Makkasharip Zaynukov vs Takeshi Izumi Prediction
📢 On July 19, Cape Town, South Africa, will host the PFL Africa 1 mixed martial arts tournament. In the main card of this event, Russia's Makkasharip Zainukov will face off against Japan's Takeshi Izumi. What can we expect from this fight? Will it go the distance to the decisive rounds? Or will Zainukov deliver a dominant performance? Find out in the prediction from Scores24!
H2H Stats Fights and Previous Results
Makkasharip Zaynukov Player Overview
Zainukov, a 34-year-old Russian fighter, boasts a professional record of 16 wins and 4 losses. He has been competing in MMA since February 2013. Throughout his career, Makkasharip has participated in events organized by various promotions, including the Samara MMA Federation, Fight Nights Global, Eagle FC, UAE Warriors, and RCC. In 2024, he signed with the PFL and secured a victory via judges' decision over Derek Sanders in October. In May 2025, Zainukov faced defeat against Arman Tsarukyan in a grappling match held during the Karate Combat tournament in Dubai.
Match Results: Makkasharip Zaynukov
Takeshi Izumi Player Overview
Izumi, a 36-year-old fighter from Japan, holds a record of 6 wins and 3 losses. All of his victories have come by decision. He embarked on his professional MMA career at the age of 32 with the Rizin FF promotion, suffering defeats in his first two bouts. However, he bounced back with a five-fight winning streak, which was halted by a loss to Shunte Nomura. In March 2025, Izumi secured a decision win over Spike Carlyle, after which he signed with the PFL to compete in the upcoming tournament.
Match Results: Takeshi Izumi
Editorial Prediction
Zainukov and Izumi aren't the most exciting fighters in the ring, often opting for a pragmatic approach and avoiding risks. As a result, we anticipate their head-to-head will be rather uneventful. Considering that the Russian's fights have gone to decision in 60 percent of cases, and the Japanese fighter's matches have done so in 78 percent, betting on the total rounds over 1.5 seems like an excellent choice.
