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Blagoy Ivanov and Augusto Sakai clash in a heavyweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN 9 – also known as Fight Night 176 – at the UFC’s Apex Facility in Las Vegas. The card kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.
Ivanov (18-3) has a four-inch reach disadvantage, and he is four inches shorter than his opponent, too. In addition, Sakai (14-1-1) holds a 5.51 to 3.09 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, and 46.40 to 38.03 significant strikes-accuracy percentage advantage. Sakai’s bread and butter is on the ground, and that’s where he is likely to try and take the fight early and often. “Baga” hasn’t had the same kind of success on the ground at the UFC level as he had in the lower levels, however, going 2-2 with all four of his UFC fights going the distance.
Sakai has been a knockout machine throughout his career, posting 11 of his professional wins via KO/TKO. Since arriving at the UFC level, he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, going 3-0 with a pair of knockout wins, including a 59-second knockout of Marcin Tybura last time out (Sept. 14, 2019). He quickly turned heads when he outlasted veteran Andrei Arlovski on the Jacare-Hermansson card last April, too. Sakai is for real, and a rising star in the heavyweight class.
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Blagoy Ivanov vs. Augusto Sakai betting odds
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday, May 28 at 7:30 a.m. ET.
SAKAI (-110) and Ivanov (-110) is basically considered a coin flip at this juncture, as the books expect a close affair between the two sluggers. However, remember that height and reach advantage when looking into a wager on this fight. Sakai has advantages in both departments, and he is a knockout machine. Ivanov will have to be a little more defensive than he is used to. If he lets his guard down, it could be a quick ending.
Betting on KO/TKO/DQ (+160) on how the fight will finish, regardless of winner, is a tremendously attractive prop. If you get specific and take SAKAI TO WIN BY KO/TKO or DQ (+320), you can more than triple your bet and profit handsomely. It’s also a good idea to take NO (+120): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? Plus, betting UNDER 2.5 TOTAL ROUNDS (+135) is an even better value.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Sakai (-110) to win returns a profit of $9.09. A $10 bet of No (+120) on the fight going the distance pays a $12 return, and betting on the fight to end on a KO/TKO/DQ (+160), regardless of fight winner, fetches a $16 profit.
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