It is nice to see Pudilova back in the UFC for a second run. If
nothing else, she has typically brought some entertainment.
Pudilova came to the UFC as a late-notice signing in 2017 and
obviously was not ready for the big stage. While she made some hay
through sheer aggression, she was not a standout athlete and
struggled mightily against opponents who could consistently
outwrestle her. She still hung onto the roster for three years
despite an overall lack of success and did well to earn her way
back to the UFC, winning five out of six fights in her native Czech
Republic. Honestly, it does not appear much has changed. She is in
better shape physically but still is not much of a finisher; and as
her 2021 loss to fellow UFC veteran Talita
Bernardo showed, she can still be controlled by someone with a
consistent wrestling game. However, considering the state of the
women’s bantamweight division at the moment, Pudilova could still
make a march up the ladder. None of that figures to matter against
Wu. Riding a three-fight losing streak, it is a bit of a surprise
that Wu is still with the UFC given how little things have clicked
for her during her time with the promotion. She has a long frame,
is a passable athlete and has a decent level of skill, but it just
has not added up to much. Part of that is “Mulan” typically having
an aimless approach centered around a low-output range striking
game, which leaves it to her opponents to dictate the terms of the
fight while often succeeding in doing so. Even Wu’s lone UFC win
saw her snatch an armbar from a disadvantageous position against
Lauren
Mueller. Pudilova should be able to pour on aggression and is
the much more comfortable of the two in the scrap, so this figures
to be a successful return to the UFC. The pick is Pudilova via
decision.
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