UFC 221 Preview, Breakdown & Analysis

Although it may not be the most stacked card, UFC 221, which is set to take place this weekend (Feb. 10, 2018) live on pay-per-view (PPV) from Perth, Australia, possesses some intriguing match-ups, especially at the top of its lineup.

In the main event, former 185-pound champion Luke Rockhold will take on top contender Yoel Romero in a bout for the interim middleweight championship.

The co-main event, on the other hand, will feature veteran knockout artist Mark Hunt taking on rising heavyweight prospect Curtis Blaydes.

Without further ado, let’s take a deeper look into UFC 221’s marquee fights:

Luke Rockhold vs. Yoel Romero

In this bout, two of the very best middleweights in the world will meet in the Octagon.

Rockhold, a former champion, lost his title via a shocking knockout loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 199 in June 2016. After that fight, he took over a year off before returning this past September to score a stoppage victory over former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) two-division world champion David Branch.

Romero, on the other hand, has taken out some of the division’s best on his way to compiling an impressive 8-1 UFC record with his only promotional loss coming against undisputed champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 213 this past July.

Stylistically, Rockhold is very well-rounded. Training for years at the famed American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California, he recently relocated to Florida where he’s continued to hone his kickboxing skills under the tutelage of Henri Hooft.

Fighting out of the southpaw position, Rockhold has great length and he utilizes it very well. While he possesses some solid counterpunching ability, he does most of his damage with his devastating left kick, which he comfortably throws to the head and body. It’s hard to tell, however, if this will be an effective weapon in this fight given that Romero is also a southpaw.

Due to his range, Rockhold often dictates the pace of a fight on the feet, although he is hittable, which was seen in his last bout and in his rematch with Bisping, and his defense has been questionable at times.

Romero, meanwhile, is a freakish athlete, who possesses explosive speed. I’d argue that Rockhold is the better pure striker, but “The Soldier of God” changes paces well, and owns legitimate fight-ending power.

In terms of the grappling department, Romero is without question one of the best wrestlers the sport has ever seen. A former Olympian, the Cuban is fantastic at landing takedowns and rag-dolling opponents. I’m not sure he’ll be able to do that to Rockhold, however.

The former champion possesses underrated wrestling, and if the fight does hit the mat, I’d give him advantage. He has a terrific submission game, strong ground control, and a great ability to scramble.

Romero has shown the ability to hang with talented grapplers on the ground, but it’ll be interesting to see how the fight plays out if it does indeed end up on the canvas.

Ultimately, I think this fight will come down to a few x-factors, one being Romero’s questionable cardio. He appeared to tire in his fight with Whittaker and that’s when “The Reaper” began to take over. As far as Rockhold goes, his cardio is rarely a question.

If the former champion can avoid Romero’s big shots early on and drag the Cuban into deep waters, I could see him finishing this fight in the later rounds, perhaps due to ground and pound.

Prediction: Luke Rockhold def. Yoel Romero via fourth-round TKO due to ground strikes

Mark Hunt vs. Curtis Blaydes

In this fight, we’ll see an aging veteran take on a rising contender.

Despite being 43 years old, Hunt has proven to still have some fight left in him, as he’s gone 3-1-1 in his last five fights, most recently scoring a TKO victory over Derrick Lewis last June.

Blaydes, on the other hand, is 3-1-1 in the Octagon, most recently defeating Oleksiy Oliynyk this past November.

Stylistically, Hunt is one of the best knockout artists the heavyweight division has ever seen. With a decorated background in kickboxing, Hunt has made a name for himself by showing that he’s willing to stand and trade with any man.

Utilizing great timing, Hunt typically likes to lure his opponents into a trap before exploding and unleashing powerful shots. Defensively, Hunt has often shown the ability to take a plethora of damage, but his chin has seemed to deteriorate a bit over the years.

Blaydes, a former amateur kickboxer, has continued to improve his stand-up game, but he isn’t on the level of Hunt in this category. His footwork and combinations have evolved, but his defense is questionable, which could present him with issues in this bout.

In terms of grappling, Blaydes undoubtedly has the advantage. A decorated former Junior College wrestler, Blaydes is aggressive and relentless with his takedown attempts.

Hunt, however, while rarely looking for a takedown, actually has some solid defense.

Due to his frame, he’s often been able to defend an opponent’s double leg attempts, which is Blaydes’ preferred shot. However, Stipe Miocic and Brock Lesnar were repeatedly able to drag Hunt down with single legs and batter “The Super Samoan” on the ground.

Due to their styles, I could see this fight going either way. I could certainly see Blaydes turning the fight into a grappling match and controlling and punishing Hunt on the ground, but I’m going to side to with New Zealand native here.

Hunt will need to defend the takedowns, and if he can, I expect him to land a big shot that puts Blaydes away.

Prediction: Mark Hunt def. Curtis Blaydes via third-round TKO