UFC 213 Preview, Betting Tips, and Odds
It is the UFC’s annual International Fight Week, the featured card on Saturday brings a title bout and an interim title belt as the featured attractions
Bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes will defend her belt against Valentina Shevchenko in the headlining bout. This is a rematch with the Brazilian beating the Russian by decision last March.
With current middleweight champion Michael Bisping injured and seeking a money fight with Georges St-Pierre, an interim title between Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker is on the line in the co-headliner.
Unfortunately, former UFC welterweight champ Robbie Lawler and former title challenger Donald Cerrone has been cancelled. Injuries has take Cerrone out of the much anticipated bout just a week before the planned event.
Let’s take a look at the 10 fights going down at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 213 Early Prelim Card
Thiago Santos (14-5) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (26-8)
An amazing spinning headkick KO by Santos over Jack Marshman at UFC Fight Night 105 in February. The Brazilian will look to re-establish his name at the upper end of the middleweight division with the latest win after breaking his two fight losing streak. Meerschaert will enter the octagon having won his last seven fights, including his first two UFC bouts. The former RFA middleweight champion won both his bouts by way of first round submission. Expect fireworks in the middleweight division to kick off to start off the Las Vegas card.
Rob Font (13-2) vs. Douglas Silva de Andrade (24-1, 1NC)
Font will be looking to move up the 135 lbs. rankings after beginning his UFC career with a 3-1 record with all three wins coming by knockout. The American will have a three-inch reach advantage over opponent Douglas Silva de Andrade. The Brazilian has been in the pros since 2007, and is now aiming at his third consecutive fight following wins over Enrique Briones and Cody Gibson. With the only blemish on his record coming in his first octagon outing to Zubaira Tukhugov.
UFC 213 Prelims
Jordan Mein (29-11) vs. Belal Muhammad (11-2)
Mein will continue his comeback. The Canadian is following a loss to Norwegian, Emil Meek and Thiago Alves in his last two bouts, leaving the Canadian without a win since August 2014. Muhammad will look to win consecutive fights for the first time in the UFC after four fights leave him split with two wins and two losses. The future career of Mein is on the line in this one.
Daniel Omielanczuk (19-7-1, 1NC) vs. Curtis Blaydes (7-1)
This should be a fun heavyweight showdown as Omielanczuk will face American Curtis Blaydes. The Polish fighter look to avoid three consecutive defeats after loses to Stefan Struve and Timothy Johnson. A win would keep the Pole in the top fifteen at 265 lbs. Blaydes will be looking to turn his UFC career into a positive one after fighting three times with one win, one loss and one no contest to show for his efforts. His stoppage of Cody East at UFC Fight Night 96 in October by elbow strikes was impressive, and with a solid reach advantage should have the upper hand here.
Chad Laprise (12-2) vs. Brian Camozzi (7-3)
Canadian Chad Laprise will look to earn back-to-back victories after stopping Thibault Gouti at UFC on FOX 21 in August 2016. The thirty-year-old is 4-2 in the UFC and will look to improve that record on Saturday evening. Brian Camozzi will make his second UFC appearance after losing his debut to Randy Brown at UFC Fight Night 102 in December. He was initially set to face Alan Jouban before Laprise stepped in to replace the American.
Travis Browne (18-6-1) vs. Aleksei Oleinik (51-10-1)
The significant other of Ronda Rousey needs a win. Browne will be looking to avoid slipping to a four-fight losing streak after previously being on the cusp of a title fight. Primarily a knockout artist, with seven of his nine octagon victories coming by way of KO/TKO, the American will have an advantage on the feet. Aleksei Oleinik holds over fifty professional wins in professional MMA, an incredible achievement. After stopping Czech Viktor Pesta with the first Ezekiel choke in UFC history, the forty-year-old earned a shot at Travis Browne. A classic clash of styles.
UFC 213 Main Card
Anthony Pettis #6 (19-6) vs. Jim Miller (28-9, 1NC)
After an unsuccessful drop to featherweight, Anthony Pettis returns to the division he formerly championed. The flashy fighter takes on twenty-six fight UFC veteran, Jim Miller. Pettis has won just one of his last five outings and was most recently stopped by current featherweight champion Max Holloway in December. His last win at 155lbs was over Gilbert Melendez back at UFC 181 in 2014.
Jim Miller always puts on an entertaining fight, in fact only four men have more fight of the night awards than him and a win over Pettis would likely represent the biggest scalp of his career. Both men have excellent jiu-jitsu, but Pettis has an edge in speed and striking on the feet.
Miller has slowed over the last few years, and injuries and poor weight cuts have contributed to Pettis’ lack of success. I think it’s time for “Showtime” to show he is still relevant in the lightweight division and can finish Miller.
Fabricio Werdum (21-6-1) vs. Alistair Overeem (42-15, 1NC)
Two of the best heavyweights in the world will have a showdown here. Former heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum will be looking to secure a rematch with title holder Stipe Miocic by taking on Alistair Overeem. Werdum previously lost to Overeem back in 2011 under the Strikeforce promotion and will be looking to seek revenge in their second meeting. After defeating Travis Browne at UFC 203 last September, Werdum looks to take another step forward.
Thirty-seven-year-old Alistair Overeem makes his fifty-eighth professional appearance in mixed martial arts and will also be looking for another shot at Stipe Miocic. ‘The Reem’ holds victories over Brock Lesnar, Junior Dos Santos and Mark Hunt.
It is a race for the belt, in this seemingly sem-final bout. Both men will have one eye on the bout between Dos Santos and upcoming heavyweight sensation Francis Ngannou as they meet at UFC 214.
Overeem’s cardio or chin will likely be his downfall. I like Werdum to finish the bout in the second or their round.
Yoel Romero (12-1) vs. Robert Whittaker (19-4)
With Michael Bisping out injured and seeking a fight with GSP, Yoel Romero will get the opportunity to be first in line by sealing the interim belt.
Romero is the favorite. He has won eight out of his eight octagon appearances with his latest win coming by way of flying knee knockout over former champion Chris Weidman at UFC 205 in November 2016. At aged forty, this might be one of his last opportunities to capture gold.
Robert Whittaker is only twenty-six and has won seven fights in succession including his stunning destrtruction of Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza at UFC on FOX 24 in April. After previously competing at welterweight, Whittaker moved up to the middleweight division and made his mark despite being an underdog in most of his fights. New Zealand will be looking for their first world champion and he could be the man to fly the flag in Las Vegas.
If this fight took place a year ago, Whittaker would be a massive underdog. But, the “Reaper’s” destruction over Brunson and Souza shows that he is a real contender. If you want a play on an underdog, you might try the younger fighter in this 25-minute bout.
Amanda Nunes (14-4) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (14-2)
Amanda Nunes headlines the penultimate event of International Fight Week for the second consecutive year after defeating Miesha Tate at UFC 200 to get the bantamweight gold. She returns to defend her belt for the second time after stopping Ronda Rousey in December. The Brazilian will this time have to defeat a woman who she has already conquered, back at UFC 196 in March 2016.
Valentina Shevchenko had to defeat former champion Holly Holm and Julianna Pena to secure a rematch with Nunes, and the Kyrgyzstan-born kickboxer will look to ensure that the bantamweight title changes hands yet again.
Nunes is a slight favorite, and has shown power early. Shevchenko has fantastic counter strikes and could do well in the late rounds. There however seems to be a growing confidence in the Brazilian that has put her game together in the last year. I think Nunes gets it done in Las Vegas.
About Ryan O’Leary
Ryan O’Leary is the founder of MMAViking.com, the premier source for daily mixed martial arts news and rankings in the Nordics. Established in 2008, the UFC credentialed media source has covered over 200 events cageside.
