UFC on ESPN 72 full card final faceoffs
UFC on ESPN 72 final faceoffs took place and the 12-fight card, including Anthony Hernandez vs. Roman Dolidze, had staredowns after conclusion.
Eryk Anders and Christian Leroy Duncan meet in the main card opener of UFC on ESPN 72 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
Last event: 4-2
UFC main cards, 2025: 76-58-1
Eryk Anders vs. Christian Leroy Duncan UFC on ESPN 72 preview
Anders (17-8 MMA, 9-8 UFC) will look to extend his current winning streak to three. The 38-year-old middleweight picked up a big win in his last outing in December, where he stopped former champion Chris Weidman in the second round at UFC 310. Prior to that victory, “Ya Boi” won a unanimous decision against Jamie Pickett last March. … Duncan (11-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) will also aim to keep momentum on his side. After a unanimous decision loss against Gregory Rodrigues at UFC 304 last July, Duncan returned to the win column by going the distance against Andrey Pulyaev in March.
Eryk Anders vs. Christian Leroy Duncan UFC on ESPN 72 expert pick, prediction
Despite there being many more sensible main-card openers to choose from, the UFC matchmakers and their minimum for featured middleweight fights supersede any format critiques from me.
Still, there is a chance that this matchup between Eryk Anders and Christian Leroy Duncan can provide some excitement.
Duncan, who has European pundits and fans alike fawning all over his potential, appears to be a well-rounded athlete for the division and can show flashes of dynamism here and there.
Anders, on the other hand, is an undeniable athlete who, unfortunately, had the bar of expectation set too high for him due to MMA’s weird “great white hope” obsession when it comes to big guys who used to play football.
But for as much potential as there is on both sides, it’s hard not to see Anders’ propensity to push his opposition into the cage, killing the action in this contest.
Even though I’m expecting a bit of a slog, I suspect that Duncan will be the more consistently offensive and damaging fighter down the stretch.
The pick is Duncan by unanimous decision.
Eryk Anders vs. Christian Leroy Duncan UFC on ESPN 72 odds
The oddsmakers and the public are heavily favoring the English fighter, listing Duncan -500 and Anders +410 via FanDuel.
Eryk Anders vs. Christian Leroy Duncan UFC on ESPN 72 start time, how to watch
As the main card opener, Anders and Duncan are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 7:10 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
