UFC Vegas 20: Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs Ciryl Gane Preview

After a blockbuster heavyweight main event at UFC Vegas 19 between Derrick Lewis and Curtis Blaydes, the UFC is back with another exciting heavyweight contest featuring Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Ciryl Gane at UFC Vegas 20.

Lewis made a statement last weekend by knocking Blaydes out cold at UFC Vegas 19 with a vicious uppercut in the second round. ‘The Black Beast’ certainly made his case for a title shot, but things are heating up in the heavyweight top echelon. At UFC 260 next month, champion Stipe Miocic defends his title against Francis Ngannou, and the winner of this fight will go on to defend his belt against Jon Jones, according to Dana White.

Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs Ciryl Gane

Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs Ciryl Gane is as exciting a heavyweight contest as one could imagine. Rozenstruik hits really hard, and normally, just needs a good shot or two to send his opponent crashing onto the canvas, but Gane is a hard man to hit. The Frenchman has an incredible 82 percent striking defense, and he’s an exceptional grappler too.

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He is one of the most well-rounded heavyweight fighters on the UFC roster and would be a problem for the top guys, including Rozenstruik, who might struggle if the fight goes to the ground. The Surinamese’s obvious route to victory is a knockout, but other than that, he doesn’t have a lot of options.

Nikita Krylov vs Magomed Ankalaev

Magomed Ankalaev is a promising light heavyweight prospect, and has the potential to be a future champion. However, Nikita Krylov is going to be a real test for the Dagestani.

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Krylov has only lost twice in his last eight fights, to reigning champion Jan Blachowicz and number one ranked Glover Teixeira, via razor-close split decision. He’s certainly a tough cookie to crack. Ankalaev is on a five-fight win streak, but he hasn’t fought someone of Krylov’s caliber.

Krylov is a decent underdog (+225) against Ankalaev, but he’s a tougher fight for Ankalaev than what the odds suggest. This matchup totally has the potential of being the fight of the night.

Montana De La Rosa vs Mayra Bueno Silva

For Montana De La Rosa and Mayra Bueno Silva, Saturday’s show is all about breaking into the flyweight top 15. De La Rosa has been on a shaky path as of late, as she has won only two out of her last four fights. Silva has only lost once in her career against Maryna Moroz in a barnburner.

De La Rosa is a strong wrestler, while her opponent is a BJJ ace, which means we should expect some grappling action at UFC Vegas 20.

Pedro Munhoz vs Jimmie Rivera 2

Jimmie Rivera was the next big thing at bantamweight before he got knocked out by Marlon Moraes in 2018. He is 2-2 since then, winning his most recent fight against Cody Stamann.

Rivera and Munhoz fought for the first time in 2015, with the former winning by split decision, and it appears that the momentum is favoring ‘El Terror’ this time around too, as Munhoz is on a two-fight losing streak.

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Their first fight was competitive, and while Rivera has a slight edge going into the rematch, the MMA world should expect some fireworks this time around too.

Angela Hill vs Ashley Yoder 2

Angela Hill took this fight on short notice but is confident of doubling her lead over Ashley Yoder at UFC Vegas 20. The two strawweights fought at The Ultimate Fighter: Redemption Finale in 2017, with Hill getting the win via unanimous decision.

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Hill is on a two-fight losing streak, while Yoder is coming into this fight with a win over Miranda Granger in November last year. Hill’s predominantly a striker, while Yoder feels more comfortable on the mat. Both are tough as nails and are really hard to stop. While Hill has a slight advantage in this fight, Yoder isn’t a walk in the park by any means.

Other Fights On The Card

• Alex Caceres vs Kevin Croom
• Thiago Moises vs Alexander Hernandez
• Alex Oliveira vs Ramazan Kuramagomedov
• Sabina Mazo vs Alexis Davis
• Vince Cachero vs Ronnie Lawrence
• Dustin Jacoby vs Maxim Grishin

What are your predictions for UFC Vegas 20 headlined by Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Ciryl Gane?