Yushin Okami vs. Alexey Kunchenko set for UFC Fight Night in Adelaide

[ArtemV]

Kunchenko is coming from a debut decision win against Thiago Alves in Moscow, and Okami is 1-1 since returning to the UFC, getting submitted by OSP and decisioning Dhiego Lima.

Thoughts?

I will take Kunchenko by tko.

 

[Spath]

I don’t know if I can pick Okami in any fight these days.

His fight against OSP was amazing in a bad way. As a high level (so I thought) grappler he should’ve let go of OSP’s neck after failing to secure the guillotine. He just kept hanging on it, against OSP of all people.

 

[Persuadertron]

Yushin Okami vs Anderson Silva was the Filthiest, drunkest I have ever left a bar. I rode a bike to the bar knowing I was gonna get wasted all fight card long. I never ordered the cab. And crashed on that bike 3 times aaha har har har!

 

[Jawth]

Rooting for Yushin.

Sucks seeing the old guard lose to new faces. Kunchenko should feel bad fighting two shot fighters in a row.

 

[pankrat]

People taking Okami's loss to OSP on 6 days notice into any sort of consideration must be stupid.
How much chances do you give any WW, and particularly Kunchenko, facing OSP on 6 days notice?? None. But anyways, its irrelevant.

What it is relevant is that Okami is riding a 5 fight winning streak at 170 (35lbs lighter than his fight with OSP was at), and he has looked sharp at WW.
Kunchenko is solid, of curse, is an unbeaten 19-0 M1 champion, but I also think Okami is a big step up for him, and Yushin will enjoy a huge size advantage. I can see Okami dominating, maybe even in the feet pumping that jab.

 

[The_Renaissance]

Kunchenko taking the old man route to preserve his record. He'll probably finish Okami.

 

[pankrat]

Kunchenko taking the old man route to preserve his record. He'll probably finish Okami.

I follow the Russian MMA scene closely and while Kunchenko is certainly a solid fighter, I have never been very high on him.
He was unable to finish a 9-4 guy in Russia last year in 5 rounds, let alone old washed up Thiago Alves, who arguably even beat him.
On the other hand, I have only seen Okami getting finished by absolute beasts at 185 or 205 as Jacare or OSP, who are in a whole other level of bestiality than Kunchenko is.

I think Okami will enjoy a huge height advantage, and is pretty good at utilizing such size advantage, so Yushin has a pretty good chance here in this fight

 

[Spath]

People taking Okami's loss to OSP on 6 days notice into any sort of consideration must be stupid.
How much chances do you give any WW, and particularly Kunchenko, facing OSP on 6 days notice?? None. But anyways, its irrelevant.

It’s not about losing to OSP, it’s about how he lost. It’s like Maldonado vs Stipe, the fight was stupid and over before it began. Stipe just blasted him and no one blamed Brawldonado for it.

Okami was the underdog, of course, but like I described in a post above.. He gave the fight away to OSP. That’s my problem.

Edit. Okami is a big, big guy, they didn’t have THAT much of a size difference there.

No one can act like he was a WW there fighting a LHW.

 

[pankrat]

It’s not about losing to OSP, it’s about how he lost. It’s like Maldonado vs Stipe, the fight was stupid and over before it began. Stipe just blasted him and no one blamed Brawldonado for it.

Okami was the underdog, of course, but like I described in a post above.. He gave the fight away to OSP. That’s my problem.

Edit. Okami is a big, big guy, they didn’t have THAT much of a size difference there.

No one can act like he was a WW there fighting a LHW.

Man, Okami didnt even prepared for that fight. He just took it as a ticket for UFC return knowing he was picked as a sacrificial lamb. He gave that fight away? Maybe...I dont know...again, I dont see how that fight says something about how is he gonna perform against a guy who is ranked way lower, 30+lbs lighter, and with a full camp to prepare for it.

About determining size difference going by a pic at the weight in...typical sherbro science, in all honesty.
Fact is Okami has been cutting to 170 seven times in a row yet, even for a tiny payday in Japan, and never missed weight. He walks around under 200lbs.
OSP, in the other hand, is known to be one of the biggest LHWs out there, and walks around 230lbs...
Facts talk about size difference, not a side pic at the weight in.
By the way, going by the looks, Okami looked pretty similar in size to Dhiego Lima in his last fight at WW.

 

[pankrat]

Kunchenko is an unbeaten 19-0 M1 champion coming off a win over Thiago Alves
Okami is a super crafty veteran riding a 5 fight winning streak at 170 after being a long time top contender at 185.

This is a really intriguing matchup. Kunchenko is an all-around very solid fighter, especially in the defense, and supertough in the clinch, which is exactly where Okami prefers to be. In this fight though, Okami will enjoy a huge height/reach advantage and posses severely underrated long-range game in the feet so...very intriguing.
Picks?

 

[Mike K.O]

Okami by dec

 

[tehMoose]

Good fight. Okami UD

 

[melvinj0]

Kunchenko didn’t look that great against and aged Alves, going for Okami in this one

 

[GueseGuy]

Is this in UFC?

 

[HUGHPHUG]

Bastard let me down not getting the t/ko against Alves, that would have got me a nice little earner

 

[pankrat]

Kunchenko didn’t look that great against and aged Alves, going for Okami in this one

Kunchenko is kinda conservative fighter, but it's really good at staying out of danger. Alves, even aged, is not a slouch in the feet. If Kunchenko can edge out Alves in a straight standup fight it may be enough to beat Okami in the feet as well.

Thing is Okami will certainly test his TDD, and while we have never seen Kunchenko on his back and is very highly regarded in that aspect, he never faced a grappler of Okami's caliber. Pretty intriguing fight.

 

[ChaelSonnen]

It's incredible that Okami can make Welterweight. Always thought he looked like a huge Middleweight.

In terms of this fight I'm not completely sold on Kunchenko. With that type of record, Alves should have been no match for him, yet it was still a very competitive fight. Gotta go with Yushin.

 

[pankrat]

It's incredible that Okami can make Welterweight. Always thought he looked like a huge Middleweight.

In terms of this fight I'm not completely sold on Kunchenko. With that type of record, Alves should have been no match for him, yet it was still a very competitive fight. Gotta go with Yushin.

Okami was never a big MW. His walk around weight was below average for the elite of the division, including Sonnen.
While Yushin may be 6-foot-2, he has thin legs, a tiny waist (most relevant aspect in weight) and no upper body development apart from big biceps and shoulders. He is essentially built like a palm tree. In fact, he used to give up inches of reach despite being above average in height.
Okami was about same size than Dhiego Lima, probably even lighter than 170lbers as Darren Till or Curtis Millender

 

[Shadey1]

Not overly impressed with kunchenko tbh. Think this is a winnable fight for okami

 

[nicholas17]

how many PPV BUYS will this have?