The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is back in action after UFC 287. The event will be held at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. Former featherweight champion Max Holloway is set to fight the young rising British superstar, Arnold Allen in the main event. However, the card also features a light heavyweight fight between Dustin Jacoby and Azamat Murzakanov.
Azamat Murzakanov is an unbeaten fighter out of Russia, with a record of 12-0. The Russian fighter fought and TKO’ed Matheus Scheffel at Dana White‘s Contender Series (DWCS) on August 31, 2021. Since then, Murzakanov has had two fights in the UFC against Tafon Nchukwi and Devin Clark. He won both of those with stoppages.
Dustin Jacoby will fight Azamat Murzakanov at UFC event on April 15th. (per The @mma_kings 👑) #UFC #MMA #UFCESPN #UFC2023 pic.twitter.com/3UXdqMDiUU
— Marcel Dorff 🇳🇱🇮🇩 (@BigMarcel24) January 19, 2023
Azamat’s opponent on Saturday night, Dustin Jacoby was unbeaten in the UFC until his very last fight. After beating Ty Flores via unanimous decision at DWCS in August 2020, Dustin went on a great run on the UFC main roster. In his 8 fights, Jacoby has 6 wins and 1 draw. However, his unbeaten run came to an end against Khalil Rountree Jr. in October 2022. Can he regain his winning momentum in the bout this weekend? Let’s find out.
UFC Fight Night Kansas City Prediction: Dustin Jacoby vs Azamat Murzakanov, Stats
Stats | Dustin Jacoby | Azamat Murzakanov |
---|---|---|
Wins | 18 | 12 |
Losses | 6 | 0 |
Height | 1.91 m | 1.78 m |
Division | Light Heavyweight | Light Heavyweight |
Reach | 193 cm | 181.6 cm |
Age | 35 | 34 |
Jacoby vs Murzakanov: Fight Breakdown
Dustin Jacoby has 11 knockouts and 1 submission in his fighting career so far. 12 finishes in 18 wins is an amazing feat for any fighter. However, with 9 KOs and 1 submission, Azamat Murzakanov has a better finishing rate in his 12 wins. It does give the fans an indication of what to expect from the bout. By the looks of it, this bout promises to be a barnburner.
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The 35-year-old fighter from Illinois lands an average of 5.58 strikes per minute in his fights with an absorption rate of 3.98 strikes per minute. He holds a striking defense of 60% and a takedown defense of 58%. With an accuracy rate of 30%, Dustin lands 0.34 takedowns per fight. Azamat Murzakanov, on the other hand, lands an average of 4.63 strikes and only absorbs 2.44 strikes.
The Russian fighter has only 14% takedown accuracy and lands a mere 0.60 takedowns per fight. It does not look like either fighter is keen on engaging in grappling. But Jacoby will be the underdog as he already has 6 losses including 1 KO in his resume. Azamat already has an amazing finishing rate and his power will definitely test Jacoby’s chin. However, Jacoby can find a way to sneak out a decision win if he utilizes his superior reach.