Zhang Weili vs. Amanda Lemos Prediction: Battle for Strawweight Gold at UFC 292
The Strawweight belt is on the line for the first time in 2023 as Zhang Weili and Amanda Lemos will battle it out at UFC 292. Who is going to win? Ben Rajavuori breaks down the fight.
Ben Rajavuori
| 7 min
Zhang Weili vs. Amanda Lemos Prediction: Battle for Strawweight Gold at UFC 292
The Strawweight belt is on the line for the first time in 2023 as Zhang Weili and Amanda Lemos will go to war for it at UFC 292. Zhang Weili successfully won the belt back after her losses to Rose Namajunas by submitting Carla Esparza in the second round at UFC 281 in November 2022. Amanda Lemos is hoping to get gold around her waist for the first time in her career. Can Lemos overcome the odds and win as a big underdog?
Zhang Weili vs. Amanda Lemos Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: Saturday, August 19, 2023
- Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
- Where to Watch: PPV
Zhang Weili vs. Amanda Lemos Prediction
Amanda Lemos has found herself in position for the belt off back-to-back finishes against Michelle Waterson-Gomez and Marina Rodriguez. Amanda's best path to victory in any fight is, of course, her power, as eight of her 13 wins have come by way of knockout. She is not familiar with scorecards, as she has been to a decision three times in 16 career fights, which is unusual for a strawweight fighter. She thrives on violence.
While underdogs often bank on their finishing ability to level the playing field against champions, Amanda Lemos possesses an arsenal of powerful strikes and impeccable timing that could potentially disrupt Weili's dominance. Lemos' skill for counter-punching, combined with her punching power, might just be the key to defeating Weili's aggressive champion approach.
Zhang Weili has bounced back nicely after her consecutive losses to Rose Namajunas, with a knockout of Joanna Jedrzejczyk and submission of Carla Esparza, which got her the belt back. Zhang, like Lemos, has gotten through much of her career with aggressiveness and violence. Of her 23 wins, 11 have come by knockout, and eight have come by submission, proving she can finish a fight anywhere. Only four of her wins have come by way of decision. She also possesses a wide variety of striking attacks, as she impressively ended her fight with Jedrzejczyk with a spinning back fist.
Zhang's advantages aren't limited to her athleticism alone. Her ability to grow and improve between training camps sets her apart. She's a fighter who consistently ups her game, an invaluable trait in any athlete.
In a bout that promises to be an explosive contest, Zhang's wrestling could be the game-changer. Lemos has shown a tendency to slow down in fights, which could be her Achilles' heel in a prolonged 25-minute title fight. Lemos has only been scheduled for 25 minutes twice in her career so far, and she didn't go past the third round in either of them. Zhang's well-rounded skill set could see her utilizing wrestling exchanges and kicks to weaken Lemos, wearing her down for the later rounds.
At 36 years of age, this is probably the only title shot for Amanda Lemos, with several other contenders behind her in the division. Zhang is the younger fighter with more high-level experience and more championship experience. Zhang will also be the bigger-framed fighter. Lemos will probably have to land a huge shot that puts Zhang away to win, which isn't out of the question, but it just isn't very likely in my eyes. I'm backing Zhang to deploy her wrestling in the later rounds and finish a tired Lemos. I'm taking submission for +450, but a knockout/ground and pound wouldn't surprise me, either. Double chance is safest.
Zhang Weili vs. Amanda Lemos Pick
Pick: Zhang Weili by KO/TKO or Submission -150 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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