UFC Vegas 19- Blaydes vs Lewis: Preliminary Card Prediction and Fight Analysis

UFC Vegas 19 is headlined by heavyweights Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis and bolsters a hefty eight-fight preliminary fight card. The card comes off the back of an impressive UFC 258 pay-per-view that still has fans reeling. Let’s take a look at the preliminary card bouts that promise to deliver on Fight Night.

UFC featherweights: Jared Gordon vs Danny Chavez

‘Flash’ Gordon is 2-3 in his last five contests and coming off a win over Chris Fishgold via unanimous decision in July. He’s faced some of the best fighters on the roster, including Diego Ferreira and Charles Oliveira. His opponent, Danny Chavez, comes in with an 11-3 overall record and is riding a four-fight win streak. However, he’s only competed once in the promotion.

The bout promises a high-octane exchange that will see action right from the get-go, and the numbers back this up. Jared Gordon lands 5.55 significant strikes per minute and has a worthy strike defense count. Chiefly, Chavez will have to be economical with his offense if he is to put forth a winning performance.

Prediction: Jared Gordon to claim a first-round TKO

Lightweights: Drakkar Klose vs Luis Pena

Drakkar Klose is 5-2 in his UFC run and was building a solid momentum until he got KO’ed by Beneil Dariush. His opponent is a stand-out from AKA, who surprisingly stumbled in his last contest as well. ‘Violent Bob Ross’ is clinical on the ground and Klose will be keen to keep the fight standing.

Prediction: Luis Pena to claim a second-round submission win

Bantamweights: Eddie Wineland vs John Castaneda

Eddie Wineland is looking to bounce back from his disappointing performance that went down at UFC 250. The former WEC champion was KO’ed in his last bout against Sean O’Malley and his chin has been tested through his career. Wineland will look to cap the final phase of his lengthy career off win a massive win over 17-5 Castaneda.

Eddie Wineland is a fundamentalist orthodox striker with a comprehensive emphasis on leg kicks. Chiefly, Castaneda will have to be wary of crossing the cage against Wineland, who tends to cut off the octagon when throwing heavy. However, Wineland’s chin is a liability, especially after coming off a lethal KO to ‘Sugar’ Sean.

Prediction: Eddie Wineland to claim a unanimous decision win.

UFC featherweights: Nate Landwehr vs Julian Erosa

Nate ‘The Train’ is 14-3 as a professional and 1-1 currently under the UFC’s promotional banner. He’s facing a veteran in Julian Erosa who’s got 32 professional fights under his belt, with 24 wins overall. Erosa has long since faced several top prospects in his UFC run and he’ll be keen to extend his two-fight winning streak.

Prediction: Julian Erosa to claim a unanimous decision victory

Women’s flyweights: Shana Dobson vs Casey O’Neill

Flyweight Shana Dobson takes on UFC debutant Casey O’Neill in a bout that could determine her ceiling in the UFC. O’Neill is on a five-fight win streak and she’s managed to put forth some impressive finishes on her resume. Shana Dobson, on the other hand, is coming off the biggest win of her career against Mariya Agapova. Dobson came out on top via TKO, earning one of the biggest upset wins of 2020.

Dobson is fundamentally sound, and she’s able to mount heavy offense from top position. Additionally, she’ll be riding high off her last blowout victory. However, Casey O’Neill will be determined to make it big as a prospect and there’s plenty on the line for her going forward. With her fundamentals strongly in place, O’Neill will be confident of a win on the cards.

Prediction: Casey O’Neill to claim a unanimous decision victory

Featherweights: Chas Skelly vs Jamall Emmers

Chas ‘The Scrapper’ Skelly comes in with an 18-3 record and he’s a UFC veteran at this point of his career. He’s 1-1-1 in her last three fights. However, inactivity has held him back. Skelly hasn’t fought at all in 2020. His opponent, Jamall Emmers, is also a seasoned campaigner with an 18-5 professional record. He’s 1-1 in the UFC thus far and certainly has the firepower to make it big in the featherweight division.

Prediction: Jamall Emmers to claim a unanimous decision victory

Bantamweights: Aiemann Zahabi vs Drako Rodriguez

Aiemann Zahabi is on a two-fight losing streak and he’s 2-1 in the promotion as it stands. He could be potentially fighting for his job against Drako Rodriguez, who is on a three-fight winning streak. Rodriguez put on a good showing on Dana White’s Contender Series and he’ll be looking to cash in on a massive showcase. Both men aren’t afraid to pull the trigger and the bout is potentially a pick’em fight between two heavy hitters.

Prediction: Aiemann Zahabi to claim a second-round TKO win

UFC Heavyweights: Sergey Spivak vs Jared Vanderaa

Heavyweight grappler Sergey Spival squares off against Jared Vanderaa to open up the preliminary card. ‘The Polar Bear’ Spivak is currently 2-2 in the promotion and he’s coming off a majority decision victory. Jared Vanderaa is 11-4 and is yet to make his mark in the UFC after a strong showing in Dana White’s Contender Series.

Vanderaa relies on the fact that he’s a mobile heavyweight and isn’t afraid to grapple off his back. However, testing Sergey Spivak may be a recipe for disaster as he’s shown a skill to maneuver heavy offense grappling from all ends. Moreover, he’s got an edge fighting top-tier UFC heavyweight and will favor his chances against ‘The Mountain’.

Prediction: Sergey Spivak to claim a split decision victory

Also Read: UFC Vegas 19- Curtis Blaydes vs Derrick Lewis: Prediction and Analysis