UFC Vegas 71 Analysis

UFC Vegas 71: Yan vs Dvalishvili – 3.11.2023 – Fight Predictions and Analysis

Welcome to our collaborative coverage of UFC Vegas 71: Yan vs Dvalishvili. Tonight we are treated to a great card and main event at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. Our analysis includes a pick for every bout from Dynes Sports contributors Anthony Marro and Nicholas Marro.

As coverage continues, we will keep our records up to date below. Be sure to check out our full reasoning for every pick though as records will not reflect confidence. We will be picking every fight, but likely only recommend betting on a select few.

Current Record

Anthony: 51-32-2 (Last Year 320-187-3, 63%)
Nick: 61-22-2 (Last Year 324-183-3, 64%)

*Fight odds were last updated from Bet99 on 3-11-2023 at 1am EST

Preliminary Card- Starts 3:00pm EST

Carlston Harris -315 vs Jared Gooden +240

Anthony: Opening the card is a welterweight fight between Carlston Harris and Jared Gooden. Yesterday saw Gooden miss weight quite badly, but he is stepping in one less than one week’s notice for this bout. Harris had originally been slated for a tough fight against Abubakar Nurmagomedov. Now he faces Gooden who went 1-3 in his UFC tenure. Since his release in 2020 Gooden has stayed quite active, going 4-1 outside of the promotion. The level of competition has not been that great but there are still unknowns surrounding the ceiling of what Carlston Harris may be. I believe that Harris is a very talented grappler with serious power on the feet. Length and an awkward striking style make Harris very dangerous and while Gooden will be looking to kickbox here today, bettors seem to think he will struggle to find his shots. Harris should look the far sharper fighter given the extensive camp, and I really see this being one sided if he elects to grapple Gooden. He will certainly be a bet for me to start out this card strong. Carlston Harris by Round Two Submission
Nick: Harris is 36-years old and 2-1 in the UFC. He most recently lost in a brutal match-up against Shavkat Rakhmonov, prior to that securing wins over Christian Aguilera and Impa Kasanganay. He was signed to the UFC off a huge upset victory over Saygid Izagakhmaev at UAE Warriors 15. He seems to be fairly well rounded with a solid chin, impressive cardio and a powerful enough wrestling base to work opponents to the mat where he does his best work as a BJJ black belt. It’s tough to know just how good Harris is as his UFC loss is to an opponent many consider to be a future title contender, and his two UFC wins came over mediocre fighters who are no longer on the UFC roster. Jared Gooden will be making his return to the UFC here, having gone 4-1 on the regional scene during his time away from the promotion. Gooden was cut from the roster back in 2021 after carrying a 1-3 record against relatively tough competition. Many thought he was given a raw deal when he was initially cut, so it’s good to see him back again as he is still just 29-years old. Gooden took this fight on just four-days notice, so it’s understandable that he missed weight for this fight by seven pounds. On the feet, this should be a fairly close match-up. Harris’ clearest path to victory will be to work Gooden to the mat and grind him out for a submission. This is a low confidence play as there are a lot of question marks surrounding the level of Harris, but I do see him as the rightful favorite. Carlston Harris by Round Three Submission

Bruno Silva -190 vs Tyson Nam +160

Anthony: Next is a flyweight fight between Bruno Silva and Tyson Nam. This is a very tough fight to call between two volatile fighters I am not a fan of. Silva has a bit of a reckless and brawling style, but an excellent frame and skillset to keep him competitive in this division. His past two wins were secured by right hand and he faces another cracking finisher in Nam. I really do not want to bet on Nam as he feels past his expiration date but he seems like the more technically sound when comparing these two on the feet. Nam also benefits from two-inch reach advantage that he could use to great effect on an advancing Silva. I would personally line this fight as a pick em so for that reason I will take Nam. He is more likely to win a bout that goes to decision and that is rare, with him often dependent on the knockout. Tyson Nam by Decision
Nick: Bruno Silva is fairly well-rounded with powerful boxing technique and decent offensive grappling ability. He has impressive power in exchanges and he’s excellent out of breaks from close range. He has six wins via KO and three via submission. He has been out of action since May of 2021, but he’s coming off back-to-back wins under the UFC banner and he can continue to build momentum towards the rankings here with a win over a seasoned vet in Tyson Nam. Tyson Nam is primarily a striker. He has above average power for this division and he does a good job setting up his shots with feints and leg kicks. He’s a decent wrestler as well, but he’s certainly most content to stand and trade on the feet. Each of Nam’s last three wins have come via KO. As is often the case, Nam will be live for an upset via KO here. That being said, I see Silva as the more well-rounded fighter and one I expect can lean on his grappling as he works for another decision win. Bruno Silva by Decision

JJ Aldrich -375 vs Ariane Lipski +300

Anthony: This is a women’s flyweight bout with JJ Aldrich facing Ariane Lipski. I am really not at all interested in betting this fight between some women quite clearly outside the division’s top fifteen. Lipski was knocked out in her most recent appearance and never anything special thus far in the UFC. More skilled opponents have been able to outwork her and drawing into Aldrich seems like another scrap she will lose. Lipski has some decent tactics to keep distance striking but Aldrich will get her combinations off and dominate the minutes on the feet here. She should elect to stay standing although grappling she can do decent work JJ Aldrich by Decision
Nick: Lipski is a decent muay thai striker, but defensively she leaves a lot to be desired. She is coming off an ugly KO loss to Priscila Cachoeira, a fight in which she was completely overpowered and caught brutally in an early exchange. Lipski is athletic and occasionally she looks excellent in the cage. She’s decent everywhere, but she doesn’t really merge her grappling and striking well. She telegraphs many of her strikes, and she can only find success on the mat if she lucks into a favorable position. Aldrich has solid technical ability on the feet, but she’s had trouble in the past against bigger, more aggressive opponents. If she spends too much time on the feet here she could fall here as a heavy favorite, but as long as she leans on her superior grappling she feels like a safe bet to get back in the win column. Lipski has just a 55 percent takedown defense in the UFC. JJ Aldrich by Decision

Victor Henry -145 vs Tony Gravely +115

Anthony: I am looking forward to seeing Victor Henry face Tony Gravely next. These two bantamweights are trying to bounce back from losses in their most recent showings and I like Gravely to get his hand raised in what should be a fight he gets to the mat. Henry is a high action fighter, looking to throw crazy volume on the feet and hunt for submissions when he is grappling. Against a wrestler like Gravely I think he is content to fight from bottom position when he inevitably cedes a takedown. His defense is not bad when it comes to defending shots, but Henry seems a bit too eager to get into it with opponents compared to what is needed. A more measured approach would likely benefit Henry as he does have a cardiovascular advantage in a majority of the fights he takes. Gravely lands better power strikes than Henry and can threaten with numerous attacks to set up his takedowns the right way. I expect to see him take a good boxer in Henry off of his feet and out of a striking rhythm. Tony Gravely by Decision
Nick: Victor Henry finds most of his success pressuring his opponents and wearing them down with volume. He got his UFC contract late in his career, but he has found a lot of success in respectable Japanese promotions via RIZIN and Pancrase. He’s a talented catch/counter-wrestler, training under Josh Barnett. He prefers to stand and trade, but he’s excellent in scrambles and does a good job using the momentum of his opponent to find opportune positions offensively. Gravely is a high-pressure grappler with a strong wrestling base and heavy hips. He does a good job finding takedowns against a wide range of opponents, but he mostly grapples to control position rather than hunt for submissions. He’s a decent striker who has shown to have power if he can find the proper openings, but in most of his fights he looks to win via decision my controlling position. Gravely is coming off a rough loss to Javid Basharat, a fight in which he was dominated everywhere. While I don’t really consider Henry to be on Basharat’s level, he has similar strengths in his pressure striking and counter wrestling – which suggests this could be another difficult match-up. Gravely should look good early here, but I expect Henry’s pressure volume and superior cardio to allow him to take over in the later rounds. Victor Henry by Round Three Submission

Sedriques Dumas -215 vs Josh Fremd +170

Anthony: Here we have a middleweight bout between Sedriques Dumas and Josh Fremd. This is the UFC debut for Dumas who has a little hype surrounding his entry into the promotion. He is undefeated with great length and exceptional striking. You will see it evident that Dumas spars a lot given his great timing, natural power and finesse working inside of the pocket. The level of competition had not been great until his campaign last year, but there is no denying this guy is explosive and very dangerous to stand and trade with. Fremd is usually keen on a standup fight but his wrestling background could come to great use against a poor defensive grappler. However, a stronger Dumas could also elect to work Fremd on the mat or even find some chokes available, similar to Fremd’s last two opponents. He is really not all that aware defensively and I see a guy like Dumas walking down Fremd and finding that finish. It is tough he is drawing into scary young prospects in back to back fights. I think the UFC knows what they are doing with this matchmaking. Sedriques Dumas by Round Two KO
Nick: Dumas will be making his UFC debut here, coming off a Contender Series win via first round submission over Matěj Peňáz. Dumas is 7-0 professionally, but he really hasn’t been tested extensively against top level competition. So far he’s shown to be a rangy and athletic striker. He does a decent job moving in and out of his opponents range, he mixes in elbows well and has shown he can place a timely counter. He’s decent on the mat with a strong choke series. He’s still raw in his abilities as he leaves a lot of openings defensively both on the mat and at striking range, but overall he continues to show improvement in all facets of MMA. Fremd was once a highly regarded prospect. He was favored heavily to capture the LFA Middleweight title over Gregory Rodrigues back in May of 2021, but he was caught clean with strikes and put out via devastating KO. He is 0-2 in the UFC, but he gave a decent showing of himself in his UFC debut against Anthony Hernandez. A fight in which he was out grappled, but in a fight he took on short notice against a top-20 competitor in the division.Fremd is very tall, but he doesn’t use his range that well. He’s a powerful striker, but defensively he leaves a lot to be desired. This is a relatively low level match-up which makes it a difficult one to call. I’ll side with the more athletic Dumas to find a way to get it done. Sedriques Dumas by Round Two KO

Davey Grant -140 vs Raphael Assuncao +115

Anthony: Next is a bantamweight matchup between veteran Raphael Assuncao and Davey Grant. This is not a division for old men and yet Assuncao is still competing now at 40 years of age. He got a win over Victor Henry in his last octagon appearance but the fights prior had not gone the way of Assuncao. He was finished in three of those four consecutive losses. Assuncao is a good striker with crisp boxing and heavy hands for the division. I largely am worried about his durability and volume as he faces someone like Grant. Davey Grant is landing 4.83 significant strikes per minute and accustomed to real back and forth wars. He really put on a show against Smolka back last May and against a smaller guy like Assuncao, I see even more of his hooks cutting through the guard. Young prospects like Marlon Vera and Adrian Yanez have turned back Grant, but I see him getting his hand raised here against a fellow aged fighter. I expect to see Grant landing the much more effective strikes, and eating fewer clean ones than Assuncao. Davey Grant by Decision
Nick: Davey Grant is a well-rounded fighter who manages to outmuscle most of his opponents at bantamweight. His striking is somewhat unconventional, but he carries surprising power. He has a solid wrestling base and does a good job in the ground and pound department if he can take his opponent to the mat. He does a good job moving out of range after throwing combinations and his footwork is solid in spite of his unconventional style. Rafael Assuncao was formerly a top contender at 135, but he seems to be in the twilight of his career. He’s managed impressive wins over fighters like Aljamain Sterling, Pedro Munhoz, Rob Font, and Marlon Moraes. However, he’s only won one of his last five fights, Assuncao looked better his last time out, but he’s in a much different match-up here against an aggressive opponent in Henry. While Assuncao is the better wrestler, I expect Grant to be the stronger and more powerful fighter so it seems more likely than not that this fight takes place on the feet. Accuncao usually does alright against counter strikers as he can slow fights down, but I don’t expect that will work for him here against an aggressive opponent in Grant. A close fight that could go either way, but Grant feels like the rightful favorite. Davey Grant by Round Two KO

Karl Williams -240 vs Lukasz Brzeski +190

Anthony: The featured bout has Lukasz Brzeski taking on Karl Williams at heavyweight. It is the promotional debut for Williams who won Dana White’s Contender Series last September. He put on a clinic, racking up eleven minutes of control time on Penn State wrestler Jimmy Lawson. He has demonstrated excellent offensive grappling and I feel Williams is favored in this matchup given a skill divide on the mat. Brzeski is a solid athlete, showcasing his best work largely on the feet. He seems more durable than Williams but also a bit less sound defensively. Anything can happen between these two standing but Brzeski likely lands the cleaner and more meaningful strikes. I think that largely gets erased by Williams wrestling but given the unknowns in this matchup I won’t be betting confidently on either side. Williams is my pick expecting to see him glue Brzeski to the mat. Karl Williams by Decision
Nick: Karl Williams will be making his UFC debut here, coming off an impressive Contender Series win in which he outgrappled a credentialed former Penn State wrestler in Jimmy Lawson. He took that fight on short notice and showed out as a heavy underdog, taking down Lawson consistently and proving he had solid takedown entries and cardio. He’s 7-1 professionally, but prior to that fight with Lawson we really hadn’t seen him tested against top level competition. Lukasz Brzeski is 8-2-1 professionally, coming off a hard fought loss via controversial decision to Martin Buday. He’s athletic, but his technical ability in both his striking and grappling is far from refined. He has decent power on the feet, but he telegraphs most of his strikes. This creates openings for his opponents to either take him down or counter him. This is a low confidence play as this is also a low confidence fight, but I’ll side with the grappling advantages of Williams here. I expect he can once again secure the takedowns he needs to grind his opponent out for a decision. Karl Williams by Decision

Main Card- Starts 6:00pm EST

Vitor Petrino -110 vs Anton Turkalj -110

Anthony: The main card opens with a scrap at light heavyweight between Vitor Petrino and Anton Turkalj. This seems like competitive matchmaking with two young and explosive prospects set to square off. While Turkalj tasted defeat for the first time in his last fight, it came against the red hot Jailton Almeida. He still seems like a solid prospect possessing a strong right hand and some above average grappling. Wearing on Petrino will be key to victory for Turkalj who is not as proficient as he is on the feet. Petrino has very fluid striking and much heavier hands. Six of his seven professional wins have come via knockout, including a great stoppage on Dana White’s Contender Series last fall. We will see him tag Turkalj a few times early, but as a Petrino bettor I will be expecting him to find a finish here tonight. If this fight were to see a third and final round, one would assume Turkalj to be efficiently grappling and sapping away Petrino’s energy. I think he lands a few big shots early and controls the momentum of this fight. Vitor Petrino by Round Two KO
Nick: Vitor Petrino -125 vs Anton Turkalj +100 Vitor Petrino will be making his UFC debut here, coming off a KO win over Rodolfo Bellato on Contender Series. He is 7-0 professionally and somewhat untested, but there’s no denying his overall athleticism or his power in striking exchanges. Six of Petrino’s seven professional wins have come via KO. He’s almost always aggressive early in fights, but it seems his cardio is suspect at best if he can’t find an early finish. Anton Turkalj has decent power on the feet, but most of his success has come in grappling exchanges. He mostly wrestles to control position, but he can also be dangerous on the mat as two of his eight professional wins have come via submission. This is a tough fight to call as each of these guys are relatively unproven. However, I see Turkalj as having more paths to victory. As long as Petrino doesn’t catch him early I expect he should be able to get this fight to the mat and work him for a submission as he starts to fade. Anton Turkalj by Round Three Submission.

Mario Bautista -1000 vs Guido Cannetti +650

Anthony: Next is a matchup at bantamweight with Mario Bautista facing Guido Cannetti. While Cannetti is often an underdog in his bouts, +650 is one of the higher marks you will ever see. He cashed tickets in both previous octagon appearances, stunning many with a finish in the very first round. The issue I have is Cannetti seems past his prime, fighting at 43 years old in one of the toughest divisions. He is not anywhere as durable as he once was and I think his reckless style seems to prove that he relies on finishes. Bautista is a much more technically sound striker, quicker at his age and much more explosive on the feet. This appears to be an ideal matchup, facing a shorter man who is extremely reliant on effectively closing distance. Bautista will switch stances here facing a southpaw opponent and I see him finding Cannetti’s chin not long after this one begins. Mario Bautista by Round One KO
Nick: Bautista is a powerful striker at range. He does a great job managing distance and he uses feints well to set up his combos. While he’s most comfortable standing and trading, he is also a competent grappler as a brown belt in BJJ. He has a solid wrestling base, which he uses to control position against a wide range of opponents. Against good strikers, he can lean on his grappling. Against good grapplers, he can lean on his striking. Cannetti still carries decent power in his strikes, but in this particular match-up he’ll be much slower, older, and his cardio is a blatant weakness. He’ll be live for an early KO if Bautista isn’t careful, but that seems to be his only potential path to victory. The line is getting wide here, but I expect Bautista to dominate no matter where this one goes. He should slice through Cannetti and secure another timely finish. Mario Bautista by Round One Submission

Said Nurmagomedov -240 vs Jonathan Martinez +190

Anthony: This is a very fun bantamweight matchup with Said Nurmagomedov facing Jonathan Martinez. The winner of this fight will be on a 5-0 streak. Nurmagomedov fought from behind to find a finish in his most recent outing against Saidyokub Kakhramonov. That bout revealed a level of wrestling and grit that Said had yet to really showcase. He is a phenomenal striker with excellent awareness in the cage and a workmanlike style. Nurmagomedov does not throw nearly the volume that Martinez does, but he is the more technically skilled man. It will be interesting to see if he can keep the pace set by Martinez in what will likely be a standup affair. Martinez will look to slow down Nurmagomedov by throwing a high number of kicks and looking for attacks to the lower half. I could see him winning by tiring and hurting Nurmagomedov, but Martinez will not tempt me at just a +190. I think Nurmagomedov has the conditioning to win this fight, and far more paths to victory than what appears for Martinez. Said Nurmagomedov by Decision
Nick: Unlike many of the other top Russian prospects, Said Nurmagomedov is primarily a striker. He’s a talented kickboxer who throws a wide range of effective spinning attacks. He’s certainly dangerous on the mat as well, but he’s found most of his success at the UFC level picking his opponents apart at range. Martinez is fairly well rounded, but similarly to Nurmagomedov he mostly excels on the feet. He’s a traditional boxer with solid head movement and footwork. He throws meaningful strikes and he does an excellent job mixing up his combinations to keep his opponents guessing. He is excellent at striking heavily out of breaks and he’s shown sneaky power in spite of his wiry frame. I could certainly see this fight going either way, but I’m siding with Nurmagomedov here. He’s simply been tested more extensively against top level competition. I see him as the more well-rounded fighter and the more potent finisher as well. If he falls behind in striking exchanges, he has a grappling advantage he can fall back on. Said Nurmagomedov by Decision

Nikita Krylov -170 vs Ryan Spann +135

Anthony: Here we have a bout between light heavyweights Nikita Krylov and Ryan Spann. This was originally slated to main event UFC Vegas 70 before Krylov had been forced to withdraw the day of the fight. Now we get to see these two clash with a less strenuous weight cut. It seems like a good matchup between athletes realizing a lot of success as of late. Krylov stayed busy in 2022, fighting three times and most recently beating Volkan Oezdemir by decision. He is well rounded, utilizing his grappling to great effect when there is a perceived advantage. On the feet Krylov is sharper than Spann and much more volume oriented, although that comes at the expense of power. Spann lands the harder shots and appears a bit more durable than Krylov, but both men have been finished multiple times. Spann is now 7-2 since joining the UFC. All five of his last octagon appearances ended inside of five minutes with Spann usually the one getting his hand raised. He will be most dangerous in the first round of this bout but I also like his chances if this were to go late. Krylov does not have the most sustainable cardio and prolonged grappling exchanges can often result in him tiring as a fight wears on. Certainly he is the more technically skilled and probably a rightful favorite, but I think Spann is getting a bit overlooked here in a very winnable fight. I like the underdog number on Ryan Spann here expecting him to have the bigger moments early that clinch this victory. Ryan Spann by Round One KO
Nick: Nikita Krylov is more than willing to eat shots to throw them. He’s a talented kickboxer with extremely powerful kicks. If he can take fights to the mat he’s also an aggressive offensive grappler with fifteen of his twenty-nine professional wins coming by way of submission. He’s coming off back-to-back wins over Volkan Oezdemir and Alexander Gustafsson, but he’ll be facing a different type of test here against a younger and more athletic opponent in Ryan Spann. Spann carries a lot of power and sneaky submission ability, but he’s been extremely inconsistent since he debuted with the UFC. His cardio has proven to be an issue in many of his recent fights, but he’s coming off two massive first round wins over Ion Cutelaba and Dominick Reyes. I like Spann’s chances to once again find that finish early here, but he doesn’t wear damage well and there are questions surrounding his durability as he’s been KO’d in three of his seven professional losses. If he can’t score a quick win against Krylov, this pick could get ugly fast. Still, I’ll side with Spann so pull out a quick win as the underdog. Ryan Spann by Round One KO

Alexander Romanov -160 vs Alexander Volkov +130

Anthony: The co-main event is between heavyweights Alexander Volkov and Alexander Romanov. This bout is similar to the main event featuring a grappler facing a striker. Volkov has been a staple of the division for quite some time and really looks crisp on the feet lately. He towers over most opponents standing at 6’7 with an 80-inch reach. Romanov will struggle standing and trading with someone as skilled as Volkov, but this is a very different fight if he is successful bringing Drago to the mat. The phenom had been on a tear, taking down and smushing opponents in the octagon center before he crossed paths with one Marcin Tybura. That mirror match seemed to have the then undefeated Romanov stymied, but I see takedowns coming much easier this time out facing a more lanky foe. I am not betting Romanov that eagerly as a favorite today but this does feel a bit like a passing of the torch. Volkov was quickly submitted by Tom Aspinall in their bout last March, and Romanov is even more dominant as an offensive grappler. He may get a few takedowns stuffed but eventually I see this fight being finished on the mat. Alexander Romanov by Round Three Submission
Nick: It may have come against mediocre competition, but the 32-year-old Romonav has shown an uncanny ability to lift other heavyweights entirely off the ground and rag-doll them as if they were a whole lot smaller. He has decent striking ability at range, but highly effective ground-and-pound and a decent choke game when can take his opponents to the mat. Alexander Volkov has advanced technical boxing ability. He uses his range well and works effectively behind his jab. He has shown excellent cardio for a heavyweight, but there’s no denying he is now a bit past his prime. He’s coming off a nice bounceback win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik, but he’s been out of action since June of 2022. While it seems more likely than not Romanov will lean on his youth and athleticism to find an early finish here, he’s going to be in trouble if he doesn’t. This is a low confidence play, but I’m going to take an underdog shot on Volkov. We’ve seen him get up against elite wrestlers in the past (Curtis Blaydes) and he’s going to be the much more dangerous striker in this match-up. As long as he survives the first round, his cardio and advantages on the feet should shine through. Alexander Volkov by Round Two KO

Petr Yan -265 vs Merab Dvalishvili +210

Anthony: The main event is an awesome bantamweight matchup between Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili. The winner tonight will find themselves entrenched in the title picture at 135 pounds. The former champion Petr Yan has lost in back to back showings and while both bouts did result in close decisions, it was apparent that opponents are starting to figure him out. Yan has elite boxing from both stances and quite the sophisticated arsenal of weapons to choose from. His forward pressure style results in many opponents caught moving backwards and unable to return with power of their own. His 59 percent striking defense makes him a tough nut to crack on the feet while 90 percent takedown defense is a deciding factor in this fight. Dvalishvili is a wrestler that will without a doubt get murked in a kickboxing bout against Yan. He will rely heavily on takedowns here, especially with five rounds scheduled. Dvalishvili is relentless hunting for takedowns, now boasting a 40 percent rate of accuracy after going 0-16 shooting on Jose Aldo. Given the flat footed style of Yan and speed compared to Aldo, I imagine takedowns come quite a lot easier today. Dvalishvili also trains closely with the champion Aljamain Sterling, a man who beat Yan on two occasions before. If Merab has focused his camp on maintaining positions and grappling this guy, I love his chances of pulling off the moderate upset. There is a massive gap between the technical skill of each man, but Dvalishvili has the motor and endurance to beat Yan by winning more minutes. I think the most likely outcome is either Yan by knockout or Dvalishvili on the scorecards. Merab Dvalishvili by Decision
Nick: Merab might be the best pure wrestler on the roster at Bantamweight. He has shown an ability to score takedowns from a wide range of positions, as he’s set multiple UFC records for most takedowns in a fight. Dvalishvili averages more than 6.5 takedowns per 15 minutes. He almost always leans on his grappling to control position so most of his wins come via decision. He has strung together eight consecutive victories under the UFC banner, but he really hasn’t faced anyone near the level of Petr Yan. Yan is a sniper. He eats some shots to set up bigger ones, but his combinations are what make him so dangerous. He does an excellent job weathering early pressure from his opponents as he processes their timing and habits. He takes in this information and then uses it to trap his opponents and exploit them with his own devastating offense. Petr Yan is one of the more dangerous and pure strikers in the division. He throws powerful leg kicks, a snappy jab, and he does an excellent job stringing together lengthy combinations. The key to this match-up will not only be Dvalishvili’s ability to score takedowns on Yan, but also to keep him grounded. Yan is going to have a massive advantage in striking exchanges as Dvalishvili really only strikes as a means to set up his grappling. Given Yan’s 90% takedown defense in the UFC and his massive advantage in both his striking and cardio, he feels like the clear pick here. I expect Merab to find success early, but as this fight wears on Yan should be able to take over. Petr Yan by Round Four KO

-Nick Marro

Twitter: @NickMarroDFS

-Anthony Marro

Twitter: @AnthonyMarro_

Photo: UFC.com