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It's time for another betting prediction and pick for UFC 314: Volkanovski vs. Lopes as we take a look at this next bout in the Women's Strawweight (115) Division between top contenders. China's No. 1 Yan Xiaonan will take on Brazil's No. 3 Virna Jandiroba as both fighters look for an upcoming title shot. Check the UFC odds series for our Yan-Jandiroba prediction and pick.
Yan Xiaonan (19-4) is 9-3 inside the UFC since 2017. Her road led to a Strawweight title bout against Weili Zhang to where she fell short via unanimous decision. She returned with a unanimous win over Tabatha Ricci in November 2024, and she's ready for another cementing win as the No. 1 contender. Yan stands 5-foot-5 with a 63-inch reach.
Virna Jandiroba (21-3) is 7-3 inside the UFC since 2019. She's currently riding a four-fight win streak with victories over Angela Hill, Marina Rodriguez, Loopy Godinez, and most recently Amanda Lemos. Seeing the highest ranking of her career, she'll look to exact her first title shot with a win here. Jandiroba stands 5-foot-3 with a 64-inch reach.
Here are the UFC 314 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 314 Odds: Yan Xiaonan-Virna Jandiroba Odds
Yan Xiaonan: +124
Virna Jandiroba: -148
Over 2.5 rounds: -195
Under 2.5 rounds: +150
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Why Yan Xiaonan Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Tabatha Ricci – U DEC
- Last 5: 3-2
- Finishes: 8 KO/TKO, 1 SUB
Yan Xiaonan proved her status as the No. 1 contender in the division following a dominant win over an up-and-coming contender in Tabatha Ricci. Yan struggled to finish Ricci, as most opponents do, but she leaned on her superior striking and ability to be quicker than her opponent with her combinations.
She's well-rounded wherever the fight may take place, and she'll certainly have the significant striking advantage during this fight. The biggest key will be remaining on her feet and not allowing Jandiroba to hold her down on the mat.
Yan Xiaonan owns just one submission loss and one submission win on her record, but it was clear during the Weili fight that she struggled to get off her back in certain situations. She boasts an impressive 63% takedown defense, but she'll have to be diligent against the constant grappling of her opponent.
If Yan is able to deter Jandiroba from dipping for takedowns by throwing knees up the middle, she could stand to see success in piecing her opponent up and pushing a pace during this fight.
Why Virna Jandiroba Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Amanda Lemos – SUB (armbar, R2)
- Last 5: 4-1
- Finishes: 1 KO/TKO, 14 SUB
Virna Jandiroba is as steady and consistent as they come in terms of knowing what she's going to do in the octagon. She strikes very defensively and slowly inches forward to close the distance on her opponents.
From there, she'll look to initiate a clinch or shoot for a takedown in hopes of bringing her opponent down. Her greatest strength is her top pressure on the ground and ability to soften opponents with her ground-and-pound techniques. With 14 submissions on her pro record, she'll undoubtedly seek to do the same during this fight.
Virna Jandiroba doesn't absorb a ton of damage, and when she does, it hardly affects her propensity to move forward and close the striking pocket. She's likely to eat some shots on the feet against a striker like Yan, but she can make it all pay off if she's able to land just one takedown during each round.
While she won't be a huge threat to finish the fight, Jandiroba lives for these situations where she can control her opponent on the ground.
Final Yan Xiaonan-Virna Jandiroba Prediction & Pick
This is an interesting matchup between two of the best fighters in the division, and it's even more surprising to see the higher-ranked Yan Xiaonan as the betting underdog. This is a testament to the dominant grappling of Virna Jandiroba, and it's clear oddsmakers believe she can pose a problem to the striking of Yan.
Still, Yan Xiaonan has done great work in avoiding being finished during her UFC run, and as long as she can keep this fight on the feet, she should have a significant advantage with her speed and athleticism in all facets. Jandiroba can certainly make this her kind of fight if she can get it to the ground, but it seems more likely that Yan is able to flourish on the feet.
Due to her price at her current ranking, we have to roll with the betting underdog in Yan Xiaonan. Her only focus should be on keeping this fight standing and outpacing Jandiroba with her dominant striking. If she does that, she should be in for a decisive win.
Final Yan Xiaonan-Virna Jandiroba Prediction & Pick: Yan Xiaonan (+124)
