UFC 326: Cody Durden vs Nyamjargal Tumendemberel Preview & Prediction
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Flyweights are on deck for the fifth fight of the night, with Cody Durden tasked with welcoming the returning Nyamjargal Tumendemberel back to the Octagon.
Cody Durden vs Nyamjargal Tumendemberel facts
What time are Cody Durden and Nyamjargal Tumendemberel expected to walk out?
Where is UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira 2? T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira 2? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC 326
What TV channel is UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira 2 on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Not televised
Where can I stream UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira 2? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira 2 main card
Max Holloway vs Charles Oliveira (Lightweight)
Caio Borralho vs Reinier de Ridder (Middleweight)
Rob Font vs Raul Rosas Jr. (Bantamweight)
Drew Dober vs Michael Johnson (Lightweight)
Gregory Rodrigues vs Brunno Ferreira (Middleweight)
UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira 2 prelims
Cody Garbrandt vs Xiao Long (Bantamweight)
Donte Johnson vs Cody Brundage (Middleweight)
Ricky Turcios vs Alberto Montes (Featherweight)
Cody Durden vs Nyamjargal Tumendemberel (Flyweight)
Su Mudaerji vs Jesus Santos Aguilar (Flyweight)
Rafael Tobias vs Diyar Nurgozhay (Light Heavyweight)
Lee Jeong-yeong vs Gaston Bolanos (Featherweight)
Luke Fernandez vs Rodolfo Bellato (Light Heavyweight)
Cody Durden: What does "Custom Made" have left in the tank at this stage in his career?
A staple at flyweight since 2020, Cody Durden (17-9-1) makes the walk on Saturday night looking to snap the first three fight losing skid of his career. A grinding wrestler, Durden has fought a litany of top contenders at flyweight since joining the promotion, facing the likes of Joshua Van, Muhammad Mokaev, and Tagir Ulanbekov throughout his tenure. He's had some notable highs in the forms of wins over divisional mainstays like Charles Johnson and Matt Schnell, but at 34, the American appears to be losing a step in a division where speed reigns supreme. In addition to being on a three fight losing streak, Durden has been brutally finished in his two most recent defeats.
Nyamjargal Tumendemberel: The Mongolian prospect looks for his first win under the UFC banner
Best known for a number of impressive performances on Road to UFC and an 89% finish rate, Nyamjargal Tumendemberel (9-1) is poised to make his second UFC performance on Saturday night after coming up short in a high-paced debut against Carlos Hernandez in 2024. Despite his nickname of “Art of Knockout,” the 27 year old Mongolian is primarily a submission threat, with six wins by tap out to his name to underline the danger that he poses on the mat. At 5'7 with a 71' reach, he's well sized for the division, leveraging his rangy frame and distance striking to set up opportunities to score submissions.
Cody Durden vs Nyamjargal Tumendemberel prediction
Durden may have hit a rough patch form as of late, but he should still be favored to win this. While he’s undoubtedly had his share of rough results, the American has shared the cage with some of the best names that the division has to offer. In addition to wins over divisional staples like Matt Schnell and Charles Johnson, he took current champion, Joshua Van, to a decision less than two years ago.
By contrast, Tumendemberel only has a single UFC fight under his belt, losing to Carlos Hernandez by split decision back in 2024. The Mongolian has looked extremely impressive on Road to UFC, but his overall strength of schedule leaves a lot to be desired. He’s also completely unproven in terms of takedown defense against UFC caliber fighters, a state of affairs that could well prove costly against a relentless wrestler like “Custom Made.”
However, Durden is by no means guaranteed to win this; he's looked incredibly chinny as of late and his reckless approach could well see him plant his neck in a choke attempting to ground Tumendemberel. The American has never been a great striker and finds himself on the wrong end of a four inch edge in reach here, meaning that the Mongolian could conceivably find success through effective distance management and stinging him at range, potentially even latching up a submission after he hurts the American on the feet.
It could go either way, but Durden’s wrestling remains the most proven commodity in terms of X-factors in this matchup. This take could age dismally given how awful the American has looked in his last few fights, but the pick is Durden by decision.
Prediction: Cody Durden to win by decision
