By Raphael Garcia 
UFC on FX 4 and UFC 147 were two cards that were looked upon with less anticipation than most events. Neither event held a title defense or featured a marquee name in the sport. Still, all of the combatants put forth solid efforts and gave fight fans much to enjoy. Now that the weekend is over, it’s time to look forward to the next stage in the careers of key individuals from this weekend’s events.
Gray Maynard vs. Anthony Pettis
The time off that the “Bully” spent away from the cage looks to have served him well. He looked very patient as he chased after Clay Guida and maintained the composure that he could not in squandering two lightweight title opportunities. However, regardless of his progression, Maynard has to accept that his 2011 performances will keep him from receiving a title shot in 2012, so he should prepare to continue competing against the top tier of the lightweight division.
Welcoming Anthony Pettis back from surgery would create a great fight for both competitors. Pettis still needs another big win over a top contender to solidify his resume, as he looks to get the title shot that he missed out on in the past. In addition, he has yet to face a wrestler of Maynard’s caliber, but struggled against the takedowns of Clay Guida, so it will be interesting to see what he would do once he is placed on his back.
Maynard, on the other hand, just needs to continue racking up wins against the best 155-pounders available if he expects to return to number one contender status. “Showtime” is on the cusp of stardom in the sport, and their styles match up well against one another. Maynard has the power in his striking game, but wrestling is his bread and butter, so you can expect him to look to ground his opponent and work towards a decision victory. It would be fascinating to watch as we find out whether he can do so against the technical striking attack that Pettis brings to the cage every time out.
Rich Franklin vs. Michael Bisping
Rich Franklin wants to make one last title run before calling it quits at the end of a very impressive mixed martial arts career. Against Wanderlei Silva, he showed that he still has the ability to fight through adversity when he was placed in a position that a number of other fighters would have wilted in. To continue this run, he should be matched against Michael Bisping, who is also looking to make a charged run towards the middleweight crown.
Franklin-Bisping would serve nicely as a main card bout on either a free or PPV event. Looking at the two competitors, Bisping would have the striking advantage, as his technical boxing skills have steadily improved throughout the years. Franklin would be the larger fighter, and would try to muscle the “Count” around the cage and wrestle him to the ground. However, keeping Bisping there has become much tougher in his more recent performances, as his defensive wrestling has helped him get back to his feet and return to landing kicks and punches. It wouldn’t be a shock to see Bisping find a way to outpoint Franklin by landing combinations while using his great footwork to keep his distance.
Fabricio Werdum vs. Travis Browne – Ben Rothwell Winner
Fabricio Werdum looks to be a much improved fighter from the one he was during his first UFC stint. The famed Brazilian grappler now looks much more comfortable on the feet, and more willing to mix in solid striking along with his grappling attacks. This is vital for a heavyweight division that has become saturated with athletes wielding knockout power. He has the potential to be considered the top contender by the end of this year, and a win over either Travis Browne or Ben Rothwell would help cement that placement.
Both Browne and Rothwell are heavy hitters; they have a combined 27 knockout victories. It’s no secret that both fighters would look to test Werdum’s chin, which has been tagged in the past, most notably by Junior Dos Santos in his UFC debut. Fabricio would have to be willing to trade with whichever fighter he faced just long enough to secure a takedown in some fashion. Neither would be able to compete against him on the mat, and while submission might not be the method of victory, Werdum would likely be able to control either one. Still, the question lies within his ability to avoid the big shots that would undoubtedly be coming his way from the onset of the contest. If he can avoid being stunned by a big blow, Werdum should be able to use his experience and grappling acumen to control this bout across fifteen minutes.
Ricardo Lamas vs. Steven Siler
Both Ricardo Lamas and Steven Siler were impressive in their bouts on Friday Night at UFC on FX 4. Lamas was an underdog going into his fight with Hatsu Hioki, while Siler was less than highly favored against UFC newcomer Joey Gambino, but both were able to pull out impressive victories by the end of the night. Each one of these featherweights has put together a string of victories in the Octagon, and while they are not considered contenders to the crown at 145 pounds yet, a bout between the two would cement the winner into top five status within a division that is in need of some new faces to challenge for the belt..
Siler uses his 5’11 frame very effectively while implementing his grappling game. He is 3-0 in the UFC, and 13 of his 21 wins have come by submission. At just 25 years of age, there is no doubt that he is still developing, and if he can maintain his current size he has the potential to become a force at 145.
Lamas is also riding a three-fight Octagon winning streak, and his win over Hioki wasthe biggest of his career. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the name recognition to demand a title shot at this point, but placing him on a main card in a matchup against Siler would give him the opportunity to create a buzz. Lamas uses a diverse set of skills both on the feet and while on the ground to stay in control and work towards decision victories. However, he does have the ability to finish fights, as he has done so in half of his wins.
While Siler would have a height and length advantage on the feet, he will likely attempt to take this bout to the ground for extended periods of time. The question for him in this fight is, if he is not able to submit Lamas, will he be able to stay active enough to win the judges over? We have seen that it is very difficult for ground-based fighters to win decisions, particularly from their backs. I expect much of this bout to be contested on the ground, with Lamas pulling out a decision victory.
Rick Story vs. Mike Pyle
Rick Story is looking to build himself back up into the contender he was framed as back in 2011. Since then, his career has hit multiple bumps in the road towards the title picture, so while it wasn’t done in exciting fashion, the fact that pulled out a win against Brock Jardine at UFC on FX 4 was important. This win over the relative unknown won’t vault him back into the top ten at welterweight, but it can be the first step towards putting together a winning streak for the rest of the year. A match against Mike Pyle in the early fall could help him extend that run.
Story is likely going to need a two or three more victories in a row to reclaim the position he was once in. Pyle has said that he wants to move into the upper echelon of the welterweight division, and if he is the true contender that he claims to be, a bout against Story would be a solid testing ground.
Pyle’s grappling abilities are some of the best in the division, with 16 of his 23 wins coming by tap out. Not only does he know how to use his grappling offensively, but he is also able to defend from his back and maneuver back to his feet. Those skills will be vital when facing a wrestler such as Story, who likes to control bouts by pushing his opponents against the cage and dragging them to the ground. The question surrounding this fight would be if Pyle can stay aggressive while on his back, in order to either threaten Story or get back to his feet to work his improving striking. This would be a close bout that would come down to Octagon control throughout the contest, and key takedowns to decide closely-contested rounds.
The UFC put two solid cards in front of fight fans this weekend with UFC on FX 4 and UFC 147. While neither card carried a large amount of star power, they both featured some good matchups to keep fans interested. The fighters who won can continue to build off of the momentum that was created with their respective victories at these events, and each of the suggested matchups would be a great starting point.
