The UFC heads to Australia for the very first time this year once it sets up shop in Perth to get UFC 221. Although the card is far from the sexiest you’ll see, there are still lots of persuasive bouts to stay diehard fans interested.
The main event features Yoel Romero and Luke Rockhold facing off. This bout was for the interim middleweight crown but following Romero failed to make weight, the name will only be online for Rockhold. The rest of the card is filled with loads of hometown ability that will look to get the audience in Perth excited for their first event ever.
Yoel Romero vs Luke Rockhold
Romero (+120) is an athletic freak. Regardless of being 40 years old,»The Soldier of God» has more speed, power and athleticism than fighters half his age. This is the foundation of Romero game. In the striking stage, the Cuban just begs and begs for his moment to explode into strikes. It works exactly the exact same because of his wrestling. Romero is an Olympic wrestler and depends upon that skill set more than any other but that he still prefers to land takedowns with explosiveness instead of grinding it out.
But, Romero has a gas tank. He’s patient in the Octagon since he burns off his cardio extremely quickly. You can see him visibly breathing heavily after a significant explosion of motion. That is why his whole game is built around controlled proportions of energy resulting in controlling his competitor.
Not to be outdone, Rockhold (-150) is more athletically gifted than 95 percent of those fighters in the UFC. The former winner is powerful and fast but uses his normal size benefit better than most in the division, whether that’s working from range behind his left body and hook kick or controlling the leverage battle in the clinch. Offensively wrestling isn’t something Rockhold focuses on — unless functioning out of the clinch — he is one of the craftier submission fighters in the branch.
There are holes in the game of Rockhold. The only minor flaw which sticks out is that his tendency to rely on particular strikes on the feet. He could rely too much on his left hook and body kick, telegraphing and giving up a opportunity to get countered.
Romero is very harmful as they come but his cardio is not really there to compete with Rockhold. «The Soldier of God» can always land a KO shot — he’s proven that — but Rockhold’s clinch work will wear Romero down.
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