Preview: UFC 266 Prelims

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Heavyweights

#10 HW | Chris Daukaus (11-3, 3-0 UFC) vs. #7 HW | Shamil Abdurakhimov (20-5, 5-3 UFC)

ODDS: Daukaus (-210), Abdurakhimov (+175)

There is a surprising amount of intrigue here for a heavyweight bout. Daukaus’ rise through the ranks was rather unexpected, as the Philadelphian had the type of resume that looked decent on paper but disappointed on film. Many of Daukaus’ fights were uninspiring performances that were either even or showed an aversion to pressure until he could find a knockout. Still, Daukaus got the late-notice call for his UFC debut in August 2020, and it looks like everything has clicked for him at just the right moment. Daukaus showed some impressively fast hands with first-round knockouts in his first two UFC bouts, then made it three in a row with another early finish of Alexey Oleynik in February. Oleynik is still an unorthodox and menacing test even at this point in his career, so Daukaus may have some considerable upside, even if he faces another tough challenge against Abdurakhimov.

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“Abrek” is not a particularly exciting heavyweight, but he is a problem for a lot of opponents. He can hold his own just about anywhere and is more than willing to turn things into a slow-paced kickboxing match or a complete grind. He has had trouble against the absolute hulks of the heavyweight division—men who can simply overwhelm him physically—but he has otherwise scored clean wins over more flawed or less imposing heavyweights. Two years later, wins over Marcin Tybura and Andrei Arlovski are still relevant victories that speak well of his skill. It is unlikely that Daukaus can outwrestle or physically overwhelm Abdurakhimov, but there is a chance that he can catch the Russian. He will still have the quicker hands, and Abdurakhimov is now 40 years old after two years on the shelf. However, given Abdurakhimov’s durability in the past, odds are that he can survive any rough going and hand Daukaus his first UFC loss. The pick is Abdurakhimov via decision.

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