The UFC will head all the way down south in Brazil for the UFC on ESPN+28 event. The main event will be an intriguing lightweight showdown between Kevin Lee and Charles Oliveira, who’s going to have the home crowd supporting him. There’s also an all-Brazil matchup prior to that fight, with veteran Demian Maia taking on the much younger Gilbert Burns. Read on for more about these fights and others on the main card.
Lee is coming off a sensational first-round knockout win over Gregor Gillespie back in November to break a two-fight losing skid. Lee owns an 18-5-0 record, with three knockout wins and eight by way of submissions. Lee is averaging 3.23 takedowns to jut 2.77 by Oliveira and also lands more significant strikes per minute than his Brazilian counterpart (3.21). That said, Oliveira is more accurate with his strikes (50.68%) than Lee (42.53). Oliveira (28-8-0) also has the bigger momentum, as he’ll enter the octagon this Saturday on a six-fight unbeaten run. Oliveira has 18 submission wins against three losses.
Writer’s prediction:
Oliveira wins via submission.
Demian Maia (+170) vs. Gilbert Burns (-220)
Welterweight
Don’t tell Maia that he’s too old to still be fighting. After all, the 42-year-old Jiu-Jitsu expert has won all of his last three fights, including a submission victory over Ben Askren last October. Maia (28-9-0). Maia has a 14-0 submission record. Burns (17-3-0) is nine years the junior of Maia and is also on a hot streak. He’s gone 4-0 in his last four fights, three via unanimous decisions and one via submission. Burns has eight submission wins in his career nad hasn’t been submitted yet.
Writer’s prediction:
Burns wins via stoppage.
Renato Moicano (-320) vs. Damir Hadžović (+240)
Lightweight
Moicano is looking to get out of a slump, having lost both his last fights, each occurring in 2019. He was knocked out in those fights, though, those were the only times in his career that he lost in that manner. Moicano (13-3-1) has a sound Jiu-Jitsu base and has won six fights via submissions. Hadžović is also coming off a loss, dropping a fight to Christos Giagos (unanimous decision) in June of last year. He has the power to test Moicano’s chin, as he’s got seven knockout wins against a loss. He is also 3-0 in submissions.
Writer’s prediction:
Hadžović wins via knockout.
Johnny Walker (-150) vs. Nikita Krylov (+120)
Light Heavyweight
Walker (17is eager to get back to his winning ways. He suffered his first loss since his Katana Fight days in 2016 when he got knocked out by Corey Anderson last November. Prior to that, Walker binged on success, winning nine fights in a row, including seven via knockout. Krylov is 1-2 in his last three fights. He lost in his last fight when via UD against Glover Teixeira in September of 2019. Krylov (26-7-0), however, has a potent mix of power and technique, as he owns a 10-1 knockout record and a 15-5 submission win-loss slate.
Writer’s prediction:
Krylov wins via submission.
Francisco Trinaldo (-190) vs. John Makdessi (+155)
Lightweight
Trinaldo (24-7-0) is looking for consistency, as he’s not won consecutive fights since 2016. He’s alternated wins and losses in his last five fights, and he’s coming off a unanimous decision win over Bobby Green last November. Trinaldo has eight wins via knockouts and zero KO losses. Makdessi (17-6-0) has won all of his past three fights, each via unanimous decision. He has a 9-2 KO record.
