Tonight the UFC caps off yet another phenomenal run of events which has taken them across three continents in as many weeks. After top-notch nights in Barueri and Houston, the Phones 4u Arena in Manchester plays host to the organisation’s second trip to the UK in 2013.
While the local ultras will no doubt be disappointed by Michael Bisping’s withdrawal from the main event due to an eye injury, the opportunity to witness Lyoto Machida’s debut at 185lbs should more than compensate for the Count’s absence. For the lucky Irish fans descending on northern England, being herded onto cramped Ryanair passenger jets is most certainly a price gladly paid.
Lyoto Machida v Mark Munoz
Michael Bisping’s derailed homecoming could have fractured tonight’s card beyond repair, but in truth, patriotic leanings notwithstanding, the inclusion of Machida, as he seeks to resurrect his career, means the fans are almost guaranteed a better fight, and without question a better fighter.
The Dragon’s move to middleweight has arguably been long overdue and in retrospect, should have been instigated after his loss to Jon Jones. But he’s here now, and set to do battle with friend and training partner Mark Munoz, another man searching to reignite his former self.
Superficially this could be considered a classic striker versus grappler match up, however, in reality, it’s not so clear-cut. Although Munoz is a former collegiate national wrestling champion, he has only completed 27% of his takedown attempts in his professional career; a statistic that becomes less favourable when considering that Machida has thwarted 79% of his opponent’s endeavours to get him to the mat. Thus, what should be Munoz’s most telling advantage appears to be mooted, in theory at least.
Machida’s evasive, karate style has long been heralded at this stage, and proved an unsolvable puzzle for a litany of premier fighters, but it has also cost him winnable fights, notably against Rampage Jackson and most recently, Phil Davis. The Dragon has a tendency to be over tentative as he waits for the perfect time to engage and when the opportunity doesn’t present itself the clock runs out on him.
Due to the fact these guys are so familiar with each other they may be compelled to abandon their tried and tested shtick to ensure victory. If this is the case, the scales tip in the Brazilian’s favour because he is the markedly more complete fighter, but he cannot stand on ceremony. In the end, it may come down to how Machida has coped with the additional weight cut or, for that matter, Munoz wrestling to his full potential.
My Prediction: Machida by TKO in Round 3
Ross Pearson v Melvin Guillard
Although a resident of sunny San Diego these days, Ross Pearson remains one of England’s most-loved fighting sons, and having missed out on taking part in London back in January, the Geordie will have his eyes firmly set on giving his countrymen something to cheer about as he goes in search of third consecutive win. In Melvin Guillard, he faces a talented but infuriatingly inconsistent opponent who has never achieved his true potential.
Guillard has lost four of his last six UFC fights and is serious danger of being pink-slipped if he fails to defeat Pearson. The Young Assassin has all too often come into fights under-prepared and over-weight, with a stinking attitude to boot. His path to winning this fight will be utilising his superior speed and power as early as possible. The Real Deal has the advantage in terms of technique and skill-diversity, and if history is anything to go by, he will have a vastly larger gas tank.
My Prediction: Pearson by unanimous decision.
Jimi Manuwa v Ryan Jimmo
Undefeated Londoner Jimi Manuwa has proven himself Britain’s best light-heavyweight since the erstwhile Michael Bisping, and in his third UFC fight- all of which have been in England- faces hard-hitting Canadian Ryan Jimmo. Manuwa has never been the distance or to the third round, for that matter; of his 13 wins, 12 have been by KO and the other by submission. Jimmo’s record is nothing to sneeze at either, with only two losses in his 20 professional fights.
Neither man, as their track record illustrates, are enamoured with the prospect of a 15 minute fight, so we have a clear contender for at least one of the fight night bonuses. Manuwa’s dynamism and ferocity will most-likely prove telling as will having a belligerent crowd at his back.
My Prediction: Manuwa by KO/TKO in Round 1.
Norman Parke v Jon Tuck
Fans familiar with the fight circuits in this neck of the woods were already aware of Norman Parke before he won The Smashes late last year as a representative of Team UK, so he should be in store for a rousing ovation en route to the octagon for his bout with Jon Tuck. The pair were scheduled to meet at UFC on FOX 7 but Tuck, the first Chamorro native from Guam to fight for the organisation, had to pull out through to injury.
Each came to the UFC’s attention through the TUF medium, have one promotional win to their name and share a grappling-heavy style, so the parallels are manifold. Parke is a skilled Judo player, adequate wrestler and a bruiser at I55lbs. Tuck, on the other hand, is a decorated BJJ practitioner, with decent ground and pound.
My Prediction: Parke by unanimous decision.
Alessio Sakara v Nicholas Musoke
In the only all-European affair of the main event Alessio Sakara faces octagon debutant Nicholas Musoke. A native of Stockholm, Musoke arrives in Manchester on the back of a five fight win streak; interestingly the last man to beat him was Cathal Pendred, which makes the Punisher’s exclusion from the card and, the UFC roster in general, all the more boggling. Sakara has not fought since November of last year and has been defeated in his last three fights, so his employment status is certainly in jeopardy. When one fighter is desperate to keep his job and the other is equally eager to get one, what ensues is rarely boring.
My Prediction: Musoke by submission in Round 2
John Lineker v Phil Harris
Entrusted with getting the main event off to a scintillating start are flyweights Lineker and Harris, in another case of two fighters, on the face of it at least, at opposite ends of the food chain. Since losing his promotional debut, Lineker has had his hand raised in the last three outings and won the latest two by TKO in Round 2. Portsmouth’s Harris is 1-1 during his time in the UFC, having beaten Neil Seary’s new BFF Ulysses Gomez, at UFC London earlier this year, after being submitted in his debut by Darren Unenoyama. It’s difficult to see Lineker coming off second best.
My Prediction: Lineker by TKO in Round 2.
Coverage starts on BT Sports at 8pm.
By Tom Rooney – @oldmanrooney
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