UFC 280-one of the most anticipated events of the year in the world of mixed martial arts, will take place in Abu Dhabi on the 22nd of October. In one of the preliminary card events, welterweights Belal Muhammad and Sean Brady will fight against each other. The fight will start on October 22 at 16:00 UK time.
In fact the odds are about 50 to 50. But the favorite hasn’t had any experience fighting someone in the top 5 yet and also has cardio issues. For that reason I’m going to pick Muhammad. He may be too cautious and monotonous, but the effectiveness of his style cannot be denied. Additional factors for betting on Belal are Khabib Nurmagomedov’s support and better acclimatization. If Brady was tired in the United States, it would be even harder for him in the heat of Abu Dhabi. Bookmakers aren’t betting on a decision from Muhammad so far, so we’ll just take the final win.
Muhammad spent the current training camp under the guidance of Khabib Nurmagomedov. Belal has shown excellent wrestling skills before, but now he intends to take them to another level. This is the first time he will fight such a high level grappler. The 34-year-old Palestinian’s main advantage will be a visceral style that is grounded in winning decisions. Don’t even expect this guy to take risks and escalate things. His excellent cardio allows him to hold at the net, translate and control for long periods of time. The question is, will he have enough power to compete with Brady before he gets tired?
Muhammad has put out an impressive winning streak that began back in April 2019. Belal has passed Curtis Millender, Takashi Sato, Lyman Good, Dhiego Lima, Demian Maia, Stephen Thompson and Vicente Luque. The last three opponents of the Palestinian were highly ranked, but all lost by unanimous decision. I think the 34-year-old fighter understands his opponent’s strengths, so he’ll make Sean miss and waste energy. It’s not out of the question that he’ll give up the first round to gain an edge in stamina.
The American fighter defeated Craig Jones by decision at the Fury Pro Grappling tournament on New Year’s Eve, shocking the public. Sean’s ability to grapple is undeniable. He can wrestle, throw and get out of awkward positions. But a decent amount of muscle mass puts his stamina in doubt in the later rounds. For example, in his fight against Chiesa, the 29-year-old welterweight got tired and gave up five minutes. Fortunately, it was only a three-round fight. Winners are not judged, but Brady has problems. Perhaps that is the reason why he is only a slight favorite.
In mixed martial arts, Sean is 15-0. In the UFC, he has passed Michael Chiesa, Christian Aguilera, Jake Matthews, Ismail Naurdiev, and Kurt McGee. For the first time in his career Brady will be fighting a top 5 contender, who is also a very good fighter. Still, you have to understand that grappling on the Fury Pro and in the octagon are different things. You have to understand that grappling in the octagon is not the same thing, as there are not only transfers and position exchange but also punches that make a difference in the fight. I see the main advantage of the American in his physical strength. As long as he’s not tired, it’s very difficult to transfer him and keep him in a clinch.
Age – 34
Height – 1.8
Weight – 77.1
Reach – 1.83
Statistics – 21-3-0
Age – 29
Height – 1.78
Weight – 77.1
Reach – 1.89
Statistics – 15-0-0
Where will this fixture be played?
The event will take place at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi.
Which bookmaker has the best odds for this game?
We recommend checking out the odds for the professional welterweight boxing tournament: Belal Muhammad vs Sean Brady at 1xBet.