UFC Vegas 65 Main Card Predictions, Odds and Results: Lewis vs Spivak
UFC Vegas 65 Main Card Pintsized Background
An early-bird card, UFC Vegas 65 is totally devoid of any quality. In the Main Event, Spivak has been offered a chance to move beyond his Heavyweight gatekeeper role. Whether Lewis’ nuclear power rears its ugly face once again, however, is the major question mark.
Where/When is UFC Vegas 65 Main Card taking place:
November 19, 2022. UFC Apex. Nevada, United States.
What time does UFC Vegas 65 Main Card start:
🇬🇧 UK: 9pm / 🇺🇸 US ET: 4pm
What channel is UFC Vegas 65 Main Card on:
🇬🇧 UK: BT Sports / 🇺🇸 US: ESPN+
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💰 PI’s Recommended Fight: Dustin Poirier vs Michael Chandler
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UFC Vegas 65 Main Card Picks & Odds
| UFC Vegas 65 Main Card Odds | UFC Vegas 65 Main Card Predictions |
|---|---|
| Derrick Lewis vs Sergey Spivak Odds: (+170) / (-200) | Derrick Lewis vs Sergey Spivak Prediction: Spivak Decision |
| Ion Cutelaba vs Kennedy Nzechukwu Odds: (+150) / (-175) | Ion Cutelaba vs Kennedy Nzechukwu Prediction: Nzechukwu TKO Round 2 |
| Chase Sherman vs Waldo Cortes-Acosta Odds: (+195) / (-230) | Chase Sherman vs Waldo Cortes-Acosta Prediction: Sherman TKO Round 3 |
| Muslim Salikhov vs Andre Fialho Odds: (-115) / (-105) | Muslim Salikhov vs Andre Fialho Prediction: Fialho TKO Round 1 |
| Jack Della Maddalena vs Danny Roberts Odds: (-625) / (+470) | Jack Della Maddalena vs Danny Roberts Prediction: Maddalena TKO Round 2 |
UFC Vegas 65: Main Event
Derrick Lewis vs Sergey Spivak
Heavyweight (265)
Derrick Lewis (26-10)
Lewis may have been stopped in his last two fights, but it doesn’t necessarily indicate a massive decline. The Black Beast has built a career of Homer Simpson-ing his way into the later rounds before landing his one-shot knockout power. Lewis endured a similar stretch of humiliating losses to Daniel Cormier and Junior Dos Santos but then went on to build a four-fight streak (including a knockout over Blaydes).
As long as Lewis remains the flawed yet consistent Heavyweight we have all come to know, he very much beats Spivak. The veteran has meme-level TDD but he is truly difficult to pin on the mat. Spivak has been honing his craft in the shadows, but there are still times that Spivak ends up on his back when pursuing takedowns.
Sergey Spivak (15-3)
Polar Bear has developed leaps and bounds since his UFC debut back in 2019. Spivak, at his core, remains a grinding wrestler who can expose the one-trick nature of many Heavyweights. Over 2022, we have witnessed more educated striking at range. There is absolutely no way that Spivak should engage in prolonged exchanges on the feet, but it also means he might not crumble at the first Lewis haymaker.
Lewis vs Spivak Prediction: Spivak Decision
Spivak, at his core, remains a grinding wrestler who can expose the one-trick nature of many Heavyweights. Despite all the memes, Lewis is a very difficult fighter to pin down to the mat. There is reason to believe that we may have witnessed a physical decline in Lewis over his past two losses, however. If not for such a perceived decline, Lewis would have to be favoured in the stylistic match-up. Spivak is deathly slow on the feet, despite refining his fundamentals over his UFC tenure, and is primed to walk on to a Black Beast highlight reel.
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UFC Vegas 65: Co-Main Event
Ion Cutelaba vs Kennedy Nzechukwu
Light Heavyweight (205)
Ion Cutelaba (16-8-1)
Cutelaba’s mythical first-round success is well and truly in the dust. Over his last six fights, The Hulk has been stopped four times in the opening round. On the one hand, dropping consecutive fights against Magomed Ankalaev isn’t a particular slight. On the other, being choked out by Johnny Walker is retirement material. At his core, Cutelaba remains a consistently aggressive fighter who strings together haymakers and relentlessly pursues takedowns.
Kennedy Nzechukwu (10-3)
Another consistent fighter yet a total polar opposite of Cutelaba. Nzechukwu is a slow, methodical striker but one who has the durability and risk aversion to buy himself enough time warm into contests. The ferocious beatdown on Karl Roberson, including a lesser-seen domination on the mat, suggests that Nzechukwu is finally emerging into the prospect that shined on DWCS.
Cutelaba vs Nzechukwu Prediction: Nzechukwu TKO Round 2
At his core, Cutelaba remains a consistently aggressive fighter who strings together haymakers and relentlessly pursues takedowns. Nzechukwu represents the polar opposite – a slow, methodical striker but one who has the durability and risk aversion to buy himself enough time warm into contests. Putting my faith in the African Savage off the back of the humiliating domination of Karl Roberson on the mat.
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UFC Vegas 65: Main Card
Chase Sherman vs Waldo Cortes-Acosta
Heavyweight (265)
Chase Sherman (16-10)
Mr hot-and-cold finally earned himself a morale-boosting victory over Jared Vanderaa. Granted, Vanderaa is a true bottom-of-the-barrel fighter, but The Vanilla Gorilla at least looked willing to fight. Sherman still looks unable to utilise his power effectively, but Waldo Cortes-Acosta hardly shone on the feet during his UFC debut.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta (8-0)
Sharing a similar opponent, Salsa Boy somehow stunk out a worse performance against Jared Vanderaa than Sherman. Cortes-Acosta is a heavy-pressure fighter, but he failed to impose his pace on one of the worst UFC Heavyweights in recent memory. If Cortes-Acosta lands his hands early, Sherman can mentally collapse, but it’s a coin-flip between a fighter down bad and a fighter just plain bad.
Sherman vs Cortes-Acosta Prediction: Sherman TKO Round 3
Sharing a similar opponent, Salsa Boy somehow stunk out a worse performance against Jared Vanderaa than Sherman. Cortes-Acosta is a heavy-pressure fighter, but he failed to impose his pace on one of the worst UFC Heavyweights in recent memory. If Cortes-Acosta lands his hands early, Sherman can mentally collapse, but it’s a coin-flip between a fighter down bad and a fighter just plain bad.
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Muslim Salikhov vs Andre Fialho
Welterweight (170)
Muslim Salikhov (18-3)
Salikhov’s future in the UFC doesn’t feel too bright after his second-round loss to Jingliang Li. At 38 years old, Salikhov has shown worrying signs of physical decline. The Russian is a polished technician with a slick wrestling fall-back plan, but there is less room for mistakes if Salikhov fails on one of his creative spinning attacks.
Andre Fialho (16-5)
After a lightning-fast three-fight stretch over April-June 2022, we are still none the wiser about what Fialho will bring to the octagon. The Portuguese striker carries freak power, yet often fights in such a reserved manner that it allowed Jake Matthews to jab his head off. While I am backing Fialho to find the kill switch eventually, it won’t be a pretty affair against a more confident opponent at mid-distance.
Salikhov vs Fialho Prediction: Fialho TKO Round 1
Fialho carries freak power, yet often fights in such a reserved manner that it allowed Jake Matthews to jab his head off. While I am backing Fialho to find the kill switch eventually, it won’t be a pretty affair against a more confident opponent at mid-distance. The physical decline on show against Jingliang Li suggests that the 38-year-old Russian may experience a damaging career twilight.
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Jack Della Maddalena vs Danny Roberts
Welterweight (170)
Jack Della Maddalena (12-2)
The true UFC Vegas 65 Main Event. Jack Della Maddalena threw stylistic worries to the side when he crushed Ramazan Emeev to a first-round TKO victory. Considering the difficulty that Roberts has with defensive footwork, the Aussie should be able to walk Roberts into a preferential firefight. As the more dynamic combination puncher with a penchant for bodywork, Roberts could be broken surprisingly early.
Danny Roberts (18-6)
Hot Chocolate cannot be written off in a solely striking affair. Roberts matched an in-form Zelim Imadaev for two enthralling rounds before finding the finish. More interesting would be Roberts’ inclusion of takedowns. Not that Roberts is an efficient takedown artist, but the threat alone could create enough questions for Maddelena to blunt his front-foot danger.
Maddalena vs Roberts Prediction: Maddalena TKO Round 2
Considering the difficulty that Roberts has with defensive footwork, the Aussie should be able to walk Roberts into a preferential firefight. As the more dynamic combination puncher with a penchant for bodywork, Roberts could be broken surprisingly early. Hot Chocolate isn’t an efficient takedown artist, but the threat alone could create enough questions for Maddelena to blunt his front-foot danger. More likely is that Maddalena implements a pace that the Brit can no longer match.
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