UFC 113 Undercard Preview
UFC 113 comes to you live this Saturday night from the Bell Center in Montreal. The long awaited rematch between Lyoto 'The Dragon' Machida and Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua for the light heavyweight title will take place, as well as a matchup between two of the top contenders at 170lbs with Josh Koscheck and Paul Daley.
Today, we break down the undercard for the event, which has an international flair to it with All-American wrestler, an Irish Hand Grenade, and a plethora of Canadians.
Jason MacDonald (24-13) vs. John Salter (4-1)
A veteran of 10 fights inside the Octagon, Canadian Jason MacDonald makes his return to the UFC after a year fighting for Canadian-based MFC. Despite mixed results inside the cage, matchmaker Joe Silva promised MacDonald he could return to the UFC after being released if he improved his game and built up some wins outside of the organization. 'The Athlete' responded by winning 3 of 4 fights, including a win over UFC veteran Vernon White. A BJJ specialist, MacDonald has won an impressive 18 of 24 fights via submission, and you can count on him to take the fight to the mat against Salter.
John Salter is a relative newcomer to the professional MMA scene, with only 5 fights over the course of 14 months under his belt. Salter was a standout wrestler in college and has used that ability to notch 4 consecutive victories to start his MMA career, including one over TUF 11 contestant James Hammortree. In his only UFC fight, Salter was knocked out by Gerald Harris in the 3rd round at UFC Fight Night 20.
Look for…
…MacDonald to use his experience and world class ground game to control this fight. Despite a mediocre record, Jason MacDonald was a solid competitor for the UFC who brought his best to each fight. With a second chance inside the Octagon, look for him to use his BJJ skills to tap Salter.
Yoshiyuki Yoshida (11-4) vs. Mike Guymon (11-3-1)
Yoshiyuki Yoshida has the dubious distinction of being the victim of two highlight reel knockouts since making his UFC debut in 2008 (in fairness, one knockout was by Anthony Johnson who did not make weight). Josh Koscheck knocked out the former Cage Force tournament winner in the first round of their fight to such a degree that Yoshida had to be taken out on a stretcher. Nonetheless, 'Zenko' has won two fights inside the cage, including a victory over the controversial former TUF competitor Jon 'War Machine' Koppenhaver. A black belt in Judo, Yoshiyuki Yoshida possesses a solid all around game, with knockout power and the ability to finish on the mat.
Despite only 15 professional fights, Mike Guymon's career has been a roller coaster ride lasting 11 years. Just a year and a half ago, Guymon's life almost came to a tragic end after his wife intervened into his suicide attempt and he was arrested after pleading with cops to shoot him. Since then, Guymon has straightened his life out, and only three weeks after that incident, he earned King of the Cage's welterweight title. Now he is a competitor in the UFC and hopes to improve upon his last performance, where he was knocked out by Rory McDonald at UFC Fight Night 20.
Look for…
…a great back and forth fight between two guys trying to solidify their spot in the UFC. Neither fighter can afford a 2 fight losing streak, so look for both guys to leave it all out in the cage. If Yoshida's chin can hold up, look for him to be the likely victor.
Tim Hague (10-3) vs. Joey Beltran (11-3)
For some people, the thought of Tim Hague brings up memories of a record-tying 7 second KO at the hands of Todd Duffee. For others, the thought of him blubbering in the cage after he defeated Pat Barry in 2009 comes to mind. Quite the emasculating highlight reel so far. But make no mistake…Tim Hague is built like a Canadian grizzly with heavy hands to boot. After recently being released from the UFC, Hague was brought back as a fill-in and must win to stay with the company.
"The Mexicutioner" Joey Beltran wasn't just given his nickname. He's earned it. With 10 out of 11 wins coming via KO, Beltran possesses quick hands for a big man that pack some serious punch. In his only UFC fight thus far, he knocked out Rolles Gracie in the 2nd round and will look to make it two in a row against Hague.
Look for…
…Beltran to try to overwhelm Hague standing up and keep the fight where he feels most comfortable. The most impressive win on Beltran's resume was a TKO of Houston Alexander in January, and he will likely try to replicate this performance. If successful, he should beat Hague out of the UFC.
TJ Grant (15-3) vs. Johny Hendricks (7-0)
After scoring Knockout of the Night honor at UFC 107, TJ Grant will look to make it two in a row in the UFC against Johny Hendricks. Grant is a BJJ black belt and submission expert, with 12 of his victories coming via tap out, but his knockout of Pat Burns will make highlight reels for years to come. To this point, Grant's UFC resume contains wins over Burns and Ryo Chonan, as well as a unanimous decision loss to Dong Hyun Kim.
Known to many as "The Happy Beard Guy," Johny Hendricks is one of the most exciting prospects at 170 that the UFC has to offer. A four time All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State, Hendricks has a perfect MMA record to this point, including a :29 second TKO over TUF 7 winner Amir Sadollah. Now with 7 fights under his belt, Hendricks' game is becoming better-rounded, which is bad news for the 170lb division.
Look for…
…Hendricks to show-off the striking game hes developed since his move to MMA. Hendricks should control this fight, as Grant's strength is his ground game, and unfortunately for him, this is where Hendricks thrives.
Marcus Davis (16-6) vs. Jonathan Goulet (22-10)
Known mainly for his boxing ability, Marcus Davis heads into this match riding a two fight losing streak, with losses against Dan Hardy and Ben Saunders. Despite losing to Hardy, the fight was incredibly close and Hardy won via split decision. Now Davis turns his attention to Goulet in hopes of turning his fortunes around. Currently, 'The Irish Hand Grenade' trains locally with Mark Dellagrotte at Team Sityodtong and fights alongside Tim Sylvia out of Bangor, Maine.
Jonathan Goulet and his ever-changing hair color enter UFC 113 after a year and a half layoff from fighting. A native of Canada, Goulet sports a 22-10 record, going 4-4 in 8 fights under the UFC banner. Never one to back down from a fight, Goulet has the dubious honor of being the victim of the fastest (unofficial) knockout in UFC history, losing to Duane Ludwig in 5 seconds at UFC Fight Night 3. A Muay Thai and BJJ specialist, Ludwig is dangerous in any position inside the cage and will attempt to win by any means necessary.
Look for…
…Marcus Davis to throw everything he's got at Goulet to try and steal a win in Goulet's homeland. Davis fights with emotion and after losing his last two fights, the last thing on his mind is continuing a losing streak. This fight will be less about ability and more about who wants it more.
Joe Doerksen (44-12) vs. Tom Lawlor (6-2 1NC)
One of the more experienced fighters in MMA, Joe Doerksen is a veteran of 56 professional fights, winning 32 of them via submission. Doerksen is an average fighter with a well above average ground game. When he can take the fight to the mat, he generally finds success. If it remains standing, however, the chances for Doerksen to prevail are slim. Despite competing in his 7th UFC fight, the Manitoba native is only 1-5 inside the Octagon and only made this card as a fill-in for the injured Tim Credeur.
Tom Lawlor made his way to the UFC the same way many do nowadays, and that's as a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter. Despite losing in the first round of the show, Lawlor has found some success in the UFC since the show, defeating TUF runner-up CB Dollaway and losing a controversial split decision to Aaron Simpson in January. The Fall River native possesses a wrestling background and can finish his opponents in a variety of ways.
Look for…
…Doerksen to use his experience and All-World ground game to wear Lawlor down. Doerksen may have had mixed results in the Octagon, but he is currently riding a 5 fight win streak, and despite an awful chin, you cant discount his 10 years of MMA experience. Lawlor's wrestling background gives him a shot, and he will be tough to keep down, but look for Doerksen to try and lull Lawlor into a submission.
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