UFC Fight Night 217: Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Raoni Barcelos Preview, Betting Odds and Prediction - January 14

UFC No.11-ranked bantamweight Umar Nurmagomedov will look to continue his unbeaten run against Raoni Barcelos. The rising star hasn't stepped into the octagon since June 2022, where he bested Nate Maness by unanimous decision.

Barcelos, meanwhile, is just 1-2 in his past three fights. He most recently broke a two-fight skid with a unanimous decision win over Trevin Jones back in October 2022. Barcelos' dangerous blend of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and wrestling could well trouble the cousin of the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Raoni Barcelos Fight Details

Date & Time: Saturday, January 14, 07:00p.m. EST (approx)

Venue: UFC Apex, Enterprise, Nevada

Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Raoni Barcelos Betting Odds

Fighter	Moneyline	Win by TKO/KO	Win by Submission	Win by Decision	Draw
Umar Nurmagomedov	-950	+650	+350	-200	+5000
Raoni Barcelos	+650	+1600	+2800	+1200	+5000

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Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Raoni Barcelos Tale of the Tape

Nurmagomedov will enjoy slight height and reach advantages over his opponent. Both men tend to employ an orthodox stance.

The Dagestani rising star focuses heavily on takedowns in the octagon, aggressively wrestling his way into dangerous submission holds. Barcelos, meanwhile, has a high-level ground game courtesy of jiu-jitsu mastery. Both fighters have shown top tier cardio, often going into the judges' scorecards without showing signs of energy depletion in the cage.

Fighter	Age	Height	Weight	Reach	Record
Umar Nurmagomedov	27	5'8"	135lbs	69"	15-0-0
Raoni Barcelos	35	5'7"	135lbs	67"	17-3-0

Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Raoni Barcelos Prediction

Barcelos is a battle-tested fighter with a deadly ground game. Even so, he's looking rather outmatched by the dangerous wrestler across from him in the cage. Nurmagomedov, like so many of the top fighters coming out of Dagestan, is a merciless grappler.

What sets Nurmagomedov apart right now is a trait he shares with current UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev. Rather than dragging out ground control, the bantamweight contender frequently reveals his greatest strength when he secures the backs of his opponents, sinking in fatal rear-naked chokes.

Ultimately, with both fighters being known for their ground game and durability, this fight will likely go to the scorecards. There, Nurmagomedov's relentless pace ought to net him a comfortable decision win. Should he emerge victorious, it's likely the Russian rising star will net a top 10 opponent in his next outing. For Barcelos, meanwhile, an upset win here might get him into the top 15 rankings.

Prediction: Nurmagomedov via decision

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