Preview: UFC – Maia vs. Condit

Demian Maia vs. Carlos Condit headlines this Saturday night’s UFC on Fox card. In a fight that is almost a throwback to the early days of the UFC, this is best described as a striker vs. grappler – and for good reason.

Carlos Condit is a former WEC and UFC (interim) champion, and quite possibly the most exciting fighter at 170lbs. He is predominantly known for his slick stand up skills and his ability to chain attacks together that look like they’ve come from a John Woo film. Training at Jackson’s MMA for the bulk of his career, Condit has a very good fight IQ and knows what it takes to win close fights, as shown in his interim title fight with Nick Diaz. Condit is coming in to this fight having lost a razor thin decision against Robbie Lawler in his last outing, for the UFC welterweight title. However, Condit will be well aware that a win against Maia will launch him back in to title contention should he be able to pull it off. Demain Maia is no walkover however, and is arguably the bet pure grappler competing in MMA today. The former Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world champion has gone back to his roots in recent years and has kept his game plans to winning fights relatively simple: takedown, take the back, submission. As easy as that might sound to stop, Maia has blitzed through his last five opponents with relative ease. The likes of Matt Brown, Gunnar Nelson, Neil Magny et al have all struggled with the relatively basic, but super effective game plan of Maia. The key to this fight will be if Condit can punish Maia enough to make him avoid coming in for the takedown attempts and keep the fight standing. Will he become just another victim on Maia’s march to the UFC title?

Continuing the striker vs. grappler theme set by the main event, the co-main event features one of the flashier fighters in the UFC and former WEC and UFC lightweight champion, Anthony Pettis, making his featherweight debut against 145lbs gatekeeper and top ten main stay, Charles Oliveira. Pettis makes the drop to 145lbs after losing his last three fights at lightweight and with the hope that a drop in weight will result in a change in form. One of the most exciting and dynamic strikers in his division, Pettis has struggled in his recent fights since losing his title to Rafael dos Anjos and with each performance looking more lacklustre than the previous since that loss, he’ll be hoping that a win over a dangerous Oliveira will get him back on track. As mentioned above, Oliveira is no joke at 145lbs and has shown himself to be one of the most inventive and devastating submission artists in the division. Oliveira has found it relatively easy going through fighters outside the top ten at featherweight, but whenever he’s had to make the step up, he’s struggled, dropping losses to Max Holloway, Frankie Edgar and Cub Swanson in his last 10 fights. Whilst he provides a stern challenge for Pettis, look for ‘Showtime’ to get back to winning ways with a closely fought decision win on Saturday night.

Paige VanZant faces ‘Rowdy’ Bec Rawlings in a strawweight fight that pits the UFC’s golden girl against the self-styled rebel in what’s sure to be an entertaining fight. VanZant is coming in to this fight on the back of a loss to rising star Rose Namajunas, so will be keen to get a win under her belt and reassert herself as a legit contender at 125lbs. Rawlings has no such worries as she’s currently sitting on a two-fight win streak, and a win over VanZant could throw her in to the title mix – something that seemed inconceivable when she first joined the UFC. Both of these fighters have plenty to prove coming in to this, but despite the loss in her last bout, expect VanZant to take the win here, though it won’t be easy.

Joe Lauzon and Jim Miller are the curtain jerker on the main card and despite no longer being contenders at 155lbs, they’re still hanging around in the UFC because they deliver exciting fights. Both fighters are exceptional grapplers and, if given a sniff of a submission, will take full advantage. On the feet, the advantage arguably lies with Lauzon, although Miller is no rookie and will be aware of the threat Lauzon possesses. Expect both these guys to come out looking to finish and if this is anything like their previous fight, there will be plenty of blood, sweat and a submission before the end. Miller to come out on top, just like at UFC 155.

Fights to watch on the undercard; Enrique Barzola vs. Kyle Bochniak, Chad Laprise vs. Thibault Gouti and Sam Alvey vs. Kevin Casey.