UFC 220 predictions: Miocic looks to make heavyweight history in Beantown
Prior to Saturday's UFC 220 in Boston, theScore's Themistoklis Alexis makes his picks for the evening's main-card bouts.
Heavyweight Championship
Stipe Miocic (11-2 UFC, 17-2)
vs.
Francis Ngannou (6-0 UFC, 11-1)
Too much, too soon.
Ngannou's meteoric rise has been nothing short of destructive, but as he'll find out in the biggest fight of his career, the champ stands leaps and bounds above the men he's dispatched. Miocic won't leave his chin ripe for obliteration as Andrei Arlovski and Alistair Overeem did when they met the challenger, and he can always resort to his wrestling, bring Ngannou to the mat, and test his cardio by making him wear his weight.
The Cameroonian's power is most certainly worthy of Miocic's respect, but the champ can do what six men couldn't and drag him into deep water. For a UFC heavyweight record third time, Bruce Buffer bellows "and still" on fight night.
THE PICK: Miocic
Light Heavyweight Championship
Daniel Cormier (8-1 UFC, 19-1)
vs.
Volkan Oezdemir (3-0 UFC, 15-1)
As Cormier recently said himself, Oezdemir is "no Jon Jones."
The defending champ has seen it all in the cage, from power punchers in Anthony Johnson and Roy Nelson to a methodical technician in Alexander Gustafsson. Oezdemir happens to have trained with Johnson - a two-time scalp of Cormier's - at Henri Hooft's Combat Club, but "DC" can take a shot and set a grueling pace. If the challenger can't finish him early, look for Cormier to rely on his wrestling, wear Oezdemir down, and secure a fight-ending choke in one of the later rounds.
THE PICK: Cormier
Featherweight
Calvin Kattar (1-0 UFC, 17-2)
vs.
Shane Burgos (3-0 UFC, 10-0)
Don't let Kattar's moniker fool you - "The Boston Finisher" has gone the distance in seven straight, and his sophomore UFC bout won't break the streak.
Kattar scored points with his jab and low kicks in his promotional debut opposite Andre Fili, but not only does Burgos boast the crisper striking, he proved he can eat many a shin to the base in his stoppage of Charles Rosa at UFC 210. His lead leg might get chewed up for his trouble, but expect the Tiger Schulmann scholar to walk Kattar down, set up his combos with his ever-active jab, and spoil his homecoming with a decision in a near-replay of his dance with Rosa.
THE PICK: Burgos
Light Heavyweight
Gian Villante (5-6 UFC, 15-9)
vs.
Francimar Barroso (4-3 UFC, 19-6)
Villante's fight IQ leaves much to be desired, but, luckily, he won't need much of it to get past Barroso.
Sure, he often forgets what a jab is and loads up on his right hand, but his edge in power and - believe it or not - technical proficiency should earn him the Brazilian's respect in short order. Barroso won't be easy to put away, but Villante should stuff his increasingly telegraphed takedowns with relative ease once he's settled into a groove on the feet, and take what should prove another one of his sloppy showings on points.
THE PICK: Villante
Bantamweight
Thomas Almeida (5-2 UFC, 21-2)
vs.
Rob Font (4-2 UFC, 14-3)
For all the strides he's made in his striking under Mark DellaGrotte, Font would be wise to get this one to the mat as soon as possible.
Almeida ends most of his fights by knockout, but flashed maturity and sound shot selection in his three-round duel with Jimmie Rivera. Should the Brazilian's mitts get too cozy with Font's chin, expect the local favorite to bring the action to the ground and put an end to a veritable coin toss of a matchup with a tapout.
THE PICK: Font
Fight | Pick |
---|---|
Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou | Miocic |
Daniel Cormier vs. Volkan Oezdemir | Cormier |
Calvin Kattar vs. Shane Burgos | Burgos |
Gian Villante vs. Francimar Barroso | Villante |
Thomas Almeida vs. Rob Font | Font |
Kyle Bochniak vs. Brandon Davis | Davis |
Sabah Homasi vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan | Razak Alhassan |
Dustin Ortiz vs. Alexandre Pantoja | Pantoja |
Dan Ige vs. Julio Arce | Arce |
Matt Bessette vs. Enrique Barzola | Bessette |
Islam Makhachev vs. Gleison Tibau | Makhachev |