Coach says Ryan Spann is “one of the scariest dudes that gets into the Octagon,” expects Dominick Reyes scrap to be “a great fight”

Fortis MMA head coach Sayif Saud is excited Ryan Spann is getting a massive opportunity as he faces Dominick Reyes at UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden.

Reyes will be making his return after suffering a KO loss to Jiri Prochazka in May of 2021, a setback which marked his third defeat in a row. Spann, meanwhile, is coming off a dominating win over Ion Cutelaba and according to Saud, he believes Spann is one of the scariest guys that fights in the UFC.

“Man, it’s excitement but for me, I know how good these guys are, Geoff (Neal), Ryan. Ryan is one of the scariest dudes that gets into the Octagon and yeah he has slipped on a couple of banana peels and has lost a couple of fights and it’s funny how people are like ‘oh man, that’s it.’ Just like any other sport, it takes a bit of time for these guys,” Saud said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com about Spann. “These guys were all undefeated (in the UFC), Geoff was undefeated, Ryan was undefeated to get into the rankings and they won some and lost some. But, now, they are really starting to grow and get comfortable…

“When he is dialed in, he was the underdog in the Cutelaba fight and he made it look like he was playing a video game,” Saud continued about Spann. “That fight was so easy for him. When he dials it in, he is dangerous. It’s an exciting opportunity but you hope you see the best version of your guy. If you show up on game night and you are the best version of yourself and you lose, that is fine.”

With Sayif Saud knowing just how good Ryan Spann can be, he is looking forward to the matchup against Dominick Reyes. He believes Reyes will have a lot to prove given he has lost three in a row but he believes the former title challenger is still elite and it will be a tough scrap for Spann.

“This guy has only lost to the champs. He fought Jon Jones and had a hell of a fight, it was a great fight, and he performed great. He lost to Jan and then he lost to Jiri, well those are the three champs,” Saud concluded about Reyes-Spann. “Those are tough, tough guys. To look at that and be like he’s washed, he’s done, dude, no. He’s not. But, it’s the same thing I said about Ryan, they are both dangerous guys, Dom is pretty physical but Ryan is just as if not more physical. It’s going to be a great fight.”

Who do you think will win, Ryan Spann or Dominick Reyes?