UFC London | Main Card Preview
Saturday, March 19th (4:00 PM EST Main Card, 1:00 PM EST Prelims)
Alexander Volkov vs. Tom Aspinall
WATCH - There are only 3 heavyweights in the world capable of being entertaining past round 1, and this fight has 2 of them! #6 Volkov is a Bellator champion, an M-1 champion, and a permanent striking force in the top 10 of this division. It takes an incredible amount of power or skill to make it past the Volkov gate. England's #11 Tom Aspinall has looked like a future star since he entered the UFC with impressive finishes over talented fighters like Andrei Arlovski and Sergey Spivak. But Tom Aspinall has relied on his reach and quickness going against UFC opponents who were 2+ inches shorter than him, and either very old, very young, or just straight up not that good. Volkov is taller than Aspinall, is currently in his prime (low to mid 30s for heavyweights) and went to a close 5 round decision with #1 Ciyrl Gane recently who was a much better prospect than Aspinall. This is a meteoric rise in competition for Aspinall, and it is to the moon if he can take out Volkov the way he has done his previous opponents.
Arnold Allen vs. Dan Hooker
WATCH - England's #7 Arnold Allen just had his best win against #12 Sodiq Yusuf age very well after Sodiq's performance this past weekend. But that is all he has. Dan Hooker has it all! 18 men have risked their lives in the octagon against Hooker. Only 7 have succeeded. Hooker has incredible quality losses against Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler, and Edson Barboza. And he is making the intelligent decision of dropping down a weight class when you are already lanky at your previous weight class and could fill out your frame more in the opposite direction. I bet Allen is really upset he has to fight this highly recognizable name instead of one no known killers that sits around him in the featherweight rankings.
Paddy Pimblett vs. Kazula Vargas
WATCH - Will he be the next Conor McGregor? Will he lose before he even gets to the rankings? No matter what happens, lovers and haters of England's Paddy Pimblett will generate so much energy towards this fight that it will feel even bigger than the main event!
Gunnar Nelson vs. Takashi Sato
WATCH - Gunnar Nelson only wins by submission. Takashi Sato only wins by TKO. Get ready for all the hardcore fans to reignite the rock paper scissors style debates when discussing this fight as if two inactive fighters past their peak have any relevancy towards which disciplines counter others.
Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Sergei Pavlovich
WATCH - Not falling for this. 0% chance Pavlovich actually makes it into the octagon without pulling out of this fight. Fool me once... Although it is the perfect opportunity to get things going again as #10 heavyweight Shamil has been a rather easy stepping-stone lately.
Nikita Krylov vs. Paul Craig
WATCH - Know that #6 Magomed Ankalaev guy who just beat Thiago Santos in a main event last week? PAUL CRAIG SUBMITTED HIM! Know that #10 Jamahall Hill guy who knocked out Jimmy Crute and Johnny Walker in the first round? PAUL CRAIG TKOD HIM! NO ONE IS SAFE, #11 PAUL CRAIG IS THE TRUE KING OF THE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION!
*Nothing contained in this post is financial advice, please bet at your own risk