UFC 232 | Cris Cyborg vs. Amanda Nunes Match preview and Predictions

I’m picking Amanda Nunes.
Yes, going against Cris Cyborg is insane on paper given that the longtime queen of the featherweight division hasn’t tasted defeat, or really been seriously challenged, in over 13 years (!); however, I feel comfortable saying that Nunes is her best opponent and far superior to anyone that Cyborg has ever fought outside of Holly Holm. And she has definitely never been in the cage with an opponent who can match her aggressiveness and raw power.
On the other hand, Nunes has never faced someone with Cyborg’s combination of kickboxing expertise and size either. She had trouble defeating the much smaller Valentina Shevchenko, narrowly outpointing “Bullet” by split decision, and that doesn’t bode well for her chances against Cyborg in the standup department.
Yet I can still see Nunes’s catching Cyborg with one of those winging hooks she’s so fond of or going with a grappling-heavy attack and testing Cyborg’s jiu-jitsu. The onus is on Nunes to take Cyborg into areas of the fight that are unfamiliar and uncomfortable to her and she’s capable of doing it. Even standing and brawling would be a better option for her than trying to win a tactical battle against Cyborg.
I’ve said for years that if the right challenger came along, I’d predict a Cyborg loss. Nunes is that challenger.
Pick: Amanda Nunes

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