Two heavyweights with completely different styles will clash this coming Saturday, as the power-punching knockout artist Derrick Lewis takes on a Brazilian jiu-jitsu master in Alexey Oleinik. Both fighters are on a two-fight win streak, but only one can extend that to three. Which side are you on?
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Betting Preview for the Derrick Lewis vs Alexey Oleinik Heavyweight Bout on August 8, 2020
Where: UFC APEX, Las Vegas, NV
When: Saturday, August 8, 2020
Odds: Derrick Lewis (-260) vs Alexey Oleinik (+200)
TV Broadcast: UFC Fight Pass
Betting on Derrick Lewis: -260 Odds (opened at -280)
MMA Record: 23-7-0
After losing to Junior Dos Santos via knockout in the second round of their fight in March 2019, Lewis has seemingly picked himself up. He defeated Blagoy Ivanov in November 2019 via split decision then scored a unanimous decision victory over Ilir Latifi last February. Lewis told Ariel Helwani of ESPN last year that he previously dealt with a serious medical condition, though, he did not provide further detail. Whatever that condition was, it appears that it’s now behind Lewis — or at least not serious enough to have him not take this fight against Oleinik. Although Lewis hasn’t knocked an opponent out in any of his last two fights, Black Beast’s power is something that Oleinik can’t afford to not take seriously. Lewis has 18 knockout wins and is tied with Dos Santos for most KO wins in the UFC among all active heavyweights. Lewis, who has only been submitted once thus far in his MMA career, owns a 53 percent takedown average.
Betting on Alexey Oleinik: +200 Odds (opened at +210)
MMA Record: 59-13-1
If Lewis likes to send opponents to dreamland, Oleinik is the type that looks forward to locking the limbs of fighters. Oleinik is extremely experienced, which is evident in the fact that he has a total of 73 fights in his MMA career. In his most recent fight, the Boa Constrictor scored a split decision win over Fabricio Werdum, who’s another great submission artist, last May. Prior to that, Oleinik forced Maurice Green into submission back in their January bout. Those pair of wins has Oleinik back on his feet following back-to-back knockout losses to Walt Harris and Alistair Overeem. Based on those losses, Oleinik can’t consider going toe to toe with a brutal puncher like Lewis. Instead, it’s better for Oleinik to wait for Lewis to make bad decisions inside the Octagon and capitalizing on those with his superb Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills. Oleinik has 48 wins via submissions and has only been forced to submission twice.
Writer’s Prediction
Lewis wins via second-round KO.
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