The dog days of summer are winding down, but the UFC is just heating up. This Saturday, one week away from UFC 305 in Perth, Australia, Dana White‘s promotion sets up shop in its Las Vegas homebase for UFC on ESPN 61 from the UFC Apex facility.
Live coverage of this event begins at a later time than what was originally scheduled. Due to fights falling off the card, UFC on ESPN 61 will start at 5 pm ET/ 2 pm PT with the undercard on (where else?) ESPN and ESPN+ before heading to the main card at 7 pm ET/ 4 pm PT.
Immediately following the UFC on ESPN 61 main event of the evening, the Octagon gives way to the squared circle of boxing with Top Rank on ESPN and a main attraction featuring Venado Lopez vs. Angelo Leo for the World Featherweight Championship beginning at 10 pm ET/ 7 pm PT. As far as this week’s show from MMA’s top promotion is concerned, 10 bouts will be held from the Apex.
Heavyweights Do Battle in Rematch for UFC on ESPN 61 Main Event
Highlighting the night’s trimmed schedule is a rematch in the heavyweight ranks in the UFC on ESPN 61 main event. No. 8 contender Marcin Tybura (25-8 MMA, 12-7 UFC) collides with No. 9 contender Serghei Spivac (16-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC).
As with all UFC main events, this one is an advertised maximum of five rounds at five minutes per round to close the show.
The Series So Far…
Heading into the rematch on Saturday night, the all-time series between these two competitors stands at 1-0 in favor of the former. On Leap Day in 2020, Tybura notched a unanimous decision victory over Spivac after three rounds during that night’s undercard in Norfolk, VA.
How will chapter two play out? That’s why we’re here.
UFC on ESPN 61 Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds
Ahead of the UFC on ESPN 61 main event this weekend, both contestants stand level in height at 6-foot-3 and have identical 78-inch reaches. Tybura establishes some separation with a two-inch leg reach advantage (46 inches to 44 inches) over Spivac.
Currently, the oddsmakers have Serghei Spivac installed as a -150 favorite on the money line, while Marcin Tybura counters as a +125 underdog. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend in MMA or combat sports, please wager responsibly.
Tybura Seeks to Go 2-for-2 vs. Spivac Saturday
Marcin Tybura enters the main event on Saturday night having posted a record of 3-2 in his last five fights. Back in March, he scored a first-round submission (rear-naked choke) against Tai Tuivasa (14-7 MMA, 8-7 UFC). It was the latter’s fourth consecutive setback.
Recently, Tybura was interviewed by the MMA Unhinged YouTube channel about a variety of topics, including facing off against Spivac for the second time.
“I actually feel like Serghei will be– Serghei gained some weight, I can tell. He’s much stronger, which always gives him much more opportunities in the gameplan which he brings to the fight,” Tybura said. “I think [his gameplan] is more like clinching, doing more grappling and wrestling. He will be much more dangerous in this area, but I think I improved more in stand-up, striking, kicking, That might be a different thing for me.”
Will he get his hand raised versus Spivac for the second time? Tune in on Saturday and find out.
Spivac Returns for First Fight in Close to A Year
In the other corner, Serghei Spivac enters the UFC on ESPN 61 main event on Saturday night having gone 3-2 himself over the last five fights, but it’s been a while since he’s set foot inside the Octagon. Over the Labor Day weekend in September of last year, he sustained a second-round knockout loss (punches) to Ciryl Gane (12-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) in Paris.
Having to take almost a full 12 months off from fights is never easy. It’s even harder when the fighter in question is someone who’s trying to take the next step in the top-15 rankings at heavyweight like Serghei Spivac is.
Thus, it’s time to ask the age-old question again: With an 11-month-plus hiatus, how much ring rust does Spivac have going into this one? The answer will reveal itself this upcoming weekend.
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
With this main event taking place in the heavyweight ranks, don’t expect this one to go the full 25 minutes, especially since these men have combined for 30 victories inside the distance.
Tybura Has a Brilliant Ground Game
When Marcin Tybura takes his adversary to the cage mat, the night at the office could be a quick one. Just watch the tape of his March fight versus Tai Tuivasa.
Round one saw Tybura assume complete control of the fight upon landing a takedown, peppering Tuivasa with a barrage of ground and pound shots. On any other night, the volume of those punches would have produced a knockout.
With Tuivasa softened up, Tybura opted to apply the torque to lock up a deep rear-naked choke, and at one point, the broadcast audio picked up his opponent’s heavy breathing. If Tybura can drop Serghei Spivac, he could be well on his way to another submission victory this Saturday night.
Spivac Can Punch His Way to a W
In the other corner, Serghei Spivac has won seven of his 16 career wins by way of knockout, so he’s got fists of fury, something illustrated during his 2022 bout against Greg Hardy. During the opening round of the bout, Spivac absorbed some kicks from the former defensive end before taking him down.
From there, it was all Serghei Spivac, all the time, grabbing the onetime Dallas Cowboy’s wrist to cancel out any threat of posturing up for ground and pound. While Hardy worked his way back to a clinch, Spivac just dropped him twice more, taking back mount on the third effort.
After that, Spivac just unloaded with punches on Hardy, with the referee leaving no other option but to call off the fight. Serghei Spivac doesn’t even need to take Marcin Tybura down in the UFC on ESPN 61 main event. If he starts landing copious punches, it’s his world and we’re all living in it.
Final Thoughts
While UFC Apex cards are hit and miss, this is a pretty decent headliner that the UFC’s booked for the weekend. Don’t miss it,
Prediction: Serghei Spivac by First-Round TKO.
