UFC 254 Card Odds: Stefan Struve vs. Tai Tuivasa Prediction

Struve, who is installed as an ever-so-slight -115 favorite, has dropped four of his last five bouts, most recently suffering a second-round TKO defeat to Ben Rothwell. Tuivasa comes in at -110 and would love to get back in the win column; he opened his pro career with nine straight wins but has dropped each of his previous three fights.

Struve vs. Tuivasa Betting Odds

Stefan Struve UFC 254 Odds

Struve comes into this one looking for answers, having won just one UFC bout since October 2016. The seven-foot Dutchman might look imposing in the ring but has been handled easily over the past four years, losing twice by TKO and two more times via decision. And while he’ll always have that TKO triumph over current heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic back in 2012, his days of contending in the division are long gone.

That said, Struve still has a couple of assets he can lean on against Tuivasa. His significant reach advantage is a great place to start; while his jabs are well below average for the division, he does have one of the best kick arsenals in the UFC and won’t hesitate to use those long legs to his advantage. Struve also has a very strong ground game and impressive stamina, allowing him to make things incredibly difficult on Tuivasa if he can take his opponent to the mat.

Tai Tuivasa UFC 254 Odds

Tuivasa was on the fast track to UFC success, with the ex-Australian Fighting Championship Heavyweight title-holder earning Performance of the Night Honors in his UFC debut back in November 2017. But a second-round TKO defeat to Junior dos Santos in the main event of UFC Fight Night in December 2018 sent Tuivasa on a losing course, as he followed that defeat up with a decision setback to Blagoy Ivanov and a submission defeat to Sergey Spivak.

Tuivasa has to be careful to avoid Struve’s menacing kicks – but his incredible speed for his size should allow him to get in close and deal damage with his sledgehammer-like fists. His first eight professional victories came via first-round KO or TKO, so he’s no stranger to making quick work of his opponents. He also carries an impressive kick arsenal himself, and might be wise to use his legs to keep Struve from being able to focus exclusively on punch defence.

Struve vs. Tuivasa UFC 254 Prediction

Both men carry plenty of pride into this match – but while Struve was once a force to be feared in the UFC, his best days are in the rearview. Tuivasa has the skills to avoid Struve’s big kicks and if he can stay upright, it’ll only be a matter of time before he stops the tall Dutchman in his tracks. We see a second-round KO or TKO here.