The last time we saw Ronda Rousey she suffered a knockout loss to Holly Holm last November. Friday night, Rousey makes her return to the octagon in UFC 207 in Las Vegas in an attempt to retake the bantamweight crown as she goes up against Amanda Nunes.
Rousey and Nunes headline the event and current men’s champion Dominick Cruz and Cody Garbrandt is currently scheduled to co-headline the event. On the women’s side, bantamweight champion Nunes is set to make her first title defense since snatching the belt from Miesha Tate. Her first test is Rousey, the former dominant champion who has been away from the MMA scene for a bit, leaving many question marks about her physical abilities and mental strength.
In the co-feature, the male version of the UFC Bantamweight Championship is up for grabs, as Cruz defends his belt against Grabrandt. Garbrandt has been knocking out people left and right on his run towards the title, giving Cruz what should be a fun title defense.
Amanda Nunes vs. Ronda Rousey:
The main event sees the return of one of the biggest stars in MMA history, as former champion Rousey looks to return to her seat of glory when she takes on now-champion Amanda Nunes. There are a lot of questions about Rousey since her layoff following her knockout loss to Holm. Is her head in the game or has she already checked out? Seeing as though she is very competitive, she should be ready. But Nunes won’t be a pushover, though. She’s a good striker and can hang on the mat with any lady she takes to the cage with. This is a tough fight to call, however, if classic Rowdy shows up, she should win a contentious bout. If she shows up with any doubt, Nunes will retain her title.
Dominick Cruz vs. Cody Garbrandt:
The co-main event will see the bantamweight title defended, as Cruz looks to continue his welcome-back tour against hot contender Garbrandt. Garbrandt is a heavy-handed striker that has knocked out four of his five opponents in the UFC. His last two KO’s were his most memorable, as he blasted through Takeya Mizugaki and Thomas Almeida in devastating fashion. Cruz has been said to be the best bantamweight of our time who, without extended periods of injuries, may be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. On the feet, if he can stick and move like he always does, he can stay out of the power range of Garbrandt.
Drop-outs:
Also on the card are names such as TJ Dillashaw, John Lineker, and Johny Hendricks, among others. The card has gone through some last-minute changes, as names like Cain Velasquez, Fabricio Werdum, and Jessica Andrade all fell off the event in the last stages of the lead-up. But overall it should be a great night of fights.
