UFC 208: Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie Full Card Preview and Predictions
UFC 207 capped 2016 with a bang, and now the UFC gets to kick off what could be the single most important year in the promotion's history. The UFC is still reeling from its jam-packed Autumn and actually keeps its schedule off pay-per-view for all of January, with UFC 208 slated for February 11 in Brooklyn, New York.
The full card is as follows:
- Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie
- Travis Browne vs. Derrick Lewis
- Glover Teixeira vs. Jared Cannonier
- Dustin Poirier vs. Jim Miller
- Ryan LaFlare vs. Roan Carneiro
- Paul Felder vs. Gilbert Burns
- Nik Lentz vs. Islam Makhachev
- Ian McCall vs. Neil Seery
- Randy Brown vs. George Sullivan
- Marcin Tybura vs. Luis Henrique
- Wilson Reis vs. Ulka Sasaki
- Phillipe Nover vs. Rick Glenn
Bout order is yet to be determined on this card, but there is a surprising amount of depth, with ranked contenders appearing up and down on the card and former champions from major promotions and interesting prospects filling in the gaps.
Because of that, it's worth taking an early look at the entire UFC 208 card and discussing the stakes and styles in each fight.
The Undercard, Part 1
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Randy Brown vs. George Sullivan
George Sullivan turned a lot of heads when he upended Igor Araujo, but the UFC seems to have checked out on him after two two losses in three fights. The 35-year-old will now face a comparatively high-upside Randy Brown in what could be his last fight with the company.
Marcin Tybura vs. Luis Henrique
Former M-1 champion Marcin Tybura's UFC debut didn't go as planned, getting ground to a decision loss by Timothy Johnson, but he bounced back well by destroying Viktor Pesta in August. Now he seeks to gain some momentum at the expense of Brazilian upstart Luis Henrique.
Wilson Reis vs. Ulka Sasaki
Wilson Reis was supposed to fight Demetrious Johnson for the flyweight title in July, but an injury to the champ saw the fight scrapped. Unfortunately for Reis, the UFC seems to have completely forgotten about him and is now matching him against a middling Ulka Sasaki.
Phillipe Nover vs. Rick Glenn
Former WSOF featherweight champion Rick Glenn was on the wrong end of a typical Evan Dunham fight but is now back in his preferred weight class of 145 pounds. He has a relatively manageable opponent in the struggling Phillipe Nover, but he needs to make the most of the opportunity by posting an impressive win.
The Undercard, Part 2
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Dustin Poirier vs. Jim Miller
Dustin Poirier's Cinderella run at 155 pounds ended with a devastating loss to Michael Johnson, and he'll have to try and rebound off a surging Jim Miller. The lightweight veteran may (or may not) be recovered from an ugly 1-4 skid from 2014 to 2015, and this will go a long way toward determining whether he's set for an Andrei Arlovski-like resurgence.
Ryan LaFlare vs. Roan Carneiro
A battle between once-ranked but now-forgotten welterweights! LaFlare has faced generally stiffer competition and is a fair bit younger than the 38-year-old Carneiro, but Carneiro is the better finisher. Odds are LaFlare manages to take this one on the scorecards.
Paul Felder vs. Gilbert Burns
Burns' days as a must-see prospect have officially ended, and the UFC is now content in treating him like any other anonymous middling lightweight. He faces Paul Felder in what will likely be a meaningless fight that will delight fans and shorten his career.
Nik Lentz vs. Islam Makhachev
The jury is still out on where Nik Lentz fits into the lightweight division, and a win here over a young submission-focused Islam Makhachev won't do much to figure that out. Of course, if he loses...
Ian McCall vs. Neil Seery
Ian McCall's UFC career has been snakebitten by injuries and illness, but he remains close to a title shot due to his standing rivalry with long-reigning flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. A big win over a Neil Seery who has one foot out the door could allow him to vault back into the title picture.
Glover Teixeira vs. Jared Cannonier
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Division: Light Heavyweight
Records: Glover Teixeira (25-5), Jared Cannonier (9-1)
Glover Teixeira is a known commodity at this point. The Brazilian is physically powerful, has a powerful right hand and has a knack for finding finishes both standing and on the ground. He is capable of beating solid light heavyweight contenders, but he's not quite good enough to hang with the division's elite due to his iffy striking defense and less-than-elite wrestling skills.
Jared Cannonier, by comparison, is basically a mystery.
At 32 years old and 9-1 in a career largely spent at heavyweight opposite unremarkable regional-level competition, Cannonier doesn't really stick out in any way on paper. The eye check is no different, as he isn't an especially remarkable athlete and hasn't shown any unique skills. He seems to have good cardio, which led him to victory over Ion Cutelaba in his 205-pound debut at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale and has the stopping power one would expect from a light heavyweight in the UFC...but that's about it.
Because of that, it's easy to look at this as a relative squash match for Teixeira, who has been a staple of the light heavyweight top 10 for four years. That said, it's very possible the UFC matchmakers have seen something in Cannonier's training that suggests he is ready for the big time.
There's only one safe prediction entering this fight. Fans just shouldn't be all that surprised if now-former matchmaker Joe Silva pulls a rabbit out of his hat.
Prediction: Glover Teixeira def. Jared Cannonier by Submission in Round 1
Travis Browne vs. Derrick Lewis
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Division: Heavyweight
Records: Travis Browne (18-5-1), Derrick Lewis (17-4 (1))
Travis Browne's career has hit the skids since losing a top-contender bout to Fabricio Werdum in 2014, and his time with Edmond Tarverdyan...well, it certainly hasn't helped. The only thing he has going for him at this point is he has exclusively lost to former heavyweight champions. That could change here.
Derrick Lewis began his career in unimpressive fashion, going 2-2 in his first four fights, with both losses coming via brutal knockout. He turned the corner at UFC 192, however, and has since broken off five straight wins over solid competition. While he isn't necessarily a marvelous fighter outside his dynamite hands, brute strength and must-follow Twitter account, he has one of the longest winning streaks in the division, and adding a top-10 staple like Browne could be what he needs to make it to the next level.
Despite Browne's recent struggles, a win won't be easy for Lewis. A heavy hitter with long reach, Browne has the physical tools to deal with inelegant opposition. Add to that frequent eye pokes, and he is very capable of keeping opponents at a comfortable range and blasting them with punches, kicks or elbows.
That relatively diverse arsenal of strikes will likely prove to be the difference here. Browne will have to walk a tightrope in order to avoid Lewis' deadly power, but he has what he needs to get the job done.
Prediction: Travis Browne def. Derrick Lewis by TKO in Round 2
Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie
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Division: Featherweight
Records: Holly Holm (10-2), Germaine de Randamie (6-3)
It's easy to get caught up in the "what ifs" of this fight.
The women's featherweight division was supposed to be built around Cris "Cyborg" Justino and was supposed to be christened with her coronation as the inaugural women's featherweight champion. When this fight between Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie was announced, it was supposed to either lead to a blockbuster rematch between Holm and Ronda Rousey or set Cyborg up for her first interesting fight since Gina Carano in 2009.
Alas, none of those things will come to pass.
Rousey's loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 puts her on a shelf for the foreseeable future or potentially ends her career. Meanwhile, Cyborg is likely out of the picture for at least a year due to a flagged drug test, taking a blockbuster matchup off the table.
The default reaction to all those possibilities not being realized is, of course, negativity. But when one sets everything else aside and just looks at this matchup, it's hard not to be excited.
Holm became a breakout star in 2015 with her dominant win over Rousey at UFC 193. While she has lost twice since taking the bantamweight title, her overall skill set remains potent, defined by her accurate hands and quick feet.
De Randamie isn't as well-known as Holm, but her striking game is possibly the best in the division. An accomplished muay thai kickboxer, de Randamie has a large vocabulary of techniques and the tools to bust up foes at range and in the clinch.
This is a really interesting matchup between two unique talents that should combine for a genuinely unique fight. Fans who tune in to UFC 208 are encouraged to just enjoy this one in the moment.
Prediction: Germaine de Randamie def. Holly Holm by Unanimous Decision
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