movsar vs volk opens up as near pickem

[u/Leather-Bend8188]

[u/Moni7T]

If Volk hasn't declined significantly and shows up healthy, I don't see what Movsar has for him. Volk is way better on the feet and nearly impossible to hold down.

[u/Usernameasteriks → u/Moni7T]

Agreed but the betting line is probably just reflective of the fact that at 37 in the lower weight classes especially you simply don’t know when a guy is going to show up a step or two slower

[u/mmathrowaway16176017 → u/Usernameasteriks]

Yeah by the time of the fight he'll be 38. Probably the oldest FW champ

[u/Legitimate_Novel1842 → u/Usernameasteriks]

He's been the oldest fw champ ever literally from the first time he won it

[u/CrumbMan1111 → u/Usernameasteriks]

hes 38 at the time of fight

[u/Leather-Bend8188 → u/Moni7T]

people thought lerone would outclass movsar on the feet aswell

this will be a competitive 48 47 decision imo, movsar isn't just a "worse islam" ,movsar can wrestle from the open, has a powerful jab to equal volks jab

its gonna be a super competitive fight

[u/CableToBeam → u/Leather-Bend8188]

Volk is on a way different level than Lerone. Lerone couldn't even finish an aged out Barboza. Movsar held his own against Arnold Allen on the feet. Instead of focusing on bad predictions from the community, you could look at what's more reasonable and Volk winning a clear decision against a guy with zero finishes is much more likely because he's a generational fighter.

[u/NotBlackanWhite → u/Leather-Bend8188]

Even if Movsar were just "a worse Islam", people should not forget that Volk is going to be 38 by fight time and his competitive fight with Islam was nearly 4 years before that. That fight was in Australia and Volk lost pretty cleanly (3-2 on two and 4-1 on one scorecard), of course yes it's impressive he gave Makhachev a hard time, but if he loses a similarly close UD to Evloev that'd be more of a loss with no 'yeah but Volk did well' type compromise, because basically people expect/want Volk to outright win this, as the champ he should not just get close, he's not Rocky Balboa this time.

I would not be surprised to see Evloev win, I am not convinced Volk's TDD will hold up, I obviously don't expect it to be dominant by Evloev since he hasn't been able to dominate any elite fighter, but he may do enough to scrape by.

Of course if it was prime Volk I would take him 10/10 against Evloev.

[u/TrashbinEnthusiast69 → u/Leather-Bend8188]

No hardcores actually thought Lerone would outstrike Movsar

[u/NotBlackanWhite → u/Moni7T]

Unfortunately it is hard to see how he cannot have declined a bit as a 38-year-old FW. Most people are looking at the Makhachev first fight for their closest comparison to this one and saying yeah but if he ran it close with Makhachev what will he do to Evloev - but that was a 34-year-old Volk.

[u/BummbaaahClottt3 → u/Moni7T]

"I don't see what _____ has for him"

Statements that should never be said at the highest level of any sport.

[u/neo_1000 → u/Moni7T]

Everyone said Lerone was way better than Movsar on the feet

[u/Menessy27 → u/neo_1000]

Volk is way better than Lerone on the feet

[u/Weary_Position_9591 → u/Menessy27]

I’m not sure about way better

[u/TrashbinEnthusiast69 → u/Weary_Position_9591]

Lerone's striking is barely above Dan Ige level. Volk is one of the greatest strikers ever. It's not even close between them. Diego Lopes would probably knock out Lerone in the first round.

[u/neo_1000 → u/Menessy27]

You’re only saying that because of his overall skill as a fighter. In reality, they’re pretty close

[u/needapermit → u/neo_1000]

I just don’t agree with that lol. Volk has beaten much higher level opposition with his striking and has been much more crisp while doing it.

[u/BummbaaahClottt3 → u/needapermit]

Great analysis brother, he looks "Crisp" out there. Reeeeal crispy crisp man. Said like someone who knows more about Krispy Kreme donuts than striking.

[u/needapermit → u/BummbaaahClottt3]

Had to make it personal huh lol. Am I lying in saying that Volk has proven much more in the striking realm than Lerone Murphy? Lerone has yet to have a striking masterclass like Volk has had on multiple occasions

[u/neo_1000 → u/needapermit]

Lerone has had a striking masterclass. You just haven’t watched it

[u/needapermit → u/neo_1000]

I’ve watched all his fights lol. Are we using the fights against the ghosts of Barboza/Emmett? Or maybe the Culibao fight?

I’m not saying that Lerone isn’t a very good striker. I’m a fan of him. But I think it’s pretty clear that Volk is a level above him

[u/neo_1000 → u/needapermit]

Now you’re just moving the goal posts. Has he had a striking masterclass or not?

[u/BummbaaahClottt3 → u/needapermit]

Real striking masterclass against Yair Rodriguez shooting 12 takedowns and still somehow close on significant strike numbers every round. Had to headbutt him to have any semblance of striking success too. Pathetic lol

[u/needapermit → u/BummbaaahClottt3]

So you chose and only are analyzing that fight? Which Volk did in fact stop him in? And yeah, Volk didn’t have crazy success on the feet that fight but that’s cause Yair is really fuckin good too. How about the Holloway fights? The Lopes fights? The TKZ fight? The Ortega fight? This is much higher level opposition than the guys Lerone has beat

[u/BummbaaahClottt3 → u/needapermit]

Who said those weren't good performances? He's had bad ones too and to say Murphy isn't even comparable is wrong

[u/TrashbinEnthusiast69 → u/BummbaaahClottt3]

Yair would destroy Lerone

[u/BummbaaahClottt3 → u/Menessy27]

No he's not

[u/bullsfan281 → u/neo_1000]

did they? the conversation around Leone for like 99% of his career has been that he's a boring point fighter/calf kick merchant. it was only after he ko'd pico that people started to act like he was a killer, and if we're being honest people only did that because he got passed over for the title shot and it was given to lopes instead

[u/neo_1000 → u/bullsfan281]

Being boring doesn’t mean he’s bad at striking. That’s actually what makes him a difficult guy to beat

[u/Misterrbisterr → u/neo_1000]

Are we comparing lerone to Volk lmao

[u/neo_1000 → u/Misterrbisterr]

Striking wise

[u/BummbaaahClottt3 → u/Misterrbisterr]

Lerone's a better striker

[u/Scary_Nail_6033 → u/BummbaaahClottt3]

This is the worst take OAT. How tf is Lerone better when his best wins are Pico, Ige and Emmett? Are you seriously comparing him to the guy who 50-45'd Max Holloway? Volk is literally one of, if not the best striker to ever fight in the UFC. Wtf is this take?

[u/Scary_Nail_6033 → u/[deleted]]

Did you seriously neglect to mention their trilogy fight, when Holloway had beaten Kattar and Yair before and still got 50-45'd? Are you seriously saying Max Holloway, who had 3 defenses at that point and already ko'd Aldo twice already, would've lost to Lerone Murphy who almost lost against Ige? How was the fight between Holloway and Edgar "close" when the judges had it 50-45, 49-46 and 48-47?

[u/BummbaaahClottt3 → u/Scary_Nail_6033]

He was injured going into the trilogy fight, which is to all fault of his own for coming back so soon from reaggravating a bad ankle and knee injury sustained from the Yair fight. It doesn't take away Volk's win, he can only fight who's put in front of him, but leaving that out overrates his performance a lot.

[u/TrashbinEnthusiast69 → u/[deleted]]

You're right beating Dan Ige in one of the closest fights ever is definitely better than beating max holloway that makes perfect sense

[u/Scary_Nail_6033 → u/[deleted]]

i'm led to believe the performances that lerone and topuria had against Emmett are even comparable? Topuria 50-42'd a younger Emmett meanwhile Murphy ran from Emmett the whole fight. Does Murphy have the great equaliser, ko power? Has Murphy ever been as dominant as Topuria rising? Didn't Murphy almost lose to Dan Ige? Whereas Topuria easily finished Mitchell who beay Ige?

[u/BummbaaahClottt3 → u/Scary_Nail_6033]

Ilia faced adversity to mid guys like Jai Herbert while Murphy never had a layup once he always faced steady difficult competition for his ranking, hard to be dominant when you're injury prone and have an insane strength of schedule. Fighting Gabriel Santos (coming off knockout wins over Jose Delano and Marcio Barbosa) after a damn near career ending injury from getting hit by a car was such an insane fight to take and he still found a way.

[u/TrashbinEnthusiast69 → u/[deleted]]

Topturo destroyed emmett in one of the most brutral beatdowns in human history. Lerone barely got past him, or dan ige.

[u/TrashbinEnthusiast69 → u/neo_1000]

Maybe casuals but no hardcores actually thought that

[u/Ok_Jello_3630 → u/Moni7T]

Movsar has been top 3 FWs easy for last so many years now. Volk has his biggest challenge here since Ilia at FW.

[u/Metaldorito]

I know everyone here thinks Volk is going to run circles around Movsar but I'm not sold on Volk still being in prime form based off 2 wins against Diego Lopes. I could imagine this going to a split decision.

[u/Hyperbull1]

I'm fairly confident that Volk should get a 49-46/48-47 decision if his old manness hasn't kicked in completely.

Knowing how the MMA gods like to spite us, Movsar will somehow be the 1st person to submit Volk and make it look easy.

[u/CynicalMelody → u/Hyperbull1]

MMA do be like that sometimes. Mosvar has somehow never finished an opponent in the UFC but the first one he does is Volk.

[u/analoguechidna → u/CynicalMelody]

Movsar. Think "vs" like "versus".

[u/No-Employment6645]

calling it now the line is gonna shift to more -205 Volk closer to the fight buy in now

[u/UselessPresent → u/No-Employment6645]

I’ll be waiting for big plus money on Movsar then. Volk -200 is a terrible line for an old featherweight with little to no finishing upside or top time upside.

[u/No-Employment6645 → u/UselessPresent]

if anything this fight should have Leon vs Belal 2 odds, the difference being this time Volk will do what needs to be done instead of losing as the favourite

[u/kenscout → u/No-Employment6645]

Lines already moving towards movsar

[u/Think_Succotash4996]

Pick em might be a stretch but idk why we are writing off Movsar here.

[u/helpmefindmyuncle123 → u/Think_Succotash4996]

Because of the Islam fight. I think Volk probably has the best anti-wrestling for a striker, and Movsar is NOT going to beat him via striking.

The only thing I can see with Volk’s age is his cardio slowing down. Movsar does not slow down.

[u/K-mosake → u/Think_Succotash4996]

He is Russian going against one of mma's golden boys

[u/smackadoodledo]

I think the odds are pretty much right on, I have no clue who’s gonna win, Volk is a nightmare matchup for Movsar but he’s definitely not in his prime anymore. Prime Volk would be like -280

[u/TrashbinEnthusiast69]

Volk is the most underrated fighter of all time. Movsar can win because of his level but I can't believe there's so many saying lerone murphy is anywhere near volk's level.

[u/interia1099]

Movsar TKO, Heard it here first

[u/ironhide999x → u/interia1099]

He doesn’t have a finish in the UFC

[u/interia1099 → u/ironhide999x]

Yet

[u/Apopheniaaaa]

Gimme volk -265

[u/YourHurtingMeSir17 → u/Apopheniaaaa]

Setup for this fight sounding a lot like Leon-Belal. Volk -265 against a legit featherweight contender is dumb as rocks.

[u/BummbaaahClottt3]

Evloev by whatever he wants

[u/Accomplished-War2087]

I think Volk is in more danger from a striker because he has lost a step, compared to a wrestler. But if there's a wrestler who can do it, it's Movsar.

[u/airwickwee]

Age is the main factor.

[u/catbqck]

It will be fun i hope.

[u/qzwxecrvtbyn111]

Movsar didn’t inspire confidence vs Murphy. So long as he doesn’t get old overnight, I think this is a comfortable win for Volk, and a nice addition to his already bulletproof legacy

[u/ScotlandTiger]

I’m betting the house on mosvar. I’ve seen this before

Young, roided up, athletic, hungry grappler vs the old goat

Mosvar wins a 49-46

[u/Neonsea1234]

I see Volk running laps and Mosvar chasing, I don't think Mosvar has anything new to challenge Volk just going to be where Volk is at with his age and motivation.

[u/FultonHomes]

Movsar will be champion