsbook for in-play wagers.
UFC Odds at BookMaker.eu
Islam Makhachev -345
Davi Ramos +245
Fight goes/doesn’t go to decision: Check the online sportsbook
Significant Striking Stats
Landed per minute: Makhachev 2.24 / Ramos 3.12
Accuracy: Makhachev 60% / Ramos 38%
Absorbed per minute: Makhachev 0.82 / Ramos 2.72
Defense: Makhachev 64% / Ramos 56%
Grappling Stats
Takedown average: Makhachev 4.33 / Ramos 3.28
Takedown accuracy: Makhachev 86% / Ramos 58%
Takedown defense: Makhachev 100% / Ramos -
Submission average: Makhachev 1.33 / Ramos 1.4
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Surprise, surprise: Makhachev is a killer wrestler. By now, if you see “Dagestan” as a fighter’s hometown, you should pretty much just assume that the guy is an anaconda when it comes to grappling. It’s a region that is producing the world’s best wrestlers, and like his friend Nurmagomedov, Islam has been training in combat sambo since before puberty - he won a national sambo championship at just 17.
Makhachev averages over 4 takedowns per 15 minutes, landing them at an 86% clip. That’s an extraordinary number that eclipses guys like Daniel Cormier, but he’s also had the benefit of facing lesser competition. His striking is still a work in progress, but it’s effective as a lead to grappling exchanges.
It’ll be interesting to see how aggressive the Russian will be with his wrestling, given that Ramos is an accomplished BJJ artist. In fact, he’s put together his current winning streak by forcing fights to the mat. He’s a hittable striker, so this might be one of those rare instances where Makhachev will prefer to keep it standing.
UFC Odds Pick: Makhachev to win at -345
When it comes to wrestler vs. grappling, we tend to lean on the strong wrestler. While it’s always risky riding somebody with good submissions from the back, Makhachev’s excellent top control should be enough to neutralize sub attempts. Plus, Makhachev’s striking is more reliable should this become a kickboxing match.
UFC Odds Pick: Fight goes to decision
With grapplers of this caliber, it’s far more likely that this will be a marathon than a sprint. While both fighters have racked up more finishes than decisions lately, expect extended grappling exchanges en route to a decision finish.
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