UFC Predictions: UFC Vegas 14: Felder vs. dos Anjos Predictions and Picks

#2 UFC Welterweight Division: Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Khaos Williams

Khaos Williams impressed in his UFC debut.

It’s very easy to see why this fight has been placed in the co-main event slot for this UFC show. Both of these men, based on the evidence we’ve seen so far, love nothing more than to stand and trade heavy blows with their opponent. While the UFC is about far more than that, fights of that nature still appeal massively to the fans.

Of the two fighters, Alhassan has far more UFC experience. The native of Ghana debuted in the UFC way back in 2016, and by the end of 2018, he appeared to be one of the Welterweight division’s fastest rising stars. He put together a record of 4-1, with all of his wins coming by violent knockout.

However, after his win at UFC 228 over Niko Price, legal troubles reared their head. Alhassan was indicted on a double rape charge, and the case took the best part of two years to clear up. Eventually, Judo Thunder was cleared of all charges and returned to the UFC this past July.

However, things didn’t go too well for him. Not only did he miss the 170lbs Welterweight cut-off, but he also found himself outgunned by a slightly better striker in the form of Mounir Lazzez.

As his nickname suggests, Alhassan does have a solid grappling background. A judoka of some regard, he competed in the sport for reportedly 22 years and does hold a black belt. However, like judokas that preceded him, such as Rameau Sokoudjou and Hector Lombard, we’ve seen nothing of his grappling in the UFC – just his brutally heavy hands.

So can he bounce back against Williams? It’s definitely an intriguing fight. Williams – real first name Kalinn – debuted in the UFC back in February, and he did it in style. It took The Ox Fighter just 27 seconds to take out Alex Morono, destroying him with a heavy combination after eating a number of shots the other way.

However, despite that blowaway UFC debut, it’s worth noting that Williams simply hasn’t fought anyone of note outside of that lone fight. The rest of his victims – his record is 10-1 – are largely unknowns.

Basically then, this fight could easily go either way. It’s likely that both men will come out to trade shots, meaning whoever lands the earliest – and the hardest – will win.

It’s a tough one to call, but I’m leaning towards Alhassan. He didn’t look bad against Lazzez, more rusty than anything, and he’s faced and beaten far better opponents than Williams inside the UFC before. Williams could well prove to be a special talent, but right now, there’s just not enough evidence of that for me to pick him.

The Pick: Alhassan via second-round TKO