Lightweight: Tom Nolan Vs. Bogdan Grad
Tale of the tape
23-years-old
6’3″
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Team Compton Training Centre
5-0
3 KO/TKO’s
Combined opponent’s record: 20-10
27-years-old
5’9″
Weiz, Austria
ETTL BROS MMA
11-1
7 KO/TKO’s, 2 Submissions
Combined opponent’s record: 44-31-1
Pros and Cons
Tom Nolan
Pros
- Tough
- Good clinch work
- Nasty elbows
- Gritty
- Good left cross
- Fast starter
- Constant output
Cons
- Slows as the fight goes
- TDD needs some work
- Gives up his back easy
Bogdan Grad
Pros
- Diverse
- Submission threat
- Fast hands
- Hard to read
- Deceptive power
- Heavy leg kicks
- Good jiu-jitsu
- Active kicking attack
- Excellent body kick
- Explosive
Cons
- Head sits on the centerline
- Throws with wasted motion at times
Who has the advantage?
Striking: Nolan
Speed: Nolan
Output/Volume: Nolan
Kickboxing: Grad
Striking defense: Even
Footwork/movement: Nolan
Wrestling: Grad
Grappling: Grad
Gas tank: Grad
Prediction: I went back and forth with this fight just because it’s a tight fight stylistically. Grad is more seasoned and more proven. My biggest issue with him is Nolan is going to be significantly the bigger fighter. He’s going to be six inches taller in fact. The size doesn’t matter too much though as Nolan is more of a pocket striker.
Grad could win this fight based on landing that big shot or even if he uses a bit of wrestling. Nolan is tough so it’s going to be hard to put him away. The most likely path I see this fight going is Nolan winning off volume. I see Nolan being able to outpoint Grad as Grad isn’t great defensively. I do think this is the hardest fight to predict this week.
