Whereas UFC Vegas 70 isn’t the highest quality Combat Night time the UFC can provide, it’s not too shabby. Given it’s a Combat Night time on the Apex, it could possibly be thought of downright good. The principle occasion is probably not beautiful or a can’t miss, Nikita Krylov clashing with Ryan Spann over 5 rounds is a superbly acceptable contest. The co-main occasion between Andre Muniz and Brendan Allen is one other contest that could possibly be offered as a important occasion contest as properly. Plus, the we’re additionally receiving the lengthy awaited return of Tatiana Suarez, who was on the verge of preventing for a title earlier than her well being issues sprang up. There have been many, myself included, who didn’t assume we’d see her battle once more. If she will be able to come near what she was earlier than, the UFC is selecting itself up a hell of a expertise.
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Nikita Krylov vs. Ryan Spann, Mild Heavyweight
The ten yr anniversary of Krylov’s UFC debut is creeping up this yr. Whereas he took a hiatus from the group, it’s loopy to look again on how far he has are available in that point. That doesn’t imply he has eradicated the mind farts which were one among his defining options, however he has reduce down on them and has developed right into a legit high ten gentle heavyweight.
Spann’s street hasn’t been fairly as adventurous as Krylov’s, nevertheless it has been a hell of a journey as properly. How the 6’5” behemoth ever made 185 will eternally be a thriller, however he has settled down into being one of many steadier presences within the division. Coming off the most important win of his profession when he KO’d former title challenger Dominick Reyes, Spann declared he has solely begun taking his coaching critically. If he’s being severe about that and he’s been capable of advance so far in his profession, what sort of fighter can he develop into if he actually is taking his profession critically? Then once more, if he hasn’t been taking his profession critically, what’s to say we are able to belief his capability to flip the change and achieve this now?
Krylov’s journey has been extra a couple of lack of maturity versus a scarcity of a piece ethic. In any case, he was solely 21 when he debuted as a chunky heavyweight with a horrible gasoline tank. Whilst a teenager, his bodily items have been apparent, successful fights regardless of his battle IQ. As his degree of competitors grew, his intelligence was compelled to develop as properly. Realizing he can’t overrun all his opponents, he has discovered to tempo himself. Realizing some opponents can be higher to take to the mat than attempt to commerce with, he’s confirmed to be a boring grinder in some fights, belying his popularity as a reckless striker. That doesn’t imply he gained’t let the fists fly, nevertheless it’s now not his important course of assault. How will he take care of Spann?
That’s arduous to say. Spann tends to be very deliberate on the toes, although he does unleash his fury as soon as he has his opponent harm. Luckily for him, that’s confirmed to be a frequent incidence. It was Spann relied solely on his personal prodigious bodily items. Since teaming with Fortis MMA, he’s develop into a formidable boxer. Couple that with an underrated submission sport – his guillotine specifically is potent – and it’s been a uncommon incidence for his fights to go the space. Then once more, a part of that is because of his personal psychological miscues.
This can be a very troublesome contest to foretell. Spann might be the higher grappler, however Krylov is definitely the higher wrestler. Krylov is extra aggressive, which may lead him to strolling into a tough proper hand from Spann. Then once more, it’s been some time since Krylov made any main errors on the toes. Who’s the higher athlete is up for debate. Spann’s file when it comes to wins and losses is extra spectacular, however Krylov has confronted the superior competitors by a large margin. This could function a breakout win for both competitor. I’m having the toughest time selecting one or the opposite. The betting odds are already shut, however I’d say they need to be nearer. In the end, I’m siding with Spann. It isn’t for something on tape or paper; it’s that Krylov has disenchanted so many instances that I don’t really feel snug selecting him in a majority of these contests any longer. Spann through submission of RD2
Andre Muniz vs. Brendan Allen, Middleweight
Muniz could also be one of many few middleweights who hopes Israel Adesanya regains his title from Alex Pereira. It has nothing to do with the matchup; Muniz owns a major benefit on the mat in opposition to both fighter whereas being at a drawback on the toes. It has all the things to do with the variety of notable middleweights with losses by the hands of Adesanya. If Adesanya regains the belt, Muniz has a faster street to the title.
Granted, Muniz wants to finish the trail to get there and there’s little doubt Allen has the power to upend Muniz’s journey. Then once more, it’s by no means been a query of Allen’s expertise. It’s been a query of maturity greater than something. Whereas Allen has 25 skilled fights below his belt over the course of the previous seven years, he’s nonetheless solely 27. A plus athlete with good dimension and method, it’s been a matter of growing consistency and avoiding the psychological miscues that have a tendency to return with youth.
Whether or not Allen is mature sufficient to overwhelm the likes of Muniz is up for debate. If the battle stays standing, there’s little doubt Allen is the favourite. Maybe he will get overconfident – which is normally the place his mind farts come into play – however he’s developed a jab that may anchor him if he makes that the middle of his assault. Muniz has develop into a reliable striker himself, however his hanging lacks any component of hazard. That’s as a result of it’s all about closing the space for him and securing the takedown. Muniz is hardly a wrestling savant, however he’s a crafty vet who is aware of the way to drag his opponent down or safe a visit from the clinch. As soon as he will get the battle to the mat, it wouldn’t be inconceivable to label Muniz because the Arm Collector if the nickname wasn’t already taken. His armbars are that rattling deadly.
I don’t wish to promote Allen brief on the mat. He did sub Krzysztof Jotko inside a spherical in his most up-to-date contest, changing into the primary particular person to sub the Pole in eight years. That’s stated, everyone knows Allen ought to attempt to keep away from hitting the mat with Muniz. However simply because Allen shouldn’t do one thing doesn’t imply he gained’t. Keep in mind when he was getting pieced up by Sean Strickland and stubbornly refused to even attempt to get the battle to the mat? He did make some cursory efforts to take Chris Curtis to the bottom, however was extra content material to commerce with the striker than he ought to have been. Most regarding is how simple Jacob Malkoun was capable of take Allen down. Malkoun is a extra aggressive wrestler than Muniz, however he isn’t as savvy. It’s arduous to imagine the battle gained’t hit the mat sooner or later.
If Allen retains his head about himself, he can win this, even when the battle hits the mat. Allen is no slouch on the mat and may simply pull off the kind of submission protection Uriah Corridor demonstrated in Muniz’s final contest. What he would wish to do within the in-betweens is rating sufficient offense on the toes to sway the judges in his path. That or ship a KO. The issue is, Allen doesn’t have the identical protection first mentality on the mat Corridor possesses. And if he’s going to search for a KO on the toes, he’ll possible stroll right into a lure from Muniz and find yourself on his again. A win isn’t out of the query for Allen, however a submission from Muniz is most probably. Muniz through submission of RD2
Tatiana Suarez vs. Montana De la Rosa, Ladies’s Flyweight
Should you’ve solely adopted the UFC for the final two or three years, you is probably not aware of Suarez given she hasn’t fought in nearly 4 years. It’s a disgrace. Previous to the neck points that originally stored her on the shelf, Suarez was in line to problem for the strawweight title. Amongst her victims to get into that place have been current champion Carla Esparza and Alexa Grasso, who might be difficult Valentina Shevchenko for the flyweight title. Neither contest was shut both, Suarez smashed via both of them.
As Suarez makes her return to the cage, she’s doing so up a weight class at flyweight. Given a giant a part of her dominance at strawweight was exemplified by her being the larger and stronger girl within the cage, it’s truthful to marvel how properly the transition to preventing at a better class will go. That’s not even addressing the cage rust that has absolutely constructed up after being on the sidelines since 2019.
That stated, Suarez is all about overcoming lengthy odds. Neck points are what dashed her Olympic wrestling hopes over a decade in the past. She overcame that, along with thyroid most cancers, to blaze her preliminary path within the UFC. If there’s a optimistic to her being sidelined for therefore lengthy, it’s that she hasn’t put her physique via the standard put on and tear that comes with being an MMA fighter. Mix that together with her not slicing as a lot weight and it’s a chance that she’s going to be on the peak of her bodily situation….
Whereas I discover that extremely unlikely, credit score goes to the UFC for getting her an opponent who appears extremely acceptable. De la Rosa isn’t a bum by any means; she’s truly one of many higher submission specialists within the division. Sadly, she’s a restricted athlete, one thing that has been seen in her losses. Regardless of being technically superior than Maycee Barber, Barber was capable of overpower her within the clinch and outwork her. Supplied Suarez hasn’t misplaced something, she’ll be each a superior athlete and technician, not less than when it comes to wrestling. Given De la Rosa’s base is wrestling, that’s unhealthy information for the underdog.
If De la Rosa can maintain the battle standing, there’s no assure she’ll win the standup both. De la Rosa appears the half together with her hanging when it comes to her method, however has by no means appeared utterly snug on the toes. Nonetheless, Suarez’s hanging is basically restricted to low kicks. Maybe she has been capable of work on her fingers in her time away. Maybe not. However the odds the battle spends any important time as a hanging contest is slim and none.
Even when Suarez isn’t going to be at full energy, she ought to have the ability to overcome De la Rosa. Maybe De la Rosa can snatch an arm as Suarez appears to ship punishment from the highest, however Suarez has accomplished a superb job of avoiding submissions from her opponents guard whereas dealing out punishment from the highest. Then once more, 4 years is a very long time to be away. Given Suarez has all the time been good about her preparation, I really feel assured she’ll get the job accomplished. Suarez through resolution
- On paper, Dontale Mayes has all the things you need in a heavyweight. He’s a legit heavyweight, not an overgrown 205er. He has size, athleticism, energy, and toughness. He’s even picked up some wrestling the previous few years. He’s additionally liable for one of many greatest MMA gifs ever. Regardless of that, the primary three-time participant for DWCS can’t appear to place all the things collectively frequently. To be truthful, it isn’t arduous to see the enhancements from battle to battle; it’s simply sustaining these enhancements for the whole lot of the fights. He’s getting a BIG soar in competitors in opposition to Augusto Sakai, although it could be arduous to acknowledge given Sakai’s four-fight shedding streak. A better take a look at these whom Sakai has misplaced to reveals three fighters populating the highest ten of the official UFC rankings with the lone exception being all-time nice Alistair Overeem. In different phrases, Sakai hasn’t been shedding to bums. Previous to the present streak, Sakai gained his first 4 UFC contests with a smothering clinch and surprisingly excessive quantity for somebody with as a lot flab as he carries. The place he has faltered is down the stretch of five-round contests, having his chin checked by the heaviest hitters within the division, and in stopping the persistent wrestling of Serghei Spivac. Given all of us noticed Spivac do the identical factor to Derrick Lewis, it’s protected to say Sakai has some warmth off him. This isn’t a five-round contest, neither is Mayes one of many heavy hitters within the division. Supplied his confidence isn’t shot from all of the shedding, Sakai ought to pull this off. Sakai through resolution
- It wasn’t the prettiest efficiency, however Yohan Lainesse scored his first UFC win in his most up-to-date efficiency, possible saving his job within the course of. A powerhouse at 170, Lainesse struggles past the midway mark of a contest. There’s little doubt he has one-punch power, however he doesn’t have sufficient instruments to constantly win if he can’t safe that early. He can wrestle some, however his compromising gasoline tank limits the effectiveness via roughly the primary spherical. That stated, he’s going to be a lot greater than Mike Malott, a former featherweight who has ballooned as much as welterweight. Malott’s weight achieve does seem like wholesome and he’s a wise fighter. However he hasn’t confronted anybody practically as massive as Lainesse. Extra worrisome, Malott’s protection isn’t rock strong. Given Lainesse solely wants one clear punch, that raises considerations. If Malott can keep away from that shot, he’s the higher grappler and busier striker by a large margin. Confidence is one thing I really feel brief on, however Malott is the higher total fighter. I’ll decide him for that cause. Malott through submission of RD2
- I’ve little doubt Trevor Peek would have most well-liked to battle the person who hasn’t fought in over 5 years in Alex Reyes, however Peek’s UFC debut nonetheless seems to be a really winnable contest. The hard-hitting Alabama native might be greeted by Erick Gonzalez as an alternative. Gonzalez has confronted a tricky street within the UFC, lining up reverse Jim Miller and Terrance McKinney, that means it’s a bit troublesome to dock him an excessive amount of for these losses. Nonetheless, the lanky striker additionally has a noticed file on the regional scene, arising brief in opposition to anybody who has ever both been within the UFC or come near sniffing it. Gonzalez gained’t again down, however he doesn’t have the self-discipline to take care of the surface hanging assault he favors in opposition to the aggressive Peek. If Gonzalez can prolong the battle, he might be able to outpoint a fading Peek down the stretch because the newcomer has by no means left the second spherical. Nonetheless, Gonzalez’s chin could be questioned whereas there’s little doubt his takedown protection is rubbish. Peek definitely has his flaws, however he’s higher suited to show Gonzalez than Gonzalez is suited to show him. Peek through TKO of RD1
