Holly Holm already beat an “unbeatable” fighter. Can she do it again? This Saturday, “The Preacher’s Daughter” will once again try and shock the world when she challenges Cris “Cyborg” Justino for the women’s bantamweight title in the main event of UFC 219.
As fun as it’s been to watch Cyborg destroy every fighter put in front of her, it’d be nice to see her actually challenged for a change. Since losing her pro debut, she has yet to face any adversity in 18 straight fights. Holm is her most dangerous opponent in years (maybe ever), but she’s so good that it might not matter.
Let’s take a look at the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu, and go through your best betting options.
UFC Odds at BookMaker.eu
Cris Cyborg -400
Holly Holm +300
Over/under 1.5 rounds, over -250, under +200
The Case for Holm
A former world champion boxer, Holm’s footwork and technical counters matches up with Cyborg’s aggressive style. If Holm is taking the lead and trying to get off first, she can get beat to the punch by quicker strikers like Valentina Shevchenko and Germaine de Randamie. But if she’s letting the fight come to her and reacting, she has a chance of giving Cyborg a run for her money.
As one of the bigger bantamweights on the roster, Holm is one of the few women that Cyborg might not be able to muscle around. It’s crucial that she stay on her feet, as we’ve seen how she can panic when put into compromising grappling positions. Generally, her takedown defense is solid, but she’s never fought anybody as physically savage as Cyborg.
Holm’s best chance is to play it safe, let Cyborg come to her and try to push this into the later rounds. While Justino’s cardio seems fine, we do know that her weight cuts are brutal and she has only fought past 15 minutes once. If Holm can play matador and land her patented round kick, she could pull off the unthinkable.
The Case for Cyborg
This section could get really long, so we’ll try and just point out the most obvious factors. Physically, the 32-year old has no equal. Her strength, explosiveness and all-around athleticism are miles ahead of anyone else, and she could easily beat 99% of the division just by charging them and throwing leather.
In fact, that’s how she won most of her early fights. But the UFC version of Cyborg is refined, polished and patient. Her head movement, body leans and feints are better than ever, and she looks like the one with a world-class boxing background. The difference in fluidity was frankly startling when she matched up with Tonya Evinger, Lina Lansberg and Leslie Smith, as Cyborg looked as she was warming up with an easy sparring session.
Justino also has a “get of jail free” card with her wrestling. While she is a Muay Thai striker through and through, Holm’s grappling deficiency is a glaring weakness that Cyborg can easily target if things don’t go her way.
UFC Betting Tips
While Holm beating Rousey was a nice story, Cyborg is a complete fighter with no known weaknesses. The price on Cyborg is ridiculously expensive, so use it as a parlay booster. The other bet is Cyborg inside the distance. Holm is ridiculously tough, but we don’t see Cyborg’s 13-fight stoppage streak ending here.
UFC Odds Pick: Cyborg inside the distance at -175
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UFC 219 takes place on Saturday, December 30, 2017 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card airs live on pay-per-view starting 9 p.m.
