SteemSports Presenter:@brandonk
SteemSports Editor:@scottybuckets
The Tallest UFC Heavyweights Collide in this Battle for Holland!
Stefan 'Skyscraper' Struve:
This 7 foot juggernaut has been a UFC staple for nearly the past decade. We have seen him grow fervently from youthful and inexperienced, to possessing savage wins over modern day contenders and current champions. Struve has always been a top 10-15 fringe fighter as he has always struggled to have his reach match his height. He fights short and on the inside which is surprising for a man with his incredible reach. His long arms and legs have made him an absolute threat on the ground, his grappling is second to none especially in the heavyweight division. His last win was an impressive showing over evolving contender Daniel Omielanczuk; his reversal from getting taken down to finishing the Anaconda choke in top position shows the type of grip and maneuverability the big man truly has. Struve has really only had problems with top 5 heavyweight contenders, since they are specialists like Hunt (in terms of power) and Overreem (in terms of technical prowess). We will see Struve in his homeland with a chip on his shoulder, he has something to prove in this one!
Alexander 'Drago' Volkov:
The former Bellator and M-1 champion makes his return to the cage for the third time in under 10 months. Volkov is quickly making a name for himself as one of the more technical fighters at heavyweight. 'Drago' has made vast improvements fight to fight, and lest not forget he is only 28 years old with over three dozen fights to his name. The experience and will to win in this young man will be necessary as he is taking by far the toughest opponent of his career. Arguably his first round loss to Vitaly Minakov was his roughest moment, but there are too many unknowns with Minakov that prevent me from placing him on a true pound for pound list. Volkov may be the dark horse the division of giants needs, a win over Struve would surely place him into immediate contention and a title shot would not be too far behind. We can expect to see a polished and paced Alexander ready for his first five round main event.
Breakdown and Prediction:
At first glance I was under the assumption Struve may be able to get Volkov down and attain a submission. On paper Struve has fought harder battles against tougher men, but he has also taken an inordinate amount of damage in his tenure as a fighter. This feels like a 'passing of the guard', as Struve was always the tall man who couldn't quite get there... Skyscraper definitely wants to take this one to the ground, Volkov is twice the technician on the feet and Struve isn't used to fighting a man actually close to his height and size.
I just can not trust the chin of Struve any longer, he has shown an inability to win fights when he is taking damage, and a finishing honestly seems imminent here (on either side). If Struve relentlessly goes for takedowns against the cage and can take Volkov's back, things will get interesting....I just don't see that happening though. I think Alexander is the younger, strong man and will dominate the hometown hero on the feet.
'Drago' Volkov by 'I Must Break You' (TKO Round 2)