The Expert Edge: UFC 227

(SPONSORED CONTENT) -- There’s still some time between now and Sunday, 4th August but already the area around LA’s Staples Centre is heavy with electricity as the thunderstorm that is UFC 227 approaches. Ahead of the madness, our man in the know Richie Vas crunched the numbers to give an expert edge.

Following one of the most publicised feuds in recent UFC memory, Dillashaw and Garbrandt will clash for the second time in their careers, each vying to take home the bantamweight belt. Both fighters are sure to enter with a new found sense of respect for his opponent with neither rushing to underestimate the other. Vass tags this as a potential 5-round war with the evenly matched warriors going the distance. Vas predicts Garbrandt will take the fight via decision.

The flyweight championship title fight for the evening will see the highly anticipated rematch between Demetrious Mighty Mouse Johnson and 2008 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling Henry Cejudo. Mighty Mouse is a well-rounded fighter; a master of all trades. He’ll be looking to break his 11 fight winning streak, bringing the total to 12 unless Cejudo can stop him. However, Vass believes that pound for pound, Mighty Mouse will prove too mighty for Cejudo.

The effects of 227 will be felt for a long time within the women's bantamweight division given the scheduled fight between Bethe ‘The Pitbull’ Correia and Irene Aldana. After Ronda Rousey stopped her winning streak dead in its tracks, Correia is yet to fully recover, suggesting confidence might be fairly low. Aldana will be walking into the cage with an 84% strike rate, and some considerable reach advantage, coupled with youth. It’s for this reason Vass tags Aldana as the winner by decision.

Featherweight fighters Cub Swanson and Renato Moicano will meet for a very interesting fight, with each eager to leave a lasting impression on their opponent, and the fans. Cub Swanson is nothing short of a killer, and has proven his mettle against many professional tough guys. That said, Moicano is rangy, with well-demonstrated skills on his back. Vass picks this to turn into a savage slug-fest, with a hefty amount of exchanges. Ultimately Vass tags Swanson as winner, pulling on his experience to get it to the judges.

With two massive title fights at the top of the bill, UFC 227 is set to be a high-stakes evening with the winners set to further cement their legacies within the sport.

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