Popular heavyweight striker Mark Hunt (13-11, 10 KOs) will meet rising Curtis Blaydes (8-1, 7 KOs) at UFC 221 on Saturday, February 10, 2018 at the Perth Arena in Perth Australia. The main card airs live on pay-per-view following the FS1 prelims. Bet on the latest UFC odds and get the latest previews, predictions and picks at BookMaker.eu now!
Whenever the UFC goes Down Under, they call upon New Zealand’s Mark Hunt to light up the home crowd. And more often than not, “The Super Samoan” delivers with a bone-crunching knockout. Hunt will try and come through again this Saturday when he meets heavyweight prospect Curtis Blaydes in the co-main event of UFC 221 in Perth, Australia.
With Robert Whittaker out of the main event due to injury, Hunt is the biggest star left on the card. A win would cement his status as one of the division’s premier gatekeepers.
For Blaydes, it’s a chance to earn the biggest victory of his career. Currently 8-1, with his only loss coming against Francis Ngannou, “Razor” could quietly become a legitimate contender with the victory..
UFC Odds at BookMaker.eu
Mark Hunt +135
Curtis Blaydes -155
Over/under coming soon!
Matchup Preview
On paper, Hunt has beaten far more impressive fighters than Blaydes. But then you remember the guy is 43, has publicly stated he suffers from CTE symptoms, and has been on the wrong end of a few serious beatdowns. Hunt is not the same fighter he was in Pride, but he hasn’t aged as fast as some of his counterparts.
When given time and space to kickbox, Hunt is every bit the phenom striker and brutal knockout artist that we’ve come to love. His leaping left hook is a thing of beauty, as is his timing. A former K-1 kickboxing champ, there are few men that can successfully compete Hunt in a pure sparring match. And even after taking sustained hits to the head, Hunt’s chin is still a tough nut to crack.
Obviously, Blaydes is going to want to get this to the ground ASAP. And he appears to have all the tools to do so. A former JUCO wrestling national champion and an amazing natural athlete, Blaydes short time as a pro fighter has been marked by impressive improvements with each fight. Training full time at Team Elevation alongside guys like TJ Dillashaw can only lead to good things.
Hunt has had mixed success against wrestlers, as guys like Brock Lesnar and Stipe Miocic were able to take him down and tax his gas tank. Then again, Frank Mir and Alistair Overeem couldn’t find a way to get it to the mat. Where does Blaydes fall on that scale?
UFC Betting Tips
We lean towards Blaydes here, and only wish that his money line yielded better results. Hunt fares poorly against well-rounded athletes, and although Blaydes will be at a disadvantage in the striking ranges, his explosive athleticism and grappling ability should be enough to carry him past Hunt. Let’s not forget that Blaydes has KO finishes in all but one of his victories as well.
UFC Odds Pick: Blaydes to win at -155
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UFC 221 takes place on Saturday, February 10, 2018 at the Perth Arena in Perth Australia. The main card airs live on pay-per-view following the FS1 prelims.
