MMA Preview – Cristian Quinonez vs Raoni Barcelos at UFC Fight Night 237
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CRISTIAN QUINONEZ VS RAONI BARCELOS FACTS
When is UFC Fight Night 237? Sunday 25th February, 2024 - 01:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC Fight Night 237? Arena CDMX, Mexico City (Mexico)
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night 237? Click here to buy tickets for UFC Fight Night
What channel is UFC Fight Night 237 on? TNT Sports 2
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night 237? TNT Sports subscribers can stream the fight online via the TNT Sports website and Discovery+
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
CRISTIAN QUINONEZ VS RAONI BARCELOS LOWDOWN
Cristian Quinonez (18-4) is recovering from getting a win streak snapped. He extended it to five on his UFC debut by knocking out Khalid Taha (2022) coming off the back of his unanimous decision win on the Contender Series over Long Xiao (2021). He met Kyung Ho Kang (2023) at UFC on ESPN 47 and could not make it out the first round getting wrapped up in his rear-naked choke.
Raoni Barcelos (17-5) is 1-4 in his last five which is baffling considering his skill set. He lost decisions to Timur Valiev (2021) and Victor Henry (2022) which snapped a nine-fight win streak including five UFC dubs. He bounced back with a decision over Trevin Jones (2022) but is coming off a knockout to Umar Nurmagomedov and decision to Kyler Phillips last year.
CRISTIAN QUINONEZ VS RAONI BARCELOS PREDICTION
On paper, Barcelos is better everywhere but we have learnt that the script means nothing when inside the cage. He is a grappling beast as a decorated wrestler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. He is also an explosive athlete with knockout power.
Quinonez is a good grappler himself and a scrapper on the feet. He puts on a ferocious pace and keeps a constant pressure which will be overwhelming at altitude in Mexico City.
Barcelos will decide to keep this on the feet initially and his explosive hands and leg kicks can break Quinonez down. Then, he can mix in the takedowns to close the show.
However, Quinonez’s pace will be a real problem for the Brazilian. If he gets out of the first round unscathed, he should be able to wear Barcelos down with his pressure. We can see the elevation sapping his energy with Quinonez’s cardio winning the fight and causing the upset.
Prediction: Quinonez via Decision
Value Bet: Quinonez to win
