MMA Preview – Jailton Almeida vs Anton Turkalj at UFC 279
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JAILTON ALMEIDA VS ANTON TURKALJ FACTS
When is UFC 279? Sunday 11th September, 2022 - 01:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC 279? T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC 279? Click here to buy tickets for UFC 279
What channel is UFC 279 on? BT Sport 1
Where can I stream UFC 279? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
JAILTON ALMEIDA VS ANTON TURKALJ LOWDOWN
Jailton Almeida (16-2) was prepping for heavyweight Shamil Abdurakhimov but the Russian had to pull out with visa issues. Fortunately, he stays on the card fighting at a catchweight of 220 lbs. He is riding an impressive 11-fight win streak and tried his hand up at heavyweight in his last outing back in May. He had a very favourable matchup taking on Parker Porter, but here were still question marks whether he could handle the significant weight discrepancy. He answered those questions convincingly racking up the 10th submission of his MMA career inside the first round.
Abdurakhimov’s loss is Anton Turkalj’s (8-0) gain. He steps up to make his UFC debut. He is only 26 years old and only had eight professional fights, but he is unbeaten with a wealth of amateur experience in the bank with a record of 16-3. His last fight was back in July making an appearance on the Contender Series. He took on Acacio dos Santos and earnt a unanimous decision to start his UFC journey.
JAILTON ALMEIDA VS ANTON TURKALJ PREDICTION
We are not sure why Almeida wants to stay at heavyweight as he can easily make 205 lbs. He looked great against Porter, but there is only so far you can get in a division where you will be giving up 20-30 lbs especially against the more skilled fighters.
Abdurakhimov was another good match-up and now he has an even better one welcoming the late replacement. Turkalj is a very good fighter with a lot of potential. He is powerful and well-rounded, but he is a natural light heavyweight and his skills will count for nothing when Almeida gets his hands on him.
The Brazilian’s grappling is on another level. He is a powerhouse and has the wrestling to throw the Swede down to the canvas and has the jiu-jitsu to make quick work of him.
Prediction: Almeida via Submission - CLICK HERE FOR PARIMATCH'S WELCOME OFFER (BET £5, GET £30 IN BONUSES!)
