Red Ink: Bowles/Cruz

Take out the second act of any Brian Bowles fight and you’re left with an ending that wasn’t all that obvious in the opening minutes. Bowles is clearly fit, fast, and capable, but he displays little of the dizzying offense or athleticism that we see in other fighters. He can be taken down, clocked, and otherwise made to look very human.

But he wins. All the time. Skip to the finish and see Bowles ending bouts inside of the distance. He is not a steamrolling fighter and not a guy who’s going to plow through you at the bell. Instead, he’ll dig in. Eventually, you’ll make an error that leaves you vulnerable for a half-second. And maybe his low-gear pace is intentional: it gives him a chance to see that opening and put his first through it. He has never won a decision because he’s never gone to a decision.

Dominick Cruz, Bowles’ opponent Saturday and the first challenger for Bowles’ 135-pound title, bounces on the balls of his feet, loops punches powered by a long frame, and doesn’t appear to have a huge deficit anywhere. With a 14-1 record, he doesn’t make many mistakes. He’s also one of a handful of MMA fighters who realize “combinations” can include kicks.

What It Means: For Bowles, a chance to prove his KO over Miguel Torres was no easy luck; for Cruz, an opportunity to dethrone Bowles before he barely got used to the smell of the leather.

Wild Card: Bowles is thought to have smarter hands, but Cruz’ reach can be off-putting.

Who Wins: Bowles, after Cruz puts him in some brief trouble.