At UFC 219, on Dec. 30, Holly Holm challenges Cris “Cyborg” Justino for the women’s featherweight title. Who will win?
FRANK HYDEN, MMATorch Columnist
Holm definitely has a good chance to win here, but I’m going with Cyborg. She’s just so powerful, so aggressive, so relentless, that I think she’ll overwhelm Holm. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Holm knock her out with counter strikes, but I think we see Cyborg come out and bide her time at first, then unleash a torrent of strikes that end the fight sometime in the second round.
RAFFAEL IGLESIAS, MMATorch Contributor
Winner: Cyborg 2nd round TKO.
This fight could be very explosive. This fight will come down to who will be able to find their range. Cyborg is a lethal buzz saw that doesn’t give her opponents any room to breathe. Holm is a crafty puncher that uses her boxing to slip and counter. The contrast of styles and approach makes this one fun on paper. I believe Cyborg will be too much for her opponent and Holm will be unable to take on the onslaught.
DAVE KOULA, MMATorch Contributor
I’ve been wrong an awful lot lately, but I think Holm has a great shot. Cyborg has never been in any kind of real danger; but she hasn’t fought anyone close to Holm’s level. This fight is interesting because no matter what, we’re going to learn a lot. I see Holm successfully keeping Cyborg at bay with great footwork, a long jab and hopefully some low kicks mixed in. If she can do that, she should have a good shot to tire Cyborg out. Holm by decision after plenty of scary moments early.
COLE HENRY, MMATorch Contributor
I will start off by saying that I do think that Holly Holm does have the skills to beat Cyborg, which is something that I can’t say about any of her other opponents as of late. With that being said I am still taking Cyborg in this fight. She is the better grappler, the more powerful striker, and honestly while I do respect Holm’s boxing credentials, aside from the Ronda Rousey fight she hasn’t exactly looked like a world beater on the feet. I think that it will be a competitive fight through the first two rounds, but Cyborg’s shots will eventually add up and I think she stops Holm with a TKO sometime in the third round.
SEAN COVINGTON, MMATorch Contributor
Holly Holm has beat fighters who can’t box at all, she has one big win and that is it. Her last victory was Bethe Correia, a bum that Ronda Rousey knocked out. Besides Ronda Rousey, who has a natural weakness in her style, she doesn’t beat good fighters. She could not even defend the title when she had it. Cyborg has fought her fair share of bums and is finally champion in the UFC of a made-up division just for her or Holm, whomever makes them money.
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