August is nearly over. Summer time days have trickled all the way down to a treasured few prematurely of the autumnal equinox subsequent month, however MMA motion is just persevering with to warmth up. This Saturday night time, the game’s high promotion, the UFC returns to its Las Vegas homebase for its last occasion of the eighth month of the 12 months.
For the primary time because the announcement was made that it could be quickly closing for renovations in a while within the fall, the UFC Apex performs host to a different UFC Combat Night time, UFC on ESPN 62. Stay protection begins at 7 pm ET/ 4 pm PT on ESPN+ inside the USA with the prelims earlier than transferring over to ESPN correct at 10 pm ET/ 7 pm PT for the primary card.
Middleweights Take to Apex for UFC on ESPN 62 Major Occasion
Along with this 12 months’s finals in The Final Fighter, a full night time of fights are deliberate. Highlighting the night time’s actions is a showdown between ranked combatants at 185 lbs. within the UFC on ESPN 62 predominant occasion.
No. 5 contender Jared Cannonier (17-7 MMA, 10-7 UFC) meets up with No. 12 contender Caio Borralho (16-1, 1 NC MMA, 6-0 UFC) within the headlining affair on Saturday night. As with all UFC predominant occasions, this one is an marketed most of 5 rounds at 5 minutes per spherical to shut the present.
“THERE’S YOUR STATEMENT MADE” ✅
Jared Cannonier makes the ultimate stroll of the night time Saturday at #UFCVegas96! pic.twitter.com/fYYx6VBOhO
— UFC (@ufc) August 19, 2024
UFC on ESPN 62 Major Occasion Fighter Comparability and Betting Odds
Heading into the UFC on ESPN 62 predominant occasion on Saturday night time, Caio Borralho stands because the taller man at 6-foot-1, in comparison with Jared Cannonier’s 5-foot-11 body. The latter owns a 2 1/2-inch attain benefit (77 1/2 inches to 75 inches even) over the latter, whereas Borralho owns a half-inch leg attain benefit (42 inches even to 41 1/2 inches) over Cannonier.
At the moment, the oddsmakers have Caio Borralho put in as a -230 favourite on the cash line, whereas Jared Cannonier counters as a +190 underdog. In the event you plan on betting on this or every other struggle taking place this weekend, please wager responsibly.
Jared Cannonier Going through Fast Turnaround Forward of Combat Saturday
Jared Cannonier enters the UFC on ESPN 62 predominant occasion on Saturday having posted a file of 3-2 in his final 5 fights. Most just lately, he noticed his two-fight successful streak snapped by the hands of Nassourdine Imavov (14-4, 1 NC MMA, 6-2, 1 NC UFC) in questionable style by fourth-round knockout throughout UFC Louisville from the Yum! Heart on the College of Louisville’s campus on June 8.
After that match, Cannonier made an look on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani to provide his two cents on the end.
“When it occurred, it was gut-wrenching, to say the least,” Cannonier started. “I positively took a while [and] needed to acquire myself. I had to return and re-watch the struggle and actually relive the entire thing over again. It was actually gut-wrenching. The chance to do nice issues was stolen from me in that second.”
Referee Jason Herzog was assigned the primary occasion that late spring night time and stepped in, calling the competition in favor of Imavov whereas Cannonier was actively making an effort to dodge subsequent pictures after the previous absorbed a proper hook. By the point that Cannonier walks to the cage on Saturday, simply 77 days may have handed between fights, however he requested for a fast turnaround this outing.
Solely time will inform if the abbreviated coaching camp paid off within the UFC on ESPN 62 predominant occasion.
Caio Borralho Aiming for sixteenth Consecutive Win on Saturday Night time
Within the different nook, Caio Borralho has posted an ideal 5-0 mark in his final 5 fights. In the intervening time, he’s gained 15 fights in a row.
Again in Might of this 12 months, he bested Paul Craig (17-8-1 MMA, 9-8-1 UFC) by means of second-round knockout (proper cross) throughout UFC 301 from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Borralho talked about his subsequent struggle in an interview with Andreas Hale of ESPN.
“I’m the brand new breed of the division,” Borralho talked about. “Folks already know who I’m, however now individuals are going to place me within the contender combine. After a very good end in opposition to Jared, I believe there might be no dialog about it, I’ll be the subsequent contender [at middleweight.]
Caio Borralho is a person who wanted to come back again for a second shot at a contract on Contender Sequence in October of 2021, however he hasn’t slowed down since. Will he get an important win of his profession this weekend?
Evaluation, Movie Research, and Prediction
Stylistically, the UFC on ESPN 62 predominant occasion seems to favor Caio Borralho, a black belt in Muay-Thai and brown belt in judo, in comparison with Jared Cannonier’s standing as a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Cannonier Has To Put on Borralho Down
Jared Cannonier’s plan of assault on this UFC on ESPN 62 predominant occasion goes to be a easy one: Combine up his strikes and stuff takedowns. Within the first spherical of his struggle in opposition to Kelvin Gastelum three years in the past, whereas each fighters exchanged kicks, Cannonier uncorked a leg kick, instantly following it up with one to the physique.
Afterward within the interval, he saved Gastelum trustworthy with a punch to the pinnacle, whereas nonetheless chopping away with kicks. This tempo continued all through the struggle, together with a knockdown of Gastelum because of a proper hook in spherical three. Though Gastelum stood again up, he would by no means have the ability to put Cannonier on the canvas.
All through the struggle, Cannonier efficiently defended all eight of Gastelum’s takedown efforts en path to a victory by resolution by the top of the contracted 25 minutes. Given what occurred to Cannonier in Kentucky earlier on within the 12 months, he’ll need to go away little question when he walks to the cage on the UFC Apex on Saturday. A medical efficiency is what it’ll take.
Borralho a Nice Striker
Within the different nook, Caio Borralho has to make use of his fists to neutralize Kelvin Gastelum’s gameplan on Saturday night time. Simply take a look at his struggle in opposition to Paul Craig earlier on within the spring.
Spherical two of that struggle noticed Borralho proceed what he did within the first spherical: Land pictures to Craig’s head. Maybe probably the most seminal second of the spherical occurred a minute in, when he landed a knee to place Craig on the canvas, if just for a number of seconds.
With Craig now surprised, Borralho landed a mixture to again him up in opposition to the cage fence and put him down on the mat to remain. If Borralho can hit on combos, the struggle’s a wrap.
Ultimate Ideas
With Dricus du Plessis already having defended the UFC Middleweight Championship final Saturday, you may guess that he’ll be watching the UFC on ESPN 62 predominant occasion with curiosity this weekend. The winner might be on the quick observe to going through du Plessis for the belt at a later date.
Prediction: Jared Cannonier by Unanimous Choice.