Circle your calendars, MMA fans, because come Aug. 7 UFC 265 is all set to arrive and there’s a loaded set of matchups for everyone to enjoy. This of course includes a mouth-watering heavyweight showdown. In this piece, we have UFC 265 picks for Derrick Lewis vs. Ciryl Gane, plus some other big battles on the way. Which fighters will end up coming out on top?
When the two big-time brawlers take the octagon, Ciryl Gane is the favorite going up against Derrick Lewis. This fight is without question the main event and for good reason. Both of these guys are at the top of their game and their power is unmatched. We would be absolutely shocked if this fight didn’t end in a knockout, as Lewis and Gane are known for delivering haymakers.
In his last fight, Gane went toe-to-toe with Alexander Volkov at a UFC Fight Night in late June. These two went the distance, with Gane ultimately coming out on top via a decision. With that win, Gane is now a perfect 9-0 in his UFC career. Meanwhile, for Lewis, he’s 25-7-0 during his fighting days. His last fight came in February, as he beat Curtis Blaydes with a second-round TKO.
| UFC 265 odds |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gane to win | -275 | -275 | -275 | -275 |
| Lewis to win | +220 | +220 | +220 | +220 |
| Nunes to win | -800 | -800 | -800 | -800 |
| Pena to win | +540 | +540 | +540 | +540 |
Looking ahead to UFC 265, Gane indeed is the favorite, as he’s been given -275 UFC odds. Meanwhile, for Lewis, he’ll be motivated knowing that he’s the underdog, as he’s been given +220 odds. Despite the odds being quite different, we think this really has what it takes to be a memorable showdown. We’re not expecting a first-round ending for this one.
With that said, because of his power, we think that Gane will end up coming away with a big win going up against Lewis. He is yet to lose in the UFC, and he continues to gain even more popular because of his brilliant abilities. While Lewis is also a tremendous fighter and could surprise Lewis with a powerful punch, we believe Gane will be the winner. He’s our pick.
Elsewhere, there’s no doubt in our minds that Amanda Nunes will put on a show at UFC 265 when she takes on Julianna Pena. Nunes is pound-for-pound one of the best fighters the UFC has ever seen. Whenever she puts on the gloves, the Brazilian legend hasn’t lost a fight since 2014. Seriously, that’s how tremendous she’s been infighting, which is rough news for Pena.
The Las Vegas Sportsbooks agree that Nunes should be able to handle Pena with little to no issues, as she’s been given -800 odds. For Pena, she’s at +540, which lets everyone know just how much of an underdog she is. With those +540 odds, it feels like Vegas has basically given her no chance going up against Nunes. It’s hard to argue with that because of how amazing Nunes is.
In her last fight, Nunes took on Megan Anderson at UFC 259 back in March. In that showdown, Nunes wasted little time reminding everyone of how great she is, as she got Anderson down on the ground and then went to work. Nunes ended up winning via first-round submission. As soon as Anderson was down on the floor, everyone knew the fight was about to be over.
As for Pena, her last fight came at UFC 257 in January. Pena went up against Sara McMann and recorded an impressive win in the third round with a submission. As great as that win was, Nunes is a completely different kind of fighter. We don’t anticipate there to be any kind of a miracle here, which is why we’re 100 percent going with Nunes as our pick to win. Agree? Check out our UFC betting sites and get a wager in.
Last but not least, Jose Aldo going up against Pedro Munhoz should be a classic bout. Muhnoz understands just how difficult this one is going to be, as Aldo is the favorite with his -138 odds. Muhnoz on the other hand is +115. The last time we saw Aldo in a UFC fight was against Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera and he put together a great win. Muhnoz will do his best to try and pull off an upset.
“It’s going to be an honor to share the Octagon with Aldo,” Munhoz said regarding his upcoming fight against Aldo. “I really admire his style. I’ve always watched his fights and I know how much he has done for his community. He’s always been a reference for me in the sport. I’m very grateful to fight him.”
There’s clearly no bad blood between Aldo and Muhnoz entering their fight, as there’s loads of mutual respect. Aldo is a legend in the MMA world and he’ll be ready to showcase why going up against Muhnoz. This one has what it takes to be a see-saw battle. At the end of the day, however, we think that Aldo will put on a show and record a win in the second or third round. He’s our pick.
