UFC on ESPN 6 welcomes an intriguing fight this weekend as Dominick Reyes goes up against Chris Weidman, who steps up a weight division despite losing four of his last five fights.
The pair are the main event at the TD Garden in Boston and it’s a fight all the sportsbooks are seeing as a Reyes victory, with Sports Interaction pricing him at 4/7.
At 6/4 with William Hill, a win for Weidman isn’t beyond the realms of possibility, having had time to regroup and prepare after almost 12 months out of the Octagon.
That’s perhaps no surprise, but it’s the main event for a reason and the 35-year-old Weidman is certainly talking up a good game.
So how will it unfold? We take a look at the tale of the tape and where both fighters are at in their career as they look to claim victory on October 18.
Dominick Reyes
The Devastator has an unblemished record in mixed martial arts with 11 wins from 11 and six coming by way of knockout.
He’ll be fighting at his natural weight division and that extra weight could be key, particularly with his power punches certainly effective.
His last fight resulted in a split decision victory against Volkan Oezdemir in March, in a fight, many believe will continue his rise towards title contender. He’s ranked four in the division as it stands and a win in Boston would edge him ever closer.
Chris Weidman
Weidman on the other hand rather has a point to prove after a string of defeats in recent years. He’s won just once since mid-2015 and the step up in weight is risky.
He believes it will help him, avoiding the need to cut weight. But he lost against Ronaldo Souza in his last fight, following some heavy punches and with almost 12 months out of the Octagon, ring rust could also be a problem.
It’s no surprise he’s the current outsider in this one. Luke Rockhold was recently knocked out on his light heavyweight debut but a number of pros are expecting him to find his feet in the division.
Welterweight Ben Askren fancies Weidman, while Eryk Anders expects the fighter to take it to the canvas and test Reyes’ defence.
Weidman has been a champion before and that mentality will be key in this fight. Reyes has the weight and power advantage, but if Weidman takes to the extra pounds he’ll be carrying, it could make for the Fight of the Night and one of the best in a while.
