UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs Imavov main card preview & top bets

This weekend’s UFC Fight Night main card is filled with well-matched contests that will be decided by where the action will take place. Drew Dober looks like a solid chance at nice odds if he can keep the fight upright against Renato Moicano; Brazilian female flyweights Viviane Araujo and Natalia Silva will be keen to advance their top-five credentials; and unbeaten prospect Aliaskhab Khizriev squares off with veteran Makhmud Muradov in a fun fight. Read on for our tips and analysis.

Roman Dolidze v Nassourdine Imavov

Roman Dolidze vs Nassourdine Imavov

An intriguing middleweight clash headlines Saturday’s UFC Night Night card in Las Vegas. See our in-depth fight preview for Roman Dolidze vs Nassourdine Imavov here.

Renato Moicano v Drew Dober

Renato Moicano vs Drew Dober

Renato Moicano (17-5-1) is a submission specialist with a solid recent record of three wins and one loss since 2021. The loss was an extended five-round beatdown by Rafael dos Anjos, and the three wins have all come via rear naked choke. The Brazilian can appear flustered and anxious when his ground game cannot be employed and he is forced to stand and strike. The 34-year-old has never scored a knockout victory throughout his career and will be desperate to land an early takedown against a hard-hitting opponent.

Drew Dober (27-12-0) brings a similarly strong recent record into this matchup, with four wins and one loss since early 2022. The American is a KO fighter, with 14 of his professional wins coming via that method. His record on the mat is less impressive, and Dober’s submission victories have normally followed a heavy punch that penetrated an opponent’s guard. If the 35-year-old can use his enormous strength to thwart the takedown attempts of Moicano, he presents a solid upset chance at great odds with online bookmakers.

Randy Brown v Muslim Salikhov

Randy Brown vs Muslim Salikhov

Randy Brown (17-5-0) presents a unique challenge for the welterweight division. He stands 6’3″ with a 78-inch reach and will enjoy a huge range advantage in this contest. The 33-year-old has only been beaten once in his last six contests and is a warm favourite here. If Brown can maintain a long striking range, he should be able to win this fight with jabs alone, given his eight-inch reach edge.

Muslim Salikhov (19-4-0) has dropped two of his last three bouts and might be nearing the end of his MMA journey. At his best, the Russian combines high-level grappling with octagon movement, but a fighter’s reflexes inevitably slow with the passage of time. Salikhov will need to slip his opponent’s lead hand and get inside, where his physical strength will be more of an asset. This is easier said than done, and he may be in for a frustrating night.

Viviane Araujo v Natalia Silva

Viviane Araujo vs Natalia Silva

Viviane Araujo (12-5-0) has a mixed record since making her UFC debut in 2019, posting six wins and four losses. The Brazilian is coming off a last-start win over Jennifer Mia, snapping a two-fight losing streak. She boasts a single stoppage win at the UFC level, with the remaining nine fights being decided by the judges. The 37-year-old can test the patience of fans when her volume drops off and will need to push hard for the full 15 minutes to score an upset win.

Natalia Silva (16-5-1) carries an unbeaten streak of 10 fights into this contest, four of them at the UFC level. The Brazilian packs some power into her strikes and has scored five KO wins and seven submission wins as a professional. The 25-year-old can land kicks to the head and spinning strikes, and she has an excellent arm-bar submission in her arsenal. A win will push Silvia closer to a top-five ranking and a potential shot at the women’s flyweight title.

Aliaskhab Khizriev v Makhmud Muradov

Aliaskhab Khizriev vs Makhmud Muradov

The unbeaten Aliaskhab Khizriev (14-0-0) looks like a fighter—not a professional, but a scrappy intimidator who might have a job collecting debts. The Russian impressed on Dana White’s Contender Series, where he scored a first-round submission win and looked equally impressive in his UFC debut. The 33-year-old has not fought for almost two years following a run of cancelled contests and other complications, yet he is expected to put up a bold showing against a taller and more experienced opponent.

Makhmud Muradov (26-8-0) put up a gutsy effort to win his most recent appearance against the always-dangerous Bryan Barberena, snapping a two-fight losing streak. The Uzbek fighter is a proven finisher, with 17 KO wins on his record. On the flip side, the 33-year-old has only been stopped once by TKO due to an unfortunate clavicle injury back in 2016. He has been submitted on four occasions and will be unwilling to join Khizriev on the mat. Muradov’s best chances lie in the early rounds, where he can employ his prodigious punching power to winning effect.

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