The MMA Daily

We an intriguing Bantamweight contest, as Umar Nurmagomedov takes on Nate “Mayhem” Maness. Undefeated and with no signs of slowing down, Nurmagomedov looks to extend his unbeaten streak to fifteen. Unchallenged since entering the octagon in 2021, Nurmagomedov looks to be a bright prospect and future contender in a stacked Bantamweight division. Meanwhile, Maness comes into this fight with four straight wins, three of which came inside the octagon. Having most recently defeated Tony Gravely via knockout, Maness showed that he is ready for bigger fights. Presented with this opportunity, Maness can create a lot of buzz for himself with a victory.

As much as Maness has impressed each fight out, and has shown off impressive takedown defense, Nurmagomedov is a whole different animal. One that has seen very little resistance thus far in the UFC. While it’s feasible to believe Maness can thwart off a few takedown attempts, I simply can’t see it for the entirety of the fight. Him just thinking about the takedown, opens up Nurmagomedov’s striking alone. It’s hard to dismiss a fighter, especially one coming off an impressive performance against Tony Gravely. However, it’s harder to visually see Nurmagomedov losing. With that said, I predict that Nurmagomedov will win via decision.