Breakdown: UFC FN 81, Boston
Injuries may be the first thing you
think of when you think about former Bantamweight Champion, Dominic Cruz, but
let’s not discount the dominance prior to the injuries. Cruz TKO’d Brian Bowles
in the 2nd round on March 16, 2010 to become the champion and then
defended against the division’s best: Benavidez, Jorgensen Faber and, most
recently, a Unanimous Decision over, now Flyweight Champ, Demetrious Johnson
(10/01/11).
The Briefest of Injury Timelines:
May 7, 2012 first reported injury:
Forced to pull out of rubber match with Faber at UFC 148.
Then a second ACL surgery and a
pulled groin kept him out of action until September 27, 2014 when he
steamrolled Takeya Mizugaki with a first round KO (1:01).
December 22, 2014 it was reported
that Cruz injured the ACL on his other leg and required surgery. This is “The
Dominator’s first fight back and just second fight since 2011.
TJ Dillashaw is riding a confidence
wave fueled by three straight finishes in championship fights. At 12-2 with 6 KO’s
the 29 year old TKO’d Renan Barao in the 4th round (0:35) in July of
2015. Prior to that he finished, late replacement fighter, Joe Soto by head-kick
(5th 2:20) Aug 30, 2014. Don’t
forget when Dillashaw shocked the world by outworking Renan Barao before
pouring it on the former Champ in the fifth round to earn the TKO at 2:26 and
wear the belt home.
Dillashaw himself was a replacement fighter
in the Barao fight. He maximized the opportunity when Raphael Assuncao was
forced to withdraw due to an injured rib. TJ lost to Assuncao at UFC FN 29 in
Oct, 2013 in a close Split Decision.
Co-Main Event: Lightweight Division
Eddie Alvarez held belts in other organizations, but his
journey to UFC gold has begun slowly. The former Bellator Lightweight Champion
lost his UFC debut to Donald Cerrone (9/27/14) by UD. In June of 2015 he
bounced back with a SD win over Gilbert Melendez. The 32 year old Alvarez is
the owner of 14 KO and 7 Sub victories.
March 14, 2015 saw the end of Anthony Pettis’ win streak.
Rafael dos Anjos took the LW title from Pettis in a five round domination.
Before the loss “Showtime’s” win streak involved two championship Submission
wins and two highlight real kicks. In Dec, 2014 Pettis sub’d former Strikeforce
LW champ Gilbert Melendez by Guillotine (2nd 1:53) and Arm-barred
the belt away from Benson Henderson (1st 4:43) on Aug 31, 2013.
On his run toward the belt “Showtime” ended the nights of two
contenders by first round kicks: 1/26/13 A body kick to Donald Cerrone at 2:35
buckled Cowboy and the referee stopped the fight, 2/26/14 a head-kick sent Joe Lauzon
to the canvas at just 1:21 into the contest.
Heavyweight Division
At 17-3 Travis Browne has only been KO’d twice, unfortunately
the more recent was “Hapa’s” last fight (May 23, 2015) by former training
partner, Andrei Arlovski in the first 4:41. Prior to that he TKO’s Brendan
Schaub in Dec of 14.
Also coming off a loss is Matt Mitrione. “Meathead” shot in
for the first take-down of his UFC career and found himself caught in a Ben
Rothwell Guillotine (1st 1:54) in June, 2015. Before the loss MM was
on a first round KO streak that victimized: Gabriel Gonzaga (12/13/14 1:59),
Derrick Lewis (9/5/14 0:41) and Shawn Jordan (3/1/14 4:59).
The two heavyweights hold 21 KO’s between them (13 Browne, 8
Mitrione). Expect a stand up fight here.
Lightweights:
Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson is 18-9
with 7 KO and 5 Sub wins. His last contest was a split decision win over Paul
Felder. He takes on Francisco Trinaldo who is 18-4 with 6 KO and 5 Subs.
Trinaldo is on a 4 fight win streak latest: TKO win over TUF winner Chad
Laprise at 2:43 of the first.
Other Fights to Look for:
In the LW
division Daron Cruickshank takes on Paul Felder in a possible FON match-up.
WW sees “Killer
B” Ben Saunders and Patrick Cote battle it out toward a prospective title run.
At Light
Heavyweight two Middleweight contender’s meet: Tim Boetsch and Ed Herman.
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