Preview: UFC 220 ‘Miocic vs. Ngannou’
Barroso vs. Villante
Light Heavyweight
Francimar Barroso (19-6) vs. Gian Villante (15-9)Advertisement
ANALYSIS: Ladies and gentlemen, this is a Villante bout. If you so wanted, I could be a persnickety analyst and give you all the defensive stats at which you could shake a stick. However, I am going to assume you have seen Villante fight before and are well-aware that, regardless of whatever FightMetric statistics have to offer, he is the worst defensive 205-pound fighter ever.
Maybe that is a stretch, but have you seen the man fight? The former Hofstra linebacker is certainly a plus athlete. He has a wrestling background, is a natural and fluid competitor and even has natural pop in his strikes. The problem here, as with any Villante fight, is that he seems completely and willingly opposed to moving out of the way of any strike.
Barroso’s offense is not varied: The Brazilian is going to throw overhand rights and seek to shoot behind them immediately. The longer Villante can prolong the fight, the better, as his chin will win out over Barroso’s miserable cardio. However, Villante’s hittability cannot be overlooked. The American eats a staggering 5.49 significant strikes per minute, and worse, if you have seen him fight with the naked eye, you know how free, exposed and exploitable his chin is. Barroso may not swing with much accuracy or intent but he has power, and if he connects, it could make the dominoes fall.
With that said, even if Villante only enjoys a one-inch reach advantage, Barroso’s squat stance and helicoptering punches only intensify his natural reach advantage. Because his defense is so poor, it is almost a given that we will have a moment with Villante on roller skates fighting to preserve his consciousness. Nonetheless, his superior wrestling and the ability to throw random overhand rights with Barroso from distance should keep him safe here. It will not be without difficult moments, but Villante should win himself a decision here.
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