UFC Vegas 19 pits third-ranked heavyweight Curtis Blaydes against fan-favorite Derrick Lewis in the main event and Cageside Press has its picks set.
| Staff Writer | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Doherty (15-8) |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Ryan Fortune (12-11) | | | | |  | |
| Mike McClory (12-11) | | |  | | | |
| Doug Murray (12-11) |  | | | | | |
| Heath Harshman (12-11) | | | | | | |
| Gabriel Gonzalez (11-12) | | | |  | | |
| Josh Evanoff (11-12) | | | | | | |
| Justin Gibbons (11-12) | | | | | | |
| Jay Anderson (10-13) | | | | | | |
| Dylan Bowker (10-13) | | | | | | |
| Jason Payne (10-13) | | | | | | |
| Joe McDonagh (9-14) | | | | | | |
| Alex Behunin (3-1) | | | | | | |
| Sergio Pineiro (0-0) | |  | | | | |
The UFC Vegas 19 main event between Derrick Lewis and Curtis Blaydes was supposed to happen in November, but Blaydes tested positive for COVID-19. Lewis comes in on a three-fight win streak, defeating Blagoy Ivanov, Ilir Latifi, and Curtis Blaydes. Blaydes has won nine of his last 10 with wins over Alexander Volkov and Junior dos Santos. Blaydes was unanimously picked.
The co-main event is a bantamweight bout that was scheduled for August originally between Yana Kunitskaya and Ketlen Vieira. Kunitskaya has won three of her last four fights, while Vieira is 5-1 in the UFC. Vieira has suffered from inactivity, fighting just twice since the start of 2019. All but three writers picked Vieira.
Charles Rosa faces Darrick Minner on the main card. Rosa has alternated losses and wins in his eight fights in the Octagon. Minner is 1-1 since joining the UFC, submitting top prospect TJ Laramie. Rosa and Minner were even, splitting 14 picks.
The second main card heavyweight fight is between up-and-comer Chris Daukaus and longtime veteran Aleksei Oleinik. Daukaus joined the UFC last year and has knocked out both of his opponents in the first round. Oleinik, who’s been fighting since Daukaus was six-years-old, is 2-3 in his last five. Oleinik was picked by nine of 14 writers.
Top prospects Phil Hawes and Nassourdine Imavov square off. Hawes is on a five-fight win streak and won in his promotional debut in just 18 seconds in October. Imavov has won his last six fights including a debut victory in October. All but one writer picked Hawes.
Heavyweights will open the UFC Vegas 19 main card as veteran Andrei Arlovski faces prospect Tom Aspinall. Aspinall has two wins in less than a total of three minutes in the Octagon while Arlovski has two-straight wins and has been fighting since Aspinall was six.
