UFC on ESPN 70: Derrick Lewis vs. Tallison Teixeira
The UFC Nashville card is set to be highlighted with a bunch of heavy hitters. And when I say heavy, I do mean heavy. Derrick Lewis takes on Tallison Teixeira, who has just 35 seconds of fight time in the UFC. Xicao is set to headline his first fight card opposite Derrick Lewis, a man who can shut your lights out in just a few seconds and then make a comment in the after speech that sends fans into raptures.
While Lewis vs. Teixeira is definitely the fight to look forward to, the rest of the card is not so bad either. Stephen Wonderboy Thompson makes a return, as well as Calvin Kattar, one of the best standup specialists in the UFC. Time to break down the entire card as I provide you with all the tips you need to enjoy it.
Heavyweight: Derrick Lewis vs. Tallison Teixeira
The main event of the Nashville card will see the sturdy veteran Derrick Lewis take on Tallison Teixeira, who will have only his second fight in the UFC. Being that Teixeira finished Justin Tafa in just 35 seconds in his debut fight, it immediately qualified him for the main event spot.
He will be facing the one and only Derrick Lewis, the Black Beast, legendary for his walk-off KOs. However, going up against a much younger and equally tough Teixeira is going to be a problem. We predict this one ending in favour of Xicao with a marquee knockout of his own.
Welterweight: Steven Thompson vs. Gabriel Bonfim
The co-main event of the evening features a welterweight fight between Stephen Thompson vs. Gabriel Bonfim. Wonderboy is 42 years of age and will be fighting for the 21st time in the UFC. Unfortunately, his record of 1-4 in his last five bouts does not make him a favourite in this matchup. At the same time Gabriel Bonfim is a ground specialist, something that Thomspon has had trouble in the past.
Bonfim recorded 13 submission wins in his career during his 17-1 career. A win over a legend like Wonderboy could make him a ranked fighter come Monday. We predict Bonfim easily submitting Thompson in this one.
Featherweight: Calvin Kattar vs. Steve Garcia
Don’t miss out on the featherweight scrap between Calvin Kattar and Steve Garcia. Another UFC veteran will appear on the Nashville card. Calvin Kattar, the Boston Finisher, will try to get away from the worst slump of his career as he battles Steve Garcia. Kattar is on a four-fight losing streak, and this fight could be do or die for him.
Opposite him is a highly touted prospect and a true finisher. Garica has an MMA record of 17-5, 14 of which have been earned via KO/TKO. He is a dangerous fighter who is on a five-fight win streak, all of them finishes. Probably one of the most dangerous fights in the worst of times for Kattar, but we think that Garcia manages to take Kattar out and becomes the first fighter to finish him in the octagon.
UFC PPV
The UFC pay-per-view events are the pinnacle of the organisation. These events involve carefully matched fight cards where only the best fighters in the business get to appear. These events happen at least once a month, so be prepared for stacked cards, allowing you to make the most interesting UFC predictions among them all.
UFC PPV events are labelled numerically, with the latest one being UFC 292, in which Sean O’Malley became the newest Bantamweight champion. Events that we are looking forward to is UFC 293, which will be headlined by the fight for the Middleweight strap between the reigning champion Israel Adesanya and contender Sean Strickland.
Each UFC PPV event has a title card as its main card. Lately, there are usually two title fights, with a secondary one acting as the co-main event. The main card also consists of five fights, but don’t forget to check out the prelims and even the early prelims, as they may hold gems when it comes to making UFC picks tonight.
UFC Fight Night
The UFC Fight Night events are fight cards that are broadcast on regular TV, like ESPN. These include both up-and-coming fighters and veterans which are usually less popular but are not at all less thrilling to watch. While you rarely see Fight Nights being headlined by title fights, it may still happen from time to time.
For instance, Alexa Grasso vs Valentina Shevchenko 2 will be headlining a Fight Night card in September as the Bullet tries to get back her Women’s Flyweight title. Some past Fight Night cards that featured non-title main fights like Tom Aspinall vs Marcin Tybura, Josh Emmett vs Ilia Topuria and even Sean Strickland vs Abus Magomedov may not have screamed spectacle but have certainly shown that they can be interesting bouts to watch.
All in all, making UFC fight night predictions may not be as glamorous as with PPV events. However, they do have dark horse matchups that can easily turn out to be fights of the year, resulting in new, uprising title contenders.
Dana White’s Contender Series
One of the latest ideas of UFC president, Dana White, was introducing the Contender Series. It is a competition which features unsigned fighters that are fighting for a chance to get a contract and become a part of the UFC
The Contender Series is entering its seventh season, and we are expecting to see more clinical finishes as budding talents attempt to earn a contract. The idea is to impress the boss. Sometimes winning a lacklustered fight will not get you signed. So fighters have not only to win but win spectacularly if they are to get a contract.
The talent that rose through the Contender Series includes the likes of Sean O’Malley, Jo Pyfer, Ryan Spann, Jack Della Maddalena, and Bo Nickal, to name a few.
The Ultimate Fighter
Most would say that the Ultimate Fighter is what started the UFC. Before the legendary TUF 1 Finale between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar, the UFC was bleeding cash. They pulled a Hail Mary attempt and jumped on the reality TV wagon in an attempt to showcase the sport to a wider range of audiences. And it worked! Thanks to the memorable Ultimate Fighter season 1 and the brawl that earned both Griffin and Bonnar UFC contracts, the UFC is where it is today.
The Ultimate Fighter is a reality TV type show with fighters living and training in the house for a chance to win a UFC contract. There are usually two coaches that lead opposite teams as fighters fight each other in a bracket-style competition, with only the winner going home with the prize. Not only that, but in most cases, the coaches that they pick hate each other, and they too fight in the end to close out the season.
TUF 31 just ended with Michael Chandler and Connor McGregor acting as coaches. The Ultimate Fighter was able to create future champions such as Matt Serra, Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Michael Bisping, and Kamaru Usman.
How to Bet on UFC?
UFC betting differs compared to other type of sports. As this is a fight sport, two persons step into an octagon for three or five rounds to determine the winner. Matches can end in an instant or go the distance, with the judges determining the winner based on performance. It leaves a lot of room for making different kinds of UFC predictions and bet types.
The most usual one is the moneyline bet or to win bet. Here, you are simply placing a bet on a fighter you think will win. No matter the method of victory, if you choose correctly, your wager is good.
On the other hand, you can also bet on the manner a fighter will win the bout. Offered are KO, TKO, Submission, or Decision wins. If you pick correctly one of these, the odds may be higher compared to simple moneyline bets.
As in other sports, there is also an option of placing an Over/Under bet here. Over/Under bets on rounds are a typical type of bet when it comes to fight sports. You simply determine if the fight will end beneath or above a certain number of rounds.
Double chance bets are not strange when it comes to UFC predictions. A punter has to choose the victor and then can choose between two methods of victory – KO or Submission. Finally, let’s not forget about Live UFC betting. It is exactly what it sounds like as you get to bet on the markets while the bout is live and the odds change round after round.
UFC Top Fighters of All Time
The UFC is a fairly young organisation. MMA does not have as long a history as other sports have, meaning that UFC predictions can be a bit foreign to those who are not familiar with the sport. If you are a novice to making MMA predictions, you first have to get familiar with the stars of the sport.
Anderson Silva (Middleweight & Light Heavyweight)
Anderson Silva is usually touted as the legend of UFC. The Spider was one of the best fighters in the world who reigned over the Middleweight division. He still holds the longest title reign in the promotion, spanning 2,457 days. Anderson mustered 10 title defenses during his career and retired with a 34-11 record.
Jon Jones (Light Heavyweight & Heavyweight)
Next we have the infamous Jon “Bones” Jones. JBJ is regarded by many as the GOAT of the UFC if it were not for the numerous scandals that he was involved in away from the cage. But when it comes to fighting, he is undisputed. He is a two-time Light Heavyweight and the current Heavyweight champion.
Jones holds the record of being the longest-undefeated fighter in the promotion (19), has the most title fight wins (15), and is still the youngest UFC champion (at 23 years old). He holds an MMA record of 27-1, but in all earnest, the lone loss on his record should have been a win as he was disqualified due to 6-to-12 elbow punches.
Georges St-Pierre (Welterweight & Middleweight)
The person singlehandedly responsible for the boom of MMA in Canada is George “Rush” St-Pierre. He was one of the most respectful champions as he held reign over the Welterweight division for years. He retired after wining the Welterweight title two times and also came back to win the Middleweight belt as well.
St-Pierre was able to defend his belt a total of nine times and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame for his achievements. His record stands at 26-2.
Amanda Nunes (Women’s Bantamweight, Women’s Featherweight)
Amanda “The Lioness” Nunes has only recently retired. But her achievements in the promotion mark her down in history as probably the best woman to compete. She was the first women’s double champion and he won the Bantamweight belt two times, and has never lost the Featherweight strap.
She is the first woman to knock out the buggy woman of the division, Cris Cyborg, and also holds knockout wins against the likes of Holly Holm and Ronda Rousey and a submission win against Misha Tate.
Connor McGregor (Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight)
The Infamous Connor McGregor may be on the decline at the moment, but you can’t mention MMA or the UFC without thinking of him. He just might be one of the biggest stars of the sport in the modern era. He was the first to achieve double-champ status in the UFC by holding both the Featherweight and the Lightweight titles at the same time.
The brash-talking Irishman has changed the sport from its core. Many have tried to implement his style, but a few were able to match it. He is known for his thunderous left hook and sharp tongue during pre-fight conferences. At the moment, he holds a 22-6 MMA record.
UFC Weight Classes
To be able to make successful UFC predictions, you have to know more about the weight classes. The UFC has an impressive roster of 450+ fighters, with new fighters being added regularly. These men and women are divided into nine classes in total, with a champion reigning over each one and contenders chomping at the bit to topple them over.
| Men | Women |
| Class | Weight | Class | Wight |
| / | / | Strawweight | 52.2 kg/115 lb |
| Flyweight | 56.7 kg/125 lb | Flyweight | 56.7 kg/125 lb |
| Bantamweight | 61.2 kg/135 lb | Bantamweight | 61.2 kg/135 lb |
| Featherweight | 65.8 kg/145 lb | Featherweight | 65.8 kg/145 lb |
| Lightweight | 70.3 kg/155 lb | / | / |
| Welterweight | 77.1 kg/170 lb | / | / |
| Middleweight | 83.9 kg/185 lb | / | / |
| Light heavyweight | 93.0 kg/205 lb | / | / |
| Heavyweight | 120.2 kg/265 lb | / | / |
Other organisations may implement a different kind of system and have other classes, which could be important for making MMA predictions of other organisations. For instance, the smallest weightless is the female Atomweight class (105 lbs/47.6 kg). Some fighting promotions also have Super Lightweight (165 lb /74.8 kg), Super Middleweight (195 lb/88.5 kg), and even a Super Heavyweight division (No limit).
UFC Bookmakers and UFC Odds
Because the sport is still growing, it’s not completely unlikely you’ll find a bookmaker who doesn’t offer odds and markets on UFC. However, since many bookies have added UFC betting to their sites, there’s still a large amount of choice. How can you distinguish between bookmakers? Consider the following.
- Odds
- Markets
- Competitions
Let’s begin with the odds. It’s rare that odds between bookmakers will vary wildly. However, even the slightest difference in odds can cost you if you continuously take a shorter price.
It’s also a good idea to find a bookmaker who offers a range of markets. The best bookmakers for UFC betting offer a huge choice of markets, meaning you have a great opportunity to find something that suits your betting style.
If you’re looking for the best bookmakers, head to our bookmaker review guide here. You’ll find unbiased and objective reports to allow you to make an educated decision.
To find the perfect bookmaker for your UFC betting, read our detailed bookmaker reviews.
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UFC Methods Of Victory
Like in boxing, and many other sports for that matter, there are many ways to win in a UFC fight. You have many ways of beating your opponents in an UFC fight.
- Knockout/technical knockout
Despite often being displayed in the same category a knockout is by definition different from a technical one. The knockout is when the referee decides to stop the fight after a fighter is 100% unconscious. If you’re wondering what a knockout looks like, watch Kevin Lee’s head kick knockout of Gregor Gillespie and you’ll get the gist.
A technical knockout is still a “knock-out” meaning that you punch your opponent until the referee steps in, but your opponent isn’t completely unconscious, he just isn’t defending himself actively. If you’re wondering what a TKO looks like, watch Jorge Masvidal vs Donald Cerrone. It can also happen that a fighter gets a cut so that the official UFC doctor is forced to stop the fight. In a case where the doctor is forced to step in, the fight will also be labeled a TKO.
- Submission
A submission is what most jiu-jitsu practitioners use to win their fights. It simply involves forcing your opponent to tap out by twisting one of his/her limbs in a painful manner or choking your opponent unconscious. There are many different types of submissions, the most well-known is the rear-naked choke.
- Decision
In the UFC, 3 judges score each round of a fight ringside. A 10 point system is used to decide who won each round, and the winner gets 10 points. The loser of a round will get anything from 1-9 points, but anything below 7 points is not frequently used.10-9 rounds are most common in the UFC, while 10-8 also happen occasionally. 10-7 rounds are pretty rare and if you’re wondering how such a round plays out, watch Khabib Nurmagomedov’s fight with Edson Barboza. At the end of the fight, the fighter with the most points will win. However, since there are three judges, you can win different types of decisions.
The unanimous decision is when all three judges believe the same fighter won.
The majority decision is when the majority of the judges (two judges) believe the same fighter won the fight, while the third believes the fight is a draw.
And finally, the split decision; when two judges score it in favor of one fighter and the third judge scores it for the other.
- Disqualification
If the referee believes you violated one of the rules of the UFC, he/she can stop the fight and disqualify one opponent. If a fighter is disqualified the opponent will automatically win the fight. Sometimes the referee also deems the fight a no-contest, which is actually becoming more normal. Quite unfortunate for the fans.
Throughout the years, many English UFC fighters have fought in the UFC, some more well known than others. Some of the biggest English UFC fighters of all time are:
- Michael Bisping
- Darren Till
- Dan Hardy
- Brad Pickett
- Leon Edwards
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This is one of the many areas in which we differentiate ourselves from others, at bettingexpert. Every single tip posted is recorded, so you can view which predictions were correct and which weren’t. On every tipster’s profile, we create statistics to show how that tipster is doing. We show that tipster’s win rate, average stake, and average odds, placed by that tipster.
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