UFC 198: Werdum vs. Miocic Early Full Card Preview and Predictions
UFC 197 was a card showcasing the hottest young names in MMA. UFC 198, on the other hand, is likely to be a last hurrah for a number of old favorites. The UFC packed the card—booked to go down in Curitiba, Brazil—to the brim with local legends such as Anderson Silva, Cris “Cyborg” Justino and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
The full main card is as follows:
- Fabricio Werdum vs. Stipe Miocic
- Ronaldo Souza vs. Vitor Belfort
- Anderson Silva vs. Uriah Hall
- Cris Cyborg vs. Leslie Smith
- Mauricio Rua vs. Corey Anderson
There is just one more pit stop (UFC Fight Night 87 on May 8) before UFC 198, which makes this a great time to take a look at the fights, the fighters and the likely outcomes for this event. So read on to find out what's on the line and what's at stake on May 14.
Mauricio Rua vs. Corey Anderson
1 of 5
Division: Light Heavyweight
Records: Mauricio Rua (23-10), Corey Anderson (8-1)
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua won't be around much longer, and the UFC wants to get the most out of him. Of course, in combat sports, "getting the most out of him" means using the 34-year-old to give the rub to a younger talent with a brighter future.
In this case, that younger talent is Corey Anderson. The Ultimate Fighter 19 winner hasn't posted any impressive wins to this point in his UFC career, but the 26-year-old has two big things going for him: He's winning fights, and he is one of the few 205-pounders under 30 years old.
Shogun has little to offer Anderson from a competitive perspective. Undersized (6'1"), lacking explosiveness and with minimal finishing power at this point, Rua won't be able to prevent Anderson from making this into a 15-minute grappling match.
With that in mind, there are only two possible outcomes: a long, boring, decisive win for Anderson or a disheartening stoppage in the second half of the fight. Odds are in favor of the former.
Prediction: Anderson def. Rua by unanimous decision
Cris Cyborg vs. Leslie Smith
2 of 5
Division: Catchweight (140 Pounds)
Records: Cris Cyborg (15-1 (1)), Leslie Smith (8-6-1)
Cyborg finally, at long last, is in the UFC. The unlucky woman set to welcome her? Leslie Smith.
Cyborg is a known commodity for longtime MMA fans. A terrifying knockout artist, she has won with brutality.
While many of her wins have come over unathletic regional-level fighters, victories over the likes of Shayna Baszler, Marloes Coenen and Gina Carano have shown that she has the pure guts and technical prowess to be regarded as possibly the overall best female fighter on earth.
Smith, unfortunately, is something of a placeholder in this fight. Despite the fact there is plenty to like about Smith as a fighter, from her scrappiness to her amazing heart and determination, she is the perfect woman to make Cyborg look good.
Undersized at 135 pounds and set to face the biggest 145-pounder in the game, Smith will likely be out-landed at range and outmuscled up close. With less than technical striking, there is little hope she will to outfinesse Cyborg.
Assuming Cyborg doesn't lose much in the cut down to 140 pounds, she should dominate Smith.
Prediction: Cyborg def. Smith by TKO in Round 2
Anderson Silva vs. Uriah Hall
3 of 5
Division: Middleweight
Records: Anderson Silva (33-7 (1)), Uriah Hall (12-6)
There is no reason to be excited about Anderson Silva vs. Uriah Hall.
From an entertainment perspective, this fight will almost certainly be a snoozer. Silva has been visibly reluctant to pull the trigger on strikes ever since his terrifying leg injury at UFC 168. Hall has been frustratingly passive throughout his UFC career, oftentimes coasting to a split-decision loss. Even if this fight ends in a spectacular knockout, little more than pointless feints and pump fakes will precede it.
From a legacy perspective, a fight with the 31-year-old Hall does little for Silva. It's not a matchup that fans have been clamoring for, and it's not a fight against a fellow throwback name. While a bout against another legend like Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Vitor Belfort or even Dan Henderson would be a fun trip back to 2008, there is little value beyond the novelty of seeing Silva get back into the cage.
From a promotional perspective, this is a wasted opportunity to capitalize on Silva's name. As discussed with Rua vs. Anderson, a win over a fading former champion is the perfect way to christen an up-and-comer as "the next big thing." It's silly that the UFC would pit the 41-year-old Silva against a fighter with a limited ceiling rather than someone poised to jump into the title picture, such as Robert Whittaker or Derek Brunson.
The fight itself is a toss-up. Both men are capable of the flashiest knockouts imaginable, but both are also smart enough that they won't put themselves out of position. As for an official prediction, Hall's relative youth and quickness should allow him to sneak past Silva.
Prediction: Hall def. Silva by split decision
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Ronaldo Souza vs. Vitor Belfort
4 of 5
Division: Middleweight
Records: Ronaldo Souza (22-4 (1)), Vitor Belfort (25-11)
Vitor Belfort is a fighter the UFC just can't quit. No matter how spectacular his losses, no matter how storied his struggles and no matter how many times he finds himself at the center of a drug-testing scandal, the UFC makes every effort to keep him in the title picture.
For a brief time, it felt like Chris Weidman officially ended Belfort's days as a contender at UFC 187, with the champ running through the deflated Brazilian. Luck, however, stayed on Belfort's side, as Luke Rockhold would take the title and reopen the door for a title shot. All Belfort has to do to get a title shot is win one more fight.
Unfortunately for the 39-year-old, that win will have to come over Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza.
Souza exploded into the UFC in 2013 after a strong run in Strikeforce, breaking off five straight wins. During that time, he transformed from a pure submission specialist to a legitimate multifaceted threat and convinced many he was destined for a title reign. While he dropped a split decision at UFC 194 to Yoel Romero in his most recent fight on Dec. 12, the controversial nature of the loss (coupled with Romero's failed drug test not long after) left his standing in the division unchanged.
A win over Souza, combined with the veteran's 2013 win over Rockhold, would almost certainly line up Belfort with his fourth title shot in the last five years. That, however, is unlikely to happen. The 6'1" Souza is too big, too strong and too well-rounded for Belfort at this point.
Prediction: Souza def. Belfort by submission in Round 2
Fabricio Werdum vs. Stipe Miocic
5 of 5
Division: Heavyweight
Records: Fabricio Werdum (20-5-1), Stipe Miocic (14-2)
After 11 months of waiting, Werdum will defend his heavyweight title for the first time at UFC 198 opposite Stipe Miocic.
Miocic isn't an especially big name, but the fighter out of Euclid, Ohio, has quietly been one of the best heavyweights in MMA for years now. With an NCAA Division I wrestling background and a Golden Gloves championship to his name, Miocic has long had the skills to be a UFC champion. Now that he has fallen into a title shot, he just needs to make the most of the opportunity.
Werdum isn't going to make that easy, though. A crafty veteran known for his amazing submission skills, the 38-year-old has enjoyed elite standing in the heavyweight division for years. He has no glaring weaknesses for Miocic to exploit, and anyone who meets him in the cage will simply have to be an all-around better fighter than him.
Though few are giving Miocic much of a chance, this writer is willing to go out on a limb and predict the upset. Miocic's striking is technical enough and his wrestling good enough to take the title from Werdum on points.
Prediction: Miocic def. Werdum by unanimous decision
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