The Complete Guide to UFC 208: Holm vs. De Randamie
The UFC takes its first trip to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, this Saturday with a solid slate of fights on pay-per-view.
In the main event, Holly Holm attempts to capture her second UFC title in the inaugural women's featherweight championship matchup against the Netherlands' Germaine de Randamie. Whether the public will still be interested in Holm following two consecutive losses, especially against an unknown like de Randamie, is hard to say.
The fight, however, should be an entertaining matchup of skilled and talented strikers. That theme of entertainment runs through the entire card: Whatever it lacks in name value, it should make up for in pure fun.
The co-main event features the legendary Anderson Silva trying to get back on track against Derek Brunson in a meaningful matchup for both men. Middleweight contender Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza fights Tim Boetsch in what amounts to a stay-busy fight for the highly ranked Brazilian, and Glover Teixeira tries to stave off the surging Jared Cannonier in a fun light heavyweight matchup. Jim Miller and Dustin Poirier open the main card in style.
The undercard abounds with well-matched fights as well. Keep a particular eye on the lightweight scrap between veteran Nik Lentz and prospect Islam Makhachev and the welterweight fight featuring Randy Brown and Belal Muhammad.
Let's take a look at each matchup.
The Fight Pass Prelims
1 of 7
Featherweights
Rick Glenn (18-4-1; 0-1 UFC) vs. Phillipe Nover (11-7-1; 1-5 UFC)
The Ultimate Fighter 8 finalist Nover gets one last chance against former World Series of Fighting champion Glenn. Nover has lost two in a row, the latest a decision to Renan Barao, while Glenn debuted with a short-notice loss to Evan Dunham at 155 pounds. The promotion will likely cut the loser.
Nover is athletic and technically sound but never seems to be able to find the extra gear necessary to put a stamp on his fights. He throws a sound jab and sharp kicks at range, wrestles with technical skill and isn't a bad grappler, but he lacks killer instinct and urgency.
Glenn is the opposite. He's tall for the division at 6'0" and moves forward from the opening bell, cutting off the cage and forcing his opponent to the fence, where he unloads heavy punching combinations and works his opponent over in the clinch.
Prediction: This is a bad stylistic matchup for Nover, who prefers to operate in open space. Glenn forces him to the fence and wears him out with volume before finishing with strikes in the third round.
Welterweights
Ryan LaFlare (12-1; 5-1 UFC) vs. Roan Carneiro (21-10; 4-4 UFC)
LaFlare returns to action after a layoff of more than a year against the veteran Carneiro. A loss to Demian Maia in March 2015 was the first of his career, but he rebounded with a win over Mike Pierce. Carneiro won a close decision over Kenny Robertson in his last outing in September.
LaFlare is a good athlete who can do a bit of everything. He's a high-output striker with a nice combination game and heavy kicks, but he can also wrestle well and controls nicely from top position. Carneiro is a lethal grappler and packs surprising power in his hands, but he's not a cardio machine and doesn't work fast.
Prediction: LaFlare's cardio and offensive output should be the difference. He wins a decision.
Heavyweights
Marcin Tybura (14-2; 1-1 UFC) vs. Justin Willis (4-1; 0-0 UFC)
Former college football player and American Kickboxing Academy product Willis enters the UFC on short notice, taking on Poland's Tybura in a fun heavyweight scrap. Willis fought once in World Series of Fighting, while Tybura has split two fights in the UFC.
Tybura is a sharp striker with a heavy kicking game and sharp counters on the feet. He's not a great takedown artist, but once the fight hits the ground, he showcases technical skills in his grappling game. Willis is huge, coming in right at the 265-pound limit, and surprisingly athletic for such a big man. His hands are sharp, and he throws combinations with big power, mixing in the occasional takedown.
Prediction: This fight pits Tybura's sharp skills against Willis' physicality and athleticism. Tybura finishes with a submission in the second round.
The Fox Sports 1 Prelims
2 of 7
Flyweights
Ian McCall (13-5-1; 2-3-1 UFC) vs. Jarred Brooks (12-0; 0-0 UFC)
Indiana's Brooks steps in on short notice, replacing Neil Seery, against McCall. The longtime veteran hasn't fought in more than two years, suffering a run of bad luck—injuries, opponents' injuries and illnesses—that defies belief. He lost to John Lineker in his last fight in January 2015, which snapped a two-fight winning streak. Brooks hasn't beaten any name fighters, but his level of competition has been good for a 23-year-old.
Brooks is a serious talent who fights like a native of MMA. He's an accomplished wrestler with a slick arsenal of trips and shot takedowns, and from there he flows smoothly into submissions and passes that he sets up with vicious ground strikes. On the feet, he packs serious power in his hands and throws a whirlwind of rapid-fire combinations.
McCall can do everything well. He's a smooth range striker who moves well in space, flicking kicks and straight punches at a quick rate. Wrestling is the best part of his game; he has strong takedown defense and a potent arsenal of shots and trips. His control on the mat is excellent, and he can finish with submissions.
Prediction: McCall has been out for a long time, and Brooks can do serious damage in any phase. The newcomer wins a back-and-forth decision.
Lightweights
Nik Lentz (27-7-2, 1 NC; 11-4-1, 1 NC UFC) vs. Islam Makhachev (13-1; 2-1 UFC)
Russia's Makhachev, a lifelong friend and training partner of Khabib Nurmagomedov, draws the experienced Lentz in a classic prospect vs. veteran matchup. Lentz has won two in a row since moving back up to lightweight, defeating Danny Castillo and then late-notice replacement Michael McBride. Makhachev rebounded from the first loss of his career (to Adriano Martins) by winning a wide decision over Chris Wade in September.
Makhachev, a southpaw, is a stifling wrestler and grappler in the mold of his friend, Nurmagomedov. He can strike a bit, though, and his left hand and left kick are potent weapons. The real strength of his game lies in the transitions from striking to wrestling to grappling, which are seamless and hard to anticipate. Once he gets ahold of his opponent, there's no escape.
Lentz is a grinder, plain and simple. He loves to scramble and wear his opponent down with constant transitions on the mat, moving from strikes to submissions to control to strikes in an unbroken chain of offense. He's not hard to take down, but he doesn't mind so long as it gets him into a scramble. Striking isn't Lentz's strong suit, but he's competent on his feet.
Prediction: This should be a fun fight full of scrambles on the ground, and this really comes down to who's better in transitions and has the better gas tank. That should be Makhachev, whose grappling skills are off the charts and who is unlikely to wear down as the fight goes on. Makhachev wins a decision.
Flyweights
Wilson Reis (21-6; 5-2 UFC) vs. Ulka Sasaki (19-3-2; 2-2 UFC)
Reis was scheduled to face Demetrious Johnson for the flyweight title at UFC 201 last July, and he now draws Japan's Sasaki in a solid matchup. Sasaki submitted Willie Gates last May to snap a two-fight losing streak, while Reis has won two in a row.
Reis is a slick grappler with outstanding passing skills, a great top game and lethal submissions. He can strike a bit, too, and is a surprisingly good wrestler. Sasaki is big for the division at 5'10" and too likes to grapple, though he can do work in the clinch and isn't afraid to throw strikes.
Prediction: Reis works takedowns and punishes Sasaki from the top. He submits the Japanese fighter in the second round.
Welterweights
Randy Brown (9-1; 3-1 UFC) vs. Belal Muhammad (10-2; 1-2 UFC)
Jamaican-born New Yorker Brown is one of the best finds from Dana White's Lookin' for a Fight web series, a 26-year-old talent with huge upside. He takes on Chicago's Muhammad, who replaces George Sullivan on short notice. Brown has won two in a row, finishing Erick Montano and Brian Camozzi, while Muhammad fell to Vicente Luque in November.
Brown is huge for the division, standing a rangy 6'3" and boasting a 78" reach. A striker by trade, he pops a heavy jab and seems to be increasingly comfortable sitting down and throwing combinations that pack power. His height gives him great leverage in the clinch, where he controls, throws sharp knees and works the occasional takedown. His grappling game is developing as well, though he has a ways to go.
Muhammad is a crisp, technical fighter. His jab is heavy and consistent, and he follows it with a clean right hand while mixing in the occasional kick, all executed at a rapid pace. He can wrestle a bit, too, and shows a strong double-leg takedown.
Prediction: Muhammad likes to fight on the outside, but he's giving up height and reach to a longer, more athletic striker who also does better work in the clinch. Brown wins a decision.
Dustin Poirier vs. Jim Miller
3 of 7
Lightweights
Dustin Poirier (20-5; 12-4 UFC) vs. Jim Miller (28-8, 1 NC; 17-7, 1 NC UFC)
Poirier and Miller are reliable action fighters in the lightweight division, and they kick off the UFC 208 main card in style with a barnburner of a matchup.
Miller has quietly assembled a three-fight winning streak that includes wins over Joe Lauzon and Thiago Alves. Poirier had put together a four-fight winning streak since moving up to 155 pounds, but Michael Johnson snapped that in brutal fashion in September. The winner here will be in line for a matchup with a Top 15 fighter and potentially a chance to make another run at the top.
After years as a well-rounded threat, Poirier has established himself as a devastating puncher in recent years, adding serious depth and craft to his approach on the feet. The power has always been there, but the technical skill to apply it consistently had been lacking; that's no longer the case.
The Louisiana native specializes in fighting at close range. The southpaw has some tools at longer distances, including a thudding round kick, but for the most part he prefers to be in the pocket. His footwork in tight spaces is notable: He sidesteps, pivots and cuts angles as he moves his head, which helps him avoid his opponent's shots while opening up blind angles to land his own.
The combinations come fast and furious for Poirier on the inside. He mixes things up to the head and body and excels at moving his shots around, under and through the opponent's guard.
The clinch is another strong area for Poirier. He's a nasty dirty-boxer who makes great use of collar ties to control his opponent's head, leaving a hand free to punch or elbow. Sharp knees and a slick array of trips and throws add another dimension. While he's not great at setting up shots in open space, he's a skilled cage wrestler and puts together good chains. He's a solid defensive wrestler as well.
Poirier has always been a dangerous grappler. His control from top position is stifling, and he packs serious power when he postures up. Scrambles are another specialty, and he's known for a slick series of chokes from the front headlock.
Miller can do it all and does it all well. The southpaw is an increasingly sharp and dangerous striker with some pop in his left hand and a vicious left kick that he's especially fond of throwing to the body. He's not afraid to exchange and does a good job of keeping his feet and head moving in the pocket, where he strings together crisp head-body combinations.
When he sets his mind to it, Miller remains an accomplished takedown artist with a preference for singles and doubles. Defensive wrestling has never been his strong suit, though, and every competent wrestler he's faced has been able to get him to the mat.
Grappling is the best part of Miller's game. He's exceptionally aggressive on the mat and will sell out while looking for the finish both from his back and on top. He can finish with triangles or armbars from the guard, leglocks, kimuras from the top, arm triangles, or rear-naked chokes, all of them executed with great skill and timing.
Betting Odds
Poirier -465, Miller +370
Prediction
This should be fun, but it's Poirier's fight to lose. He's the more powerful and craftier puncher, he has superior wrestling skills, and he's unlikely to fall into Miller's traps on the mat. Poirier lands more and heavier shots to take a clear but competitive decision.
.jpg?w=256 "Titans Camp Football")
.jpg?w=256 "Rams Seahawks Football")
Glover Teixeira vs. Jared Cannonier
4 of 7
Light Heavyweights
Glover Teixeira (25-5; 8-3 UFC) vs. Jared Cannonier (9-1; 2-1 UFC)
Former top contender Teixeira draws Cannonier in a fun and meaningful matchup at 205 pounds. Teixeira had put together a nice three-fight winning streak that culminated in a knockout of Rashad Evans, but he suffered a vicious knockout loss to Anthony Johnson in August that took just 13 seconds. The 32-year-old Cannonier has won two in a row since losing his debut, winning an entertaining decision from Ion Cutelaba in December.
Teixeira is well-rounded and dangerous in every phase. Aggression and pressure define his game: Everything he does builds on constant forward movement that forces the opponent backward and toward the fence.
As we saw in his title fight against Jon Jones, fighting at long range isn't Teixeira's preference; he does his best work at close range, in the pocket, blasting his opponent with his powerful hands. While he fires off an occasional jab, he usually leads with a straight right hand and then follows with a vicious left hook, his most dangerous and potent punch.
Tight, technical footwork carries Teixeira into his preferred close range, and he doesn't get discouraged when his opponent breaks off and gets back to open space. He simply resets and gets after him again, dropping the same lead right hand or combination over and over at a rapid pace.
While he's nasty on the feet, Teixeira is also an excellent wrestler. He doesn't have a varied approach to entries, but once he grabs ahold of a leg, he transitions nicely between singles and doubles and finishes with crisp technique. He's only slightly above average as a defensive wrestler, but he is difficult to hold on the mat for any extended period of time.
Top control is Teixeira's best skill set. His base is heavy, and he passes quickly with consummate skill. When he postures up, he throws some of the most brutal ground strikes in the division. Submissions are another strong suit, particularly the arm-triangle choke from the top and the guillotine in transition, when his opponent tries to scramble.
Cannonier is a technical striker blessed with an exceptionally long reach (77") and power in his hands. He's smooth and measured on his feet, cutting sharp angles and being particularly fond of tight pivots when opponents try to come after him.
The jab is the foundation of Cannonier's game, and he fires it early and often to set his preferred distance, score points and establish a rhythm. A sharp right hand often follows, and it's notable how Cannonier pulls his head off the center line to avoid counters as he throws. Heavy low and middle kicks add another dimension to his mostly boxing-based game.
While he's improving, Cannonier is no more than a competent defensive wrestler. Still, it's hard to get much going against him from the top, and he's surprisingly active from his back. When he can find his way to top position, he throws ground strikes with power and controls well.
Betting Odds
Teixeira -165, Cannonier +145
Prediction
If this stays standing, it's an interesting fight. Cannonier's mobile, stick-and-move style is a serious problem for a pressure fighter like Teixeira, and the American has the footwork, cardio and power to chew up the former title contender.
That's only if it stays standing, though. Teixeira is a strong wrestler, and while he'll struggle to get inside, he can put in work from top position. After eating a faceful of jabs early, Teixeira gets Cannonier down and finishes with a submission in the second round.
Jacare Souza vs. Tim Boetsch
5 of 7
Middleweights
Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza (23-4, 1 NC; 6-1 UFC) vs. Tim Boetsch (20-10; 11-9 UFC)
With other top middleweights booked or out with injuries, longtime contender Souza takes on the overmatched Boetsch in a fun fight at 185 pounds.
Souza won five consecutive fights to begin his career in the UFC but fell short against Yoel Romero in December 2015 in a close split-decision loss. Vitor Belfort wasn't much of a challenge in Souza's return fight, though, and Souza blew through him in less than a round. Boetsch has won two in a row since a three-fight losing streak, knocking out Josh Samman and Rafael Natal.
While he began his career as a highly credentialed grappler, Souza has become a well-rounded fighter who is more than proficient in every phase.
Pressure is the key to Souza's game. He cuts off the cage with tight, methodical footwork, slowly forcing his opponent back to the fence. Heavy round kicks and brutal hooks from both hands catch his opponent when he tries to circle out and escape back to open space. All of these shots carry fight-ending power, and Souza doesn't waste time or energy trying to potshot and pile up volume. He knows what he's about.
When his opponent gets stuck against the fence, Souza goes to work. He pounds away with head-body combinations of punches and dives forward into the clinch. Souza's control against the fence is outstanding, and he utilizes slick trips and throws to get his opponent to the mat. He doesn't use them as much, but he's proficient with shot takedowns as well, especially the double.
Once Souza gets to top position, it's just a matter of time before things go seriously wrong for his opponent. At best, the opponent can tie up and hope for the referee to stand things up, but that's still probably not going to be enough to shut Souza down.
Without exaggeration, Souza is one of the best guard-passers in MMA history. His control is stifling and exhausting for the opponent. When he postures, he's a brutal ground striker who works to the head and body in combination. Once he gets to a dominant position, Souza works for a variety of submissions, including arm-triangle chokes and armbars. He's proficient from the back too. In transitions, he likes the guillotine choke.
Age is catching up with the 37-year-old, though. While still an incredible athlete with great speed, strength and power, he's not quite as fast as he used to be. Never a cardio machine, his pace has dropped a bit further. His chin has also been a problem historically, and that rarely improves with time.
Boetsch is big, strong and physical, and he has built his game around that physicality. There's nothing flashy about his approach, but he has no illusions about what he does well: He lives and dies on his strengths. If they're enough, he wins; if not, he loses.
Aggression is the hallmark of Boetsch's approach. He presses forward from the opening bell, cutting angles and moving his head as he works his way into the pocket behind a snapping front kick. When he finds the range, he unleashes a vicious right hand that he mixes up as a straight, overhand and uppercut, often doubling or tripling it. All of his shots carry fight-ending power.
Aside from the occasional jab or low kick, that's the extent of Boetsch's game at range. He's happy to move into the clinch, though, where his raw strength makes him a handful. The occasional trip or throw gives him some variety, but mostly he's looking to land knees and short punches and then slip in the right hand on the break.
Despite his wrestling background, Boetsch isn't a great defender of takedowns and never has been. He offers nothing from his back and struggles to get up. On top, though, he drops bombing ground strikes and controls nicely.
Betting Odds
Souza -500, Boetsch +400
Prediction
This is Souza's fight to lose, but Boetsch can make it interesting. If the American refuses to be pressured by Souza and instead stands his ground in the middle of the cage, he has the power and durability to crack Souza and shut down his aggressive forward movement. Souza has never had an iron chin, either.
With that said, the disparity in grappling skills is enormous. If Boetsch finds himself on his back, and he probably will thanks to both his deficiencies and Souza's takedown skills, the fight is as good as over. Jacare finds an arm-triangle choke in the first round.
Anderson Silva vs. Derek Brunson
6 of 7
Co-Main Event: Middleweights
Anderson Silva (33-8, 1 NC; 16-4, 1 NC UFC) vs. Derek Brunson (16-4; 7-2 UFC)
The legendary Anderson Silva, longtime middleweight champion, returns to action against Brunson in a crackerjack of a middleweight fight.
Silva has been on a rough road since dropping his title to Chris Weidman in July 2013, losing four of five and having the only win (against Nick Diaz) turn into a no-contest following a positive drug test. He fell by decision to Daniel Cormier in July, a fight he took on just two days' notice.
Brunson had put together an impressive five-fight winning streak, but then he ran face-first into Robert Whittaker's fists last November and suffered a knockout loss.
This is Silva's last stand against elite opposition. If he loses this fight, that's it; the 41-year-old will either be relegated to the legends division and fights with other aging stars, or he'll retire. For Brunson, this is a chance to get a big-name win and redeem himself after his performance against Whittaker.
Brunson is an aggressive, athletic and dangerous fighter who can work in every phase. Forward pressure is the essence of the southpaw's game, and everything he does focuses on forward movement and pushing his opponent back to the fence.
At range, Brunson flicks heavy front and round kicks as he moves forward, and then he looks to cover the last bit of distance with an explosive, lunging left hand. If it lands, Brunson is capable of finishing the fight with a single punch. This last explosive movement leaves him vulnerable to counters, though, and he has a bad habit of leaving his chin out there as he rushes in.
If Brunson doesn't land the left, he usually ends up in the clinch, which is his wheelhouse. Brunson is strong and has excellent technique in the tie-ups, using strong head pressure and an underhook to pin his opponent in place while he drops a steady stream of knees and short punches that are powerful enough to end the fight. He mixes in trips and uses them in clever combinations with his strikes.
As a takedown artist, Brunson is more of a grinder than an authoritative finisher. He likes to chain his attempts against the fence, going from the clinch to singles to doubles back to the clinch and so on. His defensive wrestling skills are impeccable, and he has yet to concede a single takedown.
From top position, Brunson is a bomber. He maintains strong, stifling control and has a defined preference for sitting in half guard. Once he postures, he throws with real power.
Silva isn't the same fighter who dominated the middleweight division for so many years. In fact, he has been several different fighters over the course of his career: an aggressive, forward-moving swarmer who could brutalize opponents in the clinch; a slick outside striker who could stick and move with outstanding footwork; and in his final iteration, a devastating counterpuncher.
The current incarnation of Silva showcases small pieces of all these different fighters, but his age has caught up to him in major ways. First, he no longer has the gas tank to fight at pace for long periods and prefers to work in short but dangerous bursts. Second, he struggles to take a punch these days, the natural consequence of a career in combat sports that has lasted more than two decades.
When he's on, though, Silva remains one of the most creative and lethal strikers in the sport, with a game built on strong fundamentals and gorgeous footwork.
The southpaw's jab is one of the best in the sport's history. He probes constantly with his lead hand to measure distance and set a rhythm, which he then manipulates and breaks at will. Heavy round, front and oblique kicks punish his opponent's legs and body at range. When the opponent dives forward, Silva meets him with slick counter left and right hands. Sharp knees and elbows slice at unorthodox angles.
While he was once a master of the clinch, and he's still more than proficient there now, Silva struggles to overpower opponents the way he used to. Whether this is just a matter of the skill gap closing or his age catching up with him, Silva can't rag-doll big, strong middleweights anymore. He can still do damage with knees and elbows at close range, though.
Silva's command of range and angles makes it hard to get a clean shot at him. Once the opponent is in on his hips, however, Silva isn't a great defensive wrestler. His guard is dangerous in bursts, but he mostly relies on locking up the opponent and hoping for a stand-up.
Betting Odds
Brunson -150, Silva +130
Prediction
On paper, this matchup favors Silva. He's still the superior range striker, and his clinch game should be good enough to neutralize Brunson against the fence. Moreover, his ability to counter should play well against Brunson's tendency to lunge forward.
On the other hand, though, Brunson is a powerful puncher who can hurt Silva at range. He also has the physicality to pin Silva against the fence and work him over with strikes and takedowns.
Call this nostalgia or misplaced belief, but Silva overcomes his physical decline and lands a perfectly timed finishing shot on Brunson in the first round.
Holly Holm vs. Germaine De Randamie
7 of 7
Main Event: Featherweight Championship
Holly Holm (10-2; 3-2 UFC) vs. Germaine de Randamie (6-3; 3-1 UFC)
In an unlikely first women's featherweight title fight, Netherlands native Germaine de Randamie takes on former bantamweight champion Holly Holm.
The long shadow of Cris Cyborg shouldn't distract from the fact that this is an excellent matchup. While Holm has lost two in a row since her epic upset of Ronda Rousey in November 2015, dropping fights to Miesha Tate and Valentina Shevchenko, she's still among the elite at 135 pounds. She also has real name value.
Her opponent, de Randamie, isn't well-known. She has won two in a row, though, taking out Anna Elmose and Larissa Pacheco following a loss to current bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes.
The winner will be set up for a fight with Cyborg or perhaps Invicta FC champion Megan Anderson. Either way, this fight will be one to watch.
De Randamie is a big, rangy striker, standing 5'9" and boasting long reach (71") to boot. Her game is built around maximizing the strengths of that frame with slick, technical craft.
A heavy jab is the focus of her game at range. She pops it consistently, slamming it home to the chin, chest and solar plexus to gauge and enforce her preferred long range. It also serves to blind her opponent and set up the rest of her striking arsenal.
The jab-cross is de Randamie's meat and potatoes, something she throws with great regularity. Her straight right hand is quick, accurate, long and carries serious power. She also has a heavy right uppercut that she uses to catch ducking opponents.
Although we haven't seen much of it, de Randamie is also a vicious kicker when she lets her legs go. Cracking low kicks and a sneaky left high kick are all quick and powerful.
The sheer technical soundness of de Randamie's striking game is hard to overstate. She does all the little things well: Her footwork is outstanding, she pivots and moves beautifully, and she always keeps her feet under her as she throws. Everything she does is efficient with no wasted motion or energy. She's slick defensively, pulling her head off line as she throws to avoid counters and using crisp parries and blocks.
Things don't get any easier for her opponents in the clinch. Her height and long limbs give her great leverage, which she puts to good use with her double-collar tie, frames and over-under control. She throws knees at a quick clip with fight-ending force and technique.
De Randamie's control of the range and crisp footwork make it hard to get a clean shot at her hips for a takedown, and she excels at catching her opponents with knees and uppercuts as they change levels. If they can get a takedown chain going against the fence, though, de Randamie struggles to defend forever. She offers nothing from her back and isn't hard to control.
Holm is quick, strong, athletic and big at 5'8". The southpaw had a long career as a professional boxer, and that shows up in her crisp footwork and defined preference for the straight left hand.
Outside fighting is Holm's specialty. She sets the distance with an array of rangy kicks, especially the side kick to the body and oblique kick to the thigh, which allows her to either force her opponent to come forward and be countered or set up blitzing, forward-moving combinations that combine punches and kicks.
The left hand is Holm's bread and butter. She throws it early and often, doubling or even tripling it, and it sets up everything else she throws with intent. A left elbow adds a little variety, but it's her round kicks that do real damage. If the opponent brings hands to the front to block or parry the straight, the head kick is open; if she chooses to defend the kick, the straight is there. Either way, Holm can throw to the body.
Holm works at a quick pace and can pile up a substantial amount of volume. She's not much of a puncher, though, and doesn't have much pop. This isn't an issue when she can run her opponent onto her punches, as she did to Rousey, but it's a problem when she's the one moving forward.
Her lead hand varies between inconsistent and invisible; despite her boxing background, she barely jabs and almost never throws a right hook. Her preference for extreme long range means she has a lot of ground to cover with blitzing combinations, which makes them predictable and easy to see coming.
That's the meat of Holm's game. She's proficient in the clinch and can hit the occasional takedown there when the mood strikes. Strong defensive wrestling keeps her standing, and her command of distance makes it hard to get a shot at her in the first place. She doesn't offer much on the mat, though, either from the top or the bottom. An opponent can capitalize when Holm tries to scramble back to her feet.
Betting Odds
De Randamie -125, Holm +105
Prediction
Though it might be surprising to see the betting odds so close, this is a brutal matchup for Holm. She's facing another high-level striker with a preference for outside fighting but one with better fundamentals, more power and an edge in the clinch if it goes there.
De Randamie has two options here and can beat Holm with either. If she wants to stick at long range and fight Holm at distance, she has the tools—jabs and kicks—to keep pace there while doing more damage than the American. If she prefers to pressure and work into the pocket, she can rely on her power and clinch game to get the job done.
Holm also has paths to victory, though. She likes to work at a quicker pace than de Randamie, and if she's willing to take the risk of eating some shots, she can outwork her opponent. Her takedown game isn't great, but it's better than de Randamie's, so she could eat up some time with attempts and top control. Holm has the experience edge in long fights and the cardio to work for a full 25 minutes.
Still, the basic outlines of the matchup favor de Randamie. She wins a back-and-forth decision.
Odds courtesy of OddsShark.
Patrick Wyman is the Senior MMA Analyst for Bleacher Report and the co-host of the Heavy Hands Podcast, your source for the finer points of face-punching. For the history enthusiasts out there, he also hosts The Fall of Rome Podcast on the end of the Roman Empire. He can be found on Twitter and on Facebook.
.jpg?w=480 "Titans Camp Football")
.jpg?w=480 "Rams Seahawks Football")
.jpg?w=600 "Offseason Trade Block Big Board After NFL Draft 🏈")
