We’ve got a rare midweek card to break down as the UFC returns to Fuel TV with an event headlined by featherweight contenders Dustin Poirier and “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung.

No time for chit-chat.

Here we go.

Dustin Poirier (12-1) vs. Chan Sung Jung (12-3)

There’s a good chance that the winner of this one ends up facing the winner of the UFC 149 title fight between Jose Aldo and Erik Koch. As such, you can expect both Poirier and “TKZ” to be coming out looking to earn an impressive win.

While Jung is coming off a seven-second knockout of Mark Hominick, I can’t put too much stock into that performance; Hominick wasn’t himself, threw a careless punch, and paid for it. Though Jung gets all the credit for capitalizing on my fellow Canadian’s mistake, I don’t see anything like that happening here.

Poirier has the markings of a special fighter — a guy who goes out and dominates the opponents he’s supposed to dominate, and keeps getting better with each appearance. With is initial UFC 143 opponent Koch now slotted opposite Aldo later this summer, you can be sure “The Diamond” will be out to prove he belongs in the title conversation himself.

The key for Poirier is to push the pace, and force Jung to fight his style of fight. If he can get Jung going backwards, and breaking from the more structured, technical approach he’s shown lately, the 23-year-old American featherweight should score another impressive finish.

Prediction: Dustin Poirier by TKO, Round 2

Amir Sadollah (6-3) vs. Jorge Lopez (11-2)

In a battle of welterweight Muay Thai practitioners, I have to give the edge to Sadollah. While he has fewer total fights, each of his nine appearances have come in the UFC; by comparison, this is just the second trip into the Octagon for Lopez.

This is a pivotal fight for Sadollah, who won Season 7 of The Ultimate Fighter, but has yet to find consistency in the cage. He’s coming off a one-sided decision loss to Duane Ludwig, and a loss here could be the end of the line for the charismatic kickboxer.

To find success, he needs to pressure Lopez from the outset; be the one dictating where the fight takes place, and be the first one to throw in every exchange. Don’t be surprised is Sadollah works to close the distance, and fight from the clinch, using more of his Sambo background in this one, as Lopez struggled mightily in the grappling department against Justin Edwards in his UFC debut.

Prediction: Amir Sadollah by Unanimous Decision

Jeremy Stephens (20-7) vs. Donald Cerrone (17-4)

Call me crazy, but I’m thinking we see an upset in this one.

Cerrone looked disinterested at the weigh-ins. Maybe that was a product of having to cut weight, and he’ll be back ready to whoop ass when the time comes, but as a guy who has talked in the past about the importance of having his mind straight heading into a fight, I’m now leaning towards “Lil Heathen” here.

This has the potential to mirror Stephens’ fight with Sam Stout, another talented, technical kickboxer who is hard to put away. Stephens landed a number of power shots in that one, and Cerrone isn’t one to shy away from an exchange, so a repeat is certainly possible.

I also like that Stephens has spent a portion of this camp working with Eric Del Fierro and the team at Alliance MMA; you’re only as good as the people you train with, and the team at Alliance are some of the best.

Prediction: Jeremy Stephens by Unanimous Decision

Jeff Hougland (10-4) vs. Yves Jabouin (17-7)

This one is probably going to come back and bite me, but I’m siding with the underdog here as well.

While Jabouin has won back-to-back fights since dropping to bantamweight, they’ve both been split decisions, and I personally thought he lost the second of those two meetings. While he’s a talented, exciting striker, his weakness is on the ground, and that’s where Hougland’s strengths lie.

Provided his conditioning is a little better than when he made his UFC debut last summer, I can see this turning into a series of takedowns and clinches from Hougland, as he does just enough to edge out a decision.

Prediction: Jeff Hougland by Unanimous Decision

Fabio Maldonando (18-4) vs. Igor Pokrajac (24-8)

This light heavyweight contest should be a brawl.

Pokrajac has won back-to-back outings after starting his UFC career with a 1-3 mark. Last time out, he needed just 35 seconds to stop Krzysztof Soszynski, a strong follow-up to his first round finish of Todd Brown nine months earlier. Maldonado, on the other hand, comes in off an entertaining loss to Kyle Kingsbury, his first defeat in nearly four years.

While the trending says “Pokrajac,” I’m picking Maldonado. The former professional boxer hits like a truck, and I just can’t see Pokrajac standing in with him for the full 15 minutes and coming away victorious. At some point, the Brazilian lands a big shot, wobbles Pokrajac, and finishes him off.

Prediction: Fabio Maldonado by TKO, Round 3

Tom Lawlor (7-4) vs. Jason MacDonald (25-15)

Lawlor is an entertaining character at weigh-ins and during his walk to the cage, but neither of those things help him once he’s in the Octagon. Submissions have been his kryptonite, and MacDonald has the jiu-jitsu game to hand him a fourth loss in five appearances.

MacDonald is trying to ensure that he gets to compete at UFC 149 this summer, where he plans to retire in front of family and friends. While I think it happens either way, a win guarantees it, and the Canadian should be able to get the job done inside the distance.

Look for him to bring this fight to the ground, and hunt for a submission. Lawlor leaves himself open pretty frequently, and his spotty conditioning doesn’t help him much as the fight drags on. MacDonald should capitalize on both, and win his way to a farewell fight in Calgary this summer.

Prediction: Jason MacDonald by Submission, Round 2

Preliminary Card Predictions

Marcus LeVesseur over Cody McKenzie — Unanimous Decision
Brad Tavares over Dongi Yang — Unanimous Decision
Carlo Prater over TJ Grant — Unanimous Decision
Rafael dos Anjos over Kamal Shalorus — Submission, Round 2
Jeff Curran over Johnny Eduardo — Submission, Round 3
Francisco Rivera over Alex Soto — TKO, Round 1

Main Card Record: 47-32-1
Overall Record: 106-63-1

* * * * * * * *

Keep up with the latest from Keyboard Kimura by joining the Facebook page.

If you’re on Twitter, be sure to follow me (@spencerkyte) for even more MMA talk… and all kinds of randomness too.

Read More

Mondays tend to suck.

If you’re like me, you probably wish you could punch Monday in the face.

Since you can’t, I offer the next best thing: a series of killer “Face Smash” images from photographer extraordinaire James Law and my friends at Heavy MMA. I like to flip through the gallery picturing Monday as the one on the receiving end of these brutal shots to the dome.

Take that, Monday!

* * * * * * * *

Keep up with the latest from Keyboard Kimura by joining the Facebook page.

If you’re on Twitter, be sure to follow me (@spencerkyte) for even more MMA talk… and all kinds of randomness too.

Read More

Let’s be honest with each other: tomorrow’s UFC on FX 3 card isn’t exactly what you would call “stacked.”

It might now even be what you would call a strong card. Filled with fighters coming off losses, and lesser known commodities, the rare Tuesday event is one that has been lost in the shuffle of everything else going on around it. As a result, there hasn’t been much publicity, and outside of the main event, few of the fights have much buzz.

And that’s why I absolutely can’t wait for tomorrow night to get here.

Cards like this are usually the ones that really deliver. Maybe that’s because expectations are so low to begin with, but while the event is lacking major star power, there are plenty of exciting athletes taking part in the UFC’s return to FUEL TV, and I anticipate there being a handful of exciting contests and worthwhile stories coming out of Fairfax, Virginia on Wednesday morning.

Here are 10 Things to Watch for at UFC on FUEL TV 3.

* * * * * * * *

The Maturation of The Korean Zombie

Chan Sung Jung’s first fight in the WEC earned him Fight of the Night honors at WEC 48, and Fight of the Year honors from a number of outlets. His back-and-forth slugfest with Leonard Garcia made him an instant attraction in the featherweight division.

But he lost that fight — though it was a horrible decision, I must admit — and his next bout as well, getting headkicked into a deep sleep by George Roop. As much as fans loved his entertaining style, it wasn’t winning Jung any fights, so he stopped worrying about putting on a crazy show of the crowd, focused on using his abundant skills, and hasn’t looked back since.

Jung looked tremendous in controlling Garcia in their rematch in March 2011, a bout he won with the first Twister submission in UFC history, and planted a perfect counter-right on Mark Hominick in December to earn his second straight win. Tuesday night, his ability to maintain his composure and continue to show his maturation in the cage will be tested by Dustin Poirier, who likes getting into scraps even though he had superior technique at his disposal as well.

Keeping the fight technical gives Jung his best chance of winning. He did that the second time around against Garcia, but one fight isn’t a big enough sample size to call him a changed man. Tuesday’s main event should give us a better indication of whether or not “The Korean Zombie” has really matured as a fighter.

A Sense of Urgency from Amir Sadollah

I’m going to be brutally honest here: I have absolutely no idea why the Ultimate Fighter winner is slotted in the co-main event of this card with Wanderlei Silva protege Jorge Lopez. Both men are coming off losses, and they’re no where near contention in the deep welterweight division, so really, this is a tip of the cap to Sadollah’s previous victory on TUF, even though there are no more Spike TV execs to appease with TUF alum after TUF alum after TUF alum.

This is a fight where I want to see a sense of urgency from Sadollah. As I suggested Sunday, this feels like a “do or die” fight for the charismatic winner of Season 7, and he needs to approach the bout as such. Lopez looked average at best during his debut, but the talent is there, and now that the Octagon jitters are out of the way — and he too has his back against the wall — I would expect him to come out with more intensity this time around.

Sadollah needs to match that, if not exceed it, and he needs to do it from the outset. He’s once again got a favorable pairing, having been aligned with a fellow kickboxing stylist, so there should be nothing preventing him from coming forward, and looking to engage. We’ve seen flashes of potential from Sadollah over the years, but the time has come for him to have a complete performance, and show that the faith the UFC has shown in him hasn’t been for naught.

“Lil Heathen” Version 2.0

Jeremy Stephens has always been a wildly entertaining power puncher. He’s aggressive, feisty, and hits like a truck. The only thing that has been missing from his arsenal thus far has been a little refinement, but we could see a change in that regard on Tuesday.

Stephens has been working with the team at Alliance MMA for the last several months, and you can be sure that coach Eric Del Fierro has worked diligently to channel some of Stephens’ natural aggressiveness and abilities, and give him a little more structure and nuance in his striking approach. While you could previously count on “Lil Heathen” coming out looking to land a clubbing right hand, working with the skilled group of coaches and fighters at Alliance could be what takes Stephens to the next level.

Because he’s been around since 2007 and this will be his 14th appearance in the Octagon, it’s easy to forget that Stephens is just 27-years-old and only now entering his athletic prime. Be on the lookout for a breakout performance from him in this one.

Angry Cowboy

Last time out, Donald Cerrone played Nate Diaz’s game, and it cost him dearly. The kid from the 209 put a beating on “Cowboy” at UFC 141, and while Cerrone took his lumps like a man, admitted he was handled, and moved forward, you can be damn sure that he’ll be looking to take the frustration of that loss out on Stephens tomorrow night.

Cerrone has never lost consecutive fights in his career, and after rocketing up the rankings last year on the strength of a four-fight winning streak, he’ll need to get back in the win column here to keep from losing more of that ground.

A notoriously slow starter, it will be interesting to see if Cerrone’s loss to Diaz will have him coming out of the gate quicker here. Stephens isn’t likely to give him much breathing room, and has the tools to beat Cerrone if he catches him flat-footed. As such, “Cowboy” needs to be firing from the get-go, countering what Stephens is bringing to the table, and showing the moxie that he displayed during his impressive run last year.

An Intriguing Underdog

It’s not often that a fighter riding a nine-fight winning streak will enter a contest as the underdog, but such is the case for Jeff Hougland. Despite the fact that he hasn’t lost since July 2003, the Washington native is on the wrong side of the odds heading into his meeting with Yves Jabouin tomorrow night.

If I were a betting man, this would be a wager I couldn’t stay away from.

Hougland looked solid earning a win in his UFC debut last summer, shutting down Donny Walker in the opening bout of UFC 132 in July. Injuries have prevented him from competing since then, but considering he returned to the win column following a four-year layoff earlier in his career, I don’t think 10 months is going to be that big of a deal. While Jabouin has looked solid in earning a pair of wins since dropping to bantamweight, he’s far from unbeatable, and Hougland’s grappling-based approach seems to be the right blueprint for controlling the Haitian-born striker.

Introducing Marcus LeVesseur

Two men have gone their entire collegiate wrestling career without a loss: one is Cael Sanderson, considered by most to be the best wrestler in NCAA history; the other is Marcus LeVesseur.

A four-time Division III national champion at Ausberg College, LeVesseur makes his UFC debut as a late replacement for veteran Aaron Riley opposite TUF alum Cody Mackenzie. He’s won three straight, including a pair of bouts over former Ultimate Fighter cast members, and is 10-2 over his last 12 fights.

While he’s undoubtedly still green, you have to be intrigued by the potential the 29-year-old brings to the cage. No matter how much some people dislike it, wrestling is still the best base to start from in MMA, and LeVesseur’s credentials are outstanding. Mackenzie is a solid first test for LeVesseur on the big stage, but certainly not too steep a step up in competition for the wrestling standout.

Count me among the many who are curious to see what Levesseur can do in the cage, and how his tremendous wrestling skills translate to MMA.

Carlo Prater’s Second Chance

Carlo Prater’s first UFC fight lasted 30 seconds, and while the result say that he won, everyone who saw the fight watched him get steamrolled by Erick Silva at UFC 142 before the talented Brazilian welterweight prospect was disqualified. Throw that one out the window; this is Prater’s real UFC debut.

Returning to the lightweight division and facing veteran TJ Grant, this is where we should get a better indication of whether or not Prater has what it takes to make it in the UFC. Facing Silva is a nightmare assignment for anyone, and doing it on short notice above the weight class you’re best suited for only makes it more difficult. This is a much more reasonable match-up for Prater, and hopefully he’s able to make the most of it.

He’s shown flashes of excellence over his career, but also been plagued by inconsistency. He says he’s ready to put it all together, and for now, I’m inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. A return to lightweight, a full training camp, and a solid stylistic match-up — these are ideal conditions for Prater, so it’s now or never for his UFC dreams.

Battle of the Faded Prospects

There was a time when both Kamal Shalorus and Rafael dos Anjos were viewed as potential contenders in the lightweight division. That time is gone, and now they meet in a bout that could see the loser being let go from the UFC.

Shalorus has dropped back-to-back contests after entering the UFC unbeaten. While losing to Jim Miller is certainly understandable, Shalorus had very little to offer earlier this year in his bout against newcomer Khabib Nurmagomedov. He’s changed gyms (again) and promises a return to his aggressive, swing-for-the-fences approach of old this time around, but that remains to be seen.

Call me a sucker, but I still think dos Anjos has potential. He needs to be more aggressive and look to control the fight more, but he’s some quality outings and earned some good results in the past. He’s just 27-years-old, and has a solid all-around skill set, so it’s not unreasonable to think a move back up the rankings is possible. If I had to pick one of these two to impress tomorrow night, I’m siding with dos Anjos.

Pulling for “Big Frog”

I know I’m supposed to stay impartial, but I have to admit that I’m pulling for Jeff Curran to get a win tomorrow night.

The veteran grappler got the chance to return to the UFC earlier this year, and came away on the wrong side of the scorecards in a bout with former bantamweight title contender Scott Jorgensen. Now, the 34-year-old gets a second chance with a much better match-up against Johnny Eduardo, and I want to see him emerge with the win.

Curran was a pioneer in the lighter weight classes, fighting a ton of tough opponents when no one was really watching the smaller guys scrap. People look at his record going back to his WEC days, see that he’s 4-6 in his last 10 fights, and dismiss him, but he’s much more talented than his recent record indicates.

Knowing that his days of competing on the big stage are probably getting close to an end, the fan in me would love to see “Big Frog” be able to add a UFC victory to his resume.

Explosive Opener

The first bout of the night should produce some fireworks, as bantamweights Alex Soto and Francisco Rivera battle to prove they belong on the biggest stage in the sport.

Soto was thrown to the wolves in his UFC debut, coming in as a late replacement opposite Michael McDonald. As you’d expect, it didn’t go so well, with McDonald finishing the Team Hurricane Awesome product in just 40 seconds. It was the first loss of Soto’s career, and you can be sure that the 28-year-old will be looking to rebound in a big way in this one.

Rivera has had a cup of coffee in the UFC already, losing to Reuben Duran last June after having been stopped by featherweight title contender Erik Koch in the WEC seven months earlier. “Cisco” has since returned to the regional circuit and picked up a pair of impressive wins, finishing McDonald’s brother Brad and Antonio Duarte in a combined 1:55 seconds under the Tachi Palace Fights banner.

Neither man made a very good first impression in their respective debuts, so you can be sure they’ll both be looking to right the ship this time around.

* * * * * * * *

Keep up with the latest from Keyboard Kimura by joining the Facebook page.

If you’re on Twitter, be sure to follow me (@spencerkyte) for even more MMA talk… and all kinds of randomness too.

Read More

Let’s be honest with each other: tomorrow’s UFC on FX 3 card isn’t exactly what you would call “stacked.”

It might now even be what you would call a strong card. Filled with fighters coming off losses, and lesser known commodities, the rare Tuesday event is one that has been lost in the shuffle of everything else going on around it. As a result, there hasn’t been much publicity, and outside of the main event, few of the fights have much buzz.

And that’s why I absolutely can’t wait for tomorrow night to get here.

Cards like this are usually the ones that really deliver. Maybe that’s because expectations are so low to begin with, but while the event is lacking major star power, there are plenty of exciting athletes taking part in the UFC’s return to FUEL TV, and I anticipate there being a handful of exciting contests and worthwhile stories coming out of Fairfax, Virginia on Wednesday morning.

Here are 10 Things to Watch for at UFC on FUEL TV 3.

* * * * * * * *

The Maturation of The Korean Zombie

Chan Sung Jung’s first fight in the WEC earned him Fight of the Night honors at WEC 48, and Fight of the Year honors from a number of outlets. His back-and-forth slugfest with Leonard Garcia made him an instant attraction in the featherweight division.

But he lost that fight — though it was a horrible decision, I must admit — and his next bout as well, getting headkicked into a deep sleep by George Roop. As much as fans loved his entertaining style, it wasn’t winning Jung any fights, so he stopped worrying about putting on a crazy show of the crowd, focused on using his abundant skills, and hasn’t looked back since.

Jung looked tremendous in controlling Garcia in their rematch in March 2011, a bout he won with the first Twister submission in UFC history, and planted a perfect counter-right on Mark Hominick in December to earn his second straight win. Tuesday night, his ability to maintain his composure and continue to show his maturation in the cage will be tested by Dustin Poirier, who likes getting into scraps even though he had superior technique at his disposal as well.

Keeping the fight technical gives Jung his best chance of winning. He did that the second time around against Garcia, but one fight isn’t a big enough sample size to call him a changed man. Tuesday’s main event should give us a better indication of whether or not “The Korean Zombie” has really matured as a fighter.

A Sense of Urgency from Amir Sadollah

I’m going to be brutally honest here: I have absolutely no idea why the Ultimate Fighter winner is slotted in the co-main event of this card with Wanderlei Silva protege Jorge Lopez. Both men are coming off losses, and they’re no where near contention in the deep welterweight division, so really, this is a tip of the cap to Sadollah’s previous victory on TUF, even though there are no more Spike TV execs to appease with TUF alum after TUF alum after TUF alum.

This is a fight where I want to see a sense of urgency from Sadollah. As I suggested Sunday, this feels like a “do or die” fight for the charismatic winner of Season 7, and he needs to approach the bout as such. Lopez looked average at best during his debut, but the talent is there, and now that the Octagon jitters are out of the way — and he too has his back against the wall — I would expect him to come out with more intensity this time around.

Sadollah needs to match that, if not exceed it, and he needs to do it from the outset. He’s once again got a favorable pairing, having been aligned with a fellow kickboxing stylist, so there should be nothing preventing him from coming forward, and looking to engage. We’ve seen flashes of potential from Sadollah over the years, but the time has come for him to have a complete performance, and show that the faith the UFC has shown in him hasn’t been for naught.

“Lil Heathen” Version 2.0

Jeremy Stephens has always been a wildly entertaining power puncher. He’s aggressive, feisty, and hits like a truck. The only thing that has been missing from his arsenal thus far has been a little refinement, but we could see a change in that regard on Tuesday.

Stephens has been working with the team at Alliance MMA for the last several months, and you can be sure that coach Eric Del Fierro has worked diligently to channel some of Stephens’ natural aggressiveness and abilities, and give him a little more structure and nuance in his striking approach. While you could previously count on “Lil Heathen” coming out looking to land a clubbing right hand, working with the skilled group of coaches and fighters at Alliance could be what takes Stephens to the next level.

Because he’s been around since 2007 and this will be his 14th appearance in the Octagon, it’s easy to forget that Stephens is just 27-years-old and only now entering his athletic prime. Be on the lookout for a breakout performance from him in this one.

Angry Cowboy

Last time out, Donald Cerrone played Nate Diaz’s game, and it cost him dearly. The kid from the 209 put a beating on “Cowboy” at UFC 141, and while Cerrone took his lumps like a man, admitted he was handled, and moved forward, you can be damn sure that he’ll be looking to take the frustration of that loss out on Stephens tomorrow night.

Cerrone has never lost consecutive fights in his career, and after rocketing up the rankings last year on the strength of a four-fight winning streak, he’ll need to get back in the win column here to keep from losing more of that ground.

A notoriously slow starter, it will be interesting to see if Cerrone’s loss to Diaz will have him coming out of the gate quicker here. Stephens isn’t likely to give him much breathing room, and has the tools to beat Cerrone if he catches him flat-footed. As such, “Cowboy” needs to be firing from the get-go, countering what Stephens is bringing to the table, and showing the moxie that he displayed during his impressive run last year.

An Intriguing Underdog

It’s not often that a fighter riding a nine-fight winning streak will enter a contest as the underdog, but such is the case for Jeff Hougland. Despite the fact that he hasn’t lost since July 2003, the Washington native is on the wrong side of the odds heading into his meeting with Yves Jabouin tomorrow night.

If I were a betting man, this would be a wager I couldn’t stay away from.

Hougland looked solid earning a win in his UFC debut last summer, shutting down Donny Walker in the opening bout of UFC 132 in July. Injuries have prevented him from competing since then, but considering he returned to the win column following a four-year layoff earlier in his career, I don’t think 10 months is going to be that big of a deal. While Jabouin has looked solid in earning a pair of wins since dropping to bantamweight, he’s far from unbeatable, and Hougland’s grappling-based approach seems to be the right blueprint for controlling the Haitian-born striker.

Introducing Marcus LeVesseur

Two men have gone their entire collegiate wrestling career without a loss: one is Cael Sanderson, considered by most to be the best wrestler in NCAA history; the other is Marcus LeVesseur.

A four-time Division III national champion at Ausberg College, LeVesseur makes his UFC debut as a late replacement for veteran Aaron Riley opposite TUF alum Cody Mackenzie. He’s won three straight, including a pair of bouts over former Ultimate Fighter cast members, and is 10-2 over his last 12 fights.

While he’s undoubtedly still green, you have to be intrigued by the potential the 29-year-old brings to the cage. No matter how much some people dislike it, wrestling is still the best base to start from in MMA, and LeVesseur’s credentials are outstanding. Mackenzie is a solid first test for LeVesseur on the big stage, but certainly not too steep a step up in competition for the wrestling standout.

Count me among the many who are curious to see what Levesseur can do in the cage, and how his tremendous wrestling skills translate to MMA.

Carlo Prater’s Second Chance

Carlo Prater’s first UFC fight lasted 30 seconds, and while the result say that he won, everyone who saw the fight watched him get steamrolled by Erick Silva at UFC 142 before the talented Brazilian welterweight prospect was disqualified. Throw that one out the window; this is Prater’s real UFC debut.

Returning to the lightweight division and facing veteran TJ Grant, this is where we should get a better indication of whether or not Prater has what it takes to make it in the UFC. Facing Silva is a nightmare assignment for anyone, and doing it on short notice above the weight class you’re best suited for only makes it more difficult. This is a much more reasonable match-up for Prater, and hopefully he’s able to make the most of it.

He’s shown flashes of excellence over his career, but also been plagued by inconsistency. He says he’s ready to put it all together, and for now, I’m inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. A return to lightweight, a full training camp, and a solid stylistic match-up — these are ideal conditions for Prater, so it’s now or never for his UFC dreams.

Battle of the Faded Prospects

There was a time when both Kamal Shalorus and Rafael dos Anjos were viewed as potential contenders in the lightweight division. That time is gone, and now they meet in a bout that could see the loser being let go from the UFC.

Shalorus has dropped back-to-back contests after entering the UFC unbeaten. While losing to Jim Miller is certainly understandable, Shalorus had very little to offer earlier this year in his bout against newcomer Khabib Nurmagomedov. He’s changed gyms (again) and promises a return to his aggressive, swing-for-the-fences approach of old this time around, but that remains to be seen.

Call me a sucker, but I still think dos Anjos has potential. He needs to be more aggressive and look to control the fight more, but he’s some quality outings and earned some good results in the past. He’s just 27-years-old, and has a solid all-around skill set, so it’s not unreasonable to think a move back up the rankings is possible. If I had to pick one of these two to impress tomorrow night, I’m siding with dos Anjos.

Pulling for “Big Frog”

I know I’m supposed to stay impartial, but I have to admit that I’m pulling for Jeff Curran to get a win tomorrow night.

The veteran grappler got the chance to return to the UFC earlier this year, and came away on the wrong side of the scorecards in a bout with former bantamweight title contender Scott Jorgensen. Now, the 34-year-old gets a second chance with a much better match-up against Johnny Eduardo, and I want to see him emerge with the win.

Curran was a pioneer in the lighter weight classes, fighting a ton of tough opponents when no one was really watching the smaller guys scrap. People look at his record going back to his WEC days, see that he’s 4-6 in his last 10 fights, and dismiss him, but he’s much more talented than his recent record indicates.

Knowing that his days of competing on the big stage are probably getting close to an end, the fan in me would love to see “Big Frog” be able to add a UFC victory to his resume.

Explosive Opener

The first bout of the night should produce some fireworks, as bantamweights Alex Soto and Francisco Rivera battle to prove they belong on the biggest stage in the sport.

Soto was thrown to the wolves in his UFC debut, coming in as a late replacement opposite Michael McDonald. As you’d expect, it didn’t go so well, with McDonald finishing the Team Hurricane Awesome product in just 40 seconds. It was the first loss of Soto’s career, and you can be sure that the 28-year-old will be looking to rebound in a big way in this one.

Rivera has had a cup of coffee in the UFC already, losing to Reuben Duran last June after having been stopped by featherweight title contender Erik Koch in the WEC seven months earlier. “Cisco” has since returned to the regional circuit and picked up a pair of impressive wins, finishing McDonald’s brother Brad and Antonio Duarte in a combined 1:55 seconds under the Tachi Palace Fights banner.

Neither man made a very good first impression in their respective debuts, so you can be sure they’ll both be looking to right the ship this time around.

* * * * * * * *

Keep up with the latest from Keyboard Kimura by joining the Facebook page.

If you’re on Twitter, be sure to follow me (@spencerkyte) for even more MMA talk… and all kinds of randomness too.

Read More

Let’s be honest with each other: tomorrow’s UFC on FX 3 card isn’t exactly what you would call “stacked.”

It might now even be what you would call a strong card. Filled with fighters coming off losses, and lesser known commodities, the rare Tuesday event is one that has been lost in the shuffle of everything else going on around it. As a result, there hasn’t been much publicity, and outside of the main event, few of the fights have much buzz.

And that’s why I absolutely can’t wait for tomorrow night to get here.

Cards like this are usually the ones that really deliver. Maybe that’s because expectations are so low to begin with, but while the event is lacking major star power, there are plenty of exciting athletes taking part in the UFC’s return to FUEL TV, and I anticipate there being a handful of exciting contests and worthwhile stories coming out of Fairfax, Virginia on Wednesday morning.

Here are 10 Things to Watch for at UFC on FUEL TV 3.

* * * * * * * *

The Maturation of The Korean Zombie

Chan Sung Jung’s first fight in the WEC earned him Fight of the Night honors at WEC 48, and Fight of the Year honors from a number of outlets. His back-and-forth slugfest with Leonard Garcia made him an instant attraction in the featherweight division.

But he lost that fight — though it was a horrible decision, I must admit — and his next bout as well, getting headkicked into a deep sleep by George Roop. As much as fans loved his entertaining style, it wasn’t winning Jung any fights, so he stopped worrying about putting on a crazy show of the crowd, focused on using his abundant skills, and hasn’t looked back since.

Jung looked tremendous in controlling Garcia in their rematch in March 2011, a bout he won with the first Twister submission in UFC history, and planted a perfect counter-right on Mark Hominick in December to earn his second straight win. Tuesday night, his ability to maintain his composure and continue to show his maturation in the cage will be tested by Dustin Poirier, who likes getting into scraps even though he had superior technique at his disposal as well.

Keeping the fight technical gives Jung his best chance of winning. He did that the second time around against Garcia, but one fight isn’t a big enough sample size to call him a changed man. Tuesday’s main event should give us a better indication of whether or not “The Korean Zombie” has really matured as a fighter.

A Sense of Urgency from Amir Sadollah

I’m going to be brutally honest here: I have absolutely no idea why the Ultimate Fighter winner is slotted in the co-main event of this card with Wanderlei Silva protege Jorge Lopez. Both men are coming off losses, and they’re no where near contention in the deep welterweight division, so really, this is a tip of the cap to Sadollah’s previous victory on TUF, even though there are no more Spike TV execs to appease with TUF alum after TUF alum after TUF alum.

This is a fight where I want to see a sense of urgency from Sadollah. As I suggested Sunday, this feels like a “do or die” fight for the charismatic winner of Season 7, and he needs to approach the bout as such. Lopez looked average at best during his debut, but the talent is there, and now that the Octagon jitters are out of the way — and he too has his back against the wall — I would expect him to come out with more intensity this time around.

Sadollah needs to match that, if not exceed it, and he needs to do it from the outset. He’s once again got a favorable pairing, having been aligned with a fellow kickboxing stylist, so there should be nothing preventing him from coming forward, and looking to engage. We’ve seen flashes of potential from Sadollah over the years, but the time has come for him to have a complete performance, and show that the faith the UFC has shown in him hasn’t been for naught.

“Lil Heathen” Version 2.0

Jeremy Stephens has always been a wildly entertaining power puncher. He’s aggressive, feisty, and hits like a truck. The only thing that has been missing from his arsenal thus far has been a little refinement, but we could see a change in that regard on Tuesday.

Stephens has been working with the team at Alliance MMA for the last several months, and you can be sure that coach Eric Del Fierro has worked diligently to channel some of Stephens’ natural aggressiveness and abilities, and give him a little more structure and nuance in his striking approach. While you could previously count on “Lil Heathen” coming out looking to land a clubbing right hand, working with the skilled group of coaches and fighters at Alliance could be what takes Stephens to the next level.

Because he’s been around since 2007 and this will be his 14th appearance in the Octagon, it’s easy to forget that Stephens is just 27-years-old and only now entering his athletic prime. Be on the lookout for a breakout performance from him in this one.

Angry Cowboy

Last time out, Donald Cerrone played Nate Diaz’s game, and it cost him dearly. The kid from the 209 put a beating on “Cowboy” at UFC 141, and while Cerrone took his lumps like a man, admitted he was handled, and moved forward, you can be damn sure that he’ll be looking to take the frustration of that loss out on Stephens tomorrow night.

Cerrone has never lost consecutive fights in his career, and after rocketing up the rankings last year on the strength of a four-fight winning streak, he’ll need to get back in the win column here to keep from losing more of that ground.

A notoriously slow starter, it will be interesting to see if Cerrone’s loss to Diaz will have him coming out of the gate quicker here. Stephens isn’t likely to give him much breathing room, and has the tools to beat Cerrone if he catches him flat-footed. As such, “Cowboy” needs to be firing from the get-go, countering what Stephens is bringing to the table, and showing the moxie that he displayed during his impressive run last year.

An Intriguing Underdog

It’s not often that a fighter riding a nine-fight winning streak will enter a contest as the underdog, but such is the case for Jeff Hougland. Despite the fact that he hasn’t lost since July 2003, the Washington native is on the wrong side of the odds heading into his meeting with Yves Jabouin tomorrow night.

If I were a betting man, this would be a wager I couldn’t stay away from.

Hougland looked solid earning a win in his UFC debut last summer, shutting down Donny Walker in the opening bout of UFC 132 in July. Injuries have prevented him from competing since then, but considering he returned to the win column following a four-year layoff earlier in his career, I don’t think 10 months is going to be that big of a deal. While Jabouin has looked solid in earning a pair of wins since dropping to bantamweight, he’s far from unbeatable, and Hougland’s grappling-based approach seems to be the right blueprint for controlling the Haitian-born striker.

Introducing Marcus LeVesseur

Two men have gone their entire collegiate wrestling career without a loss: one is Cael Sanderson, considered by most to be the best wrestler in NCAA history; the other is Marcus LeVesseur.

A four-time Division III national champion at Ausberg College, LeVesseur makes his UFC debut as a late replacement for veteran Aaron Riley opposite TUF alum Cody Mackenzie. He’s won three straight, including a pair of bouts over former Ultimate Fighter cast members, and is 10-2 over his last 12 fights.

While he’s undoubtedly still green, you have to be intrigued by the potential the 29-year-old brings to the cage. No matter how much some people dislike it, wrestling is still the best base to start from in MMA, and LeVesseur’s credentials are outstanding. Mackenzie is a solid first test for LeVesseur on the big stage, but certainly not too steep a step up in competition for the wrestling standout.

Count me among the many who are curious to see what Levesseur can do in the cage, and how his tremendous wrestling skills translate to MMA.

Carlo Prater’s Second Chance

Carlo Prater’s first UFC fight lasted 30 seconds, and while the result say that he won, everyone who saw the fight watched him get steamrolled by Erick Silva at UFC 142 before the talented Brazilian welterweight prospect was disqualified. Throw that one out the window; this is Prater’s real UFC debut.

Returning to the lightweight division and facing veteran TJ Grant, this is where we should get a better indication of whether or not Prater has what it takes to make it in the UFC. Facing Silva is a nightmare assignment for anyone, and doing it on short notice above the weight class you’re best suited for only makes it more difficult. This is a much more reasonable match-up for Prater, and hopefully he’s able to make the most of it.

He’s shown flashes of excellence over his career, but also been plagued by inconsistency. He says he’s ready to put it all together, and for now, I’m inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. A return to lightweight, a full training camp, and a solid stylistic match-up — these are ideal conditions for Prater, so it’s now or never for his UFC dreams.

Battle of the Faded Prospects

There was a time when both Kamal Shalorus and Rafael dos Anjos were viewed as potential contenders in the lightweight division. That time is gone, and now they meet in a bout that could see the loser being let go from the UFC.

Shalorus has dropped back-to-back contests after entering the UFC unbeaten. While losing to Jim Miller is certainly understandable, Shalorus had very little to offer earlier this year in his bout against newcomer Khabib Nurmagomedov. He’s changed gyms (again) and promises a return to his aggressive, swing-for-the-fences approach of old this time around, but that remains to be seen.

Call me a sucker, but I still think dos Anjos has potential. He needs to be more aggressive and look to control the fight more, but he’s some quality outings and earned some good results in the past. He’s just 27-years-old, and has a solid all-around skill set, so it’s not unreasonable to think a move back up the rankings is possible. If I had to pick one of these two to impress tomorrow night, I’m siding with dos Anjos.

Pulling for “Big Frog”

I know I’m supposed to stay impartial, but I have to admit that I’m pulling for Jeff Curran to get a win tomorrow night.

The veteran grappler got the chance to return to the UFC earlier this year, and came away on the wrong side of the scorecards in a bout with former bantamweight title contender Scott Jorgensen. Now, the 34-year-old gets a second chance with a much better match-up against Johnny Eduardo, and I want to see him emerge with the win.

Curran was a pioneer in the lighter weight classes, fighting a ton of tough opponents when no one was really watching the smaller guys scrap. People look at his record going back to his WEC days, see that he’s 4-6 in his last 10 fights, and dismiss him, but he’s much more talented than his recent record indicates.

Knowing that his days of competing on the big stage are probably getting close to an end, the fan in me would love to see “Big Frog” be able to add a UFC victory to his resume.

Explosive Opener

The first bout of the night should produce some fireworks, as bantamweights Alex Soto and Francisco Rivera battle to prove they belong on the biggest stage in the sport.

Soto was thrown to the wolves in his UFC debut, coming in as a late replacement opposite Michael McDonald. As you’d expect, it didn’t go so well, with McDonald finishing the Team Hurricane Awesome product in just 40 seconds. It was the first loss of Soto’s career, and you can be sure that the 28-year-old will be looking to rebound in a big way in this one.

Rivera has had a cup of coffee in the UFC already, losing to Reuben Duran last June after having been stopped by featherweight title contender Erik Koch in the WEC seven months earlier. “Cisco” has since returned to the regional circuit and picked up a pair of impressive wins, finishing McDonald’s brother Brad and Antonio Duarte in a combined 1:55 seconds under the Tachi Palace Fights banner.

Neither man made a very good first impression in their respective debuts, so you can be sure they’ll both be looking to right the ship this time around.

* * * * * * * *

Keep up with the latest from Keyboard Kimura by joining the Facebook page.

If you’re on Twitter, be sure to follow me (@spencerkyte) for even more MMA talk… and all kinds of randomness too.

Read More