UFC 237 is upon us. The event will be held inside the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil tomorrow night (May 11). Headlining the card will be a strawweight title bout between champion Rose Namajunas and Jessica Andrade. Taking the co-main event spot will be a middleweight showdown between Anderson Silva and Jared Cannonier.
MMA News continues to keep you posted on the latest UFC 237 updates. Earlier today, we covered the weigh-ins, which you can see the results for here. Myself, Ed Carbajal, and Andrew Ravens have once again linked up to provide main card predictions for UFC 237.
Take a look at the bouts set for the main card:
- Strawweight: Rose Namajunas (c) vs. Jessica Andrade – for strawweight championship
- Middleweight: Anderson Silva vs. Jared Cannonier
- Featherweight: Jose Aldo vs. Alex Volkanovski
- Welterweight: Thiago Alves vs. Laureano Staropoli
- Women’s Bantamweight: Irene Aldana vs. Bethe Correia
Rose Namajunas (c) vs. Jessica Andrade
Fernando Quiles Jr.: Many are surprised that Namajunas is the underdog going into this bout and even feel she is being disrespected and overlooked despite two wins over Joanna Jedrzejczyk. I don’t believe this to be the case as it’s more indicative of how styles make fights. Namajunas does best when she’s given space and can move around the Octagon. Andrade is great at cutting off her opponents and it showed in her knockout win over Karolina Kowalkiewicz. While I don’t think Namajunas will suffer quite the same fate, I do see Andrade cutting off the Octagon and being able to outmuscle “Thug” Rose to take home the strawweight gold. (Prediction: Jessica Andrade)
Ed Carbajal: Namajunas has a reach advantage and Andrade had a strength advantage along with the fight happening on her turf. If Andrade can keep Namajunas moving away or take her down she could win by decision. Namajunas could win by firing away and keeping her distance. Tough call but it seems Andrade has more ways to win in Brazil. (Prediction: Jessica Andrade)
Andrew Ravens: I might be in the minority here but I find it amazing that there are some oddsmakers who have Andrade listed as the favorite to win. Yes, she has looked great in her three previous outings and beat some of the best fighters in the division but Namajunas has gone to a different level since 2017. I do worry about the fact that Rose has been out of the game for over a year and is fighting in Brazil. That’s not the greatest combination for victory but she did beat the greatest women’s strawweight fighter of all time to get to this point twice. Rose retains by split decision. (Prediction: Rose Namajunas)
CONSENSUS: 2-1, Jessica Andrade
Anderson Silva vs. Jared Cannonier
Fernando Quiles Jr.: Anderson Silva may show flashes of brilliance against Jared Cannonier, but that’s pretty much all he can offer at this stage of his career. Silva still has some moments in him, but that hasn’t been leading to many victories. I think both Silva and Cannonier will pick their shots wisely. I believe Cannonier will be the aggressor and that’s what will get him the nod from the judges. (Prediction: Jared Cannonier)
Ed Carbajal: Silva fighting in his neck of the woods may give him some added motivation to win, and going the distance with Israel Adesanya should remind fans that while he may be up there in age, he still has some fight left in him. Cannonier is coming off of a win over David Branch at UFC 230 but that does not mean he should take the former middleweight champion lightly. It could be a coin toss, or someone could get knocked out. For the sake of nostalgia, I’m picking Anderson Silva. (Prediction: Anderson Silva)
Andrew Ravens: This is a thank you fight for Silva by uncle Dana and if Silva can’t beat Cannonier, then he might want to reevaluate his career. Yes, Silva isn’t what he once was but he should be able to beat Cannonier. No disrespect to Cannonier, who is a good fighter but not near the top level of what division offers. Silva wins by unanimous decision. (Prediction: Anderson Silva)
CONSENSUS: 2-1, Anderson Silva
Jose Aldo vs. Alex Volkanovski
Fernando Quiles Jr.: Jose Aldo has only lost to Conor McGregor and Max Holloway twice under the UFC banner. Alex Volkanovski is no joke and has shown he isn’t afraid to trade as he believes he’ll always come out of it better than his opponent. I can’t ignore Aldo’s bacterial infection back in March and just how much that took from his training camp. Aldo is in great shape, but if you’re not under the most ideal circumstances against a guy like Volkanovski then it could cause issues. I’ve got Volkanovski via TKO. (Prediction: Alex Volkanovski)
Ed Carbajal: Aldo has not been shy about acknowledging his career is coming to a close. However, he also has said he wants to go out with some wins. That’s a tough task against someone like Volkanovski. Half of “The Great’s” wins come by way of knockout or TKO and he also has youth on his side. In a sport where the guard seems to pass more frequently, it’s hard to pick against Volkanovski. (Prediction: Alex Volkanovski)
Andrew Ravens: This is no doubt the biggest challenge thus far in the pro-MMA career of Volkanovski. If he can get past the former champion then he will earn his spot for a title shot against Max Holloway. It won’t be easy as Aldo has found his rhythm once again and looks like the old Aldo when he was one of the most dominant fighters on the planet. Despite recent struggles to Holloway, Aldo is still one of the best fighters in the featherweight division. Aldo gets it done by unanimous decision. (Prediction: Jose Aldo)
CONSENSUS: 2-1, Alex Volkanovski
Thiago Alves vs. Laureano Staropoli
Fernando Quiles Jr.: Whether you agree with Thiago Alves’ split nod over Max Griffin or not, one can’t deny that Alves proved he can still be competitive to some degree. Prior to that bout, he had rough losses to Curtis Millender and Alexey Kunchenko. The verdict is still out on Laureano Staropoli. He’s 8-1, but his competition leaves a lot to be desired. I think the experience factor for Alves will get him another win. (Prediction: Thiago Alves)
Ed Carbajal: Alves might have his hands full with the 26-year-old Staropoli. The Argentinian is on a six-fight win streak and of his eight wins, five come by way of knockout or TKO. Still, Alves may be the most seasoned fighter he has faced to date and two-time “Fight of the Night” winner Alves will likely be pumped to fight in Brazil. (Prediction: Thiago Alves)
Andrew Ravens: Alves has been a solid fighter for years now but it’s time for the torch to be passed and Staropoli is looking to get past the veteran. While this marks only the second fight in the UFC for Staropoli, he’s on a six-fight winning streak coming into this bout. Staropoli gets it done by second-round TKO. (Prediction: Laureano Staropoli)
CONSENSUS: 2-1, Thiago Alves
Irene Aldana vs. Bethe Correia
Fernando Quiles Jr.: Bethe Correia has been out of action since June 2017. She also hasn’t tasted victory since Sept. 2016. Aldana fought twice last year, earning two decision wins. I think Aldana’s activity will serve her well in this fight, while rust will be Correia’s downfall. (Prediction: Irene Aldana)
Ed Carbajal: Aldana is riding a two-fight win streak and while Aldana was winning fights, Correia was out of action and coming off of a loss. Correia did not seem drained while she missed weight for UFC 237 so it is hard to think she’s motivated to come back. (Prediction: Irene Aldana)
Andrew Ravens: Correia has had a rough ride since losing to then-champ Ronda Rousey as she hasn’t won a fight since 2016. She also missed weight badly, which appears to be something that could have an impact on this fight. Aldana rolls into this fight on a two-fight winning streak and has looked impressive. It’s a pick em but I’m taking Aldana by decision. (Prediction: Irene Aldana)
CONSENSUS: 3-0, Irene Aldana
That’ll do it for the UFC 237 predictions. Do you agree with the MMA News staffers? Who do you think will emerge victorious on the main card? Give us your predictions in the comments below and be sure to stick with us for live coverage of UFC 237.
