News Eagle FC Heavyweight champion Rizvan Kuniev will make his debut against Curtis Blaydes at UFC Seattle on Feb. 22

[BoxerMaurits]

Following Kuniev’s contract-winning performance at DWCS earlier this year:

 

[NicholasJBasile]

That's a rough first UFC fight. What is up with this match making?

 

[HHJ]

That's a rough first UFC fight. What is up with this match making?

Yeah thats a bit of a head scratcher.

 

[tornado362]

Wow they are desperate for a new contender. Adelaide byrd caused all of this.

 

[BoxerMaurits]

That's a rough first UFC fight. What is up with this match making?

Yeah thats a bit of a head scratcher.

Doesn’t make sense at all

 

[HHJ]

Wow they are desperate for a new contender. Adelaide byrd caused all of this.

I mean this isnt the way to build a contender.

Unless he somehow actually blows through blaydes

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Win and he's a top 3 contender... Go big or go home I guess.

 

[Ares Black]

What a completely insane debut opponent. UFC throwing Kuniev in the deep end.

 

[sdpdude9]

I understand thinking maybe you’ve got a potential contender off the rip but you really should still give them a fight or two to acclimate before throwing in the deep end. That’s often how prospects get ruined.

 

[VinceArch]

Into the deep end already. What is Curtis ranked? Number 5?

 

[usernamee]

is this how desperate they are for contenders at hw? just throw him in there and pray it works out?

 

[tornado362]

I mean this isnt the way to build a contender.

Unless he somehow actually blows through blaydes

Yeah that's what I mean, they're praying for a Kuniev victory. But will a blaydes win even resonate with the casuals

 

[RockyLockridge]

That's a rough first UFC fight. What is up with this match making?

No one else would fight him so they HAD to give him a fight against a top 5. Title shot if he wins, or else jones/aspinall is ducking. Doesn't matter if he paid no dues at all and no one knows who he is.

 

[Black Blood]

I understand thinking maybe you’ve got a potential contender off the rip but you really should still give them a fight or two to acclimate before throwing in the deep end. That’s often how prospects get ruined.

Dude has been a pro since 2011 and got a dreadful win over Ferreira (since overturned) so I guess it's sink or swim.

 

[NoSmilez]

Another Russian steroid user. He left the PFL after he got caught using. His wrestling isn't all that. He fought that guy Francis demolished and the takedowns didn't come easy. He eventually got it but he had to work for it. He was on drostanolone, metenelone, boldenone and 19-norandrosterone.

 

[Black9]

That's a rough first UFC fight. What is up with this match making?

They REALLY want to create contenders for Aspinall in case Jones retires.

 

[Koala]

Matchmaking is going crazy right now
A ranked fighter vs Kron Gracie
Jean Silva vs a 50/50 fighter
And now Blaydes vs a newcomer

 

[markys00]

Why are people acting so surprised? We just had asakura make his debut last week in a championship fight


This guy is a champ in a pretty decent MMA org and had two fights in DWCS, which is practically part of UFC record

 

[RockyLockridge]

They REALLY want to create contenders for Aspinall in case Jones retires.

They could have already had ngannou if they weren't so fucking cheap lmao

 

[Thesnake101]

They're doing the same thing they did with Pavlovich in his debut, immediately throwing him in there with a contender who will most likely maul him due to having more experience at a high level.

Rizvan is a good prospect, roids aside, but I don't think he's the type of puncher that sparks Curtis out, and I doubt he'll impose his wrestling on him either.