UFC 213 takes place this weekend in Las Vegas with the headline being a rematch between Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko. Nunes hasn’t fought since last December when she knocked out Ronda Rousey. This will be her first title defense and she is trying to prove that that win was not a fluke. That’s just one of two title matches on the docket with the other being a heavyweight trilogy fight that could have championship implications.
Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko
Nunes (14-4) has won five in a row, four of which have been by stoppage (two by TKO/KO, two by submission). The lone non-stoppage win came over Shevchenko (14-2), who came on strong late in her loss to the current women’s bantamweight champion, but Nunes dominated the first two rounds. Nunes swarmed Shevchenko and never gave her any room to pull off her Muay Thai skills, and if she wants to keep the title, that looks like her best route. However, Shevchenko has six submission wins and she might be more risky on the mat this time after what happened in the first fight.
Yoel Romero vs. Robert Whittaker
Romero (13-1) is an Olympic wrestling beast who is tough to get off you when he is on top, and he has 11 TKO/KO wins to his name. Whittaker (18-4) isn’t the physical specimen that Romero is, but he has won seven in a row, including four by TKO/KO. You could argue that he faced the same issue against Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, and that ended in a TKO head-kick win for Whittaker. He has to keep this fight standing up because Romero might be too large for Whittaker to escape from, but Whittaker is also a tricky submission artist with five wins via that method. This might be the most intriguing matchup on the card. The winner gets the interim middleweight belt, and would likely face either champion Michael Bisping or Georges St. Pierre at some point.
Fabricio Werdum vs. Alistair Overeem
These heavyweights first fought at a Pride event in May 2006, with Werdum (21-6-1) submitting Overeem (42-15, 1 NC). The rematch came in June 2011 at a Strikeforce event, with Overeem getting his revenge by unanimous decision. Both men are highly accomplished as Werdum is the former UFC champion, while Overeem has won belts in Strikeforce and DREAM. Both are also accomplished outside of MMA as Overeem is a champion kickboxer, and Werdum is a world-class grappler. In this trilogy match, the man who forces his gameplan on the fight should win the match as Werdum needs to take this to the mat. He can’t go looking for a knockout against Overeem, who has lost 10 times that way, because that will just play into the kickboxer’s hands (and knees). On the other hand, Overeem can’t afford to go to the mat with Werdum because that won’t end well for him at all. Both also want a rematch with champion Stipe Miocic, who took the belt from Werdum by KO in May 2016 and then scored a knockout win over Overeem in September. With Cain Velasquez still on the sidelines, the winner could get their wish.
If you’re looking to bet on UFC 213 this weekend, visit Shangri La to get the latest betting odds on all of the matches!
