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Women’s Strawweights

Jaqueline Amorim (6-1, 0-1 UFC) vs. Montserrat Ruiz (10-2, 1-1 UFC)

ODDS: Amorim (-238), Ruiz (+195)

Amorim’s UFC debut in April came with some intrigue. A highly touted grappler, the Brazilian had finished most of her professional opponents on the mat, all within a round, and Sam Hughes figured to be a solid test to see how well she could hang against better competition. Amorim’s first trip to the Octagon had its fair share of highs and lows. She got out to a hot start with a dominant first round but proved to have about five minutes of cardio as she flagged badly down the stretch, allowing Hughes to walk away with a clear decision win. Amorim looks to rebound against Ruiz, who returns after a two-year layoff for what could be a strange fight, though that is true of most of her bouts. At 5-foot, “Conejo” is a ball of muscle with a quite unorthodox game built mostly around head-and-arm throws, which she will use to bank time through either headlocks or submission attempts. It is a one-note approach that can throw off some talented opponents. Ruiz’s UFC debut against Cheyanne Vlismas was an amusing instance of her frustrating an opponent for 15 minutes. However, it can also get blown up by stronger competition, as was the case in her 35-second loss to Amanda Lemos her last time out. Ruiz can keep up her game for as long as she needs to, so she figures to take advantage of Amorim’s cardio issues if this goes any length of time. With that said, pursuing a grappling match with Amorim early figures to be a losing battle for the Mexican. The pick is Amorim via first-round submission.

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