UFC on Fuel TV 8 Preview

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Lightweights

Diego Sanchez (23-5, 12-5 UFC) vs. Takanori Gomi (34-8, 3-3 UFC)

The Matchup: Sanchez returns to 155 pounds for the first time since 2009, when he absorbed a serious beating in a title bout against then-champion B.J. Penn at UFC 107. “The Dream” went 2-2 during his most recent stint at welterweight, besting Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann while falling to John Hathaway and Jake Ellenberger. Undersized at 170 pounds, Sanchez figures to be able to better impose his relentless wrestling game at lightweight.

Gomi gave perhaps the most complete performance of his Ultimate Fighting Championship career against Mac Danzig at UFC on Fuel TV 6. While he had been hesitant to pull the trigger in previous bouts, “The Fireball Kid” threw punches and kicks with power and confidence against Danzig, dropping his foe with a right hand in the third round en route to earning a split decision victory. Gomi is not the knockout machine he was during his Pride Fighting Championships prime, but he still has enough power in his hands to give opponents pause when trading strikes in the pocket.

Sanchez’s performance against Ellenberger more than a year ago was par for the course for the Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts product. After absorbing some heavy punches from Ellenberger early, Sanchez finished the contest as the dominant fighter, pounding away with punches from his adversary’s back in the waning moments of the third frame; had it been a five-round headliner, the outcome might have turned out differently.

Thanks to his heart and durability, Sanchez is never out of a fight. The New Mexican has never been stopped by strikes in his 28-bout career -- the Penn loss was a doctor’s stoppage -- and he has shown a good ability to recover when rocked.

Sanchez has just enough standup skill to keep Gomi honest, but he will win the fight by constantly pressuring with tie-ups and takedowns. Sanchez’s relentless approach allows him to bully foes to the mat, as he scores takedowns through power rather than superior technique. He is persistent with ground-and-pound, and his rapid pace allows him to have the edge in the majority of scrambles and transitions.

The Pick: Unless Gomi can score a big knockout early, he is going to wear down under a stream of clinches, takedowns attempts and ground strikes. Sanchez wins by decision.

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