UFC 269: Oliveira vs Poirier- Prelims: Pedro Munhoz vs Dominick Cruz- Prediction and Analysis

The UFC is back with yet another exciting event. UFC 269 is the last pay-per-view of the year and it will take place inside the T-Mobile Arena on 11th December. Two title fights will feature at the event.

A lightweight title clash between Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier will serve as the main event. Furthermore, a bantamweight title clash between the female fighter Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena will serve as the co-main event.

However, besides the title fights and the main card, the preliminary card of UFC 269 also reflects many amazing fights. One of them is the bantamweight bout between the former champion Dominick Cruz and the Brazilian fighter Pedro Munhoz.

‘The Dominator’ became the bantamweight champion by defeating Urijah Faber in 2016. Later, he went on winning four straight bouts in the division. Unfortunately, the 36-year-old lost his crown to Cody Garbrandt and faced the same fate against Henry Cejudo. However, he has now found his way back to the win column and is fresh from his victory over Casey Kenny.

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Meanwhile, ‘The Young Punisher’ had a decent career in UFC. He made his debut in 2014. Unfortunately, he has won only one fight from his four previous bouts.

It is an important bout for both the fighters to maintain their position in the title race. Hence, ahead of the fight, let’s compare the combatants’ careers, strengths, and weaknesses for a possible result.

Pedro Munhoz vs Dominick Cruz- the Bantamweight War

‘The Dominator’ is one of the most prominent names in the UFC. He has a professional fighting record of 23-3 under his name. He has finished seven opponents via knockouts and one via submission.

On the other hand, ‘The Young Punisher’ has a professional MMA record of 19-6 under his name. He has five knockout wins and eight submission wins on his resume.

Coming into the fight, Cruz has a two-inch height and 3.5-inch reach advantage against the Brazilian. The former will strike from a distance and a good striking game. However, it won’t be a walk in the park for Cruz to face Munhoz.

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The Brazilian lands an average of 5.55 strikes per minute while absorbing 6.02 per minute. It is a concerning number for the former champion. Given his submission wins, ‘The Young Punisher’ also has a good ground game.

However, he has not won a single fight via submission since 2017. Also, he lost three of his previous four fights. It is evident that Munhoz is going through a rough phase currently.

Hence, Cruz has an upper hand, considering his experience against notable UFC fighters. If he is able to keep himself away from Munhoz’s strikes, ‘The Dominator’ will outclass him in the fight.

Final Prediction- Dominick Cruz defeats Pedro Munhoz via decision