On Saturday, July 23th, the UFC makes a return to London, England, and this loaded fight night plans to showcase some of the best European fighters and prospects in the promotion, to make the O2 Arena go wild.
With 6 fights on the main card and 8 on the prelims, this stacked event not only has quality, but it sure does have the quantity, and we are going to break down each of the fights just for you.
With 14 fights in one night, we have a lot to cover, so let’s start right here and now, as we get ready for one hell of a show this weekend.
You can check all the UFC/MMA bets, the analysis of each fighter, and the final bet you can make in this fight.
UFC Fight Night – Blaydes vs. Aspinall – Betting Odds and Free Picks – Info
When: Saturday, July 23rd, at noon m ET
Moneyline odds:
Curtis Blaydes +105 / Tom Aspinall -135 Jack Hermansson -255 / Chris Curtis -115 Paddy Pimblett -260 / Jordan Leavitt +200 Nikita Krylov -195 / Alexander Gustafsson +160 Molly McCann -420 / Hannah Goldy +320 Paul Craig +130 / Volkan Oezdemir -160 Ľudovít Klein +270 / Mason Jones -345 Marc Diakiese -355 / Damir Hadžović +280 Nathaniel Wood -565 / Charles Rosa +390 Makwan Amirkhani +160 / Jonathan Pearce -200 Muhammad Mokaev -460 / Charles Johnson +335 Jai Herbert -280 / Kyle Nelson +220 Mandy Böhm -120 / Victoria Leonardo -110 Nicolas Dalby -255 / Claudio Silva +200
Draw Offs: –
Where Can I Watch? ESPN +
Where Can I Stream? ESPN Go.
UFC Fight Night: Curtin Blaydes vs. Tom Aspinall
Why Bet on Curtis Blaydes
‘Razor’ has been with the UFC now for over six years, and in that time, he’s fought a who’s who of elite fighters.
More importantly, he’s beaten the likes of Junior dos Santos, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and Alistair Overeem and has only ever lost to Francis Ngannou (on two occasions) and Derrick Lewis.
Blaydes’ big strength is his wrestling.
He holds the record for the most takedowns landed in the history of the UFC’s heavyweight division with 62.
However, ‘Razor’ has also developed a strong boxing game and most recently scored a standing KO over Chris Daukaus.
Why Bet on Tom Aspinall
The product of Liverpool has never really been tested inside the octagon, blowing through five opponents in a row and stepping up the ladder hasn’t affected him either.
Aspinall has shown quick hands, strong knockout power, good takedowns, and dangerous ground skills in his time with the promotion, and more importantly, he’s proven to be a deadly finisher, too.
Just one of his opponents – Andrei Arlovski – has made it out of the first round with him.
Curtis Blaydes vs. Tom Aspinall Final Betting Analysis:
Overall, this one should come down to whether Aspinall can stop the takedown and whether he’s got the raw finishing ability to take Blaydes out before he can impose his will.
It gets hard to pick someone who hasn’t faced a wrestler of this caliber to beat someone like Blaydes yet.
With that considered, we place our betting token on Aspinall via knockout in the first round, as he likely wants to make it a quick fight.
UFC Fight Night: Jack Hermansson vs. Chris Curtis
Why Bet on Jack Hermansson
Now a 34-year-old, Hermansson has a relatively decent professional record with 22 wins and seven losses.
Five of his career defeats happened in the UFC.
What’s worrying is that three of those happened in his previous five bouts.
As a result, he’s now sitting in the #8 position in the UFC middleweight rankings, even though just a few years ago, many thought of him as a potential title challenger.
Why Bet on Chris Curtis
After spending 12 years fighting in various promotions, Chris Curtis signed a contract with the UFC in 2021.
On his promotional debut, he beat Phil Hawes by KO on November 6, 2021.
Less than a month later – on December 4, 2021 – he defeated Brendan Allen by TKO.
His third UFC fight happened on June 25, 2022, when we saw him triumph against Rodolfo Vieira by unanimous decision.
Twenty-eight days later, he’s coming back inside the octagon.
Jack Hermansson vs. Chris Curtis Final Betting Analysis:
Even though he’s fought recently, Curtis just hasn’t had enough time to prepare for the fight against Hermansson.
To be honest, even if he had, he’d likely still be the likely underdog.
Sure, he’s on a surge, but he still hasn’t fought as good a fighter as Hermansson, and it just may show clearly on the cage.
UFC Fight Night: Paddy Pimblett vs. Jordan Leavitt
Why Bet on Paddy Pimblett
Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett is a former Cage Warriors champion who used to hold titles in two divisions.
Even though he was on Dana White’s radar for years, he signed the UFC contract last year, making his debut on September 4, against Luigi Vendramini.
He knocked out his opponent in Round 1, earning the Performance of the Night bonus.
He got the same bonus for his second UFC fight as well. It happened on March 19, when he beat Rodrigo Vargas by submission.
Why Bet on Jordan Leavitt
The American fighter is 10-1 in his career with his only loss happening by points.
He’s yet to get knocked out or lose by submission.
Not losing within the distance is probably his main goal for the fight at UFC Fight Night 208.
Paddy Pimblett vs. Jordan Leavitt Final Betting Analysis:
Leavitt knows that he’s fighting a better opponent, which is why he needs to take a smart approach on Saturday.
Although he’s probably equally good in grappling and wrestling as Pimblett, he just isn’t great striking-wise.
At least not as great as Paddy, who will probably look to finish him with a knockout, and the Englishman will have the fans to cheer him on as they demand that he ends the fight in style.
UFC Fight Night: Nikita Krylov vs. Alexander Gustafsson
Why Bet on Nikita Krylov
Krylov is a finisher in every sense of the word, with all but one of his 27 victories coming by some sort of finish.
A fighter who is just as vicious with his ground game as he is with strikes, the Ukrainian lands 4.35 significant strikes per minute and attempts 1.3 submission attempts per fight.
Krylov’s physical style also keeps his incoming strike count low as he only absorbs 2.44 strikes in return.
Why Bet on Alexander Gustafsson
The luster of his legendary wars against Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier now dulled to black, Gustafsson ends a two-year exile and hopes to snap a three-fight skid.
The powerful Swede has gone 3-6 going back a full decade and was visibly slowing down before he entered a short retirement in 2019.
Gustafsson ended that retirement with an ill-advised move to heavyweight one year later, losing to Fabricio Werdum by submission. He was a rugged striker at his peak, scoring 11 stoppages in 17 wins.
A talented boxer whose footwork worked to set up both his striking offense and defense, “The Mauler” fires punches in bunches and can defend well on the ground.
Nikita Krylov vs. Alexander Gustafsson Final Betting Analysis:
Time wasn’t on Gustafsson’s side when he tried walking away in 2019.
Krylov is a good opponent for him because he’s wildly inconsistent, but this version of Gustafsson will be slower to the trigger with ring rust to shake off.
These two will exchange early, and Krylov should beat Gustafsson to the punch.
This will be a conventional striking battle as both fighters can wrestle well, but Krylov’s stalking style will test the exiled light heavyweight contender’s endurance while his fists check his chin.
Had this fight happened before Gustafsson’s decline and the layoff, this would have been an easy win for him.
But in 2022, Krylov should send Gustafsson off with another loss and yet another reminder that the retirement home is a lot more friendly than the octagon.
UFC Fight Night: Molly McCann vs. Hannah Goldy
Why Bet on Molly McCann
McCann is a fighter who typically prefers a boxing approach.
McCann’s striking is characterized by a wicked pace and matching volume as she looks to swarm her opponent using slick head movement to get inside.
She doesn’t often enjoy a reach advantage, and so she has become accustomed to an approach that involves, slipping and weaving low, attacking with jabs and low hooks to set up big overhand rights as she essentially changes levels
Why Bet on Hannah Goldy
Hannah Goldy, after securing her first UFC victory since earning a shot in the promotion on the Contender Series, has been offered the biggest challenge of her career.
Goldy began her martial arts journey from a young age, competing in both boxing and Muay Thai before transitioning to MMA.
Although her start was striking, her first-round armbar of Emily Whitmire last September proves she’s a threat everywhere.
Molly McCann vs. Hannah Goldy Final Betting Analysis:
Every single one of Hannah’s tools will be needed, as Molly McCann outweighs her inexperience with just as many fights in the UFC as Goldy has in her entire MMA career.
Molly McCann should be able to stuff Goldy’s range if she comes in with the same kind of pressure she has become famous for in the past.
She has to be careful when dipping low as this is a read many of her opposing corners have picked up on and been unable to capitalize on, but the opening may still be there.
However, because Goldy struggles with combinations, if Molly can slip through the first two to counter combinations she is in good form, and while Goldy may have good submission skills, McCann is likely the one to dictate when the fight hits the mat and how long they stay there.
UFC Fight Night: Paul Craig vs. Volkan Oezdemir
Why Bet on Paul Craig
Paul Craig is currently on the best run of his career. After a tumultuous start to his UFC career, Craig is unbeaten in his last six bouts, defeating top contenders like Jamahal Hill and Nikita Krylov to earn a position at No. 8 in the Light Heavyweight rankings.
The Scottish fighter has earned four performance bonuses on his current win streak, mostly due to his ability to pull out submissions from thin air.
Why Bet on Volkan Oezdemir
Times have been tougher for Switzerland’s Oezdemir, who hasn’t tasted victory since narrowly defeating Aleksandar Rakic in December 2019.
Admittedly, the No. 9-ranked contender has been facing the cream of the crop, losing to elite talents Jiri Prochazka and Magomed Ankalaev in that time.
Paul Craig vs. Volkan Oezdemir Final Betting Analysis:
Submission master vs. knockout artist — this one’s unlikely to see the final bell.
One of the big questions surrounding this is how Paul Craig can get the fight to the mat.
Oezdemir has tremendous balance and is very difficult to elevate and dump, but has fallen to well-transitioned trips and sweeps in sequence.
Paul Craig can probably compete with Oezdemir on the feet if he can stay on the outside, but he hasn’t shown an ability to cause enough damage there to match what Oezdemir can do with fewer chances inside the pocket.
It’s when Oezdemir pushes his way in that Craig must take his opportunities to clinch up and either create openings for himself to get in his strikes.
From there, once he gains some respect the takedowns become slightly easier, and mixing it up is key but Craig is likely to find a way to create scrambles and drag Oezdemir down with him.
UFC Fight Night: Ľudovít Klein vs. Mason Jones
Why Bet on Ľudovít Klein
Ludovit Klein (18-4) destroyed Shane Young in his UFC debut to extend his win streak to eight, only to fall to Mike Trizano and Nate Landwehr in quick succession.
A move to Lightweight appeared to be just what the doctor ordered, as he fought his way to a split decision over Devonte Smith.
His 16 professional finishes are split evenly between knockouts and submissions.
Why Bet on Mason Jones
Unbowed by a “Fight of the Night” debut loss to Mike Davis, Mason Jones (11-1) took Alan Patrick apart before settling for a no contest due to an eye poke.
There was no such controversy in his third UFC bout, a three-round slugfest with David Onama that saw Jones emerge victorious via decision.
He steps in for Ignacio Bahamondes, who was slated to face Klein at UFC 277 before running into visa issues, on just over a week’s notice.
Ľudovít Klein vs. Mason Jones Final Betting Analysis:
Jones isn’t exactly a defensive wizard himself, but his relentless forward advance and judo prowess present issues that Klein has struggled with in the past.
Even if you believe that Klein deserved the decision against Trizano, the Landwehr fight showed a serious inability to deal with pressure.
Klein is a superior overall striker to Jones and will put him to sleep if he can land one of his patented head kicks.
It just seems more likely that Jones doggedly pursues him until the gas tank starts to give out, then pours on combination punches and takedowns to seal the deal.
UFC Fight Night: Marc Diakiese vs. Damir Hadžović
Why Bet on Marc Diakiese
After starting his UFC career 3-0, Mark Diakiese (15-5) bounced back from a three-fight skid with consecutive decisions over Joe Duffy and Lando Vannata.
Though he proceeded to drop back-to-back bouts to Rafael Fiziev and Rafael Alves, he returned to the win column in March 2022, grinding out Contender Series graduate, Viacheslav Borshchev.
Why Bet on Damir Hadžović
Damir Hadzovic (14-6) has assembled a 4-4 UFC record over six years in the promotion, highlighted by his brutal come-from-behind knockout of Marcin Held.
“The Bosnian Bomber” has fought just once in the last two years, a decision over Yancy Medeiros in June 2021.
His 10 professional finishes include seven knockouts.
Marc Diakiese vs. Damir Hadžović Final Betting Analysis:
As underwhelming as Diakiese can be when compared to his early flashes of potential, he’s got all the tools to win this fairly easily.
His height, reach and long-range kickboxing gives him the edge in a stand-up battle, one exacerbated by the fact that he’s far too durable for Hadzovic to turn things around with one big shot.
Diakiese is also willing and able to grind people into oblivion if the option’s available.
UFC Fight Night: Nathaniel Wood vs. Charles Rosa
Why Bet on Nathaniel Wood
Nathaniel Wood (17-5) lived up to his “The Prospect” nickname with stoppage wins in each of his first three UFC bouts, one of which earned him “Performance of the Night.”
He’s 1-2 since a decision over John Castaneda sandwiched between losses to John Dodson and Casey Kenney.
This marks both his first appearance in nearly two years and his first Featherweight bout since 2016.
Why Bet on Charles Rosa
Boston’s Charles Rosa (14-7) alternated wins and losses for 11 consecutive UFC appearances, a stretch that lasted more than seven years.
The run finally came to an end in January 2022 when he followed a loss to Damon Jackson with another one to T.J. Brown.
He has scored eight submission wins as a professional.
Nathaniel Wood vs. Charles Rosa Final Betting Analysis:
Despite closing in on a decade in the Octagon, Rosa has yet to address the gaping hole in his game that lost him his debut against Dennis Siver.
He’s decent on the feet and can do some nice work from the top, but his complete inability to stop a takedown means that anyone with half-decent wrestling can take those skills out of the equation.
Unfortunately for him, Wood has half-decent wrestling.
Honestly, though, he probably won’t need it.
Wood’s the better overall striker of the two and lands more than twice as many significant strikes per minute.
And since Rosa’s offensive wrestling isn’t sufficient to down a man who held Casey Kenney to two of six completed takedowns, Wood essentially gets to choose where he wins this.
UFC Fight Night: Makwan Amirkhani vs. Jonathan Pearce
Why Bet on Makwan Amirkhani
Makwan Amirkhani’s (17-7) 6-2 UFC start gave way to three straight losses, capped off by a brutal knockout courtesy of Lerone Murphy.
“Mr. Finland” proved he was still a threat in March 2022, however, choking out Mike Grundy in just 57 seconds to earn his third “Performance of the Night” bonus.
Twelve of his 13 professional stoppages have come via submission.
Why Bet on Jonathan Pearce
Jonathan Pearce (12-4) graduated from Contender Series with a dominant finish over Jacob Rosales, only to fall to Joe Lauzon 93 seconds into his UFC debut.
Subsequent efforts proved more fruitful, and he enters the cage this Saturday amid a three-fight win streak.
Makwan Amirkhani vs. Jonathan Pearce Final Betting Analysis:
This goes one of two ways: either Amirkhani drags Pearce down and taps him in the first few minutes or Pearce snowballs to victory in the later rounds.
Both seem plenty feasible.
Amirkhani has a history of quick finishes, including that one over Grundy, while Pearce got overwhelmed by Lauzon right off the bat.
On the other side, Amirkhani’s career is littered with late collapses.
Even if Amirkhani does find early grappling success, he does so little from the top that Pearce should have little issue recapturing the momentum through sheer activity.
As long as he doesn’t give Amirkhani his neck, expect Pearce to wear him down for a late finish.
UFC Fight Night: Muhammad Mokaev vs. Charles Johnson
Why Bet on Muhammad Mokaev
Muhammad Mokaev (7-0) followed his perfect (23-0) amateur career with a 5-0 (1 NC) professional start, three of those wins coming inside the distance.
His UFC debut pitted him against Cody Durden, whom Mokaev dispatched via club-and-sub 58 seconds into the first round.
Why Bet on Charles Johnson
Following a brief stint in professional boxing, Charles Johnson (11-2) returned to the cage in 2021 and claimed LFA’s interim Flyweight title soon after.
He defended the belt with a knockout of Joao Camilo, then celebrated his upgrade to full champion by defeating Carlos Mota is an absolute war.
He’s ended eight professional fights inside the distance, five via strikes.
Muhammad Mokaev vs. Charles Johnson Final Betting Analysis:
Johnson is a genuinely tough test for Mokaev, not just because of his experience and credentials, but due to his skillset.
“InnerG” moves, strikes, and scrambles well; he’s not someone Mokaev can just take down once before calling it a day.
The 21-year-old will have to work for it, but he is up to the task, though.
Johnson’s bad habits, like getting back to the fence and throwing naked low kicks from punching range, offer a whole lot of opportunities for a wrestler as relentless as Mokaev.
Even if Johnson can avoid Mokaev’s submissions and get back to his feet, he’s not going to get much done before Mokaev sits him right back down.
In short, he wrestles Johnson to death for the full 15 minutes.
UFC Fight Night: Jai Herbert vs. Kyle Nelson
Why Bet on Jai Herbert
Three fights into his UFC career, Jai Herbert (11-4) finally made it into the win column with a first-round knockout of Khama Worthy.
He looked poised to make it two straight after dropping the heavily-favored Ilia Topuria with a head kick but wound up falling victim to a lethal overhand right early in the second round.
All but one of his pro victories have come inside the distance, nine of those via knockout.
Why Bet on Kyle Nelson
Kyle Nelson (13-4) brought a six-fight win streak into the Octagon that included a 63-second knockout of Khama Worthy in 2017.
He currently sits at 1-3 in the world’s largest fight promotion, most recently suffering a technical knockout loss to Billy Quarantillo.
“The Monster” fights for the first time in 22 months.
Jai Herbert vs. Kyle Nelson Final Betting Analysis:
UFC brass has not been kind to Herbert. Pitting him against Francisco Trinaldo, Renato Moicano, and the aforementioned Topuria in his first four Octagon bouts was just cruel, though Herbet did come dangerously close to stopping two of them.
Nelson seems like a much more manageable task; though a decent striker with good power, “The Monster” is a long-time Featherweight with a tendency to fall apart later in fights.
And that’s not the best skill set to have against a fleet-of-foot kickboxer with the know-how to use his six-inch reach advantage properly.
Nelson will have all kinds of issues getting into the pocket safely, which also limits his ability to get his wrestling going and take advantage of Herbert’s weak ground game.
In the end, Herbert puts him down late in the second or early in the third.
UFC Fight Night: Mandy Böhm vs. Victoria Leonardo
Why Bet on Mandy Böhm
Mandy Bohm (7-5) capped off her perfect (7-0) professional start by stopping Jade Masson-Wong for the TKO Flyweight title and subsequently beating Griet Eeckhout in her Bellator debut.
This led to a 2021 UFC debut against Ariane Lipski, who out-struck “The Monster” to hand her her first professional defeat.
She has knocked out and submitted two professional foes apiece.
Why Bet on Victoria Leonardo
Victoria Leonardo (8-4) left Invicta FC on a win before pounding out the favored Chelsea Hackett to secure a UFC contract on the Contender Series. She’s still looking for her first Octagon victory, having suffered stoppage losses to Manon Fiorot and Melissa Gatto.
Mandy Böhm vs. Victoria Leonardo Final Betting Analysis:
If losses can age well, Leonardo’s fit the bill.
Miranda Maverick and Erin Blanchfield account for her other two defeats, meaning she’s only fallen short against high-level opponents.
I’m not convinced Bohm fits that description; though decently mobile, she couldn’t keep the shorter Lipski off of her or exploit her historically weak takedown defense.
This looks to be the fight where Leonardo’s wrestling can come into play for the first time since the win over Hackett.
So long as she stays on the front foot and doesn’t let Bohm rack up free strikes, she grinds out her first UFC victory.
UFC Fight Night: Nicolas Dalby vs. Claudio Silva
Why Bet on Nicolas Dalby
Three years after leaving UFC’s roster, Nicolas Dalby (19-4) came up big in his return by out-dueling Alex “Cowboy” Oliveira.
A 1-1 (1 NC) run followed, which most recently saw him lose a decision to Tim Means in June 2021.
He boasts a 3.5-inch reach advantage despite being the shorter man.
Why Bet on Claudio Silva
It took him more than five years, but Claudio Silva (14-3) worked his way to an undefeated (5-0) UFC start that featured a split decision over Leon Edwards.
He now finds himself winless since 2019 thanks to consecutive decision losses to James Krause and Court McGee.
He’s submitted 10 professional opponents and knocked out one other.
Nicolas Dalby vs. Claudio Silva Final Betting Analysis:
Dalby’s skill and heart are never to be questioned, but the man can’t start fast to save his life.
He had one stretch in the Octagon where he got dropped in three consecutive first rounds, and his takedown defense likewise needs five or so minutes to get warmed up.
Not a great problem to have against “Hannibal.”
Old, one-dimensional, and figured-out though the Brazilian may be, he’s still damn good on the mat.
This match-up just gives the same vibes as Dalby’s run-in with Jesse Ronson, the sense that Dalby’s going to get caught cold before his myriad advantages can come into play.
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