UFC Vegas 65 Prelims Predictions, Odds and Results: Lewis vs Spivak
UFC Vegas 65 Prelims Pintsized Background
Down in the UFC Vegas 65 prelims, the Pintsized pick of the fights involves a Bantamweight bout between Fernie Garcia and Brady Hiestand. Hiestand, a former TUF finalist, is just 23 years old and possesses a raw quality that is levels beyond his padded record.
Where/When is UFC Vegas 65 Prelims taking place:
November 19, 2022. UFC Apex. Nevada, United States.
What time does UFC Vegas 65 Prelims start:
🇬🇧 UK: 6pm / 🇺🇸 US ET: 1pm
What channel is UFC Vegas 65 Prelims on:
🇬🇧 UK: BT Sports / 🇺🇸 US: ESPN+
Pintsized MMA content from the week before:
🚀 Preview: UFC 281 Predictions, Odds and Results: Adesanya vs Pereira
💰 PI’s Recommended Fight: Dustin Poirier vs Michael Chandler
Travel down the Pintsized rabbit hole:
🥊 UFC Vegas 65 Full Card | 🌟 UFC Vegas 65 Main Card | 📺 YouTube
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UFC Vegas 65 Prelims Picks & Odds
| UFC Vegas 65 Prelims Odds | UFC Vegas 65 Prelims Predictions |
|---|---|
| Zhalgas Zhumagulov vs Charles Johnson Odds: (+145) / (-170) | Zhalgas Zhumagulov vs Charles Johnson Prediction: Johnson Decision |
| Jennifer Maia vs Maryna Moroz Odds: (+160) / (-190) | Jennifer Maia vs Maryna Moroz Prediction: Maia Decision |
| Miles Johns vs Vince Morales Odds: (-170) / (+145) | Miles Johns vs Vince Morales Prediction: Johns Decision |
| Ricky Turcios vs Kevin Natividad Odds: (-155) / (+135) | Ricky Turcios vs Kevin Natividad Prediction: Turcios Decision |
| Maria Oliveira vs Vanessa Demopoulos Odds: (-110) / (-110) | Maria Oliveira vs Vanessa Demopoulos Prediction: Oliveira Decision |
| Fernie Garcia vs Brady Hiestand Odds: (+145) / (-170) | Fernie Garcia vs Brady Hiestand Prediction: Hiestand Decision |
| Natalia Silva vs Tereza Bleda Odds: (-165) / (+140) | Natalia Silva vs Tereza Bleda Prediction: Bleda Decision |
UFC Vegas 65: Preliminary Card
Zhalgas Zhumagulov vs Charles Johnson
Flyweight (125)
Zhalgas Zhumagulov (14-7)
Zhumagulov sits on a 1-4 record in the UFC, with that sole win coming over Jerome Rivera – a fighter who himself owns a 0-4 record. Zhako isn’t necessarily ageing like cheese outside on a summer’s day, more that he has never been a special Flyweight. Incredibly durable, Zhumagulov needs his wrestling to fire to shave rounds against opponents.
Charles Johnson (11-3)
Johnson performed admirably against Muhammed Mokaev, considering the tailor-made match-up for Mokaev. Johnson was thoroughly out-wrestled by Mokaev, but he showed heart and ability in returning to his feet. This could be a razor-thin decision based on how relentlessly Zhumagulov pursues takedowns. On the feet, though, Johnson can ply away with straight shots.
Zhumagulov vs Johnson Prediction: Johnson Decision
Johnson was thoroughly out-wrestled by Mokaev, but he showed a deep gas tank and the ability to return to his feet. This could be a razor-thin decision based on how relentlessly Zhumagulov pursues takedowns. On the feet, though, Johnson can ply away with straight shots – even if he is highly unlikely to crack Zhako’s granite chin.
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Jennifer Maia vs Maryna Moroz
Women’s Flyweight (125)
Jennifer Maia (19-9-1)
A reminder that Jennifer Maia once had a title shot against Valentina Shevchenko. The Brazilian has since lived off of the one round that Maia grasped off Shevchenko. In a rare match-up where Maia can match the pace of her opponent, her unbreakable chin and physical grappling could well grind down Moroz.
Maryna Moroz (11-3)
Moroz returned to the octagon with a spectacular bang following her two-round dismantling of the dangerous yet flawed Mariya Agapova. The Ukrainian is a consistent leader in the cage, able to set about her game plan with ease. Even so, it will tax Moroz to operate off the back foot for the full fifteen minutes. The red flag remains that Moroz has struggled to keep herself standing earlier in her career, largely owing to her average physicality.
Maia vs Moroz Prediction: Maia Decision
In a rare match-up where Maia can match the pace of her opponent, her unbreakable chin and physical grappling could well grind down Moroz. The Ukrainian has struggled to keep herself standing throughout her career and will be taxed hard as she is forced to operate off the back foot for the full fifteen minutes. Maia has shown in recent fights that she can be frozen into hopeless kickboxing affairs, but Moroz lacks the defensive swiftness to fully punish Maia’s lacking fight IQ.
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Miles Johns vs Vince Morales
Bantamweight (135)
Miles Johns (12-2)
Miles Johns has found mixed success in the UFC after seemingly departing from his wrestling base. There is decent evidence to back Johns’ recent love affair with his hands – stunning knockouts over Kevin Natividad and Anderson dos Santos prove this. Morales is a slicker boxer, but Johns’ low kicks could enact similar punishment as Jonathan Martinez.
Vince Morales (11-6)
To repeat, Morales’ kryptonite is well and truly proven to be low kicks. Chris Gutierrez and Jonathan Martinez both stripped Morales of his skilful pocket boxing by chewing up his lead leg. If Morales fights passively at distance, Johns’ carries the power to dictate early exchanges and bank early rounds.
Johns vs Morales Prediction: Johns Decision
Chris Gutierrez and Jonathan Martinez both stripped Morales of his skilful pocket boxing by chewing up his lead leg. If Morales fights passively at distance, Johns’ carries the power to dictate early exchanges and bank early rounds. Still, Morales has regularly shown the ability to rally late into contests while Johns continues to struggle to implement his underutilised wrestling base.
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Ricky Turcios vs Kevin Natividad
Bantamweight (135)
Ricky Turcios (11-3)
TUF victor, Ricky Turcios, was picked apart by Aiemann Zahabi for three uninteresting rounds. Turcios laid down a ferocious pace, throwing over 235 strikes, but his 11% accuracy highlights the major flaw. Turcios, simply, needs to sit into his punches and commit to exchanges.
Kevin Natividad (9-3)
Kevin Natividad has taken a year and a half on the sidelines after a brutal first-round knockout loss to Danaa Batgerel. For whatever strange reason, Natividad has banked on his flakey chin in stand-up affairs over his two UFC fights. If Quicksand is to extend his stay with the UFC, the 29-year-old desperately needs to streamline fights towards his ground game.
Turcios vs Natividad Prediction: Turcios Decision
TUF victor, Ricky Turcios, was picked apart by Aiemann Zahabi over three uninteresting rounds where he landed just 11% of his 235 strikes. Turcios, simply, needs to sit into his punches and commit to exchanges. Even without any fundamental changes, Natividad is a winnable fight off the back of his refusal to fight on the fight.
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Maria Oliveira vs Vanessa Demopoulos
Women’s Strawweight (115)
Maria Oliveira (13-5)
Spider Girl has proven herself to be a surprisingly fun fighter considering her imposing frame and willingness to unload heavy volume. Oliveira’s lacking TDD and loss of form over extended exchanges indicate the type of flaw that Vanessa Demopoulos will have no issue exploiting.
Vanessa Demopoulos (8-4)
Vanessa Demopolous is aggressive but technically devoid on the feet. The Greek also struggles to take opponents down, but could probably scrape a takedown against Oliveira. On the mat, Demopoulos is creative and a willing submission artist.
Oliveira vs Demopolous Prediction: Oliveira Decision
A difficult fight to call considering the major flaws of both fighters. Spider Girl owns an imposing frame and a willingness to unload heavy volume. Oliveira’s lacking TDD and loss of form over extended exchanges suggest an area that Vanessa Demopoulos can exploit. Demopoulos by submission or Oliveira to out-work the Greek over the stretch.
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Fernie Garcia vs Brady Hiestand
Bantamweight (135)
Fernie Garcia (10-2)
Garcia carries a ton of power but lacks the tools to draw opponents onto his punches. The Mexican was picked apart at range by Journey Newson’s kicking game, but Hiestand will rush head-first into takedowns.
Brady Hiestand (5-2)
A ferocious grappler, Hiestand likely lacks the chin to continue such a game plan up the ladder. Garcia could spark the 23-year-old early doors, but his inability to break a chinny Journey Newsom leaves me backing Hiestand laying down a clinic on the mat.
Garcia vs Hiestand Prediction: Hiestand Decision
A ferocious grappler, Hiestand likely lacks the chin to continue such a game plan up the ladder. Against Fernie Garcia, a heavy-handed boxer, the 23-year-old could be starched early doors in pursuit of takedowns. It’s always safer to back the aggressive, proven wrestler, however.
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Natalia Silva vs Tereza Bleda
Women’s Flyweight (125)
Natalia Silva (13-5-1)
At just 25 years old, the world looked at Silva’s feet after humiliating Jasmine Jasudavicius. Denying Jasudavicus of all six takedowns, landing almost triple the strikes on the feet and incorporating two of her own takedowns – it was a performance that Silva had yet to produce in her career.
Tereza Bleda (6-0)
If Bleda cannot incorporate her ground game, she will struggle to bully Silva in a manner that she become accustomed to over her short career. Bleda is just 20 years old, a phenomenal athlete and capable of shutting-out opponents on the mat. Bleda is very hittable on the feet, however, to the extent that she seems set to swallow a couple of losses before addressing the gaps in the skillset.
Silva vs Bleda Prediction: Bleda Decision
At just 25 years old, the world looked at Silva’s feet after humiliating Jasmine Jasudavicius. Denying Jasudavicus of all six takedowns, landing almost triple the strikes on the feet and incorporating two of her own takedowns – it was a performance that Silva had yet to produce in her career. Bleda, however, is a phenomenal athlete and capable of shutting-out opponents on the mat. Despite the Czech prospect being very hittable on the feet, the athletic gap feels like a bridge too far.
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TIPPING JAR
Pintsized Interests is just a baby finding its first steps in the big, bad world of sports journalism. If you enjoy the content that is regularly uploaded then please consider donating via the link below. Any amount is greatly appreciated, and will go towards ensuring the survival of Pintsized Interests in the long-term.