UFC 250: Predictions & Breakdown
- MMA News Now
- Jun 6, 2020
- 4 min read
By: Buck Schlerf and Eagle Andersen
A depthy card filled with entertaining pick-em fights!
I am going to briefly breakdown each of these bouts and give you the most likely winner based their history. Each MMA News Now team member will also be offering their predictions.
Eddie Wineland (24-13-1) v Sean O'Malley (11-0)
According to most of the current MMA writers and analysts, O'Malley is the clear-cut favorite. In my opinion, there is more than what meets the eye when speaking about Eddie Wineland. Granted, he has been inconsistent (trading wins and losses since his WEC departure at the beginning of the last decade) he does have an X-factor that could help earn him the win. That X-factor is experience. Like I said, Wineland has been a UFCer for a decade and has definitely picked up some tricks of the trade in that time. With only three prior fights in the UFC, O'Malley will need to be cautious stepping into the octagon on Saturday.
With all of that being said, there are various reasons that O'Malley remains the consensus favourite. The UFC execs view O'Malley as a future star and in turn, view Wineland as a stepping-stone on the way out that will help lift O'Malley's credibility if he secures a win. When it comes to the fight, O'Malley will be looking to stay elusive and put Wineland down with his varying arsenal of strikes.
Neil Magny (22-7) v Rocco Martin (17-5)
This bout is a good example of a pick-em fight. Neither guy is a big favourite and this is sure to be a fairly entertaining, back-and-forth scrap.
Magny will be looking to use his gargantuan 80-inch reach to piece Martin up with long jabs and rangy straights. If he can keep Martin at bay and throw in the occasional takedown, the victory will most likely go to him. On the other hand, Martin will be looking to get through Magny's long reach and work the inside. If the fight does go the ground, Martin should feel fairly confident as he has a well-respected submission game.
Aljamain Sterling (18-3) v Cory Sandhagen (12-1)
If the last was a pick-em fight, than this fight is THE pick-em fight. Both fighters are extremely similar in build and very likely. Each of them are well-rounded as well. Sterling has the advantage on the ground, Sandhagen has the advantage on the feet, those gaps in skill are narrow though.
Don't be surprised to see Aljamain work his kickboxing or Sandhagen throw in a takedown in attempt to catch their opponent off guard. It is likely that this fight will go to decision after a high-level, back and forth tilt.
Raphael Assuncao (27-7) v Cody Garbrandt (11-3)
Top 10 bantamweights Cody Garbrandt and Raphael Assuncao go head to head in Saturday’s co-main event. Former champ Garbrandt is in an unusual position after landing on a three-fight skid since losing his belt in 2017. Before that, the Team Alpha Male standout was 11-0 and had just put on the performance of a lifetime against Dominick Cruz. He’s lighting quick and has dynamite in his hands, and his only weakness seems to be himself. All three of Garbrandt’s losses have come by way of knockout after he elected to drop his game plan in favor of standing and banging.
Looking to exploit that weakness is the longtime bantamweight staple, Raphael Assuncao. The Brazillian may lack the raw stopping power of his opponent, but his clever and patient striking style has made him famously hard to hit. That combined with his blackbelt in BJJ gives him far more tools to work with inside the Octagon. Redemption is on the line for both men on Saturday night and we’re sure to see some high-speed bantamweight fireworks.
Amanda Nunes (19-4) [C] v Felicia Spencer (8-1)
In the main event for UFC 250, the former Invicta featherweight champion and BJJ black belt Felicia Spencer will challenge Amanda Nunes for the women’s 145lb title. As a natural featherweight and former lightweight, Spencer plans to use her size advantage to drive the Brazillian against the cage where she can deliver powerful elbows from the clinch and take her opponent down to the mat.
The double champ, however, is a very well rounded fighter and threatening no matter where the fight takes place. Despite spending the majority of her career at bantamweight, the Lioness actually holds the height and reach advantage by a matter of inches.
Expect Spencer to chase the takedown early and attempt to surpass Nunes’ strong grappling defense. Because of this, the fight is likely to stay on the feet with lots of exchanges as Spencer moves into range to secure clinches.
If Nunes can earn the victory on Saturday night, she will become the first fighter to defend her titles in two weight classes simultaneously. An upset victory would be equally monumental for Spencer and one not worth missing.
Team Predictions:
Eagle's (@AndersenEagle) Picks | 13-7-0:
S. O'Malley
N. Magny
A. Sterling
C. Garbrandt
A. Nunes
Mason's Picks | 12-8-0:
S. O'Malley
N. Magny
A. Sterling
C. Garbrandt
A. Nunes
Buck's (@Nerd_MMA) Picks | 12-8-0:
S. O'Malley
N. Magny
C. Sandhagen
R. Assuncao
A. Nunes
Aiden's (@DownToTheWire6) Picks | 10-10-0:
S. O'Malley
N. Magny
A. Sterling
R. Assuncao
A. Nunes
Joe's (@UngerJos) Picks | 10-5-0:
S. O'Malley
N. Magny
A. Sterling
R. Assuncao
A. Nunes
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