Dominick Reyes vs. Ryan Spann Prediction: UFC 281 Odds
Reyes has been idle since suffering a second-round KO loss to Jiří Procházka 18 months ago at UFC Vegas 25 that extends his current losing streak to three fights. Spann is coming of an impressive first-round submission win over Ion Cuțelaba in his last outing six months ago, and has seen each of the clashes during his current 2-2-0 run last less than five minutes.
Despite his prolonged absence from the octagon, Reyes returns to action perched as a lofty -250 favourite on the UFC 281 odds, while Spann lags as a +185 underdog in Saturday night’s matchup at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Dominick Reyes Odds
Saturday night marks an important return to action for former UFC light heavyweight championship contender Dominick Reyes. “The Devastator” took a major beating in his last octagon appearance against Jiří Procházka, which ended in the second round with a crushing spinning back elbow that not only ended the fight, but also caused serious facial injuries that have taken Reyes months to recover from.
That contest was the latest in a run of three marquee matchups for the 32-year-old over the past three years. Reyes took Jon Jones a full five rounds before losing a unanimous decision in his bid for the UFC light heavyweight strap at UFC 247, and was subsequently handed a second-round TKO by Jan Blachowicz in his second bid for the crown at UFC 253.
While Reyes established himself as a fearsome power puncher early in his career while tallying first-round finishes in nine of his first 12 fights, it is tough to gauge just how much of an impact his recent injuries and related layoff have had on his fight game, particularly against a speedy finisher like Ryan Spann.
Ryan Spann Odds
It has been feast or famine for Ryan Spann in his recent trips to the octagon. “Superman” put his impressive submission skills on full display in his last outing, needing just 144 seconds to finish Ion Cuțelaba. Overall, Spann has seen 15 of his pro career wins come inside five minutes. However, two of his four most recent fights ended in defeat in the first round, and he has seen four of his seven career losses come inside five minutes.
Spann’s long track record of speedy finishes raises the question of how well he can handle a fight that goes deep. The 31-year-old has seen just five of his 27 career fights go a full three rounds, and has never seen action in championship rounds.
One advantage that Spann will take into the octagon is his superior ability to bring the action to the mat. Superman has dominated control in his past two fights that lasted more than five minutes, and proved effective at turning the tables on Cuțelaba, who executed three takedowns before getting tapped out by Spann.
UFC 281 Prediction: Dominick Reyes vs. Ryan Spann
The longer this fight goes, the more it is likely to favour Reyes, who enjoys considerably more experience in lengthy clashes. That said, few would be surprised to see this clash end quickly. Accordingly, the best value can be found in the odds on Spann pulling off the first-round upset.
Prediction: Ryan Spann to win in round 1 (+550)
