Match Preview: UFC Fight Night - Brunson Vs Shahbazyan - 8/1/2020

Match Preview: UFC Fight Night Brunson vs Shahbazyan

The UFC is keeping the fights rolling as this weekend is another card for fans to enjoy. After its stint in Abu Dhabi for its Fight Island events, the promotion returns home to UFC Fight Night from its APEX center in Las Vegas.

Headlining the card is a Middleweight showdown between two top 10 fighters as #8 Derek Brunson (20-7 11 KO’s) battles #9 Edmen Shahbazyan (11-0 9 KO’s). Scheduled initially was a women’s bantamweight bout between for champion Holly Holm vs. Irene Aldana. But the fight had been pulled once it was reported that Aldana tested positive for COVID-19. The two will meet at UFC Fight Night 180 in October.

What was the co-main event will now be the headliner as both Brunson and Shahbazyan have shown throughout their careers that when they step in the cage, they are looking to put their opponents to sleep. A combined 31 wins with 20 of them coming by way of knockout and four by submission; these two 185ers promise plenty of action when they step inside the cage.

FSM Essential Preview: UFC Fight Night Brunson vs Shahbazyan — *Photo Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images*

The veteran Brunson holds an 11-5 record inside the UFC as he has been across from some of the best the division has to offer, including former champions Robert Whittaker, Lyoto Machida, the great Anderson Silva, and current champion Isreal Adesanya. The old division two All-American out of North Carolina has shown that win or lose; he is always a tough outing. And with a devastating right hand, he’s always a threat to end a fight. He is currently on a two-fight win streak and will look to make it three in a row and to continue to climb the Middleweight ladder.

Stepping across the octagon is the up and coming 22-year-old out of California, Shahbazyan, who has shown that “blink, and you’ll miss it.” In his 11 wins, ten have occurred in the first round. (hey, you don’t get paid by the hour in the fight game)

Unlike most fighters who grew up with a background in one discipline (boxing, wrestling, etc.) Shahbazyan grew up training in MMA. Learning the sport as a whole has shown to pay dividends so far as he joined the UFC after winning his bout on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018. Two years later and he’s in the top 10 and headlining a card on ESPN. Not bad for the former training partner of former women’s champion Ronda Rousey, who proclaimed he would be a future champion. He has a long way to go, but with the path he has been on so far, the future certainly looks bright for Shahbazyan.

This is an exciting match because Brunson has struggled to break through and indeed be considered a top contender at 185; he always seems to come up short right when he’s about to breakthrough. A win will do him good here but wouldn’t move him far enough up the rankings to earn him another high profile match up. For Shahbazyan, this will be his toughest test to date, a headline against a mainstay within the division.

If he walks away victorious, his rise will continue, and intriguing matchups await. But a slip up wouldn’t hurt him too badly as he is still young enough to bounce back. Both strikers will look to end the night in highlight fashion, so get your popcorn ready.

In the nights co-main event, Scotlands Joanne Calderwood (14-4 5 KO’s) takes on Brazils Jennifer Maia (17-5 4 SUBs) in a Flyweight showdown.

*Photo Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images*

A fan favorite, Calderwood will be looking for her second win in a row and to find a level of consistency as she is 6-4 in the promotion. The Kickboxer is fun to watch and is always game for a nice scrape. She needs to string together some wins to put herself in title contention. Ranked third in the division, a win here will set her up for a possible number one contender’s bout in her next outing, so this fight has enormous implications.

For Maia, the Brazilian will be looking to get back in the win column after she lost her last outing after winning two in a row. Ranked sixth, a win over the third-ranked fighter will surely boast Maia into a more high profile bout in the future, but she will need to make sure her boxing is on point and that she finds a way to inflict her will first.

These two ladies both have much to gain with a win as the division is wide open for challengers for the champion Valentina Shevchenko. Calderwood and Maia are both in their early 30s, so the time is now for them to find consistency in their games and show they are ready for a shot at the title.

UFC Fight Night will be another fun card to watch so be sure to tune in and check back on Franchisesportsmedia.com for the recap SUnday Morning. The New Home for Las Vegas Sports.

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-Kalani Lua – Franchise Sports Media

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Joe Arrigo

Joe Arrigo is the co-founder and VP of Franchise Sports Media. Joe has been in media since 2004 when he became the morning host on KKUU and mid-days co-host on KXPS in Pam Springs. After his time in Palm Springs, Joe became the operations manager when he built, programmed, and was on-air for KQCM. He has also had stints on-air in various markets, including Fresno. Joe became the producer and co-host for The Beast 980 (KFWB), a sports talk station in Los Angeles, before moving to Vegas in 2015. In 2019 he founded Franchise Sports Media with TQ.