UFC 280 Preview

The UFC 280 card is absolutely stacked but we’ve picked some key fights for you to tune into and maybe put some wagers on. The first fight we’re really excited for is a matchup between a wrestler in Belal Muhammad and Undefeated Jiu Jitsu Black Belt Contender Sean Brady. The Next fight we’re really excited for is a matchup between Sean O’Malley and Petr Yan. This is an odd matchup with many fans and trolls alike wondering what the outcome will be when the American faces off the Russian Striking sensation. The final matchup we are super excited for is a the Main event where Charles Oliveira will face off against Khabib’s pupil Islam Makhachev.

Sean Brady has been undefeated in his MMA career so far. Although some call his game one dimensional we find his fighting style to be very fun to watch and unique. Brady who is a Black Belt under Professor Daniel Gracie has submission skills that could neutralize Huhamads wrestling. In his last three fights he’s had two submission victories and in his last performance he went to a decision against Michael Chiesa . I have to say Belal Muhammad wins a lot of his fights but they way he does it is quite boring how he just smothers people and waits for each round to pass and he controls his opponent to get a decision. Effective, but boring.

The Next matchup we’re really excited for is matchup between Sean O’Malley and striking wizard Petr Yan. It appears that Dana White is done giving the Suga show easy fights to grow his and is throwing the young American to the wolves when he matches up with Petr Yan. The former champ is scary good and opened as a heavy favorite on the sportsbook. Yan should make quick work of O’Malley. We don’t see this one going the distance in any way, but we are looking forward to seeing how it goes down.

The champion has a name and it’s Charles Oliveira. Oliveira put on a great performance recently when he faced off against Former interim Champion Justin Gaethje with a quick round one submission victory where he outclassed his opponent and every way. What should of been a title defense for Oliveira was not so this will be interesting to see If Oliveira regains his belt. Across the cage from him will be islam Makhachev who is the best combat Sambo fighter out of Dagestan not named Khabib. Makhachev has vicious sambo skills which would scare even the most talented Grapplers as he can control you and pummel you with strikes and eventually get the submission.

The UFC 280 card is a banger Dana White shows why he is the best promoter in combat sports history with fights like these. What an amazing lineup You can catch this card on ESPN+ PPV.

Fighter Profile: Shavkat Rakhmonov

If you follow MMA you’ve definitely been following the Meteoric rise of Khamzat Chimaev, if you’re paying attention you’ll realize the fighter most people mention right after Chimaev is Kazakhstani and Uzbekistani fighter Shavkat Rakhmonov. Rakhmonov is an undefeated fighter much like Chimaev, and hopefully these two undefeated fighters will meet in a fight very soon because these two fighters and Sean Brady are the future of the UFC Welterweight division and MMA as a whole.

Rakhmonov was born October 23, 1994 in Shurchi District, Uzbekistan to a father who is a Kazakh, a mother who is a Kazakh-Konyrat. Rakhmonov learned about MMA by watching MMA fights on DVD. After watching MMA he decided to pursue Martial Arts at first with boxing, but would eventually switch to Combat Sambo where he’d become a Master of Sport in and Master of Sport in MMA. Rakhmonov is an excellent wrestler who’s wrestling and submissions are on par with the Dagestanis.

Rakhmonov made his Professional MMA debut in October of 2012 when faced off against Adam Tsurov in Nazran, Russia for the M-1 Challenge promotion. Rakhmononov would win the bout via Submission (triangle choke.) He’d then face off against Marcus Vinicios winning the bout via TKO (punches.) He’d then face Bartosz Chyrek in May of 2015 winning by KO (punches.)

Rakhmonov would win his next five fights before fighting Faridun Odilov for the KZMMAF Welterweight title he’d win said belt by TKO (punches.) He’d defend this title once against Rinat Sayakbaev. He’d then face off against Daniil Prikaza for the vacant M-1 Welterweight Championship He’d win the strap, and he’d defend that belt once before getting the call to fight in the UFC.

Rakhmonov would make his UFC debut in October of 2020 when he faced off against Alex ‘Cowboy’ Oliveira. Rakhmonov would win the bout in the first round with a Submission by way of the guillotine choke. He’d then face Michel Prazeres in June of 2021 Rakhmonov would win the bout via Submission (rear-naked choke.) In his next outing he’d face Carlston Harris he’d win the bout via KO (spinning hook kick and punches) in February 2022. Rakhmonov would win the Performance of the Night with this highlight reel knockout.

Rakhmonov is set to face Neil Magny in a UFC Fight Night Main Event on June 25th. It’ll be interesting to see how this one shakes out.

What’s Next for Gilbert Burns

Gilbert Burns and Khamzat Chimaev put on an amazing fight when they faced off at UFC 273 on Saturday night. Even though Burns did not win it was a very close fight, and Burns damaged Chimaev more than any other opponent Chimaev has ever faced in his short UFC career. Burns has a lot of fights that make sense for him.

One fight I’d like to see Burns take in the Welterweight division is a bout with Sean Brady. Brady is a Black Belt under Daniel Gracie and is undefeated in his MMA career; it’d be interesting to see these two high level Grapplers face off against one another. Burns is elite when it comes to his Jiu Jitsu being an IBJJF World Champion both in the Gi and out of the Gi and an ADWPJJC World Cup Champion. One of Burn’s most noted accomplishments in the Grappling world is a victory over Kron Gracie son of Rickson Gracie. It’d be cool to see this high level Grappling matchup in the UFC Octagon between Burns and Brady.

Belal Muhammad is another interesting fight for Burns. Win or lose in Muhammad’s in his matchup with Vicente Luque I think this is a sure fire great matchup between Muhammad and Burns. Muhammad sports an impressive 20-3-0 record with 1 no contest. He puts on an amazing show when he steps into the UFC Ocatagon. Burns definitely holds the edge with this fight in the Grappling department as Muhammad is only a purple belt in Jiu Jitsu. Muhammad would definitely want to keep this fight on the feet and go crazy with his striking. Whereas burns would definitely want to take it to the ground and get a Submission victory using his Jiu Jitsu.

Burns and Chimaev have been going back and forth on social media which makes fans think that the pair might run it back in the near future. Although I don’t think it will be right away as I think that the Chimaev Covington fight will probably happen first, but I feel as a fan that I want to see Burns and Chimaev face off again. That was a potential fight of the year and the matchup still intrigues me.

We will see what is next for Burns, but I think these fights definitely make sense.

Fighter Profile: Pat Sabatini

Pat Sabatini is one of the best new fighters the UFC has signed in the last year he has started his UFC career a perfect 3-0 and has an impressive 16-3 record for his professional MMA career. The former two time Cage Fury Featherweight Champion is no stranger to big fights and will soon be in for some of the biggest fights of his career as he scales the summit of the UFC Featherweight division.

Sabatini was born November 9, 1990 in Bristol, PA he still trains out of his native Pennsylvania. Sabatini played sports growing up including hockey, but would take to Martial Arts after being bullied and getting his head stuck in a urinal by said bully. Sabatini would start with Karate and then would switch to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He’d later achieve a Black Belt under Daniel Gracie. Sabatini would later take up Wrestling and Sambo and would eventually transition to Mixed Martial Arts.
Sabatini would make his amateur debut in 2008. During his amateur career he’d have a perfect record. Sabatini would make his professional debut in April of 2014 against Jacob Bohn in The Cage Fury Fighting Championship promotion. He’d win his professional debut in the first round with a Submission (rear-naked choke.) Sabatini would go on to face Shelby Graham, in October of that same year he’d again get the victory with a Submission (rear-naked choke.) Sabatini would get a loss in his next outing, but this did not phase him as he’d go on to win his next five in a row including the Cage Fury Fighting Championship with a Submission (Heel Hook.)

On Saturday Sabatini is facing off against T.J. Laramie at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas hopefully he comes away with a win.

FIGHTER PROFILE: SEAN BRADY

Sean Brady lands a shot on Jake Matthews at UFC 259. Photo courtesy of *Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC*

Sean Brady is quickly making a name for himself in the MMA world. The Pennsylvania native who fights in the UFC Welterweight division has an impressive undefeated record of 14-0 with four of his last fights being with the biggest MMA promotion in the world. Currently Brady is ranked 13th in his division and will get his first big test in November when he faces number seven ranked Welterweight Michael Chiesa at The UFC APEX.

Brady was born and raised in Fox Chase, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He lives there to this day. Brady attended Swenson Arts and Technology High School where he studied to take up the automotive trade. It was at this time that Brady decided to start his martial arts training.Brady originally started his training doing Muay Thai, but also started taking lessons In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Brady is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Professor Daniel Gracie

Brady thinks that being from Philadelphia adds an edge to his fight game. In an interview with Thomas Gerbasi he said this of what it means to him to be a fighter from Philadelphia. “I think if you ask pretty much any fighter from Philly, we’ve all got that chip on our shoulder because it’s a blue collar city. Everyone in Philly works super hard at whatever they do, whether it’s fighting or you’re a construction worker and whatever you are, you’re getting up and earning everything you get. We’ve got that grit and that toughness, and that’s what it means to be a Philly fighter.”

Brady who started his amature career 5-0 got his professional start in the Cage Fury FC promotion. He would start at lightweight but move up to welterweight after one fight in CFFC. Brady would go on to win his next four fights which earned him a shot at the CFFC vacant Welterweight Championship belt. He’d win that belt against Tanner Saraceno by submission (guillotine choke.) Brady would go on to Defend that title twice while also winning fights outside the promotion against Colton Smith and future Ultimate Fighter contestant, Gilbert Urbina.

The fact that Brady had never been defeated in either amateur or professional bouts caught the UFC’s brass’ attention. Brady made his UFC debut on October 18, 2019 at the TD Garden in Boston, MA. Brady would face UFC veteran Court McGee and would win by unanimous decision. Even though the fight was not in Philadelphia the crowd, some who had traveled the distance from Philadelphia, chanted Brady’s name. He made a big splash that night.

Brady would go on to win his next three fights in the promotion earning a spot in the UFC’s welterweight rankings after his win against Jake Matthews at UFC 259 in march of 2021. Brady will face number seven ranked Welterweight Michael Chiesa in November of 2021, and hopefully will bring home the win to Philly.

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