[JIBBBY]

Best betting odds - https://fightodds.io/mma-events/4469...-vs-spann/odds

[JIBBBY]

Prelim write ups.. MMA MANIA -





155 lbs.: Rafael Alves vs. Nurullo Aliev

After four fight cancelations and a decision loss to Damir Ismagulov, Rafael Alves (20-11) claimed his first UFC victory by choking out Marc Diakiese in just 108 seconds. Then came Drew Dober, who stopped “The Turn” with a third round body shot at UFC 277.
He has submitted eight professional foes and knocked out another seven.
Nurullo Aliev (7-0) capped off his time on the European circuit with a decision over Kirill Kryukov on a combination AMC/Eagle FC show. Initial plans to join Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) turned into a Contender Series opportunity, which “Tajik Eagle” made the most of by pounding out Josh Wick late in the first frame.
He stands two inches taller than Alves and boasts a four-inch reach advantage.
The question here is how well Aliev can walk a tightrope. As physically gifted as Alves is, there’s no real connective tissue in his game, nothing he can lean on when the big flashy attacks and killer guillotine fail. Aliev’s is a much more consistent approach, and he’s a sufficiently strong wrestler to execute it against UFC-level opposition. If he can consistently get inside and glue himself to Alves against the fence, “The Turn’s” explosiveness can’t save him.
Just because Alves can’t set up his attacks doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous, though, and Aliev can definitely get a bit deer-in-headlights under fire. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Alves repeat his Diakiese victory by clipping Aliev and snatching up a choke as he shoots. More likely, though, relentless takedowns let Aliev grind him into paste.
Prediction: Aliev via unanimous decision
Related
Up Next! Krylov Battles ‘Superman’ In Sin City!

135 lbs.: Hailey Cowan vs. Ailin Perez

Hailey Cowan (7-2) rebounded from a decision loss to Kelly Clayton with a submission win in her Invicta debut, setting up a Contender Series opportunity against Claudia Leite. Despite a rough second round, Cowan out-lasted Leite to win a split decision and UFC contract.
“All Hail” will have three inches of height and one inch of reach on “Fiona.”
Ailin Perez (7-2) — whose only prior defeat came via disqualification against future UFC competitor Tamires Vidal — joined UFC in 2022 and geared up for a debut against Zarah Fairn. When “Infinite” withdrew, Perez instead took on Stephane Egger, who choked out the Argentinean in Paris.
Five of her professional wins have come inside the distance, four of them via knockout.
I normally use the term “car crash” approvingly when discussing a match, but this is more like a fender bender in a school zone. Both women do their best work in the clinch, meaning there’s a good chance we see long stretches of inactivity against the fence.
Though Cowan’s physical strength is a distinct advantage, I actually favor Perez here. She strikes me as the more natural striker of the two and she’s much more dangerous from the top, making her the likelier of the two to catch the judges’ eyes whenever they aren’t stalemated. I say her aggression wins the day in a competitive and at-times dull affair.
Prediction: Perez via unanimous decision
Related
Stream UFC, Fight Night, PPV Events and Best of UFC Archives on ESPN+

135 lbs.: Jose Johnson vs. Garrett Armfield

Impressive stoppages of Mo Miller and Dulani Perry earned Jose Johnson (15-7) a second shot on Contender Series, where he’d previously lost a decision to Ronnie Lawrence. This time around, he weathered Jack Cartwright’s wrestling contract to win a decision and punch his ticket to the Octagon.
He’ll enjoy six inches of height and two inches of reach on Garrett Armfield (8-3).
After putting together a 6-1 run, Armfield stepped up on short notice to face former amateur rival David Onama at Featherweight. Though ambitious, the move failed to pay dividends, as he succumbed to an arm triangle in the second round.
His eight professional wins include seven by stoppage.
I’m quite looking forward to this one, actually. Both men are dogged, technically adept, and entertaining finishers.
I’ve gone back-and-forth, but at the end of the day, I think Armfield gets it done. While he’ll definitely have issues with Johnson’s length, “Lobo Solitario’s” tendency to shell up under fire should give Armfield plenty of chances to get his combination punching going. Plus, Johnson’s strong top game is offset by fairly weak takedowns, so as long as Armfield doesn’t take a bad shot like he did against Onama, there shouldn’t be much stopping him from keeping it in his wheelhouse. While a one-hitter quitter or sudden sub from Johnson isn’t out of the question, I like Armfield’s hands to win the day.
Prediction: Armfield via unanimous decision
Related
‘Miner’ Betting Favorite Over ‘Superman’

155 lbs.: Joe Solecki vs. Carl Deaton III

Joe Solecki’s (12-3) six-fight win streak, which included three Octagon victories, came to an end at the hands of Jared Gordon in 2021. He got back on track against Alex da Silva in June 2022, surviving an early knockdown to take home a majority decision.
Seven of his eight professional finishes have come via submission.
Carl Deaton’s (17-5) Professional Fighters League (PFL) bid saw him drop a split decision to Alejandro Flores for his second consecutive defeat. He’s since gone on to win two straight, including a decision over UFC veteran Justin Jaynes.
He takes this fight on little more than one week’s notice, as Solecki was originally scheduled to fight Benoit Saint-Denis last weekend.
With all due respect to Deaton, he’s nowhere near the stylistic threat that Saint-Denis was. He can’t stand up to Solecki’s wrestling the way “God of War” could have and his striking is nowhere near dangerous enough to compensate. If you can’t consistently deny Solecki’s takedowns or stop him on the feet before he gets a chance to test your grappling, you’re not beating him.
Deaton is admittedly difficult to finish, but Solecki’s more than capable of grinding him out for 15 minutes if the rear-naked choke isn’t there. And odds are it will be.
Prediction: Solecki via first round submission


125 lbs.: Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Gabriella Fernandes

Jasmine Jasudavicius (7-2) followed her Contender Series victory over Julia Polastri by upsetting Kay Hansen in her UFC debut. Her next assignment pitted her against Natalia Silva, who outstruck the Niagara Top Team product to snap her three-fight winning streak.
She stands an inch taller than “Gabi” at 5’7.”
Gabriella Fernandes (8-1) defeated future hot prospect Iasmin Lucindo in her professional debut, only to fall to eventual Contender Series hopeful, Maria Silva, three months later. Her current seven-fight win streak includes three in Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA), where she captured the interim Flyweight title by choking out Karoline Martins.
She steps in for Cortney Casey on one month’s notice.
This is a test of whether Jasudavicius learned anything from that loss to Silva. Though not quite as quick or dynamic as her fellow Brazilian, Fernandes offers a similar blend of powerful kicks and combination punching that figures to give the lumbering Jasudavicius fits.
Jasudavicius’ best chance lies in her wrestling, as Fernandes hasn’t shown off much of a ground game and doesn’t move laterally the way Silva did. That said, “Gabi’s” kickboxing gives her enough of an edge on the feet to earn my vote.
Prediction: Fernandes via unanimous decision
Related
Krylov Vs Spann Tops ‘Fight Night’ Card On Feb. 25

155 lbs.: Jordan Leavitt vs. Victor Martinez

Four months after beating Luke Flores to earn a UFC contract, Jordan Leavitt (10-2) secured his first Octagon victory and a post-fight bonus by slamming Matt Wiman unconscious. He’s 2-2 since, most recently suffering a career-first submission loss to Paddy Pimblett.
Six of his seven professional stoppage wins have come via submission.
Victor Martinez (13-3) capped off a six-fight winning streak by knocking out Luis Luna in his Combate debut. Though he missed out on a Contender Series berth in 2020, he ultimately got his shot a year later, outlasting Jacob Rosales to win a unanimous decision and secure a contract.
“The Brick” gives up an inch of height and reach to “The Monkey King.”
This is one of those fun matchups where both men have the tools to exploit the others’ biggest weakness. Martinez is prone to surrendering takedowns and giving up his back, both of which Leavitt is happy to exploit, but he’s also got the boxing chops to punish Leavitt’s poor striking. It’s competitive not in the sense that they’ll be consistently deadlocked, but because each will dominate in his wheelhouse.
I’m leaning toward Leavitt. He’s not the best wrestler out there, but he can be admirably persistent when he wants to be, and Martinez only needs to slip up once for Leavitt to find his neck.
Prediction: Leavitt via first round submission
Related
‘Miner’ Betting Favorite Over ‘Superman’

125 lbs.: Ode Osbourne vs. Charles Johnson

A decision over C.J. Vergara and 61-second knockout of Zarrukh Adashev earned Ode Osbourne (11-5) his first multi-fight win streak since 2019. The momentum wasn’t to last, as an ill-advised flying knee attempt allowed Tyson Nam to put “The Jamaican Sensation” to sleep for the first time in his professional career.
His nine finishes are split 4/5 between knockouts and submissions.
Charles Johnson’s (13-3) one-sided decision loss to Muhammad Mokaev and controversial victory over Zhalgas Zhumagulov left him struggling to establish himself as a contender. Stepping up on short notice to fight Jimmy Flick wound up being just the ticket, as he stopped the returning “Brick” late in the first round.
He replaces Denys Bondar on less than two weeks’ notice for his second fight in under two months.
If both of these men fight to the best of their abilities, we’re in for a high-octane war. Thing is, both are prone to some highly questionable decision-making, from Osbourne handing Nam that overhand right on a silver platter to Johnson sleepwalking through the first two rounds against Zhumagulov. It seems inevitable that one guy’s wheels will fall off at some point.
For my money, Johnson’s got more wiggle room. He’s never been stopped and gets stronger as the fight goes along, while Osbourne completely ran out of steam against Vergara. So long as Johnson keeps the pedal somewhat near the metal, he should steadily overwhelm Osbourne to a late stoppage.
Prediction: Johnson via third round technical knockout

[JIBBBY]

Live weigh ins -

[JIBBBY]

205 lbs.: Nikita Krylov vs. Ryan Spann

Nikita “The Miner” Krylov

Record: 29-9 | Age: 30 | Betting line: -170
Wins: 12 KO/TKO, 15 SUB, 2 DEC | Losses: 1 KO/TKO, 6 SUB, 2 DEC
Height: 6’3“ | Reach: 77” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.45 | Striking accuracy: 55%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 2.50 | Striking Defense: 44%
Takedown Average: 2.11 (35% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 53%
Current Ranking: No. 6 | Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Volkan Oezdemir
Ryan “Superman” Spann

Record: 21-7 | Age: 31 | Betting line: +145
Wins: 6 KO/TKO, 12 SUB, 3 DEC | Losses: 3 KO/TKO, 2 SUB, 2 DEC
Height: 6’5“ | Reach: 79” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 3.42 | Striking accuracy: 44%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.42 | Striking Defense: 48%
Takedown Average: 1.46 (35% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 50%
Current Ranking: No. 8 | Last fight: Knockout win over Dominick Reyes
I know it’s hip to bash UFC for putting together these ho-hum main events on equally ho-hum ESPN+ fight cards but light heavyweight bangers Nikita Krylov and Ryan Spann are both ranked in the Top 10 of their division and coming off back-to-back wins over solid competition, so I’m not sure there’s much to complain about as we head into this weekend’s festivities — unless you’re clamoring for more Jake Paul articles.
No? Neither am I.
Krylov first made his UFC debut as a heavyweight back in summer 2013, dropping an ugly knockout loss to Australian bruiser Soa Palelei. “The Miner,” who was previously nicknamed “Al Capone” for reasons not quite understood, eventually transitioned to light heavyweight and went on a 5-2 run before bailing on UFC in Feb. 2017 — with one fight remaining on his contract — to compete in Russia where he could be closer to his one year-old son. The results were impressive as Krylov racked up four straight wins with four straight finishes. Reinvigorated, the Ukrainian re-signed with UFC in late 2019 but stumbled out of the gate once again, falling to Jan Blachowicz by submission.
“The Miner” has since gone 4-3 but remains ranked at No. 6.
That’s just two spots above Spann, who cut his teeth on Season 2 of Dana White’s “Contender Series” back in June 2018. Including that submission win over Emiliano Sordi, “Superman” was off to the races with a torrid five-fight win streak that included three finishes. Unfortunately it would all go to waste courtesy of a knockout loss to hot-and-cold light heavyweight striker Johnny Walker. Spann would put together a 3-1 record in the two years that followed his loss to the Brazilian and recently put Dominick Reyes on ice with a blistering first-round knockout. I’m not overlooking the fact that Reyes has been mired in one of the biggest collapses in the history of the 205-pound division, but Spann’s performance was impressive nonetheless.
So who wins this weekend in “Sin City”
Krylov and Spann are similar in that so many of their fights — both wins and losses — are chaotic, violent, and frequently ugly affairs. I’m not a big fan of sloppy bar fights but sometimes they produce Barry-Kongo finishes that can have you on the edge of your seat. Spann is not a knockout artist regardless of what he did against Reyes and Krylov has proven he can withstand heavy fire. He’s also proven that he can make boneheaded decisions on defense, or simply abandon it altogether when the shit hits the proverbial fan, which is why I expect “Superman” to save his own day with a sneaky submission somewhere in the second round.
Prediction: Spann def. Krylov by submission
Related
Caution! Watch Fighter Fall Off Top Of Cage Trying To Celebrate






185 lbs.: Andre Muniz vs. Brendan Allen

Andre “Sergipano“ Muniz

Record: 23-4 | Age: 33 | Betting line: -205
Wins: 4 KO/TKO, 15 SUB, 4 DEC | Losses: 4 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 0 DEC
Height: 6’1“ | Reach: 78” | Stance: Southpaw
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 1.91 | Striking accuracy: 55%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 1.45 | Striking Defense: 52%
Takedown Average: 3.71 (40% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 45%
Current Ranking: No. 11 | Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Uriah Hall
Brendan “All In” Allen

Record: 20-5 | Age: 27 | Betting line: +175
Wins: 5 KO/TKO, 11 SUB, 4 DEC | Losses: 2 KO/TKO, 1 SUB, 2 DEC
Height: 6’2“ | Reach: 75” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 3.99 | Striking accuracy: 55%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 4.01 | Striking Defense: 44%
Takedown Average: 1.31 (44% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 50%
Current Ranking: Unranked | Last fight: Submission win over Krzysztof Jotko
Submitting Ronaldo Souza and breaking his arm is like knocking out Alex Pereira and breaking his jaw. It’s beating one of the promotion’s most feared competitors at his own game and that pretty much put Andre Muniz on the map back in May 2021. There was talk of “Sergipano” becoming a one-hit wonder but he followed up his “Jacare” win with consecutive victories over Eryk Anders and Uriah Hall. Those performances left Muniz at 5-0 under the UFC banner and 7-0 when you factor in his back-to-back wins on Dana White’s “Contender Series,” one of which took place for the “Brazil” version of the show. That’s the good news. The bad news is Muniz strikes about as well as you would expect a submission specialist to strike and all four of his losses have ended by way of knockout
Brendan Allen is a formidable grappler in his own right and an aggressive attacker with solid wrestling. I’ve seen him compared to Sean Strickland — sans psychosis — which may have contributed to his “Tarzan” loss back in late 2020. Allen is a graduate of Season 3 of Dana White’s “Contender Series” and stands at 8-2 inside the Octagon. On paper that would seem like a big enough achievement to earn a Top 15 ranking but both times Allen was able to get something going, he spoiled it with an untimely loss. That includes his technical knockout defeat to Chris Curtis in late 2021 but to his credit, “All In” has rebounded with three straight victories over good (but not great) competition. His only knockout as a UFC fighter came against the unheralded Tom Breese in Feb. 2020 so I don’t expect Muniz to be in any real danger on the feet — not that he’ll spend much time there.
Allen is an aggressive, durable fighter who can probably win this contest if he can avoid the submission traps. I just can’t shake that memory of him getting out-wrestled and out-controlled by Jacob Malkoun at UFC 275. Perhaps if Allen had the kind of knockout power to prevent Muniz from charging this would have a different feel, but there’s really nothing he can offer to keep the Brazilian at bay. Unless “Sergipano” runs out of gas by spamming takedowns or walks into a perfectly-timed bomb, he's likely to score an early submission.
Prediction: Muniz def. Allen by submission

[Nate rasta]

Was there a line error on the Osborne fight? Osborne was the underdog on the books but was listed as the favorite before the fight on the broadcast?

[JIBBBY]

Fighters taking some solid ball shots tonight...

[JIBBBY]

Main event cancelled. Garbage! I had good money riding on Krylov.

[Nate rasta]

That's fukin wack, why?

[DiggityDaggityDo]

Main event cancelled. Garbage! I had good money riding on Krylov.

Really?

Fuk

[DiggityDaggityDo]

Main event cancelled. Garbage! I had good money riding on Krylov.

Looks like Krylov has an illness.

Just be glad be pulled out instead of trying to fight sick.

[JIBBBY]

That's fukin wack, why?

The Russian ate some rotten garbage that rocked his stomach so they say.

I think he just had a really bad weight cut and couldn't do the fight if I had to guess. He cuts a bunch a weight.

[JIBBBY]

Looks like Krylov has an illness.

Just be glad be pulled out instead of trying to fight sick.

That's true.. Good point.

[JIBBBY]

Boring HW fight. Sakai and Hayes.

If I wanted to see 2 grown men hug each other for 3 rounds I would watch Broke Back Mountain movie instead.

Garbage!

[coop-dog]

Boring HW fight. Sakai and Hayes.

If I wanted to see 2 grown men hug each other for 3 rounds I would watch Broke Back Mountain movie instead.

Garbage!

what you betting for next match i wanna tail u sir

[JIBBBY]

what you betting for next match i wanna tail u sir

Muniz, he's to good on the ground. Damian Maia 2.0..

[DiggityDaggityDo]

I need Muniz to cash out 3 parlays.

[coop-dog]

Muniz, he's to good on the ground. Damian Maia 2.0..

so just take him to win by sub east peasy?

[JIBBBY]

so just take him to win by sub east peasy?

Sub probably. I paid the juice and took him straight. The safe play.

[DiggityDaggityDo]

I think Muniz will win by decision.

But I just have him straight for the parlays.

[coop-dog]

allen has hands get this shit on ground

[coop-dog]

not looking good gents

[Optional]

I need Muniz to cash out 3 parlays.

I know someone else in exactly the same boat.

[coop-dog]

I know someone else in exactly the same boat.

seems the whole world was on muniz dam

[JIBBBY]

Unbelievable. Allen better on the ground. Muniz better standing. Oh well. Damn it!

[Nate rasta]

Damn big upset didn't see that happening

[DiggityDaggityDo]

I know someone else in exactly the same boat.

Well shit

[Nate rasta]

They said Krylov had food sickness.smh smoke some weed and drink some electrolytes.

[Art Vandelay]

Someone bet $117K to win $60K on Muniz... Ouch!