Key Stats: 2.21 submissions per 15 minutes (1st all-time among HW), 46.2% takedown accuracy (tied 7th all-time among HW), 6 submission wins (tied 2nd all-time among HW)
What It Means: Few mixed martial artists on the planet have the experience to match Aleksei Oleinik, and in that time, he has built a worthy reputation as a dangerous submission artist – a quirky one at that. Oleinik kind of marauds forward, ready to unleash a heavy overhand before getting his hands on his opponent and fishing for a submission. He is particularly fond of the Ezekiel choke, a technique hardly used in MMA and therefore is a peculiar one to defend.
What to Look For in the Fight: A matchup between an elite brawler and an ultra-experienced submission artist presents a whole bunch of question marks with obvious answers. Derrick Lewis’ path to victory is likely one that includes him staying out of clinch situations and off the mat while looking to land his big power punch, whereas Oleinik will try to get inside and put the squeeze on Lewis. Both can end fights in a blink, as most heavyweights, but the methods they use to go about their work makes the bout an intriguing one.
