UFC 143 preview: Preliminary bouts
Preliminary bouts (on FX):
Dustin Poirier (11-1) vs. Max Hollaway (4-0)
In the headliner of the preliminary action broadcast live on FX, the red-hot youngster Poirier greets the UFC first-timer Hollaway.
Poirier, 23, is 4-0 since dropping to 145 pounds. A protégé of UFC middleweight Tim Credeur, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt defeated Josh Grispi in his January 2010 UFC debut. Most recently, he submitted Pablo Garza in November.
Typical of young prospects entering the sport, Poirier is a dynamic fighter with a well-rounded arsenal. He will threaten Holloway everywhere and look to end the fight with some sort of highlight reel finish.
A training partner of UFC lightweight Jeremy Stephens, the 20-year-old Holloway is a Hawaiian-born kickboxer looking to make the most of an opportunity to enter the UFC on short notice.
Poirier should be one step ahead as he will overwhelm the newcomer with aggression and technique before capitalizing on a mistake and sinking in a fight-ending submission.
Verdict: Poirier via submission, Round 1
Matt Riddle (5-3) vs. Henry Martinez (8-1)
In welterweight action, Riddle faces a potential pink slip unless he turns in an impressive performance against the debuting Martinez.
Riddle, 26, a member of Las Vegas' Throwdown Training Center, was last seen in December 2010 as he dropped a unanimous decision to Canadian Sean Pierson.
The Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt has struggled with inconsistency in the Octagon, but he should benefit from a noticeable height and reach advantage on Saturday night.
Martinez, 28, a Greg Jackson pupil in New Mexico, has finished his last four opponents. However, Martinez has mostly competed in smaller weight classes, even dropping a decision to featherweight Wilson Reis.
Riddle will capitalize from his length in this fight, battering the UFC newcomer with jabs and hooks. Martinez will be dangerous if they go to the ground, but Riddle should dictate the fight en route to a triumphant decision.
Verdict: Riddle via decision
Alex Caceres (6-4) vs. Edwin Figueroa (8-1)
Fresh off the biggest win of his career, Caceres tries to turn it into a streak in a bantamweight bout with Figueroa.
Caceres, 23, was as an outspoken figure on the 12th season of "The Ultimate Fighter." Successive submission setbacks against Jim Hettes and Mackens Semerzier put his UFC tenure in question, but he rebounded in his first bantamweight appearance this past November, outpointing the first-ever WEC featherweight champion Cole Escovedo over three hard-fought rounds.
If the southpaw can address some issues with his submission defense, he could make a name for himself at 135 pounds.
Figueroa, 26, finished Jason Reinhardt in the second round this past August. A heavy hitter also adept at submissions, he should exploit some glaring weakness in Caceres' defense. Once he finds his rhythm, he will put Caceres down and finish him with a quick flurry of punches.
Verdict: Figueroa via KO, Round 2
Matt Brown (12-11) vs. Chris Cope (5-2)
Rounding out the preliminary card is a welterweight pairing between the gritty veteran Brown and the upstart Cope.
Brown, 31, is 1-4 in his last five bouts and desperately needs a solid performance. Brown was submitted in the second round of his bout with Seth Baczynski this past November after a somewhat surprising decision win over John Howard in June.
Brown is losing to solid fighters and he's dangerous anywhere, but Cope should not be underestimated, which standout wrestler Shamar Bailey found out the hard way when they met during the 13th instalment of "The Ultimate Fighter."
Cope, 28, a member of The Arena team, was knocked out just 40 seconds into his bout with newcomer Che Mills at UFC 138 this past November.
If Cope hopes to stick around, he'll also need to impress the UFC brass. Brown's record doesn't do his skills justice and he will prove it by rushing Cope early and putting him away with a tight submission.
Verdict: Brown via submission, Round 1
