Preview: UFC Baku Prelims

Flyweights

Tagir Ulanbekov (16-2, 5-1 UFC) vs. Azat Maksum (15-1, 1-1 UFC)

ODDS: Ulanbekov (-380), Maksum (+300)

Ulanbekov’s win over Clayton Carpenter in January served as a nice reminder of what the Russian can do, and he looks to keep the momentum going with another win here. Ulanbekov has the typical Dagestani game you would expect, with some capable striking serving as a change-up for some strong wrestling and grappling skills, but he has some interesting dynamics for a flyweight. He’s large for the division and not particularly athletic per the flyweight standard, but he’s technically sound, making it a fascinating game of cat-and-mouse when he’s trying to stay ahead of a more explosive athlete. So far, Tim Elliott has been the only man in the UFC dogged enough to drag Ulanbekov into a losing performance, but he has had to thread the needle at other points, making his upside an open question. Ulanbekov’s UFC career has been marred by some long stretches of inactivity that have hampered his momentum, which includes a year-plus layoff ahead of his fight against Carpenter. Ulanbekov was initially supposed to face UFC returnee and former title challenger Kyoji Horiguchi in this assignment, but instead, Maksum gets a big spot despite losing his last fight. Maksum’s an obvious athletic talent but came to the UFC with an approach that hasn’t exactly impressed against high-level competition despite an undefeated regional record. Maksum has a low-output striking game that hasn’t really overwhelmed his opponents, and the wrestling that served as a backstop for his regional record hasn’t led to much control against the likes of Tyson Nam and Charles Johnson. The Johnson fight was the first time Maksum wasn’t able to get a win over the finish line, so there’s hope he could adjust; and if he fights with a more aggressive approach, he could quickly become a problem for the rest of the flyweight division. For now, Ulanbekov should be able to win rounds through a workmanlike performance. The pick is Ulanbekov via decision.

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