Lawrence was a favorite of UFC President Dana White on the 2020
edition of the Contender Series, which was a bit surprising. “The
Heat” is a strong prospect, but his best fights operate behind a
wrestling-heavy approach that is not what the UFC boss typically
raves about. Lawrence’s style is historically one that has a clear
ceiling, as he combines a movement-heavy kicking game with those
straight-ahead takedowns. So far, he has not fallen prey to the
typical cardio inefficiencies of that approach, as he has kept up
an impressive level of speed over 15 minutes without ever truly
flagging. Lawrence can still leave himself open defensively—he got
tagged late in what was otherwise a dominant performance in
February over Leomana
Martinez—but there is a lot to like heading into this fight
against Kakhramonov. Uzbekistan’s Kakhramonov gets things done
through wild pressure, which has its pros and cons. When
Kakhramonov found himself with an overwhelmed opponent on the
regional scene, he looked excellent, but he was just as prone to
some sharp counters or tiring himself out through his relentless
pace. Kakhramonov got the late-notice call for a UFC debut against
Trevin
Jones in August and impressed. There were some rough moments,
but Kakhramonov was able to clamp on a guillotine in the third
round and get the win over a tricky veteran on just days’ notice.
It has taken nearly a year for Kakhramonov to find his way back to
the Octagon, but he could find a victory in this outing, with that
guillotine in particular looming large against Lawrence’s
aggressive wrestling. Still, Lawrence looks to be the more
consistent fighter over 15 minutes and should be able to get out to
an early lead. The American’s constant movement on the feet should
force Kakhramonov to chase Lawrence down, and it is unclear if the
Uzbek fighter can implement any sort of consistent wrestling
advantage if he successfully catches his target. The pick is
Lawrence via decision.
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