UFC Fight Night ‘Hunt vs. Nelson’ Preview

---

Welterweights

Kiichi Kunimoto (17-5-2, 2-0 UFC) vs. Richard Walsh (8-1, 1-0 UFC): Kunimoto lacks speed and athleticism, but he is a relentless wrestler and a surprisingly powerful striker whose shots, especially his counter right, carry real pop. He also does an excellent job of using strikes to cover the entries for his takedowns, and once the fight hits the mat, he has excellent instincts for opportunistic submissions. Walsh is a similar fighter who is at his best in the clinch, with great infighting skills, slick judo-style trips and well-timed shots. He boasts a heavy, damaging top game, and his striking is coming along nicely. Kunimoto is probably a bit more skilled, but Walsh has better physical tools and is growing from fight to fight. Walsh by decision is the pick.

Featherweights

Katsunori Kikuno (21-6-2, 1-1 UFC) vs. Sam Sicilia (13-4, 3-3 UFC): Unorthodox striker Kikuno drops to 145 pounds for the first time to take on “The Ultimate Fighter” product Sicilia in an interesting matchup of mid-level featherweights. Kikuno’s style is strange, but he is a powerful counterpuncher and throws interesting kicks, while his offensive and defensive wrestling and top games are solid. Sicilia is becoming more well-rounded, but he still relies on his athleticism and his humdinger of a right hand. If Kikuno stands in front of Sicilia, the American will knock him out, but I think the former Deep champion has the tools to take a clear decision.

Welterweights

Hyun Gyu Lim (12-4-1, 2-1 UFC) vs. Takenori Sato (17-9-7, 0-1 UFC): Brutally entertaining action fighter Lim looks to rebound after dropping a tough decision loss to Tarec Saffiedine in January, while Sato appears to be drastically outmatched once again after getting stomped by Erick Silva in March. Lim is huge for the division and packs enormous power into his high-octane striking attack, which focuses on knee strikes and hard hooks; Sato is almost exclusively a wrestler. Lim will stuff Sato’s takedown attempts and knock him out in the first round.

Bantamweights

Michinori Tanaka (10-0, 1-0 UFC) vs. Kyung Ho Kang (12-7, 1-1 UFC): This is an intriguing battle between a pair of young, talented bantamweights. Tanaka is one of the brightest prospects to come out of Japan in quite some time. He boasts an ultra-quick shot, slick clinch takedowns, a sharp right hand and great athleticism that allows him to phase-shift and scramble exceptionally well. Kang is an excellent athlete in his own right and features a well-rounded game with slick grappling, great takedown defense and a decent striking repertoire. On the feet, this should be all Tanaka, while on the ground the contest is more evenly matched. Tanaka by decision is the pick.

Lightweights

Kazuki Tokudome (12-5-1, 1-2 UFC) vs. Johnny Case (18-4, 0-0 UFC): This profiles as a fun and exciting fight between two lower-tier lightweights. The debuting Case is a crisp striker who puts his lengthy 6-foot-1 frame to great use with sharp jabs and low kicks. The American can also wrestle a bit, though takedown defense is something of a concern, and he is a strong clinch fighter. Tokudome is a proficient wrestler with stifling top control and a good inside game, but despite his willingness to throw hands, he is limited and quite hittable on the feet. This is a coin-flip bout, but Tokudome outwrestling Case for a decision seems like the most likely outcome.

Featherweights

Maximo Blanco (10-6-1, 2-3 UFC) vs. Daniel Hooker (11-4, 1-0 UFC): Blanco is a terrifying little ball of violence with great capacity for entertaining destruction. Blanco’s striking features quick, technically sound and brutally powerful punches mixed in with the occasional kick and flying knee, and he is perfectly capable of working takedowns when the mood strikes. Hooker is a proficient striker himself with more of a traditional muay Thai game, and he is active both from top position and off his back on the ground. Blanco holds massive advantages in experience, athleticism and power; a knockout is possible, but a decision for the Venezuelan is more likely.

Follow Sherdog.com preview expert Patrick Wyman on Twitter.