UFC Qatar full card ceremonial weigh-in faceoffs: Tsarukyan vs. Hooker
UFC Fight Night 265 ceremonial weigh-ins featured staredowns for the full card ahead of the event in Qatar.
MMA Junkie has live coverage of UFC Fight Night 265 with round-by-round analysis of every fight.
Jack Hermansson and Myktybek Orolbai meet on the main card of UFC Fight Night 265 at ABHA Arena in Doha, Qatar. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
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Jack Hermansson vs. Myktybek Orolbai UFC Qatar preview
Hermansson (24-9 MMA, 11-7 UFC) drops down to welterweight to take his second fight of the year following a knockout loss to Gregory Rodrigues. He’s struggled to find momentum, as he’s traded wins and losses over his last 10 fights, stretching back to 2019. The good news for him is that he’s only lost back-to-back fights once in his career, and that was way back in 2012-13.
Orolbai (14-2-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) comes up to welterweight after a pair of catchweight bouts. The former lightweight comes in after a first-round submission win against Tofiq Musayev. The fight prior was a split decision loss to Mateusz Rebecki, which was a close battle that won Fight of the Night last October.
Jack Hermansson vs. Myktybek Orolbai UFC Qatar expert pick, prediction
Serving as the strangest fight on the card is a welterweight affair between former middleweight Hermansson and former lightweight Orolbai.
Although I was expecting flashbacks to Rich Franklin making 185 pounds this morning, Hermansson, somehow, was able to hit the 170-pound mark on this first attempt. Should Hermansson be able to operate anywhere near his normal at this new weight class, then he’s a certifiable live dog in this fight.
Obvious size edge aside, Hermansson has a deceptive submission arsenal ranging from guillotines to leg locks that could serve as a quiet equalizer to Orolbai’s strong grappling style. Add in a larger octagon that could facilitate Hermansson’s fleet-of-foot footwork, and I don’t blame anyone for taking a shot on the Sweede this weekend.
The potential problem for me, however, is the turnaround that Hermansson is making for this fight.
Hermansson may have been able to make the weight somehow, but he’s still making a minus-six-month turnaround after sustaining a potentially career-changing knockout at the hands of Gregory “Hobocop” Rodrigues. For that reason, I’ll slightly side with the healthier fighter with a higher upside on paper in Orolbai.
A grimy decision either way wouldn’t shock me, but I’ll officially pick Orolbai to find a finish on the floor after hurting Hermansson on the feet by the midway point of Round 2.
Jack Hermansson vs. Myktybek Orolbai UFC Qatar odds
The oddsmakers and the public favor the Kyrgyzstani fighter, listing Orolbai -260 and Hermansson +205 via FanDuel.
Jack Hermansson vs. Myktybek Orolbai UFC Qatar start time, how to watch
Hermansson and Orolbai are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 2:10 p.m. ET. The fight streams live on ESPN+.
