Sergei Pavlovich vs Curtis Blaydes Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for UFC Vegas 71 (Whose Streak Ends in Sin City?)

Pavlovich vs Blaydes Fight Info, Date & Time

UFC Vegas 71 — Main Event Heavyweight Bout
Sergei Pavlovich (17-1, 14 KOs) vs. Curtis Blaydes (17-3 1NC, 12 KOs)
Date: Saturday, April 22, 2023
Fight Time: This will be on the main card, which begins at 7 p.m. ET.
Venue: The Apex — Las Vegas, Nevada
Coverage: ESPN+

Pavlovich vs Blaydes Odds & Prop Bets

All UFC Vegas 71 odds, lines and prop bets are available on FanDuel Sportsbook.
Moneyline:
- Sergei Pavlovich: (+138)
- Curtis Blaydes: (-170)

Method of Victory:
- Pavlovich by KO/TKO: (+170)
- Pavlovich by Points: (+1500)
- Pavlovich by Submission: (+2600)
- Blaydes by KO/TKO: (-105)
- Blaydes by Points: (+800)
- Blaydes by Submission: (+1400)

Pavlovich vs Blaydes Prediction

MMA enthusiasts should expect a hard-hitting battle here. On one side stands Sergei Pavlovich, who's only lost once in 18 previous bouts. He's been on a roll since losing to Alistair Overeem in his UFC debut, knocking out each of his last five opponents in the first round while earning 'Performer of the Night' recognition thrice.

On the flip side, Curtis Blaydes has also been dominant. The 32-year-old heavyweight owns a 7-1 record in his last eight fights, picking up TKO wins over Chris Daukaus and Tom Aspinall in his latest two outings.

Pavlovich may average about 4.5 more significant strikes per minute than his upcoming opponent, but I have to give the edge to Blaydes. First of all, "Razor" has the defensive advantage, absorbing just 1.70 significant strikes per minute with 59% defense.

Secondly, Blaydes' 6.05 takedowns per 15 mins with 53% accuracy proves that he's the clear-cut better grappler. Being taken down by Overeem led to Pavlovich's only MMA loss and if he can't stand on his feet this Saturday, he'll have to add another tally to the loss column.

In an exciting bout, look for Blaydes to continue his ascent.

Winner: Curtis Blaydes

Pavlovich vs Blaydes Best Bet

I like Blaydes winning by KO/TKO (-105) as the best bet ahead of the UFC Vegas 71 main event. His defense and grappling skills should put him in a position to get the better of Pavlovich, who's proven that he's susceptible to a knockout blow in the past.

With both men being powerful strikers who have 26 KO/TKO victories between the two of them, anything other than a knockout finish would be shocking. Blaydes has already finished tough opponents in the past, meaning it's time for Pavlovich to get a dose of his own medicine.

Bet: Curtis Blaydes by KO/TKO (-105)

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

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