By Dwight Wakabayashi
There is a stacked, free fight card on Sportsnet this weekend, headlined by a fight between lightweight champion Benson Henderson and the last remaining Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez.
Before the main card gets underway, the preliminary card is filled with a variety of great mixed martial arts match-ups with heavy implications throughout the rankings of nearly every UFC division. I have been doing main card previews for Sportsnet for quite some time now, but the preliminary cards have become more worthy of a preview as well.
Here is my UFC on Fox 7 preliminary card preview, and my picks to go along with it.
Clifford Starks (8-1) vs. Yoel Romero (4-1) – middleweight
In what will be the main theme of the entire card and evening, this first fight on sportsnet.ca will feature a UFC vs. Strikeforce match-up. Starks is 1-1 in the UFC and coming off a loss to Ed Herman. Wrestling is the root of Starks’ entire game. Romero is a former Olympic wrestling silver medalist and will drop down from light heavyweight for his UFC debut. He has developed his MMA game nicely but is coming off a loss to Rafael Cavalcante.
Prediction: Romero by decision
Anthony Njokuani (11-3) vs. Roger Bowling (15-7) – lightweight
This is a battle between two strikers looking to move up the rankings in a tough lightweight division. Njokuani is exciting and dangerous but very inconsistent at times. He is coming off a loss to Rafael dos Anjos last July. Bowling is the Strikeforce import and is also coming off a loss to Tarec Saffiedine. Both these men love to throw strikes with Njokuani favouring kicks and Bowling hands. The leg range and reach of Njokuani will be the difference here, unless Bowling decides to take it down to the mat
Prediction: Njokuani by decision
T.J. Dillashaw (7-1) vs. Hugo Viana (7-0) – bantamweight
The prelims on Sportsnet ONE start off with a bout between two rising prospects with large implications on the bantamweight division. Dillashaw has a three-fight win streak going with his wrestling, athleticism and transition leading the way. Dillashaw is a serious prospect with his sights on the very best in the division. Viana is an undefeated 7-0 in his career with two wins in the UFC. He is a little bit older than Dillashaw and needs to make this happen now. The striker will need to be the more desperate fighter and keep this one standing as much as possible.
Prediction: Dillashaw by decision
Tim Means (18-3-1) vs. Jorge Masvidal (23-7) – lightweight
Two-fight UFC veteran Tim Means will take a large step-up in competition when he fights Strikeforce veteran Jorge Masvidal. Means has not lost in 11 straight fights and won two in a row in the UFC. Means has used good takedown defence and diverse striking as his hallmark in his first two appearances in the UFC and will look to do the same here. Masvidal has been battling in this sport for a long time and makes his UFC debut one fight removed from a failed Strikeforce title shot. It is never a secret that Masvidal comes to battle to the end but I think his skills are fading.
Prediction: Means by decision
Joseph Benavidez (17-3) vs. Darren Uyenoyama (8-3) – flyweight
These two men will battle for a shot at the flyweight title in the very near future in a scrap that is worthy of main card status. Benavidez is one fight removed from a title shot and defeated Ian McCall in his last fight to stay right at the top of the contenders in the division. Benavidez can do it all and do it with explosive speed and power, and his game is only getting better.
Uyenoyama gets a big opportunity to jump up in the rankings and has been very impressive in his two fights in the UFC. He is considered a grappling specialist and does not possess the array of tools that his opponent can draw from. Uyenoyama must show a vastly improved striking game to have any chance in this one.
Prediction: Benavidez via TKO
Ramsey Nijem (7-2) vs. Myles Jury (11-0) – lightweight
Nijem has finally put together some momentum in his career and is currently on a three-fight winning streak. When healthy, Nijem has a solid all-around game but is slightly stronger in the grappling game and he may want to make this a dirty ground war with Jury to hand him the first loss of his career.
Jury has never lost in his professional fighting career and is coming off his most impressive win over TUF winner Michael Johnson in December. His ability to transition quickly and seamlessly through his entire box of skills is probably his biggest asset and at 24 years of age, is getting better every time out. Jury will look to knock Nijem out and make a statement in this fight.
Prediction: Jury via TKO
Francis Carmont (20-7) vs. Lorenz Larkin (13-0) – middleweight
Montreal’s Carmont will be looking for a much better performance than his last fight when he welcomes the undefeated Larkin in to the UFC. Carmont is on a nine-fight win streak and has displayed an explosive and athletic game in most of his fights in the UFC. Although Carmont has stated that he wants it to be an exciting fight dominated with stand up, he will probably game plan to Larkin’s biggest weakness and try to submit him on the ground.
Larkin is a power puncher, coming off the biggest win of his career over Robbie Lawler in his Strikeforce swan song. He is a definite threat to Carmont but his take down defence will be the key to victory for him. Larkin has more power and should do more damage with what lands, but Carmont is crafty and long on his feet and will be able to score points in the very least. The winner of this fight remains a top contender in the division, and should be set for one of the biggest names in the division later in the year.
Prediction: Carmont by submission
Chad Mendes (13-1) vs. Darren Elkins (16-2) – featherweight
This one was a true No. 1 contender bout and had some shine taken off when Mendes’ original opponent Clay Guida went down to injury. Elkins steps in for a huge opportunity to get right in the title mix with an upset win. Mendes is the heavy favourite and has only lost to Jose Aldo in his 14-fight career. He has been at the top of the food chain for years now with impeccable wrestling as his base. If he gets in top position on Elkins, that will be the beginning of the end for Elkins.
Elkins will fight with a one-month turnaround and has proven to be a handful for everyone he has faced so far. He likes to grind it out from start to finish. Many guys are not prepared for his discipline and relentless game, and they soon find themselves on the bad end of a decision. Elkins also showed improved striking in his TKO win over Antonio Carvalho in March, and he will need every bit of it against Mendes.
Prediction: Mendes by decision
Dwight Wakabayashi is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report UFC and regular contributor to Sportsnet.ca’s UFC section. Follow him on Twitter @wakafightermma.
