Preview: UFC on ESPN 51 ‘Luque vs. Dos Anjos’

Women’s Strawweights

Iasmin Lucindo (14-5, 1-1 UFC) vs. Polyana Viana (13-5, 4-4 UFC)

ODDS: Lucindo (-198), Viana (+164)

Viana’s style might have some clear flaws, but she has been surprisingly successful during her time in the UFC, along with providing some entertaining fights. Viana came into the UFC with some hype that only got louder after a dominant debut in 2018, as “Dama De Ferro” entered the Octagon riding a wave of first-round finishes. Five years later, it is hard to say much has changed, for better or for worse. Viana’s approach is still built around hunting for a quick finish—while being particularly potent on the mat—but for every time it works, there is a time where an opponent can avoid her traps and grind out a control-heavy win. Viana’s 47-second knockout of Jinh Yu Frey was a strong reminder that opponents need to worry about more than the Brazilian’s grappling, and she looks to build some momentum here against a countrywoman in Lucindo.

The youngest fighter on the UFC roster when she signed in 2022, Lucindo is still just 21 years old despite having over six years of pro experience under her belt. A blitzing striker, Lucindo separated herself on the regional scene as a powerful wrestler, all of which has given her a well-rounded package of skills as she looks to smooth out the edges of her game during her UFC run. Lucindo should be able to hold her own on the feet, particularly with some solid counterstriking, which gives this fight a similar dynamic as most of Viana’s outings. Lucindo will likely land a takedown at some point, and it is up to her to stay safe enough to avoid getting submitted. The lean is that Lucindo is not quite seasoned enough to stay out of danger, though this is essentially a coinflip. The pick is Viana via first-round submission.

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Luque vs. Dos Anjos
Dawodu vs. Swanson
Rountree vs. Daukaus
Lucindo vs. Viana
Nchukwi vs. Dobson
Fremd vs. Pickett
The Prelims