UFC 189: Preview and predictions
An exciting card awaits at the UFC 189 eventThe wait is almost over. The most talked about event of the year UFC 189 goes down this Sunday in Las Vegas, the fight capital of the world. While the main event may have changed, this is still the biggest card of the year and arguably the strongest UFC card since UFC 100.The culmination of international fight week, the biggest week for the UFC, Sunday’s card is headlined by the bout for the interim featherweight championship between Chad Mendes and Conor McGregor. The co-main event is a barn burner in the making for the UFC Welterweight championship between the champion ‘Ruthless’ Robbie Lawler and the challenger Rory Macdonald.The main card features 3 other exciting fights. In the flyweight division, Dennis Bermudez will take on Jeremy Stephens. In the welterweight division, Brandon Thatch will take on Icelandic fighter Gunnar Nelson. Finally in the bantamweight division, Brad Pickett will take undefeated rising star Thomas Almeida.
#1 Brad Pickett [25-10-0] vs Thomas Almeida [18-0-0]
Of his 18 career wins, Thomas Almeida has won 15 via first round stoppages. The 23-year-old Brazilian is just 3 months removed from his win over Yves Jabouin at UFC 186, a fight that earned him a performance of the night bonus. British fighter Brad Pickett, on the other hand, hasn’t been in the octagon since November when he lost a close decision call to Chico Camus.
The biggest challenge for Pickett will be trying to stop the beautiful Muay Thai attacks of the Brazilian Almeida. He will have to force the fight to the mat and utilize his wrestling ability to stifle Almeida’s stand up. Nicknamed ‘One Punch,’ Pickett is an excellent boxer but his ground game is often under-estimated. Training out of American Top Team has only helped his grappling. Almeida lands a remarkable 7.82 strikes per minute.
For Pickett to try fighting him standing up would be playing with fire. Almeida is younger, faster and has some of the best Muay Thai in the lighter weight classes of the UFC. For his part, Almeida will be trying to keep his opponent at a distance and let his hands and feet loose.
Prediction – Thomas Almeida via TKO, Round 2