Preview: UFC on ESPN 23 ‘Reyes vs. Prochazka’

Women’s Flyweights

NR | Poliana Botelho (8-3, 3-2 UFC) vs. NR | Luana Carolina (6-2, 1-1 UFC)

ODDS: Botelho (-225), Carolina (+185)

Botelho has gotten three different opponents for this card, and the wheel appears to have landed on the most exciting pairing of the bunch. Botelho is a fun fighter to begin with, possessing some solid striking and wrestling with an approach centered around aggression. Of course, that aggression can be a double-edged sword when combined with Botelho’s lack of defensive mindfulness. Her 2018 campaign saw her blast Syuri Kondo for a 33-second knockout only to turn around and suffer a quick submission loss against Cynthia Calvillo. She should have a barnburner against a fellow Brazilian in Carolina, who is similarly focused on offense. Carolina has some impressive athleticism and striking weapons, but a weak slate of competition prior to the UFC left her somewhat underprepared against opponents who can fight back. The situation quickly turns south for Carolina once her opposition starts finding any sort of success. This should be all action, but Botelho’s signature kicks to the body seem like weapons that can blow this fight open in short order. The pick is Botelho via first-round knockout.

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