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Light Heavyweights

Rodolfo Bellato (11-2, 0-0 UFC) vs. Ihor Potieria (19-4, 1-2 UFC)

ODDS: Bellato (-455), Potieria (+350)

If nothing else, Ukraine’s Potieria will go down in history as the man who retired Mauricio Rua, as he knocked out “Shogun” in the Brazilian legend’s last fight in January. Past that, Potieria has struggled to make his game translate from a weak regional scene, though he still clearly has some athletic potential. However, Potieria starts hot and does not seem to have much thought as to what happens against opponents who do not fold—an increasingly common issue against better competition. After charging into a knockout from Carlos Ulberg in May, Potieria looks to rebound against a Brazilian newcomer in Bellato, a two-time Dana White’s Contender Series alum who earned a UFC contract in October. Bellato is an interestingly well-rounded talent for the light heavyweight division who might run into his own issues in the UFC, as evidenced by his two career losses—both to current UFC prospect Vitor Petrino. In his wins, Bellato has shown off a complete game built around a patient striking attack and some control-heavy wrestling and grappling, a nice change of pace from the often-one-dimensional strikers the division has to offer. The Petrino fight showed there is some cause for worry that his game might fall apart against a consistent power puncher unwilling to concede to Bellato’s slow pace, particularly if he cannot get his opponent to the mat. That makes for a clear dynamic, as Potieria either finds a quick win with one of his aggressive blitzes or gets sabotaged by his poor cardio, and the UFC vet seems worth the flier despite the clear possibility that things go quite south. The pick is Potieria via first-round knockout.

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