The UFC brings its brand of fighting to the Land Down Under this coming Saturday with a middleweight interim title match between Yoel Romero and Luke Rockhold headlining the event. Read on for a preview of this intriguing matchup of battle-tested octagon warriors.
Betting Preview for UFC 221: Yoel Romero vs. Luke Rockhold
Where: Perth Arena, Perth, Australia
When: Saturday, February 10, 2018, 12;15 AM
TV Broadcast: Pay-per-view ($64.99 USD)
Betting on Yoel Romero (+115)
Yoel Romero is back fighting for an interim title again. The showdown with Rockhold is actually Romero’s second interim title match in a row. He lost to Robert Whitaker via unanimous decision in July of last year, which was also the last time he entered the octagon. Romero will fight in Australia carrying a record of 12-2-0 in the UFC. His fight game is based on wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but he is also a very dangerous fighter standing up. He has 10 wins by knockouts, and just to terrify ordinary people more of this beast, consider the fact that he has finished fights inside the first round four times before. The 40-year-old Romero has landed 346 of his total 647 total attempted strikes in the UFC for success rate of 53 percent. Romero is not used to losing, and he has not lost two fights in a row, so that’s something he will be avoiding to suffer against Rockhold. Romero seems to have the wrestling advantage over Rockhold, as the Cuban has won several medals in different top-tier wrestling tournaments in the world, which includes a silver-medal win way back in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Betting on Luke Rockhold (-145)
Luke Rockhold was originally set to meet Robert Whitaker for this game, but with Whitaker pulling out of the event because of illness, he will have to settle with Romero. Currently ranked No. 2 in the middleweight division, Rockhold is looking to notch his second straight win at the expense of the much older Romero. Rockhold, 33, is coming off a second-round knockout win over David Branch in September. Prior to that, he lost his first defense of his title when he was knocked out in the opening round by Michael Bisping in UFC 199. Rockhold could give Romero a run for his own money on the ground, as the Santa Cruz, California native has eight wins by submission of exactly half of his victories in his 16-3 UFC record. Rockhold could try to tire out Romero before going in for the kill in the later rounds. Romero’s endurance is a big question since he is not used to fighting long matches. He ran out of gas in his lost to Whitaker. Rockhold, meanwhile, has gone the distance in championship matchups two times before. He has eight wins by submission since he started his pro career in 2007.
Writer’s Prediction:
Rockhold wins by TKO in the fourth round.
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