It is arguably the biggest event in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s history when UFC 200 comes to Las Vegas.
Jon Jones ($1.35) vs. Daniel Cormier ($3.20)
Headlining the event is the rematch between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones for the Light Heavyweight championship. These two men have a long history with one another and there is certainly a bitter rivalry between the pair. When Jones – who many consider the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport – was stripped of his title, Cormier defeated Anthony Johnson for the interim belt. With Jones back in active competition, and having already beaten Cormier, many pundits believe that the belt is rightfully his and that he will reclaim it at UFC 200. Jones is a hard match-up stylistically for any opponent such is his well roundedness as a fighter, but expect Cormier to try and take this fight to the ground. He will look to close the reach advantage that Jones has by utilising his clinching and wrestling skills. It is hard to see Cormier knocking Jones out, but if he gets the fight on his terms, a points decision his way is not out of the question. Jones looked a tad rusty in his win a couple of months ago against Ovince St Preux but expect a better showing this time around. He is revered as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time and my prediction is a points decision victory in his favour.
Prediction – Jon Jones (Unanimous Points Decision)
FIGHT CANCELLED
Brock Lesnar ($2.45) vs. Mark Hunt ($1.55)
Brock Lesnar is to put it simply, an absolute beast of a human being. He is an athletic freak and a polarising figure, hence the excitement over the shock announcement of his return. It has been close to five years since he last competed in the octagon, so that alone has to concern any punters looking to back the man with a 5-3 record. His opponent is fan-favourite Mark Hunt who boasts ridiculous knock-out power, which should not come as any surprise given his background in kickboxing. This is a very intriguing match-up between two men with very contrasting fighting styles. If the fight goes to the ground, the advantage certainly lies with Lesnar, but the WWE star has shown a susceptibility when trading blows standing. This fight could go either way, but provided Hunt’s takedown defence is on-point, I can see him getting another knock-out win.
Prediction – Mark Hunt (TKO) $1.70
Jose Aldo ($1.93) vs. Frankie Edgar ($1.85)
The fight between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar certainly shapes as the potential fight of the night and the result has huge ramifications on each fighter’s career. Aldo is a tremendous competitor and is undoubtedly one of the best featherweights of all time. He boasts a 25-2 record, but is coming off a well-publicised 13-second knockout loss at the hands of Conor McGregor last December. Aldo is only 29, which is five years younger than his opponent, but in fighting terms he is an old fighter. He has had many tremendous battles over the years and is a notoriously hard sparrer. A lot of experts have questioned Aldo’s mindset since his shattering loss to McGregor but if he can overcome this and put in a performance near his best, he will be hard to beat. Edgar has often slipped under the radar in the featherweight division but he will be looking to avenge his 2013 loss to Aldo. It was his last loss in the UFC and he is a much better fighter this time around. As the odds suggest, this fight could certainly go either way, but something is telling me that Edgar will win this one via knockout.
Prediction – Frankie Edgar (TKO) $5
There is no doubt that the women’s bantamweight division is improving at a rapid rate and the match-up between current champion Miesha Tate and challenger Amanda Nunes should be a great contest. Tate is the consummate underdog so could be out of her comfort zone entering this fight as the favourite and reigning champ. But she has an innate ability to deliver when it counts, as typified in her title-winning bout against Holly Holm where she pulled off a submission victory in the face of defeat. Her challenger Amanda Nunes is an interesting opponent with a very broad skillset. She is an aggressive and dynamic fighter but what sets her apart from Tate’s last opponent in Holm, is that she is a very accomplished fighter on the ground with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. It is such a tough fight to pick a winner, but my head tells me Tate by points decision.
Prediction – Miesha Tate (Unanimous Points Decision) $8
