This weekend’s UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs. Imavov features a fascinating middleweight bout between two highly skilled fighters: Aliaskhab Khizriev and Makhmud Muradov.
Aliaskhab Khizriev
Khizriev steps into the octagon with an impeccable record of 14-0-0. Fighting out of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia, Khizriev is a formidable force, boasting a diverse skill set with victories coming by way of knockout (5), submission (4), and decision (5). Khizriev made a statement in his UFC debut by submitting Denis Tiuliulin with a rear-naked choke, showcasing his grappling skills. He has an average fight time of 3:54 minutes in the Octagon, demonstrating his ability to finish fights early. Khizriev’s striking accuracy stands at 64%, and he lands 6.03 significant strikes per minute, complemented by a takedown average of 5.77 per 15 minutes and a perfect takedown defence rate of 100%.
Makhmud Muradov
Muradov on the other hand, brings experience and a solid track record into this fight with a professional MMA record of 26-8-0. Muradov, hailing from Tajikistan, is a well-rounded fighter known for his striking capabilities and tactical approach to fights. He has a higher reach advantage at 75″ compared to Khizriev’s 74″ and stands 6′ 2″ tall, giving him a slight physical advantage in the stand-up game. Muradov’s striking accuracy is 43%, with him landing approximately 4.21 significant strikes per minute. His takedown accuracy is 66%, with an average of 3.04 takedowns per 15 minutes and a takedown defence rate of 77%. Muradov has spent on average 13:10 minutes in the Octagon, indicating his experience in longer, more drawn-out battles.
The clash between Khizriev and Muradov presents a classic striker vs. grappler scenario. Khizriev’s grappling and submission skills pose a significant threat to any opponent, while Muradov’s striking and experience could give him the edge in the stand-up exchanges. Both fighters have the tools to secure a victory and both of them have the opportunity to finish each other.
As they prepare to face off, the MMA community eagerly anticipates seeing whether Khizriev can maintain his unbeaten streak or if Muradov will use his experience and striking prowess to climb higher in the middleweight rankings.
No Contest
Unfortunately, this exciting matchup never got going and the contest was declared a no-contest after eleven seconds. Khizriev extended his fingers in the first exchange, poking Muradov in the eye, and sending him to the canvas in pain.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
