Alexander Volkanovski
Age: 29
Nationality: Australian
MMA Record: 17-1
UFC Record: 4-0
Notable Wins: Jeremy Kennedy, Mizuto Hirota
Notable Losses: None
Last Fight: TKO win over Jeremy Kennedy
Fighter Profile: One of the fastest-rising contenders in the UFC featherweight division, Volkanovski has looked incedible so far in the UFC as he’s won all four of his fights in the Octagon including a brutal TKO win over Kennedy in his last fight that has pushed him closer to a top-15 ranking. Overall he has won 14 straight fights and the majority of his career victories have come by stoppage. Volkanovski is a beast with a complete MMA game. He has a strong wrestling game, his ground-and-pound is brutal, he has great cardio, he’s very tough, and he’s a smart fighter. He has all the skills necessary to make a run for the title. He’s a darkhorse contender in the UFC featherweight division, and a few more wins will get him closer to that elusive title shot.
Darren Elkins
Age: 34
Nationality: American
MMA Record: 24-5
UFC Record: 14-4
Notable Wins: Mirsad Bektic, Michael Johnson, Dennis Bermudez
Notable Losses: Chad Mendes, Jeremy Stephens, Charles Oliveira
Last Fight: Submission win over Michael Johnson
Fighter Profile: One of the toughest and most resilient featherweights in the UFC, Elkins has had a tremendous career in the Octagon and has proven time and time again not be counted out. He’s almost always an underdog but he seems to always find a way to get the win. He is currently on a six-fight win streak and has looked amazing as of late. The move to Team Alpha Male has looked to be a career-defining decision for Elkins as his overall game has improved, specifically his striking attack. He has shown more aggressiveness in recent fights and of course he’s still one of the most durable fighters in the game. However he still does take a lot of damage in his fights, hence his nickname, and eventually that will catch up to him. Elkins is an underappreciated fighter and should probably be ranked higher than he is, but he still needs that big name win to get that elusive title shot. Until then, he’ll keep his spot as the top gatekeeper in the featherweight division.
Fight Breakdown: I love this matchup. Both guys have been on a roll as of late, with Volkanovski steamrolling everyone in front of him and Elkins contuing to win as an underdog. This fight will tell us a lot about where each guy fits in the division. As good as Elkins has looked as of late, I still can’t ignore the amount of damage this guy takes in his fights, and eventually that will catch up to him. Volkanovski has looked like a destroyer as of late and has very few holes in his game. Although Elkins will likely be tough enough to survive the full three rounds, I think Volkanovski is going to be too strong and too powerful and I see him doing more damage and outworking Elkins here for the biggest win of his UFC career to date.
Prediction: Alexander Volkanovski via decision
