UFC Fight Night: Cody Gibson vs Abdul Hussein Preview & Prediction
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A bantamweight bout to open up the prelims in Abu Dhabi sees dynamic finisher Abdul Hussein debut against UFC veteran Cody Gibson.
Cody Gibson vs Abdul Hussein facts
What time are Cody Gibson and Abdul Hussein expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs Guskov? Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs Guskov? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 282
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs Guskov on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs Guskov? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs Guskov main card
Magomed Ankalaev vs Bogdan Guskov (Light Heavyweight)
Steve Erceg vs Ramazan Temirov (Flyweight)
Islam Dulatov vs Wellington Turman (Welterweight)
Magomed Zaynukov vs Damian Rzepecki (Lightweight)
Rizvan Kuniev vs Tyrell Fortune (Heavyweight)
Abubakar Vagaev vs Saygid Izagakhmaev (Welterweight)
UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs Guskov prelims
Valter Walker vs Thomas Petersen (Heavyweight)
Dustin Jacoby vs Muhammad Said (Light Heavyweight)
Santiago Ponzinibbio vs Sam Patterson (Welterweight)
Ismael Bonfim vs Axel Sola (Lightweight)
Magomed Tuchalov vs Brendson Ribeiro (Light Heavyweight)
Nurullo Aliev vs Mike Davis (Lightweight)
Cody Gibson vs Abdul Hussein (Bantamweight)
Cody Gibson: Well-rounded vet comes in on short notice
Cody Gibson (21-12) is 2-4 since returning to the promotion, a run that includes an arm triangle over Brian Kelleher and a decision over Chad Anheliger. In his most recent fights, Gibson was kimura’d by Blackshear and was also dropped with a perfect right hand by Aori Qileng in the first round last October. Gibson is a wrestle heavy pressure fighter who works at a decent pace, mixes boxing combinations to the body and head, and has decent takedowns combined with clinch work. However, a lot of the time his shots are not set up and they get stuffed easily, he also desperately swings on the feet when he’s hurt.
Abdul Hussein: “King” finally gets his call up
Abdul Hussein (15-2) makes his octagon debut riding an eight-fight win streak, every single one of them by finish. Born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon before his family moved to Finland, the 28-year-old is a two-time IMMAF amateur champion who most recently flattened former UFC flyweight Tyson Nam with a right hand, the first time Nam had been stopped on the feet since 2013. Hussein is a grappler first, patiently closing distance before latching onto trips in the clinch, chaining wrestling together and flowing into submissions with vicious elbows too. He’s a well-rounded fighter but the caveat is the competition level he’s faced, and at 5’5”, he’s a very undersized bantamweight.
Cody Gibson vs Abdul Hussein prediction
The bookies have Hussein as a huge favourite but it doesn’t feel like it should be that one sided. Gibson has fought at a far higher level for far longer, and he brings a huge frame advantage going into this match up. At least in the opening round, Gibson should be the stronger man in the clinch and capable of denying a trip, which goes against Hussein’s game of closing the distance down and getting a hold of people.
Gibson’s path to victory is obvious. He needs to keep this at range where the size advantage lies, chop into Hussein’s legs with kicks to make the later takedown threat harder to land, slow Hussein down, and lean on the extra experience to make this fight dirty – stall in the clinch, hold certain positions, wear down the speed difference. The issue is that, at this age, the cardio edge will most likely belong to the 28 year old Hussein, and the later rounds are where Gibson may have to resort to grappling – the place where Hussein is most dangerous. Hussein is also insanely fast, latches onto submissions rapidly, and is busy with elbows and ground and pound when on top.
Gibson has been guillotined before, his fight IQs not great, he shoots without set up, and his entries aren’t quick or strong enough to be anything but sloppy at times. Don’t be too surprised if the vet can craft out a decision, but in all honesty the young debutant should win this one.
Prediction: Abdul Hussein to win by submission
