UFC Fight Island 8: Roxanne Modafferi vs. Viviane Araujo Picks and Predictions

Roxanne Modafferi and Viviane Araujo face off in the main card in a woman’s flyweight bout at UFC Fight Island 8 on Wednesday at UFC Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. 

Roxanne “The Happy Warrior” Modafferi comes into this fight with a 25-18 record overall but she has been ultra inconsistent. Over the last eight fights, Modafferi has a 4-4 record but she is coming off a win in their last fight. Modafferi’s last fight was against Andrea Lee and she was actually oustruck 97-60 but she had four takedowns and that was enough to come away with the unanimous decision. Modafferi is averaging 3.14 significant strikes per minute while absorbing 4.96 significant strikes per minute. Modafferi is averaging 1.55 successful takedowns every 15 minutes, but she is only successful on 25 percent of them. Modafferi also only stops 36 percent of her opponents' takedown attempts. 

Viviane “Vivi” Araujo comes into this fight with a 9-2 record overall and since coming into the UFC she has won three of the last four fights. Araujo’s last fight came against Montana De La Rosa in September of 2020 and even though she was oustruck, she had better ring control and that was enough to come away with the unanimous decision victory. Araujo is averaging 4.77 significant strikes per minute while absorbing 5.32 significant strikes per minute. Araujo is also averaging 1.88 successful takedowns every 15 minutes and she is successful on 53 percent of her attempts. Araujo has also stopped 92 percent of her opponents takedown attempts. In this fight for Araujo it’s all going to be about controlling the fight and fighting the fight at her pace. 

AUTHOR: Shane Mickle

To Be Continued...