We have a treat of a main event this weekend as the #6 lightweight Rafael Fiziev will be meeting the #7 ranked Mateusz Gamrot in the octagon. These two are arguably the highest-skilled martial artists in the division and it will be a chess match on Saturday night being played out in front of us.
While there are no questions about the skill of each fighter, this fight will depend on who can implement their game plan and be efficient inside the octagon once that gate locks. The quiet UFC APEX will allow the fans to hear all the shots landing and the coaches making adjustments in the corners.
Let’s take a closer look at this matchup and see where the best bet will be on this weekend’s betting slip.
Rafael Fiziev–Can He Turn Into a Wrestler?
Fiziev is coming off a very close decision loss to the BMF title holder, Justin Gaethje. He was hurt by that decision but plans on taking his game to the next level and taking on a completely different challenge this weekend.
The key to this fight for Fiziev will be his defensive wrestling. Even though he will probably want to be the enforcer, he is going to have to do something about the relentless takedown attempts that will most likely be coming his way from Gamrot.
Fiziev holds a very impressive 90% takedown defense coming into this one, but he has surely never faced a grappler quite like Gamrot and the relentlessness that he brings to the table.
Mateusz Gamrot–Needs a Statement Win
Gamrot has made it a priority in the media this week that he wants to make a statement with his performance this weekend. If he wins in spectacular or dominant fashion, that puts him in line for a top-5 contender fight with title implications–especially with the need for new blood in the lightweight title picture.
The key to this fight for Gamrot is to stay on the offensive. If he lets Fiziev take control of the octagon and make himself fight off the back foot, it’s going to be a painful night at the office for Gamrot, taking heavy kicks to the body and lightning-fast combinations.
Gamrot will always show up in shape and ready to relentlessly chase takedowns and put pressure on his opponents. This will be an amazing fight because both men will need to put pressure on the other to be successful.
Fiziev vs. Gamrot Pick and Prediction
After watching the tape on both of these guys and breaking down the available betting lines as well, the Fiziev vs. Gamrot prediction is just as tough as it seemed to be when this fight was announced.
Both guys are true professionals, staying in great shape, and willing to die in the octagon every time they step foot in it. The official prediction is that Fiziev is going to get his hand raised. It’s too tough to predict if he will finish Gamrot, but he probably won’t. It’s going to be a close decision over 25 minutes but Fiziev has the tools and the timing to put more damage on Gamrot than he will take.
The early rounds will decide the fight. If Fiziev can stuff takedowns before they are both sweaty and bloody, then the later rounds will move in Fiziev’s favor in pretty much all aspects of the fight.
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