Preview: UFC Fight Night 168 ‘Felder vs. Hooker’

Featherweights

Kevin Aguilar (17-2) vs. Zubaira Tukhugov (18-4-1)

ODDS: Aguilar (-130), Tukhugov (+110)

This should provide a fun start to the main card. Tukhugov will probably always be best known for attacking Conor McGregor in the melee that followed the Irishman’s fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov, but he is an interesting prospect in his own right. Compared to a lot of his wrestling-heavy and process-driven teammates, Tukhugov has his own distinct style, staying at range and diving in with single powerful strikes to try and dispatch opponents. The Russian has some decent wrestling in his back pocket if he needs it, but in general, he has a somewhat formless approach that puts him in close fights. Over half of his UFC bouts to date have been split decisions or draws.

Aguilar should provide a stern test, as he tries to counter what Tukhugov brings to the table. A highly touted prospect, Aguilar’s style did not look like it would translate to the UFC level. He mostly just waded forward while trying to counter whatever his opponent threw—an approach that would look excellent whenever it worked but also resulted in a lot of close victories. However, against better competition, Aguilar has continued to keep his composure and rack up some impressive wins. Dan Ige handled him in his last fight, but Aguilar was coming off victories against Rick Glenn and Enrique Barzola.

This should be a solid litmus test for both fighters. Aguilar’s counter-heavy approach walks a fine line against better athletes, but Tukhugov’s big single-strike approach should provide a lot of opportunities for “The Angel of Death” to strike back once he finds a rhythm. Unsurprisingly for a Tukhugov fight, this looks close on paper, though the Russian’s speed and athleticism advantages are the clear differences. Even if Aguilar can time him, Tukhugov should be able to get out of the way enough to avoid getting caught cleanly. Another split decision is a likely possibility, but the pick is for Tukhugov to take another victory on the scorecards.

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