5 potential surprises that could happen at UFC 229

#4: Lewis vs. Volkov could become a staring contest

Derrick Lewis put on a staring contest when he fought Francis Ngannou

One of the biggest fights on the undercard will see Derrick Lewis face Alexander Volkov in a highly anticipated Heavyweight clash. The winner could well see themselves in line for a title shot in 2019 – assuming that Brock Lesnar’s challenge comes in the early months of the new year – and with a massive 40 finishes between them, the fight sounds mightily exciting.

But one surprise that could come on Saturday could be in the form of a staring contest between the two big men. It seems highly unlikely – Volkov is a surprisingly aggressive fighter despite a reputation as somewhat of a counter-puncher, and Lewis has the potential to end the fight at any second – and a sloppy style that leaves him open to being finished, too.

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But ‘The Black Beast’ put on an unexpected stinker in his last fight against Francis Ngannou – a fight that saw a total of 30 combined strikes landed – and while Volkov’s fights with Fabricio Werdum and Stefan Struve were great to watch, his fight with Timothy Johnson was plodding at best.

So could we be in for a disappointing staring contest at UFC 229? Hopefully not – nobody wants to see such a thing, especially after suffering through Ngannou/Lewis a few months ago – but it’s not out of the realm of possibility, especially with such high stakes for both men. Here’s hoping we don’t see this surprise on Saturday.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Anirban Banerjee