Why Nicolas Dalby Should Still Be Considered a Top Talent
Less than two years ago, Nicolas Dalby entered the UFC as an undefeated top prospect. Dalby earned 13 wins during his time in various promotions, such as the well-known Cage Warriors, where he was the welterweight champion. Cage Warriors served as a stepping stone for many other UFC stars, such as the current lightweight champion Conor McGregor and the middleweight champion Michael Bisping. Dalby’s dominance earned him a shot to compete on the fighting’s biggest stage — the UFC. His karate-infused striking gives him a distinct, unique advantage. He is at his best when striking from range. Dalby’s resumé includes four knockouts, three of which came in the first round.
Dalby is only the second Danish fighter to join the UFC. The first, Martin Kampmann, was a 17-fight veteran of the UFC and a prominent figure in the organization. Kampmann called Dalby “entertaining and capable,” and said that he was looking forward to seeing Dalby in action.
Dalby stands at 5’11", which is tall for the welterweight division. He shows great agility, constantly weaving in and out to land significant strikes. While he is known for his quick striking, Nicolas Dalby is also a green belt in Ashihara Karate and a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The Sharpshooter throws powerful knees in the clinch and has solid takedown defense. He has great cardio and has no problems taking a fight to the decision.
He won his first fight in the UFC, a split decision against Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos at UFC Fight Night 67. The Sharpshooter took Dos Santos down an impressive six times and dominated on the ground. However, Dalby has hit a rough patch since then. The Sharpshooter fought Darren Till to a draw, then dropped unanimous decisions to Zak Cummings and Peter Sobotta. However, it is worth pointing out that Dalby broke his orbital bone less than one minute into the fight against Sobotta, yet persevered and remained competitive throughout the fight. Dalby said that he had double vision the rest of the fight and even contemplated tapping out. Despite that, Dalby stayed in the fight and lasted all three rounds. The Sharpshooter is a gritty fighter who refuses to give up and shows as much heart as anyone.
A good next fight for Nicolas Dalby is Brandon Thatch. Thatch has fought notable names such as Benson Henderson and Gunnar Nelson. However, he is in the midst of four-fight skid, and could use a fight against someone with name recognition. Rukus would serve as a match up for Dalby since Thatch also has an extensive background in karate. This would be a good fight to get Dalby back in the win column, as well as help provide a good name for Dalby to add to his already impressive resumé.
Despite his recent fights, Dalby remains a threat to anyone in the welterweight division. The Sharpshooter possesses a ton of raw talent, as evidence from his undefeated record coming into the UFC. He has never been knocked out or submitted throughout his professional career. Dalby is a fighter that can make a run in the welterweight division. When he does, people will know his name.
