Zhang Weili vs. Rose Namajunas will be the second of three title fights at UFC 261 betting on April 24 from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.
This should be a banger between the former women's strawweight champion and fan-favorite Namajunas and the current 115-pound title-holder Zhang.
UFC betting lines have Zhang as a -192 favorite while Namajunas comes back at +154
Here are our best free Zhang vs. Namajunas picks and predictions for UFC 261 on Saturday, April 24.
Zhang vs Namajunas fight odds
| Method of Victory | Zhang Weili | Rose Namajunas |
|---|---|---|
| Win Outright | -192 | +154 |
| Win by KO/TKO | +270 | +550 |
| Win by Points | +160 | +460 |
| Win by Submission | +1,400 | +800 |
| Draw | +5,000 | +5,000 |
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook as of April 19, 2021.
Zhang vs Namajunas betting preview
Zhang "Magnum" Weili began her MMA career with a loss but has since won 21 fights in a row, including five at the UFC level. She's coming off a war against Joanna J?drzejczyk last March that was named Fight of the Night and might have been the best UFC fight of the entire year.
Magnum combines power and relentless pressure with formidable wrestling ability.
"Thug" Rose Namajunas will be looking to regain the championship after losing it to Jessica Andrade in 2019. Thug Rose got revenge for that defeat with a split-decision victory over Andrade last summer and is 7-2 in her last nine fights.
The 28-year-old is a very well-rounded fighter that combines dynamic submissions with excellent footwork and crisp boxing ability.
Zhang vs Namajunas tale of the tape
| Zhang Weili | Rose Namajunas | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Age | 28 |
| 5-foot-5 | Height | 5-foot-5 |
| 115 lbs | Weight | 115 lbs |
| 63 inches | Reach | 65 inches |
| 21-1-0 (10 KO) | Record | 10-4-0 (1 KO) |
Zhang vs Namajunas UFC predictions and betting picks
PREDICTION: Namajunas to win (+154) - As awesome as Zhang looked in her previous fight it was a close split-decision win, with Jedrzejczyk having a 186-165 edge in significant strikes. And keep in mind that Namajunas has a pair of recent wins against Jedrzejczyk herself, including a first-round knockout to claim the strawweight title in 2017.
Zhang's relentless pressure could meet its match with Namajunas' crisp boxing and ability to counter. Although Zhang has a clear edge when it comes to power, Namajunas did an excellent job of handling Andrade's power in her last fight.
Namajunas also had the advantage standing up against Andrade in their first fight before getting knocked out by a body slam. Namajunas is the more skilled fighter and that, combined with her dangerous submission game, gives her value as an underdog.
PREDICTION: Namajunas by points (+460) - Namajunas may have won the title in 2017 by stopping Jedrzejczyk with a flurry of strikes but that's the only KO/TKO win on her resume.
Zhang is extremely tough and has never been stopped in her career. Hell, she hasn't even been knocked down or taken down in five career UFC fights. If Namajunas gets the win it will likely be by decision, just like her previous two victories.
PREDICTION: Fight to go the distance - Yes (-122) - Four of Namajunas' last seven fights have gone the distance while three of Zhang's five bouts in the octagon have gone to the judges' cards.
Even with plenty of action expected in this fight, we're expecting a close battle that goes the full 25 minutes.
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