First and Worst is an ongoing series for MMARatings.net, where every week Adam will make his pick for the best and worst newly-announced fight of the past week (Monday to Sunday). If you’d like to see any additions to this series, hit him up on Twitter @MMAdamMartin.
First: Stefan Struve vs. Matt Mitrione, UFC 175
My pick for the best new fight announced this past week is a heavyweight bout at UFC 175 between Stefan Struve, who is returning from a year-and-a-half-long layoff, and Matt Mitrione, who is coming off a knockout win. This is a very fun fight on paper between two heavyweights with massive reaches, and it should be a good show for the fans when it goes down.
Although I think Struve is one of the top 10 heavyweights in the UFC due to holding a notable win over Stipe Miocic, he has missed over a year of action due to a heart problem, and in his last night he was brutally knocked out and had his jaw broken by Mark Hunt. Although he is ranked higher than Mitrione, it makes sense for Struve to take a step back in his return to the cage instead of being thrown into the Octagon with a top-10 fighter.
Should Struve beat Mitrione, especially if it comes in impressive fashion, he will regain his spot in the standings and fight another top heavyweight his next time out. Don’t forget, he’s only 26 years old and has over 10 fights in the UFC already, so he’s a young veteran, and the crazy thing is he was improving. As for Mitrione, he’s in his mid 30s, but he’s coming off an impressive KO over Shawn Jordan, and if he can knock out Struve, he will continue to climb up the shallow heavyweight ladder.
The most interesting thing to me about the fight is the clash of styles. It’s essentially Struve’s slick submission game against Mitrione’s heavy punches, and considering Mitrione’s weakness is his ground and Struve’s weakness is his chin, UFC matchmaker Joe Silva has put together a very fair match that either man can win.
This should be an awesome fight, and I can’t wait for UFC 175 to go down this July.
• Stefan Struve vs Matt Mitrione
Click the stars to rate your anticipation for this fight.
Worst: Luke Zachrich vs. Guilherme Vasconcelos, UFC 175
My pick for the worst fight announced this past week is a middleweight bout at UFC 175 between Luke Zachrich and Guilherme Vasconcelos of TUF Brazil 3. It’s a throwaway fight that is occupying a coveted slot on the biggest card of the summer, and in a week where a number of great fights were booked, it’s by far the weakest of the bunch as far as I’m concerned.
Zachrich, who is a part-time fighter, as he owns a pizza shop for a day job, has fought only once in the UFC, and was knocked out by Caio Magalhaes in seconds at UFC on FOX 11. Sure, he took the fight on short notice and helped the UFC out, but still, it wasn’t a performance that made him an intriguing fighter in the UFC’s crowded 185-pound division.
As for Vasconcelos, he is on the current season of TUF Brazil, but he didn’t make it to the finals. I’m not sure exactly why the UFC is even giving him a shot, but I guess they felt like his performance on the show was good enough to get a trial in the Octagon. Still, he only has four career pro fights, and doesn’t seem like that great of a prospect if you ask me.
The fight could be better than I expect it to be, but overall it’s the least-inspiring matchup announced this past week.
• Guilherme Vasconcelos vs. Luke Zachrich
Click the stars to rate your anticipation for this fight.
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UFC 175: Weidman vs. Machida is due to take place on July 5, 2014 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC 175 will be.
