Friday is a full night of MMA. While LUX Fight League postponed its planned event for Friday evening in Chihuahua, Mexico indefinitely a few weeks ago, the cupboard is far from bare when it comes to competitive violence. On the same evening of ONE 168 in Denver at Ball Center, Wheatland, CA is the place to be for a night of champions at Hard Rock Live.
Night of Champions is what Urijah Faber‘s A1 Combat is calling its A1 Combat 24 event. Live coverage begins Friday at 7:30 pm ET/ 4:30 pm PT on the A1 Combat YouTube channel with the undercard before moving over to UFC Fight Pass at 10 pm ET/ 7 pm PT for main card fights.
All told, barring any late postponements between now and Friday night, A1 Combat 24 features a packed 17-fight card, including four championship fights at the top of the bill. The second half of this championship quadrupleheader begins at 170 lbs.
Welterweight Championship Serves as Focus of A1 Combat 24 Co-Main Event
The A1 Combat Welterweight Championship is on the line in the A1 Combat 24 co-main event. Incumbent titleholder Mirali Huseynov (8-3 MMA, 1-0 A1 Combat) puts his strap at risk for the first time when he takes on challenger Troy Green (7-3 MMA, 1-1 A1 Combat) in his promotional return.
In accordance with California State Athletic Commission policy regarding regionally-based shows, the A1 Combat 24 co-main event is an advertised maximum of three rounds at five minutes per round. As of January, CSAC policy dictates that all fights on local events are three rounds in length, championship fights included.
A1 Combat 24 Co-Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds
Heading into the A1 Combat 24 co-main event on Friday night, challenger Troy Green is the taller man at six feet even, compared to Mirali Huseynov’s 5-foot-10 frame. No reach information was accessible online at press time.
Currently, the oddsmakers have Mirali Huseynov installed as a -150 favorite on the money line, while Troy Green counters as a +110 underdog. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening in MMA or combat sports this weekend, please wager responsibly.
Champion Mirali Huseynov Seeks to Run Winning Streak to Three
Mirali Huseynov enters the A1 Combat 24 co-main event having gone 4-1 in his last five fights. At the present moment, he’s on a two-fight winning streak.
Back in May of this year, he captured the 170-lb. title with a first-round knockout of Sinjen Smith (5-1 MMA, 1-1 A1 Combat) during A1 Combat 20 on the UFC Fight Pass YouTube channel. After the fight, the champion talked with Michael Hernandez about his short-notice victory.
“I want to fight three rounds, but my hands don’t let me fight three rounds,” Huseynov began. “Ask my hands. Too heavy.”
Huseynov told Hernandez that he’d like to receive a UFC call-up in the future. With a win on Friday in the A1 Combat 24 co-main event, he could be one step away from getting a voicemail from CEO Dana White.
Troy Green With Quick Turnaround Ahead of A1 Combat 24 Co-Main Event
In the other corner, challenger Troy Green, a veteran of Cage Fury and Lou Neglia’s Ring of Combat and a former A1 Combat Middleweight Champion, has posted a mark of 3-2 over the course of his last five fights. Back on June 22, he returned to the win column with a first-round knockout of Raymond Ceballos (3-3 MMA) in Flex Fights 36 with one second remaining on the clock.
That event was a stacked affair. With Flex Fights 36 featuring both MMA and kickboxing fights, the Green vs. Ceballos tilt was in the co-main event spot, the 30th bout on the order.
He hasn’t fought under the A1 Combat promotional banner since July of last year and just made an appearance in the ring this past June. By the time the cage door shuts for the A1 Combat 24 co-main event on Friday night, only 76 days, just over two and a half months, will have elapsed between contests.
Will the brief layoff play a factor in the A1 Combat 24 co-main event? Tune in and find out.
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
Even though this championship fight is only three rounds in length, expect both the champion and the challenger to bring the heat to the cage in the A1 Combat 24 co-main event.
Mirali Huseynov Doesn’t Waste Time in the Cage
Statistically speaking, Mirali Huseynov has finished all eight of his wins inside the distance. If you tune into the A1 Combat 24 co-main event to watch this guy go to work, be forewarned not to look away from your screen because you might end up missing everything in the fight. His win vs. Smith this past spring was a prime example.
While Huseynov and Smith traded shots in round one, the former stunned the latter with a right hand before teeing off with a brief flurry of strikes including a left-handed shot to put Sinjen Smith away.
If Mirali Huseynov finds the opening to land the big punch, he’ll take it.
Green Can Seize Control of the Fight
In the other corner, don’t discount Troy Green in the A1 Combat 24 co-main event. He’s fought for, and won, a championship in this promotion before at 185 lbs. in January of last year vs. Ryan Loder.
During that fight, Green continually moved the action forward by landing punches and causing Loder’s nose to bleed slightly. While Loder scored with kicks in round three of the contest and secured a takedown, Green popped up and had to fight off a clinch from his opponent before landing a three-punch combination.
Late in the fight, Green stuffed another Loder takedown before trying to secure one of his own. As the final seconds ticked down, Green secured a takedown to take the fight on the scorecards.
If Troy Green manages to stuff takedown attempts from Mirali Huseynov and lands some of his own, momentum will be on his side of the ledger in the A1 Combat 24 co-main event.
Final Thoughts
This looks to be another solid fight on Friday. If you don’t have anything going on, watch the co-main event.
Prediction: Mirali Huseynov by First-Round Knockout.
