Reed Kuhn is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, and strategy and analytics consultant. He is the author of “Fightnomics: The Hidden Numbers and Science in Mixed Martial Arts,” the first book to quantify drivers and performance metrics in combat sports.

The heavyweight division continues to search for new blood to enter the title picture now that the Stipe Miocic-Daniel Cormier trilogy is history. Augusto Sakai is now 4-0 in the UFC and would immediately catapult himself into the upper ranks with a win over one of the best-known former UFC contenders, Alistair Overeem.

Both men are strikers, but there is a wide experience (and age) gap between them. Either Overeem maintains his gatekeeper status in the division, or Sakai positions himself to take on a top-five contender in a title eliminator bout.

Prelims begin at 6 p.m. ET Saturday on ESPN+, and the main card starts at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.

Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill.

Heavyweight main event: No. 6 Alistair Overeem (-145) vs. No. 9 Augusto Sakai (+125)

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