UFC Fight Night 265: Bekzat Almakhan vs Aleksandre Topuria Preview & Prediction
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Aleksandre Topuria returns for his sophomore UFC appearance, with the Georgian poised to throw down with the hard hitting Bekzat Almakhan.
Bekzat Almakhan vs Aleksandre Topuria facts
What time are Bekzat Almakhan and Aleksandre Topuria expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker? Ali Bin Hamad al-Attiyah Arena, Al Rayyan, Qatar
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs Hooker? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night 265: Tsarukyan vs Hooker main card
Arman Tsarukyan vs Dan Hooker (Lightweight)
Belal Muhammad vs Ian Machado Garry (Welterweight)
Volkan Oezdemir vs Alonzo Menifield (Light Heavyweight)
Jack Hermansson vs Myktybek Orolbai (Welterweight)
Serghei Spivac vs Shamil Gaziev (Heavyweight)
Alex Perez vs Asu Almabayev (Flyweight)
UFC Fight Night 265: Tsarukyan vs Hooker prelims
Bogdan Grad vs Luke Riley (Featherweight)
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev vs Rafael Cerqueira (Light Heavyweight)
Tagir Ulanbekov vs Kyoji Horiguchi (Flyweight)
Bekzat Almakhan vs Aleksandre Topuria (Bantamweight)
Ismail Naurdiev vs Ryan Loder (Middleweight)
Nurullo Aliev vs Shaqueme Rock (Lightweight)
Nicolas Dalby vs Saygid Izagakhmaev (Welterweight)
Marek Bujlo vs Denzel Freeman (Heavyweight)
Bekzat Almakhan: Can "The Turan Warrior" halt the Topuria hype train in its tracks?
Kazakh KO artist, Bekzat Almakhan (12-2), couldn't have pulled a much more difficult card for his debut, drawing the then undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov for his first opponent. However, "The Turan Warrior" arguably exceeded expectations, dropping Umar in the first round before eventually succumbing to the famed Nurmagomedov grappling pressure as the fight progressed. However, the 28 year old prospect proceeded to rebound in impressive fashion, planishing Brad Katona with a vicious first round TKO at UFC 315 to push his promotional record to 1-1. An ever present danger on the feet, Almakhan has ten KO victories and has only ever been to the scorecards on two ocassions throughout his career.
Aleksandre Topuria: "El Conquistador" returns following a successful debut looking to push his promotional record to 2-0
Older brother to current top P4P contender and lightweight kingpin, Ilia Topuria, Aleksandre Topuria (6-1) might not necessarily possess the murderous KO power associated with his younger sibling, but still looks to be a well-rounded, exciting addition to the UFC ranks. "El Conquistador" debuted in the promotion with a decision victory over the undefeated Colby Thicknesse at UFC 312, producing a polished and technical performance that has many fans wondering what his ultimate ceiling might end up looking like. However, the remainder of the twenty nine year old's resume is far from convincing, featuring wins over the likes of Alberto Ibanez (1-9) or Lucas Tenoria (7-18-1).
Bekzat Almakhan vs Aleksandre Topuria prediction
Sound the upset alarm bells here.
Riding a five fight win streak, Topuria seemingly does everything with perfect technique, seamlessly transitioning between striking and grappling in a manner akin to his brother, Ilia. However, while he undoubtedly has the aura of a Topuria, Aleksandre's strength of schedule gives legitimate cause for concern here. Thicknesse is his best win by a country mile, and the Australian does not currently have the hype or stock that he did heading into their matchup as an undefeated prospect.
On the other side of the Octagon, Almakhan is no joke. He's coming off a brutal finish over Brad Katona in his most recent appearance, and in the fight before that, dropped top bantamweight contender, Umar Nurmagomedov, badly in the early stages of their contest. He's clearly got some serious power for the division, with a high-output, dynamic striking style to boot. If Topuria was unable to KO Thicknesse, the chances that he's going to land a monstrous one-punch stoppage here look exceedingly slim.
Given that the Kazakh has been fighting, beating, and even finishing better competition than Topuria has ever faced, it's somewhat baffling that he's the underdog here. He's got a considerable edge in experience and is more than capable of gutting his way through tough situations; the man took Umar Nurmagomedov to a decision, for heaven's sake! He's also a capable finisher; even if Topuria wants to engage in a firefight on the feet, there's no guarantee that he's going to emerge victorious.
"The Turan Warrior" survives some early danger to score the upset TKO, bringing Topuria's hype train screeching to a halt in the process.
Prediction: Bekzat Almakhan to win by TKO
