UFC Featherweight Title Collision Could Be A Barnburner
UFC 231: Holloway-Ortega
The UFC returns back to Canada live on PPV this Saturday with two huge title fights.
In a highly anticipated showdown, No. 1 ranked featherweight contender Brian Ortega will put his undefeated record on the line when he challenges UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 231 at the Scotiabank Arena.
The co-headliner will be a UFC women’s flyweight title fight between No. 1 ranked flyweight contender Valentina Shevchenko and former UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
Before then, we’ll dive into the two title fights as well as predict the rest of the main card and prelims.
Let’s get started!
Max Holloway (-130) vs Brian Ortega (EVEN)
This fight was cancelled back in July when the two were scheduled to face off in the co-main event of UFC 226.
It marked the third time Max Holloway pulled out of a fight in 2018 and it will mark a year since he’s been inside the octagon.
While Holloway has put together a run of dominance in the featherweight division since losing to Conor McGregor ages ago, one has to wonder if “Blessed” will show some rust.
Max Holloway (19-3, 15-3 UFC) won the UFC featherweight title in June of last year by 3rd-Round TKO over long-time featherweight king Jose Aldo at UFC 212 in Brazil. He went on to do it again last December in Detroit, but has not fought since.
This is a terrible opponent to have rust against, as Brian Ortega might be the scariest Jiu-Jitsu practitioner in the sport right now.
Ortega (14-0, 6-0 UFC) last competed on March 3rd at UFC 222 when he stunned Frankie Edgar with a 1st-Round TKO victory on short notice. That victory further showed the diversity in Ortega’s game, something that could lead to a fire fight between he and Holloway.
As great as Max Holloway has been, there’s something special about Brian Ortega and his pursuit of the UFC featherweight title seems more like destiny for him. Max Holloway has only been finished once in his UFC career, a submission loss to Dustin Poirer in his UFC debut.
He’ll be submitted once again here after Ortega takes advantage of Holloway getting too creative with his striking.
Prediction: Brian Ortega By Round 3 Submission
Valentina Shevchenko (-360) vs Joanna Jedrzejczyk (+270)
When Valentina Shevchenko (15-3, 4-2 UFC) and Joanna Jedrzejczyk (15-2, 9-2 UFC) lock horns on Saturday night, it won’t be the first time these twon have met in combat. Valentina Shevchenko holds three wins over Joanna Jedrzejczyk in kickboxing competition.
That may play a psychological role in this one, but Jedrzejczyk taking this fight shows that she believes in her ability to win this fight now that its inside of the octagon. Between the two, Shevchenko is the better wrestler, but Jedrzejczyk showed in her last fight vs. Tecia Torres she can do that, and she’s all also improved in her takedown defense from her first fight with Claudia Gadhela.
This fight will likely be on the feet throughout, and I have to give the edge to Shevchenko due to her countering ability. Jedrzejczyk’s boxing and jab should provide some interesting moments in her quest for history, but with Shevchenko’s excellence in fighting with range and in the pocket, she’ll fulfill her dreams of becoming a UFC world champion.
Prediction: Valentina Shevchenko by unanimous decision
Jimi Manuwa (+175) vs Thiago Santos (-225)
A rescheduled bout that was set to be a main event a few months ago in Brazil, Manuwa has the punching power to cause Santos trouble that others have.
In his first fight at 205 pounds, however, Santos looked as good as he’s looked in years in a dazzling display vs. Eryk Anders, a fight in which he forced Anders body to quit as he won by 3rd-Round TKO.
Can Manuwa close the distance without taking punishment? That’s the question for this fight, and while it’s a toss up, I’ll take the Englishman here.
Prediction: Jimi Manuwa by Round 2 TKO
Gunnar Nelson (-140) vs Alex Oliveira (+110)
Cowboy Oliveira is one of the most exciting guys in the sport because he promises violence one way or another. We all remember his classic war with Yancy Meideros last year (Can we get a rematch of that fight?) when they blew the roof off of Little Caesars Arena in the Motor City.
He faces a fighter in Gunnar Nelson who will look to get this fight to the ground as quickly as possible. Oliveira has underrated Jiu-Jitsu, but when it comes to positional grappling, there’s few in the welterweight division who can handle Nelson’s.
Coming off a knockout loss, Nelson also needs to prove to himself he can win on the feet against a dangerous striker in Oliveira.
Prediction: Gunnar Nelson by Round 2 submission
Hakeem Dawodu (-185) vs Kyle Bochniak (+150)
This is supposed to be a showcase fight for Hakeem Dawodu in his homeland of Canada, who even with a loss in his UFC debut to Danny Henry projects to be a top prospect in the featherweight division. He gets a stiff test in Kyle Bochniak, who has no fear in getting hit.
The last part of that line is most important, because Dawodu will certainly be wary of that if Bochniak tries to turn this fight into a ugly one in close quarters. Bochniak’s chin is real, and if Zabit Magomedsharipov couldn’t put him away with what he hit him with, Dawodu certainly won’t.
But he’ll still win.
Prediction: Hakeem Dawodu by unanimous decision
UFC 231 Prelims
Claudia Gadhela vs Nina Ansaroff
Prediction: Claudia Gadhela by unanimous decision
Katlyn Chookagian vs Jessica Eye
Prediction: Katlyn Chookagian by unanimous decision
Eryk Anders vs Elias Theodorou
Prediction: Elias Theodorou by unanimous decision
Oliver Aubin-Mercier vs Gilbert Burns
Prediction: Oliver Aubin-Mercier by Round 2 submission
Aleksandar Rakic vs Devin Clark
Prediction: Devin Clark by Round 2 TKO
Brad Katona vs Matthew Lopez
Prediction: Brad Katona by Round 1 submission
Chad Laprise vs Douglas Lima
Prediction: Douglas Lima by Round 3 TKO
Carlos Diego Ferreira vs Jesse Ronson
Prediction: Carlos Diego Ferreira by unanimous decision
What are your thoughts ahead of UFC 231? Leave your comments below!
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