UFC Singapore: Movsar Evloev is the fighter to watch

Undefeated prospect Movsar Evloev is the fighter to watch this weekend when he faces Enrique Barzola at UFC Singapore.

On the prelims of UFC Singapore, a few hours before Ben Askren and Demian Maia square off in the main event, the undefeated Russian prospect Movsar Evleov will make his second walk to the UFC cage. At just 25 years old, Evloev is a fighter to keep an eye on, as he has plenty of potential to make a splash in the UFC’s uber-competitive featherweight division.

Evleov sports a perfect 11-0 record, but more importantly, he earned that record against stiff competition. A former M-1 Global champion, Evloev’s opponents had a combined record of 80-24 when they met him. He made his UFC debut in April of this year, earning a dominant decision victory over fellow promotional newcomer Seung Woo Choi.

Beyond just an impressive record and accomplishments early in his career, Evloev is an absolute joy to watch fight. His game can be summed up in one word: relentless. Evloev is comfortable, if a bit wild, on the feet, but his base is in wrestling and grappling. He is a talented takedown artist and, once on the mat, he uses strikes well to advance to dominant positions where he will happily rain down punches or hunt for a submission.

Again, Evloev’s best weapon is the pace of his attack. There is no moment of rest for an Evloev opponent. On the feet, he pressures forward behind active punches. In the clinch and against the cage, he alternates between strikes and chain wrestling. On the ground, whether in the guard or in a scrample, Evloev is a constant stream of offense.

It’s worth noting that before coming to the UFC, Evloev was a career bantamweight. However, that doesn’t mean the 25-year old is necessarily small for the division; he is likely just growing into his frame. The bump up in weight suits his high-pace game perfectly, as his cardio won’t suffer from a difficult weight cut. As he continues to add muscle and power, look for Evloev to rack up more stoppages to complement his relentless approach to fighting.

This weekend, Evloev is facing Enrique Barzola, who represents a serious step up in competition. Winner of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America season two, Barzola has quietly compiled a 6-2 UFC record. Evloev will certainly have his hands full against Barzola, but if he is able to get past this test, there’s no reason to believe he won’t be among the elite of the division in short order. For that reason, he’s a fighter to watch not only this weekend but moving forward as he advances through the featherweight division.

UFC Singapore takes place on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore. Follow along with FanSided MMA for all your live results and highlights.