MMA Preview – Holly Holm vs Ketlen Vieira at UFC Fight Night 206
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HOLLY HOLM VS KETLEN VIEIRA FACTS
When is UFC Fight Night 206? Sunday 22nd May, 2022 - 00:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC Fight Night 206? UFC APEX, Enterprise, Nevada (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night 206? Click here for the tickets at the O2 Arena
What channel is UFC Fight Night 206 on? BT Sport 1
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night 206? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
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!
HOLLY HOLM VS KETLEN VIEIRA LOWDOWN
Holly Holm (14-5) walks out for her seventh UFC main event which is more than any female fighter and she hopes more is yet to come in the form of a sixth title fight. She lost her last five attempts which were to Miesha Tate (2016), Germaine de Randamie (2017 – featherweight), Cris Cyborg (2017 - featherweight) and Amanda Nunes (2019). During that spell she went 2-5 and it seemed she had hit her ceiling, but after the devastating knockout loss to Nunes, she has strung together two classy unanimous decision wins together over Raquel Pennington (2020) and Irene Aldana (2020).
She now takes on the next up and comer Ketlen Vieira (12-2) who is coming off the biggest win of her career in earning a unanimous decision over Miesha Tate (2021). It was Tate’s second fight in five years coming out of retirement and she is well past her prime, but the biggest name on the Brazilian’s record. She is 2-2 in her last four now with Aldana (2019) knocking her out and Yana Kunitskaya (2021) outpointing her to derail her momentum. Now, a win over the former bantamweight champion will give her the massive push she needs.
HOLLY HOLM VS KETLEN VIEIRA PREDICTION
Holm has the clear advantage when it comes to experience and striking. Vieira has the advantage when it comes to grappling as a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Judo.
That said, we expect a lot of stand-up here as Vieira loves to strike herself. She is 10 years younger at 30 years of age and has also been more active as Holm has not fought since October 2020 dealing with injuries so Vieira should look for an aggressive start.
She cannot win this by standing for five rounds. Holm is made for them with exceptional cardio and fighting style. She is incredibly illusive with the best movement in the division, and we expect her to dictate the tempo, peppering from range and a variety of angles to frustrate Vieira.
So, Vieira has to mix in her grappling as much as possible. If she can drag Holm to the ground, she can keep her there and work on a submission. However, Holm’s distance control is exceptional and is also very strong in the clinch, so the Brazilian will end up expelling more energy making her an easier target on the feet.
Despite the injuries and time catching up with her, we expect a typical Holm performance - managing the distance, tagging Vieira with a variety of jabs, combinations and kicks to the legs and head while fending off the takedowns attempts to gradually deplete the Brazilian and walk away with a decision.
Prediction: Holm via Decision - CLICK HERE FOR PARIMATCH'S WELCOME OFFER (BET £5, GET £30 IN BONUSES!)
