MMA Preview – Raoni Barcelos vs Khalid Taha at UFC Vegas 13
RAONI BARCELOS VS KHALID TAHA FACTS
When is UFC Vegas 13? Sunday 8th November, 2020 - 01:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC Vegas 13? UFC APEX, Las Vegas, Nevada (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC Vegas 13? No tickets are available as this event will take place without spectators
What channel is UFC Vegas 13 on? BT Sport 1
Where can I stream UFC Vegas 13? 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!
RAONI BARCELOS VS KHALID TAHA LOWDOWN
Raoni Barcelos (15-1) is the dark horse in the stacked bantamweight division and has looked exceptional in his four UFC fights. He debuted at featherweight against Kurt Holobaugh, finishing him with a savage uppercut. He then dropped down to bantamweight submitting Chris Gutierrez, knocking out Carlos Huachin and is coming off a unanimous decision over the highly touted Said Nurmagomedov to extend his winning streak to eight.
Khalid Taha (13-2(1)) has had mixed fortunes so far in his UFC career. He also debuted at featherweight but lost a unanimous decision to Nad Narimani. However, he dropped to 135 lbs and knocked out Boston Salmon. He followed that up with a beautiful arm triangle on Bruno Gustavo da Silva but it was later overturned to a ‘no contest’ as USADA picked up an illegal substance - furosemide that was actually in his anti-inflammation medicine.
RAONI BARCELOS VS KHALID TAHA PREDICTION
Barcelos is a late replacement for Jack Shore but he will still be the favourite. He is 35 years old, but he continues to improve. He is an extremely strong grappler with high-level Brazilian jiu-jitsu complimented by a wrestling background.
He is a beast on the ground and considering Narimani’s success in taking Taha down, Barcelos should have his way with him. That said, Barcelos prefers to apply his trade with his hands first and is expected to start hunting the chin.
This will make the fight more competitive as the German is a very dangerous striker. A stand-up battle will be exciting to see but with the grappling in Barcelos’ locker, you have to back the Brazilian.
Prediction: Barcelos via Decision
