The Fight Card Lowdown: Brunson v Till Prediction, Tips & Offers

Darren Till will clash with Derek Brunson in the middleweight ranks this weekend for what is set to be arguably the biggest clash in the division for those waiting outside of the title contention spots, as Robert Whittaker looks in line for the title next, while Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori and Jared Cannonier seem to have a little more work to do.

Till is ranked #7 in the middleweight table ahead of the bout, and whilst fans scream for a title shot for the Liverpudlian next, in reality, it isn't quite deserved no matter how convincingly he may win. In regards to star power, of course, he is the man, but after losing to Robert Whittaker by unanimous decision not long after back-to-back defeats at welterweight, Till may need one more victory.

So, it goes without saying that this is simply a must-win bout for the Englishman if he wants to touch Israel Adesanya and become the second Brit to ever win UFC gold. At the same time, he has one of his toughest tests once more with Brunson, as the American brings more experience, wrestling pedigree, better form and even more knockouts to the table.

Brunson has won three of his last four with convincing decision wins, while he also managed to TKO the rising star, Edmen Shahbazyan, which has since turned the All-American into a serious contender in this weight class.

In reality, this really is a 50/50 given recent history, styles, competitiveness, and importance in this for either fighter. We are heading for a Till victory, however, as we believe his excellent Mauy Thai game and fantastic fight IQ and distance control may just be enough to keep Brunson at bay and set up a TKO/KO at some point in the fight.

Liverpool star Paddy Pimblett will be making his long-awaited UFC debut this weekend as he battles Luigi Vendramini, a 9-2 fighter who is himself attempting to make waves. In fact, bar a few more fights for Pimblett and subsequent more experience, not much separates these two men and it is actually a brilliant matchup for either fighter. The two boasts of 44% of their fights being finished via submissions, while they both have five TKO/KO victories on their CV too.

What does separate Pimblett from the other lightweights towards the top end of the division right now is his jiu-jitsu, because in a division that is very much striking heavy at the moment (besides the champion, Charles Oliveira), "The Baddy" is bringing more from a submission standpoint than the likes of Justin Gaethje, Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier. We expect Pimblett to get the ball rolling on his debut here, but given the importance of this bout for Vendramini, as he has lost two of his last three for which he was unbeaten beforehand, the bout should go the distance.

Do also keep a firm eye on Jack Shore, who out of all the Brits set to make moves this Saturday, is one who has already grabbed the attention of many MMA elitists for his exceptional ground game and diversity in the cage. Shore enters his bout with Liudvik Sholinian unbeaten, and as the 1/5 favourite, he could be primed for another Performance of the Night bonus.

Shore narrowly beat Hunter Azure through a split decision just five months ago, but with three consecutive rear-naked chokes coming before this which also saw him defend the CWFC bantamweight crown, he is in seriously hot form.

The Welshman is expected to get another win here and we believe it could well be another bonus for him too. At 26 and yet to be ranked, given how open the bantamweight division has become the last two years, don't be surprised if someone like Marlon Vera or someone else ranked 15-10 gets him next as well. Remember the name.

Typically, most of the attention on this card is on the arrival of Pimblett and the centre stage Till will enter. However, in our opinion, with regards to a future champion from the UK in the next few years, the man to watch here is Tom Aspinall.

The heavyweight is Britain's first name within the ranks of the UFC big fellas that is actually making a name and at 28 years old, a 10-2 record, plus an unbeaten run stretching five years, Aspinall could make a serious claim about breaking into the top eight come to the end of 2021, should he win here.

As of now, the Wigan native is ranked #13 in the heavyweight rankings and a win would surely mean he breaks the top 10, which could mean he gets another fight before the end of 2021 finishes and potentially break the top end. Either way, out of all the heavyweights on the rise, this 28-year-old is the man to watch.

Aspinall will battle with Sergey Spivak, who is currently on the same trajectory as the Brit, given how he is two years younger and boasts three more wins and the same losses as his opponent.

What separates Aspinall from the rest, however, is his exceptional striking, and in fact, he may just have the fasted hands around for the heavyweights these days. The 10-2 fighter's striking power is one thing, but his timing, distance control, combination work, and footwork for a man at 6ft 5 is a sight to behold.

Spivak will be far from easy, however. The Moldovian has a fantastic record mixed with KO wins, submission victories and decision wins also, and he will be the ultimate test for a man of Aspinall's slightly inexperienced nature. Aspinall has been fighting for seven years, but layoffs in between have forced him to fight just 12 times within that time.

This one could be Fight of the Night, and most definitely, we will see one of them enter the top 10 should they win convincingly enough, and we believe that comes for Aspinall via TKO/KO at odds of 11/10.

Fight of the Night

Tom Aspinall v Sergey Spivak

Performance of the Night

Jack Shore

One to Watch

Jack Shore