The current state of the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight division has resulted in opportunities that might not have existed anywhere else in the sport. Into the void step two of the promotion’s tallest competitors.
Ahead of UFC Fight Night “Volkov vs. Struve,” Sherdog.com staff members and contributors swallowed their pride and put their reputations on the line with bold predictions:
THE LINEUP
265: Alexander Volkov vs. Stefan Struve185: Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Rob Wilkinson
135: Marion Reneau vs. Talita de Oliveira Bernardo
170: Leon Edwards vs. Bryan Barberena
170: Darren Till vs. Bojan Velickovic
155: Mairbek Taisumov vs. Felipe Silva
155: Michel Prazeres vs. Mads Burnell
155: Rustam Khabilov vs. Desmond Green
205: Francimar Barroso vs. Aleksandar Rakic
145: Mike Santiago vs. Zabit Magomedsharipov
205: Bojan Mihajlovic vs. Abdul-Kerim Edilov
155: Thibault Gouti vs. Andrew Holbrook
THE STANDINGS
Jordan Breen: 184-87Tristen Critchfield: 182-89
Brian Knapp: 177-94
Todd Martin: 172-99
Mike Fridley: 169-102
Eric Stinton: 162-109
THE PICKS
Jordan Breen: Volkov, Wilkinson, Reneau, Edwards, Till, Taisumov, Prazeres, Khabilov, Rakic, Magomedsharipov, Edilov, HolbrookTristen Critchfield: Volkov, Bahadurzada, Reneau, Edwards, Till, Taisumov, Prazeres, Khabilov, Rakic, Magomedsharipov, Edilov, Holbrook
Brian Knapp: Struve, Wilkinson, Reneau, Edwards, Till, Taisumov, Prazeres, Khabilov, Rakic, Magomedsharipov, Edilov, Holbrook
Todd Martin: Volkov, Bahadurzada, Reneau, Edwards, Till, Taisumov, Prazeres, Khabilov, Rakic, Magomedsharipov, Edilov, Holbrook
Mike Fridley: Volkov, Bahadurzada, Reneau, Barberena, Till, Taisumov, Prazeres, Khabilov, Rakic, Magomedsharipov, Edilov, Gouti
Eric Stinton: Volkov, Wilkinson, Reneau, Edwards, Till, Taisumov, Burnell, Green, Rakic, Magomedsharipov, Edilov, Holbrook