UFC 225 will take place this Saturday Night from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York with one of the best fight cards that they have put on in recent history. There are currently 13 fights scheduled for Saturday Night with two title fights and a ton of undercard fights that legitimately could be Fight Night card main events! This card is completely stacked from top to bottom and this looks to be one of the best cards of the year!
UFC 225 Main & Co-Main Event Breakdowns
Robert Whittaker vs. Yoel Romero – UFC Middleweight Title Fight
The Main Event on Saturday Night will be a rematch from one year ago, where we find Robert Whittaker taking on Yoel Romero in a five round battle for the UFC Middleweight Championship. These two fought back on July 8, 2017 for the UFC Interim Middleweight Crown. That fight ended up being a 5 round unanimous decision victory for Robert Whittaker and after that fight, he sort of went on the shelf for a year with various injuries.
Yoel Romero took one other fight since that time, taking on Luke Rockhold at UFC 221 and knocking out the former champion in the third round. Romero is known for having cardio issues and with being 41 years old now, we can only assume that it isn’t going to get better, if anything it will get worse. We can safely assume that this fight will most likely be kept on the feet as neither one of these guys is a grappler.
Romero is a world class wrestler but he mostly uses his wrestling to keep the fight on the feet and prevent guys from taking him down. Romero has never won a fight by submission and really isn’t a ground fighter.
Handicapping Selection: Robert Whittaker WINS via Unan Decision
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Colby Covington – UFC Welterweight Title Fight
The Co-Main Event of the evening will feature two guys fighting for the fake title, I mean the Interim Title, as Tyrod Woodley is the current UFC Welterweight Champion but isn’t available to fight until later this year. Rafael dos Anjos will be taking on Colby Covington in this fight with the winner being able to call themself a world champion. I don’t agree with the implication but I don’t make the rules in the UFC.
Dos Anjos is 28-9 and is riding a 3 fight win streak that includes wins over Robbie Lawler, Neil Magny and Tarec Saffiedine. Dos Anjos moved to the Welterweight Division after struggling with the weight cut to make 155 lbs and since his move, he is undefeated. Dos Anjos is the former Lightweight Champion but openly admitted that the weight cut drained him and was simply too difficult for him to make. Many experts feel that Colby Covington is somewhat undeserving of a title shot but his flamboyant mannerisms and cocky attitude have somehow worked for him and he is now fighting for the title.
Covington is 13-1 and is classified as one of the best wrestlers in MMA. Covington must be very careful if he decides to wrestler Dos Anjos to the mat because early in his career, Dos Anjos was a submission machine and Covington may not want to risk getting submitted in this fight.
Handicapping Selection: Rafael dos Anjos WINS via 2nd Rd TKO
UFC 225 Main Card
Robert Whittaker 19-4 vs. Yoel Romero 13-2
Rafael dos Anjos 28-9 vs. Colby Covington 13-1
Holly Holm 11-4 vs. Megan Anderson 7-2
Andrei Arlovski 27-15 vs. Tai Tuivasa 9-0
CM Punk 0-1 vs. Mike Jackson 0-1
UFC 225 Prelims
Alistair Overeem 43-16 vs. Curtis Blaydes 9-1
Mirsad Bektic 12-1 vs. Ricardo Lamas 18-6
Claudia Gadelha 15-3 vs. Carla Esparza 13-4
Rashad Coulter 8-3 vs. Chris De La Rocha 4-2
UFC 225 Early Prelims
Rashad Evans 19-7-1 vs. Anthony Smith 28-13
Sergio Pettis 16-3 vs. Joseph Benavidez 25-4
Charles Oliveira 22-8 vs. Clay Guida 34-17
Mike Santiago 21-11 vs. Dan Ige 8-2
UFC 225 Top Play – Charles Oliveira -155
Charles Oliveira is taking this fight on short notice and in most spots, I always avoid the short notice replacement but this fight really matches up stylistically for Oliveira. Clay Guida likes to move in and out and have a lot of lateral movement. To watch him fight, you will have to keep your eyes moving the entire fight because he is one of, if not the most active fighters inside the Octagon. It’s very difficult to catch Guida but not impossible. If Oliveira gets his hands on Guida, this fight will go to the ground. If not, Oliveira will stay outside and use his powerful leg kicks to wear down Guida and end the movement. Oliveira wins this fight late in the 2nd round.
UFC 225 Underdog with a Shot Play – CM Punk Wins By Sub +450
When CM Punk first made his UFC debut against Mickey Gall, I was all over Gall as he was the much more well rounded fighter and really had no concern of losing that fight. When Mike Jackson fought Mickey Gall, I was all over Gall as he was the much more well rounded fighter and really had no concern of losing that fight. This fight looks the same to me. Punk has been training his rear end off with some really high caliber training partners and I honestly think he will shock some people in this fight. Punk isn’t really a threat to knock anyone out but Jackson has a tendency of giving up chokes and that is where Punk wants this fight to be. Punk wins by submission in the first round by rear naked choke!