On the prelims of UFC 314, we are going to see a potential title eliminator in the strawweight division. Top contender and former title challenger Yan Xiaonan (19-4) will be taking on surging contender Virna Jandiroba (21-3).
Starting with Yan, she’ll be looking for her second straight win following her title loss to Zhang Weili. Yan earned a title shot at UFC 300 after she went 7-2 in her first nine fights including a knockout over Jessica Andrade. She gave Weili a tough fight but ultimately fell short. Now, she’s hoping that she can get a rematch with a win over Jandiroba.
Jandiroba had some hype behind her when she made her UFC debut back in 2019. She was 14-0 and she was the Invicta champion before making her octagon debut. However, she lost to Carla Esparza in her debut and went just 3-3 in her first six fights. However, since then she’s won four fights in a row including a second round submission win over former title challenger Amanda Lemos.
UFC 314 Prediction
This fight tomorrow night is your classic striker versus grappler. This one really isn’t that hard to break down it more comes down to who you think will be successful. On the feet, Yan Xiaonan is a much better striker. She’s much more fluid and has the advantage in a major way in terms of the striking.
Jandiroba is a sensational grappler and fighters have had a hard time staying up when she gets ahold of them. We’ve seen her impose her will on her opponents and while she doesn’t look that impressive when she’s in there, she’s just effective and knows how to get the job done.
I would like to think that Yan has improved her takedown defense, but I’m not sure she’s done enough to win at UFC 314. I think the durability of Jandiroba will keep her standing and allow her to push forward. I think she’ll be able to get ahold of Yan and she’ll land enough takedowns and have enough control time to win a decision likely earning her a shot at Zhang Weili.
Prediction: Virna Jandiroba by Decision