MMA Preview – Julia Avila vs Julija Stoliarenko at UFC Vegas 22
JULIA AVILA VS JULIJA STOLIARENKO FACTS
When is UFC Vegas 22? Saturday 20th March, 2021 - 22:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC Vegas 22? UFC APEX, Enterprise, Nevada (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC Vegas 22? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC events
What channel is UFC Vegas 22 on? BT Sport 1
Where can I stream UFC Vegas 22? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
JULIA AVILA VS JULIJA STOLIARENKO LOWDOWN
Julia Avila (8-2) is returning after her first UFC loss and really her first proper defeat. She mangled her finger to put a premature end to her fight with Marciea Allen back in 2018 for Invicta. After that, she went on a tear knocking out three of her four opponents. She earnt a unanimous decision on her UFC debut against Pannie Kianzad and quickly disposed of Gina Mazany but Sijara Eubanks proved to be the first hump in the road for Avila taking the unanimous decision in September.
We first saw Julija Stoliarenko (9-4-2) in the UFC as a featherweight on The Ultimate Fighter despite being a natural bantamweight. She took Leah Letson to a split decision but lost in the finale falling short of getting a UFC contract. However, the armbar machine racked up four armbars in a row for various promotions and a split decision over Lisa Verzosa before getting the call up. However, she got paired with Yana Kunitskaya with the Russian walking away with the unanimous decision.
JULIA AVILA VS JULIJA STOLIARENKO PREDICTION
Both women are finishers which will create an exciting scrap. After Avila got grinded out to a decision we could see her go back to her old ways of firing out of the gate like a gun. That may not be a bad idea as Stoliarenko is a a very consistent and durable fighter.
The Lithuanian will be preparing for an early onslaught and she knows if she can drag the fight into the second round and beyond, she can wait for Avila to tire and land a takedown. If the fight goes to the floor, Stoliarenko will be extremely dangerous hunting the submission and as she is a heavy underdog, she is well worth a punt.
But only if she can get out of the first round. If Avila catches Stoliarenko, she has the killer instinct to get the finish and her recent loss will give her extra fire.
Prediction: Avila via KO/TKO - CLICK HERE FOR PARIMATCH'S WELCOME OFFER (BET £5, GET £30 IN BONUSES!)
Value Bet: Stoliarenko via Submission or Decision
