UFC 278 Hot Prospect of the Week | Alexander Romanov (Archive)
This week we look into a hot UFC prospect from this week’s UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards II MMA event.
Read on for our complete UFC 278 betting guide – taking a first look at our hottest prospect of the week, Alexander Romanov, and his opponent, Marcin Tybura. Including updated UFC odds and our free expert UFC betting picks.
Alexander Romanov vs. Marcin Tybura
UFC 278 Heavyweight Bout
Saturday, August 20, 2022 – 10:35 PM EDT at Vivint Arena
UFC 278 Hot Prospect: Alexander “King Kong” Romanov
- Pro MMA Record: (16-0-0) (5 KOs, 10 submissions, 1 decision)
The UFC’s heavyweight division is supplementing a wealth of next-generational fighters as the evolution in the sport is moving swiftly. A plethora of talent has risen through the heavyweight rankings, such as:
- Tom Aspinall
- Ciryl Gane
- Augusto Sakai
- Tai Tuivasa
- Sergey Pavlovich
Alexander Romanov has joined the long list of up-and-coming heavyweights, holding an undefeated record and a top-15 placement within the ranking system.
Currently, he’s the No.14 ranked heavyweight on the planet, a position he propelled himself into with a 5-fight win streak since joining the UFC in 2020.
Behind a 16-0 professional MMA record is a lifelong combat sports skillset that Romanov possesses.
Romanov's Experience
Born and raised in Comrat, Moldova, his father was a Master of Sport in Judo and Sambo, so an early introduction to martial arts was inevitable. At the tender age of 7, Romanov began freestyle wrestling, a sport he’s continuously competed in despite becoming a professional MMA fighter.
He’s a former member of the Moldovan wrestling team and obtained a bronze medal at the 2016 World Championships.
Notably, Romanov joined the UFC in 2020 and still competed in wrestling championships, which is a testament to his grappling abilities.
From his five UFC bouts thus far, the Moldavan has stopped four of his opponents via KO/TKO or submission. He’s a born finisher inside the cage, reaching the judges’ scorecards on just one occasion during his 16-fight professional MMA career.
Alexander Romanov Fight Analysis
With a 5-0 UFC record, Romanov is slowly but surely rising through the UFC heavyweight rankings, and the competition is evidently becoming stiffer. Notably, his toughest matchup came against a fellow undefeated fighter in Juan Espino, but a technical split decision victory proved the Romanov doubters wrong.
The Moldovan’s wrestling dominance has been difficult for his opponents to overcome once the fight hits the ground. A heavy top control often finishes with a submission hold in place, and as previously mentioned, Espino has been the lone fighter to escape this outcome.
Critics have questioned Romanov’s cardio, but he notably looked healthier than ever during his previous win over Chase Sherman.
The only problem is that we didn’t see any action beyond the first round as he finished with an Americana submission win in two minutes.
Romanov vs. Tybura: Betting Pick and Odds
Marcin Tybura (22-7-0) has been a valued member of the UFC heavyweight division since 2016, and his resume boasts some of the biggest names in the promotion’s history.
A 5-1 record since 2020 is an excellent turnaround since his early downtrend. However, he hasn’t been matched with such a promising prospect since losing to Augusto Sakai in 2019.
The sportsbooks have positioned Romanov as a considerable betting favorite, and I’m not surprised at the moneyline juice we’re presented with.
That said, value can be found in expecting Romanov to deliver another highlight reel performance. The Moldavan doesn’t allow fights to be dictated by the judges, and I believe this trend will continue on Saturday.
UFC Pick: Romanov Wins Inside the Distance (-150) [1.50u returns 1u] at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
UFC 278 Main Card
- Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards II [UFC welterweight title bout]
- Paulo Costa vs. Luke Rockhold [UFC light heavyweight co-main event bout]
- José Aldo vs. Merab Dvalishvili [UFC bantamweight bout]
- Tyson Pedro vs. Harry Hunsucker [UFC heavyweight bout]
- Marcin Tybura vs. Alexander Romanov [UFC light heavyweight bout]
UFC 278 Preliminary Card
- Leonardo Santos vs. Jared Gordon [UFC lightweight bout]
- Yanan Wu vs. Lucie Pudilová [UFC women’s bantamweight bout]
- Sean Woodson vs. Luis Saldana [UFC featherweight bout]
- Aori Qileng vs. Jay Perrin [UFC bantamweight bout]
- Victor Altamirano vs. Daniel da Silva [UFC flyweight bout]
- AJ Fletcher vs. Ange Loosa [UFC welterweight bout]
- Amir Albazi vs. Francisco Figueiredo [UFC flyweight bout]
- Miranda Maverick vs. Shana Young [UFC women’s flyweight bout]