Phil Hawes vs. Ikram Aliskerov Prediction: Can Phil Hawes Dominate at UFC 288?
Khamzat Chimaev called UFC newcomer Ikram Aliskerov his toughest match to date. Is that enough to make him such a large favorite? Super Fan takes a closer look into the UFC 288 Phil Hawes and Ikram Aliskerov bout.
Super Fan - May 5, 2023, 11:53 AM EDT
5 minPhil Hawes vs. Ikram Aliskerov Prediction: Can Phil Hawes Dominate at UFC 288?
Even if you have never heard of him, you can take one look at the name Ikram Aliskerov and know that this dude is some decorated grappler with a beard and no mustache. He takes on Phil Hawes this Saturday in what I believe is the most underrated fight on the UFC 288 card.
Hawes vs. Aliskerov Start Time and Where to Watch
- Date: Saturday, May 6, 2023
- Game Time: 6:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: ESPN+
Phil Hawes vs. Ikram Aliskerov Prediction
Despite being a UFC newcomer, he is a -190 favorite, with Hawes coming back as a +160 dog, and I believe Khamzat Chimaev is to blame for that. In the lead-up to his 2022 clash with Gilbert Burns, he infamously claimed that Ikram was the toughest opponent he had ever faced. The oddsmakers are seemingly putting a lot of faith into this statement, but should you?
Despite being called his toughest opponent, Khamzat was able to flatline Ikram in less than half of a round. In that short amount of time, he did one thing exceptionally well to earn Khamzat's respect; takedown defense. Ikram was able to acrobatically defend all four of Chimaev's serious takedown attempts before entering the shadow realm.
While this unarguably is an impressive feat, I believe it is completely irrelevant going into his fight with Phil Hawes. Like every fighter in history whose last name ends in -ov, Ikram depends on getting this fight to the ground and doing that weird mermaid thing with his legs. When he is unable to do that, he looks more out of place than Derrick Lewis at a salad bar. This is very concerning for Ikram bettors.
Phil Hawes has 100% takedown defense in his UFC career. While Ikram will be the most decorated grappler he has ever faced, I believe that Phil will be able to keep this fight on the feet with his wrestling background. If the fight stays standing, Hawes will start teeing off.
The only concern with Phil's striking is that we have seen him get chinned, and coming off a KO loss where he practically got finished three different times does not bode well for a man's durability at 34 years old. Nonetheless, I do not believe that Ikram possesses the striking to capitalize on that.
While betting against a Russian fighter with an Arabic name is always risky, I think it is the right move here. Super Sayain Hawes is going to show up, keep this fight on the feet, and pick Ikram apart. My official bet is Phil Hawes ML (+160).
Phil Hawes vs. Ikram Aliskerov Pick
Phil Hawes ML +160 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds for this pick
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