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#2 Shawn Jordan vs. Ruslan Magomedov
Two TUF vets face off in the heavyweight division. Shawn Jordan has been consistent against lower level fighters during his career and often beats them in impressive fashion. However, whenever he has had a step up in competition, things have not gone according to plan for him.
Magomedov is a decision machine. He is yet to finish an opponent in his UFC career, but has looked impressive throughout his time inside the octagon. A win against Jordan would earn Magomedov a shot at a top contender.
Magomedov is one of the finest fighters in the heavyweight division. He is an excellent range striker, capable of putting together nice combinations and is very well conditioned. He does however, lack the one punch knockout power that most of the heavyweights carry with them.
Shawn Jordan prefers to work from close to his opponent and use his athleticism to dictate the direction of the fight. Magomedov is excellent at maintaining distance and preventing a close range fight. This makes Shawn Jordan his ideal opponent.
Expect Magomedov to throw a variety of kicks and straight punches, look to circle and prevent Jordan from forcing him to the fence.
On the other hand, Shawn Jordan is outmatched at range and will have to force the fight to the cage. He needs to find a way to get inside, cut out the distance and use his heavier hands to hurt Magomedov.
Forcing a punch-for-punch fight will benefit Jordan greatly. A few clean, powerful punches will also make scoring a takedown a lot easier for Jordan. As good as Magomedov is as a defensive wrestler, Jordan is a vicious takedown artist.
At the end of the day, Shawn Jordan is the perfect match up for Magomedov. The Russian will not need to adjust his game at all, and this is a fight that is tailor made for his strengths.
Prediction: Ruslan Magomedov via Unanimous Decision
