Farman Hasanov
Career Averages
Fight History
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Hasanov (-180); Nolan (+140)
Round 1
The final undercard bout of UFC Baku features Nolan, back down at his preferred weight class after his short-notice middleweight debut earlier this year, against another hot prospect in Hasanov, who represents the host country. Nolan walks out to Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son,” and UFC color commentator and former multi-divisional contender Paul Felder could stand to re-read the lyrics. Both men are in orthodox stance. Rich Mitchell is on referee duty. Hasanov steps into the pocket, grabs a single-leg almost casually, and hoists Nolan for a takedown. Nolan gets back up and Hasanov returns him to the ground, moving to Nolan’s back and throwing a nice uppercut under the arm. Nolan gets back up and Hasanov puts him back on the ground at the base of the fence. Nolan is patient, doesn’t panic and stands yet again. This time, Hasanov peels him off the fence and dumps him near the center of the cage. An on-screen readout tells us that Hasanov is 6-for-8 on takedowns so far, but it feels like 26-for-28. Ninety seconds to go and Hasanov is still absolutely glued to Nolan, who has made his way back to the fence. Hasanov gets another takedown, landing in half-guard and looking to isolate an arm. Hasanov rears up and drops a couple of big hammerfists which, despite the complete wrestlef**cking, represent pretty much the only damage all round by either man. The horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Hasanov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Hasanov
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Hasanov
Round 2
Hasanov gets a takedown instantly in the center of the cage. Nolan is once again active, slippery, refusing to concede the position, and springs back to his feet. Hasanov yanks him away from the cage by main force and dumps him back to the ground. Nolan gets back up and meets Hasanov’s next entry with a glancing knee. Hasanov gets the takedown but he is definitely looking winded. Hasanov gets a wrestling ride on the turtled Nolan and throws a couple of hard punches from behind. Nolan gets back up and both men are breathing hard. Nolan catches the incoming Hasanov with an uppercut. Hasanov is exhausted and hurt, and the momentum is shifting. Hasanov stems the changing tide with another takedown, and he’s kneeling over Nolan at the base of the fence. Under a minute to go in the round and Nolan gets back up once again. Hasanov grabs a single-leg and takes a breather as Nolan wide-legs and uses an underhook. Hasanov drags Nolan away from the fence and hauls him down for what feels like his 317th takedown of the fight, right before the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Hasanov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Hasanov
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Hasanov
Round 3
The final round opens, and the lack of any takedown attempts in the first 45 seconds speaks eloquently to the level of Hasanov’s fatigue. Nolan is chipping away with nice accurate single strikes, but simply winning the round will not be enough. Hasanov is throwing back single strikes, enough to keep things close. Nearly two minutes in, Hasanov tries for his first takedown of the round, but it’s a labored thing, bending at the waist and punching forward, and Nolan shucks him off easily. A moment later, Hasanov gets a beautiful scoop and slam in close quarters. Nolan gamely gets back to all fours, then crawls towards the fence. Hasanov knows what’s coming, and stops his foe short of the chain-link that has helped him back to his feet (legally) so many times in this fight already. A minute left and Hasanov is stuck to Nolan’s back, keeping him on the ground, keeping him away from the fence, and while Mitchell warns him to work, Nolan isn’t doing much either. Hasanov steps to mount, then gets onto the back when Nolan goes onto all fours. The horn sounds on an absolutely grueling welterweight bout.
Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Hasanov (30-27 Hasanov)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Hasanov (30-27 Hasanov)
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Hasanov (30-27 Hasanov)
The Official Result
Farman Hasanov def. Eric Nolan via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Expert Picks (16)
AJ DeVito sees Eric Nolan as a live underdog at +150, believing his knockout power could surprise the inexperienced Farman Hasanov. He questions Hasanov's striking and thinks Nolan can keep the fight standing and land power shots. He notes the knockout prop at +300 is not great value but still likes Nolan to win.
AJ picks Nolan by KO, citing his knockout power and Hasanov's inexperience (only 5 pro fights). He thinks Hasanov may be overconfident and that Nolan can land big shots. AJ acknowledges Hasanov's wrestling threat but believes Nolan can catch him on the feet.
AJ picks Nolan by knockout, citing his power and experience against a relatively untested prospect. Hasanov has only 5 pro fights and was knocked out in amateur MMA. Nolan's boxing and durability should allow him to land big shots and finish.
AJ picks Nolan by knockout, questioning Hasanov's level of competition and cardio. He thinks Nolan has knockout power and can defend takedowns, and that Hasanov may gas or get caught. He calls it a fraud check for Hasanov.
Angelo is very confident in Farman, noting his power, wrestling, and forward pressure. He thinks Eric Nolan covers up rather than counters, which plays into Farman's strengths. He has already bet on Farman at -155, calling it a phenomenal deal and almost free money.
Angelo picks Hasanov, impressed by his power, wrestling, and aggression. He notes that Hasanov moves forward and is bigger, stronger, and faster. He bet on him at -155 and thinks he will dominate, though he acknowledges Hasanov's competition has been weak.
Angelo believes Farman Hasanov is the better fighter everywhere and can potentially find a finish. He is surprised the odds are close and thinks Farman should be a 4-to-1 favorite. He bet half a unit at -155, noting the line has moved to -175.
Big Brady picks Farman Hasanov to win a greasy decision. He notes Hasanov is a jacked wrestler with nasty ground-and-pound, though his volume and cardio are questionable. Nolan has power but gets taken down and slows down. Brady expects a sloppy fight where Hasanov's wrestling and hometown advantage carry him to a decision win.
Cody picks Nolan, agreeing with Paul. He notes Hasanov's physical strength but lack of technique and cardio, and believes Nolan's striking and reach advantage will be key. He got Nolan at plus 180 and hopes for more line movement.
Daniel Levi confidently picks Farman Hasanov to brutally ground-and-pound Eric Nolan, criticizing Nolan's lack of preparation (begging for a corner on Twitter) and his poor performance against Susai Kaya. He notes Nolan's power but believes Hasanov's relentless top pressure and ground-and-pound will overwhelm him. Levi expects a dominant finish.
Jacob picks Hasanov, believing his ground and pound will be too much for Nolan. He thinks one takedown will be enough for Hasanov to finish the fight. He regrets not including him in the slam of the week parlay.
Lucrative James picks Farman Hasanov but is hesitant, acknowledging that Eric Nolan is better than his record shows and has a path to victory on the feet. He notes that Hasanov has a massive advantage on the ground with heavy top pressure and power, but his cardio is questionable and he may struggle to get takedowns. He thinks if Nolan is a big underdog, he would be worth a play, but ultimately picks Hasanov via ground and pound knockout in round two.
The host picks Eric Nolan to pull off the upset against Farman Khabibov. He notes that Khabibov is still green and early in his career, while Nolan has a good all-around game with grappling and volume. He expects Nolan to put together a good body of work and win by decision if his durability holds up.
Nolan is the busier striker with good wrestling to neutralize Hasanov's grappling. Hasanov is still green and rudimentary, and Nolan's style should cause him issues. Nolan can outwork him and win on the scorecards, making the underdog price appealing.
Paul picks Nolan as a dog, citing his superior striking, size, and experience against better competition. He questions Hasanov's inactivity, level of competition, and technique, calling him a product of favorable matchmaking. He sees Nolan as the better fighter and likes the plus money.
The Guru picks Hasanov via TKO, citing his explosive wrestling, ground and pound, and leg kicks. He believes Hasanov can get takedowns and finish, though he notes conditioning concerns. He expects Nolan to struggle with the wrestling pressure.
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