UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs Aspinall Best Bets, Odds, Sleepers, And Predictions

The time has finally come…I can just hear the crowd chanting “OHHHHH PADDY THE BADDDDDYYYY” already. We’re just one sleep away from the UFC returning to the O2 arena for the second time this year, and we’re seeing a lot of familiar faces from the last time we were there back in March. Here are the fighters that fought on that March fight night in England that will be joining us tomorrow, July 23rd at 12:00 PM EST:

• Tom Aspinall (beat Alexander Volkov in March, fighting Curtis Blaydes tomorrow)

• Paddy Pimblett (beat Rodrigo Vargas in March, fighting Jordan Leavitt tomorrow)  

• Nikita Krylov (lost to Paul Craig in March, fighting Alexander Gustafsson tomorrow)

• Paul Craig (beat Nikita Krylov in March, fighting Volak Oezdemir tomorrow)

• Molly McCann (beat Luana Carolina in March, fighting Hannah Goldy tomorrow)

• Makwan Amirkhani (beat Mike Grundy in March, fighting Jonathan Pearce tomorrow)

• Muhammad Mokaev (beat Cody Durden in march, fighting Charles Johnson tomorrow)

• Jai Herbert (lost to Ilia Topuria in March, fighting Kyle Nelson tomorrow)

While some fans may be disappointed to not see new faces, I think it’s a sign of great things to come–especially seeing as how the last fight card at the O2 was an absolute banger, so I guess Dana was thinking “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

If you want some new faces in London you’ll be sure to get that as well, as our co-main event on Saturday is sure to be one of the best fights on the card. We’ll get to see Jack Hermansson face off against Chriss Curtis, in a fight that surely spells out a lot for the top 15 of the Middleweight Division.

If you’re interested in placing some bets on tomorrows fights you could be sure to do so at any of these New Jersey Online Casinos. If you’re unsure as to who you should bet on, you could also take some of my picks (or fade them if you’re feeling mean). Here are my three best bets for tomorrow’s card.

Bet 1: Makwan Amirkhani to beat Jonathan Pearce (+160)

Makwan Amirkhani has really had a career of ups and downs. After starting his UFC career 5-1, Amirkahni has just won two of his last six and most recently broke a three-fight skid after narrowly squeaking out an Anaconda Choke finish of Mike Grundy back in March. However, I feel like he’ll stay on the winning side of things in this bout against Pearce who, while on a three-fight win streak, has never faced a grappler quite like Amirkhani. Two of Peace’s four MMA losses have also come via submission, which is Amirkhani’s bread and butter.

Bet 2: Paul Craig to beat Volkan Oezdemir (+130)

I’ll be completely honest, the fact that Craig is an underdog in this fight absolutely boggles my mind. Craig has proven his ability to finish fights both on his feet and on the ground, and is currently on a five-fight win streak, with key wins over Jamahal Hill, Shogun Rua, and Nikita Krylov. Oezdemir is a very solid fighter but is undoubtedly out of his prime, losing each of his last two fights and four of his last six. I expect Craig to bring this one to the ground and do what he does best–win.

Bet 3: Curtis Blaydes to beat Tom Aspinall (+120)

This is an incredibly tough fight to pick, especially since Aspinall seems to get better and better every time he steps into the octagon. However, this fight against Blaydes is by far his toughest test to date, and it might be a bit of a rude awakening for the young British heavyweight. Aspinall is one of those rare Heavyweights that has power in his hands and finesse on the mat, but there’s only one problem–so does Blaydes. Blaydes has never been finished via submission and has only been taken down by three of his 14 different opponents in the UFC. Aspinall definitely is a top contender at the Heavyweight Division, but this fight may prove to be too much too soon for the brit.