{"id":38977,"date":"2022-03-24T16:02:57","date_gmt":"2022-03-24T14:02:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/betcentral.onpressidium.com\/?p=38977"},"modified":"2022-03-24T16:02:58","modified_gmt":"2022-03-24T14:02:58","slug":"ufc-fight-night-blaydes-v-daukaus-predictions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/machibet777-affiliate.com\/ufc\/ufc-fight-night-blaydes-v-daukaus-predictions\/","title":{"rendered":"UFC Fight Night: Blaydes v Daukaus Predictions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

UFC Fight Night is back on the road and makes its first stop in Columbus, Ohio, where top heavyweight contenders Curtis Blaydes and Chris Daukaus collide in the main event on Saturday night (Sunday morning SA time), writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breaking out after being boxed in at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas since the start of the pandemic, the world\u2019s pre-eminent mixed martial arts promotion\u2019s Fight Night roadshow finally restarts with a stacked card at the Nationwide Arena. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The co-headliner is one of two pivotal flyweight bouts with highly-ranked contenders Joanne Wood and Alexa Grasso going toe-to-toe. The other will likely determine the next title challenger as the undefeated Askar Askarov faces Kai Kara-France. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plus, hometown hero and Octagon legend Matt Brown battles Bryan Barberena in what\u2019s set to be a welterweight war, Ilir Latifi and Aleksei Oleinik bring extra heavyweight heat and lightweight strikers Viacheslav Borshchev and Marc Diakiese duke it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bet Now: UFC Fight Night<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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MAIN CARD (from 1 AM Sunday SA time): <\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Curtis Blaydes (1.23) v Chris Daukaus (4.00) (Heavyweight)<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Top-10 heavyweights determined to start their 2022 surge with a bang battle it out in the main event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fourth-ranked Blaydes (15-3-1NC) bounced back from a brutal knockout loss against Derrick Lewis with a dominant decision win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik last September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eighth-ranked Daukaus (12-3) suffered the same fate when he fought Lewis last December, the loss snapping his perfect 4-0 run inside the Octagon and crowning \u201cThe Black Beast\u201d the most prolific knockout artist in UFC history. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a collision course in Columbus, only one can leave with their career heading in the right direction and a step closer to the title. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Blaydes is the best wrestler in the 265-pound division. Only two men have been able to overcome his power, pressure and explosiveness, the aforementioned two-time title challenger Lewis and reigning champion Francis Ngannou. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone else has been mauled by \u201cRazor\u201d, including the most decorated striker in UFC history, Alistair Overeem, and former champion Junior dos Santos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His striking is merely to mask takedown attempts, which he mostly lands at will, and once he has his prey on the ground, he unleashes hellacious ground-and-pound, the gnarliest of his 10 knockouts being his bludgeoning of Overeem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Daukaus is an up-and-coming star in the land of the leviathans. A crisp striker, all but one of his wins are by knockout. He has great jiu-jitsu as well but hasn\u2019t had to show it yet as he doesn\u2019t initiate grappling situations and has never been taken down inside the Octagon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s vital to note that the fight against Lewis last time out was his first taste of elite competition, with the loss leading to the police officer handing in his badge to focus on his MMA career full-time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blaydes has lived and thrived in the heavyweight elite for years. That experience, along with his exceptional athleticism and unrivalled wrestling should see him neutralise Daukaus on the ground, where he\u2019ll get the finish in the later rounds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prediction:<\/strong> Blaydes via TKO.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Bet:<\/strong> Blaydes by KO\/TKO\/DQ at 1.90.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternative Bet: <\/strong>Over 2.5 rounds at 1.95.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bet Now: UFC Fight Night<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Joanne Wood (2.80) v Alexa Grasso (1.43) (Flyweight)<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The seventh and 11th-ranked flyweights will finally handle their business four months after Grasso (13-3) had to pull out of their originally scheduled bout because of injury. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It\u2019s a fascinating fight on two levels as Wood (15-7) is a seasoned veteran who mixes things up, while Grasso is a rising star with excellent striking. The higher-ranked Scot is in a slump, losing her last two, while Grasso has won two on the trot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At 36, \u201cJoJo\u201d is past her prime and will have to pull out all the tricks she\u2019s learned over the years to outfox her Mexican foe. Grasso\u2019s just beginning to hit her straps and at 28, she\u2019ll have a significant speed advantage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She\u2019ll be able to keep the fight standing and with both ladies being decision machines, Grasso will win it on the scorecards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prediction:<\/strong> Grasso via decision. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Bet: <\/strong>Grasso by decision at 1.68.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternative Bet:<\/strong> Grasso at 1.43.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bet Now: UFC Fight Night<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Askar Askarov (1.25) v Kai Kara-France (3.80) (Flyweight)<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The two hottest and brightest stars in the flyweight division square off with the winner expected to punch his ticket to a title shot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A steamrolling, suffocating wrestler, Askarov is undefeated. He fought former champion Brandon Moreno to a draw in his UFC debut and marched to three dominant decision wins, the last over perennial title challenger Joseph Benavidez last March, to move into second place in the rankings.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sixth-ranked Kara-France (22-9-1NC) set up this crunch clash with a spectacular knockout of former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt in December. It was the heavy-handed New Zealander\u2019s second successive KO win and 11th of his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It\u2019s Kai Kara France Fight Week!!!#MMATwitter<\/a> #UFC<\/a> #MMA<\/a> #UFCColumbus<\/a> @kaikarafrance<\/a>
(via
@marovicedits<\/a>) pic.twitter.com\/LyPAENLpyM<\/a><\/p>— Marlon? (@immarlonflores) March 21, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>