We're back with coverage of UFC Vegas 114 as we turn attention towards the Featured Prelim bout, taking place in the Heavyweight Division. No. 15-ranked Vitor Petrino of Brazil will take on Minnesota's Steven Asplund in a fight you won't want to miss! Check our UFC odds series for the Petrino-Asplund prediction and pick.
Vitor Petrino (13-2) has gone 6-2 since joining the UFC roster in 2023. After suffering back-to-back losses for the first time in his career, Petrino bounced back with consecutive finishes over Austen Lane and Thomas Petersen hoping for his third-straight as the betting favorite. Petrino stands 6-foot-2 with a 77.5-inch reach.
Steven Asplund (7-1) makes his second UFC appearance following a successful debut over Sean Sharaf in a ‘Fight of the Night' effort from both men. Asplund's won his last four consecutive fights all inside the distance and will hope to jump into the rankings with a win here. He stands 6-foot-5 with a 78-inch reach.
UFC Vegas 114 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Vegas 114 Odds: Vitor Petrino-Steven Asplund Odds
Vitor Petrino: -250
Steven Asplund: +205
Over 1.5 rounds: -160
Under 1.5 rounds: +124
Why Vitor Petrino Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Thomas Petersen – KO (left hook, R3)
- Last 5: 3-2
- Finishes: 8 KO/TKO, 2 SUB
Vitor Petrino put an exclamation point on his last win when knocking out Thomas Petersen with an uppercut and hook to earn a performance bonus. It's his second-straight win following back-to-back losses as he's clearly gone back into his training camp and ironed some things out in the striking. His grappling will also be his biggest advantage when dealing with heavyweights not as mobile as he is, but it's a promising to see his striking evolving as he was able to hang in with an active boxer like Petersen while dominating most of the exchanges.
During this bout, Petrino will be at a surprising size disadvantage, but it hasn't deterred him from clinching with his opponent and testing the wrestling in the past. Asplund wasn't taken down during his last fight and while he may be a tough opponent to bring down cleanly, Petrino boasts some of the better grappling in the division. If he's able to truly test Asplund on the ground, we should quickly see a significant discrepancy in skill level between the two.
Cardio has been a big question throughout Petrino's early UFC run, but we've seen him make a concerted effort to both improve his stamina in training camp and conserve his gas tank throughout a fight. Endurance could be the key to his success in this particular matchup against a slower-moving opponent who hasn't really been tested in deep UFC waters.
Why Steven Asplund Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Sean Sharaf – TKO (punches, R2)
- Last 5: 4-1
- Finishes: 6 KO/TKO
Steven Asplund comes into this bout riding four-straight knockouts and having all the confidence in the world in his knockout capabilities. He finished his Contender Series audition with a violent knockout and during his UFC debut, forced a standing knockout against Sean Sharaf as be overwhelmed him with boxing combinations. Expect Asplund to close the distance confidently as his 6-foot-5 frame should make him an imposing force when squaring up against Petrino.
Asplund does a good job of keeping his head moving and making opponents guess with constant striking feints. His ability to draw opponents towards him and then counter during their entries is where he's able to catch them cleanly on the chin, so expect Asplund to try and force Petrino to reach throughout this fight.
During his debut, Asplund averaged a ridiculous 19.93 significant strikes per minute and totaled 172 total strikes on Sharaf just around four minutes into the second round. If he's able to put together that same kind of ridiculous pressure on Petrino, don't be surprised if Asplund is able to brawl his way towards a win while disregarding the grappling or striking coming back his way.
Final Vitor Petrino-Steven Asplund Prediction & Pick
This should be a frantic fight for as long as it lasts and if his previous bout is any indication of what's to come, Steven Asplund should be wasting no time in closing the distance and immediately engaging Petrino on the feet. While Petrino has been much more willing to stand and strike throughout his recent bouts, his biggest advantage will likely come in the submission grappling if he's able to force Asplund to the ground for the first time.
Still, even if Petrino is able to take his opponent down, it'll be interesting to see how much damage he absorbs in the process of trying to do so. Still, he's the far more athletic fighter and control where this fight takes place if he's able to land a takedown, so we'll roll with him to defend his ranking in what should be a tense fight throughout.
Final Vitor Petrino-Steven Asplund Prediction & Pick: Vitor Petrino (-250); OVER 1.5 Rounds (-160)
