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Edgar Chaput
Anthony Smith vs Ryan Spann: UFC Fight Night Odds, Prediction
Get excited, Singapore. UFC is headed your way on Saturday, August 26 with plenty of alluring bouts to enjoy. One of those contests is a light heavyweight tussle between two Americans, Anthony Smith and Ryan Spann. Of note is that they’ve crossed paths before, having fought back in 2021 at UFC Fight Night 192.
The MMA odds see this one as a close call. Ryan Spann is priced at -125 to Anthony Smith’s -105.
Anthony Smith UFC Fight Night Singapore Odds
Hailing from Corpus Christi, Anthony Smith – popularly known as “Lionheart” – returns to the ring hoping to earn his first win in nearly two years. The kicker? That victory came in September 2021 at UFC Fight Night 192 against this weekend’s rival. Since then, the Texan has either lost fights or found himself unlucky.
In July 2022 at UFC 277 there was a bout against Magomed Ankalaev that ended in the sophomore round when his opposite number won via TKO. Then there was an unfortunate case, for Smith at least, when his fight with Jamahal Hill in March of this year at UFC Fight Night 221 was cancelled. Hill was removed from the fight and rescheduled for a separate light heavyweight championship bout, leaving Smith on the sidelines. Most recently was a battle with Johnny Walker in May at UFC on ABC 4, which he also lost, with the judges going against him.
It isn’t as if the Brazilian Jiu-jitsu artist (black belt) doesn’t have a strong record. 36-18 is quite good. He’s a bit lighter than his rival (211 lbs to 222) and has a slightly shorter reach (76 inches to 79). His last fight ended in an unfavourable decision, but he certainly doesn’t depend on the judges to win often at only 8 per cent. 39 per cent of his wins are earned via submission, with a powerful 53 thanks to KO and TKO. Where Smith could get into trouble is in the significant hits department. He takes a lot more per minute, eating 4.49 to his opponent’s 3.32. Grappling is not so much a part of his game at only 0.48 attempts every 15 minutes.
Ryan Spann UFC Fight Night Singapore Odds
The 31-year-old from Memphis, Tennessee doesn’t shy away from having some personality. It’s not every day that a UFC fighter literally has the nickname “Superman.” Fighting out of Beaumont, Texas, he’s earned a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. More importantly, he’ll look forward to paying back his loss to Smith in 2021.
Spann’s recent fights, at least the scheduled ones, have quite some stories to tell. In February 2022 at UFC Fight Night 202, he had to pull out of a bout against Ion Cutelaba due to injury. It was moved to UFC on ESPN 36, with “Superman” getting the win thanks to guillotine choke in the first round. Then came a weight issue in November 2022 at UFC 281. Spann came in at six tenths of a pound too heavy. Although he won the contest against Dominick Reyes, 20 per cent of his purse went to his opponent. Most recently was a rescheduled fight against Nikita Krylov because the latter suffered food poisoning on the day of UFC Fight Night 220. They eventually logged horns on UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Dvalishvili, which Spann lost via triangle choke submission.
In addition to Spann’s advantage in arm reach, he also has a slight one-and-a-half-inch greater leg reach (45.5 to 44). Submissions are a bigger part of his winning strategy, with 57 per cent of them coming that way. TKO and KO handle 29 per cent of his wins and the balance of 14 comes from favourable judges’ decisions. What stands out his is average fight time: 4:34. Very few combatants do away with their rivals that quickly. Smith is at 9:42, pretty standard stuff. Not only does Spann take fewer licks every 60 seconds, but he delivers a bit more as well (3.28 to 2.96). He’s a grappler, going to 1.64 every 15 minutes.
