UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway Preview and Picks
Ready for UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway picks and betting odds & predictions? After a pretty lackluster 2017 so far, the UFC the Organization takes its show to Rio where UFC 212 will provide what looks like a pretty good card. Jose Aldo and Max Holloway will unify the Featherweight Belt – Jose Aldo (26-2) currently holds the featherweight title belt and Holloway (17-3) is the interim featherweight champion. Should be fun.
Event: UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway
Date: June 3, 2017
Time: TBD
Location: Jeunesse Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Broadcast: PPV, Fox Sports 1, UFC Fight Pass
An intriguing women’s Strawweight fight could determine the next challenger to the Belt, Vitor Belfort is in action and the entertaining Erick Silva also takes to the Octagon.
Let’s take a look at the odds associated with each UFC 212 fight and what should play out on what looks like an intriguing night at the fights.
Main Card (PPV, 10 PM ET)
Jose Aldo (26-2-0): -150 vs. Max Holloway (17-3-0): +120
Jose Aldo will try to cement his name as one of the best MMA fighters of all time at home on Saturday night– he may have that distinction already. Waiting for him is the potential future of the weight class Max Holloway.
Both men have definitely have benefitted from the UFC stripping Conor McGregor of his Title and some botched decision making from the UFC brass but that said both men have some serious chops and both deserve to be in this Title Fight.
Aldo will bring his superb all-around game into this fight. His strikes are as crisp as any in MMA and his leg kicks are legendary. He has just one loss in a decade – that to Conor McGregor who is nowhere to be seen.
Since then he has beaten ex-lightweight champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 200 in impressive fashion. Aldo has been a machine outside of 13 seconds during his career – expect his best in front of his home town crowd.
Holloway brings a ten-fight win streak into Saturday night’s fight – he is no joke!
His striking game has emerged to be one of the best in the Organization. It’s true that he hasn’t beaten the likes of Urijah Faber, Chad Mendes, Chan-Sung Jung and Frankie Edgar in his career but he has owned every fight he’s bee in whether it’s a cagy veteran or an up-and-coming prospect.
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It would be crazy to dismiss this guy – a surprise wouldn’t shock anyone.
So, who wins? It’s gotta be Aldo in front of his home crowd.
He had had 13 bad seconds in 11 years of fighting – I just can’t ignore that fact. He will officially be a legend Saturday night despite a pesky effort from Holloway.
MMA Betting Pick: Jose Aldo -150
Claudia Gadelha (14-2-0): -285 vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz (10-1-0): +225
A shot at the women’s Strawweight Championship Belt is on the line when Claudia Gadelha and Karolina Kowalkiewicz throw down. Both have lost to current Title holder Joanna Jedrzejczyk in the last year and both will be looking for a rematch.
Gadelha brings the better all-around game into this one – her grappling edge in this fight is obvious and her boxing skills are nothing to sneeze at. Her work in the clinch has punished her opponents in the past – outside of her fight with Jedrzejczyk she has been dominant.
Kowalkiewicz is no easy out either. She dominated the women’s circuit in Europe and in her UFC debut she impressed with her impressive striking and overall fitness. Kowalkiewicz is a bit of a freak of nature whose only kryptonite so far is Jedrzejczyk who she too would love to see again.
Gadelha is the heavy favorite here and rightfully so.
There are no holes in her game – she is absolutely punishing. I expect Gadelha to smother her way to yet another win en route to another shot at the seemingly invincible Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
MMA Betting Pick: Claudia Gadelha -285
Vitor Belfort (25-13-0): -130 vs. Nate Marquardt (35-17-2): EVEN
Two fading stars in the sport of MMA got to war Saturday in the Middleweight Division as controversial Brazilian native son Vitor Belfort steps into the Octagon for likely the last time to take on Nate Marquart who will battle for the 55th time!
After 14 surgeries, numerous issues with Performance Enhancing Drugs and many, many wars, one of the purest true finishers in the history of the UFC Vitor Belfort gets back to fighting in front of his home crowd where he is a God. Belfort rides a two-fight losing streak into this fight – not exactly on top of his game.
The UFC gives him a bit of a parting gift however in the name of Nat Marquart who himself has been through some serious battles and has shown obvious signs of ware the last few years.
Both men are skilled and experienced for sure – Marquart has looked like the better of the two fighters recently, alternating wins and losses against some pretty good fighters.
But emotions will be high in this fight and I think that takes Belfort to the win. He will be a highly motivated guy in front of his home crowd in what will likely be his last fight ever.
In a battle of two average fighters at this point of their careers I will certainly side with the better striker and that distinction belongs to the Brazilian.
MMA Betting Pick: Vitor Belfort -130
Paulo Borrachinha (9-0-0): -280 vs. Oluwale Bamgbose (6-2-0): +220
Brazil’s Paulo Borrachinha looks to remain unbeaten in his career when he takes on Oluwale Bamgbose in Middleweight action. Both men bring some serious striking chops into the contest – eight of Borrachinha’s nine wins have come by KO/TKO and all six of Bamgbose’s wins have come in similar fashion.
Each guy has something to fight for – Borrachinha hopes to take the next step up the UFC ladder while Bamgbose will be fighting for a new contract with the Organization. Bamgbose has lost two straight fights heading into this one – one by decision and the other by strikes – Borrachinha hasn’t been touched yet so far in his career.
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Expect more of the same Saturday as Paulo Borrachinha continues his ascent up the Middleweight ladder – he’s impressive folks and should be able to put Bamgbose away with a signature KO/TKO win.
MMA Betting Pick: Paulo Borrachinha -280
Yancy Medeiros (13-4-0): -110 vs. Erick Silva (19-7-0): -120
Two fighters looking to rebound off tough losses try to get back on track Saturday when Yancy Medeiros, whose recent losses have come against the tough Jim Miller and Dustin Poirier takes on the once-hyped Erick Silva who himself has gone just 3-2 in his last five fights.
Medeiros will have an obvious advantage on the ground in this fight – Silva has the edge if this fight stays standing. I am expecting this fight to hit the mat – Medeiros has done well in dictating where his fights happen to go and Siva is a guy that has been drawn into his opponents’ style of fights.
In an entertaining back-and forth bout I’m taking Yancy Medeiros whose skills represent a matchup nightmare for Silva. Nobody would be surprised by a KO/TKO win but this looks more like a grinding decision win to me.
MMA Betting Pick: Yancy Medeiros -110
Preliminary Card (FS1, 8 PM ET)
Raphael Assuncao (24-5-0): +175 vs. Marlon Moraes (18-4-1): -225
MMA Betting Pick: Raphael Assuncao +175
Antonio Carlos Junior (7-2-0): -225 vs. Eric Spicely (10-1-0): +175
MMA Betting Pick: Antonio Carlos Junior -225
Johnny Eduardo (28-10-0): +160 vs. Matthew Lopez (9-1-0): -200
MMA Betting Pick: Johnny Eduardo +160
Iuri Alcantara (34-7-0): -260 vs. Brian Kelleher (16-7-0): +200
MMA Betting Pick: Iuri Alcantara -260
Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass, 6 PM ET)
Jamie Moyle (4-1-0): -105 vs. Viviane Pereira (12-0-0): -125
MMA Betting Pick: Viviane Pereira -125
Luan Chagas (14-2-1): -225 vs. Jim Wallhead (29-10-0): +175
MMA Betting Pick: Luan Chagas -225
Deiveson Alcantara (11-0-0): -165 vs. Marco Beltran (8-4-0): +135
MMA Betting Pick: Deiveson Alcantara -165