Before each event, The Watch List will identify the intriguing prospects on the fight card, and fill you in on some of the fighters flying under the radar you might want to keep an eye on.
Even though the UFC’s year-end event has joined the rest of its 2012 colleagues in being ravaged by injuries, Saturday’s event in Las Vegas still boasts a number of entertaining pairings and a collection of athletes competing outside of the spotlight who could end up being the people we’re talking about when the dust settles on Dec. 30.
This is The Watch List for UFC 155.
Fighter: Tim Boetsch
Record: 16-4
Opponent: Costa Philippou
If someone ran a contest to crown the most under-appreciated fighter in the UFC, I’m backing Boetsch to the death.
Since dropping to the middleweight division, “The Barbarian” is a perfect 4-0. He posted one of the best comeback wins of the year when he stopped former title challenger Yushin Okami in the third round at UFC 144, and then spoiled Hector Lombard’s debut in an uneven — but still victorious — performance at UFC 149. For the record, that’s twice as many top-15 wins as Michael Bisping has this year.
Boetsch’s chance to cement himself as a legitimate title threat gets downgraded here with Philippou stepping in for his injured teammate Chris Weidman, even though beating the Serra-Longo product is something none of his last four opponents have been able to do.
Should he push his record to 5-0 in the division, the 31-year-old middleweight should start getting some serious recognition in 2013.
Fighter: Alan Belcher
Record: 18-6
Opponent: Yushin Okami
Belcher has won four straight heading into his main card showdown with Okami, but you could easily make the case that he should be riding a seven-fight win streak. His UFC 100 split-decision loss to Yoshihiro Akiyama was that close.
Either way, more people should be talking about Belcher’s steady climb up the middleweight ranks. He looked tremendous fending off leg lock attempts against Rousimar Palhares before putting away the Brazilian submission machine in May, and has earned stoppages in all four of his wins since earning Fight of the Night with Akiyama three summers ago.
Belcher has always said he’s the man to beat Anderson Silva, and the more I see him compete, the more I want to see him get the opportunity to face “The Spider.” There are a few men ahead of him right now, but if he adds another impressive victory to his current dominant run on Saturday, you could see “The Talent” fighting for a shot at the title early next year.
Fighter: Erik Perez
Record: 12-4
Opponent: Byron Bloodworth
What will “Goyito” do next? That’s one of the questions I’m most looking forward to having answered on Saturday, as Perez has become one of the most intriguing prospects in the UFC through his first two fights. Bloodworth hasn’t competed since losing to Mike Easton on short notice last October, so don’t be surprised if Perez puts up another impressive performance in this one.
The 23-year-old Jackson-Winkeljohn product submitted John Albert in his UFC debut, and offered up a 17-second knockout win over Ken Stone for an encore. He’s won seven straight overall, and has thus far shown the kind of skill, technique, and power necessary to be a player in the bantamweight division.
The division is in a state of flux right now with Dominick Cruz sidelined and no real queue of contenders established. If Perez can keep earning quick stoppages, he could earn a quick promotion up the 135-pound ranks as well.
Fighter: Todd Duffee
Record: 7-2
Opponent: Phil De Fries
There is no fighter on the UFC 155 card I’m more interested in seeing than Duffee, and I say that with complete seriousness. The 27-year-old is an absolute specimen, once heralded (prematurely) as “The Next Big Thing” in the heavyweight division.
While he flamed out hard after his knockout win over Tim Hague — losing to Mike Russow and Alistair Overeem before co-starring in the dreadful Never Back Down 2 (Yes, I’ve watched it!) — he starched Neil Grove in his return to the cage, and I believe Duffee still has the potential to make an impact in the heavyweight ranks.
He’s now based at AKA in San Jose where he can prepare and learn from former world champion (and fellow UFC 155 competitor) Cain Velasquez and Strikeforce world heavyweight Grand Prix champ Daniel Cormier, along with countless others. Duffee wouldn’t be the first young fighter to need a little time to mature, and you can count me among those interested in finding out if that was the case when he takes on De Fries this weekend.
Fighter: John Moraga
Record: 12-1
Opponent: Chris Cariaso
His only career loss came by decision to the man set to challenge Demetrious (Mighty Mouse) Johnson for the flyweight title in January, TUF 14 winner John Dodson.
He trains alongside lightweight champ Benson Henderson under the watchful eye of John Crouch at The MMA Lab in Glendale, Arizona, and in his UFC debut, he absolutely lit up Ulysses Gomez along the cage with punches and elbows, channeling some old school Jens Pulver with his impressive “sprawl-and-brawl” tactics.
There is a lot to like about Moraga, and with the 125-pound division still in the developmental stages, a dominant performance against a durable veteran like Cariaso could carry the 28-year-old into contention. Remember where you heard that first.
