Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight prospects Francis Ngannou and Anthony Hamilton will throw down tomorrow night (Fri., Dec. 9, 2016) at UFC Fight Night 102 inside Times Union Center in Albany, New York.
Several people — understandably — forgot this event was happening, but the co-main is going to be a violent Heavyweight showdown. Ngannou has quickly emerged as one of the division’s top prospects. The Frenchman is 240 pounds of pure muscle and athleticism, and he’s already been able to knock out some tough opposition. Plus, at 30 years old, he’s basically a baby compared to most Heavyweights.
On the other hand, Hamilton has found mixed results inside the Octagon but seems to be getting better. For the first time in his UFC career, he really went after his opponent last time out … and it resulted in a quick knockout.
Let’s take a look at the keys to victory for both men:
Francis Ngannou
Record: 8-1
Key Wins: Curtis Blaydes (UFC Fight Night 86), Luis Henrique (UFC on FOX 17)
Key Losses: None
Keys to Victory: Ngannou is an athletic specimen. He’s also proven to be fairly technical despite his short career, as Ngannou boxes well and his solid defensive wrestling.
The power and conditioning that comes along with being such a great athlete are a major benefit for Ngannou. Few men can take his shots, and even fewer can throw hard punches like him later into the fight. That should be key here.
Hamilton can throw hard, but he’s proven that he has no interest in getting into a firefight. Therefore, he’s most likely going to shoot for takedowns straight away and try to grind Ngannou down immediately. Ngannou physical strength and takedown defense should prevent that from happening. Then, as the failed takedowns slow Hamilton down, the Frenchman will be in perfect position to blast his foe.
VS.
Anthony Hamilton
Record: 15-5
Key Wins: Daniel Omielanczuk (UFC Fight Night 64), Damien Grabowski (UFC 201)
Key Losses: Shamil Abdurakhimov (UFC Fight Night 83), Todd Duffee (UFC 181), Alexey Oleinik (UFC Fight Night 44)
Keys to Victory: Hamilton is one of the biggest fighters in the division, and he’s a pretty solid athlete himself. He also has a wrestling background, and that’s probably been his most effective skill inside the Octagon.
Hamilton needs to be willing to throw in order to win this bout. If he’s afraid of trading and restricts himself to only takedowns, it really limits the chances that he actually lands any of those shots. “The Freight Train” has to mix it up.
Ngannou may be the more proven knockout artist, but this is the Heavyweight division, and Hamilton can crack. If the 6’5″, 260 lbs. man bites down on his mouth piece and throws bombs, that’s a threat that Ngannou has to respect. Now, Hamilton probably shouldn’t exchange with his opponent all the time, but he needs to create an opening for the takedown. If he can land a few shots and raise Ngannou’s hands, it will make his job much easier.
Bottom Line: It’s a Heavyweight clash of big hitters.
Ngannou has a lot of eyes on him. He’s been massively impressive in his first three UFC fights and there seems to be a really good chance that he becomes a ranked fighter. He may be ready for that level of match up already, and that’s what a win here will show.
On the other hand, a loss forces Ngannou to slow his roll. It doesn’t decrease his potential, but it shows that he still needs more experience and development before taking a step up. The stakes are likely even higher for Hamilton. He has yet to string together consecutive wins inside the Octagon, but a quick knockout and halting a prospect would make a solid start. It could actually allow him to build some momentum and get out of the middle of the division.
The alternative is that Hamilton stays exactly where he is. Winning one fight and then taking a beating in the next is not a recipe for success, particularly when the blows at Heavyweight are so damaging.
At UFC Fight Night 102, Francis Ngannou and Anthony Hamilton will hunt for the knockout. Which man will have his hand raised?