UFC 241 will take place at Anaheim, California this Saturday with UFC 241. In the main event, UFC Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier (22-1-0, 1 NC) will defend his title against the man he took it from Stipe Miocic (18-3-0). Nate Diaz returns to the octagon in the co-main event to face Anthony Pettis in a welterweight match-up. Yoel Romero will face up-and-comer Paulo Costa in the third fight of the main card. Read below for a preview of the top three fights of the card.
UFC 241: Cormier vs Miocic II
Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
Saturday, August 17 – 10:00 PM ET
Daniel Cormier (-145) vs Stipe Miocic (+115)
Daniel Cormier, who is undefeated against men not named Jon Jones, had a big 2018. Cormier began the year by defending his Light Heavyweight Championship by making easy work of Volkan Oezdemir. He pummeled Swiss in the second round until the ref stopped the fight.
Cormier then stepped back up to heavyweight, where he is still undefeated, to challenge Stipe Miocic for the Heavyweight title. Cormier, who is at a large size disadvantage versus Miocic, fought a smart fight. He fought into the clinch where he could nullify Miocic’s reach advantage and pieced him up from the clinch. Cormier dropped and finished Miocic late in the first round to become the first ever simultaneous heavy and light heavyweight champion in UFC history.
DC went on to defend his title on short notice against Derrick Lewis at UFC 230. He submitted the Black Beast in the second round.
Daniel is a smart fighter with a hell of a chin. He will look to replicate what he did in the first Miocic fight. Miocic look to keep DC at range and hurt him with his boxing. I don’t think that will happen.
DC will close the distance and force an ugly fight or take it to the ground where he will utilize his superior wrestling skills to secure the victory.
Anthony Pettis (-135) vs Nate Diaz (+105)
Nate Diaz returns to action this Saturday. It will be his first fight since losing a close decision to Conor McGregor back in August 2016.
This fight is a gift to fans. Both fighters are fan favorites with exciting fighting styles. Pettis uses dynamic striking and a strong kicking game to hurt his opponents. Diaz is a boxer with an unmatched gas tank.
Diaz is notorious for not defending against leg kicks. Pettis should have the fight IQ to expose that weakness.
I expect Anthony Pettis to defeat the younger Diaz bro in a fun fight.
Yoel Romero (-150) vs Paulo Costa (+120)
For someone with the muscle mass of Yoel Romero, the man has a gas tank. Romero is very smart with how he utilizes his energy. He explodes with bursts at select times throughout the bout. Costa has never seen anything like The Soldier of God before.
Romero took everything Robert Whittaker threw at him…twice! Costa will tire himself out and fade.
