UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs Sakai – Cole Smith vs Hunter Azure Prelims Prediction and Analysis

UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs Sakai will be one hell of an event. With a packed main card, we should not ignore the fact that there is an equally intense preliminary card lined up.

UFC Vegas 9 will take place in the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fans will see Cole Smith take on Hunter Azure in a bantamweight clash. Both fighters are coming off losses in their previous fights. They will walk into the Apex Facility with redemption on their mind and a look at this as a chance to get back to winning ways.

Two UFC fighters with a point to prove

Cole Smith will return after a loss that ended his seven-fight win streak. Similarly, Smith lost via a unanimous decision against Mitch Gagnon. It was his UFC debut and didn’t look like he got off on the right foot.

Hunter Azure is fresh off his first career defeat. He went up against Brian Kelleher in a featherweight clash. Kelleher ended his streak in the second round via knockout. Prior to this fight, he earned a unanimous decision victory against Brad Katona. He will hope to get back to winning ways as he walks into UFC Vegas 9.

An interesting fact about them is that though Cole Smith has a three-inch height advantage whereas his opponent has a longer reach. This is a well-matched fight. It will be a close one to call. Cole Smith is a good Muay Thai fighter with a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. This makes him a well-rounded fighter and a great match for Azure.

Azure is known for his wrestling abilities. He cannot repeat mistakes from his last fight. The 28-year-old will have to pace himself better. Looking at it from a neutral standpoint, Hunter Azure has the tools at his disposal. With smart fighting, he will outperform Cole Smith. A great fight on paper. We can’t wait to see how this one pans out.

Prediction: Hunter Azure (via Unanimous Decision)