UFC Vegas 20: Rozenstruik vs. Gane Odds, Schedule, Predictions

Rising undefeated heavyweight Ciryl Gane faces a tough test at heavyweight in Jairzinho Rozenstruik in the main event of UFC Vegas 20 from the organization's APEX Facility on Saturday night. 

The card was supposed to feature a light heavyweight contest between Dominick Reyes and Jiri Prochazka. However, an injury to Reyes forced the fight off the card. Now, the heavyweight showcase gets the spotlight, while the light heavyweight bout will have to wait for a later date. 

There's still an important fight in the 205-pound division, though. The co-main event will see Nikita Krylov take on Magomed Ankalaev in a fight designed to see what the rising Ankalaev can do against someone with the skills of Krylov. 

Perennial players in the bantamweight division Pedro Munhoz and Jimmie Rivera are also featured on the main card. The two veterans will try to get back in the picture of the loaded division in a rematch of their 2015 fight that went to a split decision. 

Here's a look at the complete card along with the latest odds and predictions for the biggest fights of the night. 

Fight Card, Schedule and Odds

John Locher/Associated Press

Main Card (ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET)

• Jairzinho Rozenstruik +210 ($100 bet wins $210) vs. Ciryl Gane -265 (bet $265 to win $100)
• Nikita Krylov +275 vs. Magomed Ankalaev -360
• Montana De La Rosa +120 vs. Mayra Bueno Silva -148
• Pedro Munhoz +125 vs. Jimmie Rivera -152
• Angela Hill -400 vs. Ashley Yoder +300
• Alex Caceres -200 vs. Kevin Croom +162

Prelims (ESPN+ at 5 p.m. ET)

• Alexander Hernandez -225 vs. Thiago Moises +177
• Alexis Davis +170 vs. Sabina Mazo -215
• Vince Cachero +135 vs. Ronnie Lawrence -167
• Dustin Jacoby -180 vs. Maxim Grishin +145

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Rozenstruik vs. Gane

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

The oddsmakers have a lot of faith in Gane at this spot. In a heavyweight division where volatility reigns supreme, Gane's odds are as close to a sure thing as anything. 

That seems like a big risk given that Gane is still relatively unproven. The 7-0 30-year-old is ranked seventh in the UFC rankings but only holds one win over a fellow ranked opponent. That would be his second-round TKO win over Junior dos Santos. 

Let's be honest, though. A win over JDS isn't what it used to be. The former heavyweight champion has lost his last four consecutive fights by knockout. One of those losses was a similar second-round loss to Rozenstruik before his bout with Gane. 

To recap, Gane is a sizable favorite against a fighter with just one loss whose best win is arguably the same as the Frenchman's. Rozenstruik's other wins include a fifth-round knockout of Alistair Overeem and a first-round knockout of Andrei Arlovski. 

This isn't to say that Rozenstruik should be the favorite. But these odds don't seem to reflect the way these two match up on paper and what we've seen from either of them. 

Gane is the longer of the two fighters, sporting an 81-inch reach compared to Rozenstruik's 78. That isn't much, but Gane's defense does seem to be much better as he only absorbs 1.95 significant strikes per minute.

That could be the difference in a bout between two heavy-hitters. Although the odds don't present much value here, Gane is still probably the correct pick. His length and defense make it more likely he's the one who gets his hand raised as both throw heavy leather, but Gane is skilled enough to make sure he lands first and most. 

Prediction: Gane via second-round TKO

Krylov vs. Ankalaev

Mke Zarrilli/Associated Press

The co-main event actually has some parallels as a matchup with the main event. On one hand, you have a rising threat in the division in Ankalaev. He is just 28 years old and has put together five straight wins including three straight knockouts. 

Krylov, on the other hand, doesn't have as much momentum but has fought better competition. He has wins over Ovince Saint Preux and Johnny Walker, but losses to Jan Blachowicz and Glover Teixeira between those two have left him with little hype going into this fight. 

None of Ankalaev's wins have come against the kind of competition that Krylov has seen. But how much credit can we give Krylov for losses to good competition? Well, his loss to Glover Teixeira was by split-decision. 

In short, that's enough to show that Krylov has a real chance to keep things competitive and give pause to anyone considering backing Ankalaev. 

There is a little more reason to believe the odds here than the main event, though. Stylistically, Ankalaev stands a good chance at cashing in on his favored status. Krylov is a notoriously aggressive fighter. There's a reason only two of his fights have gone to decision. 

The problem is that most fighters with the composure and skill to counter him usually find a way to end the fight before the bell. 

Prediction: Ankalaev via second-round TKO

Rivera vs. Munhoz 2

Steve Luciano/Associated Press

The nice thing about this matchup is we've already seen it once. The 2015 fight between these two was a competitive affair that saw Rivera get his hand raised by split-decision. 

The difference was Rivera's boxing, which has a tendency to be underrated. He excels at controlling the distance and pace of the fight. He doesn't have a ton of one-punch power, but he's capable of mounting damage against an opponent. 

Munhoz, on the other hand, is much more likely to turn to his kicks to carry his stand up. He's an overall more dangerous fighter than Rivera. He does have enough pop to get some knockouts, and he also has a tight squeeze to finish guillotines off a scramble. 

So the question is how much these two fighters have changed over the course of nearly six years. The answer might not be much. 

Rivera is still a capable, technical boxer, but he has proved he can't beat the division's elite at this point. Munhoz is still a strong submission artist and serviceable kicker who just lost a close fight with Frankie Edgar after losing another decision to Aljamain Sterling. 

While a Munhoz submission or surprise knockout is possible, it's more likely this one looks an awful lot like their first fight. 

Prediction: Rivera via decision

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