Bruno Silva (22-8, 3-2 UFC) takes on Brad Tavares (19-7, 14-7 UFC) in a middleweight fight at UFC Vegas 71. The three-round middleweight fight takes place at the Apex in Las Vegas, where prelims begin at 4 p.m. ET and the main card starts at 8 p.m.
Curtis Blaydes and Sergei Pavlovich headline the card, with Song Yadong and Ricky Simon serving as the co-main event.
UFC Fight Night: Tavares vs Silva Betting Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Brad Tavares | -170 |
| Bruno Silva | +140 |
Odds as of April 17
Tavares' -170 status implies a 62.96-percent chance to win and a $10 bet on him pays out $15.88. Silva's +140 odds give him an implied 41.67 percent chance and a $10 bet pays out $24.
Tavares vs Silva Preview: Who Will Win?
Let's take a gander at who might win this 185-pound fight.
How Tavares Wins
The longer this fight goes, the better it is for Tavares. The 35-year-old holds the record for the most fight time in UFC history with 16 decisions (12 wins, four losses). It's very lame Tavares has just two stoppage wins in 21 UFC fights, but it's also a testament to his durability.
Silva isn't a technical fighter. He's a brawler who got outwitted by a very raw Alex Pereira not too long ago. Tavares needs to play defense and keep moving — that's how he hung around the full 15 minutes vs Dricus Du Plessis in his last fight.
How Silva Wins
"Blindado" is a lean middleweight with what UFC commentators call a "stalking" style. Silva might not always be the aggressor, but when opponents rush in, he'll use his rangy strikes to laser in on their chin.
Recently, Silva had a three-fight knockout streak derailed by two losses. He's deserving of his underdog status, but I think this fight will be very close. While the Brazilian's technique is spotty at best, he's more explosive than Tavares. That will go a long way.
Tavares vs Silva Pick
I'll back the 'dog Silva in this close middleweight fight. Taking him to win at +140 is enough for me, but you can double down on Silva to win inside the distance.
