Preview: UFC Fight Night ‘Overeem vs. Arlovski’

Women’s Bantamweights

Germaine de Randamie (5-3) vs. Anna Elmose (3-0)

THE MATCHUP: Elmose makes her UFC debut as an undefeated prospect, with all three of her professional wins having come by knockout. Fighting out of Denmark’s Rumble Sports, where she trains alongside Invicta Fighting Championships contender Pannie Kianzad and UFC fighter Nicolas Dalby, Elmose has a typically European style of striking, albeit with a greater emphasis on hands. As her record might suggest, Elmose is extremely aggressive, though not overmuch. Whereas other young fighters might fling themselves into the pocket with reckless abandon, Elmose knows how to measure distance and pick her shots, striking the body and the head with a variety of powerful punches.

When it comes to Dutch kickboxing, however, de Randamie is among the best at women’s bantamweight. Elmose is comfortable in the clinch but de Randamie’s 37 muay Thai wins have her far better equipped for that phase, and her six-inch height advantage can only help. De Randamie is also the better kicker, and Elmose has struggled to defend kicks thus far in her pro career.

Neither Elmose nor de Randamie is a ground fighter by trade, and neither is likely to take this fight to the floor. Still, expect de Randamie to have an experience advantage should that happen.

THE ODDS: De Randamie (-375), Elmose (+306)

THE PICK: De Randamie is not a perfect mixed martial artist, but she is a very skilled kickboxer. Elmose has promise and she will be more confident striking with de Randamie than most of her past opponents, but her lack of defensive craft will ultimately be her undoing. Funny story: Elmose was given the nickname “Panda” because of the two black eyes she was always sporting in the gym. De Randamie will most likely bring that memory back to light. The pick is de Randamie by unanimous decision.

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