Preview: UFC Fight Night ‘Silva vs. Bisping’

Featherweights

Mike Wilkinson (9-1) vs Makwan Amirkhani (12-2): Wilkinson notched the biggest win of his career when he cold-cocked Niklas Backstrom and sent the Swedish prospect to sleep. Now, he is set against Backstrom teammate Amirkhani, another blue-chipper. Amirkhani is a venomous submission grappler. He is so keen to take down his opponents that little is known about the current state of his kickboxing, though the brief flash he showed in a seven-second win over Andy Ogle was promising. Amirkhani’s record encapsulates the multiple facets of his aggressive submission game. From his back, he has finished two heel hooks and one triangle choke. From top position, he has three rear-naked chokes to his name; and Amirkhani’s two brabo chokes and one guillotine speak to the risks of trying to take down the Swede. Wilkinson is altogether a more stolid, meat-and-potatoes fighter. He has a good 1-2, decent lateral movement and nice timing when he chooses to shoot for a takedown. Though hittable, Wilkinson responds well to pressure and tends to gain strength as the fight goes on. Another good thing for WIlkinson: He does not touch gloves. “Mr. Finland” is not above faking the show of respect in order to hit an early takedown. Amirkhani should not need to resort to trickery to get the win, however. He submits Wilkinson in the first round.

Bantamweights

Davey Grant (9-2) vs Marlon Vera (7-2-1): Grant, who vanished along with Chris Holdsworth after the two fought in “The Ultimate Fighter 18” final in 2013, makes his return to the Octagon after a series of knee injuries. Assuming Grant has taken the opportunity to fully recover, this matchup with Vera is an interesting one. Grant has a sort of Dutch style on the feet, throwing punches to the head and body to set up kicks to the legs, while Vera has a bit of Shotokan flavor to his long-range southpaw style. Not a defensive genius, Grant is likely to run into a few punches while coming forward, but Vera’s footwork is not sharp enough to keep him at bay for long. Once Grant gets close, his superior wrestling will allow him to control the place of the fight. Vera has a dangerous guard, but he is too patient with his submission attempts. Grant is far more aggressive from the top than Vera is from the bottom, and that should be enough to net him a close win. Grant wins via unanimous decision.

Middleweights

Scott Askham (13-2) vs Chris Dempsey (11-3): Askham is a striking minimalist. The southpaw’s kickboxing repertoire consists of an overhand left, a left uppercut, a right shift, a left round kick and a left teep. Rare among tall fighters, the 6-foot-3 Askham is much better at reacting to pressure than he is tilting at long range. Lacking a jab and relying on exaggerated footwork, Askham tends to lunge after his opponent at long distance; in close, his uppercuts and clinch knees are a constant threat. In essence, Askham is far better at fighting tall than he is at fighting long. Fortunately for Askham, Dempsey is certain to close the distance as early and as often as possible. An NCAA Division II All-American, Dempsey typically needs to score takedowns. Compared to his wrestling, Dempsey’s striking is stiff and his defense far too limited for a fighter who needs to enter the pocket to win. Twice now in the UFC he has been felled by simple, straight shots through the guard. Granted, both of those losses were to light heavyweights -- and powerful ones at that. Askham has underrated power of his own and excellent timing to go along with it. One clean uppercut, and Dempsey will be like so much Yorkshire pudding. Askham scores a knockout in the first.

Featherweights

Arnold Allen (10-1) vs Yaotzin Meza (21-10): Allen had a difficult short-notice debut against crafty vet Alan Omer and persevered. Now, matchmaker Sean Shelby has seen fit to reward his success with a somewhat easier matchup. Meza is a good fighter who absolutely belongs in the UFC. He is a certified, card-carrying journeyman, however, while Allen is a promising prospect. Allen is extremely quick and packs a mean punch. His best attribute, though, is his poise. Allen stays calm in bad positions and wild, fast-paced fights despite less than four years of pro experience. Meza needs to bring his fights to the ground to win, but his striking is tentative at best and he has an awful habit of coming in tall, half-leaning away as if fearing a counterpunch. Meza might be able to bank a round with his grinding cage control and top work, but he just does not have the tools necessary to demand Allen’s respect. Allen wins by second-round knockout.

Middleweights

Bradley Scott (10-3) vs Krzysztof Jotko (16-1): This matchup pits two of the middleweight division’s best young fighters against one another. Jotko has struggled to leave many lasting impressions since joining the UFC in 2013, but his 3-1 record speaks for itself. Jotko prefers to move around on the outside, though his attacks often carry him into the clinch. He is an accurate puncher with a penchant for up-elbows and odd combinations, but he is not particularly powerful. At 6-foot-1, Scott is the same height as Jotko, but his frame is much thicker than the Pole’s. Scott likes to maul opponents in the clinch and against the fence, and he should have a distinct physical advantage over Jotko. Though his massive frame might suggest otherwise, Scott keeps a frenetic pace. From distance, he works behind a crisp jab and batters body and head with equal prejudice. His technical striking and powerful clinch game will be a tough combination for Jotko, though the Pole is creative enough to make this a close fight. Scott by unanimous decision is the pick.

Lightweights

Norman Parke (21-4-1) vs Rustam Khabilov (17-3): In his past five fights, Parke has lost two split decisions and gone to one majority draw. On the plus side, that means Parke was close to victory in all five of those bouts. On the other hand, it also indicates an inability to definitively win rounds. Parke has worked on and off with Eric Del Fierro’s Alliance MMA camp, and it remains unclear whether his game has undergone a net improvement as a result. Nonetheless, Parke has turned into a solid out-fighter over the past two years. Khabilov is not bad from that range himself. Though somewhat clunky, his kickboxing game is more dangerous than Parke’s because he fully commits to his strikes. It is not at long range, however, but in the clinch where this matchup gets interesting. Khabilov is best known for his devastating suplexes, but Parke’s judo background makes lifting him about as difficult as uprooting a stump. It will be close, but Khabilov has Greg Jackson and friends on his side. That, along with his power and aggression, should give him the edge. Khabilov wins by split decision.

Heavyweights

Daniel Omielanczuk (17-5-1) vs Jarjis Danho (6-0): Danho enters the UFC with an impressive record acquired on the European regional circuit, especially for a heavyweight. Providing an unfriendly welcome for Danho’s promotional debut is Omielanczuk, a far more experienced fighter with two UFC wins under his belt. One wonders what matchmaker Joe Silva was thinking, but Danho could have some surprises up his sleeves. Short of both limb and experience, Danho does not offer much from long range, other than an obvious desire to close the distance. After barreling into the pocket, however, his natural talent for short, thudding hooks stands out. He will have a tough time in the spaces in between clinch exchanges, however, as Omielanczuk is a sharp long-range kickboxer who uses a southpaw jab to hide potent kicks. Danho’s best chance is to wrestle the Pole. Relying on a nice single-leg takedown, Danho is not a bad wrestler, though his inexperience causes him to make fundamental mistakes, particularly when defending takedowns. Danho just is not a safe bet given Omielanczuk’s experience, but keep a keen eye on the short-range exchanges between the two for a glimpse of his potential. The pick is Omielanczuk by unanimous decision.

Lightweights

Teemu Packalen (7-1) vs Thibault Gouti (11-0): The grappler-versus-striker style matchup is as old as the sport itself. Packalen is a durable submission grappler and a capable wrestler. He knows how to time a takedown, moving backward and drawing in his opponent, only to drop for a double-leg just as the other man commits his weight. Gouti, on the other hand, is a defined striker. The basic 1-2 is the cornerstone of Gouti’s game. He does an excellent job of moving forward behind his jab, doubling and tripling it to confuse his opponent’s timing and set up his right hand. Reliant almost entirely on his hands, Gouti’s defense is not exceptional, but he is absolutely a more difficult target than Packalen, whose upright stance all but invites the kind of straight punches with which Gouti excels. It would be a surprise to see Gouti score a knockout, but so long as he can stay on his feet for about eight total minutes, the fight is his. The pick is Gouti by unanimous decision.

Lightweights

David Teymur (3-1) vs Martin Svensson (14-5): Svensson is five years and 15 fights more experienced than Teymur, and he is five inches taller. Despite these advantages, Teymur represents a tough stylistic matchup for the statuesque Swede. Svensson’s bout with Artem Lobov is key to understanding this fight. Though Svensson has eight submission wins to his name and Lobov has a reputation for turning into a grappling dummy once taken down, Svensson was unable to submit “The Russian Hammer.” In fact, he was not even able to ground him until the end of the first round, despite spending the entire period in the clinch. Svensson is just not a strong wrestler, and his frame belies a fairly ineffectual kickboxing game. With an extensive kickboxing background, Teymur will be well-suited to counter Svensson’s slapping kicks and push into mid-range, where Svensson’s tendency to freeze and cover up will betray him. At distance, Teymur has the powerful body kicks necessary to punish Svensson’s long body. So long as Teymur does not take down Svensson, he will be able to dictate the pace and range of the fight. Teymur takes it by second-round knockout.