UFC, Yoel Romero, Robert Whittaker, Michael Bisping, UFC 213, Middleweight, Georges St-Pierre, Dana White
It's UFC's International Fight Week in Las Vegas, typcially the biggest fight week of the year, with two events. We've already had one which featured what may be the best fight you will see this year with Michael Johnson and Justin Gaethje having an instant classic.
Now comes time for what is traditionally the biggest UFC pay-per-view event of the year with UFC 213. However, it lacks the luster of previous International Fight Week pay-per-view events, and it isn't even the most stacked event this month with UFC 214 and three title fights looming large three weeks from now.
While this show lacks names like Conor McGregor, Anderson Silva, Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey that have made this the can't miss weekend in the past, UFC 213 is a good card at Vegas' T-Mobile Arena with two title fights.
Amanda Nunes defends the UFC women's bantamweight championship against Valentina Shevchenko in the main event, the second time they will have fought inside the Octagon. Nunes is wanting to make it 2-0 against her foe, while Shevchenko is looking to end the Brazilian's title reign before it hits 365 days.
The co-main event sees an interim title being made at 185 pounds as Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker do battle. It remains to be seen what is next for the winner of this fight. Do they get Michael Bisping? Is Bisping still going after a fight with Georges St. Pierre, and if so and GSP wins, what happens then? Perhaps, in the event Romero wins, Bisping immediately announces his retirement. There have been a lot of crazy things going on in this division.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum and Alistair Overeem will fight for the third time, making history as it will be the first time that the same fight has happened in the big three promotions of UFC, PRIDE, and Strikeforce. Former lightweight chapion Anthony Pettis looks to return to lightweight glory as he takes on Jim Miller. Finally, Travis Browne looks to break out of a slump when he takes on Aleksei Olienik on the featured bout of the prelims.
If you're new here, our panel picks are listed below and listed alongside the fighters' names are their worldwide FightMatrix rankings, as well as BestFightOdds.com betting odds. The panelists' 2017 records are in parentheses, and we also have panel consensus picks as well as a line where we show how the betting favorites did:
John Pollock (32-15; .681) -- Fight Network analyst, Live Audio Wrestling co-host, MMA Report co-host
Favorites (31-16; .660)
Consensus Picks (30-16; .652)
Dave Meltzer (30-17; .638) -- Wrestling Observer publisher
David Bixenspan (30-17; .638) – Deadspin pro wrestling columnist; Between the Sheets podcast host
Steve Juon (29-18; .617) -- MMA Mania writer, Angry Marks publisher
Tom Lawlor (6-4; .600) – Co-host Filthy Four Daily; pro wrestling undercard fighter; UFC enhancement talent currently suspended due to wellness violation
Mike Sawyer (28-19; .596) -- Tough Talk MMA publisher
Josh Nason (28-19; .596) -- Host of Josh Nason’s Punch Out, WrestlingObserver.com assistant editor
Mike Sempervive (28-19; .596) -- Wrestling Observer Live and Big Audio Nightmare co-host
Ryan Frederick (26-21; .553) -- WrestlingObserver.com UFC writer
Paul Fontaine (24-23; .511) -- MMADraws.com publisher, WrestlingObserver.com writer
Front Row Brian (23-24; .489) -- MMA newsbreaker, beloved internet personality, podcast host
