UFC 333: Azamat Murzakanov vs Dominick Reyes Preview & Prediction
by Owen Liao ·
Two southpaw knockout artists collide at light heavyweight, as Azamat Murzakanov looks to bounce back from his first career loss against former title challenger Dominick Reyes.
Azamat Murzakanov vs Dominick Reyes facts
What time are Azamat Murzakanov and Dominick Reyes expected to walk out?
Where is UFC 333: Volkanovski vs Evloev? Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Where can I get tickets for UFC 333: Volkanovski vs Evloev? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC 333
What TV channel is UFC 333: Volkanovski vs Evloev on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount
Where can I stream UFC 333: Volkanovski vs Evloev? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC 333: Volkanovski vs Evloev main card
Alexander Volkanovski vs Movsar Evloev (Featherweight)
Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili (Bantamweight)
Lone’er Kavanagh vs Ramazan Temirov (Flyweight)
Alexander Volkov vs Rizvan Kuniev (Heavyweight)
Aaron Pico vs Losene Keita (Featherweight)
UFC 333: Volkanovski vs Evloev prelims
Azamat Murzakanov vs Dominick Reyes (Light Heavyweight)
Nikita Krylov vs Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev (Light Heavyweight)
Abusupiyan Magomedov vs Cameron Rowston (Middleweight)
Grant Dawson vs Nurullo Aliev (Lightweight)
Colby Thicknesse vs Asaf Chopurov (Bantamweight)
Abubakar Vagaev vs Jacob Malkoun (Middleweight)
Bolaji Oki vs Daniel Santos (Lightweight)
Kody Steele vs Noah Gugnon (Lightweight)
Iasmin Lucindo vs Nicolle Caliari (Women’s Strawweight)
Azamat Murzakanov: Compact Soviet boxer with dynamite in his hands
Azamat Murzakanov (16-1) went 6-0 in the UFC before Paulo Costa handed him his first career defeat in April. He’s undersized for light heavyweight at 5'10" with a 71.5" reach, but he carries enormous power. His Soviet boxing base keeps him light on his feet with disciplined distance management. Fighting exclusively from southpaw, he fires fast jabs, straights and one-twos, mixes well to the body, and keeps his combinations short unless he’s chasing a finish. His standout weapon is the step-in jab, which knocked down Jacoby and dropped Rakic for a first-round finish last October. Against Costa though, heavy kicks to the leg and body broke him down before a head-kick finish in the third.
Dominick Reyes: The uncrowned king from the past with a glass chin
Dominick Reyes (16-5) has rebuilt his career after a brutal three-fight skid. He knocked out Dustin Jacoby and Nikita Krylov and stopped Anthony Smith, before Carlos Ulberg flattened him in the first round last September. He bounced back with a split decision over Johnny Walker in April. Fundamentally, Reyes is one of the more composed strikers in the division – a rangy southpaw with good boxing, a sharp check hook, calf kicks at range and fast, powerful kicks to the head. He likes to counter off the back foot, and his takedown defence is strong. The problem is the chin. Four of his five losses have come by knockout.
Azamat Murzakanov vs Dominick Reyes prediction
The southpaw VS southpaw dynamic takes away one of the best routes to beating Murzakanov. Costa broke him down with open-stance kicks to the body and lead leg, but in a closed stance those lanes simply aren’t there. Reyes also does his best work countering aggressive strikers. Murzakanov’s patient, disciplined approach at range won’t hand him those openings as freely.
Murzakanov has the power to end this with a single shot, and Reyes doesn’t have the chin to absorb it. Reyes holds a six-inch reach advantage, but the step-in piston jab that dropped Rakic is built for closing exactly that kind of distance. The most likely ending I see is Reyes getting caught coming in with a stiff, downward jab on the chin.
Reyes isn’t without a path. His calf kicks should land at range, and if he chops the legs enough to take away Murzakanov’s movement, he could find a late finish or win on the cards. Costa also showed that heavy head kicks can break down Murzakanov’s guard over time, and Reyes has the kicks to follow that blueprint. But Murzakanov should find the chin long before that plays out. I don’t see this going to the third.
Prediction: Azamat Murzakanov to win by KO/TKO
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Nikita Krylov vs Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev (UFC 333)
Azamat Murzakanov vs Dominick Reyes (UFC 333)
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