UFC on FX 3 ‘McCall vs. Johnson 2’ Preview

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Welterweights

Mike Pyle (22-8-1, 5-3 UFC) vs. Josh Neer (33-10-1, 6-6 UFC)

The Matchup: Two well-traveled veterans lock horns here, as Pyle and Neer have 75 fights’ experience between them. Pyle began his professional career in 1999 by losing a decision to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. In his next fight, he submitted a young Jon Fitch. With experience like that, “Quicksand” obviously knows how to prevail through the ups and downs that often accompany an extended mixed martial arts career. Currently, he is trending upward, with wins in four of his last five UFC bouts, including a first-round technical knockout of Ricardo Funch at UFC 142.

Neer, meanwhile, has three separate Octagon stints to his credit and wins over the likes of Melvin Guillard, Joe Stevenson, Din Thomas and Mac Danzig during his UFC employment. “The Dentist” showcased his toughness against Duane Ludwig in January, walking through heavy fire from the Colorado native to secure a rear-naked choke victory in the opening round. With six straight victories, Neer is experiencing a mini-resurgence of his own.

The tone for this bout could be set early, as Pyle is at his best when he can control the tempo of a fight, while Neer is more than happy to go for broke right off the bat. Making things interesting is that both men are solid grapplers with excellent guards, meaning that offense on the mat could come at a premium.

Neer is both durable and physical, and he will look to bully his way into the clinch, where he can connect with punishing elbows and knees. Pyle’s striking defense has been exposed as a weakness in the past, and how he responds as Neer presses forward will be key in this instance. That said, Pyle has excellent cage awareness and can plant Neer on his back with a timely level change.

The Pick: Neer will not be able to overpower Pyle, and history has shown that he is susceptible to being controlled through solid wrestling and grappling on the canvas. Even if he cannot do a significant amount of damage from above, Pyle has the skills to make this a grinding affair in which he maintains dominant control. Pyle wins by decision.

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