SUMMARY
- Aliaskhab Khizriev will be fighting against Makhmud Muradov at UFC Vegas 85.
- Aliaskhab Khizriev is coming off an impressive win against Denis Tiuliulin, which he won via submission in the second round.
With UFC Vegas 85 just around the corner, UFC fans have been wondering about how the fight night will pan out. The event will occur on February 3, 2024, at the UFC APEX performance center in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the middleweight bout on the main card of the night, Aliaskhab ‘Black Wolf’ Khizriev will be up against Makhmud Muradov.
Neither fighter features in the top 15 middleweight rankings in the UFC. But this fight provides them with a golden opportunity to be recognized as someone ready to break into the top 15. The Dagestani fighter is coming off an impressive win against Denis Tiuliulin, which he won via submission in the second round. This will be Khizriev’s third fight in the UFC.
Let´s go to the Work 💪🏼 @ufc @UFCRussia pic.twitter.com/2W2qmvSyfQ
— Makhmud Muradov (@MakhmudMuradov) November 14, 2023
His opponent, the 33-year-old Uzbek fighter, is also coming off a win in his last fight. Makhmud secured a unanimous decision victory against Bryan Barberena to clinch his fourth UFC win out of six matches. Both fighters will be highly motivated to soar into the top 15 in the middleweight division. This matchup has the potential to be one of the most exciting matches of the night.
UFC Vegas 85: Aliaskhab Khizriev vs Makhmud Muradov stats
Stats | Aliaskhab Khizriev | Makhmud Muradov |
Wins | 14 | 26 |
Losses | 0 | 8 |
Height | 5 ft 9 in | 6 ft 2 in |
Division | Middleweight | Middleweight |
Reach | 74 in | 75.5 in |
Age | 30 | 33 |
Aliaskhab Khizriev vs Makhmud Muradov: Fight breakdown and prediction
One look at Aliaskhab Khizriev, and most UFC fans can probably tell where he hails from and what his fighting style is. A shaved mustache and a well-rounded beard are enough to spell danger inside the octagon. And Khizriev plays the role quite well. The 30-year-old Dagestani man is a tremendous grappler, as one would expect. Not only that, but his kick-game is to be reckoned with as well.
The hyped middleweight fighter also known as the ‘Black Wolf’ is not just a boring wrestler though. He likes to come forward, set the pace of the fight and when the opportunity beckons him, pounce on his prey and finish him off via submissions and ground control. He has only spent 3 rounds inside the UFC octagon till now by submitting both his opponents inside 2 rounds with his first fight only lasting 50 seconds.
On the other hand, Makhmud Muradov. The Tajikistan-born fighter is a credible boxer with good kicks. Having solid fundamentals and a clean technique helps Makhmud strike. His wrestling, too, is commendable, as seen in his last fight, where he secured 13 takedowns. But these numbers also suggest his lack of ground control expertise.
Aliaskhab Khizriev leads in a significant strike differential with 6.02 (landed per minute) to 4.36 (absorbed per minute) compared to Muradov’s 4.21 (landed per minute) to 2.56 (absorbed per minute). When it comes to grappling, though, Khizriev is the clear winner. He has 5.77 average takedowns compared to Muradov’s 3.04, while also having a 100% takedown defense against Muradov’s 77%.
The internet closely contests the perception of this fight, but it shouldn’t be that close. The ‘Black Wolf’ is simply a better fighter in almost all aspects of the fight and should also walk out as the clear winner.
Muradov might be a good boxer and have a nice takedown defense, but the undefeated prodigy hails from a different breed of fighters. Khizriev will be able to take down Muradov and control him on the ground while eventually trying to get Makhmud to submit.