UFC Fight Night 136: Main Card Staff Predictions
The UFC returns to Europe on Saturday, making its promotional debut in Russia with Fight Night 136.
It's a fitting landing sport for MMA's worldwide leader, given that the biggest fight of 2018 is mere weeks away and is featuring Russian champion Khabib Nurmagomedov headlining against Conor McGregor.
With names like Zabit Magomedsharipov and Alexander Volkov also rocketing up the ranks—and obviously, the legendary Fedor Emelianenko calling the country home and competing in MMA since the days of Pride—the UFC has been primed to plant a flag on Russian soil for some time.
Mark Hunt and Oleksiy Oleinik headline the event, which consists of a four-fight main card, and Matthew Ryder, Scott Harris, Nathan McCarter and Steven Rondina are here to predict some of the outcomes.
Alexey Kunchenko vs. Thiago Alves
1 of 4
Ryder: This feels like a classic lesson in the levels of this game. Alexey Kunchenko is 18-0, but his wins have happened in unheralded promotions against unheard-of opponents.
Thiago Alves has been a longstanding UFC staple and, though he's had mixed results recently, he remains a nasty bit of business for anyone who isn't used to competing at the absolute highest levels.
Alves, unanimous decision
Harris: If you don't know Kunchenko, here's your chance. The M-1 champ is a knockout savant, with 13 on his perfect 18-0 pro record.
Alves is a tested but aging competitor who appears to be considered little more than a stylistically favorable foil for an exciting new name in European MMA. I wouldn't put it past Alves to flip that script, but I wouldn't bet on it either.
Kunchenko, TKO, Rd. 3
McCarter: I did not know much about Kunchenko, and Scott just sold me on picking him.
It is more an indictment of where I think Alves is at in his career. Father Time is undefeated. If Kunchenko is as advertised, we could get another excellent matchup for the heavy hitters in the division. I'll mimic Harris and take the newcomer.
Kunchenko, TKO, Rd. 2
Rondina: This isn't a can-crusher for Kunchenko given how Alves is still reasonably solid, but it's a matchup designed for him to win. He should be able to make the most of that opportunity, but I'm expecting Alves to keep things competitive enough that Kunchenko is forced to play the long game en route to the scorecards.
Kunchenko, unanimous decision
Andrei Arlovski vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov
2 of 4
Ryder: Andrei Arlovski has made a late-career surge out of stopping the momentum of guys who should beat him, and this is shaping up to be one such instance.
Arlovski's clinch and takedown defense are good enough to keep the fight upright, and Shamil Abdurakhimov has a penchant for getting hurt by heavy hands. Arlovski by stoppage.
Arlovski, TKO, Rd. 1
Harris: Abdurakhimov is a known knockout quantity, but he's not exactly an irresistible force. By the same token, Arlovski's chin is nowhere near an immovable object, even if he has surmounted those concerns in recent bouts. Still, color me skeptical.
Abdurakhimov, TKO, Rd. 2
McCarter: Time and again I pick against Arlovski because of his weak chin. Or his perceived weak chin. But I was cageside in Chicago watching him hang with Tai Tuivasa for 15 minutes. That speaks highly to his skills.
I'll take the veteran to score another victory and show he's still in the mix at heavyweight.
Arlovski, unanimous decision
Rondina: Unless Abdurakhimov can catch Arlovski with something big (which, granted, is completely possible), this is the veteran's fight to lose.
Arlovski successfully came out the other side of his recent losing streak just fine and showed that he's still competitive against Tai Tuivasa. Look for him to score a convincing win here over an aged, middling Abdurakhimov...albeit not necessarily one that comes in particularly impressive fashion.
Arlovski, unanimous decision
Jan Blachowicz vs. Nikita Krylov
3 of 4
Ryder: Did anyone ever really feel like Nikita Krylov was bad? That he wasn't UFC-caliber? I certainly didn't.
Now that he's back, I think he's going to start a nice upward trajectory in the promotion as he enters into his athletic prime. Jan Blachowicz is his first victim.
Krylov, unanimous decision
Harris: Well, well, well, lookie what we have here. After a two-year sabbatical in local Russian promotions, the cult hero with the sledgehammer fists and the devil-may-care attitude is back in the UFC.
The Pole Blachowicz is a tough veteran on a three-fight win streak over some pretty impressive names, but no one can stand in the way of destiny.
Krylov, KO, Rd. 1
McCarter: I'll pick Krylov here almost on general principle. But let's go a touch beyond that, shall we?
Blachowicz has failed to live up to his expectations since entering the UFC, and he has hit a ceiling. Krylov went away, put in work and now gets his second chance. This is a great first matchup to see just how much he has improved. He'll look good in a win to reinvigorate his UFC tenure.
Krylov, TKO, Rd. 2
Rondina: I'm ride or die with Jan Blachowicz at this point. He's always been talented and, for whatever reason, he seems to have finally hit his stride.
He'll rain on Krylov's homecoming party here and hopefully move on to bigger, better fights from here.
Blachowicz, unanimous decision
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Mark Hunt vs. Oleksiy Oliynyk
4 of 4
Ryder: Oliynyk is just an absolute bear of a man, and I feel that he can withstand some of what Hunt might dish out, but Hunt's takedown defense is actually good and he only needs to land one big one to close things up for the night.
Hunt, KO, Rd. 2
Harris: This puts the "classic" in the classic striker-grappler matchup. Each is a venerated competitor with a heavy reliance on his respective specialty.
The 41-year-old Oliynyk has two Ezekiel choke finishes in his last four bouts. The 44-year-old Hunt has dropped two of three but can still knock the engine block out of a '67 Chevy. The striker gets back on the right side of the ledger this weekend.
Hunt, TKO, Rd. 2
McCarter: If this were 2008, I'd be taking Oliynyk. But it's 2018. Hunt's takedown and submission defense has improved substantially, and if Oliynyk can't score takedowns, he is in trouble. He will be in trouble. Hunt stuffs the takedowns early and lambastes him with a murderous right hand.
Hunt, KO, Rd. 1
Rondina: If this was Hunt against some hot up-and-comer, I'd be kind of shaky. Against another old-timer? And one that doesn't have an especially strong wrestling game? That's a recipe for a vintage Hunt performance.
The Super Samoan keeps it standing, lands something heavy and makes us all believe in Pride again.
Hunt, TKO, Rd. 3
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
