Saturday 8 July 2017

UFC 213 Preview



DISCLAIMER: This article is previewing four fights of the main card ONLY.

(C) indicates current champion.

UFC 213 is set to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on 8th July, and is an absolutely stacked card.

However, there have been two cancellations from the original main card, the first being Bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt vs T.J. Dillashaw after Garbrandt pulled out with a back injury, and the other being Donald Cerrone vs Robbie Lawler after UFC President Dana White confirmed Cerrone had a staph infection and a pulled groin.

Then, just hours before the PPV, Women's Bantamweight Amanda Nunes pulled out of her scheduled main event defence against Valentina Shevchenko due to illness, with Strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk begging to be Nunes' replacement.






Despite this, UFC 213 looks to be one hell of a night for the hardcore MMA fan.


Anthony Pettis vs Jim Miller (Lightweight Bout)

 After missing weight that cost him the chance at becoming the interim featherweight champion and then being knocked out by Max Holloway at UFC 206, Anthony Pettis (19-6 MMA, 6-5 UFC) decided to move to up to lightweight.

In his first fight at 155 pounds since he lost to Edson Barboza at UFC 197, the former UFC Lightweight champion will face Jim Miller (28-9 (1 No Contest) MMA, 17-8 (1 No Contest) UFC) in a fight that Pettis will be looking to start a climb up the lightweight rankings and Miller will see as an excellent opportunity to defeat a former champion.

PREDICTION: Pettis wins via second-round knockout.





Fabricio Werdum vs Alistair Overeem (Heavyweight Bout)

Fabricio Werdum (21-6-1 MMA, 9-2 UFC) and Alistair Overeem (42-15 (1 No Contest) MMA, 7-4 UFC) both share an unfortunate experience.

They've both lost to UFC Heavyweight champ Stipe Micoic (17-2 MMA, 11-2 UFC).

Whilst they may have both been knocked out by the Cleveland native, the pair face off in what could be considered a number one contender match.

In his last fight, at UFC 203, Werdum beat Travis Browne ( MMA, UFC) via unanimous decision and Overeem bounced back from his loss to Miocic on the same card by beating Mark Hunt at UFC 209.

It's hard to see what the deciding factor will be in their rematch from when they fought back in StrikeForce, which Overeem won via unanimous decision, but it'll be one hell of a fight.


PREDICTION: Overeem wins via unanimous decision.





Yoel Romero vs Robert Whittaker (For the Interim Middleweight Championship)

Ever since Michael Bisping (30-7 MMA, 20-7 UFC) knocked out the then UFC Middleweight champion Luke Rockhold (15-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) at UFC 199, the 185 pound division has been in limbo.

First off, Luke Rockhold was looking for a rematch with the Briton but Bisping completely ignored him.

Then, Bisping was announced to fight a returning Georges Saint-Pierre (25-2 MMA, 19-2 UFC) at some point later this year. However, Dana White said that Bisping would face the winner of Yoel Romero (13-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) and Robert Whittaker (18-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) for the undisputed Middleweight title, as GSP wouldn't be ready to fight until November.


So anyway, here we are at UFC 213 with the chance to be become the interim Middleweight title up for grabs between a wrestling Olympic silver medal winner (Romero) and a hard-hitting Aussie striker (Whittaker).

What's refreshing about this match-up is that it's a contrast to how the rest of the division has been acting, e.g. dodging fights and rambling online, and Whittaker has said that it's a honour to fight Romero as he believes that he will not only make him a better fighter, but a better man.

Whatever happens, it's sure to be one hell of a fight between the number one and two contenders, with Bisping and the undisputed title waiting for the winner.


PREDICTION: Romero wins via third-round knockout.





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