UFC 266 Prelims: Marlon Moraes vs Merab Dvalishvili- Prediction and Analysis

The UFC is back with an action-packed event for the fans. One of the biggest pay-per-view attractions of the year, UFC 266 will take place this weekend at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. A featherweight title fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega will headline the event.

The UFC 266 fight card has a number of intriguing fights. Apart from the main card, the prelims are also stacked. One of them is a bantamweight bout between the former title challenger Marlon Moraes and Merab Dvalishvili.

Former title challenger ‘The Magic’ is currently on a two-fight skid and will look to return to his winning ways. He is currently #6 in the bantamweight division.

Meanwhile, ‘The Machine’ is on an impressive six-fight win streak. He is currently #11 in the division and will look to cement his position in the bantamweight division this time around. Ahead of this intriguing bout, let’s compare the career statistics of both these elite fighters.

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UFC 266: Marlon Moraes vs Merab Dvalishvili

Marlon Moraes is currently having a hard time in the UFC. He is on a two-fight skid while his Georgian opponent has completely dominated his previous adversaries inside the octagon with his amazing wrestling skills. The 13-4 record holder is on a six-fight win streak in the UFC.

‘The Magic’ will face a hard time dealing with the heavy takedowns by Dvalishvili. The Georgian native has vastly improved his wrestling and grappling skills over time. His 43 percent takedown accuracy could pose a problem for ‘The Magic’ to stay on his feet.

The fight is going to be a tough one. Moraes might dominate in the early rounds with his exceptional striking skills. However, ‘The Machine’ will look to get ‘The Magic’ on the ground and dish out some vicious ground and pound. Hence, The Brazilian needs to find an early finish for a win.

Prediction: Merab Dvalishvili to claim a unanimous decision victory

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