Preview

UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Spivak Full Card Betting Guide

After two “And New…” calls at last week’s UFC 281 in Madison Square Garden, the UFC returns to the Apex for UFC Vegas 65. The 12-fight card is headlined by heavyweights Derrick Lewis and Sergey Spivak.

Fights start at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 19, on ESPN+.

Make sure to check out Question Mark Kicks two hours before the prelims begin for Matt and Craig’s final thoughts on the fight card.

Fight Previews

Women’s Flyweight

Natalia Silva (-168)

Record: 13-5-1 (1-0 UFC)

Wins: 3 KO, 7 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 2 SUB

Props: Over 2.5 (-245); Wins ITD (+246), by decision (+160), by TKO (+750), by submission (+380)

Tereza Bleda (+138)

Record: 6-0 (UFC debut)

Wins: 2 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: n/a

Props: Under 2.5 (+184); Wins ITD (+581), by decision (+211), by TKO (+1186), by submission (+1057)

Best Value: Tereza Bleda (+138)
Size, strength and physicality can go a long way in these types of fights and Bleda has the advantage to pair with her wrestling background.

Bantamweight

Fernie Garcia (+138)

Record: 10-2 (0-1 UFC)

Wins: 1 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 2 DEC

Props: Over 2.5 (-210); Wins ITD (+450), by decision (+243), by TKO (+664), by submission (+1400)

Brady Hiestand (-169)

Record: 5-2 (0-1 UFC)

Wins: 2 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 1 KO

Props: Under 2.5 (+159); Wins ITD (+238), by decision (+163), by TKO (+650), by submission (+377)

Best Value: Fernie Garcia (+138)
This is a pop and popcorn fight if there ever was one. That being said, there’s probably some value in the dog considering Hiestand’s level of competition.

Women’s Strawweight

Vanessa Demopoulos (-105)

Record: 8-4 (2-1 UFC)

Wins: 1 KO, 4 SUB | Losses: 4 DEC

Props: Over 2.5 (-228); Wins ITD (+228), by decision (+289), by TKO (+971), by submission (+313)

Maria Oliveira (-116)

Record: 13-5 (1-1 UFC)

Wins: 7 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 2 SUB

Props: Under 2.5 (+173); Wins ITD (+563), by decision (+132), by TKO (+707), by submission (+1771)

Best Value: Demopoulos submission (+313)
If you can get Demopoulos at + odds, I would probably bite, but as of this posting, it’s slim pickings to find something I’m brave enough to bet.

Bantamweight

Ricky Turcios (-162)

Record: 11-3 (1-1 UFC)

Wins: 3 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 KO

Props: Over 2.5 (-227); Wins ITD (+308), by decision (+132), by TKO (+486), by submission (+1014)

Kevin Natividad (+133)

Record: 9-3 (0-2 UFC)

Wins: 5 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 3 KO

Props: Under 2.5 (+174); Wins ITD (+331), by decision (+298), by TKO (+446), by submission (+1257)

Best Value: Kevin Natividad (+133)
Another fight in which I think there’s probably some value on the dog, but I’m still not tempted to put it on my card.

Bantamweight

Miles Johns (-168)

Record: 12-2 (3-2 UFC)

Wins: 4 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 1 SUB

Props: Over 2.5 (-171); Wins ITD (+192), by decision (+203), by TKO (+274), by submission (+900)

Vince Morales (+138)

Record: 11-6 (3-4 UFC)

Wins: 6 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 2 SUB

Props: Under 2.5 (+133); Wins ITD (+463), by decision (+249), by TKO (+546), by submission (+1750)

Best Value: Vince Morales (+138)
This is probably by my Ricky Simon fandom coming through, but I think Morales has a great chance to take this fight to the short-notice replacement.

Women’s Flyweight

Jennifer Maia (+155)

Record: 19-9-1 (4-5 UFC)

Wins: 3 KO, 6 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 1 SUB

Props: Over 2.5 (-366); Wins ITD (+663), by decision (+218), by TKO (+1657), by submission (+1043)

Maryna Moroz (-188)

Record: 11-3 (6-3 UFC)

Wins: 1 KO, 6 SUB | Losses: 3 DEC

Props: Under 2.5 (+262); Wins ITD (+369), by decision (+101), by TKO (+1229), by submission (+486)

Best Value: Jennifer Maia (+155)
Maia’s stock, in my eyes, barely takes a hit after losing to Fiorot, Chookagian and Shevchenko. If the former title challenger can close distance on the feet, she can make this a messy fight, in which I favor the underdog.

Flyweight

Charles Johnson (-166)

Record: 11-3 (0-1 UFC)

Wins: 4 KO, 4 SUB | Losses: 3 DEC

Props: Over 2.5 (-259); Wins ITD (+254), by decision (+153), by TKO (+351), by submission (+1050)

Zhalgas Zhumagulov (+136)

Record: 14-7 (1-4 UFC)

Wins: 6 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 2 KO

Props: Under 2.5 (+191); Wins ITD (+613), by decision (+208), by TKO (+856), by submission (+1613)

Best Value: Charles Johnson (-166)
The cardio of Johnson will keep him fresh long enough in this fight to find holes in the defensively susceptible Zhumagulov’s gameplan.

Welterweight

Jack Della Maddalena (-574)

Record: 12-2 (2-0 UFC)

Wins: 10 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 1 SUB

Props: Over 1.5 (-102); Wins ITD (-237), by decision (+424), by TKO (-182), by submission (+881)

Danny Roberts (+412)

Record: 18-6 (7-5 UFC)

Wins: 8 KO, 5 SUB | Losses: 3 KO, 2 SUB

Props: Under 1.5 (-129); Wins ITD (+788), by decision (+722), by TKO (+1031), by submission (+2475)

Best Value: Maddalena TKO (-182)
Maddalena is so technical with his striking that I find it hard to see a low-volume Roberts offering much resistance to the heavy favorite.

Welterweight

Andre Fialho (-110)

Record: 16-5 (2-2 UFC)

Wins: 13 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 3 KO

Props: Over 2.5 (+112); Wins ITD (+164), by decision (+506), by TKO (+172), by submission (+1713)

Muslim Salikhov (-111)

Record: 18-3 (5-2 UFC)

Wins: 11 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 2 SUB

Props: Under 2.5 (-146); Wins ITD (+255), by decision (+251), by TKO (+289), by submission (+1450)

Best Value: Andre Fialho (-110)
I think there’s a good chance the under 2.5 (-146) cashes but I hate where the odds are for that. Matt and Craig both like Fialho, so that’s good enough for me here, but it’ll stay off my card.

Heavyweight

Waldo Cortes-Acosta (-222)

Record: 8-0 (1-0 UFC)

Wins: 4 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: n/a

Props: Over 1.5 (-135); Wins ITD (-112), by decision (+456), by TKO (+109), by submission (+869)

Chase Sherman (+178)

Record: 16-10 (4-9 UFC)

Wins: 15 KO | Losses: 4 KO, 2 SUB

Props: Under 1.5 (+104); Wins ITD (+325), by decision (+424), by TKO (+389), by submission (+2588)

Best Value: Cortes-Acosta TKO (+109)
Sherman lacks consistent defense and isn’t the most durable. Eventually, the boxing skills of the undefeated Dominican will reach the veteran.

Light Heavyweight

Ion Cutelaba (+147)

Record: 16-8-1 (5-7-1 UFC)

Wins: 12 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 2 KO, 4 SUB

Props: Over 1.5 (-125); Wins ITD (+215), by decision (+683), by TKO (+261), by submission (+1231)

Kennedy Nzechukwu (-179)

Record: 10-3 (4-3 UFC)

Wins: 7 KO | Losses: 1 KO, 1 SUB

Props: Under 1.5 (-106); Wins ITD (+108), by decision (+411), by TKO (+125), by submission (+1069)

Best Value: Ion Cutelaba (+147)
Nzechukwu is largely a rangy counter striker. Cutelaba struggles most with pressure. This could very well turn into a close decision with Cutelaba moving forward and having more volume with Nzechukwu landing the more impact shots. Still, I think that equates to closer to 50-50 odds rather than the moderate dog Cutelaba enters the fight as.

Heavyweight

Derrick Lewis (+163)

Record: 26-10 (17-8 UFC)

Wins: 21 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 7 KO, 1 SUB

Props: Over 1.5 (-116); Wins ITD (+179), by decision (+1267), by TKO (+205), by submission (+2613)

Sergey Spivak (-199)

Record: 15-3 (6-3 UFC)

Wins: 7 KO, 6 SUB | Losses: 2 KO

Props: Under 1.5 (-113); Wins ITD (-137), by decision (+700), by TKO (+153), by submission (+316)

Best Value: Lewis TKO (+205)
I understand that Lewis is not as explosive as he once was, but The Black Beast still has the sport’s ultimate equalizer: power. I can’t picture the guy who got knocked out by Walt Harris surviving 25 minutes with Lewis. Spivak gets his finishes via ground and pound, and The Black Beast has a knack of avoiding that aside from the elite echelon of grapplers.

Results

UFC 281

Josh: 5-2 (0-1 parlay), +6.18u

Matt: 11-3, +5.56u

Craig: 11-3, +7.49u

2022 Results

Josh: 112-129 (11-25 parlay), +15.71u

Matt: 296-149, +19.06u

Craig: 289-156, +18.89u

Editor’s Note: Matt and Craig make picks for every fight, regardless of betting lines. This exercise assumes a 1u bet on each fight.

My Card

Best Bets (2u each)

Lewis TKO (+205)

Straight bets (1u each)

Charles Johnson (-166)

Underdogs (1u each)

Tereza Bleda (+138)

Vince Morales (+138)

Jennifer Maia (+155)

Ion Cutelaba (+147)

Props (1u each)

Maddalena TKO (-182)

Cortes-Acosta TKO (+109)

Parlay (+347)

Jack Della Maddalena (-574), Waldo Cortes-Acosta (-222), Derrick Lewis (+163)

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