UFC 248 predictions
First off, I'll say that this is the least excited I have been for a UFC pay-per-view in as long as I can remember. The card, in my opinion, just isn't as "electric" as those coming up in the future. I'll go ahead and make my predictions anyway.
Alex Oliveira vs. Max Griffin
Oliveira is coming off of 3 losses in a row and Max Griffin off of 1 which makes me wonder why this is on the main card at all. Both of these guys have similar fight styles but based solely upon the fact that his back is more up against the wall in this "do or die" situation, I'm going to pick Oliveira in this. I think it will be extremely boring because both fighters are going to be more concerned with not getting finished in the ring because if that happens there is a good chance their contracts could be in jeopardy.
Pick = Oliveira
Neil Magny vs. Li Jingliang
This might be a poor decision for Magny since he is coming off of a rather brutal KO loss to Santiago Ponzinibbio. This bodes especially poorly for Magny when you consider two things: Jingliang is on a 3-win tear and also the fact that Jingliang is a KO finisher. I don't give Magny much of a chance in this one but I have been wrong before.
Pick= Jingliang
Drakkar Klose vs. Beneil Dariush
This one is a bit harder to call and in my mind it depends a lot on how Klose handles his defense. Dariush is more of a finisher but this comes with great expense in that he loses a lot as well. Klose only has one defeat but tends to be more disciplined in the octagon. "Disciplined" can mean "boring" unfortunately, and this fight is what I predict will be the most boring on the main card and Klose is really trying to break into the top 15 in the middleweight division. I truly expect this to go to full time unless something very lucky happens.
Pick= Klose
Weili Zhang vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Personally, this is the "fight of the night" for me. JJ once appeared to be the dominant force in this division but much like Rousey, after that first loss she has struggled to regain her composure. The fact that Weili captured the title by a first-round KO and JJ has showed rather poor form in her past 5 fights makes me think that this fight has one purpose: To solidify Zhang as the dominant champ. JJ could pull off an upset but I really don't see that happening.
Pick= Zhang
Israel Adesanya vs. Yoel Romero
This is going to sound a bit mean but I don't know what Romero is doing here. He is on a 2-fight losing streak, is beyond his prime, and is 12 years older than the top-form Adesanya. I feel as though "The Soldier of God" is kind of a side show here as it is fully expected that Romero is going to come out swinging wildly and this is really the only chance he has (in my book) at victory.... a lucky shot. Unfortunately for him, Adesanya is really good at avoiding damage and blocking.
I suspect that Israel is going to allow Romero to gas out early and work the legs / body of his opponent and then dominate Yoel in the last 3 rounds, if it even makes it that far. This could, in my opinion, end up being the last fight for Romero, particularly if he loses badly.
Pick = Adesanya
Do you agree with my picks? Do you have your own? Do you even care? Are you just waiting for UFC 249?