Tag: Rafael Fiziev

UFC Fight Night 228: Rafael Fiziev vs. Mateusz Gamrot odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 228 odds between Rafael Fiziev and Mateusz Gamrot, with MMA picks and predictions.

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In a 5-round lightweight bout in the main event, Rafael Fiziev and Mateusz Gamrot meet Saturday at UFC Fight Night 228 — also known as UFC Vegas 79 — at UFC Apex. Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s around the UFC Fight Night 228: Fiziev vs. Gamrot odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.

The prelims can be viewed on ESPN+ starting at 4 p.m. ET with the main card following on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET.

Records: Fiziev (12-2) | Gamrot (22-2)

Fiziev is looking to bounce back after suffering a majority-decision loss against Justin Gaethje at UFC 286 in March, his first loss at the UFC level since his debut with the company on April 20, 2019. The setback halted a 6-bout win streak, which included 3 KO/TKO wins and 3 unanimous-decision victories.

After a unanimous-decision loss to Beneil Dariush at UFC 280 in Oct. 2022, Gamrot got back on track with a split-decision victory over Jalin Turner at UFC 285 in March. He has needed the judges to decide a winner in each of his past 3 fights as his last fight to finish inside the distance was a 2nd-round KO/TKO against Diego Ferreira in mid-December 2021.

Physically, these fighters are very similar. Gamrot has a 2-inch height advantage, while Fiziev has a half-inch reach advantage. However, Fiziev has a large 5.06-to-3.03 significant strikes landed per minute advantage over the southpaw, while Gamrot is a little more accurate on those strikes at 58.45% compared to 53.12%.

Gamrot is also very good on the canvas, posting a 4.54 takedown average, a category where the Azerbaijani favorite barely registers at 0.31. Gamrot also has a 0.17 submission average to 0.00 for Fiziev. The latter hasn’t had a submission win or loss since Oct. 10, 2016, a 1st-round win over Gunduz Nabiev at MMA Kyrgyzstan.

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UFC Fight Night 228: Rafael Fiziev vs. Mateusz Gamrot odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:43 a.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Fiziev -154 (bet $154 to win $100) | Gamrot +130 (bet $100 to win $130)
  • Over/Under: 4.5 rounds (Over -122 | Under -104)
  • Will the fight go the distance? (Yes -108 | No -118)

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UFC Fight Night 228: Rafael Fiziev vs. Mateusz Gamrot picks and predictions

Fight result (2-way line or moneyline)

FIZIEV (-154) was close to scooting into the picture for a title shot but the loss to Gaethje knocked him down a peg. He’s still ranked No. 6 in the division, with Gamrot ranked No. 7, so for all intents and purposes, this is an eliminator bout, as the winner is still very much in the mix, while the loser of the fight might tumble down the rankings a little further.

This is going to be a war and a very hotly contested fight. I just don’t see a finish, with both fighters refusing to lose and eating a lot of punches. The judges will need to offer their 2 cents, and when the dust clears, I believe it will be FIZIEV BY POINTS (+260) in the METHOD OF VICTORY.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 4.5 ROUNDS (-122) isn’t priced out of line. There is some risk, but Fiziev has gone the distance in 2 of his past 4 fights, and 4 of the previous 7 outings. Gamrot has ended up going the distance in each of his past 3 bouts, too. YES: FIGHT TO GO THE DISTANCE (-108) is a decent play, too, if you just can’t bring yourself to take Fiziev and do not wish to declare a winner.

Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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UFC veterans in MMA, kickboxing, muay Thai and bareknuckle boxing action Sept. 22-23

Check out which veterans of the UFC are competing in combat sports across the globe this weekend.

This week, the UFC remains in Las Vegas for UFC Fight Night 228.

The event takes place at the UFC Apex and features a lightweight bout between [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] and [autotag]Mateusz Gamrot[/autotag].

Elsewhere, many other combat sports events are taking place that feature a number of familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.

Check out which veterans of the global MMA leader are competing in MMA, kickboxing, muay Thai and bareknuckle boxing this week from Sept. 22-23.

Check out the names and details about their bouts below.

Upcoming event information from Tapology.

Rafael Fiziev over ‘sad’ loss to Justin Gaethje ahead of UFC Fight Night 228 headliner

Rafael Fiziev has come to terms with his loss to Justin Gaethje and plans to show his evolution at UFC Fight Night 228.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] thinks he’s grown stronger from his loss to Justin Gaethje ahead of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 228 main event.

After putting together a six-fight winning streak in the lightweight division, Fiziev (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) ran into a difficult hurdle in “BMF” champ Gaethje at UFC 286 in March. He started strong, but then was bloodied and outworked down the stretch in a unanimous decision defeat.

Six months later, Fiziev is back and set to take on Mateusz Gamrot (22-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in a key 155-pound headliner at the UFC Apex, which streams on ESPN+. He’s come to terms with his performance with Gaethje, shored up the holes he identified in his strategy and execution, and is prepared to get back on track.

“Loss is last time – I’m sad for last time,” Fiziev told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 228 media day. “Everybody don’t like loss. I want to come back to good win. I want to make a show again, and I want to get my hand (raised).”

After going toe-to-toe with Gaethje for three rounds in London, Fiziev gets almost the opposite type of matchup. Gamrot has made it clear he will attempt to drown Fiziev with his grappling game, but Fiziev is confident he can keep the fight in his realm.

“We are totally different styles and that’s why it’s very interesting for me also,” Fiziev said. “All my life I learn how to stop wrestlers, how to defend takedowns and continue in the standup.”

Fiziev, 30, also learned with the loss to Gaethje that he can’t get ahead of himself. He knows the challenge at hand, and knows he can’t afford back-to-back losses.

“I can’t say I’m humble – I’m always humble,” Fiziev said. “I don’t have names. Everybody too much thinking about rankings, about numbers. That’s why this division is staying (still). I just want to fight.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 228.

Video: UFC Fight Night 228 media day interviews

Before UFC Fight Night 228 on Saturday, watch the main card athletes speak to reporters at media day.

LAS VEGAS – UFC Fight Night 228, which takes place at the UFC Apex with a card that streams entirely on ESPN+, goes down Saturday.

Before fight night arrives, though, notable athletes from the main card are scheduled to speak to reporters Wednesday at media day, and MMA Junkie was on-site.

If you happen to miss any of the individual sessions, check below for the archived videos of each media day.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 228.

UFC Fight Night 228 pre-event facts: Multiple names enter on 3-bout losing skids

The best facts and figures about UFC Fight Night 228, which features multiple fighters on three-fight losing skids.

The UFC closes its September schedule ahead of a rare off week on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 228, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and features a lineup that streams entirely on ESPN+.

Lightweight contenders clash in the main event. [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) and [autotag]Mateusz Gamrot[/autotag] (22-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) will meet in a high-stakes lightweight bout scheduled for five rounds.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts for UFC Fight Night 228.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (July 24-30)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by a promotion from July 24-30.

UFC books Rafael Fiziev vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Dan Ige vs. Bryce Mitchell one-two punch for Sept. 23 event

Two contender fights will top the UFC Fight Night on Sept. 23 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

The UFC Fight Night event on Sept. 23 has its top two fights.

[autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] and [autotag]Mateusz Gamrot[/autotag] will square off in the main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas after featherweights [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag] and [autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag] settle a long-standing beef in the co-main event, promotion president Dana White announced Thursday through broadcast partner ESPN.

Fiziev (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) looks to rebound from a close majority decision loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 286 in March. The defeat snapped a six-fight winning streak and was his first loss since his promotional debut in April 2019.

Gamrot (22-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) has won five of his most recent six fights. At UFC 285 in March, Gamrot reentered the win column when he defeated Jalin Turner by split decision.

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For years, Ige (17-6 MMA, 9-5 UFC) and Mitchell (15-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) have hyped a fight against one another through interviews and on social media, though calls for a matchup never materialized until now.

Ige, 31, looks to extend his winning streak to three. Since three consecutive losses, Ige has rallied with back-to-back victories over Damon Jackson and Nate Landwehr.

Mitchell, 28, looks to rebound from his first career loss, a submission against Ilia Topuria at UFC 282 in December. He was supposed to compete against Movsar Evloev in May but withdrew due to injury. Mitchell’s UFC wins to date include Edson Barboza and Andre Fili.

With the additions, the UFC Fight Night lineup for Sept. 23 includes:

  • Rafael Fiziev vs. Mateusz Gamrot
  • Dan Ige vs. Bryce Mitchell
  • Cody Durden vs. Bruno Silva
  • Hannah Goldy vs. Mizuki Inoue
  • Charles Jourdain vs. Ricardo Ramos
  • Jake Collier vs. Mohammed Usman
  • Montserrat Ruiz vs. Tamires Vidal

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for the UFC Fight Night on Sept. 23.

MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month for March: Lightweight contenders live up to hype

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from March 2023.

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from March 2023: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month award for March.

At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.

Nominees

Video: Aside from the main and co-main bouts, who shined brightest at UFC 286?

There were a number of fighters who turned in solid performances at UFC 286, but who stood out among the rest down the card?

London was treated to a number of exciting moments and competitive battles throughout UFC 286.

The main event title fight rematch that saw [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] turn away [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] for the second straight time closed the show on a high note for the local audience. In the fight prior, the always-exciting [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] won another gritty bout against a top lightweight, outpointing [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag].

But aside from the top two bouts on the card, who stood out among the others?

Was it [autotag]Gunnar Nelson[/autotag] and his spectacular armbar finish against Bryan Barberena? How about [autotag]Jack Shore[/autotag]’s submission win over Makwan Amirkhani in his featherweight debut, or maybe a promotional debut knockout from [autotag]Yanal Ashmoz[/autotag], who flattened Sam Patterson in the first round?

Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of Mike Bohn, Farah Hannoun, and Brian “Goze” Garcia weigh in with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia. Check out their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s full episode below.

“Spinning Back Clique” is released each Monday LIVE on MMA Junkie’s YouTube channel.

 

Daniel Cormier raves about ‘hero’ Justin Gaethje’s win over Rafael Fiziev: ‘He was at such a speed disadvantage’

Daniel Cormier heaped praise on Justin Gaethje’s performance against Rafael Fiziev at UFC 286.

[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] heaped praise on [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag]’s performance against [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] at UFC 286.

Gaethje (24-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) outlasted Fiziev (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) by majority decision in this past Saturday’s co-headliner at The O2 in London and snapped the rising contender’s winning streak in a bloody battle.

Cormier credited Gaethje for overcoming Fiziev’s speed and putting it on him in Round 3 to close out the fight strong.

“What an amazing fight,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “First thing I told Justin Gaethje in the octagon after was, ‘Justin Gaethje, you’re my hero,’ because I think Justin Gaethje is everybody’s hero. He was at such a speed disadvantage in this fight. It was never more evident than very early in the fight.

“He was a tad bit slower, but he was so intent on winning that it didn’t matter what Fiziev gave him. He continued to fight with his game plan, with his pressure, and it paid dividends as the fight went on. By the third round, Justin Gaethje couldn’t miss. He was landing the jab at will. He was landing the uppercut at will.”

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Former interim lightweight champion Gaethje maintained his spot at the top of the division and sees a rematch with Dustin Poirier or Charles Oliiveira as the logical next step. Prior to the fight, Cormier said Fiziev was a must-win fight for Gaethje.

“Justin Gaethje was sure there was no changing in the guard at 155 pounds,” Cormier said. “He did what he needed to do in order to turn back the Rafael Fiziev threat to his place amongst the division’s elite.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.