UFC 293: Tai Tuivasa vs Alexander Volkov 09/09/2023 Fight Picks, Preview and Odds

UFC 293: Tuivasa vs Volkov 09/09/2023 – Heavyweight contenders Tai Tuivasa and Alexander Volkov lock horns in a three-round showdown on Saturday, September 9, at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. The match is part of the UFC 293 card that features the UFC middleweight championship clash between Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland in the main event. Matches in the main card will begin at 10:00 PM ET with ESPN+ airing the fights on television for US audiences and TNT Sports covering the showdown for UK subscribers. The matches are also available online at UFC Fight Pass.

Tuivasa fights for the first time in 2023 in front of a home crowd. He will try to snap the two-fight losing skid that derailed his ascent to the top of the heavyweight ladder. However, he will be facing Volkov, who is seeking to extend his winning streak to three fights. Online MMA fight odds peg the Russian fighter as the slight favorite in this matchup that could not last the distance due to their knockout power.

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Main Card

Tai Tuivasa

Tuivasa (14-5, 8-5 UFC) initially took up boxing and kickboxing before venturing into MMA. He had a combined 23 fights in both disciplines and went 19-4, with 13 knockouts. He carried that knockout power into the sport and has been sensational so far. The fighter known as “Bam Bam” made his debut in the UFC in 2017 and won his first three fights. However, he stumbled in his next three as he fell to quality opponents.

After those losses, Tuivasa bounced back and strung up five straight wins. Three of those victories handed him the Performance of the Night bonus. The wins lined him up to a showdown with Ciryl Gane. The match did not disappoint as it was action-packed and became Fight of the Night. However, the Australian was at the wrong end of the bargain and lost via knockout. He would fight again in December last year against Sergei Pavlovich but he succumbed in just 54 seconds as he was knocked out in the first round.

He comes into the fight with 13 finishes (all by knockout) and one decision win. Tuivasa has lost thrice via knockout and one each by submission and decision. In terms of strikes, the Australian has landed an average of 4.10 significant strikes per minute and his accuracy rate is 49%. He has absorbed 4.46 significant strikes per minute and was able to defend 45% of the strikes launched against him. Bam Bam is primarily a striker and his grappling stats show the obvious. He has not registered a successful takedown in his UFC career and his takedown defense is 52%. He has not connected a single submission attempt as well.

Alexander Volkov

Volkov (36-10, 10-4 UFC) has fought in various promotions and held championships in M-1 and Bellator before trying out in the UFC. He started brilliantly in his first four fights, winning against the likes of Roy Nelson, Stefan Struve and former champion Fabricio Werdum. He went 4-4 in his next eight matches and had fights with contenders Derrick Lewis, Alistair Overeem, Ciryl Gane and Tom Aspinall. After his loss to Aspinall, he strung up two straight, first-round knockout wins against Jairzhinho Rozenstruik and Alexander Romanov to boost his stock in the heavyweight ranks. He will have a five-inch height and reach advantage going into the fight which he can use in neutralizing his opponent’s striking ability.

The Russian has recorded 27 finishes (24 knockouts and three submissions) in 46 fights and is known for his technical approach and punishing body kicks. He has landed an average of 4.89 significant strikes per minute and his striking accuracy is 57%. Volkov has defended 53% of the strikes launched against him and has absorbed an average of three strikes per minute. In terms of grappling, the fighter known as “Drago” has an average 0.51 takedowns per 15 minutes. He has a takedown accuracy rate of 70%. He enters with a strong 73% takedown defense and an average of 0.1 submissions every 15 minutes.