Heavyweight prospects Francis “The Predator” Ngannou (7-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and Bojan Mihajlovic (10-3 MMA) will meet on the main card of UFC on Fox 20 on Saturday, July 23.
Ngannou is off to a good start in his UFC career, with two second round KO/TKO finishes over Luis Henrique and Curtis Blaydes. “The Predator” has just one defeat in his career, a decision loss to Zoumana Cisse back on the regional circuit in Ngannou’s second professional fight.
Mihajlovic’s professional mixed martial arts career began with three straight losses but has since rattled off a 10-fight winning streak. Honestly, the Serbian doesn’t have an impressive list of victories to his name. The most impressive opponent he has beaten was Marko Igrc at Serbian Battle Championship 4 via decision, a fighter who was 9-5-1 at the time.
While both of Ngannou’s UFC victories have come via strikes, he has shown that he is capable of submitting opponents as well. He is a true finisher (something not uncommon at heavyweight, but still), having lost the only judges’ decision he has gone to in his career.
Mihajlovic mixes it up pretty well, too. Of his 10 professional victories, four have come by KO/TKO, four have come by decision, and two by submission.
Ngannou seems to hold most of the other advantages as well. He is the bigger man; Ngannou has a five-inch height advantage and holds an 83-inch reach to boot. He also has an experience advantage as well, at least when it comes to UFC bouts.
Overall, this appears to be a lay-up for Ngannou. He is a strong prospect in the UFC heavyweight division, and the matchmakers seem to realize that. They aren’t giving him too tough of an opponent too soon, and it looks like the promotion is trying to build him up slowly but surely.
That’s evidenced by his opponent. Ngannou has faced better competition than Mihajlovic, holds the physical edge and should be the better fighter. Of course, anything can happen at heavyweight, but Ngannou has an excellent chance to move to 3-0 in the UFC.
