No. 5 women’s bantamweight Ketlen Vieira (9-0, 2 KOs, 4 SUBs) will meet Cat Zingano (9-2, 5 KOs, 3 SUBs) at UFC 222 on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The card airs live on pay-per-view starting 10 p.m. ET following the FS1 prelims. Bet on the latest UFC odds at BookMaker.eu and get the latest previews, predictions and picks now.
It’s been over a year since Cat Zingano last stepped inside the octagon. Injures have kept the one-time title challenger outside of the cage, but she’ll look to start off 2018 on a high note when she meets the undefeated Ketlen Vieira this Saturday. It won’t be an easy matchup for Zingano, as Vieira is one of the most promising prospects in the division.
At 26, Vieira is already 9-0, with three wins inside the octagon under her belt. In a division in need of fresh faces, “Fenomeno” could be a shot in the arm among a stagnant 135-pound division. Zingano is easily the most recognizable she’s faced so far, making this a possible springboard to contention.
It should be a competitive matchup all around. So who should you back and what bets will get you the best return? Let’s take a look at the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu and break it all down.
UFC Odds at BookMaker.eu
Cat Zingano +104
Ketlen Vieira -136
Fight Goes/Doesn’t Go to Decision: -215/+165
Coming Into the Scrap
After starting her career 9-0, Zingano has lost back-to-back fights. Famously, she was submitted by then-champion Ronda Rousey in just 14 seconds - a disappointing result as Zingano didn’t even get a chance to get started. But her prior inside the octagon were beyond impressive - she owns TKOs over current champion Amanda Nunes and former champion Miesha Tate. Clearly, Zingano can be a player at 135 pounds.
Vieira has yet to taste defeat as a pro, and is coming off a huge win over former title challenger Sara McMann. Before that, she took a close split decision over Kelly Faszholz in her UFC debut and won a UD against Ashlee Evans-Smith at UFC on FOX 24 in April 2017.
Matchup Breakdown
Zingano’s style has always been defined by her aggression. That relentless pressure helps her cover some glaring deficiencies in her game. She is not a crisp, technical striker, but “Alpha” hits hard and creates the chaos to land power punches. When it comes to grappling, Zingano relies more on brute strength to hit takedowns, and her feistiness makes her a natural scrambler.
Where Zingano does her best work is in the clinch. When she ties up another girl, Zingano can be lethal, launching knees to the head and body from all positions - from double-collar ties to side clinches. From there, she’s got a nice assortment of headlock throws and trips to get the fight to the mat, where she unleashes punishing GNP from the top.
Vieira is similar to Zingano in many respects. The 26-year old is most comfortable as the bully, muscling opponents into the fence and dragging them down to bank on them. On the feet, Vieira is extremely basic, relying on her punching power more than technique. She has proven to be a slick grappler, as her arm triangle choke against Sara McMann showed.
This looks to be a test of strength between the two women. We really don’t know how Zingano will look after so much time away from the octagon, but we don’t expect her to switch up her ultra aggressive ways. Whether Vieira can handle such a relentless attack will dictate who ends up in the win column. As a young prospect, it’s a great test to see whether she rises to the occasion or wilts under pressure.
UFC Betting Tips
Tough call here, but we lean towards Zingano to come out hyped up and ready to go. While her wildness can lead to some dangerous situations, Zingano’s sheer aggression will be something that Vieira will struggle to adjust to. The pick here is Zingano to win, and the price is playable as a straight bet.
UFC Odds Pick: Zingano to win at +104
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UFC 222 takes place on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The card airs live on pay-per-view starting 10 p.m. ET following the FS1 prelims.
