UFC Vegas 87 predictions: Early ‘Prelims’ undercard preview | Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev

After a two-week tour of North America, Final Combating Championship (UFC) returns to its APEX venue in Las Vegas, Nevada, this weekend (Sat., March 2, 2024) for UFC Vegas 87, which was initially deliberate for the ill-fated Saudi Arabia debut. The ESPN+-streamed major occasion pits rising Heavyweight, Shamil Gaziev, in opposition to veteran finisher, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, whereas unbeaten Mild Heavyweight, Vitor Petrino, appears to be like for his third consecutive win at Tyson Pedro’s expense.

An assortment of accidents have whittled UFC Vegas 87’s “Prelims” undercard down to 5 at time of writing. Let’s checkout the primary three …

185 lbs.: Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Claudio Ribeiro

Christian Leroy Duncan (9-1) knocked out Djati Melan with flying knees to assert Cage Warriors gold in April 2022, then dispatched Marian Dimitrov through spinning elbow in his inaugural protection. Although he needed to accept an damage stoppage and determination loss in his first two Octagon bouts, he returned to his highlight-reel methods by torching late alternative Denis Tiuliulin final day trip.

He sports activities a one-inch top benefit and a two-inch attain benefit.

Claudio Ribeiro (11-4) — the previous Thunder Combat and Future MMA Middleweight champion — wanted simply 25 seconds to flatten Ivan Valenzuela on Contender Sequence and punch his ticket to the Octagon. He’s at present 1-2 in his UFC tenure, a beatdown of Joseph Holmes sandwiched between knockout losses to Abdul Razak Alhassan and Roman Kopylov.

9 of his 11 knockouts have come within the first spherical.

Duncan’s loss to Armen Petrosyan confirmed the shortage of depth in his standup. When his pace and unpredictability aren’t sufficient to overwhelm opponents, he doesn’t have a technical base to fall again on. That will have value him in a deliberate matchup in opposition to Cesar Almeida, however his dynamism was sufficient to beat Tiuliulin and it’s sufficient to beat Ribeiro.

All Ribeiro has going for him on this matchup is uncooked energy — he’s out-classed in nearly each different facet. Getting out-struck by a monster like Kopylov is one factor, however getting battered by Alhassan is a critical purple flag. By all accounts, Duncan’s too quick, cellular and too highly effective for Ribeiro to cope with. Until Duncan telegraphs a flying/spinning approach and runs face-first right into a counter, he out-classes Ribeiro en path to a violent end.

Prediction: Duncan through second spherical technical knockout

135 lbs.: Vinicius Oliveira vs. Yanis Ghemmouri

Vinicius Oliveira (19-3) misplaced each a six-fight win streak and the UAE Warriors title when unbeaten Ali Taleb out-slugged him in one in every of 2022’s extra underrated fights of the 12 months. After getting again on observe with a first-round knockout of his personal, “Lok Canine” took his abilities to Contender Sequence, the place a nasty left hook flattened Victor Madrigal and earned Oliveira a UFC contract.

He’s ended 17 skilled fights inside the gap, 15 of them through knockout.

Yanis Ghemmouri (12-2) rode a nine-fight win streak into his UFC debut, which initially pitted him in opposition to Group Kaobon hopeful, Caolan Loughran. After some last-minute shuffling, “The Desert Warrior” as a substitute took on countryman William Gomis, who stopped Ghemmouri through questionable physique kick halfway by the third spherical.

He matches Oliveira’s top at 5’9,” however provides up one inch of attain.

The excellent news for Ghemmouri is that Oliveira is a good bit much less elusive than Gomis, who’s comfortable to circle alongside the fence and hearth kicks all night time if he can get away with it. The unhealthy information is that Oliveira gained’t want an uncalled low blow to place Ghemmouri down for the rely. Ghemmouri is susceptible to low kicks and infrequently fails to maneuver his head, that are two of the worst traits to have when dealing with “Lok Canine.”

Oliveira’s bought some unhealthy habits of his personal — particularly his tendency to over-swing — however his strengths mesh higher with Ghemmouri’s weaknesses than vice-versa. In the long run, he chews up Ghemmouri’s lead leg earlier than taking his head off with a straight proper.

Prediction: de Oliveira through first spherical knockout

155 lbs.: Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady vs. Loik Radzhabov

Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady (15-3) claimed Fury FC’s Light-weight title by cruising previous Michael Murphy in his third bout with the promotion, however entered Contender Sequence as a sizeable underdog in opposition to Cage Warriors champion, George Hardiwch. Undaunted, “The Satisfaction of Palestine” turned in a career-best efficiency to win each a unanimous determination and a UFC contract.

He’s knocked out 5 skilled foes and submitted three others.

After a robust run in Skilled Fighters League (PFL) and submission over Zach Zane in his PFL debut, Loik Radzhabov (17-5-1) made his first Octagon stroll in March 2023, defeating Esteban Ribovics for his fourth win in 5 bouts. His sophomore effort in opposition to Mateusz Rebecki proved extra disastrous, lacking weight en path to a second spherical technical knockout loss.

He’ll get pleasure from a four-inch top benefit.

Al-Selwady isn’t as aggressively terrible a matchup for Radzhabov as Rebecki was, however he’s not far behind. The footwork and sharpshooting he confirmed in opposition to Hardwick ought to work a deal with in opposition to the lumbering “Tajik Tank,” as ought to the within low kicks he’s so keen on. Even when Radzhabov does handle to shut the gap and tie up, Al-Selwady’s wrestling appears to be like as much as the duty of protecting it the place he needs it.

Until Al-Selwady’s takedown protection seems to be exponentially worse than his takedown offense, he has every part he must out-class Radzhabov on the ft and shut down any makes an attempt to take it south. In brief, he runs circles round Radzhabov for a dominant determination win.

Prediction: Al-Selwady through unanimous determination

Two extra UFC Vegas 87 “Prelims” undercard bouts stay to preview and predict, together with the newest from undefeated Bantamweight, Javid Basharat. Similar time tomorrow, Maniacs.

Keep in mind that MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of the complete UFC Vegas 87 battle card proper right here, beginning with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches, that are scheduled to start at 1 p.m. ET, then the remaining major card stability (additionally on ESPN+) at 4 p.m. ET.

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