~ UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship ~
This is a historic event for the UFC. This card is headlined by two women, not only fighting for the first Women’s championship in the sport, but even more remarkably, the first female fight in the biggest MMA promotion on the planet. Ronda Rousey will square off against Liz Carmouche this Saturday night at UFC 157. The rest of the main card is stacked with fights to ensure this ground breaking UFC event will truly be one for the record books in more than one way.
~ Koscheck vs. Lawler ~
Josh Koscheck: Koscheck started off in the UFC for being known as a relentless aggressor with his pressure and takedowns, but like many wrestlers in the UFC, he added powerful striking to his arsenal. Koscheck is successful when mixing up his new found powerful striking with his strong collegiate wrestling background.
Keys to victory: Koscheck has great wrestling and athleticism. He will need to keep his hands high and chin down and weather the power punches that will be thrown by his opponent. Koscheck will need to work for takedowns in the 1st and 2nd round while making his opponent carry his weight. This is a sure method to tire the foe out and look for a TKO/KO late in the 2nd or sometime in the 3rd.
Robbie Lawler: Lawler is known as a tough fighter who once trained under Pat Miletich and his gym This is where Lawler honed his wrestling skills and developed his brutal striking. Lawler mixes up his game through using defensive wrestling and turning the match into an all-out slug fest.
Keys to victory: Lawler has power, hand speed, and great takedown defense. He will need to rush Koscheck and overwhelm him with a barrage of power punches. He needs to be sure to keep the pressure coming and be the aggressor and thwart his takedown attempts by constantly moving forward.
Fight prediction: Koscheck win’s the bout UD using striking and implementing his game plan.
~ McGee vs. Neer ~
Court McGee: McGee is well-known for winning the Ultimate Fighter 11. He is also known for mixing up his offense with striking, wrestling, and submissions. His ability to take shots while working to take the fight to the ground and being very offensive once there, through constantly looking to pass and working submissions is key in this fight.
Keys to victory: McGee is well-rounded and he will need to close the distance against the aggressive striker, looking for takedowns and hold top positions while working ground and pound and looking for the fight ending submission.
Josh Neer: Neer is recognized as a heavy handed slugger with crafty submission offense. Neer is aggressive with his striking and is generally able to take the fight to the ground and win by submission. He’s very durable and a true veteran of the game.
Keys to victory: Neer has knockout power, cunning submissions, and pure toughness. He will need to look to exchange on the feet with his adversary pushing for that one punch TKO/KO or a combo that puts the opponent to the mat and work a quick submission.
Fight prediction: Neer comes out aggressive uses solid defensive grappling and TKO’s McGee in the 2nd.
~ Faber vs. Menjivar ~
Urijah Faber: Faber recognized for being extremely resilient. He keeps a lightning fast speed and continues to come forward throughout the bout looking for openings to strike, grapple, or to finish the fight via submission.
Keys to victory: Faber possess excellent submissions, strong takedowns, and superior hand speed. He will need to press the action; stay focused, and push for those big takedowns and work solid ground and pound.
Ivan Menjivar: Menjivar is considered to be in the top of his division looking to prove he belongs in title contention status. He uses powerful striking to control the fight and looks for submissions while on the ground.
Fight prediction: Faber wins a split decision using takedowns and ground control.
~ Machida vs. Henderson ~
Lyoto Machida: Machida is popular for his karate fighting style. He is a 3rd dan black belt in Shotokan. He is very elusive in his striking and uses faints, angles, and footwork to avoid powerful shots from his opponent and delivering powerful shots of his own. Machida is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt.
Keys to victory: Machida will need to use his karate circle to the right and avoid the legendary right hand of Henderson. He also needs to move in angles when he strikes, making sure to get in and away in an attempt to confuse the veteran with his style and look for the big shot to finish his opponent.
Dan Henderson: Henderson has a strong background in wrestling. He also has devastating knockout ability in both hands. Henderson presses the action, gets people against the fence, and works dirty boxing through using Greco roman wrestling to control position up close. When separated he looks to uncork that heavy right hand.
Keys to victory: Henderson’s mental toughness, wrestling ability, and knockout power in both hands will take the guess work out of this equation, he will look to land a powerful left hand or a shattering right.
Fight prediction: Henderson wins a split decision by moving forward and initiating the stand-up exchanges.
~ Rousey vs. Carmouche ~
Ronda Rousey: Rousey gained attention of the entire sport by winning 6 pro fights, all within the 1st round via armbar. She uses boxing to get in close with her opponent then she clinches with them, and slams them to the mat, yet before they can react they are deep in her notorious armbar.
Keys to victory: Rousey will look to take this fight to the ground. At the first chance from there, she will work submissions against her foe.
Liz Carmouche: Carmouche is very strong. She uses her strength to control the fight and has great striking. She also uses her strength for powerful takedowns and implements very nice ground and pound attacks.
Keys to victory: She will need to keep the distance and use her powerful striking and avoid Rousey from closing the distance and keep the fight standing at all cost.
Fight prediction: Rousey will use her boxing to close the distance judo throws to get the fight to the ground and end with another spectacular 1st round armbar.
~ Keep in Mind ~
UFC 157 will be the first ever female fight in the history of the UFC and also the first ever championship fight for females in the UFC. Henderson will look to secure his next fight for the UFC light heavyweight division against another opponent with the same agenda.
Be sure to not blink when these two knockout artist are in the octagon. Expect non-stop action from Faber and Menjivar as well! Be sure to buckle yourself in when these two fast paced fighters enter the cage.
Neer vs. McGee is going be interesting. Will the Ultimate Fighter winner use his well-rounded skill-set or will Neer deliver a knockout shot to end the night for his opponent?
Koscheck vs. Lawler is sure to be another slugfest. Both guys have wrestling in their back pocket but I look to Koscheck to have the advantage in wrestling if it comes to that. Watch this Saturday night as history unfolds before us with this UFC 157 PPV event.
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Watch the official preview for UFC 157 in the video below.