Tag Archives: UFC picks

UFC 215: Neil Magny vs. Rafael Dos Anjos Odds and Prediction

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Rafael Dos Anjos is looking to win his second consecutive fight in his new weight class. The former UFC lightweight king will face veteran welterweight Neil Magny in the main card of UFC 215 on September 9th, 2017 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.

New Weight Class

After winning his welterweight debut, Rafael Dos Anjos looks to move up the 170-pound ladder by challenging the promotion’s 6th ranked welterweight in Neil Magny. Dos Anjos moved up in weight after back to back losses to Eddie Alvarez and Tony Ferguson. Alvarez made a successful 170-pound debut when he defeated Tarec Saffiedine last June.

Neil Magny saw his three fight winning streak end with a knockout loss to Lorenz Larkin at UFC 202. He rebounded with a solid unanimous decision win over an overweight former champion in Johny Hendricks at UFC 207. With a title shot in his sights, Magny looks to beat another former UFC champion in his second consecutive bout as he faces Dos Anjos in Canada.

The Odds

The former lightweight champ Dos Anjos is the favorite here at -200 at Bovada, while the American Magny is the underdog at +160. This is a very interesting fight to call, really. Dos Anjos will only be fighting for the second time as a welterweight. And coming from lightweight, Dos Anjos really looks physically handicapped in this matchup.

Not only does Magny have a massive seven inch advantage in height, he also has a huge ten inch reach advantage over Rafael Dos Anjos. Magny has used his length to average 4.04 significant strikes landed per minute at an impressive 50% accuracy. That’s going to be a problem for a pressure fighter like Dos Anjos who likes to push the pace against his opponents.

Bigger Man Wins

We’ve seen Neil Magny struggle against pressure fighters before and such was the case in his most recent loss to Lorenz Larkin. But Magny has been a welterweight ever since and he’s used to facing bigger men with bigger punches. He’s beaten heavy hitters like Johny Hendricks, Kelvin Gastelum and Hector Lombard in the past two years so you know he’s no fluke. Dos Anjos lands plenty of strikes but he isn’t a knockout artist, not even at lightweight.

Dos Anjos is good, but he’s giving up too much in size here. Magny is going to have his hands full defending RDA’s strikes but the bigger man will prevail. We’re picking Neil Magny to pick up another decision win. If he gets on top of Dos Anjos more than once in this fight, he could win by ground and pound stoppage too.

MMA Predictions: Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko Odds and Preview

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Amanda ‘The Lioness’ Nunes defends the UFC women’s bantamweight title against Valentina ‘The Bullet’ Shevchenko at UFC 215 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Canada on September 9th, 2017.

Keep our Fingers Crossed

The rematch between these two bantamweights is finally happening. But still, let’s keep our fingers crossed.

These two were supposed to headline UFC 213 last month but after making weight, Amanda Nunes inexplicably pulled out of the fight after she ‘fell ill’ and despite being cleared by UFC doctors to fight. And despite criticisms, she wasn’t stripped of her belt and the fight was rebooked to UFC 215.

Nunes beat Shevchenko by unanimous decision during their first meeting at UFC 196. But during that fight, Shevchenko finished strong and exposed a lot of holes in Nunes’ game. Nunes went on to become world champion and Shevchenko rose from the ranks by beating the likes of Holly Holm and Julianna Pena.

Lines Have Changed

Nunes opened as a -125 favorite against Shevchenko’s +105 when this rematch was first scheduled for UFC 213. This time around, the lines have changed and it’s Valentina Shevchenko at -125 and Amanda Nunes at +105.

No doubt this is going to be another dogfight between these two strikers. Amanda Nunes is a fantastic finisher with her fists, having stopped 13 of 14 opponents. But the one opponent she couldn’t finish was, well, Valentina Shevchenko.  During their first fight, Nunes started out fast but lost steam in the end. She walked away with the victory but not after getting pummeled by the Bullet.

Mental Edge

Shevchenko may not have Nunes’ power but she has the more diversified attack, thanks to her Muay Thai background. Shevchenko is patient and calculated and she has the counter striking skills to frustrate Nunes. Nunes has the edge in power and athleticism here. But when it comes to skill, technique and more importantly cardio, it’s Shevchenko.

You got to wonder why Nunes pulled from UFC 213 when she was cleared by the doctors. Well, she said she felt ill. But if she was, then why was she cleared to fight? Something tells me Nunes is sick with Valentina-itis. The Bullet is inside her mind. That mental edge could be a big factor in this fight. So will be Valentina’s cardio, skill level and counter striking. We’re picking Shevchenko to become the new UFC women’s bantamweight champion.

UFC Fight Night 115: Will the Skyscraper Remain Unbeaten in Rotterdam?

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Stefan Struve is unbeaten in Rotterdam. In 2008, Struve submitted Ralf Wonnik via armbar in just 15 seconds. Two fights ago at UFC Fight Night 87, Struve knocked out Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva in just 16 seconds.

On September 2nd, 2017, Struve looks to add yet another spectacular win in front of his countrymen as he faces Alexander Volkov in the main event of UFC Fight Night 115 at Ahoy Rotterdam in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The Skyscraper

Struve is known as the Skyscraper because at 7 feet, he is the tallest fighter on the UFC’s roster. After losing three of four fights, Struve had a good 2016 where he went 2-0. He was supposed to fight Junior Dos Santos at UFC Fight Night 105 last February but was forced out of the bout because of a shoulder injury.

Alexander Volkov is the current M-1 Global heavyweight champion. The 28-year old Russian is a former Bellator heavyweight tournament winner and heavyweight champion. He is unbeaten in the UFC at 2-0 and he is coming off a unanimous decision win over Roy Nelson at UFC on Fox 24 last April.

Odds

Volkov is the slight favorite here at -135 and Struve is the underdog at +105 at Bovada. Not many heavyweights can stand and trade with Struve because of his height and length but in this case, Volkov can hold his own because he is 6-7 with long arms. Having said that, size may not be a factor here even if Struve is still taller. However, the big difference here is Struve’s ability to finish the fight on the ground.

Volkov has been taken down in each of his last fights and if Struve can force him to the ground, he will not only be taken out of his comfort zone but Struve will have the big advantage there. Seventeen of Struve’s 28 wins have come via submission so if he can put Volkov down, he’s got a bag of submission tricks at his disposal.

Prediction

The problem with Struve is that his chin has always been suspect. Six of his losses are by knockout and Volkov has a 65.28% KO rate with 18 KOs in 28 victories. If Volkov can stay on his feet for most of the fight, he’ll likely get the better of the Skyscraper.

Struve is 7-1 in the Netherlands and 2-0 in Rotterdam. He has always fought well in front of his countrymen and this one should be no different. Volkov is an excellent fighter but Struve is a tried and tested veteran. Of course, the four inch reach and five inch height difference is still there. And yes, Struve’s submission skills should be the key. We’re picking Stefan Struve to pull of the upset by decision or submission.

Brandon Moreno vs Sergio Pettis: Which Flyweight Will Continue To Surge?

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Two surging flyweights will headline the UFC’s return to Mexico City on August 5th, 2017 as Sergio Pettis takes on Brandon Moreno in the main event of UFC Fight Night 114 at the Mexico City Arena in Mexico City, Mexico.

Showtime’s Brother

Sergio Pettis is the younger brother of former UFC Lightweight titleholder Anthony Pettis. The 8th ranked Pettis will put his three-fight winning streak on the line against a fighter ranked just one spot below him. Since his upset loss to Ryan Benoit during his flyweight debut at UFC 185, Pettis has recorded wins over Chris Cariaso, Chris Kelades and John Moraga.

Pettis started his UFC career at bantamweight and after going 3-1 with a pair of Fight of the Night bonuses. Prior to the UFC he competed in the Resurrection Fighting Alliance promotion and the North American Fighting Championships. He was the first RFA Flyweight champion and a former NAFC Bantamweight champion.

First Headliner

Ninth ranked Brandon Moreno has racked up 11 consecutive wins, including 8 stoppages, after starting his MMA career with a 3-3 record. Moreno is 3-0 in the UFC with two victories by submission and two post fight bonuses. In his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night 96 last October, Moreno submitted Luis Smolka. Two months later, he beat Ryan Benoit by split decision and then choked out Dustin Ortiz at UFC Fight Night 108 in Nashville.

Moreno has forced 7 of his last 9 opponents to tap out so you’ve got to look out for his submission skills here. This will be Moreno’s fourth fight in his birthplace of Mexico City and his first in Mexico under the UFC banner. This is also the first time in his career that he will be headlining a UFC event.

Odds

This one’s pretty much interesting with Moreno a slight -140 favorite against Pettis who is at +120. These are two young and hungry up and comers who would like to push their careers to the Top 5 and position themselves for a possible title shot.

Moreno averages 3.2 takedowns and 2.3 submissions per fifteen minutes and those show you how he wants to fight. He’s very good on the ground and he has excellent submission skills. In his most recent fight against Dustin Ortiz, Moreno was taken down four times, yet he still was able to submit Ortiz. Pettis can hold his own against Moreno on the ground but he’d rather have this fight on its feet where he averages 4.02 significant strikes per 15 minutes.

Prediction

Sergio Pettis’ ground game has shown some improvement lately but he might not want to test it against a very good submission artist like Brandon Moreno. Pettis will likely be content to strike against Moreno. He will utilize his leg kicks to mix with his punches. If he is going to win, it’s going to be via a decision. Pettis’ last six bouts have ended in a decision and he hasn’t stopped anyone since 2013.

For Moreno to win, he must take this fight to the canvas where he has the significant advantage. Moreno should look for takedowns more than usual and keep an aggressive pace. For Pettis to win, he must fight the perfect fight. A simple striking mistake could put him down on the mat against an excellent finisher and he doesn’t want that to happen. We’re picking Brandon Moreno to win his 12th straight fight by submission.

UFC 214: Will The Daniel Cormier vs Jon Jones Rivalry End Here?

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Daniel Cormier will finally have the opportunity to legitimize his UFC Light heavyweight title against the man who is universally recognized as the best light heavyweight of all-time.

The Rematch

Jon Jones never lost the lightweight title inside the octagon. He got stripped of the belt because of his run-ins with the law. They have fought before at UFC 182 and Jones beat Cormier decisively by unanimous decision. A rematch had been set at UFC 197 but Cormier got hurt and Jones won the interim title against Ovince St. Preux.

The UFC set up a unification bout at last year’s iconic UFC 200 but Jones was pulled from the event after failing a drug test. He was subsequently suspended for one year because of the doping violation. With Jones reinstated, he will have the opportunity to get back what is rightfully his. To do that, he must beat a familiar foe. And so the rematch is set as the main event of UFC 214 on July 29, 2017 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Jon Jones is the youngest champion in the history of the UFC. Jones holds many records at 205 pounds including most wins, most consecutive and successful title defenses, longest winning streak and most career wins by submission. For several years, Jones stood as MMA’s best pound for pound fighter. That was before his personal troubles began.

Brushes With Law

Not counting the DUIs, Jon Jones had two major brushes with the law that led to his removal from the top of the light heavyweight mountain. In April 2015, he was stripped of the title after a felony hit and run incident led to him being arrested. The following year, Jones was pulled from UFC 200 three days before the event after testing positive for a banned substance during a pre-fight drug test. With all these behind him now, Jones looks to win back the belt that he believes is his.

While Jones was battling his demons, Daniel Cormier slowly carved out a niche for himself and became the UFC light heavyweight champion in Bones’ absence. The former Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix champion has won four consecutive  bouts since losing to Jon Jones at UFC 182, including two victories over Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson.

The Odds

Despite having the belt, Cormier’s title reign has has an asterisk. That’s because while he succeeded Jones as champion, he never beat the man in the first place. In fact, Cormier lost convincingly to Jones in their only meeting thus far. At UFC 214, Cormier has the opportunity to prove his doubters wrong and show the world that he truly is light heavyweight champ.

Jones is the favorite here at -250 and Cormier the betting underdog at +200. During their first bout at UFc 182, Bones was also favored by oddsmakers at -240 while Cormier was at +145. The reason we brought that up is because there isn’t really going to be too much difference between this fight and the previous one.

More Diverse Striker

Daniel Cormier is an excellent wrestler as he was an All-American and an Olympic alternate in college. His best weapons will always be his wrestling and grappling. He is most comfortable when the fight is on the ground. Three of his last five wins have been by rear naked choke so there is some development in his game. But as they say, you really can’t teach an old dog new tricks. DC will always be a wrestler and that will not work against Jones.

Jones is a superb striker and the much more diverse one compared to Cormier. Given his five inch advantage in height and one foot advantage in reach, it’s going to be a picnic out there if Cormier doesn’t take Jones down and if Jones starts to find his range. Cormier’s problems begin with Jones takedown defense though. The former champ has a 94% takedown defense which might be too good for DC’s surprisingly low 46% takedown accuracy.

The Prediction

Statistically, Jones even has the advantage in takedowns at 2.26 per fifteen minutes. On the other hand, the better wrestler Cormier is only at 1.92 over that period. With Cormier’s takedown defense only at 78%, there is a chance that Jones is even going to land some takedowns against the champ. Jones has the better submission average than DC at 0.6 to 0.4.

Jones can beat Cormier whichever way he wants to fight. That’s why it’s going to be tough to bet against Jon Jones. Sure, the long layoff tells you that he may be rusty but for an elite level athlete like him, there’s no such thing as ring rust. Jon Jones looks in fantastic shape at his training camp. That’s going to be the least of his worries. We’re picking Jones to win this by unanimous decision, just like the first bout. And with the victory should come the end of this rivalry. Jones is simply better than Cormier.

UFC 214: Robbie Lawler vs. Donald Cerrone Could Steal The Show

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The fight that MMA fans have been waiting for is finally happening.

Former UFC welterweight champion ‘Ruthless’ Robbie Lawler makes his long awaited octagon return against the fan-favorite Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone on July 29th, 2017 at UFC 214 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Look, this fight isn’t the main event. It’s not even the co-main event. That’s because there are three title fights at UFC 214. This one’s not one of them. But it could steal the show, no doubt about it.

Ruthless Returns

The bout marks Lawler’s first fight since losing the UFC welterweight title to Tyron Woodley at UFC 201 last July 30th, 2016. Prior to the loss, Lawler won five fights in a row, including three title fights. During his ruthless reign, Lawler battled and battered some of the division’s best fighters on his way to becoming the UFC’s welterweight king.

Lawler is known as one of the toughest fighters on the planet. He loves to go to war and he doesn’t mind eating some to deliver his powerful blows. Lawler has excellent hand speed and one punch knockout power. Six of his last ten victories have been by knockout.

Cowboy Tries Again

Like Robbie Lawler, Donald Cerrone is coming off a loss. The former lightweight title contender suffered his first defeat as a welterweight this past January. Cerrone was already at #5 in the rankings when he lost to #12 Jorge Masvidal. It also pushes Cerrone’s title ambitions backwards. Cerrone has produced many exciting wins but has come up short in big fights. He’s looking to change that against Robbie Lawler.

Cowboy is an excellent striker because of his Muay Thai background. He also has excellent submission skills with half of his 32 wins by submission. In short, Cerrone is a very versatile offensive fighter whether be it on his feet or on the ground. He’s one hell of a fighter who simply loves to take challenging fights like this one.

The Odds

Lawler is the slight favorite here at -150 and Cerrone the underdog at +130. This is as close as it gets and this is why many fans are excited to see these two exciting fighters finally square off inside the UFC octagon.

At first look, you’d think that Lawler would be the much bigger man here as Cerrone originally fought at lightweight. But if you look at the tale of the tape, Ruthless only has a once inch reach advantage and Cowboy Cerrone is two inches taller. Physically, Lawler’s main edge over Cerrone is his punching power. And that may be all that matters here.

Difference in Punching Power

We’ve seen Cerrone rack up four straight KO wins at welterweight but we also saw how he was knocked out by a come-forward fighter in Jorge Masvidal. During that fight, Cerrone started out well but after Masvidal found a home for his jab, Gamebred started pushing Cerrone backwards. Uncomfortable backing up, Cerrone would get caught by a combination at the end of the round. He never recovered. If Cerrone had problems backing up against an good striker like Masvidal, then he could be in trouble against Robbie Lawler.

On the average, Cerrone lands more significant strikes per minute at 4.18 against Lawler’s 3.49. But most of Cerrone’s numbers were against lightweights while Lawler has been punching welterweights all his life. With his punching power, all Robbie Lawler needs is just one punch. Look make no mistake here. Lawler too was knocked out by Tyron Woodley in his last bout but Cowboy’s no Woodley and so is his punching power.

The Prediction

We’re thinking that Cerrone would prefer this fight to go on the ground, where he has the more definite advantage. Cowboy averages 1.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes while Ruthless’ submission game is almost non-existent. Problem here is Cerrone can put Lawler on the ground given Lawler’s 67% takedown defense.

Having said all those, i think the fight stays on the feet most of the time. Lawler has the advantage here with a little more reach and a lot more punching power. One fight could end it for Ruthless while Cerrone may need his ‘Super Saiyan combos’ to put Robbie down. Either way, it’s going to be an exciting fight. But we’re going to pick Robbie Lawler here because of better punching power. Robbie Lawler by stoppage!

Chris Weidman American Flag

UFC on Fox 25: Chris Weidman vs. Kelvin Gastelum Odds and Prediction

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Chris Weidman and Kelvin Gastelum meet at the main event of UFC on Fox 25 on July 22nd, 2017 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

Picking Up The Pieces

After beating Anderson Silva in back to back fights, Chris Weidman’s fortunes have turned upside down. The All-American lost his middleweight title to Luke Rockhold and then he suffered two more losses to Yoel Romero and Gegard Mousasi. What made it worse for Weidman was the fact that two of those three losses came in his home state of New York. With perhaps his last chance to prove he is still an elite fighter, Weidman returns to New York to hopefully end the jinx.

No Slouch

His opponent is no slouch. Kelvin Gastelum may be physically small for the middleweight division but he fights with the biggest of hearts. Gastelum is coming off a first round KO of Vitor Belfort but that win was overturned after he tested positive for a banned substance. Prior to that bout, Gastelum collected back to back wins over Tim Kennedy and Johny Hendricks. This is only his third fight since returning to middleweight and without a doubt his biggest test so far.

No Longer The Same Fighter

Chris Weidman opened as a -150 favorite against Kelvin Gastelum’s +120. Since then, the lines have moved and Gastelum is the current odds on favorite at -140 while Weidman is now the underdog at +125. This one could go either way, really.  Both men are hungry for a victory and need one to solidify their spot in a loaded middleweight division.

The concern here for Chris Weidman is that he’s lost his last three fights by knockout and his opponent is known as a heavy puncher and a knockout artist. However, Weidman’s seven inch reach advantage and the fact that he’s a much bigger guy than Gastelum makes him a tempting pick. But if you look at recent history, Weidman’s been on the losing end three fights in a row and has now been on the losing side in every bout since May of 2015. He’s no longer the fighter he once was and could be on his way out.

Younger and Hungrier

Gastelum meanwhile is a younger and hungrier lion who’s never been in a title fight. He moved up from welterweight after being plagued with weight problems. He seems undersized for the middleweight division but he makes up for it with his toughness, tenacity and punching power. Weidman doesn’t just have the size advantage, he will also have homecourt edge. Despite those, we’re picking Kelvin Gastelum to win this one. It could be a close five round decision or Gastelum wins it early by KO. Either way, we don’t think Weidman still has it in him.

Gunnar Nelson vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio: Will Nelson Shine in The Spotlight?

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Gunnar Nelson has long fought in the shadows of his famous teammate Conor McGregor. With the Notorious one fighting outside MMA next, Nelson gets his chance to shine in the spotlight when he headlines UFC Fight Night 113 against Santiago Ponzinibbio on July 16th, 2017 at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland.

Not A High Profile Opponent

This wasn’t the high profile fight that Gunnar Nelson would’ve wanted but he’s headlining his second UFC event. Nelson is currently 8th in the welterweight rankings and he was hoping to fight someone above him to move him closer to a title shot. Instead he faces the dangerous Santiago Ponzinibbio who is ranked 6 spots lower than him at #14.

Nelson has a 7-2 UFC record and has lost just once since 2014. He has won two in a row since losing to Demian Maia in 2015. Nelson submitted Alan Jouban in his most recent bout last March. Ponzinibbio meanwhile has put together a string of four consecutive wins. His last defeat came against Lorenz Larkin in 2013 and has won six of his last seven bouts. The TUF Brazil alumnus is looking to barge into the Top 10 and a high profile win over Nelson will get him noticed.

Identical Size, Different Styles

Gunnar Nelson is the slight favorite in this contest at -227. His opponent Ponzinibbio is currently the underdog at +175. These are two welterweights who are almost identical in size but very different in styles. Ponzinibbio is a very aggressive volume striker who lands 4.03 significant strikes per minute. Nelson meanwhile, averages just 1.98 significant strikes per minute  but has the significant advantage in grappling. The SBG Ireland product averages 1.67 takedowns per fifteen minutes while Ponzinibbio almost has a non-existent takedown game at just 0.19 per fifteen minutes.

The Prediction

Everyone knows what they’re getting with Gunnar Nelson. He’s an excellent grappler who will grind you to the ground. Gunny has won his last five bouts by submission and has earned performance of the night honors in his last two victories. Gunnar Nelson has never been finished in his career.

Ponzinibbio has never lost by submission and has finished 11 of 14 opponents so it will be interesting to see which style gives here. Look for Ponzinibbio to keep the fight standing up, with him utilizing a lot of leg kicks to score points. Nelson meanwhile will try to make this a grappling contest and force Ponzinibbio to fight on the ground where he isn’t really comfortable at. Nelson will make Ponzinibbio fight out of the clinch to limit his striking and movement. We think it’s going to be a frustrating night for Ponzinibbio.

We’re picking Gunnar Nelson to win by submission or ground and pound stoppage.

Fabricio Werdum vs. Alistair Overeem: Who Will Take The Grudge Match?

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Former UFC Heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum takes on Alistair Overeem in a battle of Top 3 UFC Heavyweights. The two will fight in the main card of UFC 213 on July 8th, 2017 at the T-Mobile Arena.

Both Aiming At Another Title Shot

Werdum has won seven of his last eight fights and is coming off a win over Travis Browne at UFC 203. One fight earlier, Werdum lost the UFC Heavyweight title via first round knockout to Stipe Miocic in Brazil at UFC 198. The #1 ranked Werdum is looking for another shot at gold. A victory over the #3 ranked Overeem would almost certainly give him that.

Overeem, meanwhile, is coming off a 3rd round knockout of Mark Hunt at UFC 209. The former Strikeforce Heavyweight champion has won five of his last six bouts with his only loss coming during his title challenge against Miocic at UFC 203. Overeem’s last three victories have been by stoppage. A victory over Werdum could also lead to another title shot versus Miocic.

Breaking The Tie

This is the third fight between these two massive individuals, but their first meeting in the UFC promotion. Werdum won their first fight at Japan’s Pride Promotion in 2006 by kimura submission. Five years later, Overeem returned the favor when the two met at Strikeforce in 2011. Overeem won that fight by unanimous decision.

Fast forward another six years and they meet again in a bout that will not only break the tie but also decide which one continues with his title quest. Werdum is now 39 and Overeem 37 and this could very well be their last run at the UFC Heavyweight belt, now owned by Stipe Miocic, who owns victory over both.

Odds and Prediction

Overeem is the slight favorite here at -150, while Werdum is the underdog at +110. Eleven years after they first fought, their styles haven’t changed a lot, except perhaps for Werdum, who has developed an elite striking game. Despite that, the Brazilian still prefers to fight on the ground, where he has the advantage over every other heavyweight in the business.

Werdum’s such a great grappler and excellent submission artist and he’d rather stay down rather than strike with Overeem. Reem prefers to strike where he owns some of the most vicious kicks in the business. But that doesn’t mean he can’t fight on the ground. Nineteen of the Dutchman’s 42 wins have come by submission, so he’s no joke there either. With his versatility and the superior striking skills, we’re going with Alistair Overeem here.

Unless Werdum can take this fight to the ground, Overeem’s more diverse game makes him a good pick here.

Pick: Alistair Overeem by early  knockout or unanimous decision.

UFC 213 Odds: Yoel Romero vs Robert Whitaker Prediction

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After the confusion, a UFC middleweight title fight will be the co-main event of UFC 213. It’s not just the regular title fight, though.

Only An Interim Middleweight Title

With the UFC women’s bantamweight title fight between Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko headlining the UFC’s July 8th event, the UFC announced that an interim middleweight title bout between Yoel Romero and Robert Whitaker will serve as the appetizer:

Originally, it was believed that Michael Bisping would be defending his middleweight title belt against Georges St. Pierre at UFC 213. But GSP asked for a later date and Bisping suffered an injury so the UFC decided to come up with yet another interim title fight. So while Romero and Whitaker can finally hoist a title belt, it’s only an interim one.

Knockout Artists

This is a bout between two knockout artists. 11 of Romero’s 12 wins have been by knockout. His last Octagon appearance was a third round stoppage of Chris Weidman at UFC 205. Whitaker, meanwhile, is coming off a sensational second round knockout of Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza at UFC on Fox 24. Whitaker has won seven fights in a row since losing to Stephen Thompson. Four of those victories, including the last two, have been by stoppage.

Odds and Preview

This is as close as it gets. Current odds have Romero as a slight -130 favorite against Whitaker, who is at even money. Both these fighters need just one punch to win the bout; that’s why the odds are this tight for this interim UFC middleweight title bout. Personally, I think Whitaker has more power and is the more explosive puncher here but he’s facing a veteran who is very skilled on the ground.

Romero’s advantage is his experience. He is a former world champion and Olympic silver medalist in freestyle wrestling so that alone speaks greatly of his grappling prowess. Romero also averages 1.96 takedowns landed per 15 minutes, which is almost four times Robert Whitaker’s average. And if you ask me, he’s going to do more of that against Whitaker who is more dangerous on his feet than on the ground. Whitaker’s takedown defense is excellent though at 91%. He stuffed all of Rafael Natal’s four takedown attempts and yielded only one of three takedowns to Jacare Souza in his most recent bout.

We’re going with Yoel Romero here despite Robert Whitaker being the more dangerous puncher. Romero’s gonna be smart enough to take this fight to the ground and work from there. Striking with Whitaker is going to be hit or miss. We’re predicting Yoel Romero to win a tough, rugged decision.