UFC 112: Undercard Preview
In a couple of short days, the UFC will be making its debut in the Middle East, as it broadcasts UFC 112 from Abu Dhabi. Today, we break down the undercard, featuring former TUF competitors, NCAA wrestling champions, and a mean Swede looking to knock his way out to the UFC's main card.
Jon Madsen (4-0) vs. Mostapha Al-turk (6-5)
Jon Madsen brings his 4-0 record to Abu Dhabi in hopes of not becoming just another Ultimate Fighter has-been. Madsen, fresh off a split decision victory over fellow TUF 11 competitor Justin Wren, is NCAA Division II wrestling champion (doesn't it seem like everyone with a wrestling background is a national champ these days) and is most comfortable when the fight is on the mat.
Mostapha Al-turk is currently on a two fight losing streak and could be fighting for his employment. A former Cage Rage champion, Al-turk has endured back to back TKO losses at the hands of Cro Cop and Chieck Kongo. Like Madsen, his strength is on the mat, but he also has some knockout power, with 4 of his 6 victories coming via knockout.
Look for…
…this fight to stay on the mat, where both are strongest. Both men have some heavy hands with knockout power, but considering these are two men who are trying to establish themselves in the heavyweight division, they should both play to their strengths. Madsen gets the edge here.
Paul Kelly (9-2) vs. Matt Veach (11-1)
A veteran of five UFC fights, Paul Kelly brings a solid ground striking and wrestling background to this fight. Kelly has trained with Michael Bisping for years at the Wolfsair MMA Academy in England and made a name for himself in the UK before moving to the UFC. Finishing fights, however, is not Kelly's strong suit, as he hasn't ended an opponent's evening early in almost three years.
Fighting out of Matt Hughes' H.I.T. Squad camp, Matt Veach is coming off of a submission loss to Frankie Edgar, the lone blemish on his MMA career. A former NCAA Division 1 wrestler, Veach brings a similar game to this fight as Paul Kelly, except slightly more fine-tuned.
Look for…
…Matt Veach to control the fight and do everything Paul Kelly does, but just a little bit better. Kelly has jumped around between three weight classes over the past couple of years and has yet to find a comfortable niche. Veach should take this one.
Damarques Johnson (13-7) vs. Brad Blackburn (15-10-1 1 NC)
Runner up during TUF 9, Damarques Johnson is a skilled jiu-jitsu practitioner, sporting a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Johnson has 13 wins in his MMA career, with 7 coming via submission. His last fight against Edgar Garcia got him 2009 Submission of the Year honors and honorable mention for 2009 Fight of the Year from UFC.com.
A winner in 3 of 4 fights inside the octagon, Brad Blackburn possesses serious knockout power, having knocked out his opponent in 8 of his wins. In his most recent fight, Blackburn was rattled twice by TUF 7 winner, Amir Sadollah, and ended up losing a unanimous decision.
Look for…
…Johnson to mix it up and try Blackburn standing up, falling back on his jiu-jitsu if necessary. In his last fight with Edgar Garcia, Johnson went toe to toe with his opponent, landing some serious punches before being put on the mat. Fortunately, his jiu-jitsu is good enough where he was able to recover and submit his opponent. Don't be surprised if you see much of the same vs. Blackburn. This should be a solid fight that could go either way, but my money is on the grappler.
Nick Osipczak (5-0) vs. Rick Story (9-3)
After fulfilling his promise to "piddle on Riddle," Nick Osipczak brings his undefeated record to UFC 112 in hopes of finishing his sixth consecutive fight. Osipczak is fresh off a dominating performance over fellow TUF alum Matthew Riddle and is looking like a star in the welterweight division. He does not let fights go to the judge's scorecard, and if he continues this trend, everyone at 170 will need to take notice.
Aside from possessing one of the best nicknames in MMA (how would you like to fight someone named Rick "Horror" Story?), Rick Story is coming off back to back wins in the octagon, including a fight/submission of the night victory over Brian Foster. Story's strength is wrestling, although his 0-17 record in college wouldn't tell you that. Despite his past, Story has fared well in the world of MMA to this point.
Look for…
…Osipczak to attempt to dictate the pace of the fight and keep it standing up. Story's strength is his wrestling and if Osipczak wants to keep his perfect record intact, he will need to keep Story at bay with his striking. If Osipczak can execute this gameplan, he should win the fight.
Paul Taylor (10-5-1 1NC) vs. John Gunderson (22-7)
Paul Taylor will be making his lightweight debut this Saturday after losing 4 of his last 6 fights at 170lbs. Don't let the fact that his last five fights have all gone to decision fool you…Paul Taylor puts on quality fights, living up to his name "Relentless." He is a solid fighter with some holes in his game, but once he can fix his ground game and sprawl, he should get some wins in the lightweight division.
Across the cage, John Gunderson brings a wrestling and submission background, yet his overall ground game isn't as strong as you might think when you look at his record (15 submissions in 22 wins). Gunderson finishes fights and can submit his opponent in a variety of ways, but after his loss against Rafaello Oliveira, it is clear he also has a lot to work on.
Look for…
…Paul Taylor to use his strength and bulk to dominate the fight and push Gunderson around. Gunderson's submissions come from his ability to dominate from the top once he gets an opponent on the ground, but Taylor is a naturally bigger dude who will use this to his advantage.
Alexander Gustafsson (9-0) vs. Phil Davis (5-0)
If these guys were both bigger names, there is no doubt that this fight would be at the top of the main card. Alexander Gustafsson is a beast, with 7 knockouts in 9 fights. Only 22 years and fighting out of Stockholm, Gustafsson is one of the UFC's brightest prospects. A win over Phil Davis would vault him to main cardstatus in the light heavyweight division.
Like Gustafsson, Phil Davis is part of the future of the light heavyweight division. Yet another NCAA wrestling champion, Davis has tons of raw talent that can and will be molded into a well-rounded MMA fighter. In his lone UFC fight, he dominated Brian Stann en route to a unanimous decision.
Look for…
…a very exciting fight featuring two future players in the light heavyweight division. This is a classic striker vs. wrestler battle that could really go either way. Davis is following the familiar path of championship amateur wrestler to successful MMA fighter. The winner of this fight should get promoted to the main card in his next fight, and if I were a betting man, I would bet on Davis. If the fight remains standing, however, Gustafsson will steal it.
