UFC 245 breakdown: Does Germaine de Randamie have what it takes to upset Amanda Nunes?
MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at a featured title fight for UFC 245.
UFC 245 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
Amanda Nunes (18-4 MMA, 11-1 UFC)
Staple info:
- Height: 5’8″ Age: 31 Weight: 135 lbs. Reach: 69″
- Last fight: TKO win over Holly Holm (July 6, 2019)
- Camp: American Top Team (Florida)
- Stance/striking style: Orthodox/muay Thai
- Risk management: Good
Supplemental info:
+ UFC bantamweight and featherweight champion
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ Judo brown belt
+ 13 KO victories
+ 3 submission win
+ 13 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Underrated footwork
+ Improved jab
+ Dangerous right hand
+ Hard leg kicks
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Good hip awareness
+ Solid top game
Germaine de Randamie (9-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC)
Staple info:
- Height: 5’9″ Age: 35 Weight: 135 lbs. Reach: 72.5″
- Last fight: TKO win over Aspen Ladd (Aug. 13, 2019)
- Camp: CSA Holland (The Netherlands)
- Stance/striking style: Orthodox/muay Thai
- Risk management: Good
Supplemental info:
+ Former UFC featherweight champion
+ 10x muay Thai world champion
^ 46-0 as a pro (with 30 KO’s)
+ 4 KO victories
+ 3 first-round finishes
+ Excellent footwork
^ Seldom throws self out of position
+ Accurate left hook and right cross
^ Coming forward or off the counter
+ Solid kicking acumen
+ Strong inside of the clinch
^ Steers and strikes with knees
+ Shows signs of improved wrestling/grappling
^ Limited grappling sample size
Point of interest: Looming right hands
The third title fight billed for UFC 245 features a fun rematch for the bantamweight belt that will be contested between two ladies who carry heavy right hands.
Coined “the female Anderson Silva” early on in her MMA career, Germaine de Randamie came into the UFC as one of the most accoladed muay Thai fighters next to Valentina Shevchenko.
Like many high-level Thai strikers (both Dutch and Thai styles alike), de Randamie seldom throws herself out of position when stalking down her prey. Utilizing a solid jab to prod distance, the former featherweight champ puts together her punches nicely as she throws an accurate cross from her power side.
Intelligently reading her opposition’s exits and retreats, de Randamie will smartly corral opponents to her preferred range with devastating head kicks that she uses to punctuate her combinations when feeling in stride. And with her being used to fighters trying to invade her space (especially in MMA), de Randamie shows no issue in letting cross-hook counters fly in and out of the breaks.
Still, as good as de Randamie is, she has shown – both in MMA and muay Thai – that she is not beyond getting stung with power coming back at her.
Enter Amanda Nunes.
A fighter who came storming aggressively out of the gates, Nunes has had to refine her natural aptitude for combat. Training boxing since the age of 16, Nunes has rounded out her game with effective muay Thai since entering MMA.
Initially forcing her way into exchanges (and producing quick results in doing so), Nunes has slowly sharpened her skills, smartly adjusting her pressuring approach. Most notably, Nunes has improved her footwork, circling just outside of range as opposed to rushing right in.
Intelligently circling or taking the appropriate angles, the double champ has been able to improve her distance management, striking technique and shot selection, making the power coming off of her frame more potent in the process. This, coupled with Nunes’ upgraded jab and feints, could help her dissuade the offense that may be coming her way.
Nunes has also proven to use her jab much more efficiently to set up her crosses and hooks, as well as utilizing it as a check to either the head or body to help exit exchanges safely.
Even though Nunes has proven in recent years that she can conduct herself accordingly in the striking department for prolonged periods of time, I do wonder/worry if the sitting champion runs the risk of getting too comfortable playing de Randamie’s game should she not attempt to take things to the floor.