UFC Fight Night 158 - Vancouver Breakdown & Predictions
When is UFC Fight Night 158? Saturday 14th September, 2019 - 23:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC Fight Night 158? Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
What channel is UFC Fight Night 158? BT Sport 2
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night 158? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ which can you sign up to here!
Are tickets still available for UFC Fight Night 158? https://www.ufc.com/tickets
Donald Cerrone vs Justin Gaethje
Donald Cerrone and Justin Gaethje provide an irresistible main event in Vancouver. Two ultra-aggressive top contenders who love nothing more than to put on violent extravaganzas will be sure to cap off the card and light up the Rogers Arena in style.
Cerrone is content putting on shows to please his fans and every other fan that appreciates Mixed Martial Arts. His longevity is extremely impressive, making his 33rd UFC fight, but his talents speak for themselves as he holds the records for the most wins, finishes, post-fight bonuses and knockdowns in UFC history. He only has tough fights and strung three impressive wins together in beating Mike Perry, Alexander Hernandez and Al Iaquinta but he is coming off a loss to Tony Ferguson.
Gaethje is one of few fan-favourites to rival Cerrone’s notoriety. Every fight is technical chaos and he maintained his reputation in his UFC debut by knocking Michael Johnson extending his unbeaten record and unholy knockout rate. However, he got a taste of his own medicine in getting knocked out by Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier but got back to old ways in starching James Vick and Edson Barboza to set up this bout with Cerrone.
PREDICTION
This is a mouth-watering match-up. Cerrone is phenomenal on the mat and Gaethje is an All-American NCAA Division 1 wrestler but as the stats show he has abandoned these skills to cause destruction on the feet which Cerrone will be happy to oblige in.
This should be a stand-up war with Gaethje having a power advantage and Cerrone a technique advantage. Gaethje will be wise to throw his thunderous leg kicks to slow Cerrone down and force the pressure. If Gaethje walks Cerrone down like he did Barboza he could easily overwhelm him and finish the fight quickly but Cerrone’s experience will be crucial.
Cerrone will be unfazed by Gaethje’s aggression and he will use his combinations when he gets room. A key stat here is Gaethje’s shots absorbed, which is over 10 significant strikes a minute. It has made him a fan-favourite - but if you eat 10 shots a minute against Cerrone you are going down.
Winner: Cerrone via KO/TKO
Glover Teixeira vs Nikita Krylov
At 39 years-old, Glover Teixeira is still scrapping with young savages and his next appointment is Nikita Krylov who has finished every one of his 25 wins.
Teixeira has had 17 UFC fights (12-5) fighting at the top of the light heavyweight heap the whole time. He has lost against the very best including Jon Jones, Anthony Johnson and Alexander Gustafsson as well as a disappointing decision to Corey Anderson back in July last year. However, he has displayed his warrior character in his last two fights – submitting the extremely dangerous Karl Roberson and Ion Cutelaba.
He takes on another dangerous assassin in Krylov who returned to the UFC after four superb finishes. He lost his return fight against Jan Blachowicz who submitted him in the second round but is coming off a brilliant win submitting Ovince Saint Preux to gain vengeance for his loss back in 2014.
PREDICTION
This is a great match-up and a huge opportunity for Krylov to announce himself as a top contender in the light heavyweight division but Teixeira has no time for gatekeeping.
Krylov needs to keep the distance as he is so dangerous striking from range and Teixeira is lethal in the clinch. If Teixeira can defend the power shots and drag Krylov into dirty boxing range he can hurt the Ukranian and tie him up to neutralise the threat.
Krylov has great jiu-jitsu but if he takes too much damage from the Brazilian he will finish the fight on the ground. This could go either way with a knockout also a likely outcome for either man.
Winner: Teixeira via Submission
Todd Duffee vs Jeff Hughes
Big Todd Duffee drags himself back to the octagon after another series of injuries and illness and like all his displays, this is destined to be explosive as a fellow heavy slugger welcomes him back to the cage.
Contract disputes, injuries and an illness diagnosed as Parsonage-Turner syndrome have robbed UFC fans of seeing Duffee perform. He has had two stints in the UFC but has only fought twice in nearly seven years and his last fight was a knockout loss to Frank Mir.
Hughes on the other hand has fought nine times since Duffee’s fight with Mir and after impressing on Dana White’s Contender Series with a knockout over Josh Appeit he was awarded with a UFC contract. However, his UFC career did not get off to a good start as he lost a split decision to Maurice Greene to suffer his second career loss.
PREDICTION
Despite Duffee’s inactivity, this fight is likely to end how every single one of his fights has ended so far – a knockout. Hughes is very powerful and durable but if Duffee is fit and healthy he is likely to make short work of him.
Duffee is quicker, more explosive and more powerful and should be able to get back to old ways to notch his 10th career knockout.
Winner: Duffee via KO/TKO
Uriah Hall vs Antonio Carlos Junior
‘Prime Time’ Uriah Hall is back in action and it seems we are still waiting for him to live up to his potential. However, he is coming off a vintage knockout and now faces Antonio Carlos Junior, a jiu-jitsu world champion, to test his skills and his mind set.
Hall is an athletic specimen and capable of knocking out anyone out on his day. He has even finished one of the best middleweights of all time in Gegard Mousasi but after that win he lost his next three. He bounced back with a knockout over Krzysztof Jotko, but then got pummelled by Paul Costa before a stunning knockout over Bevon Lewis in his last fight.
Carlos Junior poses a different threat to previous opponents. He is a grappling wizard with little interest in striking and certainly won’t want to break tradition against someone as dangerous as Hall. The Brazilian also just got his five-fight winning streak snapped by Ian Heinisch in a disappointing decision.
PREDICTION
This all depends on which version of Hall turns up. If he is more relaxed and lets his hands go he can unleash that show-stopping power to end the fight, but that is a big if. If he is not on his game, the Brazilian will take him down and hunt a submission. If Hall can avoid the takedown, the fight is his if he wants it.
Winner: Hall via KO/TKO
Misha Cirkunov vs Jimmy Crute
Jimmy Crute makes the long trip from Australia carrying his unbeaten record to take on the hardest assignment of his career so far: UFC vet Misha Cirkunov.
This is Cirkunov’s ninth UFC fight and he has big wins over the likes of Ion Cutelaba, Nikita Krylov and Patrick Cummins but he has lost three of his last four which were all knockouts to Volkan Oezdemir, Glover Teixeira and Johnny Walker. These were big setbacks, but they are some of the best strikers in the division and experience Crute does not have.
The Aussie has only had two UFC fights but they were exceptional performances. He submitted Paul Craig on his debut, who’s only strength is his grappling, and he is coming off a TKO over Sam Alvey, showcasing his improving striking skills.
PREDICTION
On paper, Cirkunov should take this. He is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, is more experienced and has proven his well-rounded skill set against top competition. However, Crute has all the potential and will be a problem for the Latvian.
Crute has the strength to match Cirkunov and the power on the feet to seriously test his chin. Their grappling skills could easily cancel each other out, forcing a stand-up battle which should be a fiercely close contest. Getting past Cirkunov will be a monstrous win for Crute but it may be a test too soon for the 23-year-old.
Winner: Cirkunov via Decision
Striking and grappling stats sourced via FightMetric.