With all the hype surrounding UFC Fight Night in Boston, there are several fighters who have been completely ignored by the strong main card. While all four fights have amazing potential, there is one preliminary bout that deserves a lot more attention heading into Sunday.
John Howard and Lorenz Larkin are two very capable welterweight fighters and are set to co-main event the preliminary card on the Fight Network. If sheer skill was not enough, both fighters have far too much riding on their upcoming fight, making it a must watch bout for any serious MMA fan.
John Howard is most known for stopping the not-so-scary-anymore Uriah Hall back in 2013. One would have thought a flying knee or a spinning wheel kick could have landed on Howard’s jaw, but the now 31-year-old fought his way to a split decision. Since then, Howard has gone 1-2 in the UFC, losing his last two fights. As with every fighter, Howard is one loss away from the hot seat, and he has not done much in the past to warrant another bout. He has relied heavily on his wrestling and has not demonstrated the same all-around skill that made him popular outside the UFC. Interestingly, Howard will have the opportunity to change his ways in front his hometown crowd in Boston, which should give him the right motivation and desire to get the win. With this being his last potential fight in the UFC, expect Howard to come out guns-a-blazing to keep his UFC career alive.
Lorenz Larkin is also in a similar position. Larkin is an abysmal 1-5 in the UFC after a very impressive Strikeforce career. In his defense, Larkin has been pinned against Francis Carmont, Brad Tavares, Costas Philippou and Derek Brunson, with his only win coming against Chris Camozzi. If you are wondering how he was able to garner such tough competition early in his UFC career, you probably did not know his last victory outside the UFC was against current welterweight champion Robbie Lawler. Not too shabby for the 28-year-old, but he has yet to demonstrate those same skills in the UFC. He is a good striker and has demonstrated good versatility in the past. However, with three straight losses in the Octagon, Larkin will also be looking to bring his best skills to the table, or watch his UFC dreams slip away.
Though Larkin has lost three straight fights versus Howard’s two, he has been riding his Strikeforce success for quite some time and was given quite the long leash by the UFC. On the other hand, Howard is not the most exciting fighter and his most impressive bouts have come outside the organization. With both fighters desperate for a win and having so much to prove, Howard and Larkin could create some highly-unanticipated fireworks during the Fight Network prelims. All in all, this is a true coin toss and you can bet that both fighters will bring their full arsenal of skills and will leave everything in the Octagon come Sunday night.
