This Saturday night, Chicago will be the host for UFC 225, and Chi-Town is getting a hell of a fight card. Two title fights on the night with the Middleweight and Interim Welterweight belts both on the line. Chicago is also getting to see the much anticipated second fight for former WWE Superstar CM Punk. Other stars such as Holly Holm, Alistair Overeem, and Rashad Evans will all be in action as well!
The journey of CM Punk is well-documented with his transition from WWE to UFC, and it was not a smooth one. He got his ass beat in his first fight and chocked out in the very first round. He looked awful, and I would go as far as saying he was the worst fighter to ever fight in the UFC. However, he did gain my respect. I respect that he took it seriously and didn’t believe he would come in and be great.
He’s taken a lot of time to train and get to the level he needs to get to. So he went in, took his loss, and went back to get better. I have come around to actually rooting for him now in this fight. CM Punk took on an incredible challenge and chased dreams. Win, lose, or draw, I’m a fan of that.
The first title fight of the night is for the interim welterweight title as Tyron Woodley recovers from surgery. Colby Covington has been on an 8-1 tear in the division and is the self-acclaimed “villain” of the UFC. He’s talked a whole bunch of trash about his opponent and the entire division, calling his run the “nerd bash.” Covington is a very strong wrestler who controls fighters on the ground and wins mostly by decision.
His opponent is the fierce former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos. RDA is 3-0 since moving to the welterweight division, including a win over former champion Robbie Lawler. RDA has been given plenty of motivation from the disrespectful trash-talking form Covington. If RDA can come out with a victory, he can become just the fourth fighter in UFC history to win a belt in two weight divisions. I’m taking RDA to win by TKO in the fourth-round and become a two-weight division champ.
This main event is ONE HELL OF A FIGHT. The much anticipated rematch between champion Robert Whittaker and Yoel Romero for the middleweight championship. The first fight between the two was a great five-round technical fight where Whittaker edged out a close decision. Whittaker has not fought since that night, as he recovered from a knee injury given by Romero. Yoel Romero has had one fight since he lost to Whittaker where he knocked out former champion Luke Rockhold.
This title fight is so intriguing. These are, without a doubt, two of the best fighters in the world. The first fight was so close it seemed like only a matter of time until they met again. Yoel seems really hungry for the moment, and at 41, I think he knows this may be his last chance.
I’m choosing Romero to win the rematch. It’s hard to pick this fight, and it’s even harder to predict how it will end. Whittaker is 7-0 since moving to the middleweight division which makes it very hard to pick against him. I’m going out on a limb and picking Yoel Romero by TKO in the third-round.
There’s a huge night of fights coming our way, and I’m stoked to watch every one, starting with Rashad Evans on the Fight Pass prelims. Get in front of a TV somewhere, and enjoy your night!