UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway will air on June 3, 2017, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
(C) JOSE “JUNIOR” ALDO (26-2-0) vs #1 (IC) MAX “BLESSED” HOLLOWAY (17-3-0)
This is a five-round main event for the Featherweight Championship. Aldo brings kickboxing, Muay Thai, Luta Livra and jiu-jitsu giving him efficient knockout power and cardio that lead him to become the current champion. Holloway brings kickboxing, Muay Thai, and jiu-jitsu giving him striking power and cardio leading him to become the current interim champion. With both of these fighters at the top of the leader board, this fight looks to be a war ready to go down. From all corners of this fight, Holloway’s combination of striking and grappling I believe will be just what he needs to take this fight along with his cardio that looks to be improving with every fight where Aldo seems to be losing his. The only hope I see for Aldo is to try and outscore Holloway with strikes and hope he doesn’t try to bring it to the ground where he is weakest and Holloway is extremely deadly. My prediction: Holloway wins via knockout in Round 2.
#1 CLAUDIA “CLAUDINHA” GADELHA (13-2-0) vs #2 KAROLINA KOWALKIEWICZ (10-1-0)
This is a three round fight in the women’s strawweight division. Gadelha brings Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu giving her grappling control and efficient ground-and-pound. Kowalkiewicz brings kickboxing, Muay Thai, Krav Maga, and jiu-jitsu giving her grappling control and great cardio. With both of these two hardcore female athletes wanting to get another crack at the belt they plan to bring all they offer to this fight to prove who is the better woman. Since both are intense strikers and contain great grappling techniques this fight looks to be a war in the making and a possible ‘Fight of the Night’ candidate, but in the level of who is more well-rounded, I see Kowalkiewicz taking this with her striking power and cardio. Now Gadelha has great striking power and cardio herself, but I see Kowalkiewicz’s striking and cardio just a little better than her own. Though if Gadelha uses her jiu-jitsu to the level she is known for then she will be able to take this fight, but that will be difficult to perform as Kowalkiewicz will keep her takedown defense up to the highest level like she does in every one of her fights. My prediction: Kowalkiewicz wins via unanimous decision.
#11 VITOR “THE PHENOM” BELFORT (25-13-0, 1 NC) vs NATE “THE GREAT” MARQUARDT (38-16-3)
This is a three round fight in the middleweight division. Belfort brings boxing, karate, judo, and jiu-jitsu giving him knockout power with speed leading him to become a former light heavyweight champion. Marquardt brings Muay Thai, karate, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling giving him knockout power and grappling control. Now both fighters are great strikers, but since the USDA has increased its testing Belfort has shown to lose his power and speed, which is why I see this fight looking to be an easy win for Marquardt. Though his speed and power might not have ever been near what Belfort once possessed, he still holds his game very well where Belfort has grown weak and to the point, he could probably be finished by half or most of the fighters in the division. My prediction: Marquardt wins via TKO in Round 2.
PAULO BORRACHINHA (9-0-0) vs OLUWALE “THE HOLY WAR ANGEL” BAMGBOSE (6-2-0)
This is a three round fight in the middleweight division. Borrachinha brings boxing, kickboxing, and jiu-jitsu giving him knockout power and grappling control. Bamgbose brings Muay Thai, karate, taekwondo, kung fu, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling giving him knockout power with grappling control. In this fight, both fighters bring their own style of striking and grappling combination, so it will be interesting to see who is more skilled, but since I must choose I see Borrachinha taking the fight with his well-rounded striking combination of punches and kicks which I don’t see Bamgbose being able to stand with. Unless Bamgbose could bring the fight to the ground and use his wrestling to try and place Borrachinha in a submission hold I really don’t see this fight lasting very long at all. My prediction: Borrachinha wins via knockout in Round 1.
ERICK “THE TIGER” SILVA (19-7-0, 1 NC) vs YANCY MEDEIROS (13-4-0, 1 NC)
This is a three round fight in the welterweight division. Silva brings Muay Thai, judo, and jiu-jitsu giving him knockout power and grappling control. Medeiros brings boxing, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling giving him knockout power and grappling control. In this fight both fighters are merrily identical in style, but when it all comes down to who is more skilled I would have to give the fight to Silva all from his well-round combination of striking and grappling that has made him a great ground-and-pound fighter that I really don’t think Medeiros will be able to stand up with. Unless he could use his wrestling to try and even the score I really just see this fight being nothing more than an easy win for Silva as he works his way back into rankings. My prediction: Silva wins via unanimous decision.
