UFC 266: 5 bold predictions for the show

#4. Marlon Moraes will be unable to break his losing skid against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 266

Marlon Moraes will meet Merab Dvalishvili in a bantamweight contest in the prelims of UFC 266.

Ever since losing his title shot against Henry Cejudo at UFC 238, 'Magic' has been going through a rough patch in the UFC. After losing via third-round TKO to 'The Messenger', Moraes faced fellow Brazilian fighter Jose Aldo in a three-round contest at UFC 245 in December 2019.

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The razor-close fight ended with a split decision victory for 'Magic'. But the fight raised controversy as many believed that it was the 'King of Rio' who was the rightful victor.

As a result, Aldo was awarded a title shot despite the loss. Moraes then fought Cory Sandhagen at UFC Fight Night 179. 'Magic' came up short that night as he was knocked out via a spinning wheel kick by 'The Sandman' in the second round.

'Magic' then faced another knockout loss against Rob Font at UFC Fight Night 183 in December 2020.

The Brazilian fighter is now set to face another tough opponent in Dvalishvili, who is currently riding a six-fight win streak in the UFC. The streak includes wins over high-level fighters like John Dodson and Cody Stamann.

According to a Twitter account named 'MMA by the Numbers', 'The Machine' also holds the record for the highest number of takedowns for a fighter in his first eight UFC bouts.

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So it appears that Moraes is again in for a rough night at UFC 266 as he might not be able to withstand Dvalishvili's pressure for three consecutive rounds.

#3. Valentina Shevchenko will not be able to finish Lauren Murphy at UFC 266

Valentina Shevchenko has been reigning over the women's flyweight division for years now. No fighter has come close to beating 'Bullet' for the flyweight title. But there is a good possibility that Shevchenko will face her toughest competition at 125 pounds in Lauren Murphy at UFC 266.

One major reason for this prediction is the fact that Lauren Murphy, who is currently riding a five-fight win streak in the UFC, has never been finished in her entire MMA career. So there is a good chance that the UFC 266 co-main event will be a close contest that will go the full distance of 25 minutes.

About the author

Puneet has a total of 2.5 years of experience and specializes in reporting on MMA and boxing for Sportskeeda. He holds a postgraduate diploma in Journalism & Mass Communication, which aided him in his writing skills.

The iconic interim featherweight title fight between Conor McGregor and Chad Mendes at UFC 189 in 2015 ignited Puneet’s passion for the sport. Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira stands out as Puneet’s favorite MMA fighter as he's drawn to 'Do Bronx's' captivating background story and entertaining persona. He is a believer of MMA being the world’s no.1 combat sport as opposed to Boxing.

While writing, Puneet ensures that his articles stay true to their titles and deliver valuable information to readers. He emphasizes the importance of embedding videos or pictures directly from their original sources to enrich the reader's experience.

Puneet’s professional achievements include covering major events such as UFC 264 and several boxing matches featuring renowned fighters like Canelo Alvarez, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua.

Beyond MMA, Puneet likes to watch movies.

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Edited by John Cunningham

5 bold predictions for UFC 266

#4. Marlon Moraes will be unable to break his losing skid against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 266

#3. Valentina Shevchenko will not be able to finish Lauren Murphy at UFC 266