UFC on ESPN 8 - Breakdown & Predictions
When is UFC on ESPN 8? Sunday 17th May, 2020 - 00:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC on ESPN 8? VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, Florida
What channel is UFC on ESPN 8? BT Sport 1
Where can I stream UFC on ESPN 8? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ which can you sign up to here!
Are tickets still available for UFC on ESPN 8? https://www.ufc.com/tickets
Alistair Overeem vs Walt Harris
After the tragedy involving Walt Harris’ stepdaughter and postponements due to the coronavirus pandemic, Harris and Alistair Overeem finally have their date.
As Harris was in no condition to take the fight back in December at UFC on ESPN 7, Jairzinho Rozenstruik stepped in and snapped Overeem's two-fight winning streak which included two knockouts over Sergei Pavlovich and Alexey Oleynik. It was a memorable fight as the modern calculated Overeem, slowly picked Rozenstruik apart avoiding any trouble but with a few seconds left of the fifth round, the accomplished kickboxer unleashed a bomb, exploding Overeem’s lip.
It is great to see Harris back in action after what he has been through. He has looked ruthless in his last two fights, knocking out Sergey Spivak in under a minute and Oleynik in 12 seconds. This came after a huge win – a split decision over Andrei Arlovski. However, it was overturned due to failing a drugs test.
PREDICTION
We can expect Overeem to approach this fight in the same way as he did Rozenstruik. His chin is war-beaten and he has no choice but to have a strategy evolving around his defence, especially as Harris has the same explosive power.
If Harris is in the same form as his last two fights, Overeem is in trouble. Although the Dutch legend is 39 years old, we just saw the elder Glover Teixeira brutalise Anthony Smith so Harris must respect all of Overeem’s skills and that includes his grappling.
We are backing one of the most decorated strikers in MMA to avoid the danger for five rounds with the help of his clinch, but a ferocious Harris knockout can come at any time.
Winner: Overeem via Decision
Claudia Gadelha vs Angela Hill
Claudia Gadelha and Angela Hill provide a fantastic match-up for the co-main event at UFC on ESPN 8.
Gadelha is just happy she has a fight as she has had her last three bouts fall through. She pulled out of her fight with Cynthia Calvillo due to injury, Alexa Grasso missed weight badly for their fight at UFC 246 forcing it to be cancelled and her fight with Marina Rodriguez in April also fell through with Covid-19 responsible this time. Even the elite struggle for winning streaks in the strawweight division and Gadelha is no different. Despite wins against Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Carla Esparza, she has stumbled against Jessica Andrade and Nina Ansaroff. She only fought once last year but it was an impressive decision over over Randa Markos and now she is desperate to build some momentum.
Hill has been far more active with four fights last year and two already in 2020. She got submitted by Markos, responded with a decision win over Jodie Esquibel but lost another decision to Yan Xiaonan, falling victim to the strawweight gauntlet. However, she is now on a three-fight win streak and has never looked better with two TKO’s over Ariane Carnelossi and Hannah Cifers and she is coming off a great unanimous decision win over Loma Lookboonmee.
PREDICTION
Hill is in her prime right now and her striking is at its dynamic best whereas Gadleha has struggled for the consistency that earned her a title shot. This will be a battle of Gadelha’s grappling and Hill’s striking.
If Hill can avoid the takedown for three rounds, she has the speed, power and technique to pepper the Brazilian. Gadelha is a decent striker herself, but she is expected to rely on her bread and butter and get Hill to the mat. She has the jiu-jitsu to get to the finish but she will have to work hard to get Hill to the ground.
Winner: Gadelha via Submission
Dan Ige vs Edson Barboza
The weapon that is Edson Barboza tries his hand down in the featherweight division but has a tough welcome in the form of Dan Ige.
Ige deserves a big fight with his recent performances and that is exactly what he’s got. After losing his UFC debut to Julio Arce in a decision at UFC 220, he has gone on to win his next five and is coming off hard-fought decisions over Kevin Aguillar and Mirsad Bektic.
We are not quite sure how Barboza is going make 145 lbs as he was shredded at 155. That said, the prospect of him unleashing his arsenal in a lighter division is mouth-watering. A new chapter has also come at a good time as he has spent the last five years battling the best of the most stacked division in the UFC. In just his last five fights, he has come off on the losing side to Khabib Nurmagomedov, Kevin Lee, Justin Gaethje and Paul Felder but they are sandwiched between a vintage performance and assassination of Dan Hooker.
PREDICTION
Ige is no joke but if Barboza manages to drop the weight safely and comes in energised, you have to expect him to mercilessly chew him up with his elite striking. If he gets some tips off Jose Aldo, he may look even better but he has barely any body fat as it is and his power will definitely be compromised.
If the weight cut goes badly, Ige will capitalise and has the skill to claim the biggest scalp of his career but if Barboza gets through it smoothly, we could see a new contender for the belt.
Winner: Barboza via KO/TKO
Eryk Anders vs Krzysztof Jotko
Previously scheduled to duke it out last month, Eryk Anders and Krzysztof Jotko now fight on the exciting UFC on ESPN 8 card.
After three losses in a row to Thiago Santos (TKO), Elias Theodorou (split decision) and Khalil Rountree Jr (unanimous decision), Anders has got back to winning ways with a vintage knockout over Vinicius Moreira and an impressive split decision win over Gerald Meerschaert.
Jotko has also got the winning feeling back after a three-fight skid. He succumbed to David Branch (split decision), Uriah Hall (TKO) and Brad Tavares (TKO) but has bounced back with decisions of his own against Alen Amedovski and Marc-Andre Barriault.
PREDICTION
This is a great match-up and both men are very confident about getting another W. Jotko is a very tricky opponent and will back his striking while welcoming the fight to the ground to show off his jiu-Jitsu.
However, Anders’ natural explosiveness should fend off any takedowns or clinches to create space where he will be at his most dangerous and his monstrous left hand may just bag him his ninth knockout.
Winner: Anders via KO/TKO
Song Yadong vs Marlon Vera
Two of the most exciting bantamweight talents try their hand up at featherweight for UFC on ESPN 8 as Song Yadong kicks off the main card with Marlon Vera.
Yadong is one of the most exciting prospects in the bantamweight division right now. Under the wing of Urijah Faber, he blazed onto the scene by winning his first four UFC fights with three finishes. After his biggest win and knockout over Alejandro Perez, he stumbled for the first time in eight bouts fighting to a draw with Cody Stamann where he was deducted a point for an illegal knee.
Vera is not a prospect anymore, but he is showing all the signs of competing for a title one day. He has won his last five, finishing all of them (three knockouts and two submissions) and is coming off a TKO win and ‘performance of the night’ against Andre Ewell.
THE PREDICTION
This is a close fight to call as they have looked so good of late with few holes in their game. Yadong may have slightly more power in his hands and Vera is slicker on the floor but all of their skills may cancel each other out to create a compelling fight of the night contender.
Vera has been finishing people for fun but if there is an early finish you have to back Yadong with his power, but Vera will get stronger as the fight goes on.