The UFC heads to Houston this weekend for what looks to be a very promising UFC 247 card. Jon Jones is back in action, defending his Light Heavyweight belt against Dominick Reyes in the Main Event. Shevchenko takes on Chookagian in our Co-Main, while Lewis and Latifi prepare for a Heavyweight bout. We’ll preview all 3 of these fights, providing our best bets in the process.
Jon Jones: The GOAT enters this clash with a very impressive career record, having gone 25-1-1 thus far. He beat Alex Gustafsson for the title in late 2018, subsequently defending it against Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos. His methods of victory have been very diverse, with 10 by knockout, 6 by submission, and 9 by decision. Still just 32 years of age, I believe we can expect more future dominance from Jones.
Dominick Reyes: Reyes has had a flawless start to his career, winning all 12 of his fights thus far. He joined the UFC in mid-2018, going 6-0 with 3 knockouts and a submission. His list of opponents is fairly impressive, taking care of Cannonier, Weidman, Saint Preux, and Oezdemir of late. He enters this clash after a dominating win over Chris Weidman, securing a first round KO to earn Performance of the Night honours.
Prediction: Jones by KO/TKO
Reyes is one of Jones’ better opponents in a while, but I can’t see the GOAT losing here. He has a notable size and reach advantage, is more prone to knockouts, and has an edge on the ground. There are so many ways for Jones to win this fight and it’s tough to see how Reyes breaks through. After two straight decision wins, I think Jones pushes harder for the KO here.
Valentina Shevchenko: Shevchenko enters this bout with an outstanding MMA record, going 18-3 thus far. She was previously a famous kickboxer, dominating en route to a 56-3 record. She has won each of her last four fights, winning and defending the women’s Flyweight title twice. Known primarily for her excellent finishing ability, she has 5 knockouts and 7 submissions to her name already.
Katlyn Chookagian: Chookagian is another one who has started her career very impressively, going 13-2 thus far. She joined the UFC in July 2016 and has gone 6-2 since, beating a strong list of opponents. Her methods of victory aren’t particularly great, managing only 3 finishes against 10 decisions. She appears to have found her ideal weight at 125 lbs, beating top contenders Calderwood and Maia in her last two fights.
Prediction: Shevchenko by KO/TKO
Shevchenko enters this fight as the overwhelming favourite, currently listed at odds of $1.08. She is one of the more deadly female fighters around today and I think Chookagian is in trouble here. She has the definite speed and power advantage and I’d expect her striking to overwhelm her opponent. Given Shevchenko’s propensity to go for the finish, I think a knockout win is the most likely outcome here.
Derrick Lewis: The Black Beast is a cult hero in the MMA community, entering this bout with 22-7-1 career record. He joined the UFC in early 2014, and has since gone 13-5 at the top level. Known primarily for his immense power, 18 of his wins have come by way of knockout. He does have 2 losses in his last 3 fights, although a win over Ivanov last time out suggests he’s back on track.
Ilir Latifi: The Swedish veteran has had a storied MMA career to date, entering this fight with a 14-7-1 record. He has been in the UFC since way back in 2013, going a mixed 7-5 in that time period. He can win in a multitude of ways, registering 6 knockouts, 4 submissions, and 4 decision wins thus far. Having suffered convincing defeats in his last two fights, he’ll be looking to put things right here.
Prediction: Lewis by KO/TKO
Lewis is simply the better of these two fighters, and I expect his elite striking to push Latifi back here. One of the more athletic Heavyweights around, Lewis’ speed and power will ultimately prove too much. Latifi has a chance if he can get this fight to the ground, but Lewis’ strong takedown defence makes that difficult. Given that 80%+ of his wins have been by KO, it’s the safest method of victory to back here.