UFC 238 preview

UFC 238 is this Saturday with the main event for the Bantamweight championship between Marlon Morase vs defending champion Henry Cejudo. This is one of the most exciting main cards UFC President Dana White has put together this year.

Besides the main event we have a Women’s Flyweight title bout between Jessica Eye vs Valentina Shevehnko. Other fights include a Heavyweight bout between Tai Tuivasa vs Blagoy Ivanov, a Bantamweight bout between Jimmie Rivera vs Peter Yan, and a Lightweight bout that some fans should be the main even in Tony Ferguson vs Donald “The Cowboy” Cerrone.

This fight also features a local Maryland mma fighter Angela Hill who’s is a female Strawweight fighter from Prince George’s county fighting out of Camp Hill. She currently has a record of 9-6, and faces off against Yan Xiaonon a Chineses fighter with a 10-1-1 record. The entire state of Maryland is pulling for you Angela make Maryland, and America proud. She is going in this fight as one of the biggest underdogs on the card, and we know she can pull off the upset.

I’ll first preview the Heavyweight fight. We have #11 ranked Australia own Tai Tuivasa vs #13 ranked Blagoy “The Bulgarian Brut” Ivanov. Tuivasa comes in the fight with a 10-1 record coming off his first lost after getting tko’d by Junior Dos Santos in the second round. Tuivasa is a big strong guy standing at 6’2 weighing 265 pounds. He has a good background in boxing and kickboxing. The former rugby player will have a tough fight against Ivanov.

Ivanov is a veteran to the sport and will have use his experience in Sambo and wrestling against the Australian striker. Ivanov is coming off a big win against Ben Rothwell back in March. Ivanov has been a champion before fighting in the World Series of Fighting. Ivanov is the favorite to win the fight with a +125 odds.

I see the fight lasting all three rounds with Ivanov winning. The latest trend in mix martial arts has been guys with a background in Sambo and wrestlers always beating a striker. Ivanov style is similar to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s, so my prediction is for the favorite in this fight.

Next we have the Bantamweight weights. #7 ranked Jimmie Rivera coming into this fight with a 22-3 record who has lost 2-2 his last fights, and one of those loses coming from Marlon Morase. Rivera is 6-2 since joining the UFC back in 2015. The former Ring of Combat Champion has a good background in karate.

#9 ranked Peter Yan is on a seven fight win streak including wins against Jon Dodson, Teruto Ishihara and Magomed Magomedov. Despite being a -325 underdog Yan has been on an impressive win streak and has an excellent background in boxing along with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Even thought Yan is an underdog I see the underdog winning this fight. Yan has just as much striking experience as Rivera, and will stand up to everything Rivera throws at him. I just expect Yan to get rattled once and take Rivera down by the second round for a win by submission victory.

Next we have what a lot of experts are saying is the most exciting fight of the night with a lightweight bout between #12 ranked Tony Ferguson vs #4 ranked Donald Cerrone. Ferguson is the underdog with -145 odds while Cerrone is favorited to win at a +125, so Vegas has this as a very close decision to make.

Ferguson is a black-bet Jiu-Jitsu under Jiu-Jitsu guru Eddie Bravo. Bravo recently discussed Ferguson’s preparation before this fight recently on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast saying he was in the best shape he’s ever seen him. Bravo also discussed how Tony has hired private striking experts that include Olympian boxers. Ferguson is also a division two national champion in wrestling, and has crazy striking combos.

Ferguson is also on a 11 win streak with wins over Kevin Lee, Rafael Dos Anjos, Josh Thompson, Edson Barboza and most recently to Anthony Pettis. Only thing people question is Ferguson’s knee since he had it operated on back in October of 2017. His trainer Eddie Bravo ensures that he is still 100% healthy and his last fight back in 2018 against Pettis proves it.

Donald Cerrone has the record in the UFC for most wins in the companies history. He’s a black-belt in Brazilian Jui-Jitsu as well, and has amazing striking under Greg Jackson who also trains Jon Jones. Since coming back down to the lightweight division Cerrone is one a three fight win streak that includes wins against Al Iquntia, Alexander Hernandez and Mike Perry. Cerrone has fought against some of the biggest names in mma and will use his experience against Ferguson.

My opinion is that Cerrone wins this fight by decision. Cerrone is getting to the end of his career, and wants a chance at the belt before retiring. I just think Cerrone will use his experience against Ferguson, but this fight is set up to be the fight of the night.

Next we have a women’s Flyweight bout against #14 Valentina Shevchenko vs #1 Jessica Eye. Shevechenko is coming off a huge win against former champion Joanna Jedrzejzyk back in December, and has wins against Holly Holm, Sarah Kaufman and Julianna Pena.

Shevchenko is a decorated kickboxer and is know for her counter striking abilities. She will have an advantage against an opponent who doesn’t have great knockout power. Eye on the other hand has gone to a decision in her last seven fights.

Eye is on a three fight win streak beating Katlyn Chookagian and Jessica Rose-Clark last. She’s uses a unique style of boxing, muay thai and wrestling. She is a +900 favorite, but Shevchenko is a -1375. I still be alive Shevchenko will win this fight by decision. She has more experience than Eye, and since this is the first time Eye has been on the main stage the nerves will get to her.

Last we have the main event for the Bantamweight championship. Henry Cejudo could be the most decorated mix martial artist on the entire UFC roster. He is the current champion, and has a gold medal from the league 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing in freestyle wrestling.

Cejudo claimed the belt defeating the best Bantamweight fighter in the UFC Demetrius Johnson, and last beat T.J. Dillashaw in just 32 seconds. Cejudo is a +120 favorite, but some people are starting to question how serious he’s taking this fight from how he’s been taking to the press and his social media post.

Moraes is a true Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black-belt with incredible striking abilities. He’s an experienced mma fighter with a 22-5 record. He defended his belt six times in the World Series of Fighting championships, and won three straight UFC performance of the night awards beating Raphael Assuncao, Jimmie Rivera and Aljamain Sterling. Moraes has been quite about his preparation with the media, and is hungry to win another belt.

I have this fight going to Moraes with a 5 round knockout. I just think Moraes can match Cejudo’s wrestling with his Jiu-Jitsu, and is overall the better striker in this fight.

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