Name: Derrick Lewis
Opponent: Blagoy Ivanov
Odds: +113 (bet $100 to win $113)
The last time that Blagoy Ivanov finished an opponent was back in March of 2017, when he finished Shawn Jordan to defend his WSOF heavyweight title. This includes another defense against Caio Alencar, who was subsequently finished in two of his next three bouts.
Now I’m not saying that this leaves Ivanov with no path to victory – he could in fact outpoint Lewis en route to a decision. There is, however, two major issues with this plan.
Firstly, it means he’s going to have to survive three rounds of Derrick Lewis’s bombs. Lewis has shown in the past that no matter how tired he is, the power remains. He’s just as dangerous late in the fight, perhaps even more, than he is at the beginning.
Secondly, this means he’ll have to do something nobody has done since 2011, win on the scorecards against Lewis. The last time Lewis lost by decision was at Bellator 46 (that’s right, Lewis was in Bellator for a moment). That was just the 6th fight of Lewis’s career. So really, the only people who are having success against him are the ones that can take him out.
Record: 11-24
Earnings (based on $100 bet/event): $-715
Return on Investment: -20%
2018 Record: 18-19 (+26%)
Shop all things UFC at Amazon!
(The MMA Manifesto is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com)
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
