Fight fans across the globe can finally rejoice as the yearly month long break from the UFC has officially come to a close. The UFC returns this weekend with UFC Vegas 84, a solid fight night card, headlined by the rematch of Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker. While that fight promises to be action packed, there are plenty of fun fights flying under the radar. The one fight fans must tune in to watch at UFC Vegas 84 is Farid Basharat (11-0-0) against Taylor Lapilus (19-3-0).
UFC Vegas 84: Fights Under The Radar
If you haven’t seen either of these men compete before, you’re in for a treat on Saturday night. Farid Basharat boasts an undefeated professional record and is the younger brother of Javid Basharat. The younger Basharat brother had a fantastic 2023, making his UFC debut following his dominant showing on Dana White’s Contender Series that cemented his place in the stacked bantamweight division. Basharat made his debut on debatably the biggest stage of the year at UFC 295: Jones vs. Gane. The stage didn’t affect Basharat at all on his way to a unanimous decision victory against Da’Mon Blackshear. The bantamweight prospect competed next in Paris, submitting Kleidson Rodrigues in the first round.
“I really do belong here and now it’s about just rising up the ranks,” Basharat told UFC.com “I really am as good as I thought I was type of thing. When you enter in the beginning you’re confident but there’s doubts. As you get a couple of wins and my brother’s also getting a bunch of wins and it just kind of made me realize like I really am as good as the work I’ve been putting in.”
On the other side of the Octagon will stand Taylor Lapilus. Hailing from France, Lapilus made his long awaited UFC return in Paris in September. Lapilus defeated another hyped up prospect in Caolan Loughran by unanimous decision. Lapilus may have been a familiar face to fight fans, as he had a run in the UFC from 2015 to 2016 that saw the Frenchman go 3-1 before leaving the promotion. From there, Lapilus won the Ares FC bantamweight championship and kept many other bantamweights in the UFC in his crosshairs.
Both bantamweights have a strong future in the company without a doubt, and on Saturday fight fans get to see one of them take a strong leap up the bantamweight ladder.
Stats and Styles
When you get a fight like this one, the stats and styles of these two bantamweights can tell the story by itself. Basharat, much like his older brother, implements a ‘pedal to the metal’ style that never stops. Relentless pressure mixed with fluid striking, strong wrestling and some sneaky jiu jitsu makes him a tough night for anyone that draws his name. In the striking department Basharat lands at 5.20 significant strikes per minute, with a 70.03% accuracy rate. On the ground he averages 3.5 takedowns with a 53.33% takedown accuracy. When it comes to finishes, Basharat holds six submission victories. Basharat’s stats showcase efficiency and dominance, which is what we’ve seen so far from the younger Basharat brother.
“The most important thing when I fight is I always think about winning first and then I’m thinking about [the] finish,” Basharat told UFC.com “I think I’ve got a pretty exciting style in general so the finish is never too far away. I’m looking for [the finish] this Saturday.”
Lapilus, while he stands two inches shorter than Basharat, holds a similar efficient style. The French bantamweight prefers his hands, but can also mix it up, especially in the clinch. Lapilus’ output on average is around 4.18 significant strikes landed per minute with a 52.41% accuracy rate. Lapilus holds a strong finish rate, with four wins by knockout, six wins by submission and seven finishes in the first round.
The Stats
The stats promise that this fight will be a high pace battle, with both men gunning for the finish. For Basharat, the main route to victory is more than likely going to be getting Lapilus to the mat and eliminating his biggest weapon. Basharat’s wrestling could very well be the x-factor in this matchup. On the flipside, Lapilus has to mix up his striking in this bout. He tends to head hunt, however if he’s able to mix up his striking and keep Basharat grounded, he could be on his way to becoming another French superstar.
Regardless, this is a fight that you need to tune in for on Saturday. This fight will be a huge stepping stone for whoever gets their hand raised, and one that will potentially start pushing either men into the UFC limelight.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
