MMA Preview – Ryan Hall vs Ilia Topuria at UFC 264
RYAN HALL VS ILIA TOPURIA FACTS
When is UFC 264? Sunday 11th July, 2021 - 01:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC 264? T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC 264? Click here to buy tickets for UFC 264
What channel is UFC 264 on? BT Sport Box Office (£19.99) BT Sport 2 (prelims)
Where can I stream UFC 264? 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!
RYAN HALL VS ILIA TOPURIA LOWDOWN
Ryan Hall (8-1) finally gets a fight. The jiu-jitsu wizard has not had a proper chance to get his MMA career off the ground due to injuries, grappling commitments and the fact that nobody wants to fight him which makes sense as he is unranked but has one of the most dangerous ground games in the division. He is unbeaten in the UFC although he has only fought four times since his debut in 2015 with his last win coming two years ago winning a unanimous decision over Darren Elkins. Dan Ige was one of a few scheduled fights for Hall, but he had to pull out due to injury and fortunately, another winning contender has stepped up in time for the stacked UFC 264 card.
No wonder Ilia Topuria (10-0) has accepted the fight sitting on an unbeaten record and brimming with confidence after his first two UFC fights. He earnt a unanimous decision over Youssef Zalal on his debut and followed it up with a first-round knockout over Damon Jackson. Topuria also made a name for himself with his submission prowess with seven submissions and after that knockout, he feels invincible.
RYAN HALL VS ILIA TOPURIA PREDICTION
Topuria is also an exceptional grappler and he will not be afraid to tangle on the mat however, Hall is a level above and he will still try and get the fight to the floor in his usual unconventional ways.
Topuria’s striking is a level above Hall’s and it continues to improve, getting better at harnessing his power to find the knockout. However, he can only find Hall’s chin if he can avoid the takedown attempts. Hall will look for single leg takedowns and Imanari rolls to attack the leg and set up other submissions from there.
If Hall does get the fight to the ground, Topuria has the ability to defend the submission attempts and could even land some damage from top position so it will be a very interesting battle.
If the fight goes to the floor, a submission could always be around the corner for Hall, but Topuria is more well-rounded and powerful. If he executes a well thought out game plan, he can earn a decision or even a knockout but one mistake could create a dent in that perfect record.
Prediction: Topuria via Decision
