UFC 218 is this Saturday night in Detroit, Michigan. and it’s a doozy. The main event, of course, being a rematch of the featherweight championship bout from June between current champ Max Holloway and former champ Jose Aldo. After an unfortunate injury to the contender Frankie Edgar, Jose Aldo stepped in for the rematch to try to get his belt back. These two champions give us no reason to think they won’t give us a hell of a title fight.
The co-main event is featuring the fighter whose return I’ve been awaiting for the most behind Diaz and McGregor, Francis Ngannou. Francis will be fighting legend Alistair Overeem in is his first big test in the UFC. “The Predator” is his nickname, and it’s fitting. If anyone in the UFC is deserving to be called a beast it’s Francis Ngannou. The man just recorded the hardest punch ever!
He’s a 6’3″, 250-pound walking muscle with a fist. He destroys what’s put in front of him. Undefeated in the five fights he’s had in the UFC, Ngannou has never reached a third round. His name is not as known as it should be, but come the end of Saturday night, it will be. Another impressive knockout, especially over an all-time heavyweight like Overeem, should land him a title shot. Whenever two of the biggest men in the UFC step in against each other it’s always a can’t miss. So, make sure you get to a television Saturday night and see two real life monsters battle each other.
The hot pick for fight of the night has to be the Justin Gaethje vs. Eddie Alvarez. The two were the last coaches of the ultimate fighter show. The time has finally come for the coaches to do battle. There aren’t many better match-ups to make in the sport than these two.
Justin Gaethje has only had one fight so far in the UFC and is already in the top five in the lightweight division. In his brief career, he’s already considered one of the most exciting fighters in all of the UFC. He’s as violent a fighter as they come, and he’ll never be in a boring fight. He would never let it happen. He forces his opponent to come back with everything they have to match his pace of relentless strikes.
Eddie Alvarez is a great opponent to do exactly that. Eddie is a brawler that fights with emotion and looks to lunge big hooks with real knockout power that could put down anyone. It’s for sure my pick for fight of the night and just has fireworks written all over it. The winner of this fight is in a great spot for the next title shot. My pick is for Justin Gaethje to win by some type of stoppage. Whether it be a KO or submission, I think Gaethje will be too much for Alvarez.
The main event was a great fight the first time around in June. Jose seems to have been almost forgotten by the community, but he’s still a top level a fighter. The only problem for him is that it’s Max Holloway time. He is one of the best fighters in the world right now, and I don’t see the fight going any differently than the first one, ending with Max dominating. He finished the first fight in the third round, I am sure he will be shooting to finish it quicker this time. I think he will do just that. I’m picking Max to finish Jose by stoppage with strikes late into the second round.
Detroit is in for a great night of fights and are getting to see some of the best fighters in the world today. The UFC always ends the year with great fights, and this year is no different. Enjoy, fight fans!