At 6-1, Santos is emerging as one of MMA’s handful of female stars, because she brings the ruckus as readily as the men do. With vicious striking and an aggressive style, she faces off against the submission savvy Akano, a veteran of the Japanese circuit, who has a 14-5 record with all losses coming by decision. She’s been beaten against better competition but the fact that she hasn’t been stopped -- including a distance-going route against the exceptional Tara Larosa -- shows she is a tough customer.
Keys to victory
Santos’ standup pretty much defines how successful she will be in this fight. While many female MMA competitors seem to lack the power and dynamism necessary to truly hurt foes, Santos is a notable exception. She strikes with impunity and well-crafted combinations. With 11 submissions in her 14 wins, Akano has to get the fight to the ground and work from there. If it stays standing, she is in trouble against “Cyborg.”
Intangibles
For Santos, sprawling and stuffing takedowns will be key. Athletic strikers often lose their edge when taken down and worked over for a bit -- and if planted on her back, she’ll have to work efficiently to get back up. Akano has to be wary in the standup phase, but not so conservative that she is unwilling to engage and can’t set up a clinch, where she could at least pull guard to get it on the mat. It’s a tough proposition, for once the fight is on the mat, they might be battling on even terms.
The pick
Santos by second round KO.