UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs Benavidez 2 Prelims Undercard Betting Odds and Predictions

After a successful debut last weekend, the UFC’s Fight Island series enters its third event this weekend as UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs Benavidez 2. Hopefully, we will crown a flyweight champion this time around. The first time these two squared off for the UFC flyweight title, Figueiredo won but was ineligible to win the belt after missing weight.

Preceding the headliner and the UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs Benavidez 2 main card are a series of prelims undercard bouts that look to provide early fireworks for this weekend’s UFC event. Let’s take a look at the fights and pick our winners.

Khadis Ibragimov vs Roman Dolidze

Khadis Ibragimov is a veteran of M-1 Challenge who entered the UFC with an unbeaten record. He lost his first two UFC bouts and is looking to get back in the winning column. This 25-year old from Russia has a record of 8-2 with two knockouts and three wins via submission. He stands 6-3 tall with a reach of 78 inches and is an orthodox fighter.

Roman Dolidze fought for the World Warriors Championship in Ukraine before heading to the UFC. This 32-year old from Georgia is an orthodox fighter who stands 6-2 with a reach of 78 inches. He is undefeated in six MMA bouts with three wins by knockout and three wins via submission. His last three wins have been by knockout.

Ibragimov is a fearless striker who likes to start fast and throw heavy bombs. However, if his early onslaught can be overcome, he is beatable. Dolidze is also a terrific both on the feet and on the ground. After watching him in his UFC debut, I think that Dolidze is the better athlete and the better striker than Ibragimov. I like the Caucasian Wolf to win this fight by knockout.

Prediction: Roman Dolidze (-175)

Grant Dawson vs Nad Narimani

Grant Dawson took an 11-1 record to the Contender Series where he beat Adrian Diaz to earn a UFC contract. He has won his first three UFC bouts and has a record of 15-1 with three knockouts and 11 wins via submission. He stands 5-10 tall with a reach of 72 inches and is a switch hitter.

Nad Narimani is the former Cage Warriors Fighting Championship featherweight champion who joined the UFC in 2018. He has not fought since March 2019 and is 2-1 inside the octagon. Narinami has a record of 12-3 with two knockouts and five wins via submission. He stands 5-8 tall with a reach of 70 inches and is an orthodox fighter.

These two fighters usually fight at featherweight but for this contest, they will be competing at a catchweight of 150 pounds and it’s interesting who carries the extra weight better on fight night. Dawson is one of the UFC’s top prospects and he has an assortment of skills that could make him a serious title contender in the coming years. However, he missed weight in his last fight and has to take his weight seriously if he wants to contend. Narimani turned his Cage Warriors title to a UFC contract and is a hard-nosed grappler who is coming off a loss. If Dawson takes Narimani out of his comfort zone early, he’s going to win this by submission. I think he’s good enough to take Narimani to the mat.

Prediction: Grant Dawson (-234)

Joseph Duffy vs Joel Alvarez

Joseph Duffy fought for Cage Warriors and was a competitor at The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs Team Koscheck. This 32-year old from Ireland is one of four fighters to defeat Conor McGregor in a professional MMA bout. He stands 5-10 tall with a reach of 73 inches and is an orthodox fighter.

Joel Alvarez fought for MMA Casino Fights and AFL among several promotions. This 27-year old from Spain has a record of 16-2 with all of his wins coming via finish. Alvarez has 2 knockout wins and 14 victories by submission. He stands 6-3 tall with a reach of 77 inches and is an orthodox fighter.

Duffy entered the UFC with a resume that included a win over Conor McGregor but the last two years have been tough for him. He is 4-3 inside the octagon and is looking for his first win since March 2017. Alvarez is towering for the division and he also has a four-inch reach advantage over Duffy. Duffy has looked old in his recent fights but is still dangerous. Alvarez is tough but I’m not sure if he’s skilled enough to beat Duffy. Between Alvarez’s lack of experience and skill and Duffy’s inactivity and poor form, I’ll bet on the former.

Prediction: Joel Alvarez (+285)

Brett Johns vs Montell Jackson

Brett Johns is a former Titan FC and Cage Warriors bantamweight champion. He signed with the UFC in 2016 and has an octagon record of 4-2. This 28-year old from Swansea, Wales has a professional record of 16-2 with two knockouts and six submission victories. Johns stands 5-7 tall with a reach of 71 inches and is an orthodox fighter.

Montell Jackson started his MMA career in 2017 and fought in the regional promotions of the Pacific Northwest. He entered the UFC with an undefeated 5-0 record when he joined the Contender Series in 2018 and won by knockout. He is 3-1 inside the octagon and has an overall record 9-1 with 5 knockouts and one win via submission.

Johns spent an entire year on the sidelines after suffering twin losses. But he came back last March won by submission and maybe the most talented fighter not ranked in the bantamweight division. Jackson has won three straight bouts but he has not fought the kind of competition that Johns has. Brett Johns has the edge in experience and cage savvy and those should be enough to win what could be a grappling contest.

Prediction: Brett Johns (+171)

Davi Ramos vs Arman Tsarukyan

Davi Ramos is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner who joined the UFC in 2017. He fought in Mexico and Brazil before making appearances in Bellator and RFA. Ramos is 10-3 with one knockout and seven wins via submission. This 33-year old Brazilian stands 5-6 tall with a reach of 70 inches and is an orthodox fighter.

Arman Tsarukyan is a 23 -year old Russian who fought for MFP and Road FC among other promotions. This orthodox fighter stands 5-7 tall and has a reach of 72 inches. He has a record of 14-2 with five wins by knockout and five victories via submission. After losing his UFC debut, he bounced back to beat Olivier Aubin-Mercer in his last octagon appearance at UFC 240.

These are the last two fighters that lightweight contender Islam Makhachev. Ramos is a powerful grappler who dropped a decision to Makhachev last September, also here in Yas Island. Tsarukyan faced Makhachev in his promotional debut and he gave the Dagestani a run for his money before losing a decision. Tsarukyan’s strength is his grappling but Ramos has excellent BJJ pedigree. But Ramos has shown a tendency to slow down late in bouts and Tsarukyan loves to put the pressure.

Prediction: Arman Tsarukyan (-193)

Serghei Spivak vs Carlos Felipe

Serghei Spivak is the former WWFC heavyweight champion who made two successful title defenses before joining the UFC. This 25-year old from Moldova is 1-2 inside the UFC octagon and has a record of 10-2 with four knockouts and six wins via submission. He stands 6-3 tall with a reach of 78 inches and is an orthodox fighter.

Carlos Felipe is a 25-year old Brazilian who fought for VFC and Shooto. He has not fought since May 2017 after serving a two-year ban due to anti-doping violations. He kept busy by competing in boxing, kickboxing, and jiu-jitsu before he was signed by the UFC. He stands 6-0 tall with a reach of 75 inches and is an orthodox fighter. He has a record of 8-0 with six wins via knockout.

Spivak is a solid grappler who has shown flashes of brilliance. However, he has struggled in the UFC because of his lack of size and athleticism. Felipe isn’t too much bigger than him but the young Brazilian is a much better athlete who moves faster than Spivak. I think that both men have a chance to win this bout. However, I will go with the younger and more athletic fighter here.

Prediction: Carlos Felipe (+145)

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