UFC 171 takes place this Saturday in Dallas and will undoubtedly be one of the best cards of the year. It may seem a little early to make that call, but the lineup of fights is truly special. After Georges St. Pierre vacated the UFC welterweight title, it opened the door for a great bout between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler.
In the co-main event, Carlos Condit will look to prove his worth against rising star Tyron Woodley. The main card event features five fights, while the preliminaries are split between UFC Fight Pass and Sportsnet 360. Both outlets will feature four fights a piece.
Personally, going through this card evokes an unbelievable level of excitement, and it would be an absolute shocker if UFC 171 were to disappoint.The potential of these fights help us understand why MMA and the UFC represent the fastest growing sport in the world. They are going to be competitive, skill-filled bouts that will help set the bar for future cards this year.
Without further ado, here is your MMASucka pre-fight analysis.
Main Card
Johny Hendricks (15-2-0) vs. Robbie Lawler (22-9-0, 1NC)
With Georges St.-Pierre vacating the UFC welterweight championship, Hendricks and Lawler have been given the opportunity to fight for the gold. Hendricks lost to GSP in his last fight, but was considered the winner by many. He lost via split decision but was able to capture the UFC Fight of the Night bonus. With GSP’s “retirement”, Hendricks has been given a second opportunity in a row to claim the UFC welterweight championship and will be taking on a true veteran in Lawler.
Lawler is coming off three solid victories in the UFC and was able to finish Josh Koscheck and Bobby Voelker. In his most recent and third win in a row, Lawler shocked the MMA world by defeated Rory MacDonald. Though it was a split decision victory, Lawler showed incredible striking power and was able to drop MacDonald with some very accurate blows. He has always had a high level of striking and there are few fighters who had a better year than Lawler in 2013. With those three victories, Lawler has earned the next shot at the UFC welterweight belt.
Lawler has fought in the UFC before, but has not had similar success since he left the promotion. He went on to fight in EliteXC, Strikeforce, and some other small promotions to prepare himself for a UFC return. He has mentioned his readiness on several occasions this time around and has proven his abilities over the last three fights. Hendricks, who has had an immaculate UFC career thus far, is an elite level wrestler and has shown some of the best pound-for-pound power we have ever seen. Both fighters will be testing their cardio and it would be unbelievable to see them keep the same pace for all five rounds. Whichever fighter comes out with the victory will truly be deserving, but rest assured, the welterweight division always has someone coming up the rear.
Carlos Condit (29-7-0) vs. Tyron Woodley (12-2-0)
In a great co-main event, Condit, the number two ranked welterweight in the UFC, will be taking on one of the fastest rising stars in Woodley. Woodley made a name for himself after going undefeated in Strikeforce and losing the title fight to Nate Marquardt. Once Strikeforce merged with the UFC, Woodley started with a 10-1 record and proceeded to take on tough competition. Though he lost by split decision to Jake Shields, Woodley’s two KO victories over Jay Hieron and Josh Koscheck have garnered him immense fame, along with the opportunity to fight one of the best welterweights in the world.
Condit is coming off some grueling battles in his past four fights. After beating Nick Diaz for the interim championship, Condit took on Georges St.- Pierre for the UFC welterweight championship and lost via decision. In his next bout, he fought Johny Hendricks in a welterweight title eliminator, losing the fight by decision. To get back on the winning track, Condit was able to get some revenge against Martin Kampmann after their first bout, winning the second fight in the fourth round via TKO. Condit is now back in the title picture and will have to defend his “next in line” spot against a very talented wrestler who possesses a brown belt in BJJ. Interestingly, Condit’s kryptonite has always been good wrestlers, so defending Woodley’s takedowns and keeping the fight standing would probably be his best gameplan. Nevertheless, Woodley’s striking has clearly improved over time, which should make this a very intriguing bout at UFC 171.
Diego Sanchez (26-6-0) vs. Myles Jury (13-0-0)
In a bout that features a true UFC veteran against a UFC up-and-comer, Sanchez will be looking to stop undefeated Jury from making name for himself at UFC 171. What more can be said about Sanchez? Though he has been through some rough patches as a fighter, he has always put on a show for the fans and is first on the all-time list of Fight of the Night awards. His most recent fight against Gilbert Melendez was an absolute beauty, which marked Sanchez’s seventh Fight of the Night award and third Fight of the Year. Even though he showed solid grit and heart throughout the fight, Melendez walked away with the unanimous decision.
Jury may not have the same notoriety as Sanchez, but he comes into this fight with a very respectable set of skills and a great MMA record. Fighting out of Alliance MMA, Jury had a very interesting stint on the Ultimate Fighter before going on his four fight UFC win streak. He was originally part of the 13th season but tore his ACL in the very first episode. He was sidelined for a year but came back on TUF 15, won his fight to get in the house, but lost to Al Iaquinta in his second bout. Since then, he has won all four of his UFC fights, beating strong competitors Michael Johnson and Mike Ricci in the process. He is a black belt in BJJ and has shown consistent finishing capabilities throughout his career. However, “The Dream” has only been finished once, and it was via doctor stoppage in the fifth round against B.J. Penn. Needless to say, finishing Diego Sanchez would skyrocket Jury into title contention, but that is a much harder feat than it seems.
Jake Shields (29-6-1, 1NC) vs. Hector Lombard (33-4-1, 1NC)
One fight that should have people talking is the Shields-Lombard bout. Shields has defeated two top welterweights since his no contest with Ed Herman, and won both via split decision. His only two losses since 2004 came against GSP and Jake Ellenberger. Similarly, Lombard’s four losses were all decision defeats against Akihiro Gono, Gegard Mousasi, Tim Boetsch and Yushin Okami. Both fighters have been able to climb the ranks of the UFC and will now face off in an important fight for their careers. While Shields is slowly making his way back to a title shot, Lombard is just getting his feet wet as a UFC welterweight, sitting at 1-0 after his early finish of Nate Marquardt.
Shields has been known for his BJJ and can grind out fights with the best of them. Lombard is a big-time striker and has finished 19 of his 33 wins by TKO/KO. Lombard also possesses a black belt in BJJ which should help him avoid Shields’ submission attempts. This will be a solid battle of camps, with Lombard representing American Top Team and Shields hailing from Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu. This is a great fight to test Shields’ chin and see how good of a ground game Lombard possesses. It is quite obvious where both fighters want to take the fight, but it remains to be seen if they can make it happen.
Ovince St. Preux (14-5-0) vs. Nikita Krylov (16-3-0)
2-0 UFC fighter St. Preux was set to fight Thiago Silva on more than one occasion. After setting the bout for January 15, Silva pulled out and the bout was rescheduled for March 15. To make matters worse, Silva’s recent arrest for attempted murder forced the UFC to scrape the bout. St. Preux was 5-1 in Strikeforce before finishing Gian Villante and Cody Donovan last year. He has shown some impressive skill and will look to defeat the quickly-rising Ukrainian fighter “Al Capone” Krylov.
If you enjoy finishers, Krylov is a fighter you will come to love. Before entering the UFC, all of Krylov’s fights ended in the first round and he only lost twice. In his UFC debut, he fought Soa Palelei and was knocked out in the first round. However, he came back in his last fight to defeat fellow heavy-handed striker Walt Harris with a head kick in the first round as well, ending the fight in just 25 seconds. What got him on the main card was taking the fight on short notice and dropping down to light heavyweight. He weighed in at 218 pounds for his last fight in January, making the weight cut to 205 not too bad. If Krylov were to amass two impressive wins in such a short period, his year could be one of the most to look forward to in 2014.
Sportsnet 360 Preliminary Card
Kelvin Gastelum (8-0-0) vs. Rick Story (16-7-0)
After great showing in his welterweight debut, Gastelum is seeing his biggest jump in competition as he takes on a UFC veteran in Story. While Gastelum will be fighting in just his fourth UFC fight, Story has been with the promotion since 2009 and has lost to only good fighters. He won his most recent fight against Brian Ebersole and will be looking to continue his winning ways against one of the UFC’s top prospects.
Gastelum has already made significant improvements since his TUF victory and could become a much more dangerous striker at 170 pounds. He was able to finish Brian Melancon with rear naked choke in the first round of his last fight and was extremely dominant in getting the submission. Story, on the other hand, has a proven chin and has lost by submission just once. He has gone the distance 15 times in 23 career fights and has shown tremendous durability in the process. If Gastelum can get the finish against Story, he should be in for a main card showing in his next bout.
Raquel Pennington (4-4-0) vs. Jessica Andrade (10-3-0)
In the only women’s division fight on the card, Pennington will be making her first appearance since the TUF 18 Finale against the 1-1 Andrade. Pennington won “Fight of the Season” in her elimination round fight and went on to fight in the semi finals of the show. She lost to Jessica Rakoczy but won her fight against Roxanne Modafferi on the finale.
Andrade has been a great finisher in her MMA career, winning four fights by TKO/KO and five by submission. She was the fill in fight for Liz Carmouche and lost via TKO in the second round. This was a huge increase in competition for Andrade and she ended up winning her next bout against Rosi Sexton. She is just 22 but has experience in several different martial arts, making her one of the most promising fighters in the women’s bantamweight division. With the lack of competition for Ronda Rousey, this bout could be a good stepping stone for either fighter as they try to get into title contention.
Dennis Bermudez (13-3-0) vs. Jimy Hettes (11-1-0)
Two very promising fighters in the UFC, Bermudez and Hettes have been very successful in their UFC careers are a great matchup for the true MMA fans. Bermudez put on a show till the end of TUF 14, scoring ridiculous victories en route to the finals against Diego Brandao. He showed solid ground and pound before getting caught in the submission for the loss. The bout won “Fight of the Night” honors and Bermudez has gone on a five-fight winning streak ever since.
Hettes is 3-1 as a UFC fighter but has never been finished in his professional career. He lost via unanimous decision to Marcus Brimage back at UFC 152, but made up for that defeat in his most recent bout, scoring the second round submission victory over Rob Whiteford. Both fighters have amazing skill and have shown tremendous heart in their past fights. Bermudez was a NCAA Division I wrestler and has a great chin to go along with his phenomenal cardio. Hettes, who also possesses good cardio and endurance, has demonstrated his well-rounded ground game in the past. If you’re looking for a great fight on the prelims, this would be at the top of the list.
Sean Spencer (11-2-0) vs. Alex Garcia (11-1-0)
To kick-off the Sportsnet 360 prelims, two fighters going for their 12th win will be looking to build off their recent success in the UFC. Spencer has had a bit more of UFC experience, fighting three times and losing just once to Rafael Natal in his UFC debut. Garcia made his debut on the Mark Hunt versus Bigfoot card and won via KO in just 43 seconds against Ben Wall. He is riding a five fight win streak while Spencer has won his last two.
When you consider the skills of both fighters, this could a grinding fight. Garcia is the better finisher but Spencer has been able to land seven decision victories. Spencer has never been knocked out and has lost only via submission. He trains out of Dallas and will get to fight close to home. For Garcia, BJJ could be a deciding factor in this fight, and training out of Tristar gym has helped him train with some of the best fighters in the world. Nevertheless, if Spencer can avoid the technical stuff and stick to the striking, we could be in for a great three round battle.
UFC Fight Pass Preliminary Card
Renee Forte (8-3-0) vs. Francisco Trevino (11-0-0)
On a preliminary card stacked with undefeated fighters, Trevino rounds up the Fight Pass prelims by taking on Forte, a 1-2 UFC fighter who needs a big win soon. He is just 26 years old but has had some tough luck in the UFC. Going 1-3 would would open the door to some tough decisions moving forward and Forte will need to use his all-around skill to defeat Trevino.
This will be Trevino’s UFC debut and he has shown solid versatility throughout his MMA career. This will be a big moment for Trevino, as he gets to kick off his UFC career by fighting in his home state. Both fighters are in tough positions and will be looking for a hard fought victory. This could very well be a fight that goes to a decision, but you can bet both fighters will go all out for all three rounds.
Will Campuzano (13-5-0) vs. Justin Scoggins (8-0-0)
Darrell Montague, who most recently lost to John Dodson, was scheduled to fight Campuzano on this card but pulled out due to an injury. Interestingly, undefeated prospect Scoggins got the call and will be taking on his most difficult competition yet. He won his UFC den but against Richie Vaculik in the first round by TKO and has finished seven of his eight career fights. Campuzano, who fights out of the Alpha Male camp, lost to Sergio Pettis in his last fight and has already been released by the UFC. He took the fight on one week notice and will be looking to get in the win column at UFC 171.
Campuzano possess a purple belt in BJJ but has only finished three victories via submission. He has good all-around ability but has not excelled as a UFC fighter. Working out with team Alpha Male will help him become a better fighter and Scoggins will be his next test. Scoggins hails from American Top Team and will be bringing his strong striking skills to the table as he goes for TKO/KO victory number seven. If he wins this bout, Scoggins could see a much higher-ranked opponent in his next UFC bout.
Robert “Bubba” McDaniel (21-7-0) vs. Sean Strickland (13-0-0)
One of the more anticipated bouts on the preliminary cards, TUF 17 cast member Bubba McDaniel will be taking on the undefeated Strickland. Before getting the call to fight in the UFC, Strickland was dominating the King of the Cage promotion and will be showcasing his skills for the first time in the octagon. McDaniel made it to the quarterfinals before losing to Urijah Hall, and has gone 1-1 in the UFC since the show.
Training out of Jackson’s MMA, McDaniel brings a solid BJJ game with respectable stand-up skills. Strickland has shown much stronger striking skills throughout his young career, scoring six first round TKO/KO victories in 13 fights. In terms of excitement, Strickland has won via decision just three times, finishing 10 of his opponents outside the UFC. If Strickland can win his UFC debut, it will be interesting to see where both fighters end up in their next round of fights.
Daniel Pineda (18-10-0) vs. Rob Whiteford (10-2-0)
Both fighters are coming off of losses in the UFC but are at different points of their career. Pineda will be going into his seventh fight as a UFC fighter and is 3-3 with the promotion. On the other hand, Whitehead is coming off his UFC debut and took on a tough fighter in Hettes. He ended up losing the fight by triangle choke in the second round.
Both fighters bring different skills to the table. Pineda has exercised his BJJ skills quite heavily in the past, but has been finished in seven of his 10 losses. Whiteford had won 10 fights in a row before joining the UFC and has shown solid striking skills in the past. He trains out of American Top Team and will be a tough challenge for the more experienced fighter in Pineda.
