UFC Fight Night: Krylov vs Spann main card preview & best bets

The main card for UFC Fight Night: Krylov vs Spann this Saturday is highlighted by a fight between submission specialists Andre Muniz and Brendan Allen that is certain to produce some world-class grappling. The other notable bout features the long-awaited return of the undefeated Tatiana Suarez, who has beaten some of the biggest names in women’s MMA and will be hoping to remain injury-free on her next title run.

Andre Muniz (23-4-0) v Brendan Allen (20-5-0)

Andre Muniz (-238.1) could not have been more impressive since entering the UFC in 2019. His 4-0 record since being signed from Dana White’s Contender Series includes wins over big names in Jacaré Souza and Uriah Hall, and MMA fans have the Brazilian pencilled in as a man on the rise. Muniz is a wizard on the mat with 15 professional wins via submission. He has not lost since 2015, a nine-fight winning streak that has earned him a top-15 ranking in the stacked middleweight division.

Brendan Allen (+190) went 3-0 in the UFC octagon in 2022 and the 27-year-old is another fighter on an upward trajectory. His most recent performance produced a first-round rear naked choke of Krzysztof Jotko – Allen’s preferred method of victory. The American also possesses a strong ground game with 11 submission wins to his credit, so BJJ fans are in for a treat. While the first takedown may prove crucial, the standup exchanges that precede it will give us an insight into how this contest will play out.

Augusto Sakai (15-5-1) v Don’Tale Mayes (10-4-0)

Augusto Sakai (-138.89) will be fighting for his UFC career when he enters the cage following four straight stoppage losses. The 31-year-old has faced some stiff recent competition in Tai Tuivasa, Serghei Spivac, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, but unless he can prevail here, it might be the end of his UFC road. Sakai started brightly with four straight victories and was rushed through the heavyweight grades, but his reflexes may have dulled lately and his record since September 2020 does not inspire confidence.

Don’Tale Mayes (+115) also brings a patchy record into this bout with two wins, two losses, and one no-contest to show for his most recent UFC efforts. He almost lasted three rounds with Ciryl Gane back in 2019, ultimately losing via heel-hook submission, which says something of his standup skills against on the division’s best strikers. He will enjoy a three-inch height and four-inch reach advantage over Sakai, which may prove telling over the course of this contest.

Tatiana Suarez (9-0-0) v Montana De La Rosa (12-7-1)

The undefeated Tatiana Suarez (-833.33) has not fought since June 2019, but her record prior to the layoff was world class. She knocked out future champion Carla Esparza, choked out future contender Alexa Grasso, and earned a points win over Nina Nunes. Only time will tell whether Suarez can recapture this type of form after struggling with a list of neck, back, and knee injuries. If she can, a future title shot surely beckons for this dynamic competitor in the women’s flyweight division.

Montana De La Rosa (+540) is a former all-American high school wrestler who has endured an inconsistent run of form since June 2019 with two wins, three losses and a draw. She has not faced the same calibre of fighter as Suarez and goes into this contest as a big underdog. Her best chance to win might be early when Suarez is finding her way and may be a little rusty. De La Rosa does have a strong ground game with eight submissions to her credit, so might go searching of an early takedown to rattle her highly favoured opponent.

Mike Malott (2-0) v Yohan Lainesse (9-1-0)

Mike Malott (-222.22) jumped straight from a submission win in the Contender’s Series to a wild knockout win over Mickey Gall in his UFC debut. The welterweight faces another step up in grade here, but from what we have seen so far, he looks ready. Both his standup and ground games look solid, and another win should see him in line for a big-name opponent.

Yohan Lainesse (+180) is another Contender Series graduate looking to build an MMA career. He lost his first UFC appearance but bounced back with a nice win over Darian Weeks at his second outing. His early MMA record contains six knockout victories, so we can assume Lainesse has some power to his striking game. Despite their limited professional record, this might be an entertaining scrap between a pair of talented prospects.

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