MMA Preview – Curtis Blaydes vs Chris Daukaus at UFC Fight Night 205
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CURTIS BLAYDES VS CHRIS DAUKAUS FACTS
When is UFC Fight Night 205? Saturday 26th March, 2022 - 21:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC Fight Night 205? Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night 205? Click here for the tickets at the O2 Arena
What channel is UFC Fight Night 205 on? BT Sport 2
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night 205? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
CURTIS BLAYDES VS CHRIS DAUKAUS LOWDOWN
For the third time in his career, Curtis Blaydes (15-3(1)) has bounced back after a murderous knockout. The first two times it was Francis Ngannou’s kettlebells for hands that dispatched Blaydes into a different time zone. After the second knockout in 2018, he strung together four impressive wins including a unanimous decision over Justin Willis (2019), TKO’s over Shamil Abdurakhimov (2019) and Junior dos Santos (2020) before another unanimous decision over Alexander Volkov (2020). He then ran into the second hardest hitter on the roster Derrick Lewis and got absolutely smoked by a hellacious uppercut. However, he has displayed his character once again in responding with a unanimous decision over another knockout artist in Jairzinho Rozenstruik (2021).
Chris Daukaus (13-4) has also tasted the hands of ‘The Black Beast’. Proudly wearing a heavyweight prospect tag after knocking out Rodrigo Nascimento (2020), Alexey Oleynik (2021) and poor Abdurakhimov (2021) in his first three UFC fights, Daukaus got handed a seismic step-up in competition and felt the full force of Lewis getting sparked out in the first round. Now, it is his time to display his character.
CURTIS BLAYDES VS CHRIS DAUKAUS PREDICTION
What many people forget in the Lewis fight is that Blaydes surprisingly decided to stand and trade and was getting the better of him with short combinations and leg kicks. It was when he level-changed that he got put to sleep.
So, it will be interesting to see if he adopts the same strategy to begin with. If he does, he will be in a world of trouble because unlike Lewis, Daukaus has the volume and speed to counter anything he throws and force his own pace as the aggressor.
If Blaydes is smart, he will waste no time in shooting in for the takedown and test Daukaus’ jiu-jitsu. His takedown defence is 100% in the UFC, but he has only had to defend two attempts and we expect Blaydes to drag him down to the canvas.
He will no doubt be drilling his technique and keeping his head out of danger when he shoots in. Daukaus is very skilled on the floor, but Blaydes’ top game and wrestling is so strong, we expect him to nullify the Philly natives’ black belt skills.
Daukaus has the speed and power to knock Blaydes out and will be most threatening in the first three rounds however, we expect a safe performance from Blaydes utilizing his wrestling. Depending on how much he drains the gas tank of Daukaus, he may even secure the late finish.
Prediction: Blaydes via Decision - CLICK HERE FOR PARIMATCH'S WELCOME OFFER (BET £5, GET £30 IN BONUSES!)
Value Bet: Daukaus via KO/TKO
