Lewis vs. Hunt Prediction
Which UFC heavyweight will score the big win tonight when Derrick Lewis and Mark Hunt collide in the main event of UFC Fight Night?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Lewis is listed as the slight favorite in the bout, as he is getting odds of -145 to win. Hunt is listed with a money line of +115 to pick up the victory. These two meet in the main event of UFC Fight Night tonight from the Vector Arena in Auckland, New Zealand. The main card airs live on FS1 at 10PM ET.
Hunt (12-11-1) is fighting in his home country, which could give him a little boost. The “Super Samoan” doesn’t have a great record, but is still a very dangerous fighter. His hands are quite powerful and he is able to take a lot of punches from the strongest hitters in the division. His last win came in March of 2016 and his last fight was in March of this year, when he suffered a third-round KO loss to Alistair Overeem.
Lewis (18-4) is quickly climbing the heavyweight rankings and could be a top contender with a victory. “The Black Beast” has won his last six fights and hasn’t suffered a defeat since 2015. During this six-fight win streak, he has five wins by KO, two of which were in the first round. Like Hunt, Lewis packs a lot of power in his punches and he also can take a punch impressively.
I think endurance will be important, as both guys swing hard. Lewis is the younger fighter with more to lose tonight, so I like him. Hunt is always dangerous, but I think Lewis will do a better job of dictating the pace and style of the fight. He can use his strength to keep Hunt against the cage and grind him out with dirty boxing. Lewis could also use some grappling, as he should have the edge against the portly Hunt in that department. Ultimately, Lewis is on the fast track to a title shot and I think tonight is just another pit stop. Look for him to pick up a KO win over Hunt at some point in the five rounds.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT PREDICTION: DERRICK LEWIS -145