UFC Fight Night ‘Bigfoot vs. Arlovski 2’ Preview

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Women’s Bantamweights

Jessica Andrade (11-3, 2-1 UFC) vs. Larissa Moreira Pacheco (10-0, 0-0 UFC)

The Matchup: Top women’s bantamweight prospect Pacheco enters the UFC on late notice to take on sparkplug Andrade in an intriguing bout at 135 pounds. Pacheco, who turned 20 on Sept. 7 and has finished all 10 of her victories, faces a stiff test in the battle-hardened but still youthful Andrade.

Andrade boasts a diverse and evolving game. She throws vicious head-body combinations at a blistering pace on the feet in a style reminiscent of John Lineker, but with even more output. Against Rosi Sexton at UFC Fight Night “Machida vs. Munoz,” she threw strings of five to 10 punches with regularity. While Andrade’s lack of size -- she stands only 5-foot-2 -- hampers her as a wrestler, she nevertheless employs a slick series of hip tosses and shot takedowns; and while she has difficulty maintaining top position against larger opponents, she throws powerful ground strikes.

Pacheco is quite talented, but very, very raw. She has a rangy 5-foot-7 frame that should allow her to keep opponents at distance but does not do much in the way of jabbing or front kicking. Instead, she wings a hard right hand and looping left hooks, keeps her chin high and is fairly hittable. Pacheco puts her length to good use with control and hard knees in the clinch, but again, she is fairly raw. Submissions are a strong suit, but her aggressiveness will get her in trouble against more advanced competition.

Betting Odds: N/A

The Pick: Pacheco will enjoy some early success, but as the fight wears on, this will be Andrade’s to lose. The newcomer is just too raw everywhere. She lacks the range striking to keep Andrade away; her wrestling is not reliable enough to keep the fight standing; and on the ground, Andrade holds a massive advantage in technical skill. The pick is Andrade by knockout in the second round following a barrage of punches.

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