Nikita Krylov and Dominick Reyes meet Saturday in the UFC 314 main card opener at Kaseya Center in Miami. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
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Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes UFC 314 preview
Krylov (29-9 MMA, 11-7 UFC) returns to action for the first time since March 2023, when he submitted Ryan Spann in the opening round. The 32-year-old is currently on a three-fight winning streak that includes a unanimous decision over Volkan Oezdemir and another first-round stoppage, albeit by TKO, against Alexander Gustafsson. ... Reyes (14-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) enters his first fight of 2025 as a winner of back-to-back fights. In his most recent outing at UFC 310, he ground and pounded Anthony Smith for a second-round stoppage, which followed a first-round TKO of Dustin Jacoby last June.
Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes UFC 314 expert pick, prediction
Despite having a stacked card chalked full of appropriate lighter-weight fights to kick off the main card, the UFC matchmakers are once again spitting on Joe Silva's tried and true method of booking featherweights or lightweights to open up main cards.
However, in Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby's defense, this bout between Krylov and Reyes should be action-packed for as long as it lasts.
Krylov has been an unsung player in this division for some time, but it's hard to know what to expect from him after just north of a two-year layoff from competition.
I suspect that Krylov will be the more willing wrestler with a cardio edge, but I also believe that Reyes has some underrated grappling of his own and that his southpaw counters could provide some problems for his aggressive counterpart.
Although part of me thinks we're in for 15 minutes of fighting that gets real sloppy toward the back half, I'll take a flier on the underdog Reyes to join the shortlist of fighters who have finished the durable Krylov.
The pick is Reyes by knockout in Round 1.
Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes UFC 314 odds
The oddsmakers and the public favor the Ukranian-born fighter, listing Krylov -188 and Reyes +152 via FanDuel.
Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes UFC 314 start time, how to watch
As the main card opener, Krylov and Reyes are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 10:10 p.m. ET. The fight streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC 314.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes prediction, pick, start time for UFC 314
