With just over 24 hours to go for UFC 308, there was almost a scare during the weigh-in when a potential banger could have been jeopardized. Khamzat Chimaev stepped on the very last minute of the event but managed to somehow get cleared. However, the other middleweight clash between two unranked contenders, Armen Petrosyan and Sharaputdin Magomedov, remained unproblematic as they will open the main card.

With two up-and-coming contenders on the card, who have impressive records, it’s always interesting when we try to analyze and predict matchups between them. When we take a look at statistics, Sharaputdin Magomedov appears to have an edge over Armen Petrosyan, or does he? Well, let’s find out.

UFC 308 fight – Sharaputdin Magomedov vs. Armen Petrosyan stats

Fans are already akin to ‘Shara Bullet’ since he’s been hyped to be the next big Dagestani star from Russia. Like the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov, Magomedov is also undefeated and has won 14 fights on the trot. Meanwhile, Armen Petrosyan, who’s three years older than Magomedov, has a bit less experience with 12 fights under his belt, amassing an impressive record of nine wins and three losses. However, he joined the UFC a bit earlier than ‘Bullet’, who will only compete in his fourth UFC fight on Saturday, one less than ‘Superman’.

Unlike Khabib Nurmagomedov, Shara Magomedov doesn’t stick to a grappling-heavy approach when he steps inside the Octagon. In fact, he’s the opposite of ‘The Eagle’; ‘Bullet’ is a destructive striker, who has 11 career knockout wins. He has half a dozen more KOs than Armen Petrosyan, who has 5 career KO wins on his resume.

However, certain attributes in fighters can always come in handy during battle. So, let’s take the time to do a complete breakdown of the Sharaputdin Magomedov and Armen Petrosyan’s odds and attributes.

Magomedov vs. Petrosyan breakdown and prediction

Both unranked middleweight contenders are striking experts, and when it comes to the standup game, Sharaputdin Magomedov has a physical advantage over Armen Petrosyan. The 30-year-old has a reach that’s a couple of inches more than the Russian-Armenian contender. However, both fighters have matching heights as they stand 6 feet and 2 inches tall. Also, their fighting style is quite identical they both have an unorthodox stance and have their own flair for striking. And even if Petrosyan decided to shoot for takedowns, he might have to watch out because Magomedov has a great defense, and as per statistics, it’s 71 percent.

It seems like not many people are counting on ‘Superman’ to win the fight, given the run Sharaputdin Magomedov is on right now. While the former has lost a couple of fights under the UFC banner, ‘Bullet’s yet to eat defeat, and understandably oddsmakers have him as the favorite to get past the finish line. Who do you think will take one step closer to entering the middleweight rankings after UFC 308? Give us your thoughts and predictions for the fight this weekend in Abu Dhabi in the comments below.