MMA Event Breakdown: UFC Fight Night - Cannonier vs. Imavov

by Liam Heslin (LiamPicksFights) Last Updated 2024-06-08 18:06:13 Premium Content Part of the product MMA Premium

The UFC returns to Louisville, Kentucky with a fourteen-fight docket headlined by a middleweight tilt that pits “The Killa Gorilla” Jared Cannonier against “The Russian Sniper” Nassourdine Imavov. Both men are familiar with five-round main events, and they need a win to propel them into the title conversation in a crowded middleweight division. The card features a ton of well-matched fights from top to bottom, so let’s begin with the first of two fights in the women’s strawweight division.

Rayanne Amanda dos Santos vs. Puja Tomar

Fight Odds: -350 Amanda vs. +275 Tomar
Weight Class: 115lb. (Women’s Strawweight)

For the second time in as many UFC fights, Rayanne Amanda dos Santos will be the curtain jerker (in the first fight of the night). Last time out, she dropped a competitive if not controversial decision against BJJ ace Talita Alencar in a fight that largely played out on the feet. Amanda has a much higher pedigree in grappling as a black belt taking on a blue belt in Tomar, but she hasn’t been able to translate her skills into submission wins against high-level opponents.

Tomar has some horrible grappling footage from earlier in her professional career, but her recent bouts have seen improvements to her takedown defense and a focus on effectively scrambling back to her feet. Neither of these women are big for the strawweight division, and each would be candidates to cut down a weight class if the UFC were to introduce a women’s atomweight division (105lb). Tomar is aggressive, standing with her punching combinations and her low kicks. She has recorded 6 knockouts, which is highly commendable by women’s mixed martial arts standards, but she comes from an unproven Indian regional scene that makes it difficult to evaluate her level of opposition.

Rayanne Amanda dos Santos is a deserving favorite here if she can ground Tomar and finish her while she is fresh, but the longer this fight goes, the more I favor the cardio of Tomar. Amanda dos Santos had a clear dip in her cardio against Denise Gomes and Talita Alencar that allowed those women to win late rounds and edge out competitive decisions. Tomar will have the willingness to crash the pocket, but she can’t afford to give up takedowns while dry.

Prediction: Rayanne Amanda dos Santos defeats Puja Tomar Rd.1/2 or Tomar wins via TKO3/DEC

Taylor Lapilus vs. Cody Stamann