Ronda Rousey is back, and she’s gunning for the bantamweight title at UFC 207. Ronda Rousey vs Amanda Nunes headlines the event on Friday; it will be a stacked night of fights, so be sure to tune in to PPV! Also check out the prelims on Fight Pass and Fox Sports 1. Let’s take a look at Ronda Rousey vs Amanda Nunes, and the rest of the UFC 207 main card cast:
Ronda Rousey vs Amanda Nunes
A little over a year ago, Ronda Rousey was considered by many to be the most dominant fighter on the planet. She ragdolled virtually every challenger sent her way; her fights lasting no more than a minute or two, and finished by armbars or knockout blows. But then she met Holly Holm, the former boxing champion who was undefeated in MMA. At the time, it was thought of to be a mismatch; Holm had looked less-than-stellar in her Octagon performances, and didn’t possess the skills needed to deal with Rousey’s grappling. But with smart footwork, accurate counter shots, and determination, Holm landed the kick heard around the world. Rousey was left defeated, broken, and embarrassed.
Now, with over a year away from the sport, she returns with an option to reclaim her title. Not against Holly Holm though, but against a new champion – Amanda Nunes. Holm lost the belt to Miesha Tate in a slight upset, and Tate lost it to Nunes in another upset. “The Lioness” is a brutal striker who throws with crispness, and is also well-versed on the ground. She’s in her athletic prime, and is equipped to turn Rousey’s anticipated return into a nightmare for her. That being said, we have no idea what to expect from Rousey. Did her crushing defeat force her to evolve and become a better fighter, or did it crack her mental fortitude leaving her to be surpassed by others? Expect Ronda Rousey vs Amanda Nunes to be violent fight either way it goes.
Dominick Cruz vs Cody Garbrandt
In the co-main event of this Ronda Rousey vs Amanda Nunes card we have a bantamweight title fight. We’re all excited to see Cruz finally active again. Hamstring and ACL injuries kept Cruz out of action for the better part of 4 years. He finally returned when he won the belt from TJ Dillashaw, then defended it against Urijah Faber, and now looks to go triple-or-nothing against Cody Garbrandt. This will also be his third consecutive fight against fighters from the Team Alpha Male camp. Dillashaw trained there up until his fight with Cruz, Faber was a founder of the camp, and Garbrandt is now a highly-touted prodigy of Faber’s. This makes for an interesting addition to the Cruz vs TAM rivalry.
Garbrandt is currently undefeated, and 5-0 in the UFC. He’s a knockout artist who has shown blistering speed and power in his hands. In his recent performances, he knocked out rising prospect Thomas Almeida and veteran Takeya Mizugaki. Additional to the momentum created by his win streak, Garbrandt has repeatedly called out Cruz. His trash talk is arguably why the UFC chose him to fight for the title over former champion and teammate TJ Dillashaw. It’s an intriguing fight that pits a masterful tactician against a savage destroyer.
Fabricio Werdum vs Cain Velasquez II
A year and a half ago, heavyweight king Cain Velasquez was submitted in a mild upset to Fabricio Werdum. The two engaged in a back-and-forth scrap for three rounds before Velasquez started to fatgue, something we have never seen him do in the past; this led to Werdums submission win in the third round. The Velasquez camp explained how they underestimated the high altitude of Mexico City, and the impact it would have on Velasquez’s cardio. The former champion rebounded in sensational fashion by TKO’ing Travis Browne at UFC 200. Now, he looks to avenge a haunting loss, and position himself for the heavyweight title.
Even though Werdum scored that brilliant win in Mexico City, he followed it up with an embarrassing performance in his hometown of Brazil. He aggressively and recklessly chased after challenger Stipe Miocic only to run into a counter right hand that knocked the Brazilian out cold. Coincidentally, Werdum also rebounded by taking out Travis Browne. Now, Werdum and Velasquez are on the same path for a date with Stipe Miocic. This time, altitude won’t be a factor for Velasquez. Expect a competitive barburner much like the first fight.
TJ Dillashaw vs John Lineker
In the bantamweight division, we have a number one contender match up. Former champion TJ Dillashaw has been adamant about getting a rematch with Dominick Cruz. Of course, Cruz narrowly defeated TJ to steal the bantamweight belt back a year ago. Dillashaw went on to defeat Raphael Assuncao at UFC 200, but evidently that wasn’t enough to warrant a rematch with Cruz. As if things could get any worse for Dillashaw, former teammate (but definitely not friend) Cody Garbrandt got the title shot instead. Dillashaw will be looking to absolutely cement his place as the rightful number one contender.
Standing in his way will be the iron-fisted and iron-jawed Brazilian, John Lineker. He presents a formidable test for Dillashaw as Lineker is on a warpath of his own. After failing to make weight at 125 lbs, Lineker moved up to the bantamweight division where is now 4-0. Unfortunately, moving to bantamweight didn’t fix Lineker’s weight issues because he missed weight in his last fight – a controversial decision against John Dodson. Lineker is known for his unique style where he crowds his opponents and unleashes hellish, wild hooks to the body and head. This is a beautiful match up as Dillashaw is all about movement and never being in the same place. Expect an exciting, violent game of cat and mouse.
Louis Smolka vs Ray Borg
Some fans don’t see much to get excited about in the flyweight division, but this fight is one to pay attention to. There are a lot of hot prospects at 125 lbs, developing and improving with every fight, and this match up will showcase two of them. Louis Smolka was upset in his last bout by UFC newcomer Brandon Morena (another prospect, currently 2-0 in the UFC), but was on a 4 fight win streak before that. He’s flashy on the feet, and ultra-aggressive on the mat; Smolka is a risk-taker, and the type of fighter the flyweight division needs in order to generate some hype.
His opponent for these UFC 207 prelims is Ray Borg, a grappling ace who has cemented himself as a top prospect. Borg ran into some problems in his last bout against Justin Scoggins; he was unable to establish himself on the ground, and was vastly outstruck on the feet. I expect Borg to have made drastic improvements, and come ready to win. This is an awesome match up and potential Fight of the Night candidate.
