UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Dollaway - Idiot's Guide and Preview to Elias Silverio vs. Rashid Magomedov

The Match Up - Light Weight

Elias Silvério

Favorite Finishing Move: TKO, Punches (2)

Rashid Magomedov

Favorite Finishing Move: TKO, Punches (6)

The Odds

Silverio +115

Magomedov -135

3 Things You Should Know

1. Silveiro is one of Lightweight's best kept secrets.

I don't think it's a conscious thing. To be inherently skeptical of the potential of anyone over 26, with only a handful and a half of professional fights. We know when an athlete's prime is, and if they're out of that range, well then all hope is lost. 'Xuxu' is looking to be the exception. Keep in mind, I don't think he's a darkhorse for a title shot. But he's a good fighter. Like a Rafael dos Anjos clone on ambien.

As in, he's kind of violent on the feet, but not necessarily fluid. He's a well rounded fighter from the stomping grounds of Jungle Fight. He usually gets at his most violent in the clinch, and he experiences bursts of high powered offense with his boxing when he's pressuring for an attack. The only knock on him is that he doesn't chain his offense too well.

Still, I call him one LW's best kept secrets because I think he can be entertaining in defeat. To his credit, however, he has yet to experience it.

2. Magomedov is also one of Lightweight's best kept secrets.

I love this matchmaking by the way. A lot of casual fans will do the home improvement like "huh!" in response to these names, not realizing the difference between Magomedov, Bagautinov, Silverio, or all the Silvas, but these are two guys undefeated in the UFC, and functionally undefeated outside of it*.

Magomedov reminds me a little of the then hyped Mamed Khalidov (who is still more or less doing his thing in KSW). Lots and lots of sizzle to the way he strings together punches. He pieces together offense with an incredible quickness, relying more on his swift punch combinations, but he doesn't fail to do a lot more. His kicks are brutal, and he's not an easy fight on the ground either.

3. Magomedov is ultimately the better kept secret though.

The odds should probably be greater. One of the problems with Silverio's offense is that his defense hangs too loose. He's a stark reminder of how less can be more. When evading attacks he moves his head a little too much, and does it all predictably. Ernest Chavez isn't even particularly good, and he still landed some good shots on Elias. My logic is this: with the way Elias constantly pulls his head down, and to the side, this leaves him in prime scoring position to get his head sent through the arches with a brutal high kick if he's not careful.

I'd like to say more, but there's just not a whole lot to unpack in this one. It's possible I'm underrating what Elias can do, but he's more efficient than dynamic. In MMA, dynamic usually wins.

Prediction

Magomedov by TKO, round 2.

*I felt he beat the heavily underrated Magomedrasul Khasbulaev myself, although I don't mean to simplify: their bout was back and forth in every facet for three full rounds.