MMA Preview – Umar Nurmagomedov vs Raoni Barcelos at UFC Vegas 67
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UMAR NURMAGOMEDOV VS RAONI BARCELOS FACTS
When is UFC Fight Night 217? Saturday 14th January, 2023 - 22:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC Fight Night 217? UFC APEX, Enterprise, Nevada (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night 217? Click here to buy tickets for UFC Fight Night
What channel is UFC Fight Night 217 on? BT Sport 1
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night 217? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
UMAR NURMAGOMEDOV VS RAONI BARCELOS LOWDOWN
The dark horse of the bantamweight division Umar Nurmagomedov (15-0) makes an early appearance after two outings last year. After submitting Sergey Morozov two years ago we did not see him for over a year. However, it was worth the wait as he went on to wrap up another rear-naked choke, this time on Brian Kelleher (2022) and followed that up with a unanimous decision over Nate Maness back in June.
Not many people were expecting Raoni Barcelos (17-3) to be on a two-fight skid after steamrolling his first five UFC opponents. Timur Valiev (2021) inflicted his first defeat in nine fights with a majority decision and then Victor Henry made it two decision losses in a row (2022). However, Barcelos is back in the win column with a unanimous decision of his own against Trevin Jones back in October.
UMAR NURMAGOMEDOV VS RAONI BARCELOS PREDICTION
This is a very high-level fight to kick off the main card. Nurmagomedov has some of the strongest grappling in the division with striking that continues to improve. Barcelos is also a grappler by trade as an accomplished Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. However, his striking is at a much higher level with a Muay Thai background.
Their skills make this a very compelling match-up. Barcelos is an extremely strong wrestler himself and has a 93% takedown defence. We expect that stat to take a dent here so it will be a question of how much damage he can land on the feet in between takedown attempts.
Nurmagomedov’s striking is underrated and we can see him testing his ego. Considering Barcelos is a colossal underdog, he represents the only value bet. However, we feel it will only be a matter of time before the Russian calls upon his bread and butter, ties Barcelos up and suffocates him long enough to earn a decision.
Prediction: Nurmagomedov via Decision - CLICK HERE FOR PARIMATCH'S WELCOME OFFER (BET £5, GET £30 IN BONUSES!)
Value Bet: Barcelos to win
