The Bloody Elbow team has made its own selections for UFC 225, and I am not even sure I should be calling this”UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero 2.” For now, Robert Whittaker and Yoel Romero has not yet been cancelled following Romero’s weight reduction, but we know it’s not for a title fight. Theoretically this likely should be Rafael dos Anjos vs. Colby Covington because the main event, irrespective of the status of Whittaker vs. Romero.
Anyway, everyone is going with Robert Whittaker over Yoel Romero for Saturday night. In terms of the co-main occasion, only Phil Mackenzie is going with Colby Covington to beat Rafael dos Anjos and eventually become the interim welterweight champion.
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UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero 2 employees predictions and picks for your card
Note: Predictions collected before the event and are entered throughout the week. Explanations behind every choice aren’t required and some writers opt to not do this for their own motives. For instance, if Phil Mackenzie entered all of his predictions on Wednesday without adding in any explanationshe has no idea if he’s going to be the only one siding with a single fighter for any given fight.
Robert Whittaker vs. Yoel Romero
Anton Tabuena: Romero will remain harmful, but Whittaker is likely to be the one who has made the most improvements since their first bout. I would’ve picked Whittaker even before Romero looking like death on the scale, and I anticipate a more one-sided affair this time. Robert Whittaker by TKO.
Mookie Alexander: Well Romero. This is now a non-title bout, and it has three rounds (I am presuming ). Anyhow, these were my ideas before the weight miss, and nothing changes . My pick hinges almost entirely on Whittaker not looking depleted after all the health issues that plagued him earlier in the year. His takedown defense is incredible, and even when Romero caught him down, he could not hold him there… and that was with Whittaker’s knee getting jacked by Romero in the opening round! I don’t think that changes in the rematch, and he struggles at a pace and instances his strikes even better compared to Yoel does. Their first bout remains the only real time Romero was outlanded in a UFC battle. I’m expecting Romero to combat this one strategically because he did vs. Luke Rockhold. However, Rockhold is a fairly basic and comparatively wooden striker, whereas Whittaker cuts angles and throws in penalizing combinations. I understand there is the third-round Romero fear, but don’t rule out Whittaker planting Romero with a head kick. The pick is still Robert Whittaker by unanimous decision, although I’m hoping we get another thriller.
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