UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Daukaus

Some excellent UFC heavyweights will square off in the next Fight Night event, creating some interesting UFC odds. Curtis “Razor” Blaydes faces Chris Daukaus in a fairly important battle for the division. 

Blaydes is the fourth best fighter in the division and cannot afford to lose to a rising star, as Daukaus is trying to move up from his ninth place rank. Both fighters have a lot on the line here, which sets this betting opportunity up nicely. 

Date: March 26, 2022 at 7:00 PM EST

Venue: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH

Watch the Main Card on ESPN+

Main Event 

Curtis Blaydes (15-3-1) 

Blaydes is coming back to the spotlight after a unanimous decision victory against Jairzinho Rozenstruik back in September a year ago. This was a much needed victory to get him back on track after being knocked out by Derrick Lewis in the second round. 

During his MMA career so far, he has compiled 10 wins by knockout and five by decision. Many have wondered if he will ever get a submission victory since he is one of the best wrestlers in the heavyweight division, but this could be where he surprises fans. 

His stats in the UFC have been great so far, with a striking accuracy at 51 percent and with his 53 percent grappling accuracy. He has usually landed 3.44 significant strikes every minute and only absorbs about 1.65. This is a great start to any fight and he is able to control the pace. 

Blaydes has somewhat decent defenses, with a 53 percent takedown defense and a significant strikes defense at 59 percent. As for the ground game, he is notorious for landing his 6.27 takedowns in each 15 minutes of fight time. 

Chris Daukaus (12-4-0)

Daukaus had no luck against Derrick Lewis either, as he was knocked out in the first round back in December of last year. This put all the hype back in perspective, as the loss snapped his previous five fight win streak going back to 2019. 

His rise in the division does not seem over yet, as he has established 11 wins by knockout and one by decision against good competition. He is going to have to continue proving himself inside the top 10 fighters if he wants a shot at doing this for a while, especially since resigning from the Philadelphia police force. 

In just six rounds and no more than 15 minutes of action in the UFC, his stats are appealing at first. However, these are going to fluctuate as he develops more time in the octagon. 

His striking accuracy is at 53 percent and has been decent at defending against significant strikes at 61 percent. He lands an aggressive 7.71 significant strikes a minute and still takes on a handful of 3.51. If this turns into a striking war, he better be ready. 

Daukaus has been able to withstand any takedown in the UFC, but he has not been challenged by the best yet and someone as aggressive as Blaydes. If he can stay on his feet, he has a legitimate shot. 

Odds for Main Event 

When looking at the average odds for this matchup, you will notice Bladyes is a heavy favorite to win. You could look to add him as a parlay piece or outright pick alone for a safe bet. 

However, you could also look into other types of bets, such as method of victory and the over/under. Below are the average odds to place:

Blaydes: -460, -120 for TKO/KO

Daukaus: +340, +550 for TKO/KO

To go the distance: +200

Over 2.5: +100

Under 2.5: -130

Potential Outcome 

If you could imagine this fight to only stay on the feet, how much of an advantage would you still give Blaydes? More than likely, he still wins in that regard. 

However, Daukaus has shown great potential to earn his way into the heavyweight rankings. He has crisp boxing and has appeared lighter on the feet than most. 

As for light, he is a bit lighter by about 30 pounds and could have some issues against Blaydes on the ground. Most likely, Blaydes will deliver a ground and pound victory if he is able to take down Daukaus early.