Adam Fugitt vs Islam Dulatov at UFC 318 | Preview & Prediction
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After alternating wins and losses through his first four UFC fights, Adam Fugitt wants to establish himself as a threat at 170 pounds. But to do that, he’ll have to turn back the considerable threat of German finisher Islam Dulatov, who has arrived in the UFC looking to make an instant impact on his Octagon debut.
Adam Fugitt vs Islam Dulatov facts
What time are Adam Fugitt and Islam Dulatov expected to walk out?
Where is UFC 318? Smoothie king Center, New Orleans, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC 318? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC 318
What TV channel is UFC 318 on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN
Where can I stream UFC 318? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC 318 main card
Max Holloway vs Dustin Poirier (Lightweight)
Paulo Costa vs Roman Kopylov (Middleweight)
Kevin Holland vs Daniel Rodriguez (Welterweight)
Dan Ige vs Patrício Pitbull (Featherweight)
Michael Johnson vs Daniel Zellhuber (Lightweight)
UFC 318 prelims
Kyler Phillips vs Vinicius Oliveira (Bantamweight)
Marvin Vettori vs Brendan Allen (Middleweight)
Francisco Prado vs Nikolay Veretennikov (Welterweight)
Ateba Abega Gautier vs Robert Valentin (Middleweight)
Adam Fugitt vs Islam Dulatov (Welterweight)
Jimmy Crute vs Marcin Prachnio (Light Heavyweight)
Ryan Spann vs Lukasz Brzeski (Heavyweight)
Brunno Ferreira vs Jackson McVey (Middleweight)
Carli Judice vs Nicolle Caliari (Women’s Flyweight)
Adam Fugitt: Oregon native chasing consistency on the big stage
After building an impressive 8-2 record on the regional scene, Adam Fugitt was thrown to the wolves on his UFC debut, and has been trying to bounce back ever since.
Fugitt’s first fight in the Octagon saw him matched with Ecuadorian sensation Michael Morales as he fell to a third-round TKO defeat at UFC 277. But he bounced back admirably with an impressive first-round TKO finish of Japanese Contender Series graduate Yusaku Kinoshita in February.
That win saw Fugitt thrust into a matchup with rising Canadian star Mike Malott, and Fugitt succumbed to a second-round rear-naked choke as he fell to defeat once again. But a split-decision win over Josh Quinlan in June put him back in the win column once again.
Now matched with dangerous newcomer Islam Dulatov, Fugitt will be determined to claim back-to-back victories for the first time as a UFC fighter as he looks to start stacking victories in a bid to make his way up the crowded welterweight division.
Islam Dulatov: German finisher looks for statement win on UFC debut
Islam Dulatov is a bona fide finisher, and will look to showcase his rapid-fire fighting style as he makes his Octagon debut against Adam Fugitt this weekend.
Since losing his professional debut on the scorecards back in 2019, Dulatov has been perfect inside the cage, having reeled off 11 straight victories, with all of those wins coming inside the distance.
Ten of his victories have come inside the opening round, and, his debut defeat aside, hasn’t gone beyond the second round. His last appearance on the European scene saw him compete for the respected Czech-Slovak promotion OKTAGON MMA, where he finished the durable Greek contender John Palaiologos via first-round knockout.
That win had the OKTAGON fans excited for a potential title challenge for Dulatov, but instead he was invited to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series last October. His first-round knockout of Vanilto Antunes earned him a UFC contract, and a debut matchup with Fugitt.
The pair were originally set to face off in February, but injury to the German forced the fight back, and now they’re set to do battle in NOLA on Saturday night’s preliminary card.
Adam Fugitt vs Islam Dulatov prediction
The pair have had to wait an extra five months due to Dulatov’s injury, but Fugitt and Dulatov will finally face off in New Orleans having had plenty of time to prepare for each other.
Fugitt may be the more experienced man at UFC level, but against Dulatov he’s facing a man with proven finishing skills, and a penchant for first-round finishes. It means that, for Fugitt to stand any chance of success in New Orleans, he’s going to have to weather an early storm and get out of the first round.
The problem with that tactic is that invariably Dulatov only needs one round. Despite his record showing a string of quickfire finishes, he’s actually a pretty patient operator, but when the openings come, he takes them in clinical fashion.
Fugitt will likely hang tough early, and look to take the German to the mat. But Dulatov will eventually set his feet and let his shots go. And when he does, expect him to add to his list of inside-the-distance victories.
Prediction: Islam Dulatov to win by KO/TKO
