Women’s Strawweights
Maria Oliveira (13-5, 1-1 UFC) vs. Vanessa Demopoulos (8-4, 2-1 UFC)Demopoulos has had a surprisingly successful 2022 run thus far, given that her fighting style does not always guarantee success. With a stocky and muscular frame, Demopoulos is a powerful but stiff striker who is at her best on the mat. Given her bulky frame, she is an impressively flexible and creative grappler who can find some unorthodox submissions. That was all clearly on display in her first fight of the year—a first-round win over Silvana Gomez Juarez in January. Demopoulos quickly got knocked down by a powerful boxer, only to suddenly pull out an armbar finish after Juarez followed her to the mat. Next came a slower-paced win over the similarly musclebound Jinh Yu Frey, but now things swing in the completely opposite direction with this matchup against Oliveira. Brazil’s Oliveira is a lanky striker who can look impressive when everything is rolling, but “Spider Girl” is much better as a hammer than a nail. Her 2018 Dana White’s Contender Series fight against Marina Rodriguez saw her essentially waive off a losing effort, and Oliveira has shown a tendency to shut down once it is clear her opponent is getting the better of the exchanges. With that said, it was nice to see her put together three solid rounds in her June win over Gloria de Paula. The size difference here does raise the possibility that Oliveira can pick apart the former Legacy Fighting Alliance champion from range over three rounds, but Demopoulos is confident enough in her game that she should be able to find some early momentum— possibly with one powerful strike but likelier via her wrestling. The pick is Demopoulos via first-round submission.
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