UFC Fight Night: Serghei Spivac vs Ante Delija Preview & Prediction
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Heavyweight finishers share the Octagon for the third fight on the main card, with Serghei Spivac primed to defend his spot in the rankings from recent signing, Ante Delija.
Serghei Spivac vs Ante Delija facts
What time are Serghei Spivac and Ante Delija expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs Hernandez? Toyota Center, Houston, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs Hernandez? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs Hernandez on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Not televised
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs Hernandez? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs Hernandez main card
Sean Strickland vs Anthony Hernandez (Middleweight)
Geoff Neal vs Uros Medic (Welterweight)
Dan Ige vs Melquizael Costa (Featherweight)
Serghei Spivac vs Ante Delija (Heavyweight)
Jacobe Smith vs Josiah Harrell (Welterweight)
Zachary Reese vs Michel Pereira (Middleweight)
UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs Hernandez prelims
Chidi Njokuani vs Carlos Leal Miranda (Welterweight)
Ode' Osbourne vs Alibi Idiris (Flyweight)
Alden Coria vs Luis Gurule (Flyweight)
Nora Cornolle vs Joselyne Edwards (Women’s Bantamweight)
Ramiz Brahimaj vs Punahele Soriano (Welterweight)
Philip Rowe vs Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani (Welterweight)
Jordan Leavitt vs Yadier del Valle (Featherweight)
Juliana Miller vs Carli Judice (Women’s Flyweight)
Serghei Spivac: The "Polar Bear" looks to prove that he still has what it takes to compete with the best at 265 pounds
Having fought a who's-who of contenders since joining the promotion in 2019, Serghei Spivac (17-6) is as battle tested as they come at 265 pounds. An impressive grappler for the heavyweight division who boasts an opportunistic submission game, Spivac has scored wins over the likes of Tai Tuivasa, Derrick Lewis, and Marcin Tybura to underline his credentials as a solid gatekeeper in the UFC's 265 pound shark tank - if you can call it that as of 2026. The Moldovan typically comes up short in decisive fashion to the elite of the weight class; Spivac has been stopped by the likes of Tom Aspinall and Cyril Gane and was last seen dropping a wide decision to Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC 316.
Ante Delija: Can Tom Aspinall's team mate rebound from a disastrous turn of events in his last appearance?
A veteran of PFL, Ante Delija (26-6) stands as a testament to how everything can change in a split second in the context of MMA. After producing a POTN winning effort over Marcin Tybura in his debut last September, "Walking Trouble" had seemingly finished top contender, Waldo Cortes-Acosta with first round punches to punch his ticket into the top five before replays confirmed that he had eye-poked "Salsa Boy" in the lead up to the stoppage. In borderline unbelievable fashion, Cortes-Acosta would flatten Delija in return during the first exchange after the restart, with the Croatian's dreams of title contention evaporating as quickly as they had appeared.
Serghei Spivac vs Ante Delija prediction
Whatever the outcome, the judges are exceedingly unlikely to be required for this one.
Delija is clearly a solid heavyweight talent, but he's arguably yet to face a fighter with the ground game of Spivac, meaning that an opportunistic submission victory for the "Polar Bear" isn't out of the realms of possibility. However, if that scenario doesn't materialize, he's likely going to get melted here.
Spivac may have the edge when it comes to the grappling department, but he's no heavyweight Demian Maia either - his reputation as a good grappler speaks more to the limited skillset of the UFC's wider heavyweight division rather than his own credentials. He typically only has success on the ground against plodding, unathletic heavyweights, a mold that the dynamic, fast twitch Delija does not fit. It's also worth noting that the Croatian trains with Tom Aspinall, meaning that he's going to be well prepared for Spivac's attempts to drag this to the mat.
On the feet, "Walking Trouble" is leaps and bounds ahead of Spivac in terms of striking, and the Moldovan has a terrible habit of literally shelling up if he's unable get the takedown. As such, it's easy to envision a reality in which Delija is savvy enough to shuck off the first few takedown attempts before blitzing Spivac against the cage until he curls up.
Prediction: Ante Delija to win by TKO
