UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero 2 Odds, Tickets, Predictions and Pre-Weigh-in Hype
UFC 225 is set to bring the goods to MMA addicts and casual fans alike on Saturday, June 9, with Yoel Romero against middleweight champion Robert Whittaker headlining a deep card at the United Center in Chicago.
Whittaker earned the middleweight title via a unanimous-decision victory over Romero at UFC 213, but 11 months later, they'll run the bout back.
It figures to be a tremendous fight, but it's not the only reason to tune in to UFC 225. The entire card is littered with high-profile fights, including an interim championship bout. Rafael dos Anjos will take on Colby Covington to determine the next contender for Tyron Woodley's title.
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It's a card that might just be the best of the year, and fight fans won't want to miss. Here's a look at the entire lineup, ticket information and predictions for the biggest fights of the night.
Tickets: StubHub
Main Card (at 10 p.m. ET on Pay-Per-View)
Robert Whittaker (19-4) (-240) vs. Yoel Romero (13-2) (+190) – For the UFC middleweight championship
Rafael dos Anjos (28-9) (-120) vs. Colby Covington (13-1) (-110) – For the UFC interim welterweight title
Holly Holm (11-4) (-230) vs. Megan Anderson (8-2) (+180)
Andrei Arlovski (27-15, 1NC) (+215) vs. Tai Tuivasa (7-0) (-275)
CM Punk (0-1) (+175) vs. Mike Jackson (0-1) (-225)
Prelims (at 8 p.m. ET on FS1)
Alistair Overeem (43-16, 1NC) (+140) vs. Curtis Blaydes (9-1, 1NC) (-170)
Claudia Gadelha (15-3) (-500) vs. Carla Esparza (13-4) (+350)
Ricardo Lamas (18-6) (+175) vs. Mirsad Bektic (12-1) (-225)
Rashad Coulter (8-3) (-185) vs. Chris de la Rocha (4-2) (+150)
Early Prelims (at 6:15 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass)
Rashad Evans (19-7-1) (+240) vs. Anthony Smith (28-13) (-310)
Joseph Benavidez (25-4) (-250) vs. Sergio Pettis (16-3) (+195)
Clay Guida (34-17) (+130) vs. Charles Oliveira (22-8, 1NC) (-160)
Mike Santiago (20-11) (+115) vs. Dan Ige (8-2) (-145)
Note: All odds via OddsShark
Robert Whittaker vs. Yoel Romero
This is a true battle of titans for the middleweight title. Whittaker won the fight nearly a year ago, but it was one in which his margin for error was slim.
Whittaker has said that he feels like getting in the Octagon with Romero again is a dangerous proposition.
"Some people ask me: Does it give you any confidence knowing that you've already beaten him once? I've got to say 'not really' because he hits like a truck, and it only takes one to get you," Whittaker told Sam Bruce of ESPN. "He's a human specimen to begin with, and he's one of the most athletic, explosive and talented humans on the planet. So every time I step in there with him it's 50/50."
That's certainly how it felt the first time they fought. Romero won the first two rounds utilizing kicks to the legs and body that caused a knee injury for Whittaker, but he faded down the stretch as the then-26-year-old rallied to take the last three rounds.
The comeback has him marked as the favorite, but it isn't as simple as rinse and repeat. Whittaker's takedown defense, durability and stamina won him the fight last time, but Romero still remains one of the most powerful and dynamic strikers in the division.
Winning this bout again will be all about asserting his game plan while weathering the early storm from Romero.
The challenger looked on top of his game once again in a third-round KO win over Luke Rockhold in February, but that doesn't mean he's figured out the Whittaker puzzle.
A finish for Romero shouldn't surprise anyone, but it's hard to pick against Whittaker with a healthy knee and an understanding of how to approach his opponent more efficiently this time.
Prediction: Whittaker via unanimous decision
Colby Covington vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Colby "Chaos" Covington has made a name for himself as the resident heel of the welterweight division. Now he'll see if he can back up the talk to become an interim champion in the division.
His opportunity isn't just because of his ability to stir up drama. He's also on a five-fight win streak and has just one loss in his professional career. His last time out came against Demian Maia where he beat the Brazilian via unanimous decision then proceeded to call Brazilian fans "filthy animals."
Confidence can be a dangerous thing in the cage. It can allow fighters to outperform their talent level, which is what Covington may have to do here to get his hand raised.
Dos Anjos is an elite fighter. He's a former lightweight champion and is 3-0 since moving to welterweight with a win over former champion Robbie Lawler on his resume.
Covington's win over Maia is the highlight of his resume. Maia is a top-tier fighter, albeit an unorthodox one. The brash 30-year-old's grinding style was a perfect match for Maia's passive style of jiu-jitsu.
That won't be the case in this matchup. Dos Anjos loves to push the pace and can do so with solid boxing as well as a power wrestling game that will put pressure on Covington unlike any opponent he has seen in the cage thus far.
With Dos Anjos able to turn the tables on Covington's pressure game, he could push him further than he's ever had to go before.
Prediction: Dos Anjos via third-round TKO
Megan Anderson vs. Holly Holm
Holly Holm and Megan Anderson are both at a crossroads.
Holm is 36 years old. It's been nearly three years since she became a household name in MMA for beating Ronda Rousey. Since then she's just 1-4 with her lone win coming against Bethe Correia.
If there's a way for Holm to become more than "The woman who started Rousey's demise," it's for her to get a rematch with Cris Cyborg and come out victorious. Outside of that, her short run as a UFC champion will be what she's remembered for.
Anderson is on the opposite end of that crossroads. She's 28 with a record of success in Invicta but nothing for the general public to know about her. No signature wins.
That could all change with a win over a former UFC champion on one of the biggest cards of the year.
Anderson will finally make her UFC debut after an initial fight with Cyborg was scrapped because Anderson withdrew for "personal reasons."
Although she never expounded on what those reasons for withdrawing from the fight were, she's ready to go now and feels like this is just the beginning.
"I see it as I'm just getting started," Anderson said, per Brett Okamoto of ESPN. "I've had 10 fights. I just turned 28. Holly is 36. I have another eight years before I'm where she's at. I'm not even in my physical prime yet."
The Australian is an interesting prospect in the women's featherweight division because she's one of the few fighters who is a legitimate featherweight. She's a big, strong fighter who will be one of the few who isn't giving size to Holm or eventually to Cyborg if that fight ever happens.
She also has a clear knack for finishing fights. Six of her eight wins have come by way of either TKO or submission, while Holm has seen seven of her 15 fights go to a decision.
Anderson is the slight underdog here, but that seems like the result of name recognition, not a true evaluation of this matchup. Holm's passive style leaves her vulnerable to someone who is willing to push the action, and she might find that Anderson is the real deal.
Prediction: Anderson via second-round TKO
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