UFC 261 is stacked with three title fights on the night. The co-main event is going to be a heated contest between Weili Zhang and Rose Namajunas, as the two women fight for the Strawweight belt. Zhang is looking for her third title defense in a row, while Namajunas is aiming to reclaim the belt that was once hers. This has all of the potential to be the fight of the night. Let's dig into our Weili Zhang vs Rose Namajunas prediction.

Zhang is considered to be one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. At 21-1, “Magnum” has secured 21 straight victories, only five of which have been in the UFC. She's been dominating the fight scene throughout her entire career and quickly became a champion in the UFC in just two years. She likes to keep it on her feet but has the ability to end the fight by submission as well.

Namajunas gained fandom early in her UFC career after participating in the Ultimate Fighter. Although she lost in the final bout of the popular television show, “Thug” has been a problem in the women's Strawweight division. After defeating Joanna Jedrzejczyk twice, who many deemed unbeatable at the time, Rose Namajunas planted herself as one of the best fighters in the world.

Let’s take a look at the sportsbooks to see what the odds are to the co-main event on Saturday night.

UFC 261: Zhang – Namajunas Odds

Weili Zhang (-200)

Rose Namajunas (+170)

Over 4.5 rounds (-135)

Under 4.5 rounds (+105)

How Weili Zhang Wins the Fight

Zhang is favored heading into the matchup, but not by much. We have yet to see her in the Octagon since her historic bout against Joanna Jedrzejczy that ended in a split decision victory for “Magnum.” Heading into this fight, Zhang will need to be ultra prepared, as Namajunas is just as dangerous as she is. The current Strawweight champion's best bet to securing a victory is to keep this one on the feet.

Kickboxing is Zhang's strong suit and she's so good at it, most of her opponents can't keep up with her. Namajunas is solid on her feet as well, but Zhang has the advantage anytime they square up in the middle of the cage. Look for Zhang to do everything she can to keep her distance and open up Namajunas with leg kicks and jabs. After tiring her opponent out, that's when Zhang will go for the strike.

How Rose Namajunas Wins the Fight

Typically known for her abilities as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu artist, “Thug's” stand-up abilities cannot be ignored. Although most of her wins are through submission, she has won two of her last four fights by TKO. Even so, Namajunas' best chance to win on Saturday night is to take the fight to the mat.

It's going to be a tough bout for Rose Namajunas, as Zhang is the toughest opponent she's ever faced. However, if she can stick to a solid game plan of keeping it close, she has a great chance to walk away victorious. Look for Namajunas to get in the clinch, utilize dirty boxing, then take it to the ground and control the cage.

Weili Zhang vs Rose Namajunas Prediction

This is going to be an exciting matchup, as it's nearly a coin toss on who is going to win. Both women are going to put on a display, giving this bout the potential to be a candidate for Fight of the Year. It should go back and forth quite often and we could see a great combination of stand-up and ground game. This is an MMA fan's dream matchup. Namajunas has all of the tools necessary to pull off the upset, especially if she can secure her takedown attempts.

UFC 261 PREDICTION: Rose Namajunas wins by Split Decision