Heavyweights
Maurice Greene (8-3) vs. Alexey Oleynik (57-13-1)Advertisement
This figures to be a weird bout for however long it lasts, since it is a clear reminder that some fighting styles can only work at heavyweight. The UFC signed everyone under the sun as the promotion expanded its schedule in 2014, and Oleynik was one of the more interesting entries into the heavyweight division. Already nearing 40 years old upon his entry into the Octagon, “The Boa Constrictor” showed off a style focused around unorthodox chokes, so if nothing else, he figured to be an entertaining curio for however long his UFC career lasted. As it turns out, Oleynik’s combination of throwing bombs on the feet and hoping to ensnare his opponents on the mat has been shockingly effective, enough so that the Russian was a fringe contender before dropping fights to Alistair Overeem and Walt Harris. The Harris loss raised a few red flags. Now 42, there was always concern that Oleynik could fall off overnight, and a 12-second knockout defeat only serves to heighten those worries. The hope for Oleynik is that he can rebound against Greene.
A former kickboxer, Greene cuts an interesting figure in a few ways. First and most obviously is his 6-foot-8 frame, but he has also gained some notoriety for his side hobby of crocheting, leading to his nickname of “The Crochet Boss.” For most of his career, Greene has mostly gotten by through leveraging that frame. He has not had much of a consistent approach, but he has been just skilled enough to take advantage of his physical gifts and exploit weaker opponents. To his credit, Greene has slowly been improving, enough so that he managed to win his first three UFC fights before losing to Sergei Pavlovich in October. At 33, Greene is still on the younger side of the heavyweight spectrum, so he remains a person of interest, even if he needs more seasoning.
This bout is basically a referendum on Oleynik, since this is exactly the type of fight he has made a career out of winning. Greene may have his physical advantages, but he is still overcoming his reputation as a low-IQ fighter, which is particularly troubling against an opponent as tricky as the Russian. Beyond that, Greene has traditionally had trouble with opponents who look to pressure him and take away his range, which fits Oleynik to a tee. As long as he is not completely shot, this is Oleynik’s fight to lose. The pick is Oleynik via first-round submission.
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