With UFC 120: Bisping vs. Akiyama upon us, it’s time to analyze each fight to determine who has the edge on paper, who holds the keys to winning their bouts, and the bottom line: whose fight is it to lose?
Watch a replay of UFC 120 on Sportsnet ONE at 9 p.m. ET. For fight results, check out (Big Game) James Brydon's Twitter account.
There are many times we see a bout that on the surface, clearly favours one athlete; a superior wrestler who should dominate the skillful striker, who although great on his feet, is simply no match for his opponent on the ground. But for some inexplicable reason, the wrestler decides to stand and trade with the striker, eventually getting knocked out in the process.
By analyzing some of the key attributes and skills that fighters must bring to the table, and comparing which one has the edge we can therefore determine who should emerge victorious.
But as the old adage goes – a fight is a fight, and anything can happen.
Main card (Live on Rogers Sportsnet One, 3 PM EST)
Middleweight bout: Michael Bisping vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama
Striking: Akiyama
Wrestling: Akiyama
Submissions: Akiyama
Stamina: Bisping
Elite level experience: Bisping
Other intangibles: Bisping
The edge: Yoshihiro Akiyama
Additional thoughts: Sexyama must be able to neutralize Bisping's onslaught at the beginning of each round, as the Brit will be fired up from the cheers of the hometown crowd. He must turn the tables of momentum and dictate the pace as quickly (and as much ) as possible, or The Count will run him over like a freight train.
Welterweight bout: Dan Hardy vs. Carlos Condit
Striking: Hardy
Wrestling: Condit
Submissions: Condit
Stamina: Similar
Elite level experience: Condit
Other intangibles: Hardy
The edge: Condit
Additional thoughts: Same as Akiyama above - Condit should avoid standing with Hardy, and take him down to the ground where he has the edge; if he does not, The Outlaw should be able to emerge victorious.
Welterweight bout: John Hathaway vs. Mike Pyle
Striking: Hathaway
Wrestling: Pyle
Submissions: Pyle
Stamina: Similar
Elite level experience: Pyle
Other intangibles: Hathaway
The edge: Pyle
Additional thoughts: If Pyle can get past Hathaway's dangerous strikes and clinch defence, he stands a great chance at catching the youngster with a submission on the ground. The Hitman does not need much space or much of an opening to finish this fight in spectacular fashion, so for Pyle, timing is everything.
Heavyweight bout: Cheick Kongo (228Ibs) vs. Travis Browne (251Ibs)
Striking: Kongo
Wrestling: Similar
Submissions: Browne
Stamina: Kongo
Elite level experience: Kongo
Other intangibles: Kongo
The edge: Kongo
Additional thoughts: Browne's best chance is to put Kongo onto his back or by ground and pound - trading bombs with the French kick boxer may not be a good idea.
Welterweight bout: James Wilks (170 lbs) vs. Claude Patrick (17l lbs)
Striking: Wilks
Wrestling: Similar
Submissions: Patrick
Stamina: Wilks
Elite level experience: Wilks
Other intangibles: Wilks
The edge: Wilks
Additional thoughts: While Wilks may have the edge on paper, Patrick can pull this off. He needs to weather the storm and control the pace of the bout, slow Wilks down, take him down, and catch him with a surprise submission.
Preliminary card
Light Heavyweight bout: Cyrille Diabaté (204 lbs) vs. Alexander Gustafsson (204 lbs)
Striking: Diabate
Wrestling: Diabate
Submissions: Diabate
Stamina: Diabate
Elite level experience: Diabate
Other intangibles: Diabate
The edge: Diabate
Additional Thoughts: Not a great match-up for Gustafsson, but as the old adage goes, "it's a fight, and anything can happen."
Heavyweight bout: Rob Broughton (257Ibs) vs. Vinicius Queiroz (239Ibs)
Striking: Queiroz
Wrestling: Similar
Submissions: Similar
Stamina: Broughton
Elite level experience: Broughton
Other intangibles: Broughton
The edge: Broughton
Additional Thoughts: While the hometown crowd will do their best to aid Broughton in this bout, look for Quieroz to nullify it and pick the Brit apart.
Lightweight bout: Paul Sass (155 lbs) vs. Mark Holst (155 lbs)
Striking: Holst
Wrestling: Sass
Submissions: Sass
Stamina: Holst
Elite level experience: Holst
Other intangibles: Similar
The edge: Holst
Additional Thoughts: Sass' advantage of being the hometown favourite may be neutralized by the fact that this is his UFC debut, whereas this is Holst's second appearance inside the Octagon. To win, Holst must make this a Muay Thai fight. For Sass, he needs this fight to take place on the ground.
Lightweight bout: Spencer Fisher (155 lbs) vs. Kurt Warburton (154 lbs)
Striking: Fisher
Wrestling: Fisher
Submissions: Fisher
Stamina: Fisher
Elite level experience: Fisher
Other intangibles: Fisher
The edge: Fisher
Additional Thoughts: A fight is a fight, and there is something in Warburton that the UFC sees that I do not. On paper this bout has Fisher dominating, so the only way to find out if this analysis is correct, is to put them in the cage, and let them scrap.
Light Heavyweight bout: James McSweeney (205 lbs)vs. Fabio Maldonado (204 lbs)
Striking: Similar
Wrestling: McSweeney
Submissions: Similar
Stamina: Similar
Elite level experience: McSweeney
Other intangibles: McSweeney
The edge: McSweeney
Additional Thoughts: While this matchup on paper heavily favours McSweeney, let it be known that Fabio Maldonado's striking, speed and footwork may give him fits. It's a much closer fight than most think, and if things don't go well early, McSweeney may be in for a shocking result.
