UFC Vegas 50 preview, ‘Santos vs Ankalaev’ predictions

Final Combating Championship (UFC) is simply “yet one more sleep” away from the upcoming UFC Vegas 50 struggle card, which is ready to go down tomorrow evening (Sat., March 12, 2022) from contained in the promotion’s APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, that includes a light-weight heavyweight headliner between Thiago Santos and Magomed Ankalaev.

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Final Combating Championship (UFC) continues its run of reveals inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sat., march 12, 2022, with a hard-hitting Gentle Heavyweight contenders’ bout that can see No. 5-ranked Thiago Santos battle No. 6-seeded Magomed Ankalaev. In UFC Vegas 50’s co-main occasion, No. 10-ranked Bantamweight contender, Marlon Moraes, goals to cease the momentum of Track Yadong (No. 14).

Don’t miss a single second of face-punching action!

Earlier than we dive into the principle and co-main occasions, which incorporates the bantamweight showdown between Brazilian bruiser Marlon Moraes and “Kung Fu Monkey” Track Yadong, try Patrick Stumberg’s prim and correct UFC Vegas 50 preliminary card breakdowns here and here. As well as, groom-zilla in coaching Andrew Richardson did many of the heavy lifting for the remainder of the UFC Vegas 50 principal card right here.

For the newest “Santos vs. Ankalaev” odds and betting traces courtesy of our fiscal pals over at Draft Kings go here.

Let’s get to work.

205 lbs.: Thiago Santos vs. Magomed Ankalaev

Thiago “Marreta” Santos

File: 22-9 | Age: 38 | Betting line: +435
Wins: 15 KO/TKO, 1 SUB, 6 DEC | Losses: 3 KO/TKO, 3 SUB, 3 DEC
Top: 6’2“ | Attain: 76” | Stance: Orthodox
Vital Strikes Landed Per Minute: 3.95 | Hanging accuracy: 48%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 2.28 | Hanging Protection: 56%
Takedown Common: 0.61 (36% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 66%
Present Rating: No. 5 | Final struggle: Unanimous resolution win over Johnny Walker

Magomed Ankalaev

File: 15-1 | Age: 29 | Betting line: -600
Wins: 8 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 7 DEC | Losses: 0 KO/TKO, 1 SUB, 0 DEC
Top: 6’3“ | Attain: 75” | Stance: Orthodox
Vital Strikes Landed Per Minute: 3.60 | Hanging accuracy: 55%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 2.05 | Hanging Protection: 62%
Takedown Common: 1.15 (31% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 85%
Present Rating: No. 6 | Final struggle: Unanimous resolution win over Volkan Oezdemir

Thiago Santos comes into this five-round headliner after securing a unanimous resolution win over Johnny Walker at UFC Vegas 38 final October, a victory that snapped a dreadful three-fight shedding streak relationship again to his admirable (however finally unsuccessful) efficiency in opposition to then-light heavyweight champion Jon Jones at UFC 239. Whereas an ideal increase for his confidence, I’m unsure a judges’ nod over Walker can be utilized as a measuring stick for the remainder of the 205-pound division as a result of — and I say this with all due respect — Walker has been full rubbish over the past three years, dropping 4 of 5 and getting stopped twice. What we do know for sure is that Santos turned 38 final January and has not appeared the identical after double-knee surgical procedure. You may argue that his energy remains to be there however it hasn’t helped him shut the present since Jan Blachowicz went ass over tin cups greater than three years again. That is perhaps his most spectacular win thus far and one which silenced arguments that Santos ought to have stayed at middleweight, the place he additionally registered knockout victories over the likes of Jack Hermansson and Anthony Smith, amongst others.

Magomed Ankalaev stumbled in his UFC debut, getting choked into submission by Paul Craig at UFC Struggle Night time 127 again in March 2018. The Dagestani bruiser was capable of shake off that loss and get again to his successful methods, to the tune of seven straight wins with 4 knockout finishes. He’s actually a compelling prospect in a division starved of recent faces, I simply don’t perceive a betting line of -600 once you have a look at his energy of schedule, significantly when in comparison with the resume of his opponent. Ankalaev fought six opponents after falling to Craig (which incorporates two bouts in opposition to Ion Cutelaba) and solely two of these fighters have successful data beneath the UFC banner. Is anyone leaping out of their chair for unanimous resolution wins over Nikita Krylov and Volkan Oezdemir, who’re each 2-3 over their final 5? Santos hasn’t been excellent however it’s sort of laborious to be once you battle a assassin’s row at 205 kilos. In his final 5 fights, “Marreta” confronted one present and two former champions, in addition to the No. 3-ranked fighter within the division. Not too shabby. The query for me heading into this contest is how effectively the Brazilian can carry out at his age with over a decade of fights beneath his belt. That’s numerous miles to placed on these tires and Ankalaev is simply 29 — although he’s by no means been 5 rounds in his profession so we don’t know what sort of tempo he can keep if this factor goes the gap.

I do know the brand new faculty expects Ankalaev to proceed his upward trajectory and primarily based on a number of the latest struggles from Santos, that’s not an outrageous prediction. On the similar time, I’m not able to throw within the towel simply but, partly as a result of I’m a sucker for getting old veterans hoping for one final run, however largely as a result of Ankalaev hasn’t finished sufficient to show he’s prepared for a passing of the torch simply but.

Prediction: Santos def. Ankalaev by knockout

135 lbs.: Marlon Moraes vs. Track Yadong

“Magic” Marlon Moraes

File: 23-9 | Age: 33 | Betting line: +195
Wins: 10 KO/TKO, 6 SUB, 7 DEC | Losses: 6 KO/TKO, 2 SUB, 1 DEC
Top: 5’6“ | Attain: 67” | Stance: Orthodox
Vital Strikes Landed Per Minute: 3.34 | Hanging accuracy: 40%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 4.47 | Hanging Protection: 53%
Takedown Common: 0.89 (41% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 46%
Present Rating: No. 10 | Final struggle: Technical knockout loss to Merab Dvalishvili

Track “Kung Fu Monkey” Yadong

File: 18-6-1, 1 NC | Age: 24 | Betting line: -240
Wins: 7 KO/TKO, 3 SUB, 8 DEC | Losses: 1 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 4 DEC, 1 DQ
Top: 5’8“ | Attain: 67” | Stance: Orthodox
Vital Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.88 | Hanging accuracy: 42%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.77 | Hanging Protection: 59%
Takedown Common: 0.46 (42% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 60%
Present Rating: No. 14 | Final struggle: Technical knockout win over Julio Arce

Very similar to Justin Gaethje, who additionally crossed over from World Collection of Combating (WSOF) again in summer season 2017, expectations had been excessive for Marlon Moraes, who held the bantamweight title beneath his earlier promotion. For essentially the most half, “Magic” lived as much as his nickname and made the remainder of the contenders disappear, placing collectively a 4-1 document to earn a shot on the vacant 135-pound title. Then got here a technical knockout defeat to Henry Cejudo at UFC 238 and all of it appeared to collapse. After shedding to the since-retired “Triple C,” Moraes is simply 1-3 and coming off three consecutive knockout losses, together with final September’s collapse by the hands of Merab Dvalishvili. To be truthful, Dvalishvili is ranked No. 8 and his different two losses got here in opposition to Cory Sandhagen and Rob Font, who’re each ranked within the Prime 5, so it’s not just like the Brazilian was getting washed by scrubs. It nonetheless doesn’t clarify how the world’s No. 1 bantamweight practically fell out of the Top 10 with such dizzying pace. It’s not too late to proper the ship at age 33, however this can be a do-or-die state of affairs for “Magic.”

Track Yadong reduce his tooth on the worldwide circuit and appeared for ONE Championship in a shedding effort again in late 2014. UFC signed “The Kung Fu Monkey” as a part of its enlargement into mainland China and to his credit score, Yadong has carried out effectively, placing collectively a 7-1-1 document with a notable victory over Marlon Vera at UFC on ESPN 8 roughly two years again. Extra spectacular is the truth that Yadong is simply 24 years previous and but to enter his prime. And sure, the Tianjin native began competing professionally when he was simply 15 as a result of that sort of factor isn’t frowned upon abroad. Simply ask 17 year-old Victoria Lee, who’s already 3-0 with three finishes for ONE Championship. Just like the argument we made for Thiago Santos on this weekend’s headliner, it’s not truthful to check Yadong with Moraes over the previous couple of years as a result of “The Kung Fu Monkey” has solely confronted one fighter within the Prime 10 and that was Vera. Moraes, in the meantime, has been locked contained in the shark tank for the reason that day he debuted and suffered the implications.

It’s laborious for me to examine a fighter as gifted as Moraes dropping 4 straight. I’m not selecting him with a ton of confidence, however I do imagine his pace and expertise will probably be sufficient to win two of the three rounds. Yadong has confirmed to be a troublesome out and hasn’t been completed since Alexey Polpudnikov folded him again in 2016. Anticipate a spirited contest that could possibly be determined within the closing alternate, with Moraes popping out on high.

Prediction: Moraes def. Yadong by unanimous resolution

Keep in mind, the remainder of the UFC Vegas 50 principal card predictions are RIGHT HERE.

MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of the complete UFC Vegas 50 struggle card RIGHT HERE, beginning with the ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 4 p.m. ET, adopted by the ESPN+ principal card begin time at 7 p.m. ET.

To take a look at the newest and biggest UFC Vegas 50 information and notes make sure you hit up our complete occasion archive here. For the up to date and finalized “Santos vs. Ankalaev” struggle card and ESPN+ lineup click here.