UFC 213 Preview, Breakdown & Analysis

International Fight Week is set to be capped off by UFC 213, which will take place this Saturday night (July 8, 2017) live on pay-per-view (PPV) from Las Vegas, Nevada. Despite losing a few key bouts to the injury bug, the event still features a plethora of big names and a number of intriguing fights.

UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes will once again headline the UFC’s summer showcase, this time putting her 135-pound title on the line in a rematch against surging contender Valentina Shevchenko. The co-main will also feature a pivotal title fight, as top middleweight contenders Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker will face off with an interim 185-pound title hanging in the balance. In addition, heavyweight veterans Fabricio Werdum and Alistair Overeem will settle the score in a trilogy bout on the main card.

That isn’t all that the card has to offer, but let’s go ahead and take a deeper look at the top three fights on the card.

Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko

Nunes and Shevchenko met for a first time at March 2016’s UFC 196, with the “Lioness” taking home a decision victory to earn a title shot. Since then, the Brazilian has scored back-to-back stoppage victories victories over bantamweight greats Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey.

Shevchenko, on the other hand, has also been impressive since losing to Nunes, as she outpointed ex-champion Holly Holm last July before submitting Julianna Pena earlier this year.

In the first fight between the two, Nunes appeared to control the first two rounds before tiring out in the third when Shevchenko began to pull away. Her stamina has been an issue in the past, and one has to wonder if that will play to the “Bullet’s” advantage in a five round fight.

Despite that issue, Nunes is undoubtedly the most powerful striker in the division, while also possessing a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. Shevchenko, on the other hand, has a decorated background in kickboxing, while also showing clear improvements in her ground game in recent memory.

This is a tough fight to call, and I can see it going either way, but I’m going to go with Nunes here. Assuming she has addressed her stamina issues, I expect her to pressure Shevchenko before landing a big shot and finishing the fight at some point in the early rounds.

Prediction: Nunes by second round TKO

Yoel Romero vs. Robert Whittaker

Since Michael Bisping shockingly knocked out Luke Rockhold to become the undisputed middleweight champion in June 2016, the middleweight division has been in a state of flux.

“The Count” has only fought once, defending the title against Dan Henderson late last year. He’s currently dealing with a knee injury, while also pursing a fight with returning former welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre.

With that being said, this bout between Romero and Whittaker could very well represent a clash between the two best 185 pounders in the world.

Romero, a freak athlete with an Olympic wrestling background and brutal knockout power, has won an incredible eight straight bouts, while possessing a perfect 7-0 UFC record.

Whittaker, on the other hand, has established himself as a force to be reckoned with since moving up to the middleweight division in 2014. He’s scored six straight victories at 185 pounds, most recently stopping former Strikeforce champion Ronaldo Souza this past April.

Romero’s conditioning has been questioned in the past, and Whittaker could have success if he’s able to drag the fight into the later rounds, while picking “The Soldier of God” apart from the outside, but I don’t see that happening. I simply feel as if Romero is too dangerous, and I feel as if he’ll end this one towards the middle of the fight.

Prediction: Romero by third round TKO

Fabricio Werdum vs. Alistair Overeem 

These two heavyweight veterans have already met twice before, with Werdum submitting “The Reem” at a Pride event in 2006, and Overeem scoring a decision victory over Werdum at a Strikeforce event in 2011.

Both men have seen success in the UFC as of late, as Overeem has won five of his last six, while Werdum has won seven of his last eight. The key thing to note here is that both men have suffered losses to current champion Stipe Miocic, although they could be battling for another crack at the champion.

This fight could go many different ways, as both men have evolved immensely over the years. It’s a tough bout to predict, but I feel as if Overeem has benefitted from being a more composed fighter as of late, while rounding out his skill set in the process, which is why I’m going to side with the former K-1 champion.

Prediction: Overeem by decision