UFC 270 Preview and Prediction

UFC Fight Night: Ciryl Gane vs. Francis Ngannou will kick off this Saturday night in sunny Anaheim, California. This weekend’s action-packed card sees nine different matchups taking place culminating with the main event. Each of these combats can be can be wagered on at SugarHouse sportsbook.

UFC Fight Night: Ciryl Gane vs. Francis Ngannou

Date and Time: Saturday, January 22, 2022, Action begins at 8 PM ET

Location: Honda Center, Anaheim, CA

Opening UFC Fight Night Odds: Ciryl Gane (-148) vs. Francis Ngannou (+120)

UFC Fight Night TV Coverage: PPV

The main event begins at 12:00 AM EST and will be held at the Honda Center on the West Coast. The main card gets underway at 8:00 PM EST. Check out BetMaker’s preview and prediction of the main event before placing your UFC bets.

All odds courtesy of SugarHouse online sportsbook.

UFC 270 Preview

Saturday’s UFC Fight Night event is headlined by a pair of heavyweight fighters set to battle it out in the night’s final bout.

Current UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou will look to defend his title against Ciryl Gane, who held the interim belt briefly last August. The matchup of powerhouses will capture the eyes of viewers as they set forth to see which of these skilled fighters will land the crown.

The two have very different fighting styles, which will have an impact on the ultimate decision. Gane, while coming in at a massive 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, is an elusive kickboxer that will try to use his technical skill and ground game to overtake his opponent. While he possesses a perfect 10-0 record, just four of his fights have ended in knockouts, meaning he’ll look to stretch bouts out before striking at the opportune moment.

Ngannou, meanwhile, is even larger, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing nearly 265 pounds. He’s what you imagine a heavyweight to be. His goal is to overpower his foes with knockout punches. He boasts a 16-3 career record with 12 of those wins coming by way of TKO.

It will be interesting to see which style prevails. Gane’s last opponent, Derrick Lewis, was also a heavyweight slugger, but the kickboxer was able to outlast his competition and end things in the third round. Will the same be the case with Ngannou?

There have been rumors of Ngannou possibly taking a jump to boxing, where the money is better. Many are speculating whether the current champ’s mindset may be in the wrong place. Will it provide more motivation to end his UFC career on top or has he already checked out?

Who is favored in UFC 270?

As of this writing, UFC title holder Ngannou actually enters as the underdog. He boasts (+120) odds while champion hopeful Gane comes in as the UFC betting favorite with (-148) odds. It’s certainly shocking to see the current champ come in with a chip on his shoulder, but it could provide extra motivation for Ngannou in what could be his final UFC fight.

Looking at betting trends, both are undefeated in their current designations. Gane is a perfect 7-0 when entering as a favorite while Ngannou is 3-0 as an underdog.

Length of this fight could be the ultimate tell on the winner of the bout. Should things end quickly, chances are that the slugger Ngannou has tagged Gane with one of his powerful knockout punches. Should things extend into the later rounds, Gane holds the advantage with his ability to wear out opponents and get the fight to the mat.

How will Saturday night’s fight end?

UFC 270 Prediction

This is a toss up essentially, and the odds reflect that sentiment.

Gane is the more skilled fighter and has the ability to win in a variety of different ways. His main task will be avoiding a knockout blow from Ngannou early on. As long as he can play defense long enough to wear down his opponent, the title belt will be his for the taking.

Ngannou can certainly end things quickly with one shot, but we expect the more skilled fighter to win on Saturday night. Take Ciryl Gane to be the new UFC champion.

UFC 270 Pick: Ciryl Gane (-148)