The Ultimate Fighting Championship has seen its share of great battles in 2021, and one of the upcoming cards seems likely to provide us with yet another set of amazing fights. On August 7th, 2021 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, two of the biggest names, and biggest men, in the heavyweight division will square off. American Derrick Lewis and Frenchman Ciryl Gane will go toe to toe in a battle to decide who will be the interim heavyweight champion. But this isn’t the only major event scheduled for what should be a night to remember.
These massive UFC fights make for not just great entertainment, but also a great betting opportunity. UFC isn’t like team sports where you’re counting on a whole squad to come through. When you bet on UFC, you’re betting on one person in a cage beating another person in a cage, and that is as simple but fun a form of betting as you can imagine. There are many UFC betting sites out there that take bets on the biggest UFC showdowns, from Bet365 to 888Sport. One site that is known for its depth of UFC options is Betway. For a breakdown of that operator and what type of UFC markets they offer, check out BettingTop10’s Betway review.
Let’s dive into a breakdown of three of the biggest matchups set for UFC 265, with predictions about who will come out on top.
Bantamweight: José Aldo vs Pedro Munhoz
José Aldo is a legend of the fighting game. He dominated mixed martial arts for over a decade, claiming three UFC belts in the process. It has been less smooth sailing for this legendary champion in the past few years, and he’s lost three of the past four fights he has been in. However, he’s still ranked 5th in his division and can be very dangerous. He’s going against Pedro Munhoz, who is a fellow Brazilian and is ranked 9th in the division. Age isn’t as much a factor in this fight, as both brawlers are on the older side. Munhoz has lost two of his last three bouts. In this matchup, there isn’t a clear favourite. Both are talented fighters, and both are extremely skilled in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Aldo has a slight physical advantage with his longer reach, and that may be all the difference needed.
Prediction: Aldo Wins.
Women’s Bantamweight: Amanda Nunes vs Julianna Peña
Can anyone stop Amanda Nunes? The Brazilian fighter has been absolutely dominant for years now and hasn’t lost an MMA fight since 2014. She is powerful, ferocious, and seems like she may never lose again. She is going up against a talented fighter in Julianna Peña who has held her own against some of the best fighters in the business. However, Nunes is the pound-for-pound best, and likely the best female UFC fighter of all time. She puts people to sleep. She has 13 professional knockouts, to Peña’s three. Peña, an American of Venezuelan descent, is slightly younger, but that won’t make any type of an important difference in this fight. Expect Nunes to do what she does: dominate.
Prediction: Nunes Wins.
Heavyweight: Derrick Lewis vs Ciryl Gane
This is the main event of the night. Derrick Lewis is a long-established, dominant fighter. He is as scary of a presence inside the ring as there is in the game. He is currently ranked #2 in the heavyweight division, but this bout will be for the interim heavyweight championship. While Lewis has the most knockouts in the heavyweight division’s history, he doesn’t have a belt, so this fight will be massive for him. He’s on a four-fight win streak and will be hungry to claim a championship. Standing in his way is French fighter Ciryl Gane, who is extremely dangerous in his own right. With a background in kickboxing, Gane is a very real threat to steal Lewis’ big moment. Gane has never lost a professional fight. His MMA record is 9-0, and his Muay Thai record is 13-0. He is younger than Lewis and has bested some of the big names in the UFC, like Junior Dos Santos and Alexander Volkov. Lewis has him beat in terms of sheer power, but Gane is actually the favourite in this fight and is #3 in the heavyweight division. This one will depend on whether Lewis can land a knockout shot because if this fight goes the distance, it is likely that Gane will have won it.
Prediction: Gane Wins.
On Saturday, August 7th, the UFC will add another chapter to their illustrious history. Enjoy the show, bet wisely, and may the best fighters win.