The UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2 card has really shaped up after the promotion announced that Edmen Shahbazyan will take on Nassourdine Imavov.
News of the potential pairing was first reported by MMA Junkie and further confirmed that both parties have signed their proposed bout agreements. As of this writing, UFC 268 is scheduled to take place on November 4, inside the historical Madison Square Garden venue. While some are unsure given recent current events, UFC President Dana White assured fans that he believes the event is still a green light.
Edmen Shahbazyan – Closer Look
The 23-year old Shahbazyan, despite being young, possesses a polished stand-up game. However, the last two losses that “The Golden Boy” dropped were eye-openers. First, roughly a year ago, the #11-ranked Shahbazyan got a big step up in competition but was eventually overwhelmed by the pressure of Derek Brunson.
Shahbazyan has never had an easy fight and fought Jack Hermansson next, and went home with a unanimous decision loss and half a check light. Following the lackluster showings, it became clear that Shahbazyan’s cardio and toughness were areas in which he needed some work. At UFC 268, Shahbazyan will have the chance to silence a lot of doubters when that cage door finally locks.
UFC 268 Nassourdine Imavov – Closer Look
While some might be unfamiliar with Imavov, he recently attracted a ton of eyeballs during his last time in the Octagon. In his fight against Ian Heinisch, the middleweight put on a statement performance when he ground and pounded his way to a TKO victory. Unlike Shahbazyan, the Russian-born Imavov is riding a win into this pivotal contest.
The fight is certainly a crossroads fight for the young Shahbazyan, and soon fans will find out where he truly stands among the best at 185-pounds.
Here is an up-to-date list of fights for UFC 268: (subject to change)
- Champ Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington [C]
- Michael Chandler vs. Justin Gaethje
- Luke Rockhold vs. Sean Strickland
- Nassourdine Imavov vs. Edmen Shahbazyan
and feel free to check out what the pros were saying at UFC 265!
Do you think that Edmen Shahbazyan can turn his UFC career around at middleweight?
