Tukhugov has been one of the more frustrating fighters on the UFC
roster during his near-decade with the company, so maybe he can
build some momentum with this move up to 155 pounds. Tukhugov is a
clear plus athlete with the ability to hold his own anywhere, but
he has often relied on that talent rather than maximize his gifts.
The typical Tukhugov fight sees him move around at range and fight
at a slow pace, picking single strikes to frustrate and neutralize
his opponents rather than pour on the punishment. Even with that
approach, Tukhugov has won all but two UFC fights and only suffered
split decision losses, but it has also prevented him from having
that one huge breakout performance to move up the ladder and gain
some momentum—an issue further hindered by his inactive schedule.
At any rate, after weight-cutting issues scrapped his last bout in
October, Tukhugov moves up to lightweight for a fight against a UFC
newcomer and late replacement in Oliveira. Brazil’s Oliveira is in
a tough spot. Even past Tukhugov being a tough first test for
anyone, Oliveira does not stick out as a prospect ready to hit the
ground running. He is a solid enough fighter who can get some
things done on the mat, but he has already struggled to separate
himself against his tougher regional opponents and suffered some
losses as a result. Tukhugov did show some newfound aggression in
his last outing—a 2021 fight against Ricardo
Ramos—that figured to pay dividends whenever his next fight
came around. With the athleticism advantage he appears to have,
along with everything else, he could blow this fight wide open if
he takes the opportunity. The pick is Tukhugov via first-round
knockout.
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