UFC Featherweight Championship bout: Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian
Odds: (-500 Aldo /+350 Florian )
Betting Pick: Aldo
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In the semi-main event, Featherweight champion Jose Aldo will look to defend his championship against top contender Kenny “KenFlo” Florian. Florian was a contender at 155 pounds as well, and looked dominant in his Featherweight debut, easily handling tough competitor Diego Nunes, but he is going to have his hands full with Aldo, who has the 145 pound division in a stranglehold. Florian is one of the most versatile and dangerous finishers in the world and can end fights both standing and on the ground, but Aldo has looked totally unstoppable in every outing so far so this has all the makings of a very competitive and entertaining bout.
Kenny Florian made his way into UFC after making it all the way to the finals of the original Ultimate Fighter at a remarkable 170 pounds. Considering that he is now fighting at 145 pounds, the success he garnered on the show is incredible. Florian’s base is his jiu-jitsu, but since debuting as a fairly one-dimensional grappler he has grown into one of the most formidable Muay Thai strikers in the UFC. Florian is very aggressive both standing and on the ground, and his superb technique in both areas make him a very dangerous opponent. Florian isn’t known as a dominant wrestler, but he actually has very effective takedowns both from a distance and inside the clinch, which could come in handy against a striker as formidable as Aldo.
Jose Aldo is the undisputed Featherweight king, having dispatched a who’s who of top contenders. Aldo is riding a ridiculous 12 fight winning streak and has not lost a fight since 2005. Aldo’s striking is utterly destructive, and he can put his opponents away with punches, knees, kicks, and a variety of flashy maneuvers reminiscent of Middleweight champion Anderson Silva. As good as Florian is on the feet, Aldo will enjoy a sizable striking advantage. If he can, Aldo will want to keep this fight standing the entire time, because Florian is probably the more effective grappler. That isn’t to say that Aldo can’t survive this fight going to the ground, because he can, it just means that he will be in a much better position if he can make this a kickboxing match.
I think this is a tough fight for Florian. Aldo’s striking is ridiculously good, and he is very effective at keeping fights standing and stopping his opponents’ takedowns. For someone to beat Aldo, they will either need to be able to outstrike him, which Florian can’t, or have the kind of dominant wrestling that will allow them to put him on his back early and keep him there. Unfortunately for Florian, he just doesn’t fit the bill, and he will struggle mightily trying to hang with Aldo on the feet. Eventually I think Aldo will catch him and put him away for the T/KO victory.
Prediction: Jose Aldo via third round T/KO.
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