The upcoming UFC Fight Night, referred to as UFC Vegas 54, showcases a glorious amount of great talent across the board. Former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz tries to take a step forward against Alexander Rakic in the main event.
For the co-main event, light heavyweights Ryan Spann and Ion Cutelaba should have a great battle to decide their fate. Check out the remainder of the card and which fighter might succeed.
When: May 14, 2022
Where: UFC APEX, Las Vegas, NV
Watch: Main Card ESPN2/ESPN+ 10:00 PM
Jan Blachowicz vs. Alexander Rakic Prediction
Blachowicz and Rakic had plans to meet back in March, but Blachowicz suffered an injury to prevent him from attending. Now, the two can finally put their abilities to the test.
Blachowicz was never really supposed to be a champion, according to the odds. After securing a victory over Corey Anderson, then the belt from Dominick Reyes, and a defense against Israel Adesanya, he looked great. But his loss against Glover Teixeira looked terrible.
Rakic is a steady fighter that will look to find points rather than go for the finish. If he finds an opportunity to close it out, great, but expect this to go a handful of rounds.
You could argue that Blachowicz might be on a decline, but this matchup will definitely tell whichever side of that story. The winner definitely has a good shot for the title.
Best Bet: Rakic Wins at -190
Ryan Spann vs. Ion Cutelaba Prediction

If you want a light heavyweight showdown with serious knockout power, look no further than Spann and Cutelaba. These two are known to throw a barrage of heavy strikes but also remain aggressive.
Spann has been questionable lately in his ability to hold up against heavy strikes on the chin. On the other hand, Cutelaba has been reckless looking at times and appears volatile.
Overall, this should be a good matchup for whoever lands the first set of finishing strikes. You could look into adding this to a parlay instead of an individual bet by itself.
Best Bet: Ion Cutelaba Wins at -225
Davey Grant vs. Louis Smolka Prediction
Grant and Smolka have a great show to put on just before the co-main event. These two bantamweights have similar records and are not afraid to end fights early.
Grant is an excellent striker and will make this matchup interesting early on. As for Smolka, he has times where he struggles to defend against quality strikers.
This could be a close one if Smolka comes out aggressive. However, you could look to take Grant as a parlay piece to add onto the night.
Best Bet: Grant Wins at -300
UFC Vegas 54 Betting Lines
Here are the UFC Vegas 54 main card fight odds:
Jan Błachowicz (+160) vs. Alexander Rakic (-190)
Ryan Spann (+185) vs. Ion Cutelaba (-225)
Davey Grant (-300) vs. Louis Smolka (+235)
Katlyn Chookagian (-170) vs. Amanda Ribas (+150)
Frank Camacho (+110) vs. Manuel Torres (-130)
Jake Hadley (-210) vs. Allen Nascimento (+175)