UFC 312 Preview And Predictions

UFC 312 Preview And Predictions

The UFC is heading to Sydney, Australia for UFC 312. The event includes a pair of title fights atop that card. The remainder of the event is filled with local talent. Unfortunately, a bevy of the best Australians and New Zealanders are missing from the event.

Join Vendetta Sports Media as we preview and predict the UFC 312 main card. You can find our prediction records below.

James: 7-9

Garrett: 7-9

Anthony: 7-9

Jerry: 7-9

Jake Matthews vs. Francisco Prado- Welterweight Bout 

James: The UFC 312 main card opens with a welterweight bout between Jake Matthews and Francisco Prado. Matthews is a 30-year-old with an unusual amount of experience for his age. His decade-long UFC run has resulted in a 13-7 record. That is a respectable run, considering he joined the promotion at a young age. Prado also entered the UFC at a young age. The difference is that he is still 22 years old. In the UFC, he has 1-2. The important aspect of this fight is that it will be Prado’s first fight at welterweight since moving up a weight class. 

Matthews started his UFC career as a grappling. That is still the strong point of his skill set. His approach to grappling is submission-focused. That results in landing takedown with the idea of looking for submissions. In his career, he has continuously made striking improvements. This is most obvious in his ability to string boxing combinations together. At points in his career, he has shown the ability to mix hooks, uppercuts, and body shots into combinations. 

Prado’s premier skill is his boxing. At his best, he moves his head while closing the distance and unleashing powerful hooks. These strikes are not sloppy overhands. Instead, he throws tight shots and hunts for the finish. Plus, those strikes can be used as lethal counters. 

This UFC 312 bout is an interesting fight to preview. I view Prado’s skillset with positivity. That said, he is being forced to overcome serious obstacles. The biggest issue is that he is inexperienced and has a raw skill set. On top of that, he is undersized for the welterweight division. The move up to welterweight may be a positive from a long-term standpoint, but it will be a challenge at UFC 312. It does not help that he is making his divisional debut against a quality fighter with a ton of experience. That dynamic is present alongside a gap in grappling skills. Matthews is simply a high-level grappler. It is to much for the 22-year-old to overcome. I will take Matthews by decision. 

Garrett: Matthews via TKO

Anthony: Matthews via decision

Jerry: Matthews via decision

Jimmy Crute vs. Rodolfo Bellato- Light Heavyweight Bout

James: The UFC 312 main card features a light heavyweight bout between Jimmy Crute and Rodolfo Bellato. Crute is making a comeback to MMA after being out of competition for over a year. In his initial UFC tenure, he went 4-4-1. The issue is that he ended his career on a 0-3-1 run. Now, he looks to rejuvenate his career. It would be a feat that many fighters fail to accomplish. At 28-years-old, there is more room for optimism in his situation. Meanwhile, Bellato is a Dana White’s Contender Series signee with a 1-0 UFC record. This card placement will provide him with a chance to make a statement for the fans. 

Crute has a respectable set of skills. This is mostly on the offensive side of the equation. He has the power to hurt opponents and deal damage. Plus, he is a solid grappler who can do solid work from the top position. The biggest flaw in his game is his striking defense. Crute gets hit far too often and it was the main issue during his recent slide. 

Bellato has a similar striking defense flaw. In the past, he has been put out cold because of his defensive flaws. The positives are that he is a tough fighter who finds ways to land effective offense. He accomplishes this with offensive grappling, clinch work, dirty boxing, and pressure. It should also be noted that he has the cardio to maintain a pace. 

This UFC 312 preview comes down to Crute’s commitment to the sport. If he still wants to be a UFC fighter, he can put together a game plan to win. On the opposite side, if he does not want to be locked in the octagon, Bellato is a functional fighter who is more than willing to show him the door. At the end of the day, I have no interest in taking a fighter with the motivation question of Crute. I will take Bellato by second-round knockout. 

Garrett: Bellato via TKO

Anthony: Bellato via decision

Jerry: Crute via decision

Justin Tafa vs. Tallison Teixeira- Heavyweight Bout 

James: At UFC 312, Justin Tafa will fight Tallison Teixeira. Tafa has a decent chunk of experience in the UFC. At the moment, he sits at 4-4 with one no content. It has not been a resounding run, but he is a solid benchmark when looking to determine if a fighter is UFC caliber. That will be useful in this bout. Teixeira is making his UFC debut after earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. The 25-year-old is a raw prospect worth testing against UFC competition. 

Tafa’s entire game is centered around landing knockout shots. This is best accomplished with counterstrikes. Although, his lack of grappling defense can limit his offensive striking opportunities. 

Teixeira is six-foot-seven with an 83-inch reach. That is a massive piece of his skill set. The best weapons in his arsenal are his jab, straight, knees, and head kicks. Those weapons are dangerous and can end the fight. The flaw is that he does not manage range and can be hit cleanly. 

This UFC 312 bout is a strange fight to preview. Teixeira’s worrisome, striking defense is a massive concern, considering Tafa’s power. At the same time, it never feels good to pick Tafa based on his recent string of poor performances. Seeing Teixeira land big shots from a distance would not be a surprise. Plus, Teixeira will be at a massive advantage if he can show any competent grappling skills. I am not in love with either side of this matchup, but I will take Tafa by first-round knockout. 

Garrett: Teixeira via TKO

Anthony: Tafa via KO/TKO

Jerry: Teixeria via KO/TKO

(C) Zhang Weili vs. No. 1 Tatiana Suarez- UFC Women’s Strawweight Title Fight 

James: The UFC 312 co-main event features a women’s strawweight title fight between Weili Zhang and Tatiana Suarez. Zhang is currently on a four-fight win streak that includes two title defenses. According to the official UFC rankings, that run has garnered her the No. 2 spot in the women’s pound-for-pound rankings. Overall, she is 9-2 in the UFC, with her only losses coming against Rose Namajunas. Suarez has long been touted as a potential champion, but injuries have consistently kept her sidelined. At 34, she has a 10-0 professional record with seven UFC victories. UFC 312 will be a massive opportunity for Suarez to put her skills on display and show what she can accomplish when healthy. 

Weili is an all-time great women’s strawweight fighter. In the history of the division, there has never been a fighter with her combination of physicality and skills. In the striking realm, she has a lot of boxing skills. Her ability to rip shots in the pocket makes her dangerous. In recent bouts, her offensive wrestling has been more potent. Those skill sets are both enhanced because of her strength and athleticism. 

Suarez has an incredibly high ceiling because of her grappling skills. This is because she has an elite wrestling background that is supplemented with a respectable BJJ game. It creates a sensational overall grappling game. This allows her to land takedowns, spend time in top position, and threaten with submissions. The most impressive submission in her tool bag is her front choke series. That allows plays into her wrestling game. Her striking skills are minimal; however, she does not take risks. Suarez will sit on the outside and throw body kicks while waiting to attempt takedowns. 

This UFC 312 title fight previews as a razor-close fight. The winner may end up winning in a one-sided fashion, but the preview has a clear upside for both fighters. Suarez has sensational grappling and should land takedowns. If she gets on top, she can take advantage of Weili’s bottom game. If the champion gets put on her back, she is willing to lay on her back. That issue lost her a title fight against Rose Namajunas. Meanwhile, Weili could do serious damage while Suarez closes the distance in an attempt to land takedowns. 

Ultimately, I will favor Suarez. It is plausible for Weili to a knockout strike while Suarez reaches to initiate a grappling exchange. That said, Weili is typically willing to engage in the clinch. That could be her downfall. The more grappling opportunities Suarez gets will give her a more likely path to victory. I think that is how she gets it done. I will take Suarez by decision. 

Garrett: Suarez via decision

Anthony: Suarez via submission

Jerry: Weili via decision

(C) Dricus Du Plessis vs. No. 1 Sean Strickland- UFC Middleweight Title Fight 

James: The UFC 312 main event features a rematch between Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland. In the first meeting between the pair Du Plessis defeated Strickland by decision to win the middleweight title. Du Plessis continued his title reign with a title defense against Israel Adesanya. Meanwhile, Strickland was awarded a chance to regain the title with a win over Paulo Costa. Now, the pair meet again with Du Plessis putting his belt on the line. 

Du Plessis has mastered his unique fighting style. This is mostly because of his power. He is capable of landing hard with both hands and lands from both stances. This allows him to blitz with big overhands. His opponents must respect those shots because they can greatly change a fight. Similarly, Du Plessis throws hard kicks to all three levels. That includes switch kicks, which allow him to present danger from both sides. In the grappling realm, he aggressively shoots for the legs. In the top position, his strength and size make him dangerous because he can do damage or wear on opponents. 

Strickland has reached this portion of his career with a unique style as well; however, it is a polar opposite in comparison to Du Plessis. Strickland stands straight up and combines straight punches, teeps, and unique defensive mechanics to find success. On the offensive end, he looks to pressure opponents with boxing combinations. This is most commonly done with straight shots, but he will certainly add hooks. Plus, he uses teeps to attack the body and manage distance. The best aspects of his skills are defensive. Strickland is great at seeing and anticipating his opponent’s attacks. This allows him to avoid strikes by interrupting shots with his hands, blocking with his shoulder, or moving his head. 

The UFC 312 main event is a tricky fight to preview. It is difficult to confidently predict how this matchup will go, considering both fighters have unique styles. That is paired with the fact that this is a rematch. The fighter who manages to learn from the pair’s first meeting and make adjustments will be at a massive advantage. If I were forced to predict which fighter made improvements, I would take Du Plessis based on the in-fight improvements he made in the first bout. 

Ultimately, I have to favor Du Plessis. That is for a multitude of reasons. The most important is that he is the more dangerous fighter. That path to landing dangerous strikes is much easier for the fighter with more tools. In turn, that danger also allows him to sit in the pocket and close the distance. If he does that, Strickland is forced to be cautious because he will be in danger. It also must be noted Du Plessis is the fighter with the grappling upside. At a minimum, he can land takedowns to help squeeze out close rounds. If he really gets the grappling going, he is a threat to finish the fight. All of these points forced me toward a Du Plessis pick. I will take Du Plessis by third-round knockout. 

Garrett: Du Plessis via TKO

Anthony: Du Plessis via KO/TKO

Jerry: Du Plessis via submission

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