The UFC’s Fight Island series continues this weekend with UFC Fight Island 6 on October 17, 2020, at the Flash Forum in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
The event will be headlined by two of the best featherweights in the promotion. Former title challenger and Brian Ortega will return from a 22-month absence to take on the Korean Zombie in the five-round main event. Jessica Andrade will also take on Katlyn Chookagian in a battle of rated female strawweights.
Before the big names take the stage though, UFC Fight Island 6 will have an interesting prelims undercard which features fighters who have good betting value. Let’s take a look a the bouts and pick our winners.
KSW double champion Mateusz Gamrot also fought for XFS and Cage Warriors. The 29-year old from Poland will be making his UFC debut in this bout. He has a record of 17-0 with five knockouts and four wins via submission. Gamrot stands 5-10 tall with a reach of 70 inches and fights out of the southpaw stance.
Guram Kutateladze is a veteran who has fought for the likes of International Right Fight Arena, Superior Challenge, and Brave FC. The 28-year old from Georgia stands 5-11 tall with a reach of 72 inches while fighting out of the orthodox stance. He has a record of 11-2 with seven knockouts and one win via submission. Kutateladze is coming off a TKO win over Felipe Silva at Brave FC 29.
Kutateladze has the advantage in power, hand speed, and overall striking. Unfortunately for him, he won’t be able to use them much in this bout as Gamrot prefers to wrestle. Because of that Kutateladze will need to lure Gamrot into a striking battle or face him on the ground in a wrestling battle if he wants to win this fight. However, Gamrot is too smart to strike with him and is too good on the ground for Kutateladze. Gamrot will land his takedowns when Kutateladze backs himself against the fence. I like Gamrot to grind out a decision win here.
Prediction: Mateusz Gamrot
Gillian Robertson is the 15th ranked female flyweight in the UFC. The 25-year old Canadian appeared in the TUF 26 show. She fought for Square Rings Promotion, Atlas Fights, and Global Knockout. She won four out of her first five UFC bouts before losing to Maycee Barber last October. She beat Cortney Casey in her last outing and is looking to keep hem momentum. Robertson is an orthodox fighter who stands 5-5 tall with a reach of 63 inches. Robertson is 8-4 with one knockout and six wins via submission.
Poliana Botelho is a former women’s flyweight champion at the Xtreme Fighting Championships. After her success there, she joined the UFC in 2017 and is 3-1 inside the octagon. Botelho is an orthodox fighter who stands 5-8 tall with a reach of 67 inches. She has a record of 8-2 with six knockouts. In her last bout, Botelho scored a unanimous decision win over Lauren Mueller at UFC 236 way back in April 2019.
Robertson is as dangerous on the mat as Cynthia Calvillo who demolished Botelho. Although Botelho hs more than enough power to put Robertson to sleep, she might not get an opportunity to get her striking game going as Robertson will likely drag her down to the mat right away and let her BJJ take over. If Botelho can stay on her feet and use her four-inch reach advantage, we may see an upset. But that’s easier said than done against Robertson who takes this fight to the ground and wins via submission.
Prediction: Gillian Robertson
John Phillips is the former BAMMA middleweight champion who also competed for Cage of Rage and Cage Warriors. The 35-year old from Wales is 1-4 inside the UFC octagon and is coming off a submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev last July. Phillips is a southpaw who stands 5-11 tall with a reach of 75 inches. He has a record of 22-10 with 20 knockouts and two wins via submission.
Jun Yong Park fought for Top FC,PXC, Hex Fighting Series, and RFC before joining the UFC in 2019. The Iron Turtle is 29-years old and hails from South Korea. Park has 1-1 inside the UFC octagon and he is coming off a win over Marc Andre Barriault last December 2019. He has a record of 11-4 with five knockouts and three wins via submission. Park is an orthodox fighter who stands 5-10 tall with a reach of 73 inches.
Phillips is known as the Welsh Wrecking Machine because of his heavy hands and because of that, he will always have a puncher’s chance to win this bout. Outside that, Park is the better technical striker and is the better wrestler between the two. For as long as Park doesn’t decide to slug it out, Phillips is in trouble here. Park drags him to the mat and hands, Phillips, another submission loss. I’ll eat the chalk with Park.
Prediction: Jun Yong Park
Jamie Mullarkey fought for BFW, Brace FC, and Urban FC before winning the Super Fight MMA lightweight title. He joined the UFC in 2019 and lost to Brad Riddell in his UFC debut last October 5, 2019. The 26-year old from New South Wales in Australia is 6-0 tall with a reach of 74 inches and is an orthodox fighter. He owns a record of 12-3 with 8 knockouts and 3 wins via submission.
Fares Ziam fought for Kunlun Fight MMA, WWFC, and European Beatdown before joining the UFC last year. Ziam lost to Don Madge in his octagon debut. That loss snapped a five-fight winning streak for the 23-year old Frenchman. Ziam is an orthodox fighter who stands 6-1 tall with a reach of 75 inches. He has a record of 10-3 with five knockouts and four wins via submission.
Mullarkey can hold his own wherever this fight goes. Ziam doesn’t have the same striking pedigree as Brad Riddell who outstruck Mullarkey nor does Fiam have takedown defense that will prevent Mullarkey from putting him on the canvass. Because he isn’t facing danger, either way, Mullarkey should shine in this matchup. Mullarkey keeps a good pace on the feet and he mixes his attack with takedowns to win on points.
Prediction: Jamie Mullarkey
Gadzhimurad Antigulov has been fighting since 2009 and fought for notable promotions like M-1 and Absolute Championship Berkut where he was a two-time light heavyweight champion. He had an 18-4 record when he joined the UFC but has won only twice in five UFC bouts. Antigulov stands 5-11 tall with a reach of 70 inches while fighting out of the orthodox stance. His overall record is 20-7 with four knockouts and 15 wins via submission.
Maxim Grishin went 4-0-2 at the Professional Fighters League before joining the UFC. He lost to Marcin Tybura in his maiden octagon appearance, taking the fight on short notice. Grishin holds a significant size advantage here as he is 6-3 with a reach of 78 inches while fighting out of the orthodox stance. Grishin has a record of 30-8 with 15 knockouts and six wins via submission.
Grishin has good defensive wrestling so if he can survive the initial takedown blitz by Antigulov, this should be his fight to win. Grishin badly outclasses Antigulov in the striking department so Antigulov has no choice here but to try to drag this fight to the ground. However, he’s going to get caught trying to go for the takedown. Or he’s going to get mauled while trying to get close. I think Grishin wins this easily.
Prediction: Maxim Grishin
Mark Striegl fought for the URCC, PXC, and One Championships in Asia before joining the UFC. The 32-year old from the Philippines has not dropped a bout in his last five appearances. This will be his first bout in 18 months. The Mugen stands 5-8 tall with a reach of 70 inches and is a southpaw fighter. He has a record of 18-2 with 14 wins via submission.
Said Nurmagomedov is a rising contender from Dagestan. The 28-year old fought for Absolute Championship Berkut and WFCA before joining the UFC in 2018. He won his first two bouts before losing to Raoni Barcelos in his last outing. Nurmagomedov is 5-8 tall with a reach of 70 inches and fights out of the orthodox stance. He has a record of 13-2 with three knockouts and three wins via submission.
This will be Striegl’s first bout in 18 months and I hope he’s improved his striking during that period. Otherwise, he going to be clobbered by Nurmagomedov who is a dynamic striker. If Striegl can take this fight to the ground, he may have a chance. However, between Nurmagomedov’s defensive wrestling and Striegl’s tendency to gas, I’ll take the former. Nurmagomedov swarms Striegl who tires and gets clobbered.
Prediction: Said Nurmagomedov
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