The UFC Vancouver prelims showcase an intriguing middleweight clash between a rising prospect and an elite kickboxer making his debut. Azamat Bekoev vs Yousri Belgaroui brings together contrasting styles that should produce fireworks this weekend.
Bekoev has been on an absolute tear lately, riding an 8-fight winning streak that includes 2 first-round knockouts in the UFC. His recent victories over Zach Reese and Ryan Loder showcased his finishing ability and well-rounded skill set. Training at American Top Team has clearly elevated his game to new levels. Belgaroui represents a completely different challenge with his world-class kickboxing credentials from GLORY. The Dutch striker has shared the ring with legends like Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya during his kickboxing career. This stylistic battle between wrestler and striker could go either way depending on who imposes their game plan first.
Bekoev brings an impressive record of 20-3 and stands 6’0” tall with a 72 inch reach. He lands a staggering 7.59 significant strikes per minute at 61% accuracy. Bekoev absorbs 4.48 strikes per minute, showing his willingness to engage in firefights to secure finishes. His striking defense sits at 46%. Where Bekoev really excels is mixing in wrestling, averaging 2.59 takedowns per fight at 33% accuracy. His takedown defense is perfect at 100%, making him impossible to hold down. Bekoev has zero submission attempts in the UFC, preferring to finish fights through ground-and-pound or striking exchanges.
Belgaroui enters with a record of 8-3 and stands an absolutely massive 6’5” tall with a 79 inch reach. He lands 4.43 significant strikes per minute at 60% accuracy. Belgaroui only absorbs 2.65 strikes per minute thanks to solid striking defense at 57%. He has never attempted a takedown in the UFC, as his entire game revolves around striking. His takedown defense checks in at 81%, which has improved after training at Glover Teixeira’s gym. Belgaroui has zero submission attempts, making him purely a striker who lives and dies by his standup game.
According to FanDuel, they have installed Azamat Bekoev as a clear favorite at -295. Meanwhile, Yousri Belgaroui comes back as a significant underdog at +240. These odds reflect Bekoev’s momentum from his winning streak and proven UFC success compared to Belgaroui’s debut status.
The odds for the fight going the distance have also come out. The odds for the fight seeing the judges scorecards stand at +170. The probability of the fight ending before the final bell is higher and the odds (-220) reflect that.
This fight will be decided by whether Belgaroui can keep this standing. His world-class kickboxing from GLORY gives him the technical edge on the feet. Fighting guys like Pereira and Adesanya prepared him for elite competition.
Bekoev needs to close distance immediately and get takedowns to neutralize Belgaroui’s striking. The Russian’s relentless pressure and forward movement should eventually break through Belgaroui’s 81% takedown defense. Once on the ground, Bekoev’s ground-and-pound becomes devastating.
If we bet on the fight, we are going with Azamat Bekoev to win via KO/TKO.
(All odds taken from FanDuel. Bet on the most up-to-date MMA odds, lines, and spreads with FanDuel Sportsbook)
(Image Credit: Reese Strickland – Imagn Images)
mma I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!
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