This article is part of our Drake's Takes series.
Editor's Note: Drake is a life-long Braves fan headed to the World Series this week, so we cleared a shorter column where he gets straight to the meat & potatoes -- the DFS impact. We'll be back with full fighter profiles for UFC 268 next week and each card moving forward.
Tagir Ulanbekov (13-1-0) v. Allan Nascimento (17-5-0)
- Nascimento is making his UFC debut and looks to be a solid striker with strong leg kicks and great BJJ. Ulanbekov has decent striking, but looks to chain takedowns and fight his way to control or submission. I expect this to primarily play out on the mat, but Nascimento would be smart to keep this on the feet, where he will have an advantage. The two fighters have a combined 19 submission victories, so look for this to end in similar fashion with Nascimento having a great chance at a huge upset and a potential slate-breaking score.
My Pick: Ulanbekov
Magomed Mustafaev (14-4-0) v. Damir Ismagulov (23-1-0)
- Ismagulov bring in an 18-fight win streak, including his first four fights with the UFC. He is good striker and looks to mix in takedowns for control time. All four of his UFC fights have been decision victories. Mustafaev is a well-rounded fighter. He has powerful striking and sneaky BJJ on the mat. This fight likely plays out on the feet where Ismagulov should have an advantage with power and Mustafaev an advantage with power. Both guys will look to mix in takedowns and control time to tip the judges in their favor. I would expect Ismagulov to win with a lower-scoring decision or Mustafaev by a value-smashing finish.
My Pick: Mustafaev
Hu Yaozong (3-2-0) v. Andre Petroski (6-2-0)
- Yaozong is a high-volume striker with little ground game to speak of, and he has dropped his first two UFC fights. Petroski was hugely impressive in his UFC debut earning a third-round knockout. He displayed powerful striking and an above-average ground game. Yaozong will need to keep this on the feet and avoid the power and takedowns from Petroski to find his way to a low-scoring decision. I expect Petroski to dominate this fight everywhere, effectively rag-dolling Yaozong to another high-scoring finish.
My Pick: Petroski
Makwan Amirkhani (16-6-0) v. Lerone Murphy (10-0-1)
- Murphy puts his unbeaten streak on the line against Amirkhani in what I believe will be his toughest test to date. Murphy will have the striking advantage and needs to keep this on the feet for three rounds. He could win with volume striking or land a knockout early. Amirkhani has decent striking and will look to change levels early to bring this down to the mat -- where he will have the most success. He could control for two round wins or find an early submission. A finish by either fighter would yield a good a value. A decision from Murphy would be lower scoring, but Amirkhani could score well with takedowns and control time.
My Pick: Amirkhani
Shamil Gamzatov (14-0-0) v. Michal Oleksiejczuk (15-4-0)
- Gamzatov gets back in the ring after two years and is currently riding a 14-fight winning streak. He is a competent striker with a brown belt in jiu-jitsu and a Sambo background. Oleksiejczuk is pressure striker with power shots. He looks to keep fighters on the back foot with constant forward pressure and immense power. If this fight stays on the feet, I favor him to get an early finish or lower scoring decision. If Gamzatov chooses to take this fight to the ground, I favor him to get lock in an early submission or find a couple of round wins with control time.
My Pick: Gamzatov
Elizeu Dos Santos (22-7-0) v. Benoit Saint-Denis (8-0-0)
- Dos Santos and Saint-Denis find themselves fighting in a short-notice, welterweight fight. Saint-Denis has little striking but great grappling. He will look to get the fight down to the mat early and often, and work himself to top control for ground and pound. Dos Santos will have a huge edge in striking but also features a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu making him difficult to takedown and control. I expect Dos Santos to control and dominate everywhere this fight goes, potentially earning an early finish and smashing value.
My Pick: Dos Santos
Albert Duraev (14-3-0) v. Roman Kopylov (8-1-0)
- Kopylov and Duraev match up in what should be a striker vs grappler affair. Kopylov has powerful striking, having finished seven of his eight wins by knockout, but struggles on the mat. Duraev is a suffocating pressure fighter and will look to stay in Kopylov's face until he is finished. Look for him to get the fight to the mat early and then impose his will. If Kopylov manages to keep the fight on the feet, he could wind up earning a value-crushing knockout. I expect Duraev to have his way and control everywhere this goes though.
My Pick: Duraev
Ricardo Ramos (15-3-0) v. Zubaira Tukhugov (19-5-1)
- Ramos is a rangy striker with decent volume and a knack for snagging takedowns and control early. He throws a lot of kicks and changes levels often to mix in his takedowns to wear down opponents. Tukhugov has powerful striking and has excellent wrestling. He pressures forward with power, closing the gap quickly and looking for a body lock or double leg to get the fight down. Both fighters will look early to get the fight to the mat. Tukhugov has far better takedown defense, so I expect him to defend and then get the takedown himself before looking to mount up for ground-and-pound. Ramos is more likely to hunt for a submission and if he does find one, he will smash value.
My Pick: Tukhugov
Amanda Ribas (10-2-0) v. Virna Jandiroba (17-2-0)
- Headlining the prelim card are two excellent fighters in Ribas and Jandiroba. Jandiroba has decent striking with a solid jab and fantastic grappling. She has 13 submissions in her 17 wins and is extremely comfortable on the mat for a full fight. Ribas will feature the better striking of the two, as well as more volume. She also has an excellent ground game she will feature to go with her striking. Both ladies sport a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and will nearly cancel each other out, with neither having an advantage on the mat. Ribas will have the striking advantage and should look to keep the fight on the feet where a knockout is possible. If the fight leads to a decision, I do not expect there to be enough volume to warrant a high score.
My Pick: Ribas
Magomed Ankalaev (15-1-0) v. Volkan Oezdemir (17-5-0)
- This light heavyweight matchup between Ankalaev and Oezdemir should be exciting. Ankalaev is a Sambo fighter riding a 6-fight win streak and has huge power in his hands. He has excellent takedown defense and only one professional loss, by submission. Oezdemir is another striker with huge power but has been on a bit of a slide, recently going 2-4 in his last six fights. These two guys have combined for 20 knockouts so I am fully expecting fireworks in this fight. Ankalaev has the better defense and is better at avoiding big shots, so I do expect him to eventually snare the knockout. An early knockout would yield a high score for either guy, particularly the dog if Oezdemir finds his stroke.
My Pick: Ankalaev
Li Jingliang (18-6-0) v. Khamzat Chimaev (9-0-0)
- Chimaev gets his first big test in the UFC in the way of Li Jingliang. Chimaev steps on the throttle right from the get go and immediately gets in the face of his opponent. He has quick, powerful striking and is an intense grappler. He will look to drag fighters down, mount up in top control and lay down massive ground-and-pound. Jingliang is primarily a striker with big power and a penchant for finishing fights. He will snag a takedown and sneak control time with a trip or body lock when he gets into trouble, but tends to struggle off his back. Jiangliang is going to want to keep this fight on the feet and avoid the power from Chimaev on the mat. He could score a shocking upset via knockout if he catches Chimaev rushing in, crushing value. Chimaev has more paths to victory and his best one would be getting this fight to the mat, where he can lock up another early finish.
My Pick: Chimaev
Alexander Volkov (33-9-0) v. Marcin Tybura (22-6-0)
- A huge battle between two heavyweights in Tybura and Volkov is on tap and sure to entertain. Tybura has decent striking highlighted by great kicks. He looks to get the fight to the mat early, where he can impose his skills to lock up control time, ground-and-pound or a submission. Volkov is a volume striker with big power in his hands and good takedown defense. I expect Tybura to get overwhelmed early here. Volkov is going to pressure and throw far more volume and an early finish is in store. Tybura will likely look to takedown when he is in trouble, but I think it only gets him caught with a finishing shot.
My Pick: Volkov
Islam Makhachev (20-1-0) v. Dan Hooker (21-10-0)
- Hooker and Makhachev are both coming in off impressive wins and should make this fight an exciting one. Hooker is a striking extraordinaire and will look to keep this fight on the feet. He is quick and moves well around the ring with big pressure. He does have a little power in his hands and will mix in kicks to push fighters back. Makhachev is a machine of a fighter and does well mixing things up. He has good striking with decent power but prefers to get the fight to the mat, where he can wrestle his way to a win. He has good takedowns and can control or hunt for a submission at will. I think this fight is going to come down to whoever controls the most. Hooker will likely lead in volume, and could mix in his own takedowns. Makhachev will likely lead in takedowns and control time while sprinkling in decent volume. He is one of the biggest favorites on the card, but do not be surprised if the Hooker of old shows again and causes a major upset.
My Pick: Hooker
Petr Yan (15-2-0) v. Cory Sandhagen (14-3-0)
- This bantamweight interim title fight should be an absolute banger. Sandhagen has proved his worth in the division with several big wins. He was on the receiving end of a questionable split decision loss in his last fight and is motivated to prove he deserves the title shot. He is a great striker with big power, strong leg kicks and ridiculous knees. Yan is an incredible striker who breaks down his opponents and derails them from having any success. The first couple rounds will likely be the most competitive, with Yan completely taking over the in the latter rounds. I fully expect Yan to solve Sandhagen early and then just annihilate him to a quick finish and a huge score near Round 3.
My Pick: Yan
Jan Blachowicz (28-8-0) v. Glover Teixeira (32-7-0)
- This light heavyweight title bout between Blachowicz and Teixeira is sure to be thrilling. Blachowicz is a powerful striker with an overall well-rounded game. He will stand in the pocket and throw monstrous blows for as long as he is landing them. He will look to the takedown if the striking is not there and is capable of controlling fighters on the mat. Teixeira has fought his way back to the top with a run of impressive fights and is as well-rounded as any. His striking is strong and technical, but where he really thrives is on the mat. He is an elite grappler with a dangerous top game, and if he gets it to that point, he hard to move. Both guys are live for a finish here, but I really think Teixeira takes this one. He has an iron chin and will likely eat some shots to get this down on the mat, where he will shine. A finish for either guy would be big, but bigger still for the dog.
My Pick: Glover
