This Saturday’s UFC 196 is shaping up to be a big night for the women’s bantamweight division. Holly Holm will be defending her title in the co-main event, but a de facto title eliminator is going down on the undercard. No. 4 ranked Amanda Nunes, fresh off a sizzling victory over Sara McMann, will square off against Peru’s Valentina Shevchenko, who is coming off a win in her UFC debut.
Bet on UFC 196 odds at BookMaker.eu
Amanda Nunes -158
Valentina Shevchenko +133
Over/under 2.5 rounds, over +100, under -120
Please note, the odds at BookMaker are updated on a daily basis, so the odds listed here may have changed since this article was written.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Nunes is understandably a big favorite. In her last fight against Sara McMann, she not only came through as a +225 underdog, she thrashed the Olympic freestyle wrestling medalist in less than half a round. Shevchenko has an impressive 12-1 record, but really has only fought two fighters of note - Liz Carmouche and Sarah Kaufman.
THE STAKES
For Nunes, a win means most likely means a title shot. With Cat Zingano out of action and Ronda Rousey out making movies, she’s the next woman up after Holm and Miesha Tate. If she looks as dominant as she did against Sara McMann, it would be impossible to deny her a title shot.
Shevchenko is somewhat of an unknown commodity. Even if she can beat a contender like Nunes, it’s difficult to see her in a championship matchup after just two UFC fights. However, the division is still paper thin and a big win could vault her into the top-6.
Please note, the odds at BookMaker are updated on a daily basis, so the odds listed here may have changed since this article was written.
FIGHT BREAKDOWN
Shevchenko is a counterstriker by nature, and what she lacks for in punching power she makes up for with good technique. She is sound defensively, employing good head movement, although she does have a tendency to back straight up instead of circling away and cutting angles.
Another one of her strengths is wrestling - she’s strong enough to drag fights to the mat yet knows how to efficiently go for takedowns. She was able to bully Kaufman for the majority of their fight, pressing her into the cage and utilizing nice hip tosses. Shevchenko did tire early in that fight, but she also didn’t have the benefit of a full training camp.
Nunes is a superb puncher, with elite hand and foot speed for the division. What’s more, she can string together clean, furious combinations that can turn the lights out. The women’s division doesn’t have many knockout artists, and the Brazilian is one of the few possesses the dynamite required to earn the reputation.
THE SMART PLAYS
Shevchenko would be foolish to try and stand with Nunes, so the story here will be whether she can get takedowns. In this regard, a small bet on Shevchenko is a good value - if she can manhandle Sara McMann, it’s very much possible that she can drag Nunes to the mat. From there, she just needs to win two out of three rounds to take an upset.
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You can even wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time money lines, totals, props and money line are all available now. UFC 196 takes place on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.The main card will be televised on pay-per-view starting 10 p.m. ET.
