UFC 211 Preview

DISCLAIMER: This article is previewing one fight from the prelims and the main card.

(C) indicates current Champion.


UFC 211 takes place at the United Airlines Centre in Dallas, Texas, on May 13th and is an absolute blockbuster of a card, with two title fights for the co main and main event.

Here's my preview of what could be the most stacked UFC card of 2017.


Eddie Alvarez vs Dustin Poirier (Prelim Lightweight Bout)

It's been a strange 10 months for Eddie Alvarez (28-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC).

He captured the Lightweight title from then champ Raphael Dos Anjos on July 7th via first-round TKO (punches) and was subsequently put in the main event of the biggest UFC show of all-time, at UFC 205 on November 12th, against then Featherweight champion Conor McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC).

Unfortunately, the former Bellator Lightweight champion was beaten in convincing fashion by McGregor and has found himself on the prelims of UFC 211, to be aired on FX.

Actually, Alvarez is fine being on the prelims and understands that it will bring more eyes to the card if the former lightweight champion isn't actually on the pay-per-view itself.

He faces Dustin Poirier ( MMA, UFC), who is coming off a majority decision victory over Jim Miller ( MMA, UFC) at UFC 208.

Whilst, Poirier has come off a decent win, both will want to get a convincing win to kick off 2017 and move up the rankings.


PREDICTION: Alvarez wins via second-round knockout.






Henry Cejudo vs Sergio Pettis (Flyweight Bout)

Since his return to flyweight at UFC 185, at which he lost to Ryan Benoit (9-5 MMA, 2-3 UFC), Sergio Pettis (15-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) has had a good three-fight winning streak, picking up unanimous decision wins over Chris Cariaso (17-8 MMA, 7-6 UFC), Chris Kelades (9-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) and John Moraga (16-6 MMA, 5-5 UFC) at UFC 192, 197 and Fight Night: Rodriguez vs Penn respectively.

His opponent however, Henry Cejudo (10-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) is coming off of two back-to-back losses, one at UFC 197 to dominate flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson (26-2-1 MMA, 14-1-1 UFC) and his most recent fight, which he lost via split decision, against Joseph Benavidez (25-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) were Cejudo was deduced points for repeated low blows.

Again, it's a fight were both are out to prove themselves, Pettis out to continue his winning streak and Cejudo to get back on track in the flyweight division.


PREDICTION: Pettis wins via unanimous decision.




Frankie Edgar vs Yair Rodriguez (Featherweight Bout)

Frankie Edgar (21-5-1 MMA, 15-5-1 UFC) has always seemed as the nearly man of the Featherweight division.

On two occasions, at UFC 156 and 200, Edgar was beaten by current Featherweight champion Jose Aldo ( MMA, UFC) for the Featherweight title (at 156) and for the Lightweight title (at 200).

Whilst his unanimous decision victory over Jeremy Stephens at UFC 205 will have boosted his standing in the division, he faces one of his toughest tests in the form of Yair Rodriguez (10-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC), who is undefeated in the Octagon thus far.

Rodriguez, who destroyed UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn (16-11-2 MMA, 12-10-2 UFC) in his last fight, will be looking to get his name in the mind of UFC President Dana White by defeating a former number one contender in the form of Edgar and get a future title fight against the winner of Aldo vs Holloway.


PREDICTION: Rodriguez wins via third-round knockout.





Demian Maia vs Jorge Masvidal (Welterweight Bout)

Two fine fighters that both have one goal in mind, Tyron Woodley's ( 17-3-1 MMA, 7-2-1 UFC) Welterweight title.

In what is essentially a number 1 contender eliminator fight, both are coming off the back of two impressive runs in the Octagon, with Maia (24-6 MMA, 18-6 UFC) currently on a six-fight winning streak that includes three rear-naked choke wins over Neil Magny (19-5 MMA, 12-4 UFC), Matt Brown (20-16 MMA, 13-10 UFC) and Carlos Condit (30-10 MMA, 7- 6 UFC).

When looking at how the fight will go, it comes down to if Maia gets Masvidal to the ground or whether Masvidal can utilise his striking power that saw him knockout Donald Cerrone (32-8 (1 No Contest) MMA, 9-5 UFC).

It's no wonder Woodley was looking for a big money opponent (Nate Diaz (19-11 MMA, 14-9 UFC) Middleweight champion Michael Bisping (30-7 MMA, 20-7 UFC) and Lightweight champion Conor McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC were mentioned after his split decision victory over Stephen Thompson ( MMA, UFC) at UFC 209, as he's got one hell of a task in defending his belt against one of these two fierce welterweights.


PREDICTION: Maia wins via second-round rear-naked choke.




Joanna Jedrzejczyk (C) vs Jessica Andrade (For the Women's Strawweight Championship)

Joanna Jedrzejczyk (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) is arguably the best female fighter in MMA today.

Since arriving in the UFC back in July 2014, the Pole has dominated the Strawweight division and has surprisingly become the most famous women's fighter since the fall of Ronda Rousey (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC).

Her next opponent, Jessica Andrade (16-5 MMA, 7-2 UFC), has a solid record inside the Octagon, with a number of submission wins (such as rear-naked chokes and guillotine choke).

Again it's another striking versus wrestling/submission based match-up and whilst Andrade looks to be the champion's toughest challenge yet, I see Joanna besting Andrade in the clinch, leading to a knockout.


PREDICTION: Jedrzejczyk via second-round knockout.





Stipe Miocic (C) vs Junior dos Santos (For the Heavyweight Championship)

Back in December 2014, at UFC on FOX, Stipe Mioic (16-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) and Junior Dos Santos (18-4 MMA, 12-3 UFC) had an absolute blockbuster Heavyweight fight.



Dos Santos won via unanimous decision but since then Miocic has gone on a four-fight winning streak, winning the Heavyweight title in the third fight via first-round knockout against Fabricio Werdum (21-6-1 MMA, 9-3 UFC) at UFC 198 364 days ago.

Now, after Dos Santos lost to Alistair Overeem (42-15 (1 No Contest MMA, 7-4 UFC) and beat Ben Rothwell (36-10 MMA, 6-4 UFC), the two meet again with Miocic as the champion.

Although he may have lost their first meeting, Miocic says that he learnt that he belonged in the Octagon with a former Heavyweight champion.

When it comes to this fight, it seems unlucky that it will go the distance like it did last time (due to them having fought five rounds previously and both looks for a convincing knockout).

No matter what happens, it's sure to be a blockbuster main event.


PREDICTION: Miocic wins via third-round knockout.