Benita van Rooij vs Giulliany Perêa

👊 Van Rooy has claimed victory in 7 of her 9 professional bouts, with five of those wins coming by submission. However, both of her defeats have come via strikes—most recently, Jacinta Austin stopped her with a first-round TKO back in March. Pereira boasts a more varied resume, picking up two wins by knockout, one by submission, and two by decision. The Brazilian’s lone loss came in June, when she dropped a split decision to Juliana Kosnar after going the distance over five rounds.

For Van Rooy, the clearest path to victory lies in taking the fight to the mat early, where she consistently threatens with chokes and dangerous grappling positions. Yet Pereira has already proven her durability over longer fights and has never been finished inside the distance. If the Brazilian can keep her range and avoid being pinned down on the canvas, her striking advantage should begin to tell as the contest wears on. Van Rooy’s vulnerability to heavy shots—an issue that has cost her before—remains a key concern. That’s why my pick is: Jullyana Pereira to win.