The Livest Dog at UFC Vegas 32: Nassourdine Imavov

MMA: UFC Fight Night
The Livest Dog at UFC Vegas 32: Nassourdine Imavov
Feb 20, 2021; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Nassourdine Imavov of Russia punches Phil Hawes in a middleweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on February 20, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger/Handout Photo via USA TODAY Sports

Name: Nassourdine Imavov

Opponent: Ian Heinisch

Odds: +128 (bet $100 to win $128) **Odds by FanDuel

If you look at the style of fighter that Heinisch has faced in the UFC, none of them look anything like Imavov. He’s faced a lot of stockier boxer-wrestler types that tend to push forward and have hit him with some big double legs. That’s part of why you see such low output numbers for Heinisch if you look on FightMetric. However, Heinisch is a guy who prefers to move forward himself and can let go with the hands fairly regularly (when he isn’t being countered by a takedown).

That aggression and overall game plan could help him against a lot of guys who prefer to kickbox. This is especially true since he has decent offensive wrestling in his own right. Imavov is not one of those kickboxers I expect him to have success against though. He keeps range really well with his footwork and his lateral movement makes it hard to pin him to the cage. His counterstriking is top-notch and he has plenty of power to put someone away. I expect Imavov to use that range to frustrate Heinisch all night and to tag him if he gets reckless.

 

2021 Record: 6-15 (3 withdrawals)
Earnings (based on $100 bet/event): -($553)
Return on Investment: -23%

2018-20 Record: 45-72 (+1.1%)

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