Middleweights Chael Sonnen (25-11-1 Leonard Fournette Hat , 4-4 UFC) versus. Brian Stann (11-3, 5-2 UFC)
The actual Matchup: With a middleweight division nearly cleaned outside marketable challengers, Sonnen-Stann could make a viable one, and each guy features a compelling backstory to supply the effort. With Stann’s case, this is the certifiable marketer’s aspiration: he was accorded the Silver Star as a Marine Jalen Ramsey Hat , graduated with the Naval Academy and also shown slow-but-steady improvement as he has marched up your 185-pound ranks.
Sonnen remains really the only title challenger to win more than one round against champion Anderson Silva, and his epic showing within their first bout — previous to his being submitted within the final round — is created all the more impressive when Silva steamrolls any challenger. “The Spider” could definitely take advantage of a Sonnen rematch.
Unbeaten with three outings given that dropping to middleweight, Stann’s more measured and precise strategy has dispatched invaders, making waves in the process. He is not the same fighter that has been blitzed standing inside his second WEC match with Steve Cantwell, as well as drop in weight fits his shape better. Gifted with sound strikes and athleticism — they played linebacker at Navy — he showed he is able to put the injured on opponents along with his knockouts of the particular notoriously durable Chris Leben and past Sengoku Raiden Tournament titleholder Jorge Santiago.
Sonnen Gardner Minshew II Hat , endure, is the best wrestler within the middleweight division, and one of the better wrestlers in the sport in a real MMA context. He has great timing upon transitioning from dazzling to takedowns, top-notch conditioning as well as the ability to control opponents from your top, staying active enough and keep the referee via restarting the motion. He represents MMA’s edition of three yards plus a cloud of dust Ryquell Armstead Hat , and it offers proven brutally successful. Past opponents, such as Nate Marquardt, Yushin Okami in addition to Dan Miller happen to be able to do little but consider sound thumpings along the way.
Sonnen’s glaring some weakness remains submission safety, and previous foes were more successful there than somewhere else; eight of his or her 11 losses are usually by submission. Even so, this matchup knobs on factors which ride in Sonnen’s like Quincy Williams II Hat , as Stann seriously isn’t likely to risk-free a submission and would not have the high-level jiu-jitsu pedigree of your Silva, Paulo Filho and also Jeremy Horn. Stann’s fight of preference involves standing and forcing Sonnen to interact and bang. Accordingly, it has established difficult to bait the Team Mission veteran into this type of match. He simply lures foes directly into exchange range, shoots and takes all of them down.
It will administer a near-perfect efficiency for Stann to win, and he have to remain on his feet on most of at least two effective rounds to accomplish so. Sonnen’s standup seriously isn’t of the world-beating range Josh Oliver Hat , but it is most effective enough, as he’ll lace foes by using straight, basic one-twos as well as the occasional kick to hold them honest before bursting straight into tie them up and take these individuals down. Sonnen’s ability to get the fight around the mat and get down and dirty with body produces, headshots and elbows aplenty furthermore tires out competitors.
Lightweights Melvin Guillard (29-8-2, one NC Jawaan Taylor Hat , 10-4 UFC) or. Joe Lauzon (20-6, 7-3 UFC)
The Matchup: Riding a five-bout successful streak that includes a couple of destructive, high-profile stoppages inside his last a pair of outings, Guillard is a hot property on lightweight. Gifted having explosive power in addition to unmatched physical gear, he brings a rare form of striking to the actual 155-pound division: the ability to obtain people in turbo barrages.
That offensive power is stored by excellent takedown safety Josh Allen Hat , footwork and spry sides, which mean any one facing Guillard will suffer from getting the fight on the mat and averting his big bombs in the operation. In past shows, Guillard has often had the bodily edge in totally obvious tools available, yet mental mistakes and conditioning have hampered your ex in key activities. That is ostensibly during the past, as he is currently training with Greg Jackson and has come up with some career-defining performances since two joined causes.
Lauzon presents a motivating test. “The Ultimate Fighter” Months 5 alum seriously isn’t a strong takedown artist but contains aggression Nick Foles Hat , conditioning and exceptional jiu-jitsu to use positions and push opponents to your point where some people make mistakes on which he can capitalize. In the piled lightweight division, where close decisions can be the rule within deciding fights, a victory inside distance can go long to helping make one’s case intended for moving up the actual ranks. On paper, this one appears to be precisely like the amount of bout where a conclusion is not most likely. Lauzon is far too game to downshift if Guillard proves an excessive amount of of a handful within the feet and also dangerous to let “The Young Assassin” lag if the guy can get it to the ground. Something must give.
The important element in any combat Guillard is riding out the rage and getting him on the mat. He incorporates a strong chin and is comfortable trading punches; moreover, he is exceptionally difficult taking down. The major factor suggestions Lauzon’s modest wrestling DJ Chark Hat , which may impede him in concluding the gap plus taking it on the mat. Guillard excels during punishing tie-up and also takedown attempts, during which your dog often winds up and explodes using a punch, knee or whatever’s there for hurt the adversary and create room for follow-up images.