MMA Preview – Natalia Silva vs Victoria Leonardo at UFC Fight Night 224
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NATALIA SILVA VS VICTORIA LEONARDO FACTS
When is UFC Fight Night 224? Saturday May 20th March, 2023 - 22:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC Fight Night 224? UFC APEX, Enterprise, Nevada (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night 224? Click here to buy tickets for UFC Fight Night
What channel is UFC Fight Night 224 on? BT Sport 1
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night 224? 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!
NATALIA SILVA VS VICTORIA LEONARDO LOWDOWN
Natalia Silva (14-5-1) pushed her ceiling even further in her last outing. She arrived to the UFC on a six-fight win streak and met Jasmine Jasudavicius (2022). She earnt a unanimous decision, and then took on Tereza Bleda (2022) who was unbeaten at the time and caught her with a perfectly placed spinning back kick in the third round.
Victoria Leonardo (9-4) had a very tough start to her UFC career getting paired with Manon Fiorot on short notice (2021) and Melissa Gatto (2021). She inevitably got knocked out by both women, but she bounced back in July last year with a unanimous decision over Mandy Bohm.
NATALIA SILVA VS VICTORIA LEONARDO PREDICTION
This was the original matchmaking for their UFC debuts and we can see why as they are both aggressive and like to throw down. Silva is certainly the more polished striker with a variety of kicks.
We expect Silva to show her class on the feet in between grappling exchanges. We can see them spending some time in the clinch where Leonardo is strong, but Silva has the technique to reverse positions and create space.
We are backing Silva all the way with her speed and striking making all the difference with Leonardo’s durability dragging this to the bell.
However, Leonardo is a gigantic underdog and makes the only sense if you are putting money on this. Leonardo is not as skilled, but she is very tough and will not give up.
Prediction: Silva via Decision
Value bet: Leonardo to win
