| Tale of the Tape | Akbar Abdullaev |
Ednilson Santos
|
|---|---|---|
| Record | 13-0 | 14-7-1 |
| Age | 28 | 33 |
| Height | 5’10” | 5’9″ |
| Reach | 70.0″ | ? |
| Hometown | Osh, Kyrgyzstan | Belem do Francisco, Pernambuco, Brazil |
| Combined Opp. Record | 79-23-1 | 187-81-2 |
| Gym | Al-Munar FC | |
| Championships | n/a | Ragnorak |
Shawn Bitter- Santos better hopes he gets abducted by aliens on fight week because he doesn’t wanna be on Earth with Abdullaev. Santos is a vet, but there are levels, and Abdullaev is at the highest level. I already did a big piece on Abdullaev here; check it out to see exactly why I’m picking him.
Pick: Abdullaev by Round 1 KO/TKO
Cedric Dumas- On paper, this one is about as straightforward as they come. Ednilson Santos is stepping in on short notice against a fighter who already belongs in the conversation among the top 15 lightweights in the world. Akbar Abdullaev is younger, faster, more complete, and operating on a completely different level at this point in their respective careers.
Santos deserves credit for accepting the opportunity, especially given the circumstances, but there is a reason he is being asked to fill this spot on short notice. Abdullaev has the kind of well-rounded game that can make a late-replacement opponent look completely out of his depth.
The math isn’t complicated. Akbar should roll through Cai Cai.
Pick: Abdullaev by Round 1 KO/TKO
Nicholas Holt- Yeah, I mean, this is going to be bad. Akbar Abdullaev is going to do scary things to Ednilson Santos, and I’m not sure Santos can do anything to stop it. He’s coming in on short notice too- quite literally, all the odds are against Santos in this fight, and rightfully so, Abdullaev is as advertised. Akbar Abdullaev will steal the show in the opening three minutes, finish Santos, and kick off his UFC career as a future superstar.
Pick: Abdullaev by Round 1 KO/TKO
Chase Gurotsky- Akbar Abdullaev is a stud and a guy who deserved to get a UFC fight outright. Not sure what made the UFC think he should do DWCS, especially now that his fight fell through and they found Santos, who is honestly a sacrificial lamb. To me, this seems like a stat-padding signing for DWCS. I really have nothing more to say; Abdullaev can do whatever he wants. Santos is 1-1 in his last two and was finished by an 8-4 fighter and beat a 9-6 fighter. Santos is a decent regional guy who is only here because of the short notice. If Santos wins, this, to me, will be a far bigger upset than Apodaca beating Mir.
Pick: Abdullaev by Round 1 KO/TKO
Xavi Ryder– Akbar Abdullaev is the single best fighter on the show this year and should have been signed straight to the UFC. Originally, Abdullaev was set to take on an actual decent prospect in Anthony Figueroa, but he couldn’t make it to fight night. Respect to Ednilson Santos, but he is a lamb being led out to slaughter here.
Pick: Abdullaev by Round 1 KO/TKO
Drew Beaupre– Everyone but the UFC brass seems to agree that Abdullaev should just have been signed outright instead of being forced to go through DWCS. He’s already proven himself against a high level of competition, and even more impressively, he’s finished every single opponent he’s faced. The 28-year-old was already going to be the clear pick against a more DWCS-worthy fighter in Anthony Figueroa, and unfortunately the short-notice nature of this matchup isn’t about to help Santos.
Pick: Abdullaev by Round 1 KO/TKO
Cangrejo Ruiz- Props to Santos for taking the fight no one wanted; hope he gets a nice paycheck eventually. With that said, this fight is pointless; Akbar could have had a debut against the level of competition Parnasse had a few weeks ago.
Pick: Abdullaev by Round 1 KO/TKO
Benjamin Keith – Akbar Abdullaev is too good for the contender’s series. Poor Santos. We’re tossing a sheep into a cage with a raptor here. Don’t let his last name ending in V fool you; he is a dynamic and exciting finisher. I would rather see him debut against the likes of Drew Dober or Fares Ziam here, but I will take what I can get. At least we’re almost guaranteed a highlight here from Akbar.
Pick: Abdullaev by Round 1 KO/TKO
Pat Danna – Plain and simple, this is sadly not a DWCS fight, but a mauling disguised as one. Abdullaev shouldn’t have been on the show because he is well past that level, and Santos shouldn’t have been on the show because he’s a short-notice replacement with a 4-4-1 record in his last nine. Abdullaev would be a champion in ONE if it hadn’t been for a weight miss. Abdullaev will win this fight as he pleases, either with a massive right hand on the feet or a big GnP finish on the floor. Either way, I expect it to be easy and quick for Abdullaev.
Pick: Abdullaev by Round 1 KO/TKO
