Bassil Hafez

"The Habibi"
1-2
Record
Age / DOB 34
(Jan 31, 1992)
Height 5' 11"
Weight 170 lbs.
Reach 72.0"
Stance Orthodox
Career Averages
3.71 Sig. Strikes / Min
38.0% Sig. Strike Acc.
5.68 Absorbed / Min
41.0% Strike Defense
2.21 TD Avg / 15 min
24.0% TD Accuracy
50.0% TD Defense
0.0 Sub. / Fight
Win Methods (1)
KO/TKO 0
Submission 0
Decision 1
Loss Methods (2)
KO/TKO 1
Submission 0
Decision 1

Fight History

Result / Opponent
Event & Date
Method/Round
Links
Comments
KO (punches) R3 0:40
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Oban Elliott 0 24 of 70 34% 24 of 70 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:06
Bassil Hafez 1 65 of 117 55% 66 of 118 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Oban Elliott 0 10 of 27 37% 10 of 27 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:06
Bassil Hafez 0 25 of 49 51% 26 of 50 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Oban Elliott 0 12 of 37 32% 12 of 37 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Bassil Hafez 0 29 of 53 54% 29 of 53 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Oban Elliott 0 2 of 6 33% 2 of 6 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Bassil Hafez 1 11 of 15 73% 11 of 15 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Oban Elliott 24 of 70 34% 16 of 55 2 of 9 6 of 6 23 of 69 1 of 1 0 of 0
Bassil Hafez 65 of 117 55% 22 of 60 16 of 24 27 of 33 55 of 107 2 of 2 8 of 8
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Oban Elliott 10 of 27 37% 7 of 21 1 of 4 2 of 2 9 of 26 1 of 1 0 of 0
Bassil Hafez 25 of 49 51% 6 of 21 5 of 9 14 of 19 23 of 47 2 of 2 0 of 0
2 Oban Elliott 12 of 37 32% 8 of 29 0 of 4 4 of 4 12 of 37 0 of 0 0 of 0
Bassil Hafez 29 of 53 54% 7 of 27 10 of 13 12 of 13 29 of 53 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Oban Elliott 2 of 6 33% 1 of 5 1 of 1 0 of 0 2 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0
Bassil Hafez 11 of 15 73% 9 of 12 1 of 2 1 of 1 3 of 7 0 of 0 8 of 8
Expert Picks (11)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Nov 10, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Bassil Hafez

Angelo picks Bassil Hafez as an underdog, liking his pressure, takedowns, and power. He notes that Oban Elliott has good cardio and tools but is not very dangerous and can be taken down. He believes if Hafez's cardio holds up, he wins. He plans to bet on Hafez if the line moves in his favor.

Angelo says he will bet on Bassil Hafez if the line moves in his favor, indicating a potential bet on the underdog.
"I love his pressure I love the takedowns I'm going to pick him as an underdog here"
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Nov 14, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Oban Elliott

Big Brady picks Oban Elliott but thinks the line is too wide. He notes Elliott's improved takedown defense in his last fight against Preston Parsons and believes he is the cleaner striker. However, he acknowledges that Bassil Hafez has solid wrestling and that Elliott has been taken down by lesser fighters in the past. He predicts a close decision win for Elliott, possibly 29-28.

"I do think this Line's a tad too wide for my liking I do think there's some recency biased here with obon Elliott but with that said I I do think Elliott looked the best he he's ever had in his last fight"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Nov 13, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Bassil Hafez

Cody picks Bassil Hafez, citing his durability and grappling. He notes Hafez was competitive with Jack Madalena and has a strong top game. Cody expects Hafez to neutralize Elliott with takedowns and control, possibly winning a decision. He likes the plus money.

"I'll take HZ HZ by decision if you're a split decision kind of guy maybe chase the split decision prop on this one as well"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Lean picked Nov 15, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Bassil Hafez

Connor agrees with Zane, noting that Hafez's aggression and willingness to scramble will trouble Elliott. He mentions that Elliott's defensive wrestling and footwork are good, but Hafez's pace and power could overwhelm him. Connor sees it as a close fight but leans toward Hafez.

"Yeah, Hafez just making aggressive decisions is a much bigger problem for somebody whose primary interest is to neutralize at the start of the fight."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Nov 14, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Bassil Hafez

Vreeland picks Hafez as his dog, noting he has been fading Oban Elliott from day one. He thinks the plus 200 line is juicy and that Hafez can submit Elliott, who gave up his back to B Woodburn.

Bassil Hafez wins by submission (+600)
"I think that number is Juicy against obon Elliot and I have been an obon Elliott fader since day one"
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Nov 13, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Oban Elliott

Daniel Vreeland picks Oban Elliott, expecting him to take over after the first round. He notes Hafez's tendency to gas out and Elliott's improving takedown defense and fight IQ. He acknowledges Hafez's early power but believes Elliott's pace and durability will win him the decision.

decision
"I see Oban taking over the second and third coming out here and uh winning this decision"
JE
Jeff Fox Expert picked Nov 14, 2024 (2 days before fight)
No clear pick

Fox does not make a clear pick for this fight. He comments that he doesn't like the Hafez submission prop but does not state his own pick.

MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Nov 16, 2024 (fight day)
Oban Elliott

The host was impressed by Elliott's pressure approach against Preston Parsons, where he turned the takedowns against Parsons and landed big shots. He expects Elliott to replicate that against Hafez, using his speed and technical striking advantage to win a decision as Hafez slows down in deeper waters.

"Elliot surprised me very much last time around against Preston Parsons as he took that pressure approach and turned it against Parsons Stu the takedowns Landing big shots of his own and I expect him to do the same here against HZ look for Elliot speed and Technical striking advantage to buoy him to a decision Victory here as HZ starts to slow down in deeper waters"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Nov 13, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Bassil Hafez

Paul picks Bassil Hafez, noting the growing plus money and Hafez's durability. He expects a close fight that could go to a split decision, and likes Hafez as an underdog. Paul is waiting for the line to move further before betting.

"I'll wind up with some money on uh basil ofz this week"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Nov 11, 2024 (5 days before fight)
Oban Elliott

The MMA Guru picks Oban Elliott, citing his volume striking and underrated grappling. He notes Bassil Hafez looked awful against Mickey Gall and struggled with takedowns. He believes Elliott will out-volume Hafez on the feet and won't be taken down.

"I'm going to go with auan Elliott he's going to win the fight... I think auan ot's going to out volume him on the feet out busy him"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Lean picked Nov 15, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Bassil Hafez

Zane picks Hafez, feeling that Hafez's relentless aggression and power will be too much for Elliott's neutralization style. He notes that Elliott has been knocked out before and that Hafez is faster and harder to dissuade. Zane expects a split decision but leans toward Hafez.

Odds: Elliott opened -156, now -275; Hafez opened +123, now +232. Zane says it feels like a very close fight, split decision either way.
"I'm gonna go with Hafez as well. I just feel in my gut that Elliot his style... it is a level thing."
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) R3 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Bassil Hafez 0 83 of 143 58% 93 of 153 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:08
Mickey Gall 0 95 of 201 47% 101 of 210 3 of 5 60% 0 0 1:12
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Bassil Hafez 0 24 of 47 51% 24 of 47 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Mickey Gall 0 29 of 63 46% 29 of 63 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Bassil Hafez 0 26 of 40 65% 26 of 40 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:06
Mickey Gall 0 31 of 67 46% 34 of 71 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:15
3 Bassil Hafez 0 33 of 56 58% 43 of 66 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Mickey Gall 0 35 of 71 49% 38 of 76 2 of 4 50% 0 0 0:57
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Bassil Hafez 83 of 143 58% 70 of 126 13 of 17 0 of 0 78 of 136 4 of 6 1 of 1
Mickey Gall 95 of 201 47% 83 of 187 7 of 9 5 of 5 91 of 194 1 of 4 3 of 3
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Bassil Hafez 24 of 47 51% 19 of 39 5 of 8 0 of 0 21 of 42 3 of 5 0 of 0
Mickey Gall 29 of 63 46% 22 of 55 4 of 5 3 of 3 28 of 61 1 of 2 0 of 0
2 Bassil Hafez 26 of 40 65% 19 of 32 7 of 8 0 of 0 26 of 40 0 of 0 0 of 0
Mickey Gall 31 of 67 46% 27 of 63 2 of 2 2 of 2 29 of 64 0 of 1 2 of 2
3 Bassil Hafez 33 of 56 58% 32 of 55 1 of 1 0 of 0 31 of 54 1 of 1 1 of 1
Mickey Gall 35 of 71 49% 34 of 69 1 of 2 0 of 0 34 of 69 0 of 1 1 of 1
Expert Picks (6)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked May 26, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Bassil Hafez

Angelo picks Bassil Hafez because he showed well on short notice against Jack Della Maddalena and should be better with a full camp. He notes Mickey Gall has been away for two years with surgery and his development is uncertain. He expects Hafez's grappling and pace to be too much, though he worries the odds might become too wide to bet.

"Basel should win this fight he is going to be the pick I'm going to keep an eye on the odds"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Hesitant picked May 29, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Bassil Hafez

Cody picks Hafez but is hesitant due to the -350 price. He notes Hafez looked good against Della Maddalena but that was on short notice. Cody worries about Hafez's cardio and the possibility of Gall catching a submission. He thinks Gall may have improved during his two-year layoff. Cody plans to keep Hafez low on parlays and warns of buyer beware.

"I think Hafez is good but I don't think he's a great fighter... he's not minus 350 worthy... I got other underdogs on this card and Mickey Gall ain't one of them."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked May 28, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Bassil Hafez

Daniel dismisses Gall's back-taking as not elite and thinks Hafez's physicality will prevail. He expects Hafez to take Gall down and avoid giving up his back. He says he'll never pick Gall again.

"I don't think I'll ever pick Micky go to win a UFC fight ever again"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 27, 2024 (5 days before fight)
Bassil Hafez

The host sees Hafez as the stronger, more powerful fighter who can win wherever the fight goes. Hafez's wrestling and top control should overpower Gall, and his striking is also a threat given Gall's defensive lapses. Gall's submission threat is noted, but Hafez's strength and improved cardio management should lead to a finish inside the distance.

inside the distance
"I think Hoff wins this fight pretty much however he wants... I think he wins it inside the distance."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked May 29, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Bassil Hafez

Paul picks Hafez, calling him a hard-nosed wrestler with good grappling. He notes Hafez gave Jack Della Maddalena fits in his debut and has never been finished. Paul believes Hafez's style is terrible for Gall, who is a submission specialist but not a good wrestler or striker. He thinks Hafez will take Gall down and control him. Paul was hoping for a better line but still likes Hafez.

"Basil Hafez is a hard-nosed wrestler, good grappler... he's absolute cancer for what Mickey Gall wants to do."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 27, 2024 (5 days before fight)
Bassil Hafez

The MMA Guru picks Bassil Hafez, praising his toughness and grit in his debut against JDM despite clearly losing on damage. He notes Hafez's good chin and takedowns, and believes he can take down Mickey Gall. However, he expresses concern about Hafez's potential PED use since he wasn't tested before his debut. He also questions why Mickey Gall is still in the UFC.

"I'm going to go with him over Mickey G I mean he had great chin JDM was putting some massive shots on him in rounds two and three he stayed in there he kept throwing back"
Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jack Della Maddalena 0 83 of 137 60% 149 of 212 1 of 2 50% 0 0 1:19
Bassil Hafez 0 32 of 124 25% 48 of 141 3 of 20 15% 0 1 6:48
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jack Della Maddalena 0 13 of 26 50% 41 of 56 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Bassil Hafez 0 9 of 28 32% 12 of 31 3 of 5 60% 0 0 3:19
2 Jack Della Maddalena 0 27 of 43 62% 47 of 64 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:07
Bassil Hafez 0 16 of 56 28% 29 of 70 0 of 6 0% 0 0 2:15
3 Jack Della Maddalena 0 43 of 68 63% 61 of 92 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:10
Bassil Hafez 0 7 of 40 17% 7 of 40 0 of 9 0% 0 1 1:14
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jack Della Maddalena 83 of 137 60% 55 of 104 27 of 32 1 of 1 68 of 119 14 of 17 1 of 1
Bassil Hafez 32 of 124 25% 29 of 117 2 of 6 1 of 1 28 of 118 4 of 6 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jack Della Maddalena 13 of 26 50% 9 of 21 4 of 5 0 of 0 12 of 25 1 of 1 0 of 0
Bassil Hafez 9 of 28 32% 8 of 26 0 of 1 1 of 1 8 of 26 1 of 2 0 of 0
2 Jack Della Maddalena 27 of 43 62% 17 of 31 9 of 11 1 of 1 24 of 39 3 of 4 0 of 0
Bassil Hafez 16 of 56 28% 15 of 53 1 of 3 0 of 0 14 of 53 2 of 3 0 of 0
3 Jack Della Maddalena 43 of 68 63% 29 of 52 14 of 16 0 of 0 32 of 55 10 of 12 1 of 1
Bassil Hafez 7 of 40 17% 6 of 38 1 of 2 0 of 0 6 of 39 1 of 1 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Bassil Hafez vs. Jack Della Maddalena
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Della Maddalena (-625), Hafez (+440)

Round 1
Dead-set on getting a fight to not waste this training camp, Australia’s Maddalena (14-2, 4-0 UFC) stayed in Las Vegas and draws a late notice debuting opponent in the form of Hafez (8-3-1, 0-0 UFC). The biggest betting favorite in the card, Maddalena aims to improve his win streak to 15 while hunting for his 14th stoppage. On the other side, Philadelphia-trained Hafez has never been finished. This sport is wild and anything can happen, and referee Mark Smith is standing by in case it does. The two rush out of their corners with no interest in a glove touch, and Hafez is a man on a mission. Hafez shoots in for a double, and he puts the Aussie right on his back. Maddalena defends with a guillotine choke, and Hafez steps over properly to stop the choke from being tight while passing guard. Maddalena turns to his knees and returns upright to his feet, and he counter hip tosses Hafez back down. Hafez manages to reverse this when they land on their knees together, and he holds on from the side while keeping his weight on Maddalena. Maddalena leans up against the fence, and he manages to turn about and works the body. Hafez lands an elbow on the break as he backs off, and Hafez sticks his man with a left hand. Hafez slings a kick, and he topples over. The newcomer springs back up, and he backs up against the wall and trades furious leather, even catching Maddalena. Hafez gets popped, and he changes levels to secure a takedown and plant the heavy favorite on his back. Maddalena once more works to his knees and gets vertical, and he marches Hafez down and throws hands. Hafez catches him with a counter, but Maddalena lands the better strikes to force a telegraphed shot from his opponent. Maddalena defends it, and Hafez eventually bails on it instead of expending more energy. Maddalena clips Hafez behind the ear, and he strings a few punches together but eats some powerful blows right back at him. Hafez shoots in for a takedown, lifting Maddalena off his feet and fighting out of the guillotine choke that inevitably comes. Hafez, in half guard, leans down his shoulder with an arm-triangle choke that does not have the leverage he wishes. The round ends in this position.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hafez
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Hafez
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Hafez

Round 2
Looking to make up ground, Maddalena starts out aggressively. Hafez times a takedown early, and Maddalena staves it off and looks to take the back. Both stand up, and Hafez kicks the body as he backs off. Maddalena crowds Hafez and shucks a takedown to the side. Hafez times a spinning back fist when recovering, and Maddalena ignores it so that he can throw punches. Hafez sits down on a left hand, and they proceed to nail one another. Hafez knocks Maddalena back in a wild exchange, and Maddalena is landing too but not flustering Hafez one iota. Maddalena aims a front kick to the body, and he loops a right hand around the guard. Maddalena shuts down a takedown as he backpedals from one side of the cage to the other. Maddalena gets out of the tie-up and starts opening up with his punches, leaning Hafez over and kneeing him in the face. Hafez appears to be running out of steam, as Maddalena works the body several times and opens right and left hands over the top. Hafez takes a knee to the side as he leans over, and he gathers himself to wing hooks that miss the mark. Maddalena stifles a leaping double, and he wrenches his arm around the neck and drops back for a guillotine choke. Hafez welcomes this, as he is not in danger and it allows him to crawl on top and catch his wind. Hafez shifts his weight over to grip down on an arm-triangle choke, and he hops to the side to get a better angle. Maddalena grabs hold of his own foot, and Hafez moves back to half guard. Hafez isolates Maddalena’s left arm for a potential keylock, and he bumps his shoulder into Maddalena’s face. The round ends with Hafez on top.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Maddalena
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Maddalena
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Maddalena

Round 3
The last round opens, and it could be even on the scorecards. Maddalena wants to keep the judges out of the equation, coming out putting hands on face. Hafez misses with a high kick, whiffs with a superman punch, and absorbs a flush right hand. Maddalena sticks out a few jabs and lobs a left hand to follow, and Hafez rolls with it and drives Maddalena from one side of the cage to the other in pursuit of a double. When that fails, Hafez changes it for a single, and Maddalena pulls his leg out and resets. A cut has opened on the corner of his left eye, and he lets Hafez overswing so he can crack him with a left hand. “The Habibi” shoots for a double when getting tagged, and Maddalena shuts it down and a second try so that he can wobble Hafez with a right hand. Hafez tries to tie him up, and Maddalena pounds on the body. Maddalena gest clinched, and he pushes off so that he can kick Hafez and throw everything and the kitchen sink at the chin of his spent opponent. Hafez tries with all his might to get a takedown, and Maddalena stops it and beats on the body. Maddalena busts Hafez up with body shots, and he holds onto Hafez’ right hand so that he can slug him with his free hand. Hafez shoots in desperately with 100 seconds to go, and Maddalena lets him do this so that he can stop it and jump on his back. Maddalena fishes for a rear-naked choke, and he gets rolled over by the determined Hafez. As they scramble, Maddalena hunts for an armbar, and he elects to stand back up while Hafez hold on to head lock. Maddalena gets pushed back to the cage wall with a double, and Hafez grabs the fence to hold him there. Maddalena lowers his man down to the floor, and hangs on in this top position to end the fight. What a wild battle, easily the best fight on the card thus far. No matter the result, Hafez gave an incredible account of himself on short notice against a top contender. This is also a tough look for the ranked Maddalena, who might not even get his hand raised depending on the score of the second round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Maddalena (29-28 Maddalena)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Maddalena (29-28 Maddalena)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Maddalena (29-28 Maddalena)

The Official Result
Jack Della Maddalena def. Bassil Hafez via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Expert Picks (5)
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jul 13, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Jack Della Maddalena

Big Brady picks Jack Della Maddalena, noting that while Hafez is a short-notice opponent with good wrestling and power, his cardio is poor and he gets hit a lot. He expects Della Maddalena to be the much better striker and to catch Hafez late in the first round. He acknowledges Hafez could have early success but doesn't think he can maintain the pace. He would not lay -550.

Late first round knockout; would not lay -550
"give me Jack Della late first round knockout this fight should be an absolute Banger there's a reason they move this to the co-main"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jul 12, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Jack Della Maddalena

Cody picks Della Maddalena, citing his combination punching, volume, and cardio. He thinks Della Maddalena runs circles around Hafez and has solid striking and grappling. He acknowledges the risk of a short-notice opponent but believes Della Maddalena is a future contender. He suggests a live bet on Hafez after the first round if you want to go the other way.

live bet on Hafez after first round
"I gotta back him here the same way I was gonna back him last week the same way I would back him against most of the guys of the division let alone a guy making his debut"
LU
Lucrative James Expert picked Jul 11, 2023 (4 days before fight)
No clear pick

James mentions that Jack Della Maddalena has been added to the card but says he doesn't know anything about his opponent Bassil Hafez. He briefly notes Hafez's record and a draw with Jeremiah Wells but does not offer a pick or analysis.

"I don't know anything about this guy Liam"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Jul 12, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Bassil Hafez

Paul picks Hafez as an underdog, citing his grappling, power, and cardio. He notes Hafez has never been knocked out and has good timing on counters. He thinks Hafez can mix in takedowns and make it closer than the line suggests. He acknowledges Della Maddalena is the better striker but sees value in the dog shot. He will wait for weigh-ins due to short notice.

"I'll pick a fez on the program which is crazy but... I don't hate the madalena fade uh as a as a concept here I don't think it's too too crazy"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 11, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Jack Della Maddalena

The MMA Guru confidently picks Jack Della Maddalena over Bassil Hafez, praising JDM's superior footwork, striking technique, and lack of telegraphing. He criticizes Hafez's split decision win over Anthony Ivy and notes he was tagged by Evan Cutts' jab. He predicts JDM wins by KO late in the first round.

KO late in the first round
"I've got to go with JDM getting his jab going early and eventually seeking the kill at the end of the first round where I think he's gonna get a KO win"