Kuniev vs Fortune — Heavyweight · UFC Fight Night
Red corner
- 13-3-1
- Record
- 18-3-0
Blue corner
Expectations
- 6
- Analyst picksAnalysts — red corner favoredAnalyst picksCounts all published analyst picks logged for this fight. A side label appears only when at least three picks are logged.
- 1
Full Tale of the Tape · +11 more stats · radar
- 13-3-1
- Record
- 18-3-0
- 3-1 (1 NC) last 5
- Recent formRecent formWin–loss record over the fighter’s last five bouts, newest first, as carried in their UFC/FightMetric career stats.
- 4-1 last 5
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- StanceStanceWhich side a fighter leads from — a striking term, not a religious one. Orthodox: right-handed, left foot and hand forward (the common default). Southpaw: the mirror image, right side forward (usually a left-hander). Switch: changes between the two during a fight.
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- Sig. strikes absorbed / minAbsorbed / minSignificant strikes absorbed per minuteAverage number of significant strikes a fighter takes for every minute of fight time. Lower is better — it means they get hit less often. From UFC/FightMetric career stats.
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- Striking defenseStrike def.Striking defenseThe percentage of opponents’ significant strikes that do not land — strikes slipped, blocked or evaded. Higher is better. Not the same as striking accuracy, which counts your own strikes that land. From UFC/FightMetric.
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- Takedown defenseTD def.Takedown defenseThe percentage of opponents’ takedown attempts that are stuffed. Higher means harder to put on the mat. From UFC/FightMetric.
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- Avg. fight timeAvg. timeAverage fight timeThe mean length of the fighter’s bouts (minutes:seconds) — a rough read on whether they tend to finish early or go the distance. From UFC/FightMetric.
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- Russia
- Nationality
- United States
- American Top Team
- Team
- Arizona Combat Sports
Career stats per UFC.com; recent form is each fighter's last five bouts. Numbers reflect records coming into fight night. Bars compare each stat on a fixed scale; the “Edge” marker flags the leading corner where the gap is meaningful. The snapshot plots five career rates — output, striking defense, durability (strikes absorbed, inverted), takedown defense and finish rate — each normalised on its own scale.
What to expect
Case for Kuniev
Kuniev arrives on the best win of his career — a decision over Jailton Almeida — and a competitive split-decision loss to Curtis Blaydes that proved he belongs with the division's wrestlers. The American Top Team heavyweight blends real grappling with finishing power, and he has faced the sterner recent schedule of the two.
Case for Fortune
Fortune is the wrestler with knockout power stacked on top. Eleven of his eighteen wins are knockouts, he is 4-1 in his last five, and he out-pointed Marcin Tybura in his most recent UFC outing. If he lands his right hand or wins the grappling exchanges, he is capable of closing the show quickly at 35.
What to Watch
- Two wrestlers: neither man wants to give up top position — whose grappling wins the exchanges?
- Kuniev's momentum: he just beat Jailton Almeida — does that form carry against another heavy hitter?
- Fortune's power: eleven knockouts and a fast right hand — one clean shot ends a heavyweight fight.
- Cardio at heavyweight: if the finish does not come, whose gas tank holds up across three rounds?
Analysts
Independent analyst picks — analysts, fighters and betting desks — on this fight: who they pick, how, and the exact moment they say it. Tap any clip to hear it.
All 7 see it go the distance.
The experts above are a lens, not credentials we conferred — analyst, fighter or betting desk.
DFS By The Numbers Betting deskAnalyst called 32 of 47 DFS By The Numbers: picks Kuniev — Decision
Backs Kuniev's cardio, volume and control of where the fight takes place over three rounds.
Track record: winner called in 32 of 47 resolved picks, 13 a perfect call.
AJ Betting deskAnalyst called 24 of 30 AJ: picks Kuniev — Decision
Expects Kuniev's positional control and second- and third-round striking to overcome Fortune's early power and wrestling threat.
Track record: winner called in 24 of 30 resolved picks, 15 a perfect call.
Michael Chiesa AnalystFighter track record building Michael Chiesa: picks Kuniev — Decision
Favors Kuniev's pocket combinations and knees against Fortune's wrestling entries, but does not expect Fortune to be stopped.
Track record builds as we verify their past calls.
JakeGerberMMA Analyst called 8 of 10 JakeGerberMMA: picks Kuniev — to win
Names Rizvan Kuniev as the full-card pick in this preview.
Track record: winner called in 8 of 10 resolved picks.
HopperoMMA Analyst called 20 of 33 HopperoMMA: picks Kuniev — to win
Names Rizvan Kuniev as the full-card pick in this preview.
Track record: winner called in 20 of 33 resolved picks, 8 a perfect call.
Bedtime MMA Analyst called 36 of 58 Bedtime MMA: picks Kuniev — to win
Names Rizvan Kuniev as the full-card pick in this preview.
Track record: winner called in 36 of 58 resolved picks, 18 a perfect call.
We Want Picks Betting desk called 22 of 37 We Want Picks: picks Fortune — to win
Picks Tyrell Fortune as the stronger striker with the wrestling to create his own entries.
Track record: winner called in 22 of 37 resolved picks.
Fan Picks
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