Prior to each UFC card, Jay Primetown takes a close look at debuting fighters. In the latest installment, we look at Ghanian-American Abdul Razak Alhassan making his UFC debut against Irishman Charlie Ward. Abdul Razak Alhassan Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota Age: 31 Height: 5’10” Reach: 72” Weight Class: Welterweight Camp: Team Takedown Career Record: 6-0 Key Wins: None Key Losses: None Background Undefeated Team Takedown fighter Abdul Razak Alhassan enters the UFC with an spotless record of 6-0 and a strong background in competitive judo. All six of his wins have come by knockout inside 90 seconds. Strengths
- Very athletic
- One punch knockout power
- Heavy leg kicks
- Good movement
Weaknesses
- Takedown defense is a question mark
- Limited grappling experience
- How will he do when he can’t impose his will?
Matchup against Charlie Ward Abdul Razak Alhassan makes his UFC debut against Irish fighter Charlie Ward. On paper, there are some significant skill differences between the two fighters. Alhassan is an excellent athlete and will have a stunning speed advantage in this bout. Alhassan not only moves much faster, but he has a big hand speed advantage. Combine that with heavy leg kicks and one punch knockout power and I see this as a one-sided fight. Ward has heavy hands as well, but he’s going to struggle to land in this bout. Alhassan should win this fight quickly and put himself in contention for a more competitive fight in his next outing. Ward was signed to add more UK fighters to the card despite not having the requisite skill-set to hold his own in the UFC. UFC Ceiling Abdul Razak Alhassan is an intriguing fighter. He is already 31 years old, but he has very limited miles on him in terms of fighting. He’s only had six professional fights so his experience is limited, but there are some attributes that jump off the page; namely his athleticism and knockout power. There’s definitely some unknowns due to his domination of fights thus far on the feet, so it’s really hard to project his career path in the UFC. Fight Film Check out Abdul Razak Alhassan in some of his most recent fights: Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Jos Eichelberger Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Matt Jones