UFC Predictions: UFC Vegas 18: Overeem vs. Volkov - Predictions and Picks
After three shows on Abu Dhabi’s Fight Island and a week off, the UFC returns this weekend with a pretty strong-looking card.
UFC Vegas 18 sees Heavyweights Alistair Overeem and Alexander Volkov clash in the main event, while the co-main features Bantamweight stars Frankie Edgar and Cory Sandhagen.
Overall, this should be a fun return for the UFC to its Las Vegas base and is definitely a show worth watching.
Here are the predicted outcomes for UFC Vegas 18: Overeem vs. Volkov.
#1 UFC Heavyweight Division: Alistair Overeem vs. Alexander Volkov
The stakes are high in this main event clash. Depending on the result of the upcoming Curtis Blaydes vs. Derrick Lewis fight – and Jon Jones's future – there’s a chance that the winner could receive a shot at the UFC Heavyweight title.
For Overeem, that would represent a fairytale end to his career. The Dutchman, who turns 41 this year, has openly stated that he’d like one more run at the UFC Heavyweight title before he retires. After all, UFC gold is practically the only thing he’s not won in his two decades in the sport.
However, The Reem actually winning the UFC title is sadly a pipe dream at this point. A win over Volkov, though, is definitely a possibility despite his advanced age.
Volkov enjoyed a mixed 2020, losing to Blaydes before defeating Walt Harris, a man who coincidentally, also fell to Overeem last year.
Both of these fighters are primarily strikers. At 6’7”, Volkov is one of the tallest men in the division, and he fights like a tall man too, all teep kicks and long jabs from distance. For once, the 6’4” Overeem will be at a disadvantage when it comes to length, even if both men reportedly have an 80” reach.
However, Overeem is by far the more varied striker. Sure, he’s capable of sniping from distance, but he’s perhaps the most effective clinch striker in the UFC’s Heavyweight division. His knees from the inside are absolutely lethal, and whether they’re landing to the head or body doesn’t really matter.
More worrying for Volkov, though, is the fact that Overeem isn’t just a striker. While he’s not like Blaydes – who basically spammed takedowns until Volkov wilted – he’s more than capable of taking his opponents down.
And his UFC wins over Augusto Sakai, Stefan Struve, and Sergei Pavlovich all came on the ground, with The Reem unleashing some absolutely devastating blows from the top.
Overeem can obviously be beaten. He’s lost 18 times in his career, and seven of those losses have come in the UFC. However, he’s only ever been beaten by truly concussive punchers like Francis Ngannou, Miocic, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.
Is Volkov a heavy enough hitter to take out the Dutchman? Personally, I’m leaning towards no being the answer. He does have 21 knockouts to his name, but he’s also only finished three opponents in the UFC, and all of them came after plenty of punishment rather than in one-hit fashion.
Overall, the styles seem to favor Overeem here, whether it involves him taking the fight to Volkov in the clinch or – more likely – taking him down to deliver a beating. He might not be UFC champion material now, but I think The Reem wins this fight.
The Pick: Overeem via third-round TKO