UFC Vegas 70 proved to be a riveting match card, boasting top-tier fighters such as heavyweight bruiser Augusto Sakai and the highly anticipated return of Tatiana Suarez.
However, the 5-round light heavyweight main event bout between Nikita Krylov and Ryan Spann was intended to be the night’s pièce de résistance, the pinnacle of the evening’s entertainment. Regrettably, this did not come to fruition.
Krylov, holding the impressive 6th rank in the light heavyweight division, was set to face off against Ryan Spann, another top 10 fighter in the weight class. The match held great promise, with two exceedingly skilled fighters set to face off, and the winner would have been in a desirable position in the division.
The announcement of the fight’s cancellation, therefore, was met with profound disappointment from fans worldwide. But what led to this unexpected turn of events? Let us delve further.
What transpired to prevent the highly anticipated fight between the two skilled fighters is yet to be disclosed, leaving fans in a state of ambiguity.
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Nikita Krylov became ill just before his UFC Vegas 70 main event fight
At the inception of the prominent card, the broadcasters conveyed to the spectators that the headlining battle would not transpire. The fans were informed that Nikita Krylov fell sick upon entering the Apex facility situated in Las Vegas. However, the fans need not fret as the root cause of the situation appears to be inconsequential.
The UFC presenter, Megan Olivi, divulged that she conversed with the respective medical professionals, and Nikita is seemingly grappling with a food-borne ailment. Reportedly, Nikita is currently situated backstage and undergoing medical treatment to recuperate. Thus, the fans can anticipate the combat to be rescheduled for a proximate date.
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Regarding the main event of the card, Andre Muniz and Brendan Allen will substitute the slot. Initially, it was scheduled as the co-main event of the night. Ryan Spann expressed immense disappointment after his bout was canceled.
Nikita Krylov out of UFC Fight Night 220 main event vs. Ryan Spann due to illness
Due to a day-of-fight ailment, the headliner of UFC Fight Night 220 has been scrapped.1
Ryan Spann’s opponent, Nikita Krylov, has been ruled out of the scheduled main event at the UFC Apex due to an illness, as stated during the ESPN+ broadcast.
The UFC’s Megan Olivi has reported that Krylov (29-9 MMA, 10-7 UFC) came to the venue early to receive intravenous fluids and therapy for a foodborne illness, but was deemed medically unfit to compete.
As a result, Spann (21-7 MMA, 7-2 UFC) is left without an adversary, and the middleweight showdown between Andre Muniz and Brenan Allen has been bumped up to take its place.
Spann was vying for his third consecutive victory after earning two first-round stoppages over Ion Cutelaba and Dominick Reyes. During media day, he disclosed that the UFC approached him initially to vie for the light heavyweight championship, but the organization ultimately went in a different direction.
Krylov was also pursuing his third consecutive triumph. Last year, he put away former title contender Alexander Gustafsson in the opening round, and then won a unanimous decision over Volkan Oezdemir.
The last-minute change implies that Allen (20-5 MMA, 8-2 UFC) and Muniz (23-4 MMA, 5-0 UFC) will participate in their debut UFC main event.
Nikita Krylov vs Ryan Spann Lowdown
Nikita Krylov (29-9) has experienced a tumultuous ride in his professional mixed martial arts career, marked by two major victories that followed two definitive defeats. Magomed Ankalaev (2021) secured a stylish unanimous decision before succumbing to a blatant trap set by Paul Craig (2022), who sealed the deal with his eighth triangle choke submission.2
Despite the setback, Krylov rebounded spectacularly, decimating Alexander Gustafsson (2022) in the first round and earning a well-deserved “Performance of the Night” award. He further cemented his reputation with a unanimous decision triumph over Volkan Oezdemir (2022).
After committing to a rigorous training regimen, Ryan Spann (21-7) has emerged as a formidable force in the octagon. Despite being knocked out by Johnny Walker (2020) and submitted by Anthony Smith (2021), he amassed a 5-2 record in the Ultimate Fighting Championship heading into 2022.
While the upper echelons of the light heavyweight division seemed unattainable, he burst into the scene by submitting Ion Cutelaba and dispatching Dominick Reyes in the first round, raising his UFC record to an impressive 7-2.
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Nikita Krylov vs Ryan Spann Prediction
In light of Spann’s stunning knockout of Reyes, it’s only natural for all light heavyweights to feel a sense of apprehension. Reyes was rendered unconscious by a mere jab from Spann, underscoring the latter’s fearsome power. Although Krylov has only been knocked out once, way back in 2013, he must still be mindful of Spann’s striking prowess.
While Spann enjoys a height and reach advantage of two inches, Krylov possesses a wealth of experience and is more versatile, particularly when it comes to grappling. Krylov must rely on his years of experience and vary his attacks to maximize his chances of victory.
Although Spann is also skilled in grappling and has a crafty jiu-jitsu game, Krylov is a cut above and must look to take the fight to the ground and sap his opponent’s energy.
There is ample value in betting on Spann as the underdog, given the potency of his jab and his ability to follow up with a lightning-fast straight right. However, this hinges on Krylov’s ability to withstand Spann’s attacks, and he would be wise to clinch, wrestle, and take the fight to the mat to drain Spann’s gas tank.
Krylov’s chin will only remain intact if he can keep Spann on his back. Therefore, despite Spann being the underdog, Krylov is the shrewd pick, and we are predicting that he will secure the third decision win of his career through his signature grinding style.
Nikita Krylov UFC Fight Night 220 Odds
Representing Vale Tudo MMA Academy and hailing from Luhansk, Krylov has demonstrated his fighting prowess with an outstanding 29-9 win-loss record. This individual, who is commonly referred to as “The Miner” and has earned a black belt, is preparing for his initial bout of 2023 following a relatively active year in 2022.3
His journey began nearly one year ago in March 2022 at UFC Fight Night 204, where he confronted Paul Craig. The night did not go as planned, as the Ukrainian fighter was defeated by a triangle choke in the second round. Nonetheless, this outcome did not hinder his year.
He recovered at Fight Night 208 by battling Alexander Gustafsson. An emphatic win via knockout in the first round earned him the Performance of the Night award from the judges. Finally, at UFC 280 in October, he narrowly defeated Volkan Oezdemir with a unanimous decision in a tightly contested, intense affair.
Only 7% of his fights ended in a decision, which was particularly peculiar. He is a fighter who relies more on knockouts or technical knockouts (41%) and submissions (52%). His battles last longer, with an average of 7 minutes and 7 seconds, than his opponent this weekend, who lasts an average of 4 minutes and 39 seconds.
However, this speaks to his remarkable endurance. He possesses the unique trait of landing a significantly higher number of significant strikes per minute (4.45) than he receives (2.5), with a 55% success rate. Despite being slightly shorter than his opponent Spann, who stands at 6 feet and 5 inches, his statistics suggest that he is capable of holding his ground.
Ryan Spann UFC Fight Night 220 Odds
Spann, who hails from Memphis and trains in Beaumont, Texas for Fortis MMA, has achieved the status of a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Dubbed as “Superman,” he boasts an impressive record of 21 wins and 7 losses, which is comparable to his opponent Krylov’s record.
Interestingly, his recent career path mirrors that of Krylov, who he will be facing at Fight Night 220.
Like Krylov, Spann also faced a loss in his last three fights. His defeat came at the hands of Anthony Smith, who caught him in a rear-naked choke in the first round of their bout at Fight Night 192. However, he had a chance to redeem himself in February 2022 against Ion Cutelaba, which was rescheduled to UFC ESPN 36 due to Spann’s injury.
This delay might have worked in his favor because when they finally met, he secured a victory by executing a guillotine choke in the first round, earning him the Performance of the Night award.
Finally, his most unforgettable fight was against Dominick Reyes last fall at UFC 281. Despite being fined for being six-tenths of a pound over the weight limit, Spann knocked Reyes out in the first round with a powerful punch to the face and the back of the head.
While Spann has a slight edge over Krylov with a reach of 79 inches compared to Krylov’s 77.5 inches, his leg reach is only slightly better at 45.5 to 44.5. The details matter, and Spann will need to utilize every advantage he can get because he doesn’t land as many significant strikes per minute as Krylov, and he also receives more strikes than Krylov.
In fact, based on those numbers, one can argue that he gives as much as he gets. He’s not known for his KO/TKO victories, with only 29% of his wins coming by way of knockout or technical knockout, but his grappling skills have helped him defeat his opponents in just 4 minutes and 39 seconds on average.
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