UFC Fight Night: Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev vs Julius Walker Preview & Prediction
A light heavyweight showcase on the Baku card, as unbeaten Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev looks to extend his run of first-round stoppages against American Julius Walker.
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev vs Julius Walker facts
What time are Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev and Julius Walker expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs Torres? National Gymnastics Arena, Baku, Azerbaijan
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs Torres? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 280
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs Torres on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs Torres? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs Torres main card
Rafael Fiziev vs Manuel Torres (Lightweight)
Sharabutdin Magomedov vs Michel Pereira (Middleweight)
Nazim Sadykhov vs Matheus Camilo (Lightweight)
Asu Almabayev vs Charles Johnson (Flyweight)
Ikram Aliskerov vs Brunno Ferreira (Middleweight)
Abusupiyan Magomedov vs Michal Oleksiejczuk (Middleweight)
UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs Torres prelims
Farman Hasanov vs Eric Nolan (Welterweight)
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev vs Julius Walker (Light Heavyweight)
Nursulton Ruziboev vs Andrey Pulyaev (Middleweight)
Kaan Ofli vs Javier Reyes (Featherweight)
Daniil Donchenko vs Theodor Berggren (Welterweight)
Bekzat Almakhan vs Jean Matsumoto (Bantamweight)
Tahir Abdullayev vs Jefferson Nascimento (Welterweight)
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev: 25-year-old wrecking ball with a first-round habit
Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev (9-0) has been one of the most destructive prospects to land in the light heavyweight picture, finishing eight of his nine wins with just a single decision on his record. The Chechen-born finisher needed only 30 seconds to earn his UFC contract on the Contender Series, and another 33 seconds to submit Rafael Cerqueira on his debut. In his last fight, he choked out Brendson Ribeiro inside three minutes after taking some shots on the feet. His grappling is the main weapon, but he’s good on the feet too, and at just 25, he’s already a crazy all-rounder. He’s the real deal.
Julius Walker: Athletic slow-starter searching for form
Julius Walker (7-2) is a former college basketball player out of Missouri, who arrived in the UFC with real athletic upside but has since gone 1-2 inside the octagon. After dropping a decision on his debut to Alonzo Menifield, he got his first promotional win over Rafael Cerqueira before being finished by Dustin Jacoby in the second round via TKO. The 6’4” fighter possesses decent power in his hands, with four knockouts to his name, but he’s a slow starter who can tighten up and stand tall under pressure.
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev vs Julius Walker prediction
Walker needed all fifteen minutes to outpoint Cerqueira, Yakhyaev wrapped it up in 33 seconds. That’s the finishing instinct that we’ll see in his matchup. Yakhyaev is explosive, physical, and starts incredibly fast, exactly the recipe to overwhelm a fighter who habitually needs time to warm into the fight. Walker’s habit of stiffening up with his head back and fighting upright when the jab comes at him is an invitation for Yakhyaev to change levels and shoot, planting him on the mat, where Yakhyaev wants him.
There’s very little to suggest Walker can pull this off. He has a puncher’s chance, catching Yakhyaev clean on one of his fast entries and hoping the chin gives, but we’ve seen him eat shots against Ribeiro and he still marched through them to the finish. Ribeiro is also a sharper grappler than Walker, so even on the canvas, it plays into the favourite’s hands. The market has this very one sided, and it’s hard to argue otherwise. The only question is the method, will Yakhyaev ground and pound him for the finish, or submit him? The opening-round stoppage is the most likely outcome, I can see this being over in the first three minutes. Yakhyaev is a lock.
Prediction: Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev to win in round one
