The UFC returns to the Apex this weekend for UFC Vegas 68, headlined by a Heavyweight clash in Derrick Lewis vs Sergey Spivak. With “The Black Beast” currently holding the record for most knockouts in UFC history and Spivak finishing 13 out of his 15 wins, the judges can clock out early for this one.
Originally the card was going down in North Korea, but due to The Korean Zombie picking up a shoulder injury, it moved to Vegas. However, the finale of The Road To UFC tournament is still on the card. With 32 fighters in the opening round, the final concludes with 8 of the most talented Asian prospects competing for a UFC contract. If the semi-finals are anything to go off, the finale will be explosive.
Let’s take a look at some fighters that could finish the night off with 50Gs from Dana White.
FOTN: Yusaku Kinoshita vs Adam Fugitt
Kinoshita and Fugitt will be opening the main card on Saturday, and it could be a massive breakout fight for either fighter. After a McGregor-esque knockout in August (seen below), Kinoshita became the first Japanese fighter to pick up a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. The 22-year-old has quickly become one of the most exciting fighters coming out of Asia. He has managed to rack up a record of 6-1, with all wins being by finish, and his only loss coming from a DQ in a Rizin bout. His confidence in the cage is unlike most fighters his age, and there is no doubt he will bring the heat on Saturday.
However, the UFC hasn’t thrown him a bone for his octagon debut as he takes on Adam Fugitt. Fugitt made his UFC debut on nine days’ notice in his last fight. Although Fugitt lost the bout by finish in the third round, the Welterweight was able to put on a decent showing against the highly talented Ecuadorian Michael Morales. Kinoshita will undoubtedly be looking to finish the fight quickly on Saturday, but if Fugitt can survive the early onslaught, this one will have real fight-of-the-night potential.
POTN: Doo-ho Choi vs Kyle Nelson
After 1139 days, we finally see the return of The Korean Superboy as he takes on Kyle Nelson at UFC Vegas 68. If you are new to the sport and have no idea who I’m talking about, let me get you up to speed. Choi made his UFC debut in 2014, coming in on a record of 14-1 with only three fights going the distance. This was reflected in his debut, as it took him just eighteen seconds to finish Juan Puig.
Since his debut, we have only seen him in the octagon five more times due to some bad luck with injuries and mandatory military service (which he ended up exempt from due to injury). Currently, the 31-year-old holds a record of 3-3 in the UFC, earning five bonuses, not to mention his UFC Hall of Fame fights with Cub Swanson, which got inducted last year (see below). Long story short, he is one of the most exciting Featherweights in the UFC and will test his skill set against Kyle Nelson this Saturday.
The Canadian hasn’t had the easiest of times in the UFC since joining in late 2018, going just 1-4 in his first five bouts. If we see The Korean Superboy quickly scrape off any ring rust and look confident, his hands will be too quick and precise for Nelson to deal with, landing him an early finish and 50Gs. However, Nelson being on a two-fight skid means he is likely fighting for his job because of Dana’s three-and-out policy. So he may not be the easiest to put away. Whatever way this one plays out, it will be interesting to see where Choi is after such a long layoff.
POTN: Derrick Lewis vs Sergey Spivak
The main event has ranked #7 Lewis take on #12 Spivak in a high-stakes bout for both fighters for different reasons. “The Black Beast” is slowly slipping down the rankings after suffering losses to Pavlovich and Tuivasa, meaning he needs a big win to keep himself among the top guys. Compared to the “Polar Bear”, who is on the rise and looking to get his third straight win, crack the top ten, and start getting brought up in the title talk.
I love seeing Derrick Lewis on any card. From his knockout of Curtis Blaydes to his iconic post-fight speech at UFC 229, there is always something to enjoy. However, I do not think this is a good fight for him. Spivak’s striking has improved massively since he debuted in 2019, and being able to blend that in with his sizeable grappling advantage will make him dangerous in every area on Saturday. Although you can never count out a man with the one-punch knockout power Lewis holds, it’s hard for me to see a path to victory for him. Therefore I’m picking Sergey Spivak to stick to the game plan and likely finish Derrick Lewis inside the first two rounds earning himself a POTN bonus at UFC Vegas 68.
Click here to find out when and where you can watch the action this weekend.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
