
Augusto Sakai vs. Don'Tale Mayes Prediction: Can Sakai Make a Statement at UFC Fight Night?
Augusto Sakai will face off against Don’Tale Mayes in a UFC heavyweight matchup on tonight's main card. Sakai is looking to turn his career around after losing his last four fights, which is a rarity in the UFC to do and keep your job. His UFC career is potentially on the line in this fight, as he cannot afford another loss. However, all four of those losses came against top fighters in the division like Alastair Overeem, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Tai Tuivasa, and Serghei Spivac. Sakai's losses may have been discouraging, but they cannot take away from his ability and experience in the octagon.
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Augusto Sakai vs. Don'Tale Mayes Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds
- Date: February 25, 2023
- Time: 7:00 PM EDT
- Where: UFC APEX, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Where to Watch: ESPN+
Click here for Sakai vs Mayes odds
Augusto Sakai vs. Don'Tale Mayes Prediction
One of the major reasons for Sakai's losing streak is his poor takedown defense. However, Sakai has been putting in the work to improve his wrestling game. He has been training at American Top Team, where he is surrounded by some of the best wrestlers in the world. This could be the key to Sakai's success in this fight, as he needs to avoid being taken down by Mayes and ground-and-pounded.
Mayes is no slouch in the octagon, but he is not at the same level as the fighters Sakai has lost to during his four-fight losing streak. This makes the matchup a more winnable one for Sakai. Mayes will have to bring his best game to beat Sakai, who has shown he can be a force to be reckoned with in the octagon. Sakai's recent losses should not be seen as an indicator of his skills, as he has fought against some of the top fighters in the division.
Before his four-fight losing streak, Sakai was on a roll, winning against Chase Sherman, Andrei Arlovski, Marcin Tybura, and Blagoy Ivanov. This shows that Sakai has the potential to beat Mayes, especially with his recent training and experience against high-level opponents. Sakai is hungry for a win and is motivated to prove himself in this fight.
Sakai is the favorite to win at the time of writing, and with his experience, training, and motivation, Sakai is a solid pick for this fight. He has shown that he can take on UFC-level opponents and come out on top, and Mayes is not at that top level yet. It's a winnable fight for Sakai, and it could be the start of his comeback in the UFC. He needs to win this fight to prove himself and stay in the UFC, and I believe he does so. Watch his improved takedown defense be the difference, and for Sakai to land a knockout win.
Augusto Sakai vs. Don'Tale Mayes Pick
Pick: Augusto Sakai ML @ (-116) Bet $100 to collect $186 FanDuel has the best odds, click here to bet
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Article Author
Ben Rajavuori is a handicapper out of Minneapolis, MN. He has been creating sports content for almost four years now and is an expert in all things NFL, MLB, NBA, UFC, and NCAAB. Ben thrives on diving deep into statistics to find the best angle on every bet. You can follow him on Twitter @WeBeatTheSpread.