The UFC is headed to beautiful Copenhagen, Denmark, this weekend, with a crucial middleweight fight being the main event, a showdown between Jack Hermansson and Jared Cannonier.
Main Event Preview
The middleweight division has long been one of the most stacked in UFC history. Copenhagen is hosting a crucial showdown in the weight class, and this fight has serious implications attached to it.
Whichever man comes out on top will most likely be one fight away from earning a shot at UFC gold. Both men are coming off of huge wins, with Hermansson dominating Ronaldo Souza, while Cannonier just TKO’d Anderson Silva.
This fight is quite interesting, as Hermansson has proven something to me that I figured would have been a serious disadvantage in this fight, and that is strength. Hermansson was able to handle Souza, who is an absolute grappling machine.
However, this doesn’t change the fact that Cannonier is still an absolute animal at 185. I see Cannonier looking to push the pace, all while being wary of Hermansson’s distance.
I really like Hermansson’s last performance heading into this fight, and I think it will also help with his confidence heading into it as well. Cannonier has proven to be a serious force to be reckoned with, but I think Hermansson is a bad matchup for him overall.
Prediction
I see Cannonier coming out hot, looking to land big shots early and put Hermansson away, but I think he will be unsuccessful here and eventually get froze on the feet. I think Hermansson will start slowly picking Cannonier away, and I think his volume will prove to be too much.
I love Cannonier and his story, but Hermansson is a man on a mission, and I see him scoring the late-round finish here, potentially setting him up for a title shot/eliminator.
Official Pick: Jack Hermansson def. Jared Cannonier via TKO Round 4.
Best Bet: Lando Vannata
Somehow, Vegas has made Lando Vannata a +135 underdog against Marc Diakiese. Although I think both men are quite explosive athletes with a lot of power between the two, Vannata is being taken for granted here.
Sure, he has certainly had a bumpy road in his UFC career, but that still does not take away from his diverse skillset. For Diakiese, I think he is a great athlete and packs a lot of power, but I think he lacks the creativity and combination that Vannata can put forth.
I see this fight being absolute fireworks in the early seconds of the fight, but it will soon be clear as to is the dominant fighter is, with that being Vannata. I think Diakiese is biting a bit more off than he can chew here, and despite being the underdog, I see Vannata scoring a second-round TKO, sending a clear message to never underestimate him again, which I’m sure we will.