UFC Fight Night 208: Blaydes vs Aspinall Odds and Prediction

UFC Fight Night 208: Blaydes vs. Aspinall is a forthcoming MMA event organized by The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). It is set to be held on the 23rd of July, 2022 at The O2 Arena in London, UK. 

The fight card for UFC Fight Night 208 is stacked with impressive matchups. There are a combined 14 fights with 6 fights on the main card and the rest 8 in the prelims. Fight Night’s prime attraction is the main event, Curtis Blaydes vs Tom Aspinall. However, the co-main between Jack Hermansson and Chris Curtis and the Paddy Pimblett bout against Jordan Leavitt also have the eyes of MMA fans around the world.

UFC Fight Night 208: Blaydes vs Aspinall Odds

UFC Fight Night 208: Blaydes vs Aspinall Prediction

Main Event: Curtis Blaydes vs Tom Aspinall

The main event of the night between Curtis Blaydes (16-3) and Tom Aspinall (12-2) is a clash of styles. This fight is of massive importance as the winner of this fight should be the next no. 1 contender in the heavyweight division.

Blaydes is a powerful grappler who takes his opponent down and tends to win most of the fights by vicious ground and pound. The number 4 ranked heavyweight in the UFC is currently on a two-fight winning streak. He will certainly try to make it 3 by implementing his superior ground game.

Aspinall on the contrary is the polar opposite of Blaydes in terms of his fighting style. The English mixed martial artist is a knockout artist with a decent ground game. While Blaydes may have superior wrestling, Aspinall clearly has the edge in striking. He is definitely more precise and has much faster hands. The power in his hand is also notorious as 9 of his 12 wins came via knockout. As of now, Aspinall is still undefeated in the UFC and he is determined to keep it that way after the fight night.

The one who plays to his strengths better should win this fight. However, this is a 5-round fight and Aspinall has zero experience there as he never went past the 2nd round in his career. This should favor Blaydes a lot if he manages to survive the initial rounds.

Prediction: Curtis Blaydes via Unanimous Decision

Read Also: Curtis Blaydes: Career, Net worth, Salary, and Family 2022

Co-main Event: Jack Hermansson vs Chris Curtis

The middleweight bout between Hermansson (22-7) and Curtis (29-8) is the co-main event of the night.

Hermansson, the Swedish-born Norwegian is a relatively all-around fighter with a background in Greco-roman wrestling and Muay Thai. The 34-year-old is going through a tough phase with 3 losses in the last 5 matches.

Chris Curtis is currently unranked in the UFC Middleweight Rankings. This might change soon enough as he is set to face the number 8 guy in the rankings. The veteran is on an 8-fight-win streak and 3-0 since returning to the UFC in late 2021. However, the competition he faced was below par and this marks the first time in a long time that the 35-year-old is facing someone from the top level. But, if he manages to make his superior striking work, it is likely that he will have the upper hand in the fight.

Prediction: Chris Curtis via Split Decision

Paddy Pimblett vs Jordan Leavitt:

The crowd’s favorite Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett (18-3) is back in his home country to face off against Jordan Leavitt (10-1).

Paddy Pimblet has been on a roll since his signing in the UFC. The Liverpool-born scouser won both his UFC fights in the first round. He is also a heavy favorite going into this fight. The former  Cage Warriors featherweight champion with his iron chin and all-around fighting style might prove too much to handle for the American wrestler, Jordan Leavitt.

Prediction: Paddy Pimblet via TKO (2nd Round)

Nikita Krylov vs Alexander Gustafsson:

Alexander Gustafsson (18-7), who is on a disastrous 3-fight losing streak is set to fight the Ukrainian, Nikita Krylov (27-9). Krylov, similar to his opponent, is also on a losing streak. So, this is a fight for redemption for both fighters. But as Gustafsson is returning after a 2-year layoff, the former no.1 contender’s chances seem small.

Prediction: Nikita Krylov via Submission (2nd round)

Molly McCann vs Hannah Goldy:

Both fighters are coming off a finish in their last fights. However, Molly McCann is a heavy favorite going into this clash of the flyweights.

Prediction: Molly McCann via Unanimous Decision

Paul Craig vs Volkan Oezdemir:

The BJJ veteran Paul Craig (16-4) is going up against former title contender Volkan Oezdemir (17-6). Craig has won his 4 last fights and is ranked 8th in the UFC light heavyweight rankings. Yet, the former Kickboxing practitioner, Oezdemir is a favorite because of his striking superiority and vast experience. However, he lost his last 2 fights, and if Craig manages to take the fight to the ground, a similar result might await the 32-year-old swiss. 

Prediction: Paul Craig via Unanimous Decision

Read Also: Tom Aspinall: Career, Net worth, Salary, and Family 2022