UFC Denver: Namajunas vs. Cortez picks and predictions
See who we are picking to not gas out in Denver.
The UFC heads to Denver this weekend for a card that is barely up to APEX standards. The main event is Rose Namajunas vs. Tracy Cortez (who is filling in for Maycee Barber). That’s a decent enough fight and the Colorado-based Namajunas probably draws a bit of a crowd. But beyond that… sheesh. Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov is your co-main. Those guys are a combined 77-years-old and are both coming off of KO losses.
The jewel of the card is Drew Dober vs. Jean Silva. That could be a lot of fun, with the Fighting Nerd Silva looking to score two wins in three weeks (he KO’d Charles Jourdain at UFC 303). Other notables on the card… Gabriel Bonfim? Maybe?
Anyways, we’ve looked over the match-ups and decided who we think will win each contest. That information could be used for gambling purposes. If that’s why you’re reading this, please only bet what you can afford to lose.
Scroll down to see who we are picking, from the curtain jerker to the main event!
Rose Namajunas vs. Tracy Cortez
Dayne: I admire Cortez for shooting her shot. It was reported her coach didn’t think taking the fight was a great idea, but Cortez doesn’t want to be just another mid fighter. She sees this as her opportunity and damn it if she isn’t going to take it!
If this wasn’t a short notice fight, I would probably be picking her. However, given the altitude of Denver and the traditional issues of acclimating to the altitude, I really don’t like Cortez’s chances. It doesn’t help that this will be the first five-round fight of her career either. Otherwise, I might like the chances of her bullying the much smaller Namajunas as Cortez should be approaching her prime and Namajunas’ mental state is something that is always a question. Given we haven’t seen her physically overwhelmed in almost a decade, I wouldn’t be shocked if Cortez’s bullying manner could take Namajunas out of the fight…
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