Breaking Down: UFC Fight NIght, Barnett v Nelson

Breaking Down: UFC Fight Night, Barnett v Nelson

 

The Main Event pits Heavyweights Josh Barnett and Roy Nelson at the Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan. Barnett comes into the fight 33-7 with 28 stoppages, 8 KO’s and 20 Submissions. He is coming off a loss in his last fight that dates back to Dec 28^th, 2013. The "Warmaster" was the recipient of those infamous down elbows from Travis Browne. Barnett stopped at 1:00 of the first round by Browne. Prior to that, Barnett had earned two straight, first round stoppage wins in 2013: in Jan he submitted Nandor Guelmino by arm triangle (2:11) for Strikeforce and then in August TKO’d Frank Mir at UFC 164 (1:56).

Roy Nelson doesn’t win many fights by decision. He is 2-9 in fights that have gone the distance. What he does do often is knock people out. 13 KO’s so far in his 20-11 career. A few names on Big Country’s mandatory nap list include: Big Nog, Cro Cop and Dave Herman. He also has 5 wins by way of submission. Nelson is coming off a two fight skid. Last Sept he was KO’d by Mark Hunt (for only the 2nd time in his career) and dropped a UD to Allistair Overeem at UFC 185 03/14/2015. The 39 year-Old’s last win came at UFC Fight Night 39 (4/11/14) in The Main Event by KO over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at 3:37 of the first round.

Uriah Hall and Gegard Mousasi combine to bring 26 KO/TKO stoppages to the co-main event in the Middleweight Division. Hall comes into the fight with 4 wins in his last 5 fights. The one hiccup: a split decision loss to Rafael Natal at UFC 187. Last fight, he made quick work of Oluwale Bamgbose with a first round TKO at 2:32. "Primetime" has kept busy this year. This is the 31 year-old's 4^th fight of 2015.

Gegard Mousasi is a finisher. He has 19 KO’s and 12 Submissions in his 37 wins. At just 30 years old the "The Dreamcatcher" is riding a 2 fight win streak: UD over Costas Philippou at UFC Fight Night 66 (5/16/15) and a 1^st round TKO of Dan Henderson in Jan. Mousasi’s last 2 losses came by the middleweight division’s cream: Jacare (9/5/14) and Machida (2/15/14). Between those losses he was able to submit Mark Munoz by RNC (3:57, 1^st, 5/31/14).

Dropping down to the125lb class: Kyoji Horiguchi faces Chico Camus. Horiguchi is looking to rebound following, his 2^nd career loss, this time at the hands of Flyweight Champ, Demetrious Johnson, UFC 186 (4/25/15) when Mighty Mouse submitted him with only one second remaining in the 5 rounder. Prior to the loss Horiguchi was on a 9 fight win streak dating back to 2012 including 4 TKO’s and 1 Submission.

Chico Camus wins are well balanced. 7 are by way of decision the other 7= 4 KO’s and 3 Subs. He, like Horiguchi, is also fresh off a loss, his to Henry Cejudo in June at UFC 188 by UD. "King’s" last win was by SD over Brad Pickett last Nov.

In the Bantamweight Division, Takeya Mizukaki faces George Roop. Mizakaki at 20-9 is coming off back to back loses by stoppage: Nobody can forget how Dominick Cruz tore through him last Sept KO-ing the 31 year old at only 1:01 of the 1^st, and in April Aljamain Sterling submitted Mizukaki in the 3^rd round by arm triangle. Prior to the losses he was on a 5 fight win streak.

George Roop is 3-2 in his last 5 fights. At 6’1” he is tall for a 135. He has been a bit inactive lately: KO’d last July by Rob Font, last win was over Dustin Kimura (4/16/14).

Also in BW Division Yamamotto Norifumi takes on Matt Hobar. At 38 Norifumi is hardly the “Kid” his nickname suggests. He is 0-3- and 1 no contest in the UFC since 2011. His last win was way back at Dream 14 (5/29/10) over Federico Lopez.

Matt “The Crobar” Hobar at 9-3 has struggled in the UFC. The 5’10” Bantamweight is 1-2, losing his last to Sergio Pettis by UD last Dec.

Also on the Main Card Mizuto Hirota and Teruto Ishihara will fight. Hirota's last fight in the UFC was a SD loss to Rodrigo Damm in June of 2013. Since then “Pugnus” is on a 3 fight win streak with back to back 2^nd round TKO’s. He has 10 in his career.

Teruto Ishihara is also coming off a second round TKO win, over Jung Hwan in June of 2014. 6 of his 7 wins have come by KO/TKO.

                                                         Update
The Bantamweight fight between Norifumi Yamamoto and Matt Hobar has been cancelled due to injuries to both fighters, according to mmajunkie.com  Moving to the Main Card, as a result, is Diego Brandao and Katsunori Kikuno in the Featherweight Division.

The 28 year old, Brandao scored a first round TKO win over Jim Hettes at UFC on Fox 15 (4/18/15) by Dr. Stoppage (5:00) in his last fight. The TUF 14 winner is looking to stay in the winner’s circle. Prior to the April win, he dropped 2 straight by 1^st round KO/TKO to Connor McGregor (7/19/15) and Dustin Poirier (12/28/13).

Katsunori Kikuno’s last win was on a card headlined by Roy Nelson. Last Sept. he submitted Sam Sicilia by RNC 1:38 of the second round. The 33 year old, holds 11 KO wins in his career, combined with Brandao’s 10 KO’s, the fists are sure to be flying Sat. night. Kikuno is coming off a first round KO loss to Edimilson Souza (3/21/15).