After a blockbuster PPV event that delivered a lot of drama and action last weekend, fight night action returns for the month of May with UFC Fight Night: Blachowicz vs. Rakić
The UFC Apex Facility, Las Vegas, Nevada, is the venue for a fight night that features former Light Heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz and promising top five fighter Alexander “Rocket” Rakić. A matchup straight out of the comic books serves as the co-main event this Saturday, 14th May, when Ryan “Superman” Spann takes on Ion “The Hulk” Cutelaba. A couple of potential bangers are arranged on this eleven-fight card, and you do not want to miss the action. Stay with us for the best bets, odds, tips,and predictions for the night.
UFC Fight Night: Blachowicz vs. Rakić General Information:
- Date: Saturday, May 14, 2022
- TV-Time: ESPN+,7:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: UFC Apex Facility
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
- Fights: 6 Fights on the Main Card and 5 fights on the Preliminary Card
- Main Event: Jan Blachowicz vs. Aleksandar Rakić
Expert Pick #1 – Rakić to win @-175
Former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz makes his first return to the octagon after losing his belt to Glover Texeira last year. He takes on a fast-rising contender in Aleksandar Rakić who has only lost one fight in his UFC career. Stylistically Blachowicz has come up against a similar threat to Rakić in Israel Adesanya in the middleweight champion’s failed attempt to become champion of two weight classes. However, the size and reach advantages that Rakić has in this bout may make this a more difficult fight for Jan than the Adesanya one.
While Rakić has been called somewhat boring due to his technical striking style and great defense, it could perhaps be his biggest weapons in a fight against a fighter like Jan. The size and weight difference is not so much that Jan can take Rakić down and lay on him for 25 minutes like he did to Adesanya. Additionally, Aleksandar Rakić also has the speed and cardio advantage in this fight. He can pick Jan apart for the entire five rounds if he somehow manages to stay away from the legendary Polish power in Blachowicz’s hands. And our experts predict that Rakić pulls it off as he begins to mount a strong claim for a title fight in the near future.
Records: Jan Blachowicz 28-9-0 | Aleksander Rakić 14-2-0 Main Card – Light Heavyweight (205lbs) – Approx. Start Time: 5:00 a.m. ET
Expert Pick #2 – Cutelaba to win @-225
Two of the UFC’s light heavyweight division’s powerhouses collide when Ryan “Superman” Spann and Ion “The Hulk” Cutelaba go head to head in a co-main event bout. Both fighters have had mixed records in the UFC and this fight presents an opportunity for them to go back to winning ways. The height and reach advantage in this fight is well in favor of Ryan Spann.
But in a match that is expected to be an all out war right from the offing, it could well go down to who is the more durable fighter. Looking at the losses that Spann has suffered in the UFC octagon, you start to question the strength of his chin and his ability to take heavy shots. And Ion Cutelaba sure hits hard. He is also a better striker and grappler than Spann who relies more on his own punching power to win fights and not much else. Our experts predict a win and a possible finish for “The Hulk” Ion Cutelaba as he goes back to the win column.
Records: Ryan Spann 19-7-0 | Ion Cutelaba 16-6-1 Main Card – Light Heavyweight (205lbs) – Approx. Start Time: 4:30 a.m. ET
Expert Pick #3 – Grant to win @-275
A bantamweight clash on the main card features Louis “Da Last Samurai” Smolka and Davey “Dangerous” Grant and this fight is not expected to go the distance. Smolka has lost three of his last five while Grant has lost two in that same period. Both fighters are coming into this bout off the back of losses and this presents an opportunity to record a win and possibly go up in the rankings. The height advantage goes to Smolka while Grant edges it in terms of reach. This could play a big role in him coming out on top in this fight as he is the better technical striker. Louis Smolka does present some threat should the fight go to the ground but he is not so much of a threat that Davey Grant can’t deal with. Also, Smolka’s KO loss in his last outing versus Vince Morales puts his chin in a questionable state and Grant could capitalize on that. Our experts predict a win for Davey Grant on the night to return him to the win column and prevent a three-fight losing streak.
Records: Louis Smolka 17-8-0|Davey Grant 11-6-0 Preliminary Card – Bantamweight (135lbs) – Approx. Start Time: 3:00 a.m. ET
Complete Card & Predictions for the Night
UFC Fight Night: Blachowicz vs. Rakić presents a returning former champion, a top light heavyweight contender, other light heavyweight power punchers, and women’s top ten flyweights, amongst a host of other exciting fighters that are on the main and preliminary cards for the night. Here are the Predictions, Odds, Bets and Tips for this weekend:
Main Event
- Light Heavyweight (205lbs): Jan Blachowicz vs. Aleksandar Rakić – Rakić via Decision
Main Card
- Light Heavyweight (265lbs): Ryan Spann vs. Ion Cutelaba – Cutelaba via KO/TKO
- Bantamweight (135lbs): Louis Smolka vs. Davey Grant – Grant via KO/TKO
- (W) Flyweight (125lbs): Katlyn Chookagian vs. Amanda Ribas – Chookagian via Decision
- Lightweight (155lbs): Frank Camacho vs. Manuel Torres – Torres via Decision
- Flyweight (125lbs): Jake Hadley vs. Allan Nascimento – Hadley via Decision
Preliminary Card
- (W) Flyweight (125lbs): Viviane Araujo vs. Andrea Lee – Lee via Decision
- Lightweight (155lbs): Michael Johnson vs. Alan Patrick – Johnson via KO/TKO
- (W) Strawweight (170lbs): Virna Jandiroba vs. Angela Hill – Hill via Decision
- Flyweight (125lbs): Carlos Candelario vs. Tatsuro Taira – Taira via KO/TKO
- Middleweight (185lbs): Nick Maximov vs. Andre Petroski – Maximov via KO/TKO
A top 3 tilt in the LHW division headlines an action packed event 💥
— UFC (@ufc) May 9, 2022
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