The upcoming UFC Fight Night showcases an excellent main event battle that you simply do not want to miss. In the heavyweight showdown, sixth-ranked Alexander Volkov is challenged by 11th ranked Tom Aspinall.
Other matchups on the card help set the tone leading up to this. You can see which fighter looks like they have the best chance to win.
Date: March 19, 2022
Location: O2 Arena (ENG), London, England
When: Main Card on ESPN+ 4:00 PM
UFC London Main Event Preview
Alexander ”Drago” Volkov (34-9-0)
Volkov returns to action after a unanimous decision win against Marcin Tybura in October of last year. This was good to see, especially after he lost the previous battle to Ciryl Gane in June of the same year.
Looking at what he has accomplished, his resume reveals 22 wins by knockout, three by submission, and nine by decision. He has battled with the best of them and has been striking consistently throughout his career.
He strikes with great accuracy at 57 percent and has a modest grappling accuracy at 70 percent. He delivers a high 4.86 significant strikes a minute while taking on a fairly low 2.95.
Volkov defends against takedowns decently at 73 percent and defends against significant strikes at 54 percent. He also managed to throw in 0.53 takedowns per 15 minutes of his fighting time.
Tom Aspinall (11-2-0)
Aspinall has roared through the heavyweight division with his seven-fight winning streak and has made moves up the rankings. His last battle was a first-round TKO against Sergey Spivak in September of last year.
Looking at what he has accomplished, his resume shows nine wins by knockout and two by submission. In most cases, he typically delivers on his striking war engagements.
He strikes with high accuracy at 65 percent and has been perfect at grappling so far with accuracy at 100 percent. He delivers an insane 7.10 significant strikes a minute while taking on 2.37.
Aspinall has been successful at defending against takedowns at 100 percent and has defended well against significant strikes too, with a defense at 70 percent. He also throws in 2.73 takedowns and 1.40 submissions in every 15 minutes.
Profitable Sports Handicappers
Volkov vs. Aspinall Betting Lines
The market shows this battle is very close.
Volkov: +100
Aspinall: -120
Volkov vs. Aspinall Prediction
Both fighters understand that this is a pivotal matchup for the heavyweight rankings. Volkov cannot allow someone outside the top 10 to gain entry on his behalf.
Volkov has struggled at trying to crack the top five and needs to regroup here against a hungry challenger. Aspinall has taken care of two fighters that were hanging around the top 10 to earn his spot.
Giving Volkov some benefit of the doubt here and assuming he still has some fight left in the tank. In addition, he is plus money right now which makes him an attractive pick.
