Tag: ufc 224

After two off weekends, the UFC is set to return this Saturday (May 12, 2018), when the octagon returns to Brazil with UFC 224 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro.

In the main event, women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes will attempt to defend her title against Raquel Pennington. In the co-main event, former Strikeforce champion Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza will clash with Kelvin Gastelum in a middleweight bout.

Also on the main card, Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Mackenzie Dern will take on Amanda Cooper. The event may not be the most stacked in terms of a UFC pay-per-view, but it nonetheless provides a mix of intriguing and fun fights for Brazilian fans.

Without further ado, let’s take a deeper look into UFC 224’s marquee fights:

Amanda Nunes vs. Raquel Pennington

UFC 224’s main event was rumored to be taking place late last year, but Pennington ended up suffering a leg injury. With both competitors now healthy, the 135-pound title is up for grabs.

Although she hasn’t competed since last September, Nunes has been on a roll as of late, winning six straight fights while defending her twice. She owns notable knockout victories over Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey and has twice beaten Valentina Shevchenko.

Starting off on the feet, Nunes is without question one of the hardest hitters in the division. She’s physically strong and athletic while also being very aggressive, often looking to pressure her opponents, while also possessing high-level speed, power, and accuracy with her hands.

10 of her 15 professional victories have come by way of knockout and while she has improved her jab, her best weapon has been her right hand. She also likes to utilize strong leg kicks.

In terms of grappling, Nunes’ strength also aides her in this department. She typically does solid work in the clinch and has shown the ability to land the takedown from this position. At times, she has also been susceptible to the takedown, mostly when she tires, but her wrestling has improved nonetheless.

On the ground, Nunes is incredibly dangerous in the top position. She uses devastating ground-and-pound and has a knack for controlling her opponents. She’s also a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and owns three submission victories.

Moving on to Pennington, the former The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) competitor has won four straight bouts including victories over Jessica Andrade, Bethe Correia, Elizabeth Phillips, and Tate.

Stylistically, Pennington is a solid athlete possessing a balanced and well-rounded skillset. On the feet, she uses a varied striking attack, often mixing up her punches and kicks well. She isn’t, however, known for being that powerful of a puncher, as she only has one knockout victory on her record.

In terms of grappling, Pennington’s wrestling is a bit underrated. She’s also quite skillful in the clinch and has shown, at times, strong submission skills as well. Three of her nine professional victories have come by way of submission, as she finished Raquel Pa’aluhi, Ashlee Evans-Smith, and Andrade with various chokes.

Ultimately, I feel as if Pennington is a bit overlooked. While there may not be one specific skill that pops up, she’s proven to be a well-versed fighter with her most recent victory over Tate being the most impressive of her career.

At the end of the day, however, I just don’t see a path to victory for her against Nunes and it’s unclear what type of form she’ll return in following the injury.

Prediction: Amanda Nunes def. Raquel Pennington via second-round TKO

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