After having a week off, the UFC returns to the Apex for UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs Spivac. Derrick Lewis looks to rebound from recent losses and become the contender he once was. His opponent, Serghei Spivac, is as dangerous as they come and is looking to move up the Heavyweight rankings.
The co-main event features Devin Clark looking to win so he can stay in the UFC, taking on a man who has only had one loss in his UFC career, Da Woon Jung.
UFC Lewis vs Spivac Main Card Preview
Derrick ‘The Black Beast’ Lewis vs Serghei ‘The Polar Bear’ Spivac
Derrick Lewis’ only two fights in 2022 have been TKO losses. He must win this fight if he wants to challenge for Heavyweight gold. He still has dynamite in his hands; you can be sure he hasn’t lost his knockout power. Looking at pictures of him training not long ago, Lewis looks to be in the shape of his career. Will fans see a new and improved ‘Black Beast’ at the Apex?
Spivac is as dangerous as they come in the heavyweight division. In his last fight against Augusto Sakai, he threw Saki around like a grappling dummy on his way to a TKO win. The question is, can he do that to Lewis? If he can, he will win this match. As mentioned above, Lewis is in the best shape of his career, which means he will have a better gas tank to go five rounds, as long as he doesn’t let ‘The Polar Bear’ manhandle him to the ground.
The winner of this fight will throw themselves into the title picture, especially now that Francis Ngannou has left the promotion.
Odds on Neds: Derrick Lewis $2.95 Serghei Spivac $1.40
Da Un ‘Ssseda’ Jung vs Devin ‘Brown Bear’ Clark
Devin Clark will be looking to avoid another two-fight losing skid when he meets Da Un Jung. It won’t be easy; Jung has only lost a fight in the UFC, and Clark has been in the promotion long enough to know what it takes to win, even though he isn’t the betting favourite in this fight.
After losing his last fight, Jung will be looking to bounce back and make a statement. A win against a veteran in Clark will show that he is ready for the next level of opponent. A loss, however, will hurt his career.
Odds on Neds: Da Un Jung $1.38 Devin Clark 3.10
Marcin ‘Tybur’ Tybura vs Blagoy ‘Baga’ Ivanov
A Polish powerhouse and a Bolgarian brute will collide in the centre of the Octagon, and in the words of pro wrestling commentator Jim Ross, this will be a ‘Slobberknocker’. Ivanov is coming off a decision win at UFC 274, a win here will move him closer to a top 10 ranking in the division, but it may not get him there.
Tybura is not an easy fight for anyone. He has fought both men in the main event, going 1-1 by beating Spivac. The Polish hammer has great stand-up with a good chin, so it will be hard for Ivanov to get the KO; Tybura also has good wrestling, so Ivanov may have to be ready to go three rounds if he doesn’t get knocked out first.
Odds on Neds: Marcin Tybura $1.72 Blagoy Ovanon $2.15
Doo Ho ‘The Korean Superboy’ Choi vs Kyle ‘The Monster’ Nelson
Doo Ho Choi returns to the Octagon after a three-year absence. Before his hiatus, Choi was on a three-fight losing streak. Ring rust may be a problem for ‘The Korean Superboy’, but once he shrugs off a few jabs, he may find his footing. Those losses didn’t come against subpar fighters either. Veterans Cub Swanson and Jeremy Stephens gave him those two of those L’s on his record.
Nelson needs a win here; he has lost four fights and won only one. He can’t take Choi easy; otherwise, he will be on his back looking up at the lights. Nelson’s best chance of winning is to push Choi’s cardio and take him to three rounds or wait for an opportunity to submit him.
Odds on Neds: Doo Ho Choi $1.50 Kyle Nelson $2.60
Yusaku Kinoshita vs Adam Fugitt
The main card starts with two fighters who are newcomers to the UFC, and Kinoshita is hot off of Dana White’s Contender Series. The Japanese fighter had a win on the show over Jose Henrique Souza, coming into the show with a 5-1 record.
The man standing across the ring from Kinoshita on fight night will be Adam Fugitt. The American has an 8-3 record, with one fight already in the UFC. His one fight in the promotion came at UFC 277, a loss to Michael Morales.
Odds on Neds: Yusaku Kinoshita $1.28 Adam Fugitt $3.75
People can watch Lewis vs Spivac on UFC Fight Pass or on ESPN, which anyone with a Foxtel or Kayo subscription can view. Enjoy the fights.
Editors Note: In yesterday’s Fight Card article, Da Un Jung was wrongly written as Da Woon Jung. Apologies for such an error.