UFC on FX 6 Preview
The Prelims
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five of Mike Pierce’s losses have come by decision. | Photo:
Sherdog.com
Welterweights
Mike Pierce (15-5, 7-3 UFC) vs. Seth Baczynski (18-8, 4-1 UFC): Despite a rousing second-round knockout of Aaron Simpson at UFC on FX 5, Pierce again finds himself buried on the preliminary card. Do not be deceived by the bout’s placement, because his pairing with the all-action Baczynski is main-card worthy. Pierce can wear down even the most active opponents, however, and his style could frustrate Baczynski over the course of 15 minutes. Pierce takes it by decision.
Light Heavyweights
Igor Pokrajac (25-9, 4-4 UFC) vs. Joey Beltran (14-8, 3-5 UFC): This has the makings of a slugfest, as Pokrajac tends to favor a straightforward approach, while Beltran is about as durable as they come. The bout could come down to which fighter is able to impose his will in the clinch. Pokrajac can capture the momentum of the fight by scoring takedowns from tie-ups and forcing Beltran to fight from his back. Pokrajac wins by decision.
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Featherweights
Chad Mendes (12-1, 3-1 UFC) vs. Yaotzin Meza (19-7, 0-0 UFC): Mendes rebounded beautifully from his first career defeat to champion Jose Aldo, as he needed a little more than half a minute to dispatch Cody McKenzie with a body punch in July. Backed by a proven wrestling pedigree and a stout right hand, the 27-year-old remains a force at 145 pounds. Meza, an MMA Lab representative who replaced Hacran Dias on short notice, has his work cut out for him here. Mendes wins by decision.
Welterweights
Manuel Rodriguez (9-3, 0-0 UFC) vs. Ben Alloway (12-3, 0-0 UFC): Alloway showed heavy hands in defeating Valentino Petrescu via second-round TKO on “The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes” before dropping a split verdict to Brad Scott on the show’s semifinals. Rodriguez, meanwhile, submitted Bola Omoyele with a north-south choke in their opening round matchup. However, a leg kick from Omoyele fractured his leg, ending Rodriguez’s run. Alloway wins by second-round TKO.
Lightweights
Brendan Loughnane (5-0, 0-0 UFC) vs. Mike Wilkinson (7-0, 0-0 UFC): Loughnane did his best work on “The Ultimate Fighter” when he could control positioning but offered little in the way of offense on the feet. That could prove difficult against Wilkinson, who was both patient and relentless in pursuing -- and achieving -- a rear-naked choke against Grant Blackler on the show. However, an eye injury prevented Wilkinson from advancing any further. Wilkinson takes it by submission in round three.
Light Heavyweights
Cody Donovan (7-2, 0-0 UFC) vs. Nick Penner (11-2, 0-1 UFC): Penner looked overwhelmed on the ground against Anthony Perosh in his UFC debut, as he fell victim to heavy ground-and-pound inside of a round against his Australian opponent. A Grudge Training Center product, Donovan will look to do the same. A heavy diet of takedowns carries Donovan to a decision victory.
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