This is a great matchup and you could easily argue either side of this fight. I do however think Bonfim wins here. Nazim has had a lot of success in the UFC but almost every win has a caveat. Evan Elder was beating him but it was stopped because of a cut, Terrance McKinney was beating him before doing what Terrance does and Viacheslav was beating him before Nazim worked in some takedowns. Obviously Nazim is a talented kid and very tough, but I don't think Ismael gets cut like Evan, golds like Terrance or is as worn out at Viacheslav. I think Ismael stays busy with the striking and may or may not work a takedown in.
Ismael Bonfim
Despite being what the youngsters call “Fraud Checked” a year and a half ago, Ismael Bonfim rebounded well and is seemingly the real deal. He is a wild striker with very real power and no regard for straight punches. He comes forward and throws every single punch as if he is throwing a baseball. He will mix in flying knees and the occasional takedown. When he takes his time he can be accurate, powerful and have solid defense. He has actual boxing experience and high level BJJ. He is coming off the decision win over Vinc Pichel where he effectively doubled the strikes
Nazim Sadykhov
Nazim Sadykhov is a solid kickboxer with speed and power. But he's not reckless, he takes his time on his feet to find his openings. He likes to plot forward and counter strike at the same time. While he is patient he can occasionally work in necessary spin attacks which is actually what lead to his one and only professional loss. He is coming off the draw with Viacheslav Borschev where he was losing early but a few well timed takedowns and a knockdown made the scorecards interesting.
