Live from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado UFC 135, the second event of the UFC’s four-week sweep, brought to us an interesting number of fights. Coming away from the event I’m looking forward to seeing what matchmakers will do to continue developing their talent. Here are a few fights I would like to see in the coming months:
Josh Koscheck vs. Paulo Thiago
Koscheck did what was expected of him, stopping stopped Matt Hughes in the first round. Even still, he is in a regrettable position in the 170-pound weight class. As long as Georges St. Pierre is the champion, Koscheck can forget about getting another title shot. Thus, he’s going to be left out of fights involving potential contenders while he plays the waiting game. He should ask his buddy Jon Fitch for advice.
In 2009 Koscheck played the company man role and took a fight against Paulo Thiago on short notice. In what was then considered an upset, Koscheck was caught with a one-two combination that left him prone on the mat and Thiago getting his hand raised. I would like to see a rematch between the two, with Koscheck getting the opportunity to fully prepare this time. Since then, Thiago has gone up and down on the rankings due to alternating wins and losses. He would have the most to gain in this bout, as a second win over Koscheck would quickly gain him more attention in the weight class. However, I believe that Koscheck would be able to defeat Thiago this time around by using his wrestling to ground and grind his opponent.
Nate Diaz vs. Anthony Pettis
Maybe the Diaz family has something against Takanori Gomi, because Nate completely embarrassed him at UFC 135. Pinpoint striking left Gomi scrambling all over the cage as if was being sprayed by a fire hose and couldn’t find dry ground. The submission came quickly once the fight hit the mat, as a stiff armbar in the first round brought the fight to a swift and decisive conclusion.
Now that Diaz is back where he belongs in the lightweight division, he can use his unique set of abilities to rise to potential contender status. He would be a tough opponent for any fighter, but I would like to see him take on Anthony Pettis, who has a similar but not as developed style.
The outcome of this fight depends on where it would be contested. Pettis should have the better technique while on the feet, but shouldn’t be able to run away with the advantage. If and when the fight hits the ground, Diaz’s grappling would take over. Considering a combination of both, Diaz should be able to pull out a decision in an action-packed bout.
Tony Ferguson vs. Edson Barboza
Whether you attribute the outcome to his opponent Aaron Riley’s structurally weak chin or his punching power, The Ultimate Fighter winner Tony Ferguson cracked Riley and broke his jaw, forcing a stoppage at the end of the first round. This is the second outing in which Ferguson put his standup abilities on display and put his opponent away.
A bout against heavy hitter Edson Barboza would be a great way to see what both of these UFC newcomers are really about. Barboza has been able to use his striking to pull out three victories in the UFC cage, and many are viewing him as an eventual contender to the 155-pound strap. Whether or not that will come to fruition is yet to be determined, but this fight would go a long way towards the resolution of that idea.
It’s no secret that Ferguson and Barboza would stand and trade to no end. In considering both fighters’ striking styles, Barboza should be able to get the better of the standup due to his use of powerful leg kicks. Those kicks would slow down Ferguson and remove his ability to put power behind his punches. In what would be a back and forth battle at the start, Barboza should be able to pull out a TKO victory in the third round.
James Te Huna vs. Ryan Bader
Australian fighter James Te Huna added his ninth knockout victory to his resume in just 47 seconds, making Ricardo Romero go stiff, and make sounds that were utterly scary to viewers at home. With a 2-1 record in the UFC, Te Huna should be thrown into the deep water to see if he is someone we should get excited about.
Ryan Bader is the type of opponent who would fit well within this matchup. A loser of two straight in stunning fashion, Bader is in need of a win and badly. He would surely be the favorite in this bout, but one would have to wonder how well he would fare against the apparent power that Te Huna possesses. Bader would have to use the full range of his wrestling to get this fight to the ground, and he would have to get it there quickly in order to pull out a victory.
