Preview: UFC 201 ‘Lawler vs. Woodley’

Bantamweights

Francisco Rivera (11-6) vs. Erik Perez (15-6)

THE MATCHUP: Rivera is just 1-4 in his last five fights, but two of those losses were questionable. Urijah Faber submitted Rivera after gouging his eye in a fight Rivera seemed to be taking over. Then in February, Rivera lost a split decision to veteran Brad Pickett despite out-landing him in every round. There is no reason to believe that “Cisco” is not still operating at the peak of his powers.

Of those powers, counterpunching is Rivera’s most potent. Rivera utilizes smart head movement to evade his opponent’s offense before returning with crushing power. Rivera is a capable combination puncher, equally dangerous with his straight right and left hook. Rivera is a capable defensive wrestler, thanks mostly to his angular footwork, which keeps wrestlers from lining up a shot. Rivera’s weaknesses are stiffness and a willingness to brawl. Though he moves his head and strings together his punches well, Rivera throws everything with full power and rarely varies his rhythm, allowing clever opponents to time him as he defends and counters. When tagged, Rivera tends to abandon the cleverer aspects of his striking and slug it out, giving his opponent a chance to land clean strikes or take him down.

Awkward and scrappy are the best descriptors for Perez. Though he struggled at first with the fluid footwork and striking of Taylor Lapilus, Perez quickly adapted, countering Lapilus’ strikes with fierce combinations and chopping away with kicks as he exited the pocket. The fight was also his first with Alliance MMA, and Perez seemed to have picked up some of the tricky movement of bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, weaving from side to side as he chipped away with stiff punches.

However, Perez’s victory over Lapilus in November, his first in two years, was due in part to a series of baffling tactical decisions on the part of the Frenchman. Though he only scored one takedown, Perez dominated the last two rounds from top position, taking advantage of Lapilus’ ill-advised submission attempts. Pace played a role, as Lapilus was too tired to stop Perez from having his way by round three, but without a serious focus on wrestling or a marked improvement in defense, Perez may find himself on the end of Rivera’s punches.

THE ODDS: Perez (-118), Rivera (-102)

THE PICK: Because he throws with such power, Rivera has been known to tire in the past. That is Perez’s biggest window of opportunity, as “Goyito” is always superbly conditioned and willing to fight through adversity if it means wearing down his opponent. “Adversity” has a different meaning when one is fighting Rivera, however, and Perez is still too hittable to avoid the Californian’s bombs. He is durable, so he will survive -- and quite likely to take the third round, too -- but the pick is Rivera by unanimous decision.

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