Two fighters looking to get back to their winning ways will meet head-on in UFC 262, as middleweight contenders Jack Hermansson tales on Edmen Shahbazyan. Hermansson is ranked seventh in the division, while Shahbazyan is seventh overall. The winner here would take a step closer to earning a possible title fight down the road. Check out our preview of this bout along with our prediction.
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Betting Preview for the Jack Hermansson vs Edmen Shahbazyan Middleweight Bout at UFC 262 on May 15, 2021
Where: Toyota Center, Houston
When: Saturday, May 15, 2021
Odds: Jack Hermansson (-170) vs. Edmen Shahbazyan (+140)
TV Broadcast: UFC Fight Pass
Betting on Jack Hermansson (-170)
MMA Record: 21-6-0
After pulling off a surprising win against Kelvin Gastelum via submission right in the first round of their fight back in July 2020, Hermansson failed to sustain his momentum and fell victim to Marvin Vettori in December of the same year via unanimous decision. Hermansson always likes to force the action and make things happen standing up. He has an average of 5.03 significant strikes landed per minute with a 52.1 striking accuracy percentage. Hermansson is likely going to have the same approach in this upcoming fight against Shahbazyan, especially since he has a three-inch reach advantage. Hermansson has an excellent takedown defense as well, avoiding such attempts from his opponents 75 percent of the time so far in his career in the UFC. He has 11 wins via T/KOs and six via submissions. Among his notable wins were those against Jacare Souza (unanimous decision) and Thales Leites (TKO).
Betting on Edmen Shahbazyan (+140)
MMA Record: 11-1-0
Shahbazyan is looking to get back on track after suffering his first loss in his career, which was when he got stopped by Derek Brunson in the first round of their fight in August 2020. Prior to that Shahbazyan had three wins in a row to start his career in the UFC, winning twice via knockouts and once thru submission. Shahbazyan is still a promising prospect, as he’s only 23, nine years the junior of Hermansson. He’s a dangerous striker who could capitalize on Hermansson’s aggressiveness. Shahbazyan has nine knockout wins against just a KO loss. In his win over Brad Tavares in the undercard of UFC 244: Masvidal vs. Diaz, Shahbazyan needed just 14 strikes to score two knockdowns and a KO win via kick. Shahbazyan is averaging 4.44 significant strikes landed per minute on 40 percent accuracy. Although his reach is shorter than Hermansson’s, Shahbazyan is taller by an inch.
Writer’s Prediction
Hermansson wins via TKO.
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