When the dust settles on UFC Fight Island 4, two division champion Amanda Nunes could have the next challenger to her £ 135 title.
Will it be the fast-rising Irene Aldana? The former Invicta FC standout has found a foothold in the UFC after a slow start, winning five of her last six fights. On her last outing, it took her less than a lap to knock out alleged number 1 contender Ketlen Vieira and claim her spot. She would be a new opponent for Nunes and one who would bring her own formidable clout to a meeting with “The Lioness”.
Or will it be the woman Aldana meets in Saturday’s headliner, perennial contender Holly Holm? Though Holm has already had a shot at Nunes, the former bantamweight champion is never far from another title chance. Four of their last eight fights have been with a championship on the line. Don’t be surprised if she steals Aldana’s thunder and stays in the mix at 135 pounds.
And then there are Germaine de Randamie and Julianna Pena, who will also be on the main menu on Saturday. De Randamie is a former featherweight world champion looking for another fight with Nunes. She feels like she exposed some holes in Nunes’ game when they met for the second time in December.
Like Aldana, Pena would be a new challenger, and she can gain much-needed career momentum with a win over “The Iron Lady” as she has only been competing for the second time since January 2017.
In another main action, heavyweight strikers Yorgan De Castro and Carlos Felipe are trying to make the most of a co-headlining spot. Kyler Phillips takes on Cameron Else in the bantamweight division, and middleweight veteran Dequan Townsend seeks to spoil the debut of undefeated Contender Series contract winner Dusko Todorovic.
What: UFC Fight Island 4
Where: Yas Island in Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday 3rd October. The event begins with a preliminary map of six fights at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN +, followed by a main map of five fights on ESPN and ESPN + at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Holly Holm versus Irene Aldana
The best of Holly Holm tends to get the worst out of their opponents.
Holm has always been one of the most tech-savvy fighters on the UFC list, which can lead to highly impactful results for her that don’t always make for the most compelling television. It’s up to Irene Aldana to get Holm out of her comfort zone, which few fighters could do. Even as she contemplated Holm’s recent losses, only Amanda Nunes could completely overwhelm her. Others like Cris Cyborg and Germaine de Randamie had to do the full five laps with the gritty New Mexicoer.
Holm’s level of competition dwarfs Aldana, and that’s another check in her favor. They have two common opponents in Bethe Correia (who both finish) and Raquel Pennington. Although Holm scored a methodical win over Pennington, Aldana also impressed against “Rocky” despite losing a close decision. So there is at least traces of anecdotal evidence that Aldana is on Holm’s level, even if she has not yet worked her way through the same set of competitors.
Aldana’s aggressive punch is so much fun when she gets going and that result is determined by her ability to deal with some undoubtedly frustrating stretches against Holm. Holm is such a patient fighter who rarely makes mistakes and is happy to take you apart for 25 minutes if it means making the decision in the end. Her clinching work is also excellent and if she has to struggle to suffocate Aldana, she will.
All in all, Aldana’s power will make all the difference here. Another thing that Holm’s recent losses have in common is that they are directed against women who can hit like a truck. Aldana fits this profile. What she lacks in volume she should make up for in flashes of effectiveness that impress the judges enough to get her to nod after five rounds.
Selection: Aldana
Yorgan De Castro vs. Carlos Felipe
The stakes for this heavyweight bout may be low, but Yorgan De Castro and Carlos Felipe have the knockout power to make the most of it. Neither of the two fighters had to be satisfied with their previous outings, which resulted in lost decisions. This is why they should thank the matchmakers for getting a dance partner willing to stay in their pocket and act.
In this case, I prefer De Castro for the variety of his strike, although I think Felipe puts a bit more pop in his punches. If Felipe comes out at the end of a game or two, he might find the target early. That is easier said than done, however, as De Castro will set him on fire if Felipe carelessly closes the distance. Make sure that De Castro kicks Felipe’s legs before he ends with punches on the second round.
Selection: From Castro
Germaine de Randamie vs. Julianna Pena
I am skeptical that Germaine de Randamie’s shortcomings are as easy to fix as she seems to think. Speaking to the media earlier this week, she accused herself of standing too upright in her bantamweight title bout with Amanda Nunes, stating that her willingness to seek a knockout made it easy for her to take Nunes’ takedowns choose. If it only takes a few adjustments in her posture to stay away from her back, she shouldn’t have any issues with Julianna Pena.
Pena’s plan should be to shoot early and often and break every single wrestling trick she knows will bring de Randamie to the mat. As improved as she has been as a striker since her Ultimate fighter Days she’s not nearly as good as de Randamie, and every second she spends on her feet with The Iron Lady is one in which she is in grave danger.
So spam the takedown button Pena because I’m sure you would love to show how much your all-round game has evolved, but this is not the time to introduce K-1 to Julianna. This is a matchup between a striker and a grappler in every way. If the grappler does what he’s supposed to, the striker should fight.
Pena by decision.
Selection: Pity
Kyler Phillips versus Cameron Else
This could be a wild one.
Kyler Phillips gets into the cage and he gets employed. The Arizona-based fighter is constantly on the attack, throwing strikes from a distance, up close, and even when defending against takedowns. He also has an affinity for * ahem * spinning sh * t and won’t be afraid to unleash some unpredictable techniques against Cameron Else.
Stepping in a week in advance shouldn’t be too much of a problem for Else, an Englishwoman who is no stranger to unorthodox attacks. As a member of the Jackson Wink team, Else has been battling above-average competition for some time, so Phillips will actually be a significant competitive boost for him.
The good news when it comes to Else is that he has taken care of business against his unqualified opponent. All ten of his victories are achieved by knocking out or reaching the first round. That’s a finishing instinct that can’t be taught. Even so, Phillips – although four years younger than Else – is the more experienced fighter at this stage of her career, and I like it when he beats Else and wins on points.
Selection: Phillips
Dequan Townsend versus Dusko Todorovic
A huge experience gain goes to Dequan Townsend, who fought nearly 30 professional fights before finally getting the call from the UFC. He still has a win in the octagon and achieving this goal doesn’t get any easier when a talented prospect like Dusko Todorovic stands in his way.
In Todorovic’s last fight before entering the Contender Series, he recorded a first-round TKO from Michel Pereira, which means he may already be one of the greatest fighters of all time. Todorovic is a fascinating newcomer because he has dominated a more experienced competition in recent years. His Contender Series win over Teddy Ash may have been a little exciting, but it showed that he knows how to stick to a game plan and defuse a dangerous opponent. Not only will it sit within reach and get Townsend going with its superior range. His clinching work is advanced for a 26 year old and will be key to slowing Townsend down.
Townsend may cause problems for Todorovic in the strike division, but his grappling defense just isn’t where it needs to be to be successful at the UFC level. Aside from a few filing attempts, I don’t expect Townsend to pose much of a threat to Todorovic. If anything, Todorovic should come out as the attacker and defeat Townsend. Once there, he can return to his destination and switch off Townsend via submission or ground-and-pound.
Selection: Todorovic
Preparations
Court McGee def. Carlos Condit
Charles Jourdain def. Joshua Culibao
Jordan Williams def. Nassourdine Imavov
Loma Lookboonmee def. Jinh Yu Frey
Casey Kenney def. Alatengheili
Jessin Ayari def. Luigi Vendramini
