Rousey vs. Nunes Prediction
Ronda Rousey makes her return to the octagon tonight when she challenges Amanda Nunes for the gold in the main event of UFC 207.
Tonight’s bout will be for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship, as Nunes (13-4) defends her title against the former champ in Rousey (12-1). According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Rousey is the favorite to win back the title, as she has odds of -175 to prevail. Nunes is listed with a money line of +145 to bring her belt back. These two meet in the main event of UFC 207 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight card airs live on PPV at 10PM ET.
Until her last fight, the idea of beating Rousey seemed almost impossible. She was always an overwhelming favorite, but that ended with a head-kick by Holly Holm in November of 2015. Rousey was knocked out and her mystique shattered. She went into hiding for some time but now is ready to return and get back her championship. However, the concerns of 13 months away from competition have to be concerning. With her acting career developing over the last two years as well, how much passion does she really have to fight again?
Nunes beat the woman who beat Holly Holm. She claimed the title at UFC 200 when she beat Miesha Tate in the first round of the main event. Nunes has been impressive in her UFC career, winning five times in the first round. She has a very strong striking game with some solid jiu-jitsu and grappling ability. Nunes also comes out strong, looking to overwhelm her opponents quickly.
The big question for this wager is the mindset of Rousey. If she is truly into this fight and fights her style, she should be able to win. However, her ego got the best of her against Holm, as she attempted to out-box a world-class boxer. She paid for that dearly. Her competitive side may still want to show she can strike, but her talent side should stick to her judo and submissions. Nunes is the better striker and can finish her if the fight stays standing. Even if Rousey moves to grappling, Nunes has shown an ability to defend off her back. Too many people are overlooking the champ in this fight, but I think she’s the real deal and will put an end to Rousey’s time atop MMA.
UFC 207 FREE PICK: AMANDA NUNES +145