UFC Fight Night 158: Cerrone vs Gaethje Tips & Preview

UFC Fight Night 158: Cerrone vs Gaethje Tips & Preview

The UFC heads to Vancouver this weekend for another exciting instalment of the UFC Fight Night series. Donald Cerrone and Justin Gaethje come together for an epic main event, with Glover Teixeira looking to rebound in the co-main. We’ll break down both the main and co-main events, providing our best bets in the process.

Donald Cerrone vs Justin Gaethje, Lightweight, Main Event
Gaethje $1.55

Donald Cerrone

One of the more entertaining fighters in UFC history, ‘Cowboy’ enters this fight with a strong 36-12-1 career record. He has won 3 fights within the last 12 months, also losing to Tony Ferguson last time out. Despite having primarily fought at Welterweight in recent years, he seems to have found a home at Lightweight. He is excellent both on the feet and on the ground, managing 17 career submissions and a further 10 knockouts.

Justin Gaethje

Gaethje has emerged as one of the top contenders in the Lightweight division, entering this bout with a strong 20-2 career record. He is 3-2 as part of the UFC, having managed consecutive wins over James Vick and Edson Barboza. He is known primarily for his outstanding striking ability, with 17 of his career wins coming by knockout.

Prediction: Gaethje

Despite a recent surge from Cowboy, I think Gaethje is really finding his feet in the Lightweight division. I expect his speed and athleticism to be on full display here, with his elite defensive ability really testing his opponent. I also expect him to avoid takedowns and Cowboy’s lethal ground game here, striking early and often en route to a KO win.

Glover Teixeira vs Nikita Krylov, Light Heavyweight, Co-Main Event
Teixeira $1.75

Glover Teixeira

Teixeira is a heavily respected Light Heavyweight who enters this bout with a stellar 29-7 record for his career. He is 11-5 in his time in the UFC, with his highlight undoubtedly being a title fight with Jon Jones in 2014. He has been fairly active in this calendar year, managing 2 submission wins over Roberson and Cutelaba.

Nikita Krylov

Krylov is another contender more than holding his own at Light Heavyweight, entering this bout with a strong 25-6 career record. He has been in stellar recent form, winning 5 of his last 6 fights since 2017. Known primarily as a submission artist, he has a very impressive 15 submission wins to his name.

Prediction: Teixeira $1.75

Ultimately, I think Teixeira’s better all-around fight game will help him get the job done here. He has a clear advantage on the feet but is also more than capable of holding his own on the ground. A finish is definitely likely here, although $1.75 for the outright win is decent value in a 3-round fight.