Islam Makhachev and Thiago Moises clash next Saturday in the main event of the UFC on ESPN 26. We really don’t need to explain too much how big of a deal this match is for both participants. At the moment, they are among the top 15 fighters in the division, but now comes the moment once they need to show their true worth. A winner here will have the opportunity to meet the big dogs later. Some suggest maybe even this year.
Makhachev vs. Moises Schedule
- Where: UFC Apex Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
- When: Saturday, July 17, 10 pm ET
- How to Watch: ESPN
Makhachev vs. Moises Odds
| Makhachev | Moises |
|---|---|
| -650 | +425 |
Makhachev Wants to Be New Khabib
The 29-year old is a close friend of the undefeated former lightweight champion. And it seems that he picked up a lot of knowledge from the Russian Eagle while training and perfecting skills with him.
So far, Makhachev has 19 wins and only one loss, in his second UFC fight against Adriano Martins, who KOd him in the first round of their battle. But that was six years ago, and since then, Islam has been on fire posting seven consecutive victories.
What we need to say here is that this guy didn’t have more battles because of injuries and also because the opponents used to avoid him and turn down offers for events that included Makhachev. When looking at his style of fight, it is easy to understand why, because like his friend Khabib, Islam too, is a relentless fighter whose cardio is unbelievable, as well as wrestling productivity.
It is Now or Never For Moises
After having two losses in three battles during late 2018 and 2019, Moises made a breakthrough with three consecutive victories in the past 15 months, which improved his overall status in the lightweight division. One by one, he would beat Michael Johnson, Bobby Green, and Alexander Hernandez.
Even though he has “only” 26 years, which is not that much for the UFC circumstances, many believe that this fight might define Moises’ career. If he manages to win, or at least put up a good resistance against one of the best lightweights in the world, the future is bright for him. If not… well, he could easily be lost in the sea of mediocrity.
Like Makhachev, Moises is a very good wrestler, but when it comes to the offensive part of that aspect of the fight. On the defensive side, he isn’t that shiny, as his takedown defense stands at 63%, significantly lower than 93% the Russian has. The Brazilian is solid on his feet, but with a bit lower accuracy.
Makhachev vs. Moises Pick and Prediction
We didn’t spend too much time thinking about what would be our final pick here. Makhachev is an absolute favorite, and his victory is, in our opinion, inevitable. The odds on that might not be too big, but we have a solution for that as well. Try with Makhachev wins via submission, and you will get substantially higher profits than for the plain triumph.
Pick: Makhachev wins, or Makhachev wins via submission
