The flyweight division will make an appearance for UFC Fight Island 8 with Roxanne Modafferi vs Viviane Araujo. Modafferi is seeking her first UFC winning streak, while Araujo looks to gain momentum with a consecutive win. Sportsbooks favor Araujo due to consistency, but Modafferi has excellent value as an underdog, so I like her to win this fight.
UFC Fight Island 8 on Yas Island will feature a flyweight bout of Roxanne Modafferi vs Viviane Araujo. Both women won their previous fights and are each looking to start a winning streak. Modafferi is the older fighter at 38, but she went 2-1 in 2020 and won her last fight against Andrea Lee back on September 12. Araujo, 34, is 3-1 so far in her UFC career, her lone loss being her bout with Jessica Eye in December 2019. Araujo is an up-and-coming fighter with a well-rounded fighting style and has impressed so far in her UFC career. She’s closed as the favorite for her last three fights and hasn’t been an underdog since her May 11, 2019 bout against Talita Bernardo, which she ended up winning by KO/TKO in the 3rd round. Modafferi is a seasoned fighter with more than ten years of professional MMA experience under her belt, including numerous titles, but her UFC has been up-and-down. She’s taken the “win some, lose some” phrase quite literally. Whenever she wins a fight, she follows it up directly with a loss. She just can’t seem to repeat. “The Happy Warrior” is resilient, though. For her bout against Maycee Barber back in January 2020, she closed as a massive underdog at +525. She ended up winning by unanimous decision. You’ve got to love her tenacity, especially at 38 years old. NJ online sports betting sites have the best MMA predictions. UFC betting sites in NJ recognize Araujo as the favorite, but there’s excellent value going with Modafferi on the moneyline. NJ sportsbook reviews are available to compare odds, but FanDuel’s got the best value if you bet on Modafferi at +285. Modaferri is trying to stay afloat in the UFC by breaking her roller-coaster pattern in the win/loss column, while Araujo is looking to make a statement in the flyweight division. Araujo is tough as nails, but I think Modaferri finally wins her second consecutive fight against the fiery Brazilian.
Araujo is a spunky fighter with great agility and skills, but I like Modafferi to prove the critics wrong yet again. It’ll be a close fight that will go the distance, but I’m going to ride with “The Happy Warrior” for her odds value and her recent perseverance as an underdog. My prediction: Modafferi takes it by unanimous decision.