UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Tuivasa Preview & Best Bets

A UFC heavyweight fight headlines the organization’s first foray into France as Ciryl Gane takes on Tai Tuivasa. Gane is looking to earn a second title shot after dropping the only fight of his career the last time out. On the other side of the cage, Tuivasa could be one more knockout win away from his shot at the championship.

Date: Saturday, September 3, 2022 | Time: 12:00 p.m. ET

Venue: Accor Arena – Paris, France | Broadcast: ESPN+

The Air Up There

Charles Jourdain can be an unorthodox striker, tending to throw some high-flying attacks. He enters the cage off a loss to Shane Burgos but has won two of his past three fights. Meanwhile, Nathaniel Wood has won five of his seven UFC fights.

Jourdain will be the more robust striker and has an underrated ground game. Jourdain struggles when pressured, so Wood has a path to victory. Still, the Canadian is the more athletic of the two fighters and will have a three-inch height advantage. If Jourdain controls the pace and finds his distance, he should win by decision at -150.

Middleweight Contenders

No. 1 ranked middleweight Robert Whittaker takes on No. 2 Marvin Vettori in what could’ve been a contenders’ match if Israel Adesanya weren’t the champ. Unfortunately for both fighters, their last two losses have been to the UFC Middleweight Champion Adesanya, so a win doesn’t necessarily get either of them another title shot.

However, they’re both ranked at the top of the division. Vettori will be the larger fighter, but Whittaker has more tools and should be the more skilled of the two on Saturday. Whittaker is also a former champ and has a more impressive resume. Take Whittaker to win by decision at -120.

Heavyweight Main Event
Ciryl Gane vs. Tai Tuivasa Odds

Odds to Win: Gane -670 | Tuivasa +430
How Will Fight End: KO/TKO/DQ -145 | Submission +440 | Decision +200
Will the fight go the distance? Yes +210 | No -300

This fight has several exciting elements. Ciryl Gane will enter the cage coming off the only loss of his career, dropping a five-round title fight to Francis Ngannou. Meanwhile, Tai Tuivasa has been knocking out all of his opponents lately, finishing his last five contests. He has been finished twice in his career (once by submission, once by TKO) and has one decision loss.

Gane has more ways to win this fight, possessing superior wrestling, submissions, and technical striking. However, Tuivasa has the power advantage. As hard as Tuivasa hits, Gane has weathered the storm that is Ngannou, so it’s unlikely he’ll get knocked out.

Expect Gane to outpoint the Aussie, but at -670, there isn’t much value. The best value for Gane will be a win by KO/TKO (+110) or a wager on the fight going the distance (+210). Gane will likely pick apart Tuivasa, avoiding the early power strikes and finding the finish in the later rounds.

UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Tuivasa Picks