Subscribe
Follow Us
Two Middleweights will face off looking to break into the division's top-15 rankings. Junyong Park will square off against Denis Tiuliulin the second fight of Saturday's card. Check out our UFC odds series for our Park-Tiuliulin prediction and pick.
Junyong Park comes into this fight at 15-5 and having won his last two bouts by way of split decision and submission, respectively. He's 5-2 in his UFC career and will be looking to break into the top-15 with a win against Tiuliulin. He's been able to win his fights by all three methods, splitting his wins evenly between decisions, submissions, and knockouts. Park stands 5'10” with a 73-inch reach.
Denis Tiuliulin has alternated wins and losses going 3-2 in his last five fights. His last win came against Jamie Pickett by way of a devastating knee followed by ground strikes. He's 1-1 in his UFC career and will look to improve his record in this spot against a proven striker in Park. Tiuliulin notches all of his finishes with his hands with 9 ko/tko's to his name. Tiuliulin stands 6'1″ with a 77-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC Odds: Junyong Park-Denis Tiuliulin Odds
Junyong Park: -245
Denis Tiuliulin: +186
Over (2.5) rounds: -108
Under (2.5) rounds: -118
How to Watch Junyong Park vs. Denis Tiuliulin
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Junyong Park Will Win
Known to often fight to a decision, Junyong Park surprised fans his last time out when he secured a submission over Joseph Holmes in his last fight. Park has historically been a striker in the UFC with a point-fighting style. While his shots are rarely at full power, he strings together combinations and beats opponents with sheer volume. He mixes his shots to the body and head consistently, but has a tendency to keep his head on the center line.
To win this fight, Park will have to keep Tiuliulin at distance and limit to time he spends on the cage. Tiuliulin likes to get his opponents close and wear them down with elbows and dirty boxing. Park will often throw a volume of strikes with limited accuracy. If he's missing shots early, he'll have trouble against the motor of Denis Tiuliulin. Look for Park to hang on the outside and land shots. He may look to display some of his wrestling again as Tiuliulin has been seen to struggle on the mat in previous fights.
Why Denis Tiuliulin Will Win
Denis Tiuliulin is a gritty fighter that continues marching forward at any point of the fight. While his striking doesn't look very polished when he's in the cage, Tiuliulin lands his shots with great accuracy. Making his debut at 33 years old, Tiuliulin is a late-bloomer when it comes to the sport. He lost his UFC debut after getting submitted, but quickly followed it up with a TKO win in his following fight.
Tiuliulin is most dangerous in the clinch and when fighting at close range with his opponents. His shots at range are slower than most fighters, but he gets his work done by pushing opponents against the cage and wearing on the with strike to the head and body. He likes to utilize knees and elbows in the clinch and favors a messy fight. He'll want to throw Park off of his striking rhythm to win this one.
Final Junyong Park-Denis Tiuliulin Prediction & Pick
Junyong Park will have the advantage here on the feet. Tiuliulin will have a chance to win this fight if he can dictate where it goes. If he can hold Park on the cage and on the mat, he'll be able to win. I think the dirtier this fight gets, the better shot Tiuliulin has at grinding out a win. Look for the Russian to continue improving in this one.
Final Junyong Park-Denis Tiuliulin Prediction & Pick: Denis Tiuliulin +186
