Knockout Artist Mairbek Taisumov To Face Evan Dunham At UFC 223

Another lightweight bout has been added to UFC 223 in Brooklyn. Mairbek Taisumov will step into a U.S.-based octagon for the first time to face Evan Dunham. Newsday was the first to confirm the fight.

Taisumov (27-5) has become a true force to be reckoned with. The Russian has won five fights in a row, and is 6-1 since joining the UFC in 2014. All of those victories have come via KO, and he has 16 overall wins via KO. His last fight was a round one victory against Felipe Silva at UFC Fight Night 115 in September 2017. Visa issues have stopped him from attending events on U.S. soil, most recently UFC 203 against Nik Lentz.

It will be a far different atmosphere for Taisumov, as he makes his way to Brooklyn for the first time. His opponent, Dunham (18-6-1), is a fixture in U.S.-based events. The 36-year old from Oregon won four in a row before facing Beneil Dariush at UFC 216 in a majority decision draw. It will be interesting to see how he fair’s against a knockout artist like Taisumov, due to 12 of his fights being determined via decision.

The two fighters squaring off will have an opportunity to show the world why they are the best. For Taisumov, it’s a chance to expose himself to a whole new audience. Facing a ranked fighter in Taisumov, Dunham will most likely have a lot on his plate come Saturday night.