UFC 267 is set to take place on October 30th, 2021, and anticipation is already building for it. When you see the two main events listed, it is easy to see why. Blachowicz vs Teixeira will see both fighters bringing top-level grappling skills to the cage and looks to be a very heated battle. Both fighters are also on winning streaks and will be eager to end the evening as the Light Heavyweight champion.
The co-main event, which all MMA fans are looking forward to, is Petr Yan vs Cory Sandhagen for the interim bantamweight title. This was originally scheduled to be a bout between Yan and champion Aljamain Sterling – a rematch from UFC 259 in March 2021 in which Yan was disqualified for an illegal knee. Sterling had to pull out of the much anticipated rematch due to a lingering injury; however the replacement bout is almost as good, if not better than the original.
It is not all about these two main events though. There are plenty of top fights on the undercard to enjoy. For a lot of the sports followers who like to place bets, these can be better fights to target as they can offer great value odds. It can be worth working out who the favorites are on these undercard bouts, so you can bet from a more informed position. A good tip for determining the best wagers to make at events such as UFC 267, is looking online for the top MMA betting picks. There are some great MMA sports betting sites available that bring together analysis, stats and betting picks all in one handy place.
But which fights look tastiest on UFC 267’s undercard and which fighter looks likely to win?
Khamzat Chimaev vs Li Jingliang
One of the best undercard fights for this event has to be Chimaev against Jingliang. Russian-born Chimaev looks to be a very exciting fighter and holds the record for the quickest 3-win run in UFC history. Currently unbeaten and on a 9-win streak overall, his finishing power is immense. He is a very good wrestler and has superb grappling skills in his locker.
Jingliang is obviously a very talented fighter too but does have six losses to his name. However, he has fought more recently than Chimaev in January 2021 — the Russian contracted COVID and has not fought since September 2020. While Chimaev is still the favorite, it remains to be seen how much his enforced absence from action will affect him.
Shamil Gamzatov vs Michal Oleksiejczuk
This looks to be another mouth-watering undercard bout for UFC 267. If both fighters bring the heat, then it could be a real classic in the light heavy class. Gamzatov is another Russian-born battler and has fought just once in the UFC to date. He has a 14-0 overall MMA record though, and this long winning streak must fill him full of confidence. Able to take fights the distance, knock people out or use submission skills to end the contest, he is a very dangerous opponent.
But what about Michal Oleksiejczuk? Although he is more experienced in the UFC and has 15 MMA wins to his name overall, he does have four losses on his record also. Two of these were in his last three fights and you have to wonder if this will shake his confidence for UFC 267. With both fighters having impressive striking power, this is a tough fight to call. However, Gamzatov does look like the favorite to win.
Damir Ismagulov vs Magomed Mustafaev
When considering all the factors, you may think that Ismagulov will take this bout easily. To begin with, he is a few years younger than Mustafaev which might give him an advantage in terms of stamina in later rounds.
Current UFC men’s lightweight rankings show Ismagulov is ranked at 39 currently, with Mustafaev a lot lower. This would suggest that he is the better fighter currently and should win. In addition, Ismagulov is currently on a 15-fight winning streak over his whole MMA career and unbeaten in his 4 UFC fights to date. Mustafaev is coming into this bout fresh from a loss against Brad Riddell, which may give his opponent the mental edge needed to win.
Undercard of UFC 267 looks awesome
As the above shows, October’s UFC event has some exciting fights on the undercard. As well as the two main events and others on the main card, this looks set to make it a night to remember. Whether the favorites we have picked out will win or not is open for debate. They are sure to give fight fans memorable moments which will live long in MMA history though.