UFC On ESPN 11: Blaydes vs Volkov - Predictions & Breakdown

By: Eagle Andersen

A fun card filled with many familiar faces!

Courtesy: UFC.com

I am going to briefly breakdown each of these bouts and give you the most likely winner based their history. Each MMA News Now team member will also be offering their predictions.

Jim Miller (31-14-[1]) v Roosevelt Roberts (10-1)

Jim Miller is one of the greatest submission artists in UFC history. Unfortunately for him, he is currently 36 years old and is well past his prime. Roosevelt Roberts is an improving prospect who will have the size and length advantage in this one. He will be looking to keep Miller at bay in order to oppose his will onto him. This fight will end in one of two ways.

1. Miller losses, passes the torch to a younger fighter and either retires or has a couple more gate keeping and veteran fights.

2. Roberts losses, is forced to go back to the gym to tweak his game while Miller stays relevant.

UFC veteran Jim Miller | Courtesy: UFC.com

Belal Muhammed (16-3) v Lyman Good (21-5-[1])

This fight has all the makings of an entertaining, intriguing fight night main card bout. the winner of this fight is pretty hard to call but don't be shocked to see a close or even split decision decide the winner. Good should have the edge in knockout power and overall striking but Muhammed is more active in terms of volume on the feet and may actually surprise some fans on Saturday evening. Muhammed is the superior wrestler and always has some crafty tricks on hand if the fight goes to mat.

Raquel Pennington (10-8) v Marion Reneau (9-5-1)

Both of these fighters are veterans in the UFC women's scene. Neither has looked impressive in recent bouts and they are both in desperate need of a win. A loss for either lady will most likely mean the end of their UFC tenure. Fighters in bouts with such ramifications almost always throw the kitchen sink at their opponents which should mean some entertainment. Reneau has always relied on his athleticism but at 42 it may be in question. Pennington will be looking to grind her way to a decision.

Josh Emmett (15-2) v Shane Burgos (13-1)

This fight is a monumental opportunity for each competitor. Not only does this fight have high stakes behind it, it should also be a very entertaining affair between two high-level strikers looking to make a splash.

'Huricane' Shane Burgos | Courtesy: UFC.com

A win in this fight is so important because both guys are riding momentum carried from each of their winning streaks. Emmett has strung together back-to-back finishes and Burgos has a three-fight unbeaten stretch of his own. Both men are on the cusp of contender-ship which would be derailed if either loses. Emmett has the sight experience advantage as well as more eye-catching knockout power. On the other hand, Burgos is more skilled technically and is a very high-level striker in his own right.

Curtis Blaydes (13-2-[1]) v Alexander Volkov (31-7)

This fight is extremely important for the future of the heavyweight division. It is pretty much a given at this point that Francis Ngannou is next in line for a title shot. After him the next fighter due for the championship conversation will be decided in this bout.

For a heavyweight, Volkov and Blaydes both have a good gas tank and are very durable athletes. With that being said, Volkov relies heavily on his striking and Blaydes relies on his wrestling prowess. Although MMA math doesn't always check out, wrestling almost always trumps striking when it comes to a grimy, war of attrition style bout. If you pair this with Blaydes' ever-improving stand-up it makes sense why he seems to be the consensus favourite.

Volkov will not go down easily however as he has over 30 fights of experience to draw from and it is important to note that Blaydes once suffered a devastating knockout in less than a minute. His chin has held up in his three fights since but it will still be intriguing to keep an eye on.

Team Predictions:

Eagle's (@AndersenEagle) Picks | 23-7-0:

R. Roberts

L. Good

R. Pennington

S. Burgos

C. Blaydes

Mason's Picks | 21-9-0:

R. Roberts

B. Muhammed

R. Pennington

S. Burgos

C. Blaydes

Buck's (@Nerd_MMA) Picks | 19-11-0:

R. Roberts

B. Muhammed

R. Pennington

S. Burgos

C. Blaydes

Aiden's (@DownToTheWire6) Picks | 18-12-0:

Joe's (@UngerJos) Picks | 18-7-0:

J. Miller

B. Muhammed

M. Reneau

J. Emmett

C. Blaydes

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