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Holly Holm vs Irene Aldana
Saturday night’s event is headlined by a clash that could very well determine the next title challenger in the bantamweight division as former champion Holly Holm looks for a second consecutive victory as she takes on surging contender Irene Aldana.
After coming up short in her bid to reclaim the bantamweight title last summer, Holm got back into the win column in January with a blue-collar effort against Raquel Pennington where she utilized her strength in the clinch and improved grappling skills to grind out the victory. The soon-to-be 39-year-old has won each of her last three non-title fights and remains one of the most formidable talents in the sport, standing as a top contender in two divisions and brandishing a wealth of experience that separates her from the pack.
Aldana stumbled out of the gate upon arriving in the UFC, but has since found her footing, entering Saturday’s contest having won five of her last six outings, with her lone setback being a close split decision loss to the aforementioned Pennington. Last time out, the former Invicta FC standout scored the most impressive victory of her career — a blistering first-round knockout of previously unbeaten Brazilian contender Ketlen Vieira at UFC 245.
This is a classic “old guard vs. next generation” matchup where the seasoned Holm is looking to hold off the advance of the emerging Aldana, and has the potential to not only determine the next title challenger, but, in concert with another fight on this week’s card, may also outline what the coming years in the 135-pound weight class might look like.
Stylistically, there is the potential for this to be an explosive affair as Aldana is an aggressive, but technically sound, striker who stalks her opponents and looks to land big shots, while Holm is at her best playing the matador, intercepting advancing fighters and making them pay for their aggression. That being said, it will be interesting to see if Holm instead opts to work out of the clinch and utilize her wrestling skills, which could potentially neutralize Aldana’s power.
While no promises have been made, a strong performance for either woman on Saturday evening could put them at the top of the list of potential title challengers heading into 2020, and with another crucial divisional conflict taking place earlier in the card, don’t be surprised if the way that one shakes out has an influence on how things transpire in the main event.