UFC Vegas 71: Pavlovich vs. Blaydes we are up to the newly minted co-main event between Brad Tavares and Bruno Silva. Originally slated to be in the co-main slot was a fight between Ricky Simon and Yadong Song but they are now next week's main event. This is not a bad consolation prize considering both of these men come to throw down and that has the makings of a hell of a fight! Check out our UFC odds series for our Tavares-Silva prediction and pick.

Brad Tavares (19-7) has been a UFC fighter since he was a 4-0 professional. Fast forward 14 years and 22 fights later he is still one of the better middleweights on the roster. He was getting ready to fight Gregory Rodrigues before having to pull out due to injury a few months ago. Tavares is now fully healthy and ready to get back on track against the dangerous Bruno Silva.

Bruno Silva (22-8) came into his UFC career guns blazing with three consecutive wins via knockout. He has since gone winless in his last two being one of the only fighters to go the distance with Pereira. Then he upped with that a very uninspiring and flat performance against Gerald Meerschaert. He will look to get back on track and get his biggest win to date against Brad Tavares.

Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

UFC Las Vegas Odds: Brad Tavares-Bruno Silva Odds

Brad Tavares: -168

Bruno Silva: +136

Over (1.5) rounds: 2.5 (+102)

Under (1.5) rounds: 2.5 (-128)

How to Watch Brad Tavares vs. Bruno Silva

TV: ESPN+

Stream: ESPN App

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)

Why Brad Tavares Will Win

Brad Tavares has been a staple of the middleweight division for a while now. He has essentially been the gatekeeper to the top-15 until he most recently fell from the rankings due to inactivity and his last loss. He is still one of the toughest fighters in the division and a hard out for anyone, especially for Bruno Silva.

Tavares is a much better technical striker that is able to mix it up on the feet better than Silva. The low calf kicks will play a vital role in stopping Silva from just coming forward and brawling. If Tavares can just keep away from the power of Silva he can out-strike and outwork him to a decision victory.

Why Bruno Silva Will Win

Bruno Silva looked absolutely dreadful against Gerald Meerschaert in his last fight but the four fights prior to that show hopes of what he could be. There is a reason why 19 of his 22 wins have come by knockout, he possesses that game-changing power which could be put to good use in this matchup against Tavares.

Tavares has shown to be more hittable over his last couple of fights, especially the fight against Dricus Du Plessis. That certainly bodes well for the heavy-hitting Silva. If Tavares' durability has taken a hit at all as father time creeps up on him he could be on the wrong side of a big strike come this Saturday night.

Final Brad Tavares-Bruno Silva Prediction & Pick

This is going to be an absolute slugfest between these two middleweight fighters. Tavares has been one of those hard-nosed fighters that would fight tooth and nail against the elite but I think the age is going to finally catch up to him here. The way he was getting hit against Du Plessis, I expect more of the same against Silva but this time he gets finished for the fourth time in his professional career.

Final Brad Tavares-Bruno Silva Prediction & Pick: Bruno Silva (+136)