The Complete Overview of UFC 218

This weekend, the freshly crowned featherweight champion, Max holloway, will rematch Jose Aldo, the very same man he took the title from just four months ago. The Hawaiian’s original opponent was the gritty veteran Frankie Edgar, but the former lightweight champion was injured during his training camp. So Aldo, who was already preparing for a clash with Ricardo Lamas later in December, was happy to get an immediate chance for reclaiming his title. Besides the title fight, the event will have several matches to clarify the number one contender in their respective weightclasses.

Tecia Torres vs Michelle Waterson

The pay-per-view broadcast will start with two women who are trying to elevate themselves to title contention in the strawweight class. The Tiny Tornado, Tecia Torres, seems to be one step closer for she has faced the champion, Rose Namajunas, twice and has a victory over her. The rubber match would certainly be intriguing. However, Torres’ current opponent, Michelle Waterson, just lost to the Namajunas in a decisive manner and might need another win or two even if she manages to best Torres.

Both Waterson and Torres are fluid and technical strikers coming from karate and taekwondo backgrounds respectively. Torres has a non-stop style and throws a barrage of strikes, hence her nickname. Waterson is less active, but more accurate with her kicks and punches. The fight looks to be mostly stand-up battle with Torres putting on the pressure and Waterson mixing together counter strikes and takedowns in hopes to test Torres’ groundgame.

My pick: Waterson is a more complete fighter and will make her experience stand out by winning a decision.

Eddie Alvarez vs Justin Gaethje

Next up are two lightweights who have a potential to deliver the best fight of the night. Eddie Alvarez and Justin Gaethje will guarantee fireworks. Both men have a ferocious style of pressuring their opponents until the other man lags behind and fades. Both are not only experts of dishing out the punishment, but can also take everything that the other might have to offer. Alvarez famously lost his lightweight title to Conor McGregor and is on a crusade to get it back. Gaethje has been a champion in another organization and wants to repeat his success in the UFC. This fight will speak for itself. These two are hungry. They are in their prime. They will not stop throwing punches. They will not take a step back.

My pick: Fans. Fans are the winners of this matchup.

Henri Cejudo vs Sergio pettis

The middle spot on the fight card is reserved for flyweights. The number two ranked Henry Cejudo takes on the number four, Sergio Pettis. After failing his bid for the flyweight title a year and half ago, Cejudo has been looking a way to get back into contention. The former Olympic champion faced Joseph Benavidez but was confused about the ruleset and thought he entered a Ro-Sham-Bo tournament. After the referee deducted a point for repeated low blows, he lost a narrow decision in a very winnable fight. Cejudo bounced back, though, and displayed improved striking against Wilson Reis, knocking the Brazilian out early in the second round. Sergio Pettis was only 20 years old when he entered the UFC and has thus far been in the shadow of his older brother, a former 155 pound champion. So far he has not been particularly impressing, but has quietly climbed the ranks while improving each and every time when we see him inside the octagon. Irregardless of the outcome this time, he has potential to be a future champion.

Pettis has a dangerous striking game, supported by slick submissions, but he will be tested thoroughly by Cejudo’s elite wrestling skills and athleticism. The younger man has to stop the takedowns and outpoint the Olympian with his technical striking. Cejudo will be looking to test Pettis’ chin with his newly found karate skills and will be constantly pressuring with his aggressive wrestling.

My pick: Cejudo by a decision or a late TKO.

Alistair Overeem vs Francis Ngannou

The co-main event pits together two dangerous heavyweights. Alistair Overeem and Francis Ngannou are both looking that special knockout that would get the cage door closed behind them and Stipe Miocic, the baddest man on the planet. A professional fighter only for the last four years, Ngannou has been finishing his opponents in a decisive manner and usually inside the first round. He has vicious power in both hands and also a surprisingly effective submission game. He will have his hands full with “The Reem”, who is a seasoned veteran – a world class kickboxer and MMA champion in several organizations. Overeem has shown no signs of slowing down and is as dangerous as ever.

On paper, Overeem is a clear favorite. The Dutchman’s trophy case has six former UFC champions and many top contenders on display and Ngannou’s best win is an aging Andrei Arlovski. Overeem should be a more technical striker overall and also has a clear advantage in grappling. Since training under Greg Jackson, he has become a cerebral fighter, taking his time and choosing the moments when to strike. But Ngannou hits hard. Very hard. And Overeem has a reputation of being chinny. Furthermore, Overeem’s boxing game is his weakest link and that can make a difference when facing a man, who in the beginning of his fighting journey was considering a career in boxing.

My pick: Ngannou by KO. He has the tools to surprise Overeem and I think the hungrier man will win.

Max Holloway vs Jose Aldo

And here we are - The Main Event of the evening. Max Holloway will defend his title against Jose Aldo. For those who are out of the loop, Jose Aldo is a featherweight legend. He became a champion in 2009 and held the belt for six years, defending it nine times. He is a complete fighter who is excellent wherever the fight goes. He might be best known for his devastating leg kicks, crisp boxing and impeccable takedown defense, but he is also an accomplished blackbelt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Although only 31 years old, some believe that years of brutal training camps and wars inside the cage are starting to take its toll. In his last three fights, he has been knocked out twice: by Conor McGregor and then by the current champion, Holloway. That said, in-between those fights, he faced always dangerous ex-champion Frankie Edgar, and looked as good as ever. Holloway was touted as a phenom ever since he first stepped into the Octagon, back in 2012. Since then he has improved every time we see him fight. “The Blessed” has a versatile all-around game with strong basics blended together with his creative style. He is a busy fighter, constantly moving and looking for new angles from where to punish his opponents. The Hawaiian is far from a brawler, but is often willing to take one in order to give two back.

When the two met for the first time, Aldo had success during the first two rounds, but faded sharply and was knocked out in the third. Later emerged that former champion had a leg injury, hindering his preparation and prohibiting him from throwing leg kicks. Let us hope that this time around we will see the best versions of both fighters. Aldo will be looking to counter Holloway’s aggression and movement with explosive counter punches and by chopping down the Hawaiians lead leg. His game plan might well include a takedown in the final minutes of the rounds, to throw his opponent off his rhythm and score points on the judges’ scorecards. Holloway will put the featherweight legend on the back pedal and will rain down punches and kicks from all angles. He will try to weather the early storm that is a fresh Jose Aldo and wear the Brazilian down. “The Blessed” is probably looking to answer Aldo’s counter punches with sharp shots of his own.

My pick: Holloway by TKO in later rounds.

So there we go. This fight weekend promises to be interesting. If you agree or disagree with my opinions, let me and others know in the comments. If you would like to read more about the topic, subscribe to my posts.