Mairbek Taisumov owns 13 first-round finishes. | Photo: D. Mandel/Sherdog.com
Lightweights
Mairbek Taisumov (21-4, 1-0 UFC) vs. Michel Richard Cunha dos Prazeres (17-1, 1-1 UFC)The Jungle Fight veteran is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who will aggressively pursue takedowns in hopes of controlling the fight on the ground. Once there, Prazeres will use ground-and-pound while attempting to advance position for submissions; he nearly secured a rear-naked choke against Ronson. He has a powerful build that helps him to implement this approach, but it also tends to take a toll on his gas tank.
Prazeres will have to work to get inside against Taisumov, who has a five-and-a-half-inch reach advantage. The Austria-based Chechen should have an advantage on the feet. While Prazeres has decent kicks -- he had success landing to the legs, body and head against Thiago -- his primary goal will be to get Taisumov down.
Taisumov, meanwhile, showcased a fairly diverse skill set in a win over Tae Hyun Bang at UFC Fight Night 34. He landed kicks at various levels, utilized his jab fairly consistently and staggered his opponent with a left hook. In addition, he mixed in timely takedowns throughout the bout, including a judo throw in the third round. Taisumov is more polished on the feet than Prazeres. He throws his right hand with speed and power, but his kicking game might be his strong suit.
While he might have some difficulty dealing with Prazeres’ strength in close quarters, Taisumov has demonstrated a solid sprawl and clinch in the past. He might also have an opportunity to finish late if Prazeres fades.
The Pick: Taisumov takes it by decision.
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