In the UFC Fight Night 222 Main Event UFC veteran and collegiate wrestler Curtis Blaydes takes on surging Russian powerhouse Sergei Pavlovich. This is a massive fight in a wide-open UFC Heavyweight division that needs fresh contenders. Blaydes is on a three-fight win streak and is one of the only fighters at Heavyweight who can match up favorably with the wrestling of current Champion Jon Jones. Pavlovich has been on a tear since 2018 winning five fights in a row by first-round knockout. In the Co-Main event, Hawaiian native Brad Tavares takes on the always-dangerous Bruno Silva in a potentially entertaining Middleweight contest. Also on the Main Card, MMA veteran Bobby Green faces a very tough opponent in Kill Cliff FC product Jared Gordon.
No.4 Curtis Blaydes (17-3) vs No.3 Sergei Pavlovich (17-1)
Perennial Heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes is set to face up-and-coming finisher Sergei Pavlovich in the UFC Fight Night 222 Main Event. Blaydes is entering his seventeenth fight in the promotion and has been ranked inside the top ten of the UFC Heavyweight division since 2017. Blaydes holds impressive wins in the UFC over Former Champion Junior Dos Santos, Mark Hunt, Alistair Overeem, and Tom Aspinall. Pavlovich shares a common opponent with Blaydes in Alistair Overeem. Overeem handed Pavlovich his first professional loss in his UFC debut. Pavlovich has not tasted defeat since that matchup with Overeem but was taken down and finished by ground and pound in that fight.
Blaydes may look at the success Overeem had against Pavlovich and formulate a similar game plan. Blaydes is a far superior wrestler than Pavlovich and will likely attempt to take the fight down early. Pavlovich is extremely dangerous in the first round and possesses serious punching power. On his five-fight finish streak, Pavlovich defeated fan favorites Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa in the first round. Currently, Blaydes is trending as a slight betting favorite (-175) at online sportsbooks.
Pavlovich will want to keep this fight standing where he can utilize his boxing skills and reach advantage. Blaydes may struggle to continuously take Pavlovich down over twenty-five minutes, due to his large physical frame. This is a highly competitive Main Event that could propel the winner into a title opportunity against champion Jon Jones.
Brad Tavares (19-8) vs Bruno Silva (22-8)
In the Co-Main event, Brad Tavares meets well-rounded Brazilian fighter, Bruno Silva. Tavares has been under contract with the UFC since 2010 and has experienced mixed results with the promotion. Tavares has struggled at times against the division’s elite but holds impressive wins over Phil Baroni, Lorenz Larkin, and Antonio Carlos Junior. Silva showed tremendous heart in his recent contest against former Middleweight champion Alex Pereira, going the distance in a three-round war. Silva took significant damage in that fight and did not look the same when he returned against Gerald Meerschaert. Before his recent setbacks, Silva was on a seven-fight win streak with victories over former Bellator Champion Alexander Shlemenko, Wellington Turman, and Jordan Wright.
Both fighters are known as aggressive strikers, which could lead to a fan-friendly contest on the feet. Tavares has faced tougher competition over his career having fought three former champions or title contenders. Silva needs a win to get back on track after dropping two in a row and has tremendous potential for a 185-pound prospect. Of Silva’s 22 professional wins 19 have come by way of knockout. The winner of this fight should find themselves facing a ranked opponent next.
Bobby Green (29-14) vs Jared Gordon (19-6)
A battle of veteran Lightweights is set for the UFC Fight Night 222 main card as Bobby “King” Green takes on Jared “Truck” Gordon. Green is entering his 21st fight with the promotion, originally coming to the UFC as a member of the Strikeforce buyout in 2013. Green is a quick and athletic fighter who has good boxing and tremendous hand speed. Gordon is 7-5 in the UFC and recently fought popular British up-and-comer Paddy Pimblett. Gordon performed well enough to win in that matchup but the judges made one of the most controversial decisions in recent memory and sided with Pimblett. In his career, Gordon holds wins over Bill Algeo, Danny Chavez, and Leonardo Santos.
Green will want to keep this fight standing where he will have a significant advantage in speed. Gordon is a brown belt under respected Jiu-Jitsu coach John Danaher and may attempt to take Green down. Utilizing his accomplished grappling would be Gordon’s easiest path to victory, although he has shown improvements with his striking in recent contests. Currently Green is trending as a slight favorite (-260) at online sportsbooks.
UFC Fight Night 222 Prelims:
On the UFC Fight Night 222 prelims Ultimate fighter winner Mohammed Usman (9-2) returns against Junior Tafa (4-0). Usman is the older brother of former Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman and a former college football player at the University of Arizona. Usman won the Ultimate Fighter reality show by finishing Zac Pauga by devastating knockout. Tafa is making his UFC debut this weekend but has finished all of his previous contests by knockout.
Also on the UFC Fight Night 222 prelims, Matthew Semelsberger (11-4) will fight Jeremiah Wells (11-2) in a highly competitive Welterweight matchup. Semelsberger defeated highly touted prospect Jake Matthews in December and will be the taller fighter by four inches. Wells is on a five-fight winning streak and is (3-0) with three finishes in his UFC career. Wells stopped longtime UFC fighter Court McGee in his last fight and is dangerous standing and on the ground with five knockouts and four submissions.
UFC Fight Night 222 prelims will start at 3 p.m. CST with the main card beginning at 6 p.m. CST.
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