Final Combating Championship (UFC) is simply sooner or later away from the upcoming UFC Vegas 96 combined martial arts (MMA) occasion, which is ready to go down tomorrow night time (Sat., Aug. 24, 2024) on ESPN and ESPN+ from inside APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. UFC Vegas 96 contains a middleweight major occasion between High 15 title contenders Jared Cannonier and Caio Borralho, a five-round headliner with main title implications for late 2024 and past.
Earlier than we dive into the primary and co-main occasion, which incorporates the strawweight showdown between Angela Hill and Tabitha Ricci, try Andrew Richardson’s “X-Issue” breakdown for the remainder of the UFC Vegas 96 major card by clicking right here. Get all the most recent “Cannonier vs. Borralho” odds and betting props courtesy of DraftKings proper right here. For UFC Vegas 96 reside outcomes and play-by-play click on right here.
185 lbs.: Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho
Jared “Killa Gorilla” CannonierRecord: 17-7 | Age: 40 | Betting line: +200Wins: 10 KO/TKO, 2 SUB, 5 DEC | Losses: 3 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 4 DECHeight: 5’11” | Attain: 77” | Stance: SwitchSignificant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.62 | Putting accuracy: 52percentStrikes Absorbed Per Minute: 4.19 | Putting Protection: 58percentTakedown Common: 0.47 (46% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 61percentCurrent Rating: No. 5 | Final struggle: Technical knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov
Caio “The Pure” BorralhoRecord: 16-1, 1 NC | Age: 31 | Betting line: -245Wins: 5 KO/TKO, 4 SUB, 7 DEC | Losses: 0 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 1 DECHeight: 6’1“ | Attain: 75” | Stance: SouthpawSignificant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 2.91 | Putting accuracy: 60percentStrikes Absorbed Per Minute: 2.06 | Putting Protection: 60percentTakedown Common: 1.99 (63% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 76percentCurrent Rating: No. 12 | Final struggle: Knockout win over Paul Craig
Jared Cannonier turned 40 again in March however you actually wouldn’t be capable of inform based mostly on his bodily items. It’s exhausting to attract conclusions on the place he’s at in his fight sports activities profession after his controversial loss to Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Louisville again in June. Was it an early stoppage? Completely. Was Cannonier in every kind of bother earlier than the end? Little question about it. What isn’t identified is whether or not or not “Killa Gorilla” had a tough day on the workplace. Possibly Imavov was only a dangerous matchup or discovered the opening he wanted. There’s speak of Cannonier falling aside however in an effort to subscribe to that idea, we now have to miss his one-sided ass kicking of Marvin Vettori in June 2023, which adopted a win over former middleweight champion Sean Strickland the 12 months earlier than. Assuming Cannonier — a former heavyweight — is simply as harmful as he was in opposition to “The Italian Dream” we nonetheless need to account for the truth that he typically falls flat and underperforms, like he did in opposition to Israel Adesanya at UFC 276; so yeah, predicting a Cannonier struggle presents its challenges.
“Generally for me, being so excessive within the rankings, being so shut to a different title shot, I feel I put a bit little bit of strain on myself,” Cannonier informed MMA Junkie. “There was all the time conversations with randoms like, ‘Title shot subsequent.’ I used to be focusing extra on what may very well be, versus what was subsequent. To not say that I wasn’t targeted on my opponents or targeted in camp or targeted on my struggle. It looks like there’s been a weight lifted off me not having to fret in regards to the implications of this struggle. To not say that there aren’t dangerous implications if I lose. To not say that I’m not involved in regards to the risks that every of those contests current. However I’m planning to only go in there and as an alternative of attempting to not lose, focus extra on doing my factor and getting that win.”
Cannonier has 12 finishes in 17 wins, 10 by the use of knockout.
“I feel he’s going to be in bother even when he does get me down, as a result of he’s not going to have the ability to preserve me down,” Cannonier continued. “And if he finally ends up on the underside, it’s not going to be too good for him down there. So I’ve obtained all the arrogance in my floor recreation. I don’t know why folks assume my floor recreation isn’t good. I haven’t been submitted within the UFC. I haven’t been submitted in my profession. After I was inexperienced I fought Glover Teixeira and I spent quite a lot of time beneath him and didn’t get tapped. And I used to be inexperienced so far as my grappling goes again then. I’m a lot better now. For those who guys are pondering of taking me down, you’re greater than welcome to attempt.”
Caio Borralho minimize his enamel on Dana White’s “Contender Sequence” again in late 2021 however wanted two appearances on the APEX proving floor to land a UFC contract. Since then, the Brazilian has been off to the races, racking up six straight wins whereas breaking into the High 15 of the middleweight rankings. That stated, his highway to the highest has been principally freeway miles and Cannonier represents a significant step up in competitors. Of the six fighters “The Pure” has defeated beneath the UFC banner, none of them are ranked at 185 kilos and two of them have since been launched by the promotion. To be truthful, we will’t punish Borralho for a way matchmakers Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard e-book him however he’s nonetheless obtained work to do if he desires to be taken severely as a middleweight title contender, and that begins with a powerful efficiency this weekend in “Sin Metropolis.”
“I feel it may go both manner (resolution or end),” Borralho stated on the UFC Vegas 96 media day. “It simply is dependent upon how ready he’s and the way a lot he desires it. At 40 years previous, let’s see how a lot he desires to remain within the place that he’s and to go once more for the belt and one thing like that. I feel he’s a really skilled man, very explosive and has energy in his arms. He is aware of find out how to take the struggle the place he desires it to go. Undoubtedly an skilled man. He’s confronted quite a lot of powerful opponents. All respect to Jared, but it surely’s my time now.”
Borralho has simply two finishes beneath the UFC banner.
“I’m ready — I labored my ass off for this struggle, and I feel I deserve this victory,” Borralho continued. “Let’s simply see how ready he’s going to come back, and see how ready he comes for me. I’m going to push the tempo, I’m going to make the rhythm excessive always and let’s see how he behaves within the struggle. All of it is dependent upon him and if he got here very well-prepared. I’m ready to knock him out or end him as a result of I’ve the bottom recreation, and he doesn’t have that a lot, so let’s see how Jared comes.”
Cannonier could be a harmful striker and his success on the toes sometimes is dependent upon his stage of aggression. It additionally helps that he’s obtained knockout energy, which suggests Borralho can’t take as many possibilities on the toes. Luckily for “The Pure,” he’s obtained a punishing floor recreation that’s prone to penetrate Cannonier’s mediocre takedown protection. A five-round struggle provides “Killa Gorilla” 25 minutes to land the kill shot, assuming he remembers to throw it, however I feel Borralho is just too good to silver-platter his chin. As well as, he’s extra effectively rounded on offense and has extra methods to win, main me to consider he catches Cannonier throughout a transition and finishes what Imavov began.
Prediction: Prediction: Borralho def. Cannonier by technical knockout
115 lbs.: Angela Hill vs. Tabitha Ricci
Angela “Overkill” HillRecord: 17-13 | Age: 39 | Betting line: -110Wins: 5 KO/TKO, 1 SUB, 11 DEC | Losses: 0 KO/TKO, 2 SUB, 11 DECHeight: 5’3“ | Attain: 64” | Stance: OrthodoxSignificant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 5.38 | Putting accuracy: 49percentStrikes Absorbed Per Minute: 4.86 | Putting Protection: 61percentTakedown Common: 0.80 (33% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 76percentCurrent Rating: No. 9 | Final struggle: Submission win over Luana Pinheiro
Tabitha “Child Shark” RicciRecord: 10-2 | Age: 29 | Betting line: -110Wins: 1 KO/TKO, 3 SUB, 6 DEC | Losses: 1 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 1 DECHeight: 5’1“ | Attain: 61” | Stance: OrthodoxSignificant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.28 | Putting accuracy: 37percentStrikes Absorbed Per Minute: 4.94 | Putting Protection: 60percentTakedown Common: 2.99 (35% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 77percentCurrent Rating: No. 11 | Final struggle: Cut up resolution win over Tecia Pennington
Angela Hill is a good instance of find out how to have a protracted and profitable profession in UFC with out ever coming near a title shot. That stated, her latest run — 4 out of 5 with a knockout victory over Luana Pinheiro — has put her inside putting distance of the High 5. Hill obtained her begin on Season 20 of The Final Fighter (TUF) again in early 2014 and the key of her success has been exercise, in addition to reliability. Over the past decade, “Overkill” has by no means fought lower than twice per calendar 12 months and has usually competed 4 occasions inside a 12-month span. Not surprisingly, Hill holds a number of UFC information at strawweight together with complete fights (24), complete wins (11), complete strikes landed (2151), and vital strikes landed (1839). She’s additionally obtained 5 post-fight efficiency bonuses, 4 of them “Battle of the Night time.”
“It’s going to take quite a lot of convincing for folks to actually get behind the truth that I might probably struggle for the belt ultimately, regardless of my age or any wins and losses I’ve within the UFC,” Hill stated on the UFC Vegas 96 media day. “It’s all a matter of placing collectively a powerful portfolio within the final couple of years, and I feel I’ve been in a position to do this. I’m simply specializing in the struggle forward of me and ensuring that each time I’m on the market I’m specializing in the current and within the second, and never pondering too far forward.”
A victory on Saturday night time would give her three straight wins for the primary time in 4 years.
“I’m simply hoping I ultimately get that shot,” Hill continued. “If I don’t I feel I’ll be capable of retire fairly pleased with what I’ve completed, however that’s the primary aim, work my method to the highest and see what occurs. I really feel like I can beat anybody, it’s only a matter of coming in with the correct mindset, coaching exhausting, and being prepared that day. I really feel like I can do this with anybody, it’s only a matter of placing that on paper and truly displaying up and doing what I feel I can do.”
Tabitha Ricci migrated to UFC again in early 2021 after 5 straight wins on the regional circuit, three of which ended by the use of knockout or submission. Matchmakers did her no favors in her Octagon debut, pairing Ricci in opposition to French “Beast” Manon Fiorot, a struggle that sank “Child Shark” within the second stanza. Undaunted, the Brazilian roared again to win 5 of her subsequent six, which incorporates her resolution win over Tecia Pennington at UFC St. Louis final Could. Standing simply 5’1” with a 61” attain, Ricci has to depend on her aggression in most fights, very like former champion Jessica Andrade, and a part of her assault features a punishing wrestling recreation that averages three takedowns per struggle. Hill is a reliable wrestler in her personal proper, however obtained taken down thrice in her loss to Mackenzie Dern and one other thrice in her defeat reverse Virna Jandiroba. If Ricci can preserve that very same strain — not unreasonable throughout a three-round contest — Hill might discover herself handcuffed for a lot of the struggle.
Prediction: Ricci def. Hill by resolution
Don’t overlook to take a look at the remainder of the UFC Vegas 96 major card predictions RIGHT HERE.
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To take a look at the most recent and best UFC Vegas 96 information and notes make sure you hit up our complete occasion archives right here and right here. For the up to date and finalized “Cannonier vs. Borralho” struggle card and ESPN/ESPN+ lineup click on right here.
