MMA Preview – Andrew Sanchez vs Bruno Silva at UFC Vegas 40
ANDREW SANCHEZ VS BRUNO SILVA FACTS
When is UFC Vegas 40? Saturday 16th October, 2021 -22:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC Vegas 40? UFC APEX, Enterprise, Nevada (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC Vegas 40? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC events
What channel is UFC Vegas 40 on? BT Sport 1
Where can I stream UFC Vegas 40? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
ANDREW SANCHEZ VS BRUNO SILVA LOWDOWN
After winning The Ultimate Fighter 23 as a light heavyweight, Andrew Sanchez (12-6) is now 5-4 in UFC and has struggled to make any real impression. He has a few decent wins including unanimous decisions over Markus Perez and Marc-Andre Barriault and a surprising knockout over Wellington Turman, but he has come against to some solid middleweights. He lost a unanimous decision against Marvin Vettori in 2019 and is coming off a brutal flying knee TKO courtesy of Makhmud Muradov.
Bruno Silva (20-6) has been more consistent knocking out his last five opponents including decent competition including Alexander Shlemenko and Artem Frolov for the M-1 middleweight title and only losing once in his last 16 fights. He is yet to prove himself in the UFC although he is on the right track after knocking out Turman on his debut back in June.
ANDREW SANCHEZ VS BRUNO SILVA PREDICTION
This is typical matchmaking from the UFC handing an exciting up and coming knockout artist an experienced grappler. What Silva lacks in technique, he makes up for in power and aggression.
The Brazilian likes to stand square and swing for the fences, overwhelming his opponents with his power and volume. His style is not suited for three to five round fights, but he finished Frolov in the fourth round, so his cardio is not terrible.
However, the fight will completely flip if Sanchez finds the takedown. He is a brilliant grappler and he can really sap the energy of the Brazilian in defending the takedowns, trying to get up and in the scrambles.
Sanchez’s striking has greatly improved but if he backs himself, he will be walking into to fire. If he fights smart, he will try and get the fight to the floor where he can hunt a submission or try and grind out a decision.
Silva is the favourite with all the form, but a Sanchez submission is a great shout for a bet especially when you see the five submission losses on Silva’s record. However, the Brazilian just needs to clip the damaged jaw once.
Prediction: Silva via KO/TKO - CLICK HERE FOR PARIMATCH'S WELCOME OFFER (BET £5, GET £30 IN BONUSES!)
Value Bet: Sanchez via Decision or Submission
