Preview: UFC Fight Night 201 Prelims

Women’s Strawweights

NR | Diana Belbita (14-6, 1-2 UFC) vs. NR | Gloria de Paula (5-4, 0-2 UFC)

ODDS: Belbita (-110), de Paula (-110)

This should be an interesting battle between two fighters still trying to figure things out at the UFC level. At the very least, Belbita is now coming off of her first win in the UFC—something that was not necessarily a given. Having risen out of a weak regional circuit in her native Romania, Belbita’s style was built around unchecked aggression, as she seemed absolutely unprepared for a better level of competition. Her first two UFC bouts resulted in one-sided losses, but with a change in camps that included a move to Canada, Belbita looked much better in her September win against Hannah Goldy. Aided by Goldy’s tentativeness, Belbita looked slightly less wild but clearly won a decision through her offensive output. She will look to continue that momentum against de Paula, who is searching for her first UFC victory in her third trip to the Octagon. “Glorinha” showed off a well-rounded game in earning a contract via Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020 but might wind up being undone by her lack of high-level athleticism. Jinh Yu Frey controlled her without much issue, and Cheyanne Vlismas knocked her out in a minute flat. When she has an athletic advantage, de Paula can get a lot done in an impressive fashion, but her jack-of-all-trades approach leaves her without anything to hang onto if she is overwhelmed from the jump. It is unclear if Belbita clears that bar. She lacks the athleticism of Frey and Vlismas but still looks superior to de Paula in that regard; and she is willing to pour on offense at the first opportunity. Belbita’s defensive instincts are still relatively non-existent, so there is a chance that the Romanian simply charges into a submission or a knockout blow. However, she still seems like the more reliable fighter in a matchup that is hard to parse. The pick is Belbita via decision.

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