UFC 264 is set to begin on Saturday night. There is a huge Women's Bantamweight matchup between Irene Aldana and Yana Kunitskaya with everything on the line. The winner could become the next challenger for the belt. It's time to continue our UFC odds series with an Irene Aldana-Yana Kunitskaya prediction and pick.
Aldana is coming off of a loss from Holly Holm and aims to get back in the win column at UFC 264. She's a well-rounded fighter but tends to keep it on the feet, as she is a dominant striker. Aldana is currently ranked fourth in her division and a win could lead her to a title fight against Amanda Nunes.
Kunitskaya has been on a roll recently going 4-1 in her last five fights. Each of those four victories has come by unanimous decision, as she has yet to earn a finish since joining the UFC in 2018. A win over Aldana will be huge for her career, as she'll become a top contender once again.
Here's how the sportsbooks have set the odds for this Women's Bantamweight matchup.
UFC 264 odds: Irene Aldana-Yana Kunitskaya odds
Irene Aldana (-110)
Yana Kunitskaya (-110)
Over 2.5 rounds (-325)
Under 2.5 rounds (+250)
How Irene Aldana wins the fight
Irene Aldana has the height advantage, as she is roughly four inches taller than Kunitskaya. This is a great matchup for Aldana, as she can use her size to her advantage. Kunitskaya is an aggressive fighter, so it would be wise for Aldana to take her time and use sharp counters to gain the edge. Patience will be key for Aldana, as this one could be a long, grueling fight.
Although she likes to keep the fight standing, Aldana has three submission victories under her belt. This is an area where Kunitskaya is weak, as she has been submitted twice in her career so far. A smart strategy for Aldana would be to use her jab and leg kicks to keep her opponent at bay, then once Kunitskaya is tired, take her to the ground. This is where Aldana can prove to be the better fighter in the cage on Saturday night.
How Yana Kunitskaya wins the fight
“Foxy” is a dangerous fighter who comes out aggressively in most of her bouts. As mentioned earlier in this Irene Aldana-Yana Kunitskaya prediction piece, the latter is shorter than Aldana, but they have the same reach. She's built some momentum after winning two straight fights and hopes to make it a third. She's well on her way back to fighting for the belt, but she must defeat Irene Aldana first. Although she is smaller, Kunitskaya can use that to her advantage.
Look for Kunitskaya to make this a dirty boxing match. Getting inside, working the body, and hitting Aldana with leg kicks and uppercuts could wear her down. Kunitskaya will want to avoid being taken down though, but she's more than capable if she's on top and in control. Her game plan should be simple. Overwhelm Aldana by controlling the octagon, then take her down and finish the fight with ground and pound.
Irene Aldana-Yana Kunitskaya prediction & pick
The odds put this bout at a coin flip. It can go either way as they each match up with each other well. One thing to take note of is that Aldana did struggle with weigh-ins. That could play into the fight and possibly give Kunitskaya the slight advantage she needs. This one is likely to go the distance, with the winner being whoever sticks to their game plan the most. With that said, the card results could be close, as we might see a split decision victory.
FINAL PICK: Yana Kunitskaya wins by Split Decision
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