UFC Fight Night Preview: Maxim Grishin vs. Philipe Lins
UFC is set to have an exciting night of combat on October 1, culminating with the main event featuring women Mackenzie Dern and Xiaonan Yan squaring off in the final fight. Fans will also be excited to tune in for a bout between Randy Brown and Francisco Trinaldo, set to start about half an hour before the Dern vs. Yan matchup.
However, October 1’s fight night lineup has a plethora of intriguing matchups, and MMA enthusiasts can also familiarize themselves with competitors on the preliminary card. Another battle that will be noteworthy features Maxim Grishin of Russia versus Philipe Lins of Brazil. This encounter will be another opportunity for fans to bet on the action that night, perhaps using a bonus code for BetRivers sportsbook to get started.
It should be entertaining, as both fighters will be looking to establish themselves after a long break from combat. Grishin’s last fight came in February, where he defeated William Knight via decision at UFC 271. It appeared he would have a chance to get back into the octagon in May against Jailton Almeida, but Grishin could not participate due to an injury. On the other side, Lins last fought back in April, where he beat Marcin Prachnio in a decision.
Both fighters are relatively new to the UFC scene, with Lins appearing in three fights and Grishin taking part in four bouts. Lins is 1-2 so far in his UFC career and may not have received another opportunity to compete in this arena had he not triumphed against Prachnio earlier this year. Grishin is 2-2 so far in UFC competition, alternating victories and defeats in each of his four fights. His most impressive moment came in October 2020, when he knocked out Gadzhimurad Antigulov.
Grishin (perhaps not surprisingly) has been the favorite in this matchup in the weeks leading up to the fight. While this makes sense, considering his relatively competent record in UFC fights compared to his opponent’s, it would not be wise to rule Lins out as a legitimate threat to take Grishin down. His reach of 78 inches or 198 centimeters is longer than what Grishin measures, so it is possible that Lins can still deliver some powerful blows to his opponent even if he cannot get too close to his Russian foe. The Brazilian is undoubtedly motivated to turn his career around at the highest level of mixed martial arts.
In many individual sports, such as MMA, it can be tempting to look at the ages of the fighters to see which might have more experience or which may be bringing more youthful energy and athleticism to the octagon. However, in this particular matchup, examining birthdays to hint which participant may have an advantage will likely not be a helpful exercise. Lins is 37 years old, while Grishin is 38 years old.
However, while both fighters are close in age and have similar resumes in UFC competitions, Grishin has much more experience fighting professionally throughout his career. He has been involved in 41 events, winning 32 and dropping nine, including his time in UFC. On the other hand, Lins has fought a total of 20 times professionally, coming out on top 15 times while losing the other five.
In addition to his reach metrics, Lins may have another advantage against the favorite Maxim Grishin. He finishes 80% of his fights throughout his career, to Grishin’s 69%. This means that if the Brazilian can manage to stay upright and prolong the fight, his chances of winning would seem to increase.
