UFC 286: Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev – preview

This weekend we will see another spectacular event. UFC 286 will take place in London and will feature one very attractive fight on the main card. Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev will face each other in the cage. What to expect from the fight and what to bet on?

London is looking forward to the next big event, as the biggest MMA organization on the planet heads to the O2 Arena with UFC 286. Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman will face off in the main event, but the duel that precedes the main event offers a more entertaining spectacle.

This is because two excellent stand-up fighters will face each other, namely Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev. While the former has been one of the absolute top lightweights for a while now, the latter is still carving out his place in the sun.

Gaethje is already well-seasoned, he has fought big stars and legends, and has fought for the title twice. After all, his 23-4 record speaks for itself.

Fiziev is a four years younger predator who may not have as much experience, but he’s hungry and aggressive. He boasts a 12-1 record and is currently riding a streak of six wins in a row. Last time out, he took on the legendary Rafael dos Anjos, who he stopped in the fifth round.

If there’s one thing not to expect in this fight, it’s that it’s going to come down to points. It doesn’t happen too often with both fighters. Of Gaethje’s 27 fights, only 3 have ended on points.

They both boast great KO punching. While Gaethje has 19 fights ended by KO/TKO, Fiziev has 8 fights ended that way. So there is a lot to look forward to.

Plus, Gaethje doesn’t wear the nickname “The Highlight” for nothing. He’s a collector of bonuses for performances or fights of the night. And he’ll be looking for another bonus now. Along with the win. Gaethje will be the more technical man in the match, but how hungry he goes into the match will play a big part.

In his last comments, the American fighter seemed a bit resigned. Two losses in his last three fights, albeit to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira, have demotivated him. He also talked about the end of his career, because he said that if he can’t beat the best now, he has nowhere to go at his age, and thus he has no place to beat the best.

After that, it’s definitely worth a bet on the match not ending on points. Here, however, the odds will be considerably lower. Still, very likely.

Source: UFC, Sherdog