A packed Fight Report for a Stacked UFC on FOX 9
A card so powerful even the loss of a main event and co-main couldn’t make it suck, UFC on Fox 9 comes at us with a full ensemble of amazing bouts.
The UFC on FOX 9 main event is a rematch from the inaugural Flyweight title fight, as Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson looks to keep Joseph Benavidez away from title gold once again. We’ve also got a co-main that will determine a potential number one contender at Bantamweight, as Urijah Faber looks to take out the young Michael McDonald. Can Faber, in the twilight of his career, put the brakes on McDonald and get one last shot at a title?
Read on and we’ll find out…..
Demetrious Johnson vs. Joseph Benavidez 2: A master tactician and dominant champion at 125lbs, Mighty Mouse will look to do it all over again, taking on former foil Joseph Benavidez. DJ has shown himself to be a near impossible fighter to deal with, having the most fluid athletics in the sport, as well as a sharp mind to direct his movements and switch plans mid-round. In this way, DJ becomes a ticking time bomb, as the longer he has time to analyze and engage, the fewer openings present themselves to capitalize on.
Benavidez knows the truth of this all too well, having done well in their first outing for the first couple rounds before finding himself swinging at air or on his back. Since then Benavidez has remained undefeated with wins over all the best in this tight division, but will need to find something else within himself to beat DJ and take that title back to California.
This is a fight that Benavidez can win, but he has to do the exact opposite of what he did last time out, and I’m not sure he can recognize this, or admit to himself he’s beat in all regards by DJ. The one and only avenue Benavidez has to win is his power and DJ’s issues fighting off of his heels for an extended period of time, making Benavidez’s opportunity one where he needs to brawl and destroy the champion. I don’t think he’ll go that route however, and expect a similar outcome to their first fight, as DJ puts together the pieces and ultimately outworks the challenger to a decision win once again.
Urijah Faber vs. Michael McDonald: It gets kind of funny to call a man in his thirties “The California Kid” but if it works for Faber, it works for me. Coming off an exciting bout with Yuri Alcantara, Faber showed that while not invincible, it’ll take an epic performance from any man on Earth to stop him from rolling through them.
McDonald comes off of a dual Of the Night performance in his last fight, having stopped Brad Pickett in an exciting fight. A highly technical striker with a lethal bottom game, McDonald has few flaws, and those will be ironed out with age and if he finally chooses to go to an elite camp. With all the firepower to upset Faber, it comes down to execution, timing, and endurance in the fight of his life.
Faber hasn’t lost a step yet, and this will likely be what costs McDonald the fight, as landing on Faber or corralling him on the mat is a herculean task. While McDonald does have the counter punching to club Faber a time or two, it’s the wrestling and impenetrable submission defense that will ruin McDonald’s shot here, allowing Faber to work on the ground for a tense decision win, and another shot at either Barao or Cruz.
Chad Mendes vs. Nik Lentz: A fun Featherweight scrap with title implications, Chad Mendes will take on fellow wrestler Nik Lentz. Both men have performed admirably in their last several fights, with Mendes being on a KO tear, while Lentz has simply proven to be a sticky grappler that can break the will of any man at 145lbs. However, this is easily the worst match-up for Lentz, as Mendes takedown defense is incomparable, and Lentz striking game isn’t up to task. Look for Lentz to try to set up his takedowns with kicks and probing strikes, but finds Mendes catching a leg and punching him off his feet and out of consciousness early in the first round.
Joe Lauzon vs. Mac Danzig: In all their fights, it strange to think these two having run into each other yet, but here we are. Lauzon is on a two fight skid in which he’s been beaten mercilessly to decision losses, and desperately needs a win here if he wants to keep afloat in the UFC, setting up a bit of desperation that could serve him well against Danzig, who himself needs a stand-out performance. This could go a lot of different ways, but I like Lauzon’s ferocity in the stand-up, as well as his long and tight combination work. I also have to give Lauzon a small advantage in terms of his ability to hook a submission in a scramble, allowing him to get that much-needed with and send Danzig packing. A close fight turns into a triangle and reluctant tap from Danzig in the second round, as Lauzon keeps the dream alive while dashing Danzig’s on the rocks below.
Court McGee vs. Ryan LaFlare: A fight that could prove to be a breakout performance, Court McGee will take on rising force Ryan LaFlare. McGee has looked solid as rocks since his drop to Welterweight, having a significant size advantage against opponents that allowed him to get back to his human bulldozer style of fighting. As good at McGee has looked though, LaFlare has looked better, using cutting kicks and some of the most innovative MMA wrestling in some time. Having an ability to collapse foes down and work from dominant positions, LaFlare makes for a rough match for McGee, and if all plays out well he’ll run McGee into the ground and to another decision win.
Edson Barboza vs. Danny Castillo: A potentially epic clash, the best striker in MMA, Edson Barboza takes on long-time Alpha Male fighter Danny Castillo. Barboza hasn’t been tested much as of late with several opponents having dropped out, but will look to close out 2013 with a strong win over Danny Castillo. This one comes down to Castillo’s ability to safely close distance, as he needs to mix his takedowns and hard over hands if he hopes to dispatch Barboza. The issue here is that Barboza has exactly the style of retreat-and-attack that Castillo has never managed to get around, and I can well see him taking a shot on entry that puts him on his face within two rounds.
Bobby Green vs. Pat Healy: A fight that’s looking like an easy FOTN contender, Bobby Green will look to follow his odd TKO win with a more conventional showing against Pat Healy. This fight is one that Healy can win, but he’ll have to be willing to eat a hell of a lot of damage and corral Green against the fence, lest he finds himself being beaten to the punch by the much faster fighter. Healy has the guts, but I’m not sure he can survive such a beating at this stage in his career, and I have to give Green the edge due to his fleet footwork and smart long-distance attack. Green gets on his bicycle and potshots Healy to a bloody mess, leading to an eventual TKO or decision win.
Scott Jorgensen will be making his flyweight debut at UFC on FOX 9
Scott Jorgensen vs. Zach Makovsky: Making a quick turnaround from his RFA title fight, Zach Makovsky takes a short notice fight at Flyweight, taking on deadly foe Scott Jorgensen. Makovsky is a grinder by trade, but taking on someone of Jorgensen’s experience with just a single leg and some endurance doesn’t make for a competitive fight, and I feel Jorgensen will get the better of this one in a hurry. Look for Makovsky to work his magic, but Jorgensen’s power punching, reversals and ground and pound get Makovsky out of there inside the distance.
Abel Trujillo vs. Roger Bowling: A rematch of a controversial fight, Abel Trujillo will look to prove he can do it all over again against Roger Bowling. These two are very similar fighters, and as such they’ll always be one punch away from crushing the other, yet it’s a matter of Bowling’s defense and his cardio being improved from last time out. I really wouldn’t count on it I’m afraid, as Bowling has shown an inability to improve since his Strikeforce days, and if Trujillo could find an opening the first time out, it’ll be there this time as well. Look for a quicker and cleaner version of the same bout, as Trujillo works in the clinch when he wants, creates separation and attacks for the TKO inside the first half of the fight.
Sam Stout vs. Cody McKenzie: Apparently not liking what he saw at Featherweight, Cody McKenzie returns to 155lbs to face long-time battler Sam Stout. Stout showed in his last two fights that he can learn new tricks despite fighting in a similar fashion for his entire career, but his takedown mix will be the bane of his existence against the guillotine master in McKenzie. This one is interesting, as Stout will have to win it on his back foot and I’m not sure his footwork is there to keep him safe against McKenzie’s relentless pursuit. I’m not sold on Stout’s “Hands of Stone” after just one KO in five years, and I see McKenzie turning this into a hard-nosed wrestling match that Stout can’t pull out of, losing a decision and possibly his career in one shot.
Darren Uyenoyama vs. Alptekin Ozkilic: A fun opening bout on the card, Flyweights Darren Uyenoyama and UFC newcomer Alptekin Ozkilic will go to war. Both fighters are internationally recognized grappling stars, with Uyenoyama having dominated the no-gi grappling circuits, while Ozkilic is a sought after greco-roman wrestling super star that’s spent time training others rather than focusing on his own fight career. This one comes down to Ozkilic getting his hands and clinch going, as he doesn’t want to play with the fast rolling Uyenoyama if he can help it. In a truly even match, I like Uyenoyama is the more proven commodity though don’t sleep on Ozkilic landing a thunderous shot that puts Uyenoyama to sleep.
About the Author (Author Profile)
I'm a 20+ year veteran of martial arts and a fan of MMA since UFC 1, when my world was thrown on its head by the budding sport. I'm obsessive in the pursuit of martial abilities and have competed across the country in everything from Vale Tudo to archery to Scottish broadsword. Once my body broke down, I picked up a pen and went in the direction of writing. I specialize in betting advice, predictions, and I'm a walking encyclopedia of MMA trivia. I own a cafe in Exeter, NH called Hammersmith Sandwich Company and write out of my office between customers.Subscribe
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