UFC 265 Promises a Lot of Fun, Despite Amanda Nunes’ Absence

The UFC 265 creates a lot of noise in the MMA world, because we have several big-time matches. The headliner of this event is the bout between Derrick Lewis and Ciryl Gane, the two heavyweights who are about the decision which one will face off the reigning division champion, Francis Ngannou. 

We expect to see many interesting matchups until the end of the year, and one of the most prominent MMA analysts on the web, Jeff Fox, already made a list of matches we shouldn’t miss. Among them is this clash. 

Apart from the blockbuster in the heavyweight division, we will see one title match as Amanda Nunes meets Julianna Pena in the bantamweight belt contest. Also, the men’s bantamweight bout between Jose Aldo and Pedro Munhoz, as well as the welterweight match Michael Chiesa vs. Vicente Luque, generate enough traction to be mentioned.

The winner of the Lewis vs. Gane matchup will win the interim heavyweight belt and the chance to attack Francis Ngannou. Lewis was supposed to fight the Predator even before, but it seems that the French fighter declined that option. 

One of the most powerful punchers in the division is coming in as an underdog, with the odds on his win 9/4, while on the other side, Gane’s are at 1/3. Bon Gamin is currently undefeated with all nine wins in his MMA career. His win via decision is priced at 1/1, while via KO is 33/10. Meanwhile, Lewis’ KO victory is 15/4, which could be worth risking per majority if the experienced bettors.

Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena were about square off in the lady’s bantamweight championship match. Yet this battle won’t happen because Nunes tested positive for COVID-19. The Lioness is arguably the most dominant fighter in the women’s competition, holding both the UFC bantamweight and the featherweight titles. Meanwhile, Pena received a once-in-a-lifetime chance to show her value, and the American will for sure give her best against the absolute favorite. 

While we are here, let’s talk about the odds for this postponed clash. Nunes’ win was 1/7, while Pena’s sat at 9/2. The Brazilian to finish the bout via submission is 10/3, which seemed like a good idea because Pena’s weak spot is defending on the ground. Her last two defeats were after a submission. Nunes to TKO, the rival was 8/11, and for Pena to do the same and amaze the world is 10/1. The bookmakers didn’t expect to see this fight going to the distance, and the odds for this scenario were 1/4, while the opposite is 4/1.

Jose Aldo and Pedro Munhoz are promising a good fight. The former undisputed UFC featherweight champion is looking for another chance to attack the bantamweight title, following his failure against Petr Yan. Meanwhile, Munhoz has the same ambition, and that is to put his name in the title fight. A victory here would boost the veteran’s stocks enormously. 

Munhoz’s is a slight underdog here, 11/10, while Aldo’s chances for winning are a bit better, 8/11. We expect to see a close and interesting battle, which is why betting on the fight going to the distance seems logical. Odds for that are almost similar to those for the opposite scenario, 4/5 for Yes and 1/1 for no. 

We also have one other matchup that might be interesting for fans across the world, in the welterweight category, where Michael Chiesa meets Vincente Luque. The latter’s win is priced at -170, while Chiesa’s fifth triumph in a row stands at +125. 

As you see, the UFC 265 carries many interesting bouts, and it won’t be too odd to see some of them winding up in the race for the best fight of the year. The undercard is also filled with close contests, and it would be a pity if you miss this spectacle that takes place at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.